bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Our perception of the mast cell from Paul Ehrlich to now
Authors: Beaven Michael A. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractJust over a century ago Paul Ehrlich received the Nobel Prize for his studies of immunity. This review describes one of his legacies, the histochemical description of the mast cell, and the research that has ensued since then. After a long period of largely descriptive studies, which revealed little about the biological role of the mast cell, the field was galvanized in the 1950s by the recognition that the mast cell was the main repository of histamine and a key participant in anaphylactic reactions. Although the mast cell was long‐viewed in these terms, recent research has now shown that the mast cell also plays a key role in innate and adaptive immune responses, autoimmune disease, and possibly tissue homeostasis by virtue of its expression of a diverse array of receptors and biologically active products. In addition, the responsiveness of mast cells to immunological and pathological stimulants is highly modulated by the tissue cytokine environment and by synergistic, or inhibitory, interactions among the various mast cell receptor systems. This once enigmatic cell of Paul Ehrlich has proved to be both adaptable and multifunctional.
Fatty acid composition in wild and cultivated pacu and pintado fish
Authors: Tanamati Augusto , Stevanato Flávia Braidotti , Visentainer Jeane Eliete Laguila , Matsushita Makoto , de Souza Nilson Evelázio , Visentainer Jesuí Vergílio 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThe fatty acid compositions of muscle tissue taken from wild strains of pintado (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans) and pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) fish, which were taken from the Brazilian Pantanal, were compared to the fatty acid compositions of tissue taken from two corresponding cultivated strains, which were fed commercial diets. The cultivated species possessed lipid contents of 12.2% (pacu) and 8.9% (pintado) while the wild species contained 7.9% (pacu) and 2.5% (pintado) lipids. Despite the high lipid contents of the cultivated pintado and pacu, the n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations in muscle tissue were higher in wild pintado (224.9 mg/g flesh) and wild pacu (485.1 mg/g flesh) than in their respective cultivated strains (129.8 and 106.1 mg/g flesh, respectively). The n‐6/n‐3 ratios of pacu were 1.2 (wild) and 9.8 (cultivated), and those of pintado were 1.0 (wild) and 7.3 (cultivated). The fatty acid composition of pacu and pintado are strongly influenced by habitat and diet.
Chemically and enzymatically catalyzed synthesis of C6–C10 alkyl benzoates
Authors: Krause Przemyslaw , Hilterhaus Lutz , Fieg Georg , Liese Andreas , Bornscheuer Uwe 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThe esterification of benzoic acid with n‐hexanol, n‐octanol, 2‐ethyl hexanol and n‐decanol was investigated in detail. An analysis of the reaction kinetics of esterification in the presence of different commercially available chemical catalysts was carried out. The effects of catalyst type and loading on the reaction rate were studied. Although the considered reaction is bimolecular, it showed a first‐order behavior, and a linear dependence with respect to the catalyst concentration was observed. Hence, a new approach is presented to describe the reaction kinetics accurately over a wide range. The application of biotechnological synthesis applying different enzymes as catalysts offers an interesting alternative besides chemical synthesis. Especially an esterase from Bacillus subtilis immobilized on Sepabeads EC‐EP showed high stability and was applied for 2 days in the synthesis of hexyl benzoate. Nevertheless, the chemical reaction route remains superior with respect to the catalyst activities under the applied conditions, which were 25 kU/g for the chemical reaction and 0.7 kU/g for the best enzymatic conversion.
Antioxidant activity and free radical‐scavenging capacity of ethanolic extracts of thyme, oregano, and marjoram
Authors: Amarowicz Ryszard , Żegarska Zofia , Rafałowski Ryszard , Pegg Ronald B. , Karamać Magdalena , Kosińska Agnieszka 
Published: January 2009

AbstractPhenolic compounds were extracted from thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) and marjoram (Origanum majorana L.) with 95% ethanol. A number of antioxidant and radical‐scavenging capacity tests were performed on the prepared extracts using colorimetric assays and model system studies. Specifically, these included determining the content of total phenolics, antioxidant efficacy in a linoleic acid‐ferric thiocyanate model system, reducing power, scavenging effect on 2,2'‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical, and hydroxyl radical‐scavenging activity by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Moreover, the efficacies of the prepared herb extracts were investigated in a real‐life food product: the stabilization of butter against oxidation.
Photochemical Reactivity of 2‐Azido‐1,3‐thiazole and 2‐Azido‐1,3‐benzothiazole: A Procedure for the Aziridination of Enol Ethers
Authors: D'Auria Maurizio , Racioppi Rocco , Viggiani Licia , Zanirato Paolo 
Published: January 2009

AbstractDirect irradiation of a mixture of the azido–tetrazole tautomers of 2‐azido‐1,3‐thiazole and 2‐azido‐1,3‐benzothiazole in toluene solution gives products arising from the intermediate nitrene, which in turn undergoes ring opening in the case of 2‐azido‐1,3‐thiazole to give a polymer, and dimerization in the case of 2‐azido‐1,3‐benzothiazole to give [1,3]benzothiazolo[2′,3′:3,4][1,2,4,5]tetraazino[6,1b][1,3]benzothiazolein low yields. When irradiation is performed in the presence of methyl acrylate or various enol ethers, aziridination of the double bond is observed, with good yields in the case of enol ethers. Among these, 1‐(6‐methyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran‐2‐yl)ethanone undergoes aziridination with complete diastereoselectivity to give the (1RS,3RS,6SR) diastereomer.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
New Bioactive 2,3‐Epoxycyclohexenes and Isocoumarins from the Endophytic Fungus Phomopsis sp. from Laurus Azorica
Authors: Hussain Hidayat , Akhtar Nadeem , Draeger Siegfried , Schulz Barbara , Pescitelli Gennaro , Salvadori Piero , Antus Sándor , Kurtán Tibor , Krohn Karsten 
Published: January 2009

AbstractSix new metabolites, namely cycloepoxylactone (1a), cycloepoxytriol A (2), cycloepoxytriol B (3) and phomolactones A–C (4–6), were isolated from two cultures of the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. (internal strain no. 7233). Their structures were determined by means of spectroscopic data including HREIMS, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and 2D NMR (HMQC, HMBC, and NOESY). The absolute configurations of 1a, 4 and 5 were determined by circular dichroism and comparison of solution CD spectra with TDDFT‐calculated ones. Preliminary studies showed that cycloepoxylactone (1a) has good antibacterial, antifungal, and algicidal activity against Bacillus megaterium, Microbotryum violaceum, and Chlorella fusca, respectively, whereas cycloepoxytriol B (3) has good algicidal activity against Chlorella fusca.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Development of a CE‐MS2 method for the enantiomeric separation of L/D‐carnitine: Application to the analysis of infant formulas
Authors: Castro‐Puyana María , García‐Ruiz Carmen , Crego Antonio L. , Marina Maria Luisa 
Published: January 2009

AbstractA new chiral analytical method based on CE‐MS is proposed for the identification and simultaneous quantification of D/L‐carnitine in infant formulas. Previous derivatization of carnitine with FMOC enabled the optimization of the chiral separation using CE with UV detection. An optimization of electrospray‐MS parameters using a partial filling of the non‐volatile chiral selector (succinyl‐γ‐CD) was performed. A selective fragmentation using MS2 experiments with an ion trap analyser was carried out to confirm the identity of D/L‐carnitine according to the current legislation. Satisfactory results were obtained in terms of linearity, precision, and accuracy. Interestingly, the CE‐MS2 method developed allowed a sensitivity enhancement with respect to UV detection of 100‐fold, obtaining an LOD of 100 ng/g for D‐carnitine. The determination of L‐carnitine and its enantiomeric purity in 14 infant formulas supplemented with carnitine was successfully achieved, sample preparation only requiring an ultrafiltration with centrifugal filter devices to retain the components with the highest molecular weights.
Generating high peak capacity 2‐D maps of complex proteomes using PMMA microchip electrophoresis
Authors: Osiri John K. , Shadpour Hamed , Park Sunjung , Snowden Brandy C. , Chen Zhi‐Yuan , Soper Steven A. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractA high peak capacity 2‐D protein separation system combining SDS micro‐CGE (SDS μ‐CGE) with microchip MEKC (μ‐MEKC) using a PMMA microfluidic is reported. The utility of the 2‐D microchip was demonstrated by generating a 2‐D map from a complex biological sample containing a large number of constituent proteins using fetal calf serum (FCS) as the model system. The proteins were labeled with a thiol‐reactive AlexaFluor 633 fluorophore (excitation/emission: 633/652 nm) to allow for ultra‐sensitive on‐chip detection using LIF following the 2‐D separation. The high‐resolution separation of the proteins was accomplished based on their size in the SDS μ‐CGE dimension and their interaction with micelles in the μ‐MEKC dimension. A comprehensive 2‐D SDS μ‐CGE×μ‐MEKC separation of the FCS proteins was completed in less than <30 min using this 2‐D microchip format, which consisted of 60 mm and 50 mm effective separation lengths for the first and second separation dimensions, respectively. Results obtained from the microchip separation were compared with protein maps acquired using conventional 2‐D IEF and SDS‐PAGE of a similar FCS sample. The microchip 2‐D separation was found to be ∼60× faster and yielded an average peak capacity of 2600 (±149), nearly three times larger than that obtained using conventional IEF/SDS‐PAGE.
Cognitive‐behavioural therapy for individuals with bulimia nervosa and a co‐occurring substance use disorder
Authors: Sysko Robyn , Hildebrandt Tom 
Published: January 2009

AbstractA significant percentage of individuals with bulimia nervosa (BN) also can be diagnosed with a co‐occurring substance use disorder (SUD). Although studies have addressed the frequency of overlap between the disorders, etiology and shared personality traits, limited research is available about the treatment of these comorbid patients. Adapting cognitive‐behaviour therapy (CBT) to serve as an integrated treatment for patients with both BN and a SUD is a viable option, as studies of CBT suggest that this form of treatment is efficacious for both disorders independently. The shared strategies in CBT for BN and SUDs facilitate the development of a combined treatment for individuals with both disorders with the addition of modules designed to address some common features of these disorders, such as motivation, difficulty with interpersonal relationships, reward sensitivity and impulsivity. Future research should begin to evaluate the efficacy of an integrated CBT in treating individuals with BN and a SUD. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association.
Defective inhibition and inter‐regional phase synchronization in pianists with musician's dystonia: An EEG study
Authors: Herrojo Ruiz María , Senghaas Patricia , Grossbach Michael , Jabusch Hans‐Christian , Bangert Marc , Hummel Friedhelm , Gerloff Christian , Altenmüller Eckart 
Published: January 2009

AbstractRecent neurophysiological studies have associated focal‐task specific dystonia (FTSD) with impaired inhibitory function. However, it remains unknown whether FTSD also affects the inhibition (INH) of long‐term overlearned motor programs. Consequently, we investigated in a Go/NoGo paradigm the neural correlates associated with the activation (ACT) and inhibition of long‐term overlearned motor memory traces in pianists with musician's dystonia (MD), a form of FTSD, during a relevant motor task under constraint timing conditions with multichannel EEG. In NoGo trials, the movement related cortical potentials showed a positive shift after the NoGo signal related to inhibition and was significantly smaller over sensorimotor areas in musicians with MD. Further, we observed an increase at 850–900 ms in the power of beta oscillations which was significantly weaker for the patient group. The role of the inter‐electrode phase coupling in the sensorimotor integration of inhibitory processes turned out to be the most relevant physiological marker: the global phase synchronization during INH exhibited an increase between 230 and 330 ms and 7–8 Hz, increase which was significantly smaller for pianists with MD. This effect was due to a weaker phase synchronization between the supplementary motor cortex and left premotor and sensorimotor electrodes in patients. Thus, our findings support the hypothesis of a deficient phase coupling between the neuronal assemblies required to inhibit motor memory traces in patients with MD. EMG recorded from the right flexor pollicis longus muscle confirmed that patients with MD had a disrupted INH in NoGo trials. Hum Brain Mapp 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Origin and evolution of the genetic code: The universal enigma
Authors: Koonin Eugene V. , Novozhilov Artem S. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThe genetic code is nearly universal, and the arrangement of the codons in the standard codon table is highly nonrandom. The three main concepts on the origin and evolution of the code are the stereochemical theory, according to which codon assignments are dictated by physicochemical affinity between amino acids and the cognate codons (anticodons); the coevolution theory, which posits that the code structure coevolved with amino acid biosynthesis pathways; and the error minimization theory under which selection to minimize the adverse effect of point mutations and translation errors was the principal factor of the code's evolution. These theories are not mutually exclusive and are also compatible with the frozen accident hypothesis, that is, the notion that the standard code might have no special properties but was fixed simply because all extant life forms share a common ancestor, with subsequent changes to the code, mostly, precluded by the deleterious effect of codon reassignment. Mathematical analysis of the structure and possible evolutionary trajectories of the code shows that it is highly robust to translational misreading but there are numerous more robust codes, so the standard code potentially could evolve from a random code via a short sequence of codon series reassignments. Thus, much of the evolution that led to the standard code could be a combination of frozen accident with selection for error minimization although contributions from coevolution of the code with metabolic pathways and weak affinities between amino acids and nucleotide triplets cannot be ruled out. However, such scenarios for the code evolution are based on formal schemes whose relevance to the actual primordial evolution is uncertain. A real understanding of the code origin and evolution is likely to be attainable only in conjunction with a credible scenario for the evolution of the coding principle itself and the translation system. © 2008 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 61(2): 99–111, 2009
Crystal structure prediction of flexible molecules using parallel genetic algorithms with a standard force field
Authors: Kim Seonah , Orendt Anita M. , Ferraro Marta B. , Facelli Julio C. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThis article describes the application of our distributed computing framework for crystal structure prediction (CSP) the modified genetic algorithms for crystal and cluster prediction (MGAC), to predict the crystal structure of flexible molecules using the general Amber force field (GAFF) and the CHARMM program. The MGAC distributed computing framework includes a series of tightly integrated computer programs for generating the molecule's force field, sampling crystal structures using a distributed parallel genetic algorithm and local energy minimization of the structures followed by the classifying, sorting, and archiving of the most relevant structures. Our results indicate that the method can consistently find the experimentally known crystal structures of flexible molecules, but the number of missing structures and poor ranking observed in some crystals show the need for further improvement of the potential. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2009
The effects of land‐use change on plant–soil–erosion relations, Nyereg Hill, Hungary
Authors: Centeri Csaba , Herczeg Edina , Vona Márton , Balázs Katalin , Penksza Károly 
Published: January 2009

AbstractVegetation of the Tihany Peninsula in Hungary has undergone serious changes caused by heavy trampling and overgrazing during the last century. In Tihany, the vegetation started to change towards anthropogenic associations. After grazing ceased, vegetation started to rearrange. There were no significant changes in species composition on trampled areas (on the ridge of the hill) between the examinations in 1994 and 2002. As a result of ceased grazing, the proportion of natural species was high in the grasslands of the S Nyereg Hill in 1994, while during the 2002 investigations, forest and scrub expanded at a rate that did not leave space for grassland on shallow soils and slope steppe (closing dry grasslands on hilly areas). The coverage of Elymus repens decreased, while Festuca species increased. The possible effects of plant‐cover change on soil loss were examined with the USLE (Universal Soil Loss Equation) model on the sloping areas. Eliminating harmful effects can decrease soil degradation, but the original state of soils can be restored only after a long period (hundreds of years). Further degradation of soils assists the expansion of drought‐resistant species and weeds in the associations. In 2007, soil‐thickness measurements and on‐site examinations were carried out to check the results of the former surveys and modeling.
Morphology Controlled Growth of Chitosan‐Bound Microtubes and a Study of their Biocompatibility and Antibacterial Activity
Authors: Henricus Marsiyana M. , Fath Karl R. , Menzenski Monica Z. , Banerjee Ipsita A. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractSelf‐assembled peptide microtubes are fabricated with the biopolymer chitosan. The microtubes are covalently attached to chitosan and the morphology of the chitosan assembled on the surface of the microtubes can be tuned by altering the pH of the growth solution. Cytotoxicity studies in the presence of mouse embryonic fibroblasts indicate that the chitosan‐bound microtubes are highly biocompatible and the cells are able to survive and proliferate at a similar rate to the control. Antibacterial studies in the presence of E. coli prove that the chitosan‐bound microtubes are bactericidal. This simple method for the development of biocompatible microstructures will facilitate cell targeting, fabrication of efficient carrier devices, and the preparation of highly efficient antibacterial materials.magnified image
Fabrication of Large‐Area, Transferable Colloidal Monolayers Utilizing Self‐Assembly at the Air/Water Interface
Authors: Retsch Markus , Zhou Zuocheng , Rivera Sergio , Kappl Michael , Zhao Xiu Song , Jonas Ulrich , Li Qin 
Published: January 2009

AbstractA versatile and simple method is presented for the rapid fabrication of close‐packed colloidal 2D crystals with large domain sizes by floating and redeposition of colloidal monolayers at the air/water interface. A detailed analysis of the particle surface transformation and packing during the individual steps of the monolayer fabrication process has been conducted. It was found that the quality of the monolayer depends on parameters like colloidal particle distribution on the initial substrate, subphase pH, and addition of surfactants. The floating monolayers could be transferred and stacked onto many substrate types, regardless of surface polarity, roughness, or curvature.magnified image
Myoclonus‐dystonia: An update
Authors: Kinugawa Kiyoka , Vidailhet Marie , Clot Fabienne , Apartis Emmanuelle , Grabli David , Roze Emmanuel 
Published: January 2009

AbstractOur knowledge of the clinical, neurophysiological, and genetic aspects of myoclonus‐dystonia (M‐D) has improved markedly in the recent years. Basic research has provided new insights into the complex dysfunctions involved in the pathogenesis of M‐D. On the basis of a comprehensive literature search, this review summarizes current knowledge on M‐D, with a focus on recent findings. We also propose modified diagnostic criteria and recommendationsfor clinical management. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
“Jerky” dystonia in children: Spectrum of phenotypes and genetic testing
Authors: Asmus Friedrich , Langseth Annette , Doherty Elaine , Nestor Therese , Munz Marita , Gasser Thomas , Lynch Tim , King Mary D. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractHyperkinetic dystonia is characterized by phasic, tremulous, and “jerky” movements in addition to twisting postures. We studied longitudinally 23 index patients with hyperkinetic dystonia from a quaternary pediatric movement disorder clinic in Ireland. Four clinical categories emerged: (1) Eight patients were diagnosed with myoclonus‐dystonia, of whom seven carried heterozygous epsilon sarcoglycan (SGCE) mutations, including a novel deletion of exon 10. Gait disorder, unsteadiness, or frequent falls before 18 months were detected in all SGCE mutation carriers, whereas the typical neck‐predominant presentation developed only years later. (2) One patient classified as benign hereditary chorea, because jerks were choreiform and continuous rather than action‐induced, carried a heterozygous stop mutation of the TITF‐1 gene (Y114X, exon 2). (3) Three mutation‐negative patients were grouped as “myoclonic dystonia” with jerks only in the body regions affected by dystonia. (4) Eleven patients presented with a novel combination of dystonia and low amplitude poly‐mini myoclonus of the upper limbs and pectoral muscles (D‐PMM). In early childhood up to 3 years of age, an initial presentation with predominant gait impairment with only subtle jerks should prompt consideration of SGCE mutation analysis in addition to testing for DYT1 mutations. A causative gene for D‐PMM remains to be identified. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society