bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Production of mouse granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor by gateway technology and transgenic rice cell culture
Authors: Liu Yu‐Kuo , Huang Li‐Fen , Ho Shin‐Lon , Liao Chun‐Yu , Liu Hsin‐Yi , Lai Ying‐Hui , Yu Su‐May , Lu Chung‐An 
Published: November 2011

AbstractTo establish a production platform for recombinant proteins in rice suspension cells, we first constructed a Gateway‐compatible binary T‐DNA destination vector. It provided a reliable and effective method for the rapid directional cloning of target genes into plant cells throughAgrobacterium‐mediated transformation. We used the approach to produce mouse granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (mGM‐CSF) in a rice suspension cell system. The promoter for theαAmy3amylase gene, which is induced strongly by sugar depletion, drove the expression of mGM‐CSF. The resulting recombinant protein was fused with the αAmy3 signal peptide and was secreted into the culture medium. The production of rice‐derived mGM‐CSF (rmGM‐CSF) was scaled up successfully in a 2‐L bioreactor, in which the highest yield of rmGM‐CSF was 24.6 mg/L. Due to post‐translational glycosylation, the molecular weight of rmGM‐CSF was larger than that of recombinant mGM‐CSF produced inEscherichia coli. The rmGM‐CSF was bioactive and could stimulate the proliferation of a murine myeloblastic leukemia cell line, NSF‐60. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012; 109:1239–1247. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Optimizing H.264/AVC interprediction on a GPU‐based framework
Authors: Rodríguez‐Sánchez Rafael , Martínez José Luis , Fernández‐Escribano Gerardo , Sánchez José L. , Claver José M. , Diaz Pedro 
Published: November 2011

SUMMARYH.264/MPEG‐4 part 10 is the latest standard for video compression and promises a significant advance in terms of quality and distortion compared with the commercial standards currently most in use such as MPEG‐2 or MPEG‐4. To achieve this better performance, H.264 adopts a large number of new/improved compression techniques compared with previous standards, albeit at the expense of higher computational complexity. In addition, in recent years new hardware accelerators have emerged, such as graphics processing units (GPUs), which provide a new opportunity to reduce complexity for a large variety of algorithms. However, current GPUs suffer from higher power consumption requirements because of its design. Up to now, GPU‐based software developers have not taken this into account. In this paper, we present a detailed procedure to implement the H.264 motion estimation for a GPU, with the aim of reducing time and, as a consequence, the energy consumption. The results show a negligible drop in rate distortion with a time reduction of over 91.5% on average and it reduces the energy consumption by a factor of 11.78 compared with the reference implementation. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Drug development in NZ: can a country be a cluster?
Authors: Lockhart Michelle Marie , Babar Zaheer‐Ud‐Din , Garg Sanjay 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThe aims of this research were to assess New Zealand's (NZ) growing drug development industry, and compare it with drug development and biotechnology clusters overseas. This article presents the results of questionnaires administered dutring interviews with 60 senior people representing the industry. It narrates their expertise, knowledge management, and innovative behaviors. NZ's industry comprises highly qualified, very experienced, and motivated people. Their organizations have particular expertise in drug discovery, which has arisen from long‐term government support for biomedical research. There is also significant expertise in early‐stage clinical development and contract clinical research. Knowledge sharing was rated as better within organizations than externally. The participants gave the highest ratings of their organizations' innovative performance to solving problems that had caused others difficulty, teamwork and having new ideas; they prefer informal methods of knowledge acquisition. These factors may reflect the NZ approach of applying ingenuity to solve problems and preference for casual and internal knowledge sharing. NZ has a hub of drug development activity; however, its size, limited resources, and remoteness from major markets may limit the development of a complete pharmaceutical industry. NZ could be promoted as a unique “country cluster” offering niche areas of expertise especially in drug discovery and clinical research. Drug Dev Res 73: 51–58, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Forms of Participatory Modelling and its Potential for Widespread Adoption in the Water Sector
Authors: Hare Matt 
Published: November 2011

ABSTRACTThis article serves as a support for those interested in learning more about participatory modelling and its potential for widespread adoption by resource managers. The first part introduces the reader to four basic forms of participatory modelling, identified by classifying nine example participatory modelling processes. The second part considers the potential widespread adoption of participatory modelling by resource managers in the water sector, concluding that this potential is low. It proposes recommendations as to how the potential for the adoption of participatory modelling by water managers can be increased. One of the most important recommendations is that policy‐makers should focus on the promotion of forms of participatory modelling that support social learning and the development of conceptual models. These forms of participatory modelling are considered most likely to be adopted, especially if they can be promoted in terms of supporting learning cycles within an Adaptive Water Resources Management approach. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Transethnic meta‐analysis of genomewide association studies
Authors: Morris Andrew P. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThe detection of loci contributing effects to complex human traits, and their subsequent fine‐mapping for the location of causal variants, remains a considerable challenge for the genetics research community. Meta‐analyses of genomewide association studies, primarily ascertained from European‐descent populations, have made considerable advances in our understanding of complex trait genetics, although much of their heritability is still unexplained. With the increasing availability of genomewide association data from diverse populations, transethnic meta‐analysis may offer an exciting opportunity to increase the power to detect novel complex trait loci and to improve the resolution of fine‐mapping of causal variants by leveraging differences in local linkage disequilibrium structure between ethnic groups. However, we might also expect there to be substantial genetic heterogeneity between diverse populations, both in terms of the spectrum of causal variants and their allelic effects, which cannot easily be accommodated through traditional approaches to meta‐analysis. In order to address this challenge, I propose novel transethnic meta‐analysis methodology that takes account of the expected similarity in allelic effects between the most closely related populations, while allowing for heterogeneity between more diverse ethnic groups. This approach yields substantial improvements in performance, compared to fixed‐effects meta‐analysis, both in terms of power to detect association, and localization of the causal variant, over a range of models of heterogeneity between ethnic groups. Furthermore, when the similarity in allelic effects between populations is well captured by their relatedness, this approach has increased power and mapping resolution over random‐effects meta‐analysis. Genet. Epidemiol. 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.35: 809‐822, 2011
Effects of epidermal growth factor receptor blockade on ependymoma stem cells in vitro and in orthotopic mouse models
Authors: Servidei Tiziana , Meco Daniela , Trivieri Nadia , Patriarca Valentina , Vellone Valerio Gaetano , Zannoni Gian Franco , Lamorte Giuseppe , Pallini Roberto , Riccardi Riccardo 
Published: November 2011

AbstractSome lines of evidence suggest that tumors, including ependymoma, might arise from a subpopulation of cells, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), with self‐renewal and tumor‐initiation properties. Given the strict dependence of CSCs on epidermal growth factor (EGF) through EGF receptor (EGFR), we investigated the effects of EGFR inhibitors in ependymoma‐stem cells (SCs) in vitro and in orthotopic mouse models. We established two ependymoma‐SC lines from two recurrent pediatric ependymoma. Both lines expressed markers of radial glia—the candidate SCs of ependymoma—and showed renewal ability, multipotency, and tumorigenicity after orthotopic implantation, despite markedly different expression of CD133 (94 vs. 6%). High phosphorylated‐EGFR/EGFR ratio was detected, which decreased after differentiation. EGFR inhibitors (gefitinib and AEE788) reduced clonogenicity, proliferation and survival of ependymoma‐SC lines dose‐dependently, and blocked EGF‐induced activation of EGFR, Akt and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 1/2. Overall, AEE788 was more effective than gefitinib. EGFR blockade as well as differentiation strongly reduced CD133 expression. However, ex vivo treatment with AEE788 did not impair orthotopic tumor engraftment, whereas ex vivo differentiation did, suggesting that CD133 does not absolutely segregate for tumorigenicity in ependymoma‐SCs. Orally administered AEE788 prolonged survival of mice bearing ependymoma‐SC‐driven orthotopic xenografts from 56 to 63 days, close to statistical significance (log‐rank p = 0.06). Our study describes for the first time EGFR signaling in ependymoma‐SCs and the effects of EGFR blockade in complementary in vitro and in vivo systems. The experimental models we developed can be used to further investigate the activity of EGFR inhibitors or other antineoplastic agents in this tumor.
Highly lubricious poly(vinyl alcohol)–poly(acrylic acid) hydrogels
Authors: Choi Jeeyoung , Kung Hsiang J. , Macias Celia E. , Muratoglu Orhun K. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractPoly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogels have desirable characteristics for use as artificial cartilage, such as biocompatibility, high water content, and surface lubricity. However, PVA hydrogels are not strong enough to withstand the demanding load‐bearing environment in human joints. Thermal annealing can greatly improve compressive strength, but it also causes substantial loss in water content and lubricity. We demonstrated that incorporating anionic moieties of poly(acrylic acid) improves surface lubricity, whereas adding poly(ethylene‐glycol) prevents pore collapse during thermal annealing, yielding a tough hydrogel with high lubricity. We also found a “super‐lubricous” response from the gels when they were annealed in air versus argon gas. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 100B: 524–532, 2012.
Viscoelastic, mechanical, and thermal characterization of fly ash‐filled ABS composites and comparison of fly ash surface treatments
Authors: Bonda Sateesh , Mohanty Smita , Nayak Sanjay K. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractIn the present investigation, viscoelastic, mechanical, thermal properties, and microstructural analysis of ABS reinforced with various surface treated fly ash (FA) has been studied. FA particles were surface treated with various chemical reagents, i.e., Ca(OH)2, NaOH, and Bis(3‐triethoxysilylpropyl)tetrasulfane (Si69) to improve the interfacial adhesion between ABS and FA. DMA tests confirmed an increase in the stiffness in the surface treated composites. Hybrid ABS/FA composites showed optimum storage modulus and Tg as compared with the virgin matrix. TGA analysis also showed higher thermal stability of ABS/FA composites than virgin matrix with the surface treatments of FA. The treated FA composites also show improved mechanical properties compared to untreated FA composite. The morphology of virgin matrix, untreated and treated FA composites was studied employing SEM. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers
Ring opening polymerization of α‐amino acid N‐carboxyanhydrides catalyzed by rare earth catalysts: Polymerization characteristics and mechanism
Authors: Peng Hui , Ling Jun , Shen Zhiquan 
Published: November 2011

AbstractFive rare earth complexes are first introduced to catalyze ring opening polymerizations (ROPs) of γ‐benzyl‐L‐glutamate N‐carboxyanhydride (BLG NCA) and L‐alanine NCA (ALA NCA) including rare earth isopropoxide (RE(OiPr)3), rare earth tris(2,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐methylphenolate) (RE(OAr)3), rare earth tris(borohydride) (RE(BH4)3(THF)3), rare earth tris[bis(trimethylsilyl)amide] (RE(NTMS)3), and rare earth trifluoromethanesulfonate. The first four catalysts exhibit high activities in ROPs producing polypeptides with quantitative yields (>90%) and moderate molecular weight (MW) distributions ranging from 1.2 to 1.6. In RE(BH4)3(THF)3 and RE(NTMS)3 catalytic systems, MWs of the produced polypeptides can be controlled by feeding ratios of monomer to catalyst, which is in contrast to the systems of RE(OiPr)3 and RE(OAr)3 with little controllability over the MWs. End groups of the polypeptides are analyzed by MALDI‐TOF MS and polymerization mechanisms are proposed accordingly. With ligands of significant steric hindrance in RE(OiPr)3 and RE(OAr)3, deprotonation of 3‐NH of NCA is the only initiation mode producing a N‐rare earth metallated NCA (i) responsible for further chain growth, resulting in α‐carboxylic‐ω‐aminotelechelic polypeptides after termination. In the case of RE(BH4)3(THF)3 with small ligands, another initiation mode at 5‐CO position of NCA takes place simultaneously, resulting in α‐hydroxyl‐ω‐aminotelechelic polypeptides. In RE(NTMS)3 system, the protonated ligand hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) initiates the polymerization and produces α‐amide‐ω‐aminotelechelic polypeptides. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012
Structure and activity of DmmA, a marine haloalkane dehalogenase
Authors: Gehret Jennifer J. , Gu Liangcai , Geders Todd W. , Brown William Clay , Gerwick Lena , Gerwick William H. , Sherman David H. , Smith Janet L. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractDmmA is a haloalkane dehalogenase (HLD) identified and characterized from the metagenomic DNA of a marine microbial consortium. Dehalogenase activity was detected with 1,3‐dibromopropane as substrate, with steady‐state kinetic parameters typical of HLDs (Km = 0.24 ± 0.05 mM, kcat = 2.4 ± 0.1 s−1). The 2.2‐Å crystal structure of DmmA revealed a fold and active site similar to other HLDs, but with a substantially larger active site binding pocket, suggestive of an ability to act on bulky substrates. This enhanced cavity was shown to accept a range of linear and cyclic substrates, suggesting that DmmA will contribute to the expanding industrial applications of HLDs.
Prenatal stress alters dendritic morphology and synaptic connectivity in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of developing offspring
Authors: Mychasiuk Richelle , Gibb Robbin , Kolb Bryan 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThe current study used stereological techniques in combination with Golg‐Cox methods to examine the neuroanatomical alterations in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of developing offspring exposed to gestational stress. Morphological changes in dendritic branching, length, and spine density, were examined at weaning along with changes in actual numbers of neurons. Using this information we generated a gross estimation of synaptic connectivity. The results showed region‐specific and sex‐dependent alterations to neuroanatomy in response to prenatal stress. The two regions of the prefrontal cortex, medial prefrontal, and orbital prefrontal cortices, exhibited sexually dimorphic, opposite changes, in synaptic connectivity in response to the same experience. Both male and female offspring demonstrated a loss of neuron number and estimated synapse number in the hippocampus despite exhibiting increased spine density. The results from this study suggest that prenatal stress alters normal development and the organization of neuronal circuits in both neocortex and hippocampus early in development and thus likely influences the course of later experience‐dependent synaptic changes. Synapse, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Small saturating inductors for more compact switching power supplies
Authors: Milner Luke , Rincón‐Mora Gabriel A. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractOther than by reducing power, extending battery life in portable microelectronics amounts to increasing power efficiency, which, when coupled with accuracy, translates to increasing filter inductance. The problem with higher inductances is that magnetic cores require more space to prevent the onset of saturation, so accuracy and efficiency (via their need for bulky inductors) hamper the miniaturization benefits gained from chip integration. This paper illustrates the time‐domain and efficiency effects of inductor saturation in switched‐inductor DC–DC converters and shows how they can accommodate saturation (with up to 65% reduction in inductance) with minimal impact on battery life and accuracy. Extending the useful range of an inductor in this fashion not only reduces the printed circuit board (PCB) area and volume to a fraction (e.g., 30–50%) of what an otherwise larger unsaturated inductor would require, but also helps bridge the integration gap that enables practical system‐on‐chip (SoC) implementations. © 2011 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Medial Pectoral Nerve to Axillary Nerve Neurotization following Traumatic Brachial Plexus Injuries: Indications and Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Ray Wilson Z. , Murphy Rory K. J. , Santosa Katherine , Johnson Philip J. , Mackinnon Susan E. 
Published: November 2011

Introduction The medial pectoral nerve (MPN) represents a viable donor nerve for neurotization procedures for restoration of shoulder function following upper trunk brachial plexus injuries. Materials and Methods We report an eight-case series, single-surgeon experience of patients with upper trunk brachial plexus injuries who underwent MPN to axillary nerve (AXN) transfer from 2001-2007 for shoulder stability and abduction. Results The mean patient age was 31.5 (range, 19-51 years). The mean follow-up for all patients was 22.25±7.4 months. Surgery was performed at a mean of 5.8±2.9 months post-injury. On initial evaluation, all eight patients had no deltoid function (M0). Of the eight patients examined postoperatively, we observed excellent recovery in four, good recovery in two, fair recovery in one, and poor functional recovery in the remaining patient. Discussion MPN to AXN neurotization is a valid surgical option in the restoration of shoulder stability and shoulder abduction following trauma-related upper trunk brachial plexus injury.
Mentorship in Surgical Training: A Systematic Review
Authors: Entezami Pouya , Franzblau Lauren E. , Chung Kevin C. 
Published: November 2011

Objective This review systematically examines the literature regarding mentor-mentee relationships in surgery. Background The usefulness of mentorship in surgical training has been expressed in many articles. However, to date, there has been no systematic review on mentoring surgical trainees. This surgical environment is different from other areas of medicine and requires young surgeons to learn skills not readily available from textbooks. Instead, mentors are a valuable mode of transferring this knowledge to the next generation of surgeons. Thus, mentorship is a worthy area of research and attention. Methods We identified all articles discussing mentorship in surgery between January 1985 and August 2010 using PubMed and ISI Web of Knowledge. Predetermined exclusion and inclusion criteria were used to screen articles by title, abstract, and full text in sequence. We extracted the relevant data, and then analyzed the prevalence of major surgical mentoring themes in the literature. Results Of the 1,091 unique articles found during our original literature search, 38 were selected for review. The majority (68%) were commentary/editorial articles. The most discussed themes include the desirable qualities of a surgical mentor, the structure of mentor-mentee relationships, and advice for overcoming barriers to mentoring. Much less discussed themes include the desirable traits in a mentee and the appreciation of generational and cultural differences in mentorship. Conclusions Several barriers to effective surgical mentoring were identified, such as time constraints and a lack of female mentors. By focusing on the positive traits found in this review, for example, developing formal programs to alleviate time constraints, these barriers can be overcome and effective mentor-mentee relationships can be built. Many articles draw attention to the dying art of mentorship in surgical training programs, and currently, the literature on mentorship in surgery is somewhat scarce. These concerns should serve as motivation to revive mentorship in surgery education and to expand the literature regarding underexplored themes and overcoming the current barriers. Although mentorship may not always take on a structured form, it should not be treated casually because proper mentorship is the foundation for training quality surgeons.
Characterization of Secretory Phospholipase A2 with Phospholipase A1 Activity in Tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum (L.)
Authors: Fujikawa Yukichi , Fujikawa Ritsuko , Iijima Noriaki , Esaka Muneharu 
Published: November 2011

AbstractA cDNA encoding protein with homology to plant secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2), denoted as Nt1 PLA2, was isolated from tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). The cDNA encodes a mature protein of 118 amino acid residues with a putative signal peptide of 29 residues. The mature form of Nt1 PLA2 has 12 cysteines, Ca2+ binding loop and catalytic site domain that are commonly conserved in plant sPLA2s. The recombinant Nt1 PLA2 was expressed as a fusion protein with thioredoxin in E. coli BL21 cells and was purified by an ion exchange chromatography after digestion of the fusion proteins by Factor Xa protease to obtain the mature form. Interestingly, Nt1 PLA2 could hydrolyze the ester bond at the sn‐1 position of glycerophospholipids as well as at the sn‐2 position, when the activities were determined using mixed‐micellar phospholipids with sodium cholate. Both activities for the sn‐1 and ‐2 positions of glycerophospholipids required Ca2+ essentially, and maximal activities were found in an alkaline region when phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylglycerol or phosphatidylethanolamine was used as a substrate. The level of Nt1 PLA2 mRNA was detected at a higher level in tobacco flowers than stem, leaves and roots, and was induced by salicylic acid.