bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Synergistic action of fibroblast growth factor‐2 and transforming growth factor‐beta1 enhances bioprinted human neocartilage formation
Authors: Cui Xiaofeng , Breitenkamp Kurt , Lotz Martin , D'Lima Darryl 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBioprinting as a promising but unexplored approach for cartilage tissue engineering has the advantages of high throughput, digital control, and highly accurate placement of cells and biomaterial scaffold to the targeted 3D locations with simultaneous polymerization. This study tested feasibility of using bioprinting for cartilage engineering and examined the influence of cell density, growth, and differentiation factors. Human articular chondrocytes were printed at various densities, stimulated transiently with growth factors and subsequently with chondrogenic factors. Samples were cultured for up to 4 weeks to evaluate cell proliferation and viability, mechanical properties, mass swelling ratio, water content, gene expression, ECM production, DNA content, and histology. Bioprinted samples treated with FGF‐2/TGF‐β1 had the best chondrogenic properties among all groups apparently due to synergistic stimulation of cell proliferation and chondrogenic phenotype. ECM production per chondrocyte in low cell density was much higher than that in high cell seeding density. This finding was also verified by mechanical testing and histology. In conclusion, cell seeding density that is feasible for bioprinting also appears optimal for human neocartilage formation when combined with appropriate growth and differentiation factors. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012;109: 2357–2368. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mineralization of pentachlorophenol with enhanced degradation and power generation from air cathode microbial fuel cells
Authors: Huang Liping , Gan Linlin , Wang Ning , Quan Xie , Logan Bruce E. , Chen Guohua 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe combined anaerobic–aerobic conditions in air‐cathode single‐chamber MFCs were used to completely mineralize pentachlorophenol (PCP; 5 mg/L), in the presence of acetate or glucose. Degradation rates of 0.140 ± 0.011 mg/L‐h (acetate) and 0.117 ± 0.009 mg/L‐h (glucose) were obtained with maximum power densities of 7.7 ± 1.1 W/m3 (264 ± 39 W/m2, acetate) and 5.1 ± 0.1 W/m3 (175 ± 5 W/m2, glucose). At a higher PCP concentration of 15 mg/L, PCP degradation rates increased to 0.171 ± 0.01 mg/L‐h (acetate) and 0.159 ± 0.011 mg/L‐h (glucose). However, power was inversely proportional to initial PCP concentration, with decreases of 0.255 W/mg PCP (acetate) and 0.184 W/mg PCP (glucose). High pH (9.0, acetate; 8.0, glucose) was beneficial to exoelectrogenic activities and power generation, whereas an acidic pH = 5.0 decreased power but increased PCP degradation rates (0.195 ± 0.002 mg/L‐h, acetate; 0.173 ± 0.005 mg/L‐h, glucose). Increasing temperature from 22 to 35°C enhanced power production by 37% (glucose) to 70% (acetate), and PCP degradation rates (0.188 ± 0.01 mg/L‐h, acetate; 0.172 ± 0.009 mg/L‐h, glucose). Dominant exoelectrogens of Pseudomonas (acetate) and Klebsiella (glucose) were identified in the biofilms. These results demonstrate that PCP degradation using air‐cathode single‐chamber MFCs may be a promising process for remediation of water contaminated with PCP as well as for power generation. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012;109: 2211–2221. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Analysis of dynamic changes in the proteome of a Bcl‐XL overexpressing Chinese hamster ovary cell culture during exponential and stationary phases
Authors: Carlage Tyler , Kshirsagar Rashmi , Zang Li , Janakiraman Vijay , Hincapie Marina , Lyubarskaya Yelena , Weiskopf Andy , Hancock William S. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractMammalian cell cultures used for biopharmaceutical production undergo various dynamic biological changes over time, including the transition of cells from an exponential growth phase to a stationary phase during cell culture. To better understand the dynamic aspects of cell culture, a quantitative proteomics approach was used to identify dynamic trends in protein expression over the course of a Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell culture for the production of a recombinant monoclonal antibody and overexpressing the antiapoptotic gene Bcl‐xl. Samples were analyzed using a method incorporating iTRAQ labeling, two‐dimensional LC/MS, and linear regression calculations to identify significant dynamic trends in protein abundance. Using this approach, 59 proteins were identified with significant temporal changes in expression. Pathway analysis tools were used to identify a putative network of proteins associated with cell growth and apoptosis. Among the differentially expressed proteins were molecular chaperones and isomerases, such as GRP78 and PDI, and reported cell growth markers MCM2 and MCM5. In addition, two proteins with growth‐regulating properties, transglutaminase‐2 and clusterin, were identified. These proteins are associated with tumor proliferation and apoptosis and were observed to be expressed at relatively high levels during stationary phase, which was confirmed by western blotting. The proteomic methodology described here provides a dynamic view of protein expression throughout a CHO fed‐batch cell culture, which may be useful for further elucidating the biological processes driving mammalian cell culture performance. © 2012 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Testing of a Ni‐Al2O3 Catalyst for Methane Steam Reforming Using Different Reaction Systems
Authors: de Miguel N. , Manzanedo J. , Arias P. L. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractNi‐Al2O3 catalyst activity was tested for methane steam reforming using two different reaction systems: a catalyst particle bed (0.42–0.5 mm catalyst particles diluted in SiC) with a surface area‐to‐volume ratio SA/V of 910 m–1 and a porosity ϵ of 52 % and a catalyst‐coated metal monolith with an SA/V of 3300 m–1 and an ϵ of 86 %. Under a steam‐to‐carbon ratio of 2.5 and at a temperature of 700 °C, the highest specific reaction rates were found for the catalyst‐coated monolith. The high SA/V and ϵ, together with the high rate of heat transfer of the metal monolith were found to be responsible of this optimum behavior. However, in both systems, the Ni‐Al2O3 catalyst suffered a catalyst deactivation during operation.
Effect of diethanolamine and triethanolamine on the properties of electroplated Zn–Ni alloy coatings from acid bath
Authors: Hammami Olfa , Dhouibi Leila , Berçot Patrice , Rezrazi El Mustafa , Triki Ezzeddine 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIn the present work, zinc–nickel alloy coatings have been produced under direct current conditions from an acid bath with different concentrations of diethanolamine (DEA) and triethanolamine (TEA). The produced coatings were analysed through chronopotentiometry, microhardness, X‐ray diffraction and MEB techniques. The compositional analysis of the films showed that the Zn–Ni electrodeposition is anomalous for all the systems. Ethanolamines augmented the anomalous behaviour. The hindering in the Ni (II) reduction will be more effective due to complexation of Ni (II) catalyst with ethanolamines. Electrochemical and structure analysis of deposits indicated the presence of γ and highly Zn‐enriched phases. The presence of these additives resulted also in coatings with finer grains. The behaviour of modified Zn–Ni alloy coatings in corrosion solution of 3% NaCl was investigated through potentiodynamic polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It was found that the obtained Zn–Ni/3 mM TEA alloy exhibited better corrosion resistance compared to pure Zn–Ni alloy electrodeposited at similar conditions. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
A feedback glucose control strategy for type II diabetes mellitus based on fuzzy logic
Authors: Ekram F. , Sun L. , Vahidi O. , Kwok E. , Gopaluni R. B. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractMost patients with severe Type II diabetes mellitus, characterised by both insulin resistance and β‐cell failure, eventually require insulin therapy. According to the nonlinear dynamics of homeostasis of blood glucose, proportional‐integral (PI) controller, modified by penalising the feedback error using a fuzzy inference system has been developed to maintain normoglycaemia in a simulated patient using a closed‐loop insulin infusion pump. The simulation employs a compartment model proposed by Vahidi et al. [Vahidi et al., Biochem. Eng. J. 2011, 55(1), 7–16]. The results demonstrate that the fuzzy‐based PI controller is superior to a conventional PI controller for the regulation of blood glucose by insulin infusion for Type II diabetic patients. © 2012 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering
Trabectedin has promising antineoplastic activity in high‐grade meningioma
Authors: Preusser Matthias , Spiegl‐Kreinecker Sabine , Lötsch Daniela , Wöhrer Adelheid , Schmook Maria , Dieckmann Karin , Saringer Walter , Marosi Christine , Berger Walter 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:Meningiomas are common intracranial tumors arising from the meninges and usually are benign. However, a few meningiomas have aggressive behavior and, for such patients, effective treatment options are needed. Trabectedin is a novel, marine‐derived, antineoplastic agent that has been approved and is used routinely as therapy for advanced soft tissue sarcoma and ovarian cancer.METHODS:The authors investigated the in vitro effects of trabectedin alone and in combination with hydroxyurea, cisplatin, and doxorubicin in primary cell cultures of benign (n = 9), atypical (n = 6), and anaplastic (n = 4) meningiomas using chemosensitivity assays (3‐[4,5dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide [MTT]), Western blot analysis, cell cycle analysis, and immunofluorescent staining.RESULTS:Strong antimeningioma activity of trabectedin was observed and was characterized by distinct cell cycle arrest, down‐regulation of multiple cyclins, deregulated expression of cell death‐regulatory genes, and massive apoptosis induction. Cytotoxic activity was especially intense in higher grade meningiomas with a half‐maximal inhibitory concentration <10 nM. Combination with trabectedin synergistically enhanced the antimeningioma activity of hydroxyurea but also enhanced the activity of doxorubicin and cisplatin. On the basis of these findings, trabectedin was given to 1 patient who had heavily pretreated, anaplastic meningioma, and a favorable response was observed with radiologic disease stabilization, marked reductions in brain edema and requirement for corticosteroids, and improvement of clinical symptoms. However, treatment had to be discontinued after 5 cycles because of adverse drug effects.CONCLUSIONS:The current results indicated that trabectedin may represent a promising new therapeutic option for patients with aggressive meningioma and should be evaluated in prospective clinical studies. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Patient advocates' role in clinical trials
Authors: Katz Mira L. , Archer Laura E. , Peppercorn Jeffrey M. , Kereakoglow Sandra , Collyar Deborah E. , Burstein Harold J. , Schilsky Richard L. , Partridge Ann H. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:Patient advocates are increasingly involved in cooperative group trials, single‐institution cancer programs, and peer‐review of research applications. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role and value of patient advocates from the perspective of Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) advocates and investigators.METHODS:An online survey was sent to current and past (within 5 years) patient advocates and investigators.RESULTS.Response rates were 72.7% (16 of 22) for advocates and 56.4% (102 of 181) for investigators. Patient advocates were more likely than investigators to report the following: the clinical trial process benefited from advocate involvement on committees (100% of advocates vs 72.1% of investigators; P < .05), advocates contribute to protocol development (92.8% vs 33.8%, respectively; P < .001), the cultural appropriateness of protocols (21.4% vs 10.4%, respectively; P < .05), advocates assist with patient accrual (78.6% vs 23.4%, respectively; P < .001), and advocates add value to concept development and protocol review (100% vs 63.2%, respectively; P < .001). Over half of advocates and investigators reported gaps in patient advocate knowledge and suggested that additional clinical trials training was needed. To improve clinical trials, advocates suggested their earlier involvement in protocol development and increased support from investigators. CALGB investigators recommended improving patient advocate selection and communication skills training:CONCLUSIONS:The majority of patient advocates and investigators perceived benefits from advocate involvement in the clinical trials process; patient advocates placed more value on their role than investigators. The current results indicated that strategies to improve advocacy training and advocate‐investigator communication may further enhance the role of patient advocates, and future studies that clarify the role of advocates in the prioritization and development of protocol, consent, and education materials, and on patient accrual, are warranted. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Leapfrog volume thresholds and perioperative complications after radical prostatectomy
Authors: Trinh Quoc‐Dien , Sun Maxine , Sammon Jesse , Tian Zhe , Bianchi Marco , Shariat Shahrokh F. , Jeong Wooju , Ghani Khurshid R. , Jeldres Claudio , Perrotte Paul , Agarwal Piyush K. , Rogers Craig G. , Peabody James O. , Menon Mani , Karakiewicz Pierre I. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND:The authors explored the effect of Leapfrog volume thresholds (LVTs) on 5 short‐term radical prostatectomy (RP) outcomes.METHODS:Within the Health Care Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS), the authors focused on RPs performed within the 7 most contemporary years (2001‐2007). They tested rates of in‐hospital mortality, intraoperative complications, postoperative complications, and blood transfusions as well as the mean length of stay (LOS), stratified according to the number of LVTs that were met. Multivariable regression analyses were adjusted further for potential confounders.RESULTS:Overall, 36.2%, 17.3%, 14.9%, 15.7%, 12.9%, and 3% of RPs were performed at institutions that reached 0 LVT, 1 LVT, 2 LVTs, 3 LVTs, 4 LVTs, and 5 LVTs, respectively. Relative to patients who underwent RP at institutions that reached 0 LVTs, patients who underwent RP at institutions that reached 5 LVTs had fewer comorbidities, were younger, were more likely to hold private insurance, and were more likely to undergo concomitant pelvic lymphadenectomy (all P < .001). In multivariable analyses adjusted for hospital volume (HV), age, race, year of surgery, Charlson Comorbidity Index, hospital region and location, pelvic lymphadenectomy, and insurance status, LVT status was related inversely to LOS and the likelihood of receiving blood transfusions (both P < .001).CONCLUSIONS:The current results indicated that LVTs can provide a highly accurate prediction of the probability of 2 important, detrimental, short‐term outcomes after RP, even after accounting for HV. The benefit at institutions that meet LVTs may exceed that at other institutions when short‐term RP outcomes are considered. This observation should be taken into consideration when treatment decisions are made, especially because most RPs were performed at institutions that did not meet any LVTs. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
A new practical interference mitigation scheme for interference cognitive radio networks
Authors: Ghavami Siavash , Abolhassani Bahman 
Published: March 2012

SUMMARYIn this paper, a new practical dirty paper coding scheme and its extension is proposed for interference mitigation of a single TV broadcast station in uplink and downlink of a cognitive radio network using both a single secondary user (SU) and multiple SU scenarios. In the single SU scenario, which is called interference cognitive radio channel, derived simulation results show that the transmission rate of the SU archives the capacity of an AWGN channel with the cost of a 2.5 dB extra signal‐to‐noise ratio. In the sequel, the proposed scheme is extended to a multiple SU scenario using direct sequence spread spectrum technique in both uplink and downlink considering a TV band. Derived simulation results show that the number of supportable SUs in our proposed scheme increases to a fully loaded scenario of the same multiuser direct sequence spread spectrum system. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High Active Hollow Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Microspheres for Oxygen Reduction in Alkaline Media
Authors: Yu Y. M. , Zhang J. H. , Xiao C. H. , Zhong J. D. , Zhang X. H. , Chen J. H. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractDopamine, a sustainable and cheap raw material, was selected as the carbon and nitrogen sources to synthesize hollow nitrogen‐doped carbon microspheres (HNCMS). The obtained HNCMS were used as a non‐noble‐metal electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction in alkaline solution and show high electrocatalytic activity, excellent long‐term stability, and tolerance to crossover effect of methanol.
In vitro evidence for the brain glutamate efflux hypothesis: Brain endothelial cells cocultured with astrocytes display a polarized brain‐to‐blood transport of glutamate
Authors: Helms Hans Christian , Madelung Rasmus , Waagepetersen Helle Sønderby , Nielsen Carsten Uhd , Brodin Birger 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe concentration of the excitotoxic amino acid, L‐glutamate, in brain interstitial fluid is tightly regulated by uptake transporters and metabolism in astrocytes and neurons. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of the blood‐brain barrier endothelium in brain L‐glutamate homeostasis. Transendothelial transport‐ and accumulation studies of 3H‐L‐glutamate, 3H‐L‐aspartate, and 3H‐D‐aspartate in an electrically tight bovine endothelial/rat astrocyte blood‐brain barrier coculture model were performed. After 6 days in culture, the endothelium displayed transendothelial resistance values of 1014 ± 70 Ω cm2, and 14C‐D‐mannitol permeability values of 0.88 ± 0.13 × 10−6 cm s−1. Unidirectional flux studies showed that L‐aspartate and L‐glutamate, but not D‐aspartate, displayed polarized transport in the brain‐to‐blood direction, however, all three amino acids accumulated in the cocultures when applied from the abluminal side. The transcellular transport kinetics were characterized with a Km of 69 ± 15 μM and a Jmax of 44 ± 3.1 pmol min−1 cm−2 for L‐aspartate and a Km of 138 ± 49 μM and Jmax of 28 ± 3.1 pmol min−1 cm−2 for L‐glutamate. The EAAT inhibitor, DL‐threo‐ß‐Benzyloxyaspartate, inhibited transendothelial brain‐to‐blood fluxes of L‐glutamate and L‐aspartate. Expression of EAAT‐1 (Slc1a3), −2 (Slc1a2), and −3 (Slc1a1) mRNA in the endothelial cells was confirmed by conventional PCR and localization of EAAT‐1 and −3 in endothelial cells was shown with immunofluorescence. Overall, the findings suggest that the blood‐brain barrier itself may participate in regulating brain L‐glutamate concentrations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The health and social needs of older male prisoners
Authors: Hayes Adrian J , Burns Alistair , Turnbull Pauline , Shaw Jenny J 
Published: March 2012

ObjectivesThis study aimed to quantify the health and social needs of older male prisoners in the North West of England, to determine whether their needs were being met, and to explore an age cut‐off for this group.MethodsData were collected by interview and case note review. Areas covered included physical health, mental health, personality disorder, cognitive impairment and social need.ResultsA total of 262 prisoners were included in the study. Over 90% had a physical health disorder, most commonly hypertension and osteoarthritis. A total of 61% had a mental disorder, most commonly major depressive disorder and alcohol misuse disorder. There were few differences within age bands for physical health problem or health/social need, but those aged 50–59 years had more mental disorder, including mental illness, substance misuse disorder and personality disorder.ConclusionsOlder prisoners have a high level of health need and a different profile to the rest of the prison population. Fifty appears to be a useful age over which to define this group, and service provision should reflect this in a national management strategy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stage level, volume and time‐frequency information content of Lake Tana using stochastic and wavelet analysis methods
Authors: Chebud Y. , Melesse A. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractLake Tana is the largest fresh water body situated in the north‐western highlands of Ethiopia. In addition to its ecological services, it serves for local transport, electric power generation, fishing, recreational purposes, and source of dry season irrigation water supply. Evidence shows that the lake has dried at least once at about 15,000–17,000 before present owing to a combination of high evaporation and low precipitation events. Past attempts to understand and simulate historical fluctuation of Lake Tana based on simplistic water balance approach of inflow, outflow, and storage have failed to capture well‐known events of drawdown and rise of the lake that have happened in the last 44 years. This study tested different stochastic methods of lake level and volume simulation for supporting Lake Tana operational planning decision support. Three stochastic methods (perturbations approach, Monte Carlo methods, and wavelet analysis) were employed for lake level and volume simulation, and the results were compared with the stage level measurements. Forty‐four years of daily, monthly, and mean annual lake level data have shown a Gaussian variation with goodness of fit at 0.01 significant levels of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. The stochastic simulations predicted the lake stage level of the 1972, 1984, and 2002/2003 historical droughts 99% of the time. The information content (frequency) of fluctuation of Lake Tana for various periods was resolved using Wigner's Time‐Frequency Decomposition method. The wavelet analysis agreed with the perturbations and Monte Carlo simulations resolving the time (1970s, 1980s, and 2000s) in which low frequency and high spectral power fluctuation has occurred. The Monte Carlo method has shown its superiority for risk analysis over perturbation and deterministic method whereas wavelet analysis reconstructed historical record of lake stage level at daily and monthly time scales. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.