bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adsorption of mercury (II) ion from aqueous solution using low‐cost activated carbon prepared from mango kernel
Authors: Somayajula Anusha , Aziz Azrina Abd , Saravanan Pichiah , Matheswaran Manickam 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTA low‐cost activated carbon (AC) was prepared from mango kernel through chemical activation with ZnCl2. The adsorption capacity of AC was investigated for the removal of Hg(II) from aqueous solution as batch experiments using varying initial adsorbent dosage, pH, equilibrium time and temperature. The prepared AC had a Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller surface area of 920 m2 g−1 and total pore volume of 0.341 cm3 g−1, respectively. A maximum removal of 92% was achieved with an initial Hg(II) concentration of 10 mg L−1, pH 6.5 and adsorbent dose of 3 g L−1. The obtained kinetic experimental data were fitted to pseudo‐first‐order, pseudo‐second‐order and intraparticle diffusion models, respectively. Among the models, the pseudo‐second‐order adsorption model was found to fit better, with a coefficient of regression (R2) > 0.95. The equilibrium data were also fitted to the Langmuir and Freundlich equilibrium isotherm models. Both the models were found to provide a better fitting with coefficient of regression (R2) > 0.98. The enthalpy of adsorption was found to be 7.2 kJ mol−1. © 2012 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fabrication of halloysite@polypyrrole composite particles and polypyrrole nanotubes on halloysite templates
Authors: Liu Yushan , Nan Haiming , Cai Qiang , Li Hengde 
Published: February 2012

AbstractHalloysites (HNTs) core‐polypyrrole(PPy) shell composite particles were fabricated by in situ oxidative polymerization of the pyrrole monomer absorbed HNTs nanotubes, obtained by the dispersion of HNTs in acid aqueous solution of pyrrole with ultrasonic irradiation and magnetic stirring, by using ammonium persulfate as oxidant. Further more, the PPy nanotubes were obtained after the removal of HNTs template by hydrochloric acid/hydrofluoric acid mixture. Both the nanocomposite particles and the PPy nanotubes were characterized by FTIR, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The SEM and the TEM images showed that the PPy is covered over the HNT surface forming the HNT@PPy hybrids, and all of the nanotubes have a uniformly inner diameter of 40 nm. The outer diameter and the tubular thickness were determined by the weight ratio of (HNTs template)/(pyrrole monomer). When the amount of pyrrole added is <0.75 mL, no tubular PPy formed any more. The electrical conductivities of the HNT@PPy composite particles and the PPy nanotubes/particles were also investigated. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Effects of nano TiO2 on the light reflectivity, morphology, and rheological behavior of LLDPE‐glass bead composites
Authors: Liu Qing , Meng Bing , Zhang Qing‐Song , Yang Wei , Wu Zhi‐Hua 
Published: February 2012

AbstractHeat‐shield composites based on linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) filled with micro‐hollow glass beads (HGB) and TiO2 nanoparticles were prepared through melt compounding. Two kinds of LLDPE were used as the matrix of these composites with a fixed weight ratio of 60 : 40. HGB loadings were fixed at 28 wt % of LLDPE matrix while TiO2 content varied between 8 and 28 wt % of LLDPE matrix. Interestingly, the results show with addition of TiO2 to LLDPE‐HGB composites, both the light reflectivity and the flow ability of composites show great enhancement. Especially when the TiO2 loading is 14 wt % of LLDPE, UV, and infrared reflectivity of the composites are more than 90%, showing a optimal heat‐shielding performance, and the rheological responses including the storage modulus, G′ and the complex viscosities, |η*| of this composite are the lowest among all LLDPE/HGB composites. When TiO2 content is more than 14 wt %; however, ultraviolet radiation resistance is almost unchanged while that two dynamic rheological parameters increase gradually. It is proposed that the TiO2 loading of 14 wt % should be taken as the optimal value of a light reflectivity in LLDPE matrix, which is helpful in improving the processing ability by reduction in melt viscosity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Pyrene‐Modified Unlocked Nucleic Acids: Synthesis, Thermodynamic Studies, and Fluorescent Properties
Authors: Karlsen Kasper K. , Pasternak Anna , Jensen Troels B. , Wengel Jesper 
Published: February 2012

AbstractTwo pyrene‐modified UNA monomers were synthesized and incorporated into 21‐mer DNA oligonucleotides. Melting temperatures and thermodynamic properties of the modified duplexes were measured, and the fluorescence properties of single strands and duplexes containing one or more pyrene‐UNA modifications were studied. It was found that incorporation of pyrene‐UNA monomers increased duplex stability relative to UNA monomers, and thermodynamic studies revealed significant mismatch discriminative capabilities of the pyrene‐UNA modified oligonucleotides. Furthermore, the steady‐state fluorescence emission intensities of pyrene‐UNA modified oligonucleotides were increased upon hybridization to DNA, which to the best of our knowledge is unprecedented for an acyclic pyrene modification in DNA. Interestingly, pyrene excimer emission was observed for single‐stranded oligonucleotides containing three pyrene‐UNA modifications, whereas this excimer emission disappeared after hybridization to DNA. In view of both the pyrene monomer and the excimer fluorescence emission, the triply modified oligonucleotides show intriguing properties relating to the development of new DNA/RNA detection tools.
The Catalytic Potential of Substituted Pyridines in Acylation Reactions: Theoretical Prediction and Experimental Validation
Authors: Larionov Evgeny , Achrainer Florian , Humin Jowita , Zipse Hendrik 
Published: February 2012

AbstractA larger number of catalysts based on the 3,4‐diaminopyridine motif have been synthesized and tested in the acetylation of tertiary alcohols. The rate data determined in these reactions together with results from previous studies were compared with theoretical data describing the ground and transition state properties of the respective catalysts. Surprisingly, it was found that the ground state data provided a better overall description of the catalytic activity than the transition state models. The latter approach clearly showed the presence of separate correlations for catalysts with small, but significant topological differences. Full analysis of the potential energy surface revealed that this owes to changes in the rate limiting step in the catalytic cycle.
Investigation of D1 Receptor–Agonist Interactions and D1/D2 Agonist Selectivity Using a Combination of Pharmacophore and Receptor Homology Modeling
Authors: Malo Marcus , Brive Lars , Luthman Kristina , Svensson Peder 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThe aim of this study was to use a combined structure and pharmacophore modeling approach to extract information regarding dopamine D1 receptor agonism and D1/D2 agonist selectivity. A 3D structure model of the D1 receptor in its agonist‐bound state was constructed with a full D1 agonist present in the binding site. Two different binding modes were identified using (+)‐doxanthrine or SKF89626 in the modeling procedure. The 3D model was further compared with a selective D1 agonist pharmacophore model. The pharmacophore feature arrangement was found to be in good agreement with the binding site composition of the receptor model, but the excluded volumes did not fully reflect the shape of the agonist binding pocket. A new receptor‐based pharmacophore model was developed with forbidden volumes centered on atom positions of amino acids in the binding site. The new pharmacophore model showed a similar ability to discriminate as the previous model. A comparison of the 3D structures and pharmacophore models of D1 and D2 receptors revealed differences in shape and ligand‐interacting features that determine selectivity of D1 and D2 receptor agonists. A hydrogen bond pharmacophoric feature (Ser‐TM5) was shown to contribute most to the selectivity. Non‐conserved residues in the binding pocket that strongly contribute to D1/D2 receptor agonist selectivity were also identified; those were Ser/Cys3.36, Tyr/Phe5.38, Ser/Tyr5.41, and Asn/His6.55 in the transmembrane (TM) helix region, together with Ser/Ile and Leu/Asn in the second extracellular loop (EC2). This work provides useful information for the design of new selective D1 and D2 agonists. The combined receptor structure and pharmacophore modeling approach is considered to be general, and could therefore be applied to other ligand–protein interactions for which experimental information is limited.
A function for all posterior Hoxd genes during digit development?
Authors: Delpretti Saskia , Zakany Jozsef , Duboule Denis 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackground: Four posterior Hoxd genes, from Hoxd13 to Hoxd10, are collectively regulated during the development of tetrapod digits. Besides the well‐documented role of Hoxd13, the function of the neighboring genes has been difficult to evaluate due to the close genetic linkage and potential regulatory interferences. We used a combination of five small nested deletions in cis, involving from two to four consecutive genes of the Hoxd13 to Hoxd9 loci, in mice, to evaluate their combined functional importance. Results: We show that deletions leading to a gain of function of Hoxd13, via regulatory re‐allocation, generate abnormal phenotypes, in agreement with the dominant negative role of this gene. We also show that Hoxd10, Hoxd11, and Hoxd12 all seem to play a genuine role in digit development, though less compelling than that of Hoxd13. In contrast, the nearby Hoxd9 contributed no measurable function in digits. Conclusions: We conclude that a slight and transient deregulation of Hoxd13 expression can readily affect the relative lengths of limb segments and that all posterior Hoxd genes likely contribute to the final limb morphology. We discuss the difficulty to clearly assess the functional share of individual genes within such a gene family, where closely located neighbors, coding for homologous proteins, are regulated by a unique circuitry and all contribute to shape the distal parts of our appendages. Developmental Dynamics 241:792–802, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The role of peri‐glacial active layer development in determining soil‐regolith thickness across a Triassic sandstone outcrop in the UK
Authors: Tye Andrew M. , Kemp Simon J. , Murray Lark R. , Milodowski Antoni E. 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the weathering processes that have combined to produce the distribution of soil‐regolith (SR) thickness across the Triassic Sherwood Sandstone Group outcrop (750 km2) in Nottinghamshire, UK. Archive borehole logs (n = 282) taken across the outcrop showed that SR thickness had mean and median depths of ~1·8 and 1·5 m, respectively. Cores were taken from a forested site to depths ~3 m for geochemical analysis. At this site the SR thickness was ~1·7 m. Analysis of the loss of elements, compared to bedrock using mass balance calculations (τ) showed that all the calcite and gypsum cement had been removed to depths of >3 m. Thus the major difference between the SR and the underlying saprolite was that the former exists as loose sand as opposed to a semi‐durable rock. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of core samples suggested that the non‐durable rock or saprolite had greater cementation of clay particles. We propose that the mechanism through which the clay cement (and other interlocking grain bonds) was eased apart was through freeze–thaw processes associated with the summer ‘active layer development (ALD)’ during the last glacial activity in the UK. We tested this theory by developing a Monte Carlo simulation based on a simplified version of the Stefan equation. Current Arctic datasets of air and ground temperatures were obtained to provide reasonable starting conditions for input variables. These were combined with known data for thermal conductivity, bulk density and moisture content of the Sherwood Sandstone regolith. Model predictions (n = 1000) of the distribution of SR thickness accurately reflect the observed distribution thickness from the borehole logs. This is strong evidence that freeze–thaw and ‘ALD’ processes are major factors in determining the thickness of SR across this outcrop. British Geological Survey © NERC 2012
Contribution of infectious disease consultation toward the care of inpatients being considered for community‐based parenteral anti‐infective therapy
Authors: Shrestha Nabin K. , Bhaskaran Archana , Scalera Nikole M. , Schmitt Steven K. , Rehm Susan J. , Gordon Steven M. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:In the acute care setting in a multidisciplinary healthcare environment, the contribution of infectious disease (ID) specialists to overall patient care is difficult to measure. This study attempts to quantify the contribution of ID specialists when consulted for an activity specific to ID practice, community‐based parenteral anti‐infective therapy (CoPAT).METHODS:In February 2010, an electronic form for requesting ID consultations was introduced in the computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system at the Cleveland Clinic. This allowed for easy identification of ID consultations for CoPAT. Hospital records for all patients with CoPAT consultation requests between February 11, 2010 and May 15, 2010 were reviewed for specific defined contributions in the domains of optimization of antimicrobial therapy, significant change in patient assessment, and additional medical care contribution.RESULTS:Over a 3‐month period, there were 263 CoPAT consultation requests via CPOE, of which 172 were initial consultations and 91 reconsultations. Antimicrobial treatment was optimized in 84%, a significant change in patient assessment made in 52%, and additional medical care contribution provided in 71% of consultations. In 33% of consultations, there was contribution in all 3 domains. CoPAT was deemed not to be necessary in 27%. For patients requiring CoPAT, effective care transition from the inpatient to outpatient setting was assured at least 86% of the time.CONCLUSION:Infectious disease consultation before discharge on parenteral antibiotics adds value by contributing substantially to inpatient care, and providing antimicrobial stewardship and continuity of care at a critical patient care transition point. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2012; © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine
T2* measurement of the knee articular cartilage in osteoarthritis at 3T
Authors: Newbould Rexford D. , Miller Sam R. , Toms Laurence D. , Swann Peter , Tielbeek Jeroen A.W. , Gold Garry E. , Strachan Robin K. , Taylor Peter C. , Matthews Paul M. , Brown Andrew P. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractPurpose:To measure reproducibility, longitudinal and cross‐sectional differences in T2* maps at 3 Tesla (T) in the articular cartilage of the knee in subjects with osteoarthritis (OA) and healthy matched controls.Materials and Methods:MRI data and standing radiographs were acquired from 33 subjects with OA and 21 healthy controls matched for age and gender. Reproducibility was determined by two sessions in the same day, while longitudinal and cross‐sectional group differences used visits at baseline, 3 and 6 months. Each visit contained symptomological assessments and an MRI session consisting of high resolution three‐dimensional double‐echo‐steady‐state (DESS) and co‐registered T2* maps of the most diseased knee. A blinded reader delineated the articular cartilage on the DESS images and median T2* values were reported.Results:T2* values showed an intra‐visit reproducibility of 2.0% over the whole cartilage. No longitudinal effects were measured in either group over 6 months. T2* maps revealed a 5.8% longer T2* in the medial tibial cartilage and 7.6% and 6.5% shorter T2* in the patellar and lateral tibial cartilage, respectively, in OA subjects versus controls (P < 0.02).Conclusion:T2* mapping is a repeatable process that showed differences between the OA subject and control groups. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2012;35:1422–1429. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Representing Motion in Language Comprehension: Lessons From Neuroimaging
Authors: Gennari Silvia P. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractA central issue in understanding how language links the mental and the real world is the nature of the mental representations entertained during language processing. Are these mental representations closely linked to the perceptual experiences from which they were formed or are they somewhat removed from them? This review addresses this question by examining studies that have investigated motion verbs and sentences using functional magnetic resonance imaging. These studies tested whether language processing elicits modality‐specific brain regions responsive to motion perception. Although the results of these studies are not definite due to the different tasks and analysis techniques utilized, they so far suggest that modality‐specific brain regions processing visual motion are not automatically or habitually engaged in language processing. The occasional engagement of visual areas in language processing appears to result from tasks requiring integration of visual and linguistic information or attention to motion‐specific features such as direction. The evidence reviewed therefore suggests that although perceptual representations may be flexibly engaged as a function of tasks and contexts, language comprehension in the absence of visual contexts habitually engages experience‐based representations of motion events that are one‐step removed from visual experiences, even in situations in which imagery is encouraged.
Electrospun Poly(vinyl alcohol) Nanofibres with Biocidal Additives for Application in Filter Media, 1–Properties Affecting Fibre Morphology and Characterisation
Authors: Gule Nonjabulo Prudence , de Kwaadsteniet Michele , Cloete Thomas Eugene , Klumperman Bert 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAqueous solutions of PVA containing the biocide AquaQure are electrospun into nanofibrous membranes with antimicrobial properties. AquaQure contains, amongst others, Cu2+ and Zn2+ ions. Fibre morphology is observed under a scanning electron microscope, and effects of instrument parameters and solution characteristics on the morphology of electrospun PVA fibres are investigated. The average fibre diameter can be varied from 87 ± 14 to 246 ± 50 nm. It is found that addition of AquaQure has significant effects on fibre diameter due to changes in solution conductivity, surface tension and viscosity. The presence of AquaQure in the fibres is confirmed via several techniques.magnified image
MicroRNA‐1322 regulates ECRG2 allele specifically and acts as a potential biomarker in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Tengfei , Zhao Dan , Wang Qiming , Yu Xiying , Cui Yaling , Guo Liping , Lu Shih Hsin 
Published: February 2012

AbstractA short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphism in the 3′UTR region of esophageal cancer‐related gene 2 (ECRG2, also known as SPINK7) has been widely reported to be associated with the incidence and the prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). This study explores how the microRNA binding to the STR region affects ECRG2 expression in ESCC. Dual‐luciferase reporter assays were used to verify the effects of the four microRNAs (miR‐580, miR‐1182, miR‐1272, and miR‐1322) predicted to bind the STR region of the ECRG2 3′ untranslated region (UTR). The expression of identified effective microRNA was then analyzed in 44 paired ESCC and adjacent normal tissues and 402 case–controlled serum samples (divided into a discovery group and an independent validation group) by real‐time RT‐PCR assay. We found that only miR‐1322 could significantly down‐regulate the ECRG2 with TCA3 allele (P < 0.01), but it could not down‐regulate the ECRG2 with TCA4 allele significantly (P > 0.05). MiR‐1322 was also expressed significantly higher in ESCC tissue and serum samples than in controls (both P < 0.01). Additionally, serum levels of miR‐1322 yielded an under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve area of 0.847 (95% CI, 0.795–0.890) for discriminating ESCCs from healthy controls in the discovery group and a similar result was obtained in the validation group (under ROC area is 0.845; 95%CI, 0.780–0.897). We conclude that miR‐1322 can regulate ECRG2 in an allele‐specific manner and that serum levels of miR‐1322 can serve as a potential diagnostic biomarker for patients with ESCC. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of arsenic trioxide by the pediatric preclinical testing program with a focus on Ewing sarcoma
Authors: Smith Malcolm A. , Kang Min H. , Reynolds C. Patrick , Kurmasheva Raushan T. , Alexander Denise , Billups Catherine A. , Toretsky Jeffrey A. , Houghton Peter J. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractArsenic trioxide was tested against the PPTP in vitro panel (1.0 nM to 10 µM) and against the PPTP Ewing sarcoma in vivo panel administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg daily × 5 per week for a planned treatment duration of 3 weeks. Arsenic trioxide showed a median relative IC50 value of 0.9 µM, with Ewing sarcoma cell lines having IC50 values similar to those of the remaining PPTP cell lines. Arsenic trioxide did not induce significant differences in EFS distribution compared to control in any of the Ewing sarcoma xenografts studied, and no objective responses were observed. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:753–755. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Improving the histopathologic diagnosis of pediatric malignancies in a low‐resource setting by combining focused training and telepathology strategies
Authors: Santiago Teresa C. , Jenkins Jesse J. , Pedrosa Francisco , Billups Catherine , Quintana Yuri , Ribeiro Raul C. , Qaddoumi Ibrahim 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackgroundAccurate diagnosis is critical for optimal management of pediatric cancer. Pathologists with experience in pediatric oncology are in short supply in the developing world. Telepathology is increasingly used for consultations but its overall contribution to diagnostic accuracy is unknown.ProcedureWe developed a strategy to provide a focused training in pediatric cancer and telepathology support to pathologists in the developing world. After the training period, we compared trainee's diagnoses with those of an experienced pathologist. We next compared the effectiveness of static versus dynamic telepathology review in 127 cases. Results were compared by Fisher's exact test.ResultsThe diagnoses of the trainee and the expert pathologist differed in only 6.5% of cases (95% CI, 1.2–20.0%). The overall concordance between the telepathology and original diagnoses was 90.6% (115/127; 95% CI, 84.1–94.6%).ConclusionsBrief, focused training in pediatric cancer histopathology can improve diagnostic accuracy. Dynamic and static telepathology analyses are equally effective for diagnostic review. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2012;59:221–225. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
RAMSEY NUMBERS FOR TREES
Authors: SUN ZHI-HONG 
Published: February 2012

AbstractForn≥5, letT′ndenote the unique tree onnvertices with Δ(T′n)=n−2, and letT*n=(V,E) be the tree onnvertices withV={v0,v1,…,vn−1} andE={v0v1,…,v0vn−3,vn−3vn−2,vn−2vn−1}. In this paper, we evaluate the Ramsey numbersr(Gm,T′n) andr(Gm,T*n) , whereGmis a connected graph of orderm. As examples, forn≥8 we haver(T′n,T*n)=r(T*n,T*n)=2n−5 , forn>m≥7 we haver(K1,m−1,T*n)=m+n−3 orm+n−4 according to whetherm−1∣n−3 orm−1∤n−3 , and form≥7 andn≥(m−3)2+2 we haver(T*m,T*n)=m+n−3 orm+n−4 according to whetherm−1∣n−3 orm−1∤n−3 .