bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Investigation of Heavy Metal Ion Transfer Across the Water/1,2‐Dichloroethane Interface Assisted by 9‐Ethyl‐3‐Carbazolecarboxaldehyde‐Thiosemicarbazone
Authors: Bingol Haluk , Akgemci Emine G. , Ersoz Mustafa , Atalay Tevfik 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe transfer of heavy metal ions across the polarized water/1,2‐dichloroethane (1,2‐DCE) interface assisted by 9‐ethyl‐3‐carbazolecarboxaldehyde‐thiosemicarbazone (ECCAT) in the 1,2‐DCE phase has been studied by cyclic voltammetry. Voltammetric waves of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions were reversible and quasi‐reversible, respectively, whereas that of Hg(II) and Zn(II) ion were irreversible. The voltammogram of Cu(II) ion showed a two‐step wave, however the nature of the transfer could not be satisfactorily evaluated by analyzing the cyclic voltammetric data. When Ni(II) and Co(II) was used no peak was visible under the experimental conditions used in this study. The dependence of the half‐wave potentials of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions on the ligand concentration reveals that their ion‐transfer is assisted by the formation of 1:3 metal‐ECCAT complex in 1,2‐DCE. The over‐all association constants of [Pb(ECCAT)3]2+ and [Cd(ECCAT)3]2+ complexes in DCE‐phase have been determined to be log β$\rm{ {_{3}^{0}}}$=14.03 and log β$\rm{ {_{3}^{0}}}$=15.44, respectively.
The impact of a short self‐management training intervention in a retail banking environment
Authors: Pattni Indira , Soutar Geoffrey N. , Klobas Jane E. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe study discussed in this article investigated the impact of a short self‐management skills training course on frontline bank employees' learning about the use of self‐management to overcome obstacles to the initiation of banking product sales, perceived self‐efficacy in initiating the sale of a product, and performance in activities related to customer service. Trainees' scores on these measures were compared with a control group at three times (prior to training, four weeks posttraining, and twenty‐four weeks posttraining). The results suggest that self‐management training can be a valuable intervention in itself and need not be used solely as a posttraining intervention. Possible explanations for the across‐the‐board increase in performance observed in the study are discussed, as are some practical and ethical implications of this observation.
An alternative approach to conceptualizing interviews in HRD research
Authors: Wang Jia , Roulston Kathryn J. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractQualitative researchers in human resource development (HRD) frequently use in‐depth interviews as a research method. Yet reports from qualitative studies in HRD commonly pay little or no analytical attention to the co‐construction of interview data. That is, reports of qualitative research projects often treat interviews as a transparent method of data collection, with the contents of answers to interview questions as data that mirror people's views and experiences of a “world out there.” In this article, we demonstrate how an ethnomethodological approach to the reanalysis of interview data drawn from a qualitative study in HRD treats the research interview as a socially situated setting in which narrative data are co‐constructed by speakers. From this perspective, it is possible to see how speakers produce unstable category descriptions and morally laden portrayals in order to support their claims. We argue that this type of analysis is useful for three reasons: (1) it provides a way to investigate instances in which interview accounts may prove analytically problematic; (2) it makes evident how interview data are produced by illuminating the conversational resources used by both researcher and participant to co‐construct descriptions; and (3) it provides a new analytical approach for HRD researchers, who have until now relied primarily on thematic representations of findings derived from inductive analyses of interview data. By using this approach to analyze or reanalyze interview data, researchers may gain further insight into the research topic and the interaction that produced the interview data in a particular socially situated setting. This approach reveals the practical reasoning, identities, and moral assumptions demonstrated in talk by speakers. Such analysis, we argue, assists in HRD theory building in that it contributes to complex interpretations of data that respond to new and different questions, including methodological questions.
Understanding interpersonal interaction in an online professional development course
Authors: Githens Rod P. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThis qualitative case study was designed to examine how interpersonal interaction benefited (and did not benefit) participants in an online professional development course. In recent years, e‐learning courses in workplace and organizational settings have begun to include interaction and dialogue among participants. This case study is an in‐depth exploration of interpersonal interaction and social presence within one such course. Notable findings include that (1) participants valued the sharing of specific case‐based knowledge by fellow participants, (2) some participants valued professional socialization with others in the field, (3) enthusiastic learners revealed complex and contradictory perspectives regarding interpersonal interaction, (4) facilitators needed to model social presence for participants, (5) some “inactive” participants were actually engaged, and (6) learners may seek online courses for purposes of intellectual safety.
Japanese comments on the extraterritorial effects of U.S. Chapter 15
Authors: Takagi Shinjiro 
Published: June 2007

AbstractAs a basic principle, subject to defined exceptions, the effects of a bankruptcy proceeding commenced under Chapter 15 should be restricted to assets of the debtor located within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States. But Section 1528 provides broader exceptions to the above‐mentioned principle than those stated in Article 28 of the UNCITRAL Model Law. Using the Yukos and Maruko cases as illustrations, the author concludes that U.S. judges should exercise their jurisdictional powers conservatively and American courts should be careful not to appear to export their own system of justice abroad. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scale and skew‐invariant road sign recognition
Authors: Liu Yi‐Sheng , Duh Der‐Jyh , Chen Shu‐Yuan , Liu Ru‐Sheng , Hsieh Jun‐Wei 
Published: June 2007

AbstractA fast and robust method to detect and recognize scaled and skewed road signs is proposed in this paper. In the detection stage, the input color image is first quantized in HSV color model. Border tracing those regions with the same colors as road signs is adopted to find the regions of interest (ROI). The ROIs are then automatically adjusted to fit road sign shape models so as to facilitate detection verification even for scaled and skewed road signs in complicated scenes. Moreover, the ROI adjustment and verification are both performed only on border pixels; thus, the proposed road sign detector is fast. In the recognition stage, the detected road sign is normalized first. Histogram matching based on polar mesh is then adopted to measure the similarity between the scene and model road signs to accomplish recognition. Since histogram matching is fast and has high tolerance to distortion and deformation while contextual information can still be incorporated into it in a natural and elegant way, our method has high recognition accuracy and fast execution speed. Experiment results show that the detection rate and recognition accuracy of our method can achieve 94.2% and 91.7%, respectively. On an average, it takes only 4–50 and 10 ms for detection and recognition, respectively. Thus, the proposed method is effective, yet efficient. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 17, 28–39, 2007
Osteoblast differentiation in vitro and in vivo promoted by Osterix
Authors: Fu Huihua , Doll Bruce , McNelis Tim , Hollinger Jeffrey O. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractC3H10T1/2/Osx, a stably transfected cell line with Osterix (Osx), was produced and chondrocytic and osteoblastic differentiation were studied in vitro. Osx promoted osteoblastic lineage that was dexamethasone dependent. Furthermore, in vivo, Osx induced ectopic mineralization in a heterotopic mouse muscle model. Skeletogenesis involves a cascade of molecular activities sequentially performed by osteoblasts and chondroblasts. A transcriptional factor gene Osx appears to influence cell disposition toward the chondrocytic or osteoblastic phenotype and therefore may be an important signaling cue for bone formation. Understanding the molecular conditions involved with Osx promoted osteoblast differentiation will facilitate therapeutic applications of Osx. Consequently, the objective of this study was to investigate chondrocytic and osteoblastic phenotype differentiation using an Osx plasmid DNA exploiting both in vitro and in vivo methodologies. In vitro, a stably transfected C3H10T1/2/Osx cell line was established and promotion of either an osteoblast or chondroblast phenotype was performed by selectively introducing dexamethasone (dex) and assaying mRNA content and phenotype markers. In vivo, a mouse muscle model was used to determine heterotopic ossification using designated Osx plasmid DNA doses incorporated in a (50:50 Poly (D,L‐lactide‐co‐glycolide) (i.e., PLGA) 3D scaffold. Histological assessment was used to determine implant responses. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (q‐RT‐PCR) showed a significant increase in mRNA expression of osteocalcin (Ocn), Runx2, osteonectin (On) and osteopontin (Op) (p < 0.05) in the C3H10T1/2/Osx cells compared to the empty vector transfected cell control. At day 21, mineralization was demonstrated in the cultures of C3H10T1/2/Osx exposed to dex, but neither in cultures lacking dex nor controls. In the absence of dex, C3H10T1/2/Osx cells revealed a significantly higher expression of Sox9 and Aggrecan (Agc). In vivo, 80 μg of Osx plasmid DNA induced heterotopic mineralization 4 weeks following implantation in a mouse muscle model and the effect was dependent on the Osx plasmid DNA dose delivered in the PLGA scaffold. Using a non‐committed cell line (C3H10T1/2), cell differentiation to an osteoblast phenotype appears to be dependent upon an interaction between intracellular events initiated by the transcriptional factor Osx and the presence of dex. The in vivo findings suggest Osx may promote osteoblast differentiationand mineralization at a heterotopic site. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Combination material delivery of dexamethasone and growth factor in hydrogel blended with hyaluronic acid constructs for neocartilage formation
Authors: Na Kun , Kim Sungwon , Woo Dae Gyun , Sun Bo Kyung , Yang Han Na , Chung Hyung‐Min , Park Keun‐Hong 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of poly(NiPAAm‐co‐AAc) blended with hyaluronic acid (HA) as an injectable cell vehicle and a cell therapeutic agent in the form of a supporting matrix for the chondrogenic differentiation of rabbit chondrocytes. Specially, rabbit chondrocytes were embedded in blended hydrogels co‐encapsulation with dexamethasone (Dex) and growth factors for enhancing the chondrogenic differentiation. Blended hydrogel constructs consisting of embedded cells co‐encapsulating Dex and TGF β‐3 or unloaded Dex and sTGF β‐3 served as controls to assess the effects of Dex on chondrogenic differentiation. Hydrogel constructs consisting of embedded cells co‐encapsulating Dex and TGF β‐3 on chondrogenic differentiation. The hydrogel constructs were injected subcutaneously into the nude mice and monitored for 1, 4, and 8 weeks after the injection. The level of the cartilage‐associated ECM proteins was determined by immunohistochemical (collagen type II; specific marker for chondrogenic differentiation), Safranin‐O, and Alcian blue (GAG) staining. Over the same time period, the glycosamingoglycan content per cell remained constant for all formulations, indicating that the dramatic increase in cell number for samples with Dex and TGF β‐3 loaded in hydrogel constructs was accompanied by maintenance of the cell phenotypes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Heparin/chitosan nanoparticle carriers prepared by polyelectrolyte complexation
Authors: Liu Zonghua , Jiao Yanpeng , Liu Fanna , Zhang Ziyong 
Published: June 2007

AbstractIn this study, novel nanoparticles were prepared by polyelectrolyte complexation between heparin and chitosan on simple and mild conditions. The size, polydispersity, zeta potential, and morphology of the nanoparticles were characterized. Entrapment studies of the nanoparticles were conducted using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. Specifically, the effects of the pH value of chitosan solution, chitosan molecular weight (MW), chitosan concentration, heparin concentration, and BSA concentration on the nanoparticle size, the nanoparticle yield, and BSA entrapment were studied in detail. We found that, the size and the yield of the nanoparticles were affected by the above factors. The nanoparticle yield played a crucial role in BSA entrapment, namely, more nanoparticles could encapsulate more BSA. At length, suitably high pH value of chitosan solution, moderate chitosan MW, increasing both heparin concentration and chitosan concentration at an optimal concentration ratio favored more nanoparticles formed and consequently a higher BSA entrapment efficiency. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
The development of magnetic degradable DP‐Bioglass for hyperthermia cancer therapy
Authors: Wang Tzu‐Wei , Wu Hsi‐Chin , Wang Wei‐Ren , Lin Feng‐Huei , Lou Pei‐Jen , Shieh Ming‐Jium , Young Tai‐Horng 
Published: June 2007

AbstractIn this study, a novel magnetic degradable material was developed by adding Fe ions into DP‐Bioglass (Na2O‐CaO‐P2O5‐SiO2) as thermoseed for hyperthermia cancer therapy under an alternating magnetic field. We have investigated the properties of developed magnetic DP‐Bioglass including morphology, chemical composition, and magnetism. The degradability was conducted by measuring the released concentrations of Na, Ca, Si, P, and Fe ions. The biocompatibility was analyzed by biological assays, and the functional hyperthermia effect to cancer cells was evaluated by in vitro cell culture test. In the results, the morphology of synthesized magnetic DP‐Bioglass was revealed in sphere and rod shape with particle size around 50–100 nm. From the hysteresis loop analysis, it showed that the group of Fe/Bioglass = 0.2 possessed the maximum magnetization property. When cultured with fibroblasts, the magnetic DP‐Bioglass had no significant influence on cell viability and mediated low cytotoxicity. The thermal‐induced property demonstrated that after exposure to an alternating magnetic field, the cell number of human Caucasian lung carcinoma cells (A549) was significantly decreased when temperature was increasing to 45°C. In brief, successfully incorporated with Fe ions by sol‐gel method, this magnetic degradable DP‐Bioglass possessed the potential and properties of hyperthermia effect to lung carcinoma cells. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Hydrogen bonding interactions in methacrylate monomers and polymers
Authors: Lemon Marianela T. , Jones Melissa S. , Stansbury Jeffrey W. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractIt is well appreciated that hydrogen bonding affects a variety of monomer and polymer properties. This study focused on Bis‐GMA and urethane dimethacrylate (UDMA) to help elucidate how the strength and nature of specific noncovalent interactions involved with these different functional dimethacrylate structures are expressed in the monomers and polymers. Hydrogen bonding interactions in monomers and comonomer mixtures as well as in appropriate model compounds were examined by FT‐IR under ambient conditions, at elevated temperatures and in dilution studies. The investigation of hydrogen bonding extended to monomer viscosity, photopolymerization reaction kinetics, and polymer mechanical properties. The strength of hydrogen bonding was shown not only to be greater for Bis‐GMA compared with UDMA, but there is also greater contribution from intermolecular interactions that enhance the hydrogen bonding effects. While UDMA‐based polymers reach significantly higher levels of conversion compared with Bis‐GMA materials, the stronger hydrogen bonding reinforcement associated with Bis‐GMA appears to provide for comparable mechanical strength properties. Depending on the hydrogen bond donor functionality of a monomer as well as its neighboring functional groups, overall monomer structure and comonomers used, hydrogen bonding can favorably affect polymerization reactivity and mechanical properties, even in materials that form highly crosslinked polymeric networks. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Multiple field three dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (MF‐3D‐QSAR)
Authors: Du Qi‐Shi , Huang Ri‐Bo , Wei Yu‐Tuo , Du Li‐Qin , Chou Kuo‐Chen 
Published: June 2007

AbstractA new drug design method, the multiple field three‐dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (MF‐3D‐QSAR), is proposed. It is a combination and development of classical 2D‐QSAR and traditional 3D‐QSAR. In addition to the electrostatic and van der Waals potentials, more potential fields (such as lipophilic potential, hydrogen bonding potential, and nonthermodynamic factors) are integrated in the MF‐3D‐QSAR. Meanwhile, a principal component analysis (PCA) and iterative double least square (IDLS) technique is developed for predicting the bioactivity of query drug candidates. As an example, the MF‐3D‐QSAR is applied to the design of neuraminidase inhibitor and to prove its predictive power, and some useful findings are obtained for developing drugs against influenza virus. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2008
Hypoxia induces epidermal keratinocyte matrix metalloproteinase‐9 secretion via the protein kinase C pathway
Authors: O'Toole Edel A. , van Koningsveld Rudolf , Chen Mei , Woodley David T. 
Published: June 2007

AbstractHypoxia promotes keratinocyte migration on wound bed connective tissues and is a profound biological signal that transforms a basal keratinocyte, destined to differentiate, into a motile cell that is essential for re‐epithelialization. In this study, we examined the effect of hypoxia on keratinocyte‐derived collagenases associated with keratinocyte migration. Cells plated on various connective tissue matrices under normoxic and hypoxic conditions, demonstrated a two‐fold increase in the 92 kDa, type IV collagenase (MMP‐9) when examined by quantitative zymography and ELISA. Western blotting and ELISA demonstrated a two‐fold increase in tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP‐1), an enzyme that binds to MMP‐9 and inhibits its activity. The hypoxia‐induced increase in cell motility could be inhibited by a neutralizing antibody to MMP‐9. Northern blotting demonstrated that MMP‐9 and TIMP‐1 mRNA increased 2.5‐ to 4‐fold, 2–12 h after the cells were made hypoxic. The hypoxia‐induced changes in MMP‐9 and TIMP‐1 were inhibited by staurosporine and bisindolylmaleimide, inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC), but not by inhibitors of tyrosine phosphorylation and the mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway. Inhibition of PKC also inhibited hypoxia‐induced keratinocyte migration on type I collagen. These data provide evidence that hypoxia‐induced keratinocyte migration is mediated by increased cellular secretion of MMP‐9 via the PKC pathway. J. Cell. Physiol. 214:47–55, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Immunophenotypic changes of human articular chondrocytes during monolayer culture reflect bona fide dedifferentiation rather than amplification of progenitor cells
Authors: Diaz‐Romero Jose , Nesic Dobrila , Grogan Shawn Patrick , Heini Paul , Mainil‐Varlet Pierre 
Published: June 2007

AbstractIn this study, a time‐course comparison of human articular chondrocytes (HAC) and bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) immunophenotype was performed in order to determine similarities/differences between both cell types during monolayer culture, and to identify HAC surface markers indicative of dedifferentiation. Our results show that dedifferentiated HAC can be distinguished from MSC by combining CD14, CD90, and CD105 expression, with dedifferentiated HAC being CD14+/CD90bright/CD105dim and MSC being CD14‐/CD90dim/CD105bright. Surface markers on MSC showed little variation during the culture, whereas HAC showed upregulation of CD90, CD166, CD49c, CD44, CD10, CD26, CD49e, CD151, CD51/61, and CD81, and downregulation of CD49a, CD54, and CD14. Thus, dedifferentiated HAC appear as a bona fide cell population rather than a small population of MSC amplified during monolayer culture. While most of the HAC surface markers showed major changes at the beginning of the culture period (Passage 1–2), CD26 was upregulated and CD49a downregulated at later stages of the culture (Passage 3–4). To correlate changes in HAC surface markers with changes in extracellular matrix gene expression during monolayer culture, CD14 and CD90 mRNA levels were combined into a new differentiation index and compared with the established differentiation indices based on the ratios of mRNA levels of collagen type II to I (COL2/COL1) and of aggrecan to versican (AGG/VER). A correlation of CD14/CD90 ratio at the mRNA and protein level with the AGG/VER ratio during HAC dedifferentiation in monolayer culture validated CD14/CD90 as a new membrane and mRNA based HAC differentiation index. J. Cell. Physiol. 214:75–83, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The transcriptional coactivator and acetyltransferase p300 in fibroblast biology and fibrosis
Authors: Ghosh Asish K , Varga John 
Published: June 2007

AbstractThe transcriptional coactivator p300 is a ubiquitous nuclear phosphoprotein and transcriptional cofactor with intrinsic acetyltransferase activity. p300 controls the expression of numerous genes in cell‐type and signal‐specific manner, and plays a pivotal role in cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and embryogenesis. By catalyzing acetylation of histones and transcription factors, p300 plays a significant role in epigenetic regulation. Recent evidence suggests that abnormal p300 function is associated with deregulated target gene expression, and is implicated in inflammation, cancer, cardiac hypertrophy, and genetic disorders such as the Rubinstein‐Taybi syndrome. The activity of p300 is regulated at multiple levels, including developmental stage‐specific expression, post‐translational modifications, subcellular localization, and cell‐type and gene‐specific interactions with transcription factors. Although p300 has been investigated extensively in epithelial and hematopoietic cells, its role in fibroblast biology and tissue repair has received little attention to date. Recent studies implicate p300 in the regulation of collagen synthesis by transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β). Both the acetyltransferase activity of p300 and its inducible interaction with Smad3 are essential for mediating TGF‐β‐induced stimulation of collagen synthesis. As a signal integrator whose availability for intracellular interactions with transcription factors is strictly limiting, p300 mediates the antagonistic regulation of TGF‐β‐induced collagen synthesis by IFN‐γ and TNF‐α via intracellular competition for limiting amount of p300. Significantly, p300 is itself a direct transcriptional target of TGF‐β in normal fibroblasts, and its levels are significantly elevated in fibrotic lesions as well as in experimental models of fibrosis. The emerging appreciation of the importance of p300 in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and fibrosis and novel insights concerning the regulation, mechanism of action, and significance of p300 in fibroblast biology are discussed in this minireview. J. Cell. Physiol. 213:663–671. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.