bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Biocompatible Arginine‐Based Polycation
Authors: Zern Blaine J. , Chu Hunghao , Osunkoya Adeboye O. , Gao Jin , Wang Yadong 
Published: December 2010

AbstractSelf assembly between cations and anions is ubiquitous throughout nature. Important biological structures such as chromatin often use poly­valent assembly between a polycation and a polyanion. The biomedical importance of synthetic polycations arises from their affinity to polyanions such as nucleic acid and heparan sulfate. However, the limited biocompatibility of synthetic polycations hampers the realization of their immense potential. By examining biocompatible cationic peptides, we hypothesize that a biocompatible polycation should be biodegradable and made from endogenous cations. We design an arginine‐based biodegradable polycation and demonstrate that it is more compatible by several orders of magnitude than conventional polycations in vitro and in vivo. This biocompatibility diminishes when L‐arginine is substituted with D‐arginine or when the biodegradable ester linker is changed to a biostable ether linker. We believe that this design can lead to many biocompatible polycations that can significantly advance a wide range of applications including controlled release, tissue engineering, biosensing, and medical devices.
Materials for Printable, Transparent, and Low‐Voltage Transistors
Authors: Sun Jia , Zhang Bo , Katz Howard E. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractSince the 1990s, printable, transparent, and low‐voltage transistors have attracted great attention from academia and industry due to the demand for specialized circuitry such as in radio‐frequency identification (RFID) tags, medical sensors, and electronically active textiles. Some flexible and portable devices have been available commercially; however, the challenge to convert more conceptual devices into real‐life applications is still the materials. This article starts with a brief summary of some examples from silicon electronics, to place the other materials in context, followed by the topics including high‐capacitance dielectrics, transparent conductors and semiconductors, and printability of recently developed electronic materials. The recent progress about these topics is reviewed, and discussions of each topic suggest future science and engineering research opportunities.
Harnessing “Click”‐Type Chemistry for the Preparation of Novel Electronic Materials
Authors: Firstenberg Michal , Shivananda Kammasandra Nanjunda , Cohen Irit , Solomeshch Olga , Medvedev Vladislav , Tessler Nir , Eichen Yoav 
Published: December 2010

AbstractSequence‐independent or “click”‐type chemistry is applied for the preparation of novel π‐conjugated oligomers. A variety of bi‐functional monomers for Wittig–Horner olefination are developed and applied in a sequential protection–deprotection process for the preparation of structurally similar π‐conjugated oligomers. Selected oligomers are incorporated as the organic semiconductors in light‐emitting diodes and a field‐effect transistor, demonstrating the potential of the approach.
Transfusion intensity, not the cumulative red blood cell transfusion burden, determines the prognosis of patients with myelodysplastic syndrome on chronic transfusion support
Authors: Pereira Arturo , Nomdedeu Meritxell , Aguilar Josep‐Lluís , Belkaid Mohamed , Carrió Anna , Cobo Francesc , Costa Dolors , Rozman María , Sanz Cristina , Nomdedeu Benet 
Published: December 2010

AbstractTransfusion‐dependency is associated with poor prognosis in patients with MDS although the causal link for such association is disputed. This study tests thee hypotheses on the association between transfusion burden and prognosis in the MDS: (1) the cumulative transfusion burden is a confounder merely reflecting the time elapsed from diagnosis; (2) it is a surrogate for higher transfusion intensity, which would reflect a more severe disease; and (3) it is the total amount of transfused RBC units that influences on prognosis. We studied 191 transfusion‐dependent patients with MDS or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Transfusion intensity was calculated at the time of each transfusion as the yearly‐equivalent number of RBC units. The main outcome was acute leukemia‐free survival from first transfusion. Median transfusion burden was 30 (range: 4–330) RBC units and 112 patients received ≥25 units after a median of 9 months from first transfusion. In nested Cox models, having received ≥25 RBC units had a significant effect on survival (P < 0.001) that was not abrogated by including follow‐up ≥9 months as a time‐dependent covariate. Including transfusion intensity in the model had a significant effect on leukemia‐free survival (P < 0.001) and cancelled the prognostic value of having received ≥25 RBC units. In conclusion, transfusion intensity, instead of the cumulative transfusion burden, is the transfusion‐related variable really influencing on the prognosis of patients with transfusion‐dependent MDS. Am. J. Hematol. 86:245–250, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recreational angling markets to advance the conservation of a reach of the Western Ramganga River, India
Authors: Everard Mark , Kataria Gaurav 
Published: December 2010

Abstract
Mahseer fishes of the genus Tor are ‘iconic species’ in Indian rivers, representing ‘flagship’ species for conservation purposes but with additional exploitable, cultural and economic values. Conservation action is required to address their vulnerability to numerous pressures on multiple habitats, and connections between them, across the extended aquatic ecosystems supporting different life stages.
Recreational angling for mahseer, along with associated wildlife and cultural tourism, is a growth industry dependent upon healthy river ecosystems.
A cyclic, ecosystem‐based model in which local people can benefit economically from sustainable mahseer exploitation through catch‐and‐release fisheries can form a basis for conservation of both mahseer and the wider river ecosystem.
Experience on the Western Ramganga River in the vicinity of the town of Bikhyasen, Uttarakhand State (in the Himalayas in northern India), demonstrates the importance of involving local people in the benefits associated with angling, wildlife and cultural tourism. This creates local incentives for river protection, and may be the most effective means for preventing destructive over‐exploitation in poor rural communities.
Recognition of this value and its recirculation to local people can form the basis for a ‘paying for ecosystems services’ (PES) market. This will benefit river ecosystems, local people, tour operators and visiting anglers, provided that local people benefit to a greater extent than through the killing of fish for non‐renewable consumption or sale.
This is the basis for a potentially transferable model which may support regional development through involving local people in markets for iconic species. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Effects of the 4‐(4‐Methylpiperazine)phenyl Group on Nucleosides and Oligonucleotides: Cellular Delivery, Detection, and Stability
Authors: Park Sun Min , Nam Su‐Jin , Jeong Hyun Seok , Kim Won Jong , Kim Byeang Hyean 
Published: December 2010

AbstractAs drug candidates, one promising way to improve the cellular delivery efficacy of oligonucleotides is to introduce a cationic group. By introducing a cationic moiety into the oligonucleotide structure, they become capable of approaching the cell surface and also of crossing the cellular membrane. In an effort to develop cell‐permeable oligonucleotides, we examined the piperazinephenyl‐bearing 2′‐deoxyuridine (PPU), which can be not only cationic but also fluorescent as a cationic monomer for cationic oligonucleotides. Several modified DNA oligonucleotides with different numbers of PPU building blocks were synthesized and evaluated for the effect on thermal stability and conformation by the introduction of PPU. The cellular delivery of modified oligonucleotides was different depending on the number of PPU building blocks. Furthermore, these PPU‐modified oligonucleotides had sufficient fluorescence that we were able to identify the delivery results without the use of conventional fluorescent tags. They were predominantly localized in the cell cytoplasm. In addition, they were stable enough after 3 hours in the presence of nuclease. These results showed that a piperazinephenyl moiety that is conjugated with nucleobase is able to deliver and detect the oligonucleotides, which suggests that this concept of ‘dual‐function oligonucleotides’ might be utilized in diagnostics, therapeutics, and as a convenient biological tool for probing the activity of oligonucleotides inside cells.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Physical Properties of a Conjugated Heteroacene: 2‐Methyl‐1,4,6,7,8,9‐hexaphenylbenz(g)isoquinolin‐3(2H)‐one (BIQ)
Authors: Zhang Qichun , Xiao Jinchong , Yin Zongyou , Duong Hieu M. , Qiao Fen , Boey Freddy , Hu Xiao , Zhang Hua , Wudl Fred 
Published: December 2010

AbstractWe report the synthesis and characterization of a novel, stable and blue heteroacene, 2‐methyl‐1,4,6,7,8,9‐hexaphenylbenz(g)isoquinolin‐3(2H)‐one (BIQ 3). BIQ 3, with its relatively small π framework, has an absorption λmax at 620 nm, which is larger than that of pentacene (λmax=582 nm), but BIQ 3 is more stable. The solutions of BIQ 3 are observed without any noticeable photobleaching on the order of days. In the solid state, it is very stable at ambient conditions and can be stored indefinitely. Owing to its pyridone end unit, BIQ 3 can display different resonance structures in different solvents (aprotic and protic) or Lewis acids to give different colors. The attractive stability exhibited by BIQ 3 is very desirable in organic semiconductor devices. Herein, we investigated a simple heterojunction photovoltaic device based on BIQ 3 as an electron donor and [6,6]‐phenyl‐C61 butyric methyl ester as an electron acceptor. Our results show that this type of heteroacene could be a good candidate as a charge‐transport material in organic semiconductor devices.
Development of a hybrid iterative learning control for contouring NURBS curves
Authors: Tsai M.‐S. , Yen C. L. , Yau H. T. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractThis paper develops a hybrid iterative learning control (ILC) algorithm which uses both tracking and contour errors as correction signals during the learning process. The tracking, contour and combined ILCs are first introduced and analyzed. A hybrid ILC is then proposed to predict contour errors based on the identified models and then used to determine whether the tracking or contour errors should be utilized for the correction signals. The criteria for selecting different signals are based on the predicted root mean square (RMS) value of the contour errors for non‐uniform rational B‐spline (NURBS) curves. Simulations performed on a butterfly trajectory represented by NURBS curves show that the hybrid ILC adopts tracking errors as correction signals for the first five iterations, even if the contour error RMS values are used as the objective function. As the iterations evolve, the hybrid ILC switches from using tracking errors to using contour errors as correction signals. Geometric interpretations are given to illustrate the switching behavior. It is shown that the hybrid ILC can significantly reduce contour errors as compared to the process without learning. Finally, validation experiments using the butterfly curve show that the hybrid ILC outperforms the tracking, contour and combined ILCs algorithms.Copyright © 2010 John Wiley and Sons Asia Pte Ltd and Chinese Automatic Control Society
Profiling highly conserved microrna expression in recombinant IgG‐producing and parental Chinese hamster ovary cells
Authors: Lin Nan , Davis Angela , Bahr Scott , Borgschulte Trissa , Achtien Katherine , Kayser Kevin 
Published: December 2010

AbstractMicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in global gene regulation. Researchers in recombinant protein production have proposed miRNAs as biomarkers and cell engineering targets. However, miRNA expression remains understudied in Chinese Hamster Ovary cells, one of the most commonly used host cell systems for therapeutic protein production. To profile highly conserved miRNA expression, we used the miRCURY™ miRNA array for screening miRNAs in CHO cells. The selection criteria for further miRNA profiling included positive hybridization signals and experimentally validated predicted regulatory targets. On the basis of screening, we selected 16 miRNAs for quantitative RT‐PCR profiling. We profiled miR expression in parental CHO DG44 and CHO K1 cell lines as well as four recombinant DG44‐derived CHO lines producing a recombinant human IgG. We observed that miR‐221 and miR‐222 were significantly downregulated in all IgG‐producing cell lines when compared with parental DG44, whereas miR‐125b was significantly downregulated in one IgG‐producing line. In another IgG‐producing line, miR‐19a was significantly upregulated. miRNA expression was also profiled in two of these lines that were amplified by stepwise increase of methotrexate. In both amplified cell lines, let‐7b and miR‐221 were significantly downregulated. In parental CHO K1, let‐7b, miR‐15b, and miR‐17 were significantly downregulated when compared with DG44. The results reported here are the first steps toward profiling highly conserved miRNAs and studying the clonal difference in miRNA expression in CHO cells and may shed light on using miRNAs in cell engineering. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011
Using the Peptide Bp100 as a Cell‐Penetrating Tool for the Chemical Engineering of Actin Filaments within Living Plant Cells
Authors: Eggenberger Kai , Mink Christian , Wadhwani Parvesh , Ulrich Anne S. , Nick Peter 
Published: December 2010

AbstractThe delivery of externally applied macromolecules or nanoparticles into living cells still represents a critically limiting step before the full capabilities of chemical engineering can be explored. Molecular transporters such as cell‐penetrating peptides, peptoids, and other mimetics can be used to carry cargo across the cellular membrane, but it is still difficult to find suitable sequences that operate efficiently for any particular type of cell. Here we report that BP100 (KKLFKKILKYL‐amide), originally designed as an antimicrobial peptide against plant pathogens, can be employed as a fast and efficient cell‐penetrating agent to transport fluorescent test cargoes into the cytosol of walled plant cells. The uptake of BP100 proceeds slightly more slowly than the endocytosis of fluorescent dextranes, but BP100 accumulates more efficiently and to much higher levels (by an order of magnitude). The entry of BP100 can be efficiently blocked by latrunculin B; this suggests that actin filaments are essential to the uptake mechanism. To test whether this novel transporter can also be used to deliver functional cargoes, we designed a fusion construct of BP100 with the actin‐binding Lifeact peptide (MGVADLIKKFESISKEE). We demonstrated that the short BP100 could transport the attached 17‐residue sequence quickly and efficiently into tobacco cells. The Lifeact construct retained its functionality as it successfully labeled the actin bundles that tether the nucleus in the cell center.
Quorum Sensing in Bacterial Species that Use Degenerate Autoinducers Can Be Tuned by Using Structurally Identical Non‐native Ligands
Authors: Palmer Andrew G. , Streng Evan , Jewell Kelsea A. , Blackwell Helen E. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractMany bacteria use quorum sensing (QS) to regulate cell‐density dependent phenotypes that play critical roles in the maintenance of their associations with eukaryotic hosts. In Gram‐negative bacteria, QS is primarily controlled by N‐acylated L‐homoserine lactone (AHL) signals and their cognate LuxR‐type receptors. AHL–LuxR‐type receptor binding regulates the expression of target genes necessary for QS phenotypes. We recently identified a series of non‐native AHLs capable of intercepting AHL–LuxR binding in the marine symbiont Vibrio fischeri, and thereby strongly promoting or inhibiting QS in this organism. V. fischeri utilizes N‐(3‐oxo)‐hexanoyl L‐HL (OHHL) as its primary QS signal, and OHHL is also used by several other bacterial species for QS. Such signal degeneracy is common among bacteria, and we sought to determine if our non‐native LuxR agonists and antagonists, which are active in V. fischeri, would also modulate QS phenotypes in other bacteria that use OHHL. Herein, we report investigations into the activity of a set of synthetic LuxR modulators in the plant pathogen Pectobacterium carotovora subsp. carotovora Ecc71. This pathogen uses OHHL and two closely related LuxR‐type receptors, ExpR1 and ExpR2, to control virulence, and we evaluated their responses to synthetic ligands by quantifying virulence factor production. Our results suggest an overall conservation in the activity trends of the ligands between the ExpR receptors in P. carotovora Ecc71 and LuxR in V. fischeri, and indicate that these compounds could be used as tools to study QS in an expanded set of bacteria. Notable differences in activity were apparent for certain compounds, however, and suggest that it might be possible to selectively regulate QS in bacteria that utilize degenerate AHLs.
Selective Phenylacetylene Hydrogenation on a Polymer‐Supported Palladium Catalyst Monitored by FTIR Spectroscopy
Authors: Liu Wei , Otero Arean Carlos , Bordiga Silvia , Groppo Elena , Zecchina Adriano 
Published: December 2010

AbstractThe progress of phenylacetylene hydrogenation (at room temperature) on palladium nanoparticles supported on the porous polymer poly(4‐ethylstyrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) is monitored by in situ FTIR spectroscopy. Results clearly show that, when the hydrogen excess is not too large, very close to 100 % selectivity for CC triple bond hydrogenation, converting phenylacetylene to styrene, can be attained. Nevertheless, this selectivity declines when the ratio of hydrogen to phenylacetylene is greatly increased. The reproducibility of the results is tested by repeated catalytic runs, which also indicates that the catalytically active sites are not significantly altered during the phenylacetylene to styrene hydrogenation process. These studies are made possible by the chosen polymer support, which combines a high surface area and an organic nature and favors condensation of reactants and reaction products, so that the reaction occurs in a liquid‐like phase. Moreover, the high transparency of the polymer in the infrared region facilitates monitoring of the relevant IR absorption bands.
Finely Dispersed Au Nanoparticles on SiO2 Achieved by the C60 Additive and Their Catalytic Activity
Authors: Qian Kun , Luo Liangfeng , Chen Chuanbao , Yang Shangfeng , Huang Weixin 
Published: December 2010

AbstractWe have investigated in detail the effect of buckminsterfullerene (C60) additive on the structure and catalytic activity of Au/SiO2 catalysts prepared by a routine deposition–precipitation method employing HAuCl4 as the gold precursor. The structures of various catalysts have been characterized by using N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms, powder X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, photoluminescence, and Raman spectroscopy. The C60 additive was found to greatly enhance the dispersion of Au nanoparticles supported on SiO2. Supported Au nanoparticles that are about 3–5 nm in size can be synthesized without difficulty on C60/SiO2, whereas those sized about 7–10 nm are usually acquired on bare SiO2. Strong Au–C60 interaction with the charge transfer from Au nanoparticles to C60 has been observed in Au/C60/SiO2 and proven to suppress the agglomeration of supported Au nanoparticles and enhance their dispersion on SiO2. The catalyst Au/C60/SiO2‐10 (Au:C60 molar ratio of 10) exhibits a much better catalytic performance for CO oxidation than Au/SiO2, but is not active for CO oxidation at room temperature, which demonstrates that the intrinsic activity of supported Au nanoparticles increases with decreasing particle size, but supported Au 3–5 nm nanoparticles cannot activate oxygen for CO oxidation at room temperature. We propose that 3 nm is the critical size for Au nanoparticles to exhibit an intrinsic catalytic activity in CO oxidation at room temperature without additional contributions. These results provide novel and important insights into the fundamental understanding of intrinsic structure–activity relation of Au nanoparticles.
A comparison of the efficacy and safety of oral and intravenous fludarabine in chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the LRF CLL4 trial
Authors: Dearden Claire E. , Richards Sue , Else Monica , Catovsky Daniel , Hillmen Peter 
Published: December 2010

AbstractBACKGROUND:An oral formulation of fludarabine was introduced for use in chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 2001 following studies demonstrating the bioequivalence of a 40 mg/m2 oral dose with a 25 mg/m2 intravenous dose. We assessed retrospectively the efficacy of these two routes of administration in the LRF CLL4 trial.METHODS:A total of 777 patients were randomized from 1999‐2004 to receive fludarabine, alone or with cyclophosphamide, or chlorambucil. In 2001, a protocol amendment allowed the oral formulation. There were 117 assessable patients who received fludarabine intravenously and 252 who received it orally. A total of 387 patients given chlorambucil acted as a control group.RESULTS:Patients given oral fludarabine were less likely to receive the full dose (P = .0004) and experienced more, predominantly gastrointestinal, toxicity. Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival were not affected by the route of administration (PFS hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 0.87‐1.40), but the overall rate of response to treatment appeared to be lower with the oral formulation (P = .003). However, patients recruited since 2001 were older (P = .03) and were more likely to have TP53 deletion, and response rates after 2001 were also lower in the chlorambucil group. After excluding patients with TP53 deletion, no significant difference in outcome was attributable to the route of administration.CONCLUSIONS:Although the LRF CLL4 data suggest no important difference in the effectiveness of oral compared with intravenous fludarabine, randomized trials are needed to reliably evaluate this comparison, particularly in combination with rituximab. Meanwhile, it is important to monitor compliance and gastrointestinal side effects with the oral route and to switch to intravenous therapy if a reduced dose is being received. Cancer 2011. © 2010 American Cancer Society.