bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nebulized Hyaluronan Ameliorates lung inflammation in cystic fibrosis mice
Authors: Gavina Manuela , Luciani Alessandro , Villella Valeria R. , Esposito Speranza , Ferrari Eleonora , Bressani Ilaria , Casale Alida , Bruscia Emanuela M. , Maiuri Luigi , Raia Valeria 
Published: July 2012

AbstractRationaleChronic lung inflammation with increased susceptibility to bacterial infections cause much of the morbidity and mortality in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common severe, autosomal recessively inherited disease in the Caucasian population. Exogenous inhaled hyaluronan (HA) can exert a protective effect against injury and beneficial effects of HA have been shown in experimental models of chronic respiratory diseases. Our objective was to examine whether exogenous administration of nebulized HA might interfere with lung inflammation in CF.Study design/methodsF508del homozygous mice (CftrF508del) and transgenic mice overexpressing the ENaC channel β‐subunit (Scnn1b‐Tg) were treated with nebulized HA (0.5 mg/mouse/day for 7 days). Tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNFα), macrophage inflammatory protein‐2 (MIP‐2), myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels, and macrophage infiltration were assessed on lung tissues. IB3‐1 and CFBE41o‐epithelial cell lines were cultured with HA (24 hr, 100 µg/ml) and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), Tissue Transglutaminase (TG2) SUMOylation and Peroxisome Proliferator Activated Receptor gamma (PPARγ) and phospho‐p42/p44 levels were measured by dichlorodihydrofluorescein assay, or fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy or immunoblots.ResultsNebulized HA reduced TNFα expression (P < 0.005); TNFα, MIP‐2, and MPO protein levels (P < 0.05); MPO activity (P < 0.05); and CD68+ cells counts (P < 0.005) in lung tissues of CftrF508del and Scnn1b‐Tg mice, compared with saline‐treated mice. HA reduced ROS, TG2 SUMOylation, TG2 activity, phospho‐p42‐44, and increased PPARγ protein in both IB3‐1 and CFBE41o cells (P < 0.05).ConclusionsNebulized HA is effective in controlling inflammation in vivo in mice CF airways and in vitro in human airway epithelial cells. We provide the proof of concept for the use of inhaled HA as a potential anti‐inflammatory drug in CF therapy. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2013; 48:761–771. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
New insights into the functions and localization of nuclear CCT protein complex in K562 leukemia cells
Authors: Huang Rui , Yu Miao , Li Chang‐Yan , Zhan Yi‐Qun , Xu Wang‐Xiang , Xu Feifei , Ge Chang‐hui , Li Wei , Yang Xiao‐Ming 
Published: July 2012

PurposeThe eukaryotic cytosolic chaperonin containing TCP‐1 (CCT) plays an important role in maintaining cellular homeostasis by assisting the folding of many proteins and is also well known for the critical roles in disease. However, the functions of CCT complex have not been established globally, especially when translocating into nuclear. The purpose of this study is to explore the function of CCT in nuclear and present a strategy in clinical proteomics studies.Experimental designBlue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN‐PAGE) combined with mass spectrometry was applied to separate and identify CCT protein complexes.ResultsWe isolated the CCT complex in K562 nucleus and identified a novel CCT complex containing 40 protein components involved in protein folding, RNA processing, apoptosis, and cell metabolism. The interactions between four candidate proteins and CCT were confirmed by immunoblotting. Computational biological analyses and independent biochemical assays validated the overall quality of interactions.Conclusions and clinical relevanceOur results support clues that CCT might play an unexpected role in various biological processes including RNA processing. And we envision future applications for this system searching for new clues of CCT in disease and readily be applied to the clinic.
A fast and simple method for probing the interaction of peptides and proteins with lipids and membrane‐mimetics using GB1 fusion proteins and NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Sommer Lisa A. M. , Meier Melanie A. , Dames Sonja A. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThe expression of peptides and proteins as fusions to the B1 domain of streptococcal protein G (GB1) is very popular since GB1 often improves the solubility of the target protein and because the first purification step using IgG affinity chromatography is simple and efficient. However, the following protease digest is not always complete or can result in a digest of the target protein. In addition, a further purification step such as RP‐HPLC has to be used to get rid of the GB1 tag and undigested fusion protein. Because the protease digest and the following purification step are not only time‐consuming but generally also expensive, we tested if GB1 fusion proteins can directly be used for NMR interaction studies using lipids or membrane‐mimetics. Based on NMR binding studies using only the GB1 part, this fusion tag does not significantly interact with different membrane‐mimetics such as micelles, bicelles, or liposomes. Thus spectral changes observed using GB1‐fusion proteins indicate lipid‐ and membrane interactions of the target protein. The method was initially established to probe membrane interactions of a large number of mutants of the FATC domain of the ser/thr kinase TOR. To demonstrate the usefulness of the approach, we show NMR binding data for the wild type protein and a leucine to alanine mutant.
Quorum sensing: How bacteria can coordinate activity and synchronize their response to external signals?
Authors: Li Zhi , Nair Satish K. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractQuorum sensing is used by a large variety of bacteria to regulate gene expression in a cell‐density‐dependent manner. Bacteria can synchronize population behavior using small molecules called autoinducers that are produced by cognate synthases and recognized by specific receptors. Quorum sensing plays critical roles in regulating diverse cellular functions in bacteria, including bioluminescence, virulence gene expression, biofilm formation, and antibiotic resistance. The best‐studied autoinducers are acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) molecules, which are the primary quorum sensing signals used by Gram‐negative bacteria. In this review we focus on the AHL‐dependent quorum sensing system and highlight recent progress on structural and mechanistic studies of AHL synthases and the corresponding receptors. Crystal structures of LuxI‐type AHL synthases provide insights into acyl‐substrate specificity, but the current knowledge is still greatly limited. Structural studies of AHL receptors have facilitated a more thorough understanding of signal perception and established the molecular framework for the development of quorum sensing inhibitors.
Generation of superfluorescent bursts from a fully tunable semiconductor magneto‐plasma
Authors: Noe G.T. , Kim J.‐H. , Lee J. , Jho Y.‐D. , Wang Y. , Wójcik A.K. , McGill S.A. , Reitze D.H. , Belyanin A.A. , Kono J. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractQuantum particles sometimes cooperate to develop a macroscopically ordered state with extraordinary properties. Superconductivity and Bose‐Einstein condensation are examples of such cooperative phenomena where macroscopic order appears spontaneously. Here, we demonstrate that such an ordered state can also be obtained in an optically excited semiconductor quantum well in a high magnetic field. When we create a dense electron‐hole plasma with an intense laser pulse, after a certain delay, an ultrashort burst of coherent radiation emerges. We interpret this striking phenomenon as a manifestation of superfluorescence (SF), in which a macroscopic polarization spontaneously builds up from an initially incoherent ensemble of excited quantum oscillators and then decays abruptly producing giant pulses of coherent radiation. SF has been observed in atomic gases, but the present work represents the first observation of SF in a solid‐state setting. While there is an analogy between the recombination of electron‐hole pairs and radiative transitions in atoms, there is no a priori reason for SF in semiconductors to be similar to atomic SF. This is a complex many‐body system with a variety of ultrafast interactions, where the decoherence rates are at least 1,000 times faster than the radiative decay rate, an unusual situation totally unexplored in previous atomic SF studies. We show, nonetheless, that collective many‐body coupling via a common radiation field does develop under certain conditions and leads to SF bursts. The solid‐state realization of SF resulted in an unprecedented degree of controllability in the generation of SF, opening up opportunities for both fundamental many‐body studies and device applications. We demonstrate that the intensity and delay time of SF bursts are fully tunable through an external magnetic field, temperature, and pump laser power.
Effect of high temperature annealing on defects and optical properties of ZnO single crystals
Authors: Jiang M. , Wang D. D. , Zou B. , Chen Z. Q. , Kawasuso A. , Sekiguchi T. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractHydrothermal grown ZnO single crystals were annealed in N2 or O2 between 900 and 1300 °C. Positron lifetime measurements reveal a single lifetime in all the ZnO samples before and after annealing. The positron lifetime is about 181 ps after annealing at 900 °C in either N2 or O2 atmosphere. However, increase of the positron lifetime is observed after further annealing the sample at higher temperatures up to 1300 °C, and it has a faster increase in O2 ambient. Temperature dependence measurements show that the positron lifetime has very slight increase with temperature for the 900 °C annealed sample, while it shows notable variation for the sample annealed at 1300 °C. This implied that annealing at high temperature introduces additional defects. These defects are supposed to be Zn vacancy‐related defects. Cathodoluminescence (CL) measurements indicates enhancement of both UV and green emission after annealing, and the enhancement of green emission is much stronger for the samples annealed in O2 ambient. The possible origin of green emission is tentatively discussed.
Assimilation of overcast cloudy infrared radiances of the geostationary MTSAT‐1R imager
Authors: Okamoto Kozo 
Published: July 2012

AbstractInfrared radiances from the Multi‐functional Transport Satellite (MTSAT)‐1R satellite were assimilated in cloudy conditions where effective cloud fractions were greater than 0.8. These cloudy radiances provide new information that currently assimilated clear‐sky radiances from geostationary satellites and microwave sounders do not have.The radiance data to be assimilated were created by averaging pixels from the original radiances. We investigated how the characteristics of spatially averaged observations (super‐observations or super‐obs) vary with the super‐ob size. The cloudy super‐ob radiances were simulated by using a simple radiative transfer model with cloud‐top pressure (Pc) and effective cloud fraction (Ne). The model assumed a single‐layer cloud and that cloud emissivity does not depend on spectral wavelength. These two parameters were estimated by a minimum residual method with the infrared channel 1 (10.8 µm) and channel 2 (12.0 µm). To further ensure the validity of these assumptions, we limited use of super‐ob radiances to almost completely overcast (Ne ≥ 0.8) conditions with homogeneous, middle to relatively high clouds (160 ≤ Pc ≤ 650 hPa).These overcast super‐ob radiances (OSRs) from geostationary satellites have the advantages of (i) providing temperature information that is highly vertically resolved at the cloud top, (ii) providing frequent measurements, and (iii) being available in cloudy areas where clear radiances are often rejected by cloud quality‐control procedures. Data assimilation experiments revealed that OSRs generally had a small impact on analyses and forecasts but provided a slightly improved forecast of temperatures in the upper troposphere and winds in the low troposphere. Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
The role of ion‐bound cluster formation in negative ion mass spectrometry
Authors: Derpmann Valerie , Albrecht Sascha , Benter Thorsten 
Published: July 2012

RATIONALEThe ionization mechanisms operative in negative ion atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry are far from being properly understood. In an excess of oxygen superoxide (O2–) is generally the primary charge‐carrying species that is generated. However, subsequent reactions leading to the finally detected ion signals remain obscure.METHODSSince adiabatic expansion induced cluster growth and collision‐induced dissociation (CID) processes rendered a representative sampling of ion distributions present in the source difficult, a custom‐built thermally sampling time‐of‐flight mass spectrometer was used for the investigations. Using atmospheric pressure laser ionization of toluene as the reagent gas, high yields of thermal electrons were observed, but only negligible amounts of by‐products. Ab initio calculations for individual ion/molecule reaction pathways were performed.RESULTSElectron capture by molecular oxygen resulted in the formation of subsequent superoxide water clusters as well as distinct analyte‐adduct ions. By adjusting the extent of CID within the ion optical stages of the mass spectrometer, the cluster distribution changes to smaller cluster sizes and the analyte signals strongly shifted towards M– or [M–H]–. The observed superoxide water cluster distribution was close to thermal. The theoretical results confirmed the experimental findings.CONCLUSIONSIn negative atmospheric pressure mass spectrometry the water concentration in the ion source (determining the ionization efficiency) and the CID energy provided through electrical fields (determining the ion distribution) are primary, critical parameters for the observed overall ionization mechanism and efficiency. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Low‐energy electron interactions with tungsten hexacarbonyl – W(CO)6
Authors: Wnorowski K. , Stano M. , Matias C. , Denifl S. , Barszczewska W. , Matejčík Š. 
Published: July 2012

RATIONALELow‐energy secondary electrons are formed when energetic particles interact with matter. High‐energy electrons or ions are used to form metallic structures from adsorbed organometallic molecules like W(CO)6 on surfaces. We investigated low‐energy electron attachment to W(CO)6 in the gas phase to elucidate possible reactions during surface modification.METHODSTwo crossed electron/molecular beam setups were utilised: (i) a high‐resolution electron monochromator combined with a quadrupole mass spectrometer which was used for the measurement of relative cross sections as a function of the electron energy, and (ii) a double focusing mass spectrometer used for measurements of metastable decays of anions.RESULTSThe study was performed in the electron energy range between ~0 and 14 eV. W(CO)6 efficiently decomposed upon attachment of a low‐energy electron and no stable W(CO)6– anion was observed on mass spectrometric time scales. The transient negative ion formed lost instead sequentially CO ligands. The fragment anions W(CO)5–, W(CO)4–, W(CO)3–, and W(CO)2– were observed. However, no W– was detectable.CONCLUSIONSDissociative electron attachment (DEA) to W(CO)6 led to strong dissociation but a complete loss of all CO ligands was not observed in DEA. Deposit contaminations might be a direct result of DEA reactions close to the irradiation spot in beam deposition techniques. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fatigue‐Free, Electrically Reliable Copper Electrode with Nanohole Array
Authors: Kim Byoung‐Joon , Cho Yigil , Jung Min‐Suk , Shin Hae‐A‐Seul , Moon Myoung‐Woon , Han Heung Nam , Nam Ki Tae , Joo Young‐Chang , Choi In‐Suk 
Published: July 2012

AbstractDesign and fabrication of reliable electrodes is one of the most important challenges in flexible devices, which undergo repeated deformation. In conventional approaches, mechanical and electrical properties of continuous metal films degrade gradually because of the fatigue damage. The designed incorporation of nanoholes into Cu electrodes can enhance the reliability. In this study, the electrode shows extremely low electrical resistance change during bending fatigue because the nanoholes suppress crack initiation by preventing protrusion formation and damage propagation by crack tip blunting. This concept provides a key guideline for developing fatigue‐free flexible electrodes.
The history and enduring contributions of planarians to the study of animal regeneration
Authors: Elliott Sarah A. , Sánchez Alvarado Alejandro 
Published: July 2012

AbstractHaving an almost unlimited capacity to regenerate tissues lost to age and injury, planarians have long fascinated naturalists. In the Western hemisphere alone, their documented history spans more than 200 years. Planarians were described in the early 19th century as being ‘immortal under the edge of the knife’, and initial investigation of these remarkable animals was significantly influenced by studies of regeneration in other organisms and from the flourishing field of experimental embryology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This review strives to place the study of planarian regeneration into a broader historical context by focusing on the significance and evolution of knowledge in this field. It also synthesizes our current molecular understanding of the mechanisms of planarian regeneration uncovered since this animal's relatively recent entrance into the molecular‐genetic age.WIREs Dev Biol2013, 2:301–326. doi: 10.1002/wdev.82For further resources related to this article, please visit theWIREs website.Additional Supporting Information may be found in the online version of this article.
Marketable job skills for high school students: What we learned from an evaluation of After School Matters
Authors: Alexander Kendra P. , Hirsch Barton J. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThis article summarizes findings from an experimental evaluation of After School Matters (ASM), a paid, apprenticeship‐based, after‐school program in Chicago for high school students. Analysis of quantitative data from a mock job interview revealed that ASM participants did not demonstrate more marketable job skills than youth in the control group. Qualitative data suggested that the nature of interpersonal interactions and the degree of professional orientation in apprenticeships contributed to variation in marketable job skills across apprenticeships. The article considers the perspective of human resource professionals who participated in the evaluation and describes an interviewing skills curriculum developed in response to the evaluation findings.
Building business‐community partnerships to support youth development
Authors: Klein Donna 
Published: July 2012

AbstractA confluence of social, economic, and demographic trends has left a generation of young Americans facing an uncertain future in the workforce. If we are to improve their prospects and prepare them for rewarding careers, disparate stakeholders—employers, educators, youth advocates, and others—must work in common purpose. This article suggests ways to build community partnerships, with a special focus on engaging private employers in the effort.
Prognostic factors of acute cholangitis in cases managed using the Tokyo Guidelines
Authors: Tsuyuguchi Toshio , Sugiyama Harutoshi , Sakai Yuji , Nishikawa Takao , Yokosuka Osamu , Mayumi Toshihiko , Kiriyama Seiki , Yokoe Masamichi , Takada Tadahiro 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBackground/purposeIn 2007, the Tokyo Guidelines (TG07) working group established diagnostic criteria for assessment of the severity of acute cholangitis. This study aimed to analyze outcomes and identify predictors of mortality in patients with acute cholangitis managed according to the TG07.MethodsIn this study, 215 consecutive cases of acute cholangitis were reviewed. Risk factors associated with mortality or refractory cholangitis, which is defined on the basis of prolonged hospitalization (>28 days) or disease resulting in fatality, were examined using multivariate logistic regression analysis.ResultsThere were 52, 133, and 30 cases of mild, moderate, and severe cholangitis, respectively. The overall mortality rate was 4.2 % (9/215). Mortality rates in patients with mild, moderate, and severe cholangitis were 0, 2.3, and 20.0 %, respectively (moderate vs. severe,p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that serum albumin levels ≤2.8 g/dl and PT‐INR >1.5 were significant predictors of mortality. There were 57 patients (26.5 %) with refractory cholangitis. Multivariate analysis showed that serum albumin level ≤2.8 g/dl, PT‐INR >1.5, etiology and inpatient status were significant predictors of refractory cholangitis.ConclusionsThe TG07 severity assessment criteria for acute cholangitis were significantly predictive of mortality. Hypoalbuminemia is an important risk factor in addition to organ dysfunction.
Dynamics of the Lipid Content and Biomass of Calanus finmarchicus (copepodite V) in a Norwegian Fjord
Authors: Bergvik Maria , Leiknes Øystein , Altin Dag , Dahl Kjersti Rennan , Olsen Yngvar 
Published: July 2012

AbstractCalanus finmarchicus is the dominant zooplankton species in the North Atlantic. This zooplankton is also of interest for commercial harvesting due to its high abundance and biochemical contents. In the present study, copepodite stage V of C. finmarchicus was sampled at different depths from January to June in 2009, 2010 and 2011 in the Trondheimsfjord (63°29′N 10°18′E). The fatty acid composition was analyzed in individual copepods and in the seston. It was found that the fatty acid profile of copepods was related to the fatty acid profile of potential food sources. This study indicates that the onset of vertical migration of stage V, which was observed in May, has a strong link to the production of phytoplankton and lipid accumulation in C. finmarchicus. The content of 14:0 and 16:0 fatty acids in the specimens did not increase from February to May in surface waters. This suggests that these fatty acids in the diet were used as precursors for the biosynthesis of 20:1n‐9 and 22:1n‐11 fatty acids and fatty alcohols. A potential harvesting season of C. finmarchicus could be when the species is abundant in surface waters; the content of n‐3 fatty acids will vary throughout this season. The peak abundance of C. finmarchicus in the spring varied substantially between the years studied.