bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Determination of Inorganic Contaminants in Automotive Fuels
Authors: Santos André L. , Takeuchi Regina M. , Muñoz Rodrigo A. A. , Angnes Lúcio , Stradiotto Nelson R. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractThis article critically reviews the electroanalytical methods developed for the determination of inorganic contaminants in automotive fuels. Topics include the methods applied to the analysis of liquid biofuels and liquid fossil fuels for which different strategies were developed based on analytes and sample matrices. Special attention is given to electrodes, detection techniques, and sample preparation protocols (when required). Analytes include anions such as chloride, sulfate and phosphate, and mainly metallic species such as sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, cadmium, copper, iron, lead, manganese, mercury, nickel, platinum, tin, vanadium, and zinc. Suggestions for future research are also presented.
Comparison of the Effects of Biofouling on Voltammetric and Potentiometric Measurements
Authors: Kuhlmann Julia , Dzugan Laura C. , Heineman William R. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractBiofouling of sensors is a common problem when measuring biological samples. The adherence of proteins and biomolecules, called hemostasis, is the first of four steps that lead to biofouling and eventually a foreign body response. This typically occurs within the first hours after the exposure of the biosensor to a biological sample. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of this initial step of biofouling on cyclic voltammetry and potentiometric measurements. The results show that biofouling occurred rapidly within minutes and strongly affected cyclic voltammetry measurements, while potentiometric measurements were minimally affected even after 24 hours.
Toxic effects of PCB126 and TCDD on shortnose sturgeon and Atlantic sturgeon
Authors: Chambers R. Christopher , Davis Dawn D. , Habeck Ehren A. , Roy Nirmal K. , Wirgin Isaac 
Published: July 2012

Abstract
Exposure to chemical contaminants is often invoked to explain recruitment failures to populations of sturgeon worldwide, but there is little empirical evidence to support the idea that young sturgeon are sensitive at environmentally relevant concentrations. The authors used shortnose sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostum) and Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus) as models to investigate the sensitivities of sturgeon to early-life-stage toxicities from embryonic exposures to graded doses of polychlorinated biphenyl 126 (PCB126) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD). Survival to hatching of shortnose sturgeon decreased with increasing dose, although the duration of the embryonic period was not significantly altered by exposure in either species. Morphometric features of larvae of both species were affected by dose, including shortening of the body, reduction in head size, reduction in quantity of yolk reserves, and reduction in eye size. Eye development in both species was delayed with increasing dose for both chemicals. The persistence of larvae in a food-free environment decreased inversely with dose in both species, with sharp declines occurring at PCB126 and TCDD doses of ≥1 ppb and ≥0.1 ppb, respectively. Dose-responsive early-life-stage toxicities reported here are among the more sensitive found in fish and occurred at burdens similar to those found in situ in a sympatric bottom-dwelling bony fish in the Hudson River Estuary. The present study is among the first demonstrating the sensitivity of any sturgeon to the hallmark early-life-stage toxicities induced by aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 2324–2337. © 2012 SETAC
Biomarkers of exposure and effect in a lacertid lizard (Podarcis bocagei Seoane) exposed to chlorpyrifos
Authors: Amaral Maria José , Sanchez-Hernandez Juan C. , Bicho Rita C. , Carretero Miguel A. , Valente Ricardo , Faustino Augusto M.R. , Soares Amadeu M.V.M. , Mann Reinier M. 
Published: July 2012

Abstract
In Europe, reptiles have been recently included in environmental risk-assessment processes for registration of plant-protection products. However, data on toxicity effects of most compounds are lacking. Chlorpyrifos is the most commonly used organophosphorus insecticide worldwide. In the present study, the authors exposed a lacertid lizard, Podarcis bocagei, to sublethal concentrations of chlorpyrifos. Individuals were exposed through spiked food for a period of 20 d (low dose 0.12 mg/kg/d, high dose 1.57 mg/kg/d). After exposure, various biomarkers of exposure and effect were evaluated, including the activities of glutathione S-transferase and enzymes involved in the glutathione redox cycle, glutathione concentrations, activities of esterases, liver and testes histopathologies, as well as locomotory and predatory behavior. The results indicate that sublethal, subchronic exposure to chlorpyrifos can affect P. bocagei in a dose-dependent manner. Adverse effects occurred at both the subindividual and individual levels, including inhibition of carboxylesterases and cholinesterases (ChEs), liver histopathological changes, and altered predatory behaviors. Animals exposed to chlorpyrifos took more time to capture and subdue prey items. The results suggest a link between effects at subindividual levels of organization with those observed at the whole individual level after exposure to environmentally realistic dosages of chlorpyrifos. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012; 31: 2345–2353. © 2012 SETAC
A new TVD method for advection simulation on 2D unstructured grids
Authors: Hou J. , Simons F. , Hinkelmann R. 
Published: July 2012

SUMMARYFor advection schemes with flux limiters derived on one‐dimensional grids to two‐dimensional (2D) unstructured triangular ones. In this method, the variables located normal to this face are taken into more account to compute the flux, by means of defining required nodes along the line through the center point of the considered face and perpendicular to it. Besides, the new method adopts the improved total variation diminishing schemes in, which consider the face position between the two neighboring cells as well as the size differences of the related cells; therefore, it fits 2D unstructured grids well. Compared with the present flux limiting methods for 2D unstructured grids, a higher accuracy and efficiency and a good monotonicity are achieved by the new method.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A numerical investigation of a spectral‐type nodal collocation discontinuous Galerkin approximation of the Euler and Navier–Stokes equations
Authors: Bassi F. , Franchina N. , Ghidoni A. , Rebay S. 
Published: July 2012

SUMMARYIn this paper, we focus on the applicability of spectral‐type collocation discontinuous Galerkin methods to the steady state numerical solution of the inviscid and viscous Navier–Stokes equations on meshes consisting of curved quadrilateral elements. The solution is approximated with piecewise Lagrange polynomials based on both Legendre–Gauss and Legendre–Gauss–Lobatto interpolation nodes. For the sake of computational efficiency, the interpolation nodes can be used also as quadrature points. In this case, however, the effect of the nonlinearities in the equations and/or curved elements leads to aliasing and/or commutation errors that may result in inaccurate or unstable computations. By a thorough numerical testing on a set of well known test cases available in the literature, it is here shown that the two sets of nodes behave very differently, with a clear advantage of the Legendre–Gauss nodes, which always displayed an accurate and robust behaviour in all the test cases considered.Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Co‐Firing with biomass can keep coal plants operating
Authors: Johnson Bill 
Published: July 2012

AbstractFacing a myriad of state greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and renewable energy regulations and an absence of comprehensive federal energy policy, many in the energy industry are attempting to develop their own approach for energy security and environmental stewardship. A cornerstone of the industry's efforts is trying to anticipate the capital requirements likely necessary to comply with existing and potential regulations addressing GHG issues and various renewable energy objectives. Without policy certainty, these tasks are both complex and costly.
Natural gas—International: China to supply huge natural gas growth
Authors: Clemente Jude 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAs the projected fastest‐growing fossil fuel through 2030, natural gas is viewed as the “bridge” source to a more sustainable energy future. Combusted gas emits 30 percent less carbon dioxide (CO2) than oil and 45 percent less than coal and has lower levels of nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter.
Electric regulation: Utilities undertaking smart grid investment should use benchmarking techniques
Authors: Bowden Nicholas S. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractIn the simplest of terms, the regulator's goal is twofold: ensure utility solvency while inducing the utility to provide quality service at a price that reflects productive efficiency. The ostensible goal of Smart Grid investment is to increase the quality of service, while a likely outcome is the increase in the price needed to ensure utility solvency. Given the uncertainty about the efficacy of Smart Grid investment, public utility regulators would be prudent to undertake benchmarking studies that ensure that improvements in quality explain any increase in utility expenses that result in higher prices.
The “quad‐partite” synapse: Microglia‐synapse interactions in the developing and mature CNS
Authors: Schafer Dorothy P. , Lehrman Emily K. , Stevens Beth 
Published: July 2012

AbstractMicroglia are the resident immune cells and phagocytes of our central nervous system (CNS). While most work has focused on the rapid and robust responses of microglia during CNS disease and injury, emerging evidence suggests that these mysterious cells have important roles at CNS synapses in the healthy, intact CNS. Groundbreaking live imaging studies in the anesthetized, adult mouse demonstrated that microglia processes dynamically survey their environment and interact with other brain cells including neurons and astrocytes. More recent imaging studies have revealed that microglia dynamically interact with synapses where they appear to serve as “synaptic sensors,” responding to changes in neural activity and neurotransmitter release. In the following review, we discuss the most recent work demonstrating that microglia play active roles at developing and mature synapses. We first discuss the important imaging studies that have led us to better understand the physical relationship between microglia and synapses in the healthy brain. Following this discussion, we review known molecular mechanisms and functional consequences of microglia‐synapse interactions in the developing and mature CNS. Our current knowledge sheds new light on the critical functions of these mysterious cells in synapse development and function in the healthy CNS, but has also incited several new and interesting questions that remain to be explored. We discuss these open questions, and how the most recent findings in the healthy CNS may be related to pathologies associated with abnormal and/or loss of neural circuits. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Liver grafts from CD39-overexpressing rodents are protected from ischemia reperfusion injury due to reduced numbers of resident CD4+ T cells
Authors: Pommey Sandra , Lu Bo , McRae Jennifer , Stagg John , Hill Prue , Salvaris Evelyn , Robson Simon C. , d'Apice Anthony J.F. , Cowan Peter J. , Dwyer Karen M. 
Published: July 2012

Abstract

Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a major limiting event for successful liver transplantation, and CD4+ T cells and invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells have been implicated in promoting IRI. We hypothesized that hepatic overexpression of CD39, an ectonucleotidase with antiinflammatory functions, will protect liver grafts after prolonged cold ischemia. CD39-transgenic (CD39tg) and wildtype (WT) mouse livers were transplanted into WT recipients after 18 hours cold storage and pathological analysis was performed 6 hours after transplantation. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase and interleukin (IL)-6 were significantly reduced in recipients of CD39tg livers compared to recipients of WT livers. Furthermore, less severe histopathological injury was demonstrated in the CD39tg grafts. Immune analysis revealed that CD4+ T cells and iNKT cells were significantly decreased in number in the livers of untreated CD39tg mice. This was associated with a peripheral CD4+ T cell lymphopenia due to defective thymocyte maturation. To assess the relative importance of liver-resident CD4+ T cells and iNKT cells in mediating liver injury following extended cold preservation and transplantation, WT mice depleted of CD4+ T cells or mice genetically deficient in iNKT cells were used as donors. The absence of CD4+ T cells, but not iNKT cells, protected liver grafts from early IRI.

Conclusion

: Hepatic CD4+ T cells, but not iNKT cells, play a critical role in early IRI following extended cold preservation in a liver transplant model.
RhoE is frequently down-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and suppresses HCC invasion through antagonizing the Rho/Rho-Kinase/Myosin phosphatase target pathway
Authors: Ma Wei , Wong Carmen Chak-Lui , Tung Edmund Kwok-Kwan , Wong Chun Ming , Ng Irene Oi-Lin 
Published: July 2012

Abstract
Deregulation of Rho guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) pathways plays an important role in tumorigenesis and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). RhoE/Rnd3 belongs to an atypical subfamily of the RhoGTPase, the Rnd family, as it lacks the intrinsic GTPase activity and remains always in its active GTP-bound form. In this study we investigated the role of RhoE in HCC. We examined the expression of RhoE in primary HCC samples from patients predominantly infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and found that the RhoE messenger RNA (mRNA) level was frequently down-regulated (83.1%, 59/71) in HCCs. Low expression of RhoE in the tumors was significantly associated with shorter disease-free survival (P = 0.020) of the patients. Knockdown of RhoE by short-hairpin RNA using a lentiviral approach led to increased cell motility and invasiveness in SMMC7721 and BEL7402 HCC cells. Moreover, in vivo an orthotopic liver injection model in nude mice further demonstrated that knockdown of RhoE enhanced local invasion of HCC cells in the livers, with more invasive tumor front and increased incidence of venous invasion. Mechanistically, stable knockdown of RhoE in HCC cells significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase, promoted assembly of stress fibers, and increased the formation of plasma membrane blebbings, all these changes and activities being associated with activation of the Rho/Rho-kinase (ROCK) pathway. Conclusion: RhoE was frequently down-regulated in predominantly HBV-associated HCCs and this down-regulation was associated with a more aggressive HCC phenotype. RhoE regulated the cytoskeleton remodeling and suppressed HCC motility and invasiveness by way of inhibiting the Rho/ROCK axis. (Hepatology 2013)
Detection of recombinant growth hormone by evanescent cascaded waveguide coupler on silica‐on‐silicon
Authors: Ozhikandathil Jayan , Packirisamy Muthukumaran 
Published: July 2012

AbstractAn evanescent wave based biosensor is developed on the silica‐on‐silicon (SOS) with a cascaded waveguide coupler for the detection of recombinant growth hormone. So far, U ‐bends and tapered waveguides are demonstrated for increasing the penetration depth and enhancing sensitivity of the evanescent wave sensor. In this work, a monolithically integrated sensor platform containing a cascaded waveguide coupler with optical power splitters and combiners designed with S ‐bends and tapper waveguides is demonstrated for an enhanced detection of recombinant growth hormone. In the cascaded waveguide coupler, a large surface area to bind the antibody with increased penetration depth of evanescent wave to excite the tagged‐rbST is obtained by splitting the waveguide into multiple paths using Y splitters designed with s ‐bends and subsequently combining them back to a single waveguide through tapered waveguide and combiners. Hence a highly sensitive fluoroimmunoassay sensor is realized. Using the 2D FDTD (Finite‐difference time‐domain method) simulation of waveguide with a point source in Rsoft FullWAVE, the fluorescence coupling efficiency of straight and bend section of waveguide is analyzed. The sensor is demonstrated for the detection of fluorescently‐tagged recombinant growth hormone with the detection limit as low as 25 ng/ml. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Folate‐conjugated thermo‐responsive micelles for tumor targeting
Authors: Zhang Jian , Deng Dawei , Zhu Hongyan , Byun Youngro , Yang Victor C. , Gu Yueqing 
Published: July 2012

AbstractFolate‐conjugated and thermo‐responsive poly((N‐isopropylacrylamide)‐co‐ acrylamide‐co‐(octadecyl acrylate)‐co‐(folate‐(polyethylene glycol)‐(acrylic acid))) (P(NIPA‐co‐AAm‐co‐ODA‐co‐FPA)) micelles with mean diameter of about 60 nm and lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of about 39°C were synthesized by free radical random copolymerization. Single‐factor tests of acrylamide and octadecyl acrylate were carried out to modulate micelles' LCST and diameter, respectively. LCST, diameter, and morphology of micelles were determined by UV–vis spectrophotometer, laser particle size analyzer, and transmittance electron microscope (TEM), respectively. Fluorescein was then used as a model drug to investigate the drug loading content of micelles. Micelles with maximum amount of octadecyl acrylate (180 mg) were found to yield drug loading content of 10.48%. Near infrared dye No.10 was chosen as the tracer to monitor micelles in vivo. The targeting behaviors of micelles in folate receptor positive Bel‐7402 tumor bearing nude mice were assessed by a self‐constructed near infrared imaging system. Results showed satisfactory targeting capability of the thermo‐responsive micelles toward Bel‐7402 tumors, and targeting accumulation could last for more than 96 h, enabling P(NIPA‐co‐AAm‐co‐ODA‐co‐FPA) micelles to function as a diagnostic reagent as well as a targeted tumor therapy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 100A:3134–3142, 2012.
Development of a mechanically tuneable 3D scaffold for vascular reconstruction
Authors: Rodriguez Maritza , Juran Cassandra , McClendon Mark , Eyadiel Cyril , McFetridge Peter S. 
Published: July 2012

AbstractMaterial compliance has been shown to be a predictor of vascular graft patency and as such is a critical parameter when designing new materials. Although ex vivo derived materials have been clinically successful in a number of applications their mechanical properties are a direct function of the original vessel and are not easily controllable. These investigations describe an approach to modulate the mechanical properties of an ex vivo derived scaffold by machining variable (discrete) wall thicknesses to control compliance. Human umbilical arteries (HUAs) were machine lathed directly from the umbilical cord at wall thicknesses of 250, 500, 750, and 1000 μm then decellularized using 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate. Compliance over physiological pressures, increased from 3.08 ± 1.84% to 11.47 ± 4.11% as direct function of each discrete vessel diameter. Radial stress strain analysis revealed primary and secondary failure points attributed to the discrete layers within the anisotropic scaffold. Maximum strength and suture retention were shown to increase with increasing wall thickness, by contrast stress failure decreased with increasing thickness due to increasing proportions of the mechanically weaker amorphous Wharton's jelly. Reseeded smooth muscle cells were shown to adhere, proliferate, and migrate from the scaffold surface showing the potential of the HUA as a mechanically “tunable” material with applications as an acellular implant or as a tissue engineered construct. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 100A:3189–3196, 2012.
Synthesis, characterizations, and biocompatibility of block poly(ester‐urethane)s based on biodegradable poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐hydroxybutyrate) (P3/4HB) and poly(ε‐caprolactone)
Authors: Qiu Handi , Li Dandan , Chen Xi , Fan Kaiyan , Ou Wenfeng , Chen Kevin C. , Xu Kaitian 
Published: July 2012

AbstractA type of block poly(ester‐urethane)s (abbreviated as PUBC) based on bacterial copolyester poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐4‐hydroxybutyrate) (P3/4HB) and biodegradable poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) was synthesized by melting polymerization using 1,6‐hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) as the coupling agent, with different 3HB, 4HB and PCL contents and segment lengths. Stannous octanoate (Sn(Oct)2) was used as catalyst. The chemical structure, molecular weight and thermal property were characterized by1H NMR, FTIR GPC, DSC and TGA. DSC analysis revealed that the PUBC polyurethanes exhibit amorphous to semi‐crystalline (20.9% crystallinity degree) withTgrange from ‐39.7 to ‐21.5 °C. The hydrophilicity was investigated by static contact angle of deionized water and CH2I2. The obtained PUBCs are hydrophobic (water contact angle 73.7−90.2°). Platelet adhesion study and plasma recalcification time revealed that the block polyurethanes possess hemastasis ability. CCK‐8 assay illuminated that the no cytotoxic polyurethanes maintain rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RaSMCs) good viability. It was found that the 4HB content in the materials is an important factor to affect the sustainable cell viability. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 101A:75–86, 2013.
Behavior of primary human osteoblasts on trimmed and sandblasted Ti6Al4V surfaces functionalized with integrin αvβ3‐selective cyclic RGD peptides
Authors: Mas‐Moruno Carlos , Dorfner Petra M. , Manzenrieder Florian , Neubauer Stefanie , Reuning Ute , Burgkart Rainer , Kessler Horst 
Published: July 2012

AbstractIt is well known that functionalization of surfaces with cell adhesive peptides mimicking the integrin binding motif of extracellular matrix proteins is a feasible approach to improve osseointegration of implant materials. Also, modification of the surface properties of the material (e.g., roughness) strongly influences cell behavior. However, these two approaches are rarely studied together. This study addressed the hypothesis that the combination of peptide functionalization and surface roughness will have an enhancing effect on the adhesion process of osteoblasts. To test this hypothesis, a series of αvβ3‐selective cyclic RGD peptides were prepared and immobilized on trimmed (Sa= 0.74 μm, smooth) and sandblasted (Sa= 3.24 μm, rough) Ti6Al4V disks. Effects of these surface modifications were evaluated with respect to integrin αvβ3‐mediated adhesive capacity, cell morphology, and spreading of primary human osteoblasts. After 3 h of incubation, osteoblasts adhered more strongly on sandblasted than on trimmed noncoated Ti6Al4V surfaces. Their attachment efficiency was further enhanced in the presence of RGD peptides. However, peptide functionalization had a relatively stronger impact on osteoblast attachment on trimmed surfaces compared with sandblasted surfaces. Cell morphology after 3 h of culture was exclusively altered by surface topography. RGD coating was critical for osteoblast spreading on both trimmed and sandblasted materials after 1 h of incubation but it showed almost negligible effects after 3 h. The results of this study provide evidence that the alliance of RGD coating and surface topography on Ti6Al4V positively influences osteoblast adhesion and spreading, especially at very early adhesion times. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 101A:87–97, 2013.