bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bone morphogenetic protein‐7 regulates differentially the mRNA expression of bone morphogenetic proteins and their receptors in rat achilles and patellar tendon cell cultures
Authors: Yeh Lee‐Chuan C. , Tsai Alicia D. , Lee John C. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractPrevious animal studies have suggested that certain bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) may be useful therapeutically in treating tendon healing. To better understand the relationship among the different BMPs in the healing process, we initiated the present study to examine the effects of a member of the BMP family, BMP‐7 (also called Osteogenic Protein‐1) on the temporal and spatial expression patterns of other BMPs and the BMP receptors in cell cultures of adult rat Achilles and Patellar tendons. Cultures from both tendon types expressed detectable but variable levels of biochemical markers characteristics of tendons. RNAs coding for type II collagen and transcription factors Six1, Scleraxis, and Tendin were detected in both types of cultures. Distinct patterns of expression of several BMP members and their receptors were observed in these cultured cells and BMP‐7 exerted differential effects on their expression. The findings may have implications in the treatment of different tendon injuries with BMPs. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 2107–2122, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cadmium accumulation in Agaricusblazei Murrill
Authors: Huang Jian Cheng , Li Kai Ben , Yu Ying Rui , Wu Hanwen , Liu De Li 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: Agaricus blazei Murrill has become a popular food source of high nutritional and medicinal value in many Asian countries. However, there are growing health concerns on cadmium (Cd) accumulation by A. blazei. Experiments were conducted to investigate Cd accumulation patterns in A. blazei and to identify key factors contributing to Cd accumulation.RESULTS: Cd concentrations in the substrates and subsequent fruit bodies declined rapidly after the first, second and third harvest wave. A quick rinse of the fruit bodies in water reduced the Cd concentration by 27–54% depending on the strain. The Cd concentration in the fruit bodies decreased as the fruit body yield m−2 or fruit body number m−2 increased, while it increased as the substrate Cd content or fruit body size increased. Cd accumulation was positively associated with phosphorus (P) uptake.CONCLUSION: The results suggests that, in the A. blazei‐growing region studied, Cd and P concentrations in the substrates and casing soil should be reduced in order to effectively minimise Cd accumulation in the fruit bodies. It is also necessary to improve fruit body yield by increasing the number of medium‐sized fruit bodies. Overgrowth of individual fruit bodies stimulates Cd accumulation in A. blazei. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Optimal provisioning for bank loan losses in a robust control framework
Authors: Gideon F. , Mukuddem‐Petersen J. , Mulaudzi M. P. , Petersen M. A. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractThe concept of robustness started emerging in financial and economics literature in the late 1990s. In particular, principles from robust control theory have been used by economic decision makers to investigate the fragility of decision rules across a range of economic models. In line with this tendency, our article applies principles from robustness to a situation where the decision maker is a bank owner and the decision rule determines the optimal provisioning strategy for loan losses. In this regard, we recognize that bank provisions are made for debts that have been identified as impaired or non‐performing. Our first objective is to formulate a dynamic banking loan loss model involving a provisioning portfolio consisting of provisions for expected losses and loan loss reserves for unexpected losses. Here, unexpected loan losses and provisioning for expected losses are modeled via a compound Poisson process and an exponential Lévy process, respectively. Historical evidence from Organization for Economic Corporation and Development countries assists in confirming some of the modeling choices made. This setup naturally leads to a finite‐horizon provisioning problem that may be solved via a mixed optimal/robust control approach involving a constraint for risk. Our investigation concludes with a brief analysis of some of the robustness issues and suggestions for topics of possible future research. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Study of oxidation after monoacrylate grafting on polyethylene
Authors: Iguerb Ourida , Demoustier‐Champagne Sophie , Marchand‐Brynaert Jacqueline , Daoust Daniel , Sclavons Michel , Devaux Jacques 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: The surface properties of high‐density polyethylene and linear low‐density polyethylene were modified by grafting urethane monoacrylate monomer under UV irradiation. This graft polymerization was carried out on native substrates and on substrates pre‐treated by wet oxidation, for different oxidation times.RESULTS: As the urethane monacrylate layer is crosslinked, its grafting efficiency was checked by dissolving the polyethylene substrates in hot toluene. Grafting was evidenced by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of the obtained residues, which showed that both the characteristic urethane acrylate (3350 cm−1) and polyethylene (2920, 730 and 720 cm−1) bands were observable for any polyethylene oxidation time. For an oxidation time longer than 10 hours, acrylate grafting was homogeneous and the grafted surface was smooth with a roughness of less than 10 nm. In addition, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the residues revealed that O/C had an average value of 0.19, which is lower than the value corresponding to pure acrylate (0.42), whereas N/C had an average value of 0.068, also lower than that of pure acrylate (0.09), thus confirming the grafting.CONCLUSION: A urethane monoacrylate layer was grafted on native and oxidized polyethylene films. For highly oxidized films, the grafted surfaces are smooth and homogeneous. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
MolAxis: Efficient and accurate identification of channels in macromolecules
Authors: Yaffe Eitan , Fishelovitch Dan , Wolfson Haim J. , Halperin Dan , Nussinov Ruth 
Published: April 2008

AbstractChannels and cavities play important roles in macromolecular functions, serving as access/exit routes for substrates/products, cofactor and drug binding, catalytic sites, and ligand/protein. In addition, channels formed by transmembrane (TM) proteins serve as transporters and ion channels. MolAxis is a new sensitive and fast tool for the identification and classification of channels and cavities of various sizes and shapes in macromolecules. MolAxis constructs corridors, which are pathways that represent probable routes taken by small molecules passing through channels. The outer medial axis of the molecule is the collection of points that have more than one closest atom. It is composed of two‐dimensional surface patches and can be seen as a skeleton of the complement of the molecule. We have implemented in MolAxis a novel algorithm that uses state‐of‐the‐art computational geometry techniques to approximate and scan a useful subset of the outer medial axis, thereby reducing the dimension of the problem and consequently rendering the algorithm extremely efficient. MolAxis is designed to identify channels that connect buried cavities to the outside of macromolecules and to identify TM channels in proteins. We apply MolAxis to enzyme cavities and TM proteins. We further utilize MolAxis to monitor channel dimensions along Molecular Dynamics trajectories of a human Cytochrome P450. MolAxis constructs high quality corridors for snapshots at picosecond time‐scale intervals substantiating the gating mechanism in the 2e substrate access channel. We compare our results with previous tools in terms of accuracy, performance and underlying theoretical guarantees of finding the desired pathways. MolAxis is available on line as a web‐server and as a standalone easy‐to‐use program (http://bioinfo3d.cs.tau.ac.il/MolAxis/). Proteins 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Improved sequence‐based prediction of protein secondary structures by combining vacuum‐ultraviolet circular dichroism spectroscopy with neural network
Authors: Matsuo Koichi , Watanabe Hidenori , Gekko Kunihiko 
Published: April 2008

AbstractSynchrotron‐radiation vacuum‐ultraviolet circular dichroism (VUVCD) spectroscopy can significantly improve the predictive accuracy of the contents and segment numbers of protein secondary structures by extending the short‐wavelength limit of the spectra. In the present study, we combined VUVCD spectra down to 160 nm with neural‐network (NN) method to improve the sequence‐based prediction of protein secondary structures. The secondary structures of 30 target proteins (test set) were assigned into α‐helices, β‐strands, and others by the DSSP program based on their X‐ray crystal structures. Combining the α‐helix and β‐strand contents estimated from the VUVCD spectra of the target proteins improved the overall sequence‐based predictive accuracy Q3 for three secondary‐structure components from 59.5 to 60.7%. Incorporating the position‐specific scoring matrix in the NN method improved the predictive accuracy from 70.9 to 72.1% when combining the secondary‐structure contents, to 72.5% when combining the numbers of segments, and finally to 74.9% when filtering the VUVCD data. Improvement in the sequence‐based prediction of secondary structures was also apparent in two other indices of the overall performance: the correlation coefficient (C) and the segment overlap value (SOV). These results suggest that VUVCD data could enhance the predictive accuracy to over 80% when combined with the currently best sequence‐prediction algorithms, greatly expanding the applicability of VUVCD spectroscopy to protein structural biology. Proteins 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The mechanical integrity journey—Equipment identification
Authors: Ali Syed H. , Christman Robert , Frederick Jeffery D. , Stankovich Robert J. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractThe development of a functioning mechanical integrity (MI) program is very much like taking a long journey. The first step in that journey is to develop a practical methodology for determining what equipment is to be inspected and tested. When it comes to equipment that contains or handles hazardous materials, this step is crucial from a catastrophic prevention perspective process safety management (PSM), as well as environmental protection and production/cost perspectives.A practical methodology to identify MI equipment for inspection and testing, as well as a table that is used to document MI equipment and tests required were developed and are shared in this article.This article describes an approach that builds on center for chemical process safety guidelines and fulfills both the occupational safety and health administration, process safety management, and environmental protection agency's risk management program regulations, by considering the four following criteria to identify MI equipment:
Equipment that provides containment of hazardous materials.
Equipment that prevents releases of hazardous materials.
Equipment that mitigates releases of hazardous materials.
Equipment that supports containment, prevention, or mitigation of releases of hazardous materials.
© 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2008
Improving data centric storage with diffuse caching in wireless sensor networks
Authors: Ma Keng‐Teck , Cheng King‐Yip , Lui King‐Shan , Tam Vincent 
Published: April 2008

AbstractIn a sensor network that adopts data‐centric storage (DCS), information of the same kind is kept in the same set of nodes. That is, when a sensor detects a certain event, no matter where it is, it sends the information to the designated location. When another node wants the information, it can send a query to that location to retrieve it. Unfortunately, existing protocols based on DCS are prone to the hot‐spot problem where some nodes have to handle lots of messages. In this paper, we study how to apply diffuse caching on top of DCS. We diffuse popular information to other nodes so as to share the workloads. Our diffusing mechanism is adaptive that the distribution varies based on the popularity of the event type. We evaluate our protocol using simulations and the results show that our protocol successfully alleviates the hot‐spot problem and reduces the message overheads. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Error repair for broadcast transmissions in DVB‐H systems
Authors: Gómez‐Barquero David , Bria Aurelian 
Published: April 2008

AbstractPeople travelling in public transportation vehicles are foreseen to be a relevant use case of future Digital Video Broadcast—Handhelds (DVB‐H) systems. However, it is also one of the critical user cases, since, besides the vehicle penetration loss, the received signal quality is strongly affected by the high mobility of the users, which is accompanied by temporary shadowing and fast fading. On the other hand, mobility can be also beneficial thanks to the bursty character of DVB‐H transmissions, as additional repair data can be sent in the time intervals between original service bursts in order to hide the coverage discontinuities from the users' perception. In this way, users which miss the original transmission have more chances to receive the information correctly. By managing the amount of repair data the network operator can trade system capacity and network latency for improved vehicular user satisfaction in a DVB‐H network with imperfect coverage of the service area (as perceived by the vehicular users). To illustrate the potential of this approach, we evaluate the mentioned trade‐off in a DVB‐H system dimensioned for pedestrian outdoor users, for both streaming and filecasting services. To enable an easy and efficient implementation of the repair mechanisms, we adopt application layer forward error correction (FEC), as it can provide a multi‐burst protection of the transmission. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An off‐line system for data acquisition and analysis
Authors: Master Raymond C. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractA generalized solution to the problem of laboratory data acquisition and data reduction will be discussed. The Nuclear Data 7700 System represents a new approach to laboratory data acquisition and reduction in that it is capable of interfacing with, providing complete data analysis and generating comprehensive output reports for many instruments in the analytical laboratory. Featuring both off‐line data reduction and digital magnetic tape cartridge program storage, it was designed to offer an economical and minimum obsolescence solution to the data reduction problem. The system allows the full capability of a small general purpose computer to be employed with a variety of computer programs to perform data analysis for a variety of instruments. Besides software availability, providing complete data reduction and comprehensive output reports, for the more important analytical instruments such as Gas Chromatographs, IR and Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometers, Physical Testing Instruments, etc., the flexibility of this approach makes computerized data reduction practical for such instruments as Thermal Analyzers, Titrators, etc. The gas chromatography data handling aspects of the system are discussed in detail.
Computer processing of gas chromatographic data: Quantitative analysis of fatty acid methyl esters using an off line magnetic tape system
Authors: Nelson Gary J. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractThis paper describes the off line processing of chromatographic data from fatty acid methyl ester mixtures by a large digital computer. The output of the gas chromatograph is recorded and stored on magnetic tape; the tape can then be processed at any convenient time. The system takes the analog signal from the electrometer and converts it to digital form, adds a time base and records the data using an incremental magnetic tape recorder. The data sampling rate can be varied from 0.05 to 5 times per second. The total number of samples per tape is limited only by the length of the tape. A 1200 ft reel can store up to 30 hr of gas chromatographic runs. The tape is processed by a CDC‐6600 computer. The computer locates all peaks, determines the retention time and calculates the mass percentage of each peak. Along with the numerical output, a cathode ray tube plot of the data is also generated by the computer. The program has provisions for baseline corrections and peak overlap. The program also incorporates corrections for detector nonlinearity and variation in detector response to different molecular species. The accuracy of the system is within 5% based on analysis of fatty acid methyl ester samples of known composition. Computation time for a 1200 ft reel of tape is approximately 20 min.
A computer approach toward automation of a chemical services laboratory: I. Instrument support
Authors: Schneider E. L. , Munson A. W. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractThe use of a medium scale computer for instrument support results in several distinct advantages. Instruments of differing data rates and calculation requirements may be supported on the same system at the same time. There is no interference between any of the instruments since each is assigned its own block of time for scanning and its own set of programs for data support. The use of both the on‐line and off‐line modes permits the easy development of programs and their subsequent incorporation into the program library. It becomes advantageous to look at data supporting instruments that require only small computer support since the off‐line mode can be used for this purpose. Instruments previously considered too low in volume to support can enjoy the benefits of off‐line computer support at little additional cost. The use of high level languages such as are supported on the medium scale computers make it possible to train laboratory personnel to write and modify their own programs. Their involvement in the programming effort can result in a greater acceptance of the computer as a useful tool in the laboratory, instead of the attitude that sometimes prevails that the computer is a hindrance rather than a help. The ease with which program changes can be made makes the program modification task easier for the programming staff of the computer installation, if laboratory personnel do not perform this function. The medium scale computer provides computational power far exceeding that available on a series of small dedicated computers. The “pooling” of resources results in having available a larger scale computer for those programs and instruments that require it. The degree of sophistication of software available on the medium scale computers is far above that available on the smaller units.
A rapid method for the determination of trace Cu and Fe in edible salad oil by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy
Authors: Sun Houng‐Jen 
Published: April 2008

AbstractIn the determination of trace amounts of copper and iron in edible salad oils by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy (GFAAS), an ashing method with low temperature oxygen plasma was used to effectively eliminate the interference of the organic matrix. Two sample preparation methods were studied, extraction with concentrated nitric acid followed by ashing with the low temperature oxygen plasma to determine the yield of extraction, and direct analysis of the metal content after dilution with methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). Results obtained from these methods were compared with the background absorbance by inductively coupled plasma‐atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP‐AES).
The relationship of peanut maturity to 2‐methylpropanal in headspace volatiles
Authors: Sanders Timothy H. , Greene R. Larry 
Published: April 2008

AbstractHeadspace volatiles from peanuts of five consecutive maturity classes from three soil temperatures were determined to evaluate the relationship of peanut maturity and 2‐methylpropanal. Cured, ground peanuts were held in closed vials for 30 min at 150 C before headspace sampling. Quantitation as percent of total volatiles and ppm in the peanuts revealed a decrease in 2‐methylpropanal as peanuts matured regardless of seed size within maturity class. From peanut lots in which maturity‐size relationships had been determined, headspace analysis of commercial sized lots indicated that the concentration of 2‐methylpropanal was related to the maturity distribution (percent of each maturity class) within each sized lot. These data/techniques may have application in estimating lot‐to‐lot maturity‐related peanut flavor/quality potential.
Reduction of glyceride oils to fatty alcohols with sodium borohydride‐t‐butanol‐methanol
Authors: Rao Y. Rajeswara , Pantulu A. J. , Lakshminarayana G. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractVarious glyceride oils were reduced to fatty alcohols by refluxing them with sodium borohydride in a mixture oft‐butanol and methanol. Chemical characteristics and infrared spectral analyses showed the products to consist mainly of alcohols and the unreduced oils. Olefinic unsaturation was not affected. Castor, coconut and mustard oils yielded 89, 84 and 60% alcohols, respectively, and cottonseed, safflower, linseed, soybean andHydnocarpus wightiana seed oils yielded 72–78% alcohols.
Vesicles from sucrose fatty acid esters
Authors: Ishigami Yutaka , Machida Hajime 
Published: April 2008

AbstractIt has been confirmed, from observations with an electron microscope after staining negatively with aqueous uranyl acetate solutions and using a flourescent microscope, that sucrose fatty acid esters form closed vesicles. The range of particle size of the vesicle, consisting of chromatographically fractionated sucrose dilaurate, was apparently 70–700 nm in the longer diameter of individual vesicles based on the transmission electron microscopic (TEM) observation. The weight‐average particle size was 424 nm as shown by means of the photon‐correlation method. The amounts of 6‐carboxyfluorescein trapped in the vesicles of sucrose fatty acid esters were determined, and it was ascertained that the volumes of the central water phase depended upon the acyl chain lengths of fatty acid residues. Further, the effect of the additives [cholesterol and dicetyl phosphate (DCP) was examined. As an example, the vesicle of sucrose stearate had a central water phase of 1.7 one water/mol ester, and showed a slow release of 6‐carboxyfluorescein from the central water phase after preparation of the vesicle.
Glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency protects against coronary heart disease
Authors: Meloni L. , Manca M. R. , Loddo I. , Cioglia G. , Cocco P. , Schwartz A. , Muntoni S. , Muntoni Sa. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryPrevious studies suggest a reduction in cardiovascular risk among subjects expressing the glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD, EC 1.1.1.49) deficient phenotype. We aimed to test this hypothesis in male subjects expressing the G6PD‐deficient phenotype vs wild type G6PD. In a case–control study we examined consecutive patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction or unstable angina, and controls admitted for diagnoses other than coronary heart disease (CHD). The G6PD phenotype was determined by measuring the enzyme activity in erythrocytes, as the absorbance rate change due to NADPH reduction. The CHD risk associated with the G6PD phenotype was assessed with unconditional logistic regression. G6PD‐deficient subjects were less frequently represented among cases (11.8%) than among controls (18.6%, p=0.002). The genetic condition of G6PD deficiency conveyed a significant reduction in CHD risk (OR=0.6; 95% CI 0.4 to 0.9). We confirm the hypothesis that subjects with the G6PD‐deficient phenotype are less prone to CHD. We suggest that such a protective effect may be ascribable to a reduced 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl‐coenzyme A reductase (HMG‐CoA R) activity, a statin‐like effect, as well as to a downregulation in NADPH oxidase activity with a consequent reduction in oxygen‐free radical production.