bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic devices for epilepsy
Authors: Fisher Robert S. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractTherapeutic devices provide new options for treating drug‐resistant epilepsy. These devices act by a variety of mechanisms to modulate neuronal activity. Only vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), which continues to develop new technology, is approved for use in the United States. Deep brain stimulation of anterior thalamus for partial epilepsy recently was approved in Europe and several other countries. Responsive neurostimulation, which delivers stimuli to 1 or 2 seizure foci in response to a detected seizure, recently completed a successful multicenter trial. Several other trials of brain stimulation are in planning or underway. Transcutaneous magnetic stimulation (TMS) may provide a noninvasive method to stimulate cortex. Controlled studies of TMS are split on efficacy, which may depend on whether a seizure focus is near a possible region for stimulation. Seizure detection devices in the form of shake detectors via portable accelerometers can provide notification of an ongoing tonic–clonic seizure, or peace of mind in the absence of notification. Prediction of seizures from various aspects of electroencephalography (EEG) is in early stages. Prediction appears to be possible in a subpopulation of people with refractory seizures, and a clinical trial of an implantable prediction device is underway. Cooling of neocortex or hippocampus reversibly can attenuate epileptiform EEG activity and seizures, but engineering problems remain in its implementation. Optogenetics is a new technique that can control excitability of specific populations of neurons with light. Inhibition of epileptiform activity has been demonstrated in hippocampal slices, but use in humans will require more work. In general, devices provide useful palliation for otherwise uncontrollable seizures, but with a different risk profile than with most drugs. Optimizing the place of devices in therapy for epilepsy will require further development and clinical experience. Ann Neurol 2012;71:157–168
Preparation and characterizaton of poly(dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate) modified poly(vinyl alcohol) membrane by UV radiation for the permeation of 5‐fluorouracil
Authors: Yang Jen Ming , Ho Chia Che 
Published: September 2011

AbstractPoly(vinyl alcohol) was modified by UV radiation with dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) monomer to get poly(dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate) modified poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVADMAEMA) membrane. The PVADMAEMA membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The tensile strength and elongation of PVADMAEMA membranes were measured by Universal Testing Machine. The results of X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that (1) the crystalline area in PVADMAEMA decreased with increasing the content of poly(dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate) in the membrane. (2) Only one glass transition temperature (Tg) was found for the various PVADMAEMA membranes. It means that poly(dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate) and PVA are compatible in PVADMAEMA membrane. (3)The Tg of the membrane is reduced with increasing the content of poly(dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate) in the membrane. The water content on the PVADMAEMA membranes was determined. It was found that the water content on the PVADMAEMA membrane increased with increasing the content of poly(dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate). The changes of properties enhanced the permeability of 5‐Fluorouracil (5‐Fu) through the PVADMAEMA membranes. A linear relationship between the permeability and the weight percent of poly(dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate) in the PVADMAEMA membrane is found. It is expressed as P (cm/s) = (9.6 ± 0.4) × 10−5 + (8.8 ± 0.6) × 10−5
Wx, where P is the permeability of 5‐Fu through the membrane and Wx is the weight percent of poly(dimethyl amino ethyl methacrylate) in the PVADMAEMA membrane. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Effects of particle type on thermal and mechanical properties of polyoxymethylene nanocomposites
Authors: Wacharawichanant Sirirat , Sangkhaphan Angsumon , Sa‐Nguanwong Niramon , Khamnonwat Vitsarut , Thongyai Supakanok , Praserthdam Piyasan 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe effects of particle size of titanium dioxide (TiO2) on mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of pure polyoxymethylene (POM) and POM/TiO2 nanocomposites were investigated and compared with the results for nanoparticle ZnO in the same matrix, reported in a previous paper. POM/TiO2 nanocomposites with varying concentration of TiO2 were prepared by the melt mixing technique in a twin screw extruder, the same method that used for blending the homogeneous ZnO nanocomposites. The dispersion of TiO2 particles in POM nanocomposites was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The agglomeration, as observed by the mechanical properties of TiO2 particles in the polymer matrix, increased with increasing TiO2 content, a result not found for ZnO even at lower particle sizes. Increasing the filler content of POM/TD32.4 and POM/TD130 (130 nm) nanocomposites resulted in a decrease in tensile strength. The Young modulus, stress at break and impact strength of TiO2 nanocomposite did not improve with increasing filler contents, in opposition to the better agglomeration conditions of ZnO nanocomposite even at lower particle sizes. Because of agglomeration, the POM/TD32.4 nanocomposites had lower mechanical properties and lower degradation temperature than the POM/TD130 ones. The sizes of nanoparticles determined the agglomeration, but however, the agglomeration also depended on the type of nanoparticles, even when using the same matrix (POM) and the same mixing method. TiO2 nanoparticles were more difficult to mix and were more agglomerated in the POM matrix as compared to ZnO nanoparticles, regardless of the size of the nanoparticles. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Colloidal Templating Fabrication of Aluminum‐Organophosphonate Films Using High Molecular Weight PS‐b‐PEO
Authors: Kimura Tatsuo 
Published: September 2011

AbstractHigh molecular weight polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene oxide) diblock copolymer (PS‐b‐PEO) is utilized as colloidal spheres in the presence of water. Adequately thick films with multilayers of spherical macropores are fabricated in one‐pot under highly concentrated conditions of PS‐b‐PEO. The frameworks are constructed using aluminum organophosphonate as a complicated hybrid component. The macropores (30–200 nm) are homogeneously distributed over the entire films and pore windows between the macropores are tunable (up to nearly 10 nm) by changing the relative amount of PS‐b‐PEO in the precursor solutions.
Investigating diproline segments in proteins: Occurrences, conformation and classification
Authors: Saha Indranil , Shamala Narayanaswamy 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe covalent linkage between the side‐chain and the backbone nitrogen atom of proline leads to the formation of the five‐membered pyrrolidine ring and hence restriction of the backbone torsional angle ϕ to values of −60 °± 30° for the L‐proline. Diproline segments constitute a chain fragment with considerably reduced conformational choices. In the current study, the conformational states for the diproline segment (
LPro‐
LPro) found in proteins has been investigated with an emphasis on the cis and trans states for the Pro‐Pro peptide bond. The occurrence of diproline segments in turns and other secondary structures has been studied and compared to that of Xaa‐Pro‐Yaa segments in proteins which gives us a better understanding on the restriction imposed on other residues by the diproline segment and the single proline residue. The study indicates that PII–PII and PII–α are the most favorable conformational states for the diproline segment. The analysis on Xaa‐Pro‐Yaa sequences reveals that the Xaa‐Pro peptide bond exists preferably as the trans conformer rather than the cis conformer. The present study may lead to a better understanding of the behavior of proline occurring in diproline segments which can facilitate various designed diproline‐based synthetic templates for biological and structural studies. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 97: 54–64, 2012.
Effects of ring contraction on the conformational preferences of α‐substituted proline analogs
Authors: Revilla‐López Guillem , Warren Javier G. , Torras Juan , Jiménez Ana I. , Cativiela Carlos , Alemán Carlos 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe structural consequences derived from the incorporation of either a methyl or a phenyl group at the α carbon of proline were recently investigated by quantum mechanical calculations (J Org Chem 2008, 73, 3418). In this work, the effect produced by contraction of the pyrrolidine ring on such α‐substituted proline analogs has been explored using the same computational methods. Specifically, the intrinsic conformational preferences of the N‐acetyl‐N′‐methylamide derivatives of the lower proline homolog L‐azetidine‐2‐carboxylic acid (Aze), characterized by a four‐ instead of a five‐membered ring, and its α‐methyl (αMeAze) and α‐phenyl (αPhAze) derivatives have been determined using quantum mechanical calculations and compared to those observed before for the proline counterparts. Replacement of the pyrrolidine ring by an azetidine cycle leads to a reduction of the conformational flexibility, especially for the Aze and αMeAze derivatives, which should be attributed to the quasi‐planar geometry of the four‐membered ring. Furthermore, the azetidine nitrogen shows pyramidalization, which depending on the peptide backbone conformation favors the formation of an attractive N–H···N interaction or alleviates a severe steric hindrance. Calculations on different environments predict that the tendency of αMeAze to adopt γ‐turns is higher than that of unsubstituted Aze and α‐methylproline, this feature being in full agreement with the experimental observations available. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 98: 98–110, 2012.
Salivary peptidome in type 1 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Caseiro Armando , Vitorino Rui , Barros António S. , Ferreira Rita , Calheiros‐Lobo Maria João , Carvalho Davide , Duarte José Alberto , Amado Francisco 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTDiabetic patients show a high susceptibility to oral diseases of inflammatory, catabolic and chronic nature with potential impact on saliva composition. In this study, our purpose was to characterize type 1 diabetes‐induced alterations in the salivary peptidome aiming to find prospective biomarkers for type 1 diabetes oral health evaluation. Peptidomic analysis of saliva from controls (n = 5) and type 1 diabetic patients (n = 5) were performed by liquid chromatography followed by mass spectrometry. The proteolytic activity and metalloproteinases expression was accessed by zymography and slot blot analysis, respectively. Data evidenced a significant increase in the percentage of peptides in diabetic patients paralleled by a higher proteolytic activity, compared with healthy individuals. The nonsalivary gland protein fragments identified in saliva were mainly derived from collagen and extracellular matrix proteins, namely collagen type I. The cleavage site frequency analysis showed significant differences between healthy and type 1 diabetic individuals, highlighting the activity of proteases such as matrix metalloproteinase‐9 and cathepsin D. Our results highlight salivary collagen fragments as potential biomarkers to follow up diabetes‐related oral damage. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhancing the enzymatic digestibility of sugarcane bagasse through the application of an ionic liquid in combination with an acid catalyst
Authors: Diedericks Danie , Rensburg Eugéne van , del Prado García‐Aparicio María , Görgens Johann F. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractVarious ionic liquids have been identified as effective pretreatment solvents that can enhance the cellulose digestibility of lignocellulose by removing lignin, one of the main factors contributing to the recalcitrant nature of lignocellulose. 1‐Butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium methylsulfate ([BMiM]MeSO4) is a potential delignification reagent, hence its application as a pretreatment solvent for sugarcane bagasse (SB) was investigated. The study also evaluated the benefit of an acid catalyst (i.e., H2SO4) and the effect of pretreatment conditions, which varied within a time and temperature range of 0–240 min and 50–150°C, respectively. The use of an acid catalyst contributed to a more digestible solid and a higher degree of delignification. However, the [BMiM]MeSO4‐H2SO4 combination failed to produce a fully digestible solid, as a maximum cellulose digestibility of 77% (w/w) was obtained at the optimum pretreatment condition of 125°C for 120 min. Furthermore, up to half of the lignin content could be extracted during pretreatment, while simultaneously extensive, sometimes complete, removal of xylan, the presence of which, also hampers cellulose digestibility. Hence, [BMiM]MeSO4 has been identified an effective pretreatment solvent for SB as the application thereof both significantly improved digestibility, and simultaneously removed two of the main factors contributing to the recalcitrant nature of lignocellulose. As xylan and lignin have potential value as precursor chemicals, the existing process may in future be extended toward substrate fractionation, a biorefinery concept where value is added to all feedstock constituents. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Nutrient improvement using statistical optimization for growth of Schizophyllum commune, and its antifungal activity against wood degrading fungi of rubberwood
Authors: Teoh Yi Peng , Don Mashitah Mat , Ujang Salmiah 
Published: September 2011

AbstractTwo statistical tools, Plackett‐Burman design (PBD) and Box‐Behnken design (BBD) were used to optimize the mycelia growth of Schizophyllum commune with different nutrient components. Results showed that 32.92 g/L of biomass were produced using a medium consisting of 18.74 g/L yeast extract, 38.65 g/L glucose, and 0.59 g/L MgSO4.7H2O. The experimental data fitted well with the model predicted values within 0.09 to 0.77% error. The biomass was also tested for antifungal activity against wood degrading fungi of rubberwood. Results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for antifungal activity range from 0.16 to 5.00 μg/μL. The GC‐MS analysis indicated that this fungus produced several compounds, such as glycerin, 2(3H)‐furanone, 5‐heptyldihydro‐, 4H‐pyran‐4‐one, 2,3‐dihydro‐3,5‐dihydroxy‐6‐methyl‐, and triacetin. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2012
Unprecedented Synthesis of 1,3‐Dimethylcyclobutadiene in the Solid State and Aqueous Solution
Authors: Legrand Yves‐Marie , Gilles Arnaud , Petit Eddy , van der Lee Arie , Barboiu Mihail 
Published: September 2011

AbstractCyclobutadiene (CBD), the smallest cyclic hydrocarbon bearing conjugated double bonds, has long intrigued chemists because of its chemical characteristics. The question of whether the molecule could be prepared at all has been answered, but the parent compound and its unperturbed derivatives have eluded crystallographic characterization or synthesis “in water”. Different approaches have been used to generate and to trap cyclobutadiene in a variety of confined environments: a) an Ar matrix at cryogenic temperatures, b) a hemicarcerand cage enabling the characterization by NMR spectroscopy in solution, and c) a crystalline guanidinium–sulfonate–calixarene G4C matrix that is stable enough to allow photoreactions in the solid state. In the latter case, the 4,6‐dimethyl‐α‐pyrone precursor, Me21, has been immobilized in a guanidinium–sulfonate–calixarene G4C crystalline network through a combination of non‐covalent interactions. UV irradiation of the crystals transforms the entrapped Me21 into a 4,6‐dimethyl‐Dewar‐β‐lactone intermediate, Me22, and rectangular‐bent 1,3‐dimethylcyclobutadiene, Me2CBDR, which are sufficiently stable under the confined conditions at 175 K to allow a conventional structure determination by X‐ray diffraction. Further irradiation drives the reaction towards Me23&Me2CBDS/CO2 (63.7 %) and Me2CBDR (37.3 %) superposed crystalline architectures and the amplification of Me2CBDR. The crystallographic models are supported by additional FTIR and Raman experiments in the solid state and by 1H NMR spectroscopy and ESI mass spectrometry experiments in aqueous solution. Amazingly, the 4,6‐dimethyl‐Dewar‐β‐lactone, Me22, the cyclobutadiene‐carboxyl zwitterion, Me23, and 1,3‐dimethylcyclobutadiene, Me2CBD, were obtained by ultraviolet irradiation of an aqueous solution of G4C{Me21}. 1,3‐Dimethylcyclobutadiene is stable in water at room temperature for several weeks and even up to 50 °C as demonstrated by 1H NMR spectroscopy.
Halogen Bonding at the Active Sites of Human Cathepsin L and MEK1 Kinase: Efficient Interactions in Different Environments
Authors: Hardegger Leo A. , Kuhn Bernd , Spinnler Beat , Anselm Lilli , Ecabert Robert , Stihle Martine , Gsell Bernard , Thoma Ralf , Diez Joachim , Benz Jörg , Plancher Jean‐Marc , Hartmann Guido , Isshiki Yoshiaki , Morikami Kenji , Shimma Nobuo , Haap Wolfgang , Banner David W. , Diederich François 
Published: September 2011

AbstractIn two series of small‐molecule ligands, one inhibiting human cathepsin L (hcatL) and the other MEK1 kinase, biological affinities were found to strongly increase when an aryl ring of the inhibitors is substituted with the larger halogens Cl, Br, and I, but to decrease upon F substitution. X‐ray co‐crystal structure analyses revealed that the higher halides engage in halogen bonding (XB) with a backbone CO in the S3 pocket of hcatL and in a back pocket of MEK1. While the S3 pocket is located at the surface of the enzyme, which provides a polar environment, the back pocket in MEK1 is deeply buried in the protein and is of pronounced apolar character. This study analyzes environmental effects on XB in protein–ligand complexes. It is hypothesized that energetic gains by XB are predominantly not due to water replacements but originate from direct interactions between the XB donor (CarylX) and the XB acceptor (CO) in the correct geometry. New X‐ray co‐crystal structures in the same crystal form (space group P212121) were obtained for aryl chloride, bromide, and iodide ligands bound to hcatL. These high‐resolution structures reveal that the backbone CO group of Gly61 in most hcatL co‐crystal structures maintains water solvation while engaging in XB. An arylCF3‐substituted ligand of hcatL with an unexpectedly high affinity was found to adopt the same binding geometry as the aryl halides, with the CF3 group pointing to the CO group of Gly61 in the S3 pocket. In this case, a repulsive F2CF⋅⋅⋅OC contact apparently is energetically overcompensated by other favorable protein–ligand contacts established by the CF3 group.
Brain regions that process case: Evidence from basque
Authors: Nieuwland Mante S. , Martin Andrea E. , Carreiras Manuel 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe aim of this event‐related fMRI study was to investigate the cortical networks involved in case processing, an operation that is crucial to language comprehension yet whose neural underpinnings are not well‐understood. What is the relationship of these networks to those that serve other aspects of syntactic and semantic processing? Participants read Basque sentences that contained case violations, number agreement violations or semantic anomalies, or that were both syntactically and semantically correct. Case violations elicited activity increases, compared to correct control sentences, in a set of parietal regions including the posterior cingulate, the precuneus, and the left and right inferior parietal lobules. Number agreement violations also elicited activity increases in left and right inferior parietal regions, and additional activations in the left and right middle frontal gyrus. Regions‐of‐interest analyses showed that almost all of the clusters that were responsive to case or number agreement violations did not differentiate between these two. In contrast, the left and right anterior inferior frontal gyrus and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex were only sensitive to semantic violations. Our results suggest that whereas syntactic and semantic anomalies clearly recruit distinct neural circuits, case, and number violations recruit largely overlapping neural circuits and that the distinction between the two rests on the relative contributions of parietal and prefrontal regions, respectively. Furthermore, our results are consistent with recently reported contributions of bilateral parietal and dorsolateral brain regions to syntactic processing, pointing towards potential extensions of current neurocognitive theories of language. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Depression and type 2 diabetes: Cortisol pathway implication and investigational needs
Authors: Gragnoli Claudia 
Published: September 2011

AbstractDepression and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are clinically associated and the causes of the association are still under investigation. We aimed at identifying what is known about the stress response and cortisol pathway and the clinical association of depression and T2D, and at hypothesizing the link of the association. In this review, we report independent studies on stress response, cortisol pathway, depression, T2D, and independent studies on stress and cortisol pathway in depression, and in T2D. We focus and integrate the stress and cortisol pathway hypothesis to explain the clinical association of depression and T2D. We hypothesize that the corticotropin‐releasing hormone receptors are one of the missing linking factor of the cortisol pathway underlying the clinical association of depression and T2D. We state what studies are still needed to confirm or rule out our hypothesis. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 2318–2322, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Modulation of functional responses of endothelial cells linked to angiogenesis and inflammation by shear stress: Differential effects of the mechanotransducer CD31
Authors: Glen Katie , Luu N. Thin , Ross Ewan , Buckley Chris D. , Rainger G. Ed , Egginton Stuart , Nash Gerard B. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractWe investigated the roles of the “mechanotransducer” CD31 in the effects of shear stress on endothelial gene expression and functional responses relevant to angiogenesis and inflammation. Human or murine endothelial cells (hEC or mEC) were exposed to different levels of shear stress, while expression of CD31 was modified using siRNA in the hEC, or mEC from CD31−/− mice. Quantitation of expression of genes linked to inflammation or angiogenesis showed several were sensitive to shear. In a “wound” assay, exposure of endothelial cells (EC) to shear stress tended to align migration with the direction of flow and decrease the rate of closure compared to static cultures. When EC were cultured on filters, shear stress promoted migration away from the luminal surface. EC conditioned by shear stress recruited fewer flowing neutrophils, and showed reduced up‐regulation of E‐selectin after stimulation with tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF). Use of siRNA against CD31 in the hEC, or testing of mEC from mice lacking CD31, indicated that expression of CD31 was not required for the shear‐induced modification of wound closure. However, shear modulation of response to TNF was less effective in the absence of CD31, while reduction of CD31 reduced shear‐sensitivity in some genes (e.g., eNOS), but not others (e.g., KLF‐2). Thus, CD31 played a role in shear‐sensitivity of some genes and of neutrophil recruitment, but not in modulation of endothelial migration. Different mechanotransducers may mediate different functional effects of shear stress. Hence, identification of the specific pathways may provide targets for therapeutic manipulation of angiogenesis or inflammation. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 2710–2721, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.