bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Functional three‐dimensional HepG2 aggregate cultures generated from an ultrasound trap: Comparison with HepG2 spheroids
Authors: Liu Jian , Kuznetsova Larisa A. , Edwards Gareth O. , Xu Jinsheng , Ma Mingwen , Purcell Wendy M. , Jackson Simon K. , Coakley W. Terence 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThree‐dimensional culture systems are an ideal in vitro model being capable of sustaining cell functionalities in a manner that resembles the in vivo conditions. In the present study, we developed an ultrasound trap‐based technique to rapidly produce HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cell aggregates within 30 min. Enhanced junctional F‐actin was observed at the points of cell–cell contact throughout the aggregates. HepG2 aggregates prepared by the ultrasound trap can be maintained in culture on a P‐HEMA‐coated surface for up to 3 weeks. The cells in these aggregates proliferated during the initial 3 days and cell number was consistent during the following maintenance period. Albumin secretion from these HepG2 aggregates recovered after 3 days of aggregate formation and remained relatively stable for the following 12 days. Cytochrome P450‐1A1 activity was significantly enhanced after 6 days with maximal enzyme activity observed between 9 and 18 days. In addition, comparison experiments demonstrated that HepG2 aggregates generated by the ultrasound trap had comparable functional characterizations with HepG2 spheroids formed by a traditional gyrotatory‐mediated method. Our results suggest that HepG2 aggregate cultures prepared through the ultrasound trap‐based technique may provide a novel approach to produce in vitro models for hepatocyte functional studies. J. Cell. Biochem. 102: 1180–1189, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ultrastructure of the protonephridial system in Neodasys chaetonotoideus (Gastrotricha: Chaetonotida) and in the ground pattern of Gastrotricha
Authors: Kieneke Alexander , Arbizu Pedro Martínez , Ahlrichs Wilko H. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe taxon Neodasys has a basal position within Gastrotricha. This makes it very interesting for phylogenetic considerations in this group. To complete the reconstruction of the nephridial system in the stem species of Gastrotricha started earlier, we have studied the whole protonephridial system of Neodasys chaetonotoideus by means of complete sets of ultrathin sections and TEM. In many characters, protonephridia of N. chaetonotoideus resemble those of macrodasyidan gastrotrich species. For example, each of the six protonephridia, arranged in three pairs, consists of three distinct cells that constitute the continuous protonephridial lumen. Especially, the terminal cell of the protonephridia of N. chaetonotoideus shows a striking pattern: The perforation of the filter region is a meandering cleft that is continuous with the seam of the enfolded lumen of that cell. With the results presented here and that of former TEM studies, we give a comprehensive idea of the excretory organs in the ground pattern of Gastrotricha. Moreover, we can elaborate on the hypothesized protonephridial system in the stem species of Bilateria. We suggest that a meandering filtration cleft is a feature of the ground pattern of the Bilateria. J. Morphol., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Laccase production by the white‐rot fungus Termitomyces clypeatus
Authors: Bose Shilpi , Mazumder Sharmishtha , Mukherjee Mina 
Published: April 2007

AbstractLaccase was detected in the culture filtrate of white‐rot fungus Termitomyces clypeatus. The enzyme was found at the late phase of submerged growth in a medium containing glucose or cellulose as the carbon source. The present study indicates that laccase produced by T. clypeatus is an intracellular enzyme, released in the medium due to cell lysis at the end of the growing phase. Laccase produced by T. clypeatus is different from the extracellular polyphenol oxidase of T. albuminosus, also produced at the late phase of growth. This is the first report of laccase production by a Termitomyces sp. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Potential of the adhesion of bacteria isolated from drinking water to materials
Authors: Simões Lúcia Chaves , Simões Manuel , Oliveira Rosário , Vieira Maria João 
Published: April 2007

AbstractHeterotrophic bacteria (11 genera, 14 species, 25 putative strains) were isolated from drinking water, identified either biochemically or by partial 16s rDNA gene sequencing and their adherence characteristics were determined by two methods: i. thermodynamic prediction of adhesion potential by measuring hydrophobicity (contact angle measurements) and ii. by measuring adherence to eight different substrata (ASI 304 and 316 stainless steel, copper, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, silicone and glass). All the test organisms were hydrophilic and inter‐species variation in hydrophobicity occurred only for Comamonas acidovorans. Stainless steel 304 (SS 304), copper, polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE) and silicone thermodynamically favoured adhesion for the majority of test strains (>18/25), whilst adhesion was generally less thermodynamically favorable for stainless steel 316 (SS 316), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and glass. The predictability of thermodynamic adhesion test methods was validated by comparison with 24‐well microtiter plate assays using nine reference strains and three adhesion surfaces (SS 316, PVC and PE). Results for Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, Burkolderia cepacia and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia sp. 2 were congruent between both methods whilst they differed for the other bacteria to at least one material. Only A. calcoaceticus had strongly adherent properties to the three tested surfaces. Strain variation in adhesion ability was detected only for Sphingomonas capsulata. Analysis of adhesion demonstrated that in addition to physicochemical surface properties of bacterium and substratum, biological factors are involved in early adhesion processes, suggesting that reliance on thermodynamic approaches alone may not accurately predict adhesion capacity. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Isolation and characterization of lactic acid bacteria from lakes
Authors: Yanagida Fujitoshi , Chen Yi‐Sheng , Yasaki Masatoshi 
Published: April 2007

AbstractLactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from lake‐water samples collected at 7 lakes distributed in Yamanashi prefecture, Japan. Sampling was performed year round. 112 cultures were isolated and divided into classes by phenotype and then into groups by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and sequencing of 16S ribosomal DNA. Phenotypic and biochemical characteristics identified eleven different bacterial groups (A to K), and the results showed that the isolates represented seven genera: Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Carnobacterium, Streptococcus, and Weissella. Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis was the most abundant lactic acid bacteria found in these lakes. Furthermore, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis was also the most abundant lactic acid bacteria found throughout the year. Seasonal differences, numbers of isolates and the species of lactic acid bacteria were also recorded in this study. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Effect of stress on growth, pigment production and morphology of Monascus sp. in solid cultures
Authors: Babitha Sumathy , Soccol Carlos Ricardo , Pandey Ashok 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe aim of the current work was to study the influence of stress on pigment production in Monascus purpureus under solid‐state fermentation. Thermal stress was induced by incubating the culture at various high temperatures. For giving osmotic stress, different concentration of NaCl and glycerol were added to the solid substrate prior to autoclaving. Morphological studies were done by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. When the cells were exposed to high temperature, high glycerol and salt concentration, significant changes in pigment production and growth were observed. High temperature (>45 °C) induced the production of more yellow pigments. High concentration of NaCl induced conidiation and caused a decrease in fungal biomass (up to 50%) but red pigment production increased from 11.86 OD/gds to 20.14 OD/gds. When subjected to glycerol stress, a significant increase in aerial mycelia was observed when compared with the control conditions. The results attain significance for exploiting the fungal culture of Monascus purpureus LPB 97 for producing colors of choice – red, or yellow, or increasing the yield of red pigments considerably. Thus, these results could well impact the commercial aspect of Monascus pigments for industrial application. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Antimicrobial activity of some Australian plant species from the genus Eremophila
Authors: Ndi Chi P. , Semple Susan J. , Griesser Hans J. , Barton Mary D. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractPlant species of the genus Eremophila (Myoporaceae) are native to Australia and are known to produce a diverse range of unusual secondary compounds. The purpose of this research was to examine the antimicrobial activity of 72 Eremophila species most of which had not been the subject of any previous pharmacological testing. Organic extracts of Eremophila species were screened for antimicrobial activity against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria and yeasts of medical importance. Extracts of a number of Eremophila species showed selective activity against Gram‐positive bacteria with MICs for the most active species in the range of 16 to 62 μg/ml for Streptococcus species, and 62 to 250 μg/ml for standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus. Extracts with the greatest activity against standard strains were tested against 68 clinical isolates of multi‐resistant methicillin‐resistant S. aureus (mMRSA). The majority of the clinical isolates were susceptible to concentrations below 62.5 μg/ml for the extracts of E. drummondii, E. linearis, E. serrulata, E. acrida, E. neglecta, E. virens and a new undescribed species affiliated with E. prolata. The extract of E. virens inhibited growth of all 68 clinical mMRSA isolates at the minimum tested concentration of 31 μg/ml. This study has shown for the first time that a number of different Eremophila species manifest selective antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive organisms which are important causes of human disease. It shows that there are several Eremophila species possessing interesting antibacterial activity besides those that have published traditional use. These may yield novel antibacterial compounds with potential to be used in biomedical applications. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
SERS of plant material
Authors: Zeiri L. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractColloidal gold and silver were formed by the spontaneous reduction of metal salts by plant tissue—alfalfa seeds, green tea leaves, carrots and red cabbage. The colloids were analyzed using electron microscopy and spectroscopic tools. The reduction process yielded stable gold colloids, but for silver the colloidal particles were bigger and less stable, tending to form aggregates. The formation of metal colloids enabled surface‐enhanced Raman spectra (SERS) measurements, yielding specific vibrational signatures for the plant components in the proximity of the colloids. The main SERS peaks were attributed to nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and other adenine‐containing materials. Other peaks were assigned to flavins [e.g. flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)], chlorophyll, lipids and other biocomponents. Since the SERS spectra did not show any antioxidants common to all four different types of plant tissue, it is proposed that NAD and FAD compounds that play an important role in the respiration process may be involved in the metal reduction process. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Noise reduction in Raman spectra: Finite impulse response filtration versus Savitzky–Golay smoothing
Authors: Člupek Martin , Matějka Pavel , Volka Karel 
Published: April 2007

AbstractApplication of the finite impulse response (FIR) filtration technique for the removal of spectral noise and background broadband deformations from the Raman spectra is tested. Optimal parameters of FIR filters are found and their effectiveness is compared with the Savitzky–Golay (SG) smoothing procedure. The FIR filtration is found to be an effective procedure to treat the whole Raman spectra, but high computing power is needed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimierte Fertigungstechnologie bei Audi – Laserscannerschweißen an den Türen des neuen A4
Authors: Brockmann Rüdiger 
Published: April 2007

AbstractDas konventionelle Schweißen mit Festkörperlasern ist als Fügeverfahren fest im automobilen Karosseriebau etabliert. Die Weiterentwicklung dieses Verfahrens führte zum robotergeführten Laserscannerschweißen, bei dem sich die Bewegung eines Knickarmroboters mit den hochdynamischen Positionierbewegungen eines Laser Scanners verbinden lassen. Audi setzt diese neue hocheffiziente Fertigungstechnik erstmals an den Türen des Audi A4‐Nachfolgers ein.
Modellierung des Laserstrahlschweißens – Ein Weg zum Prozessverständnis
Authors: Berger Peter 
Published: April 2007

AbstractDas Erlangen von Prozessverständnis ist seit den Anfängen der Lasermaterialbearbeitung eine wichtige Triebfeder für die Entwicklung von Modellen. Beim Laserstrahlschweißen widmen sich – von ganz wenigen Ausnahmen abgesehen – alle in der Literatur zu findenden modellhaften Beschreibungen diesem Ziel. Das Spektrum dieser Modelle reicht von analytischen Beschreibungen bis hin zu komplexen numerischen Simulationen. Allen gemeinsam ist, dass sie einen Baustein zum Verständnis beitragen. Auch heute noch ist der Prozess des Laserstrahlschweißens nicht völlig verstanden und es entstehen neue Modelle. Diese sind überwiegend darauf ausgerichtet, Antworten auf Fragen zu finden, die im Zusammenhang mit der Anwendung von Lasern der neuesten Generation aufkommen.
Fabrication of Micro‐ and Nanoscale Polymer Structures by Soft Lithography and Spin Dewetting
Authors: Ferrell Nicholas , Hansford Derek 
Published: April 2007

AbstractIn this work, the process of spin dewetting of a polymer solution on a topographically patterned PDMS mold was used for fabrication of micro‐ and nanaoscale polymer structures. Spin coating was used to provide a fast and reproducible coating. This simple technique was capable of producing a wide range of polymer feature geometries from a single microfabricated mold. This experimental study looks at the effects of the original mold feature geometry as well as the polymer solution concentration on the resultant microstructures. Polystyrene and poly(propyl methacrylate) were used as model polymers. Features with film thickness ranging from <100 nm to >5 µm were obtained using this technique. The process was also extended to fabrication of nanoscale features.magnified image
Increased toll‐like receptor 9 expression in cervical neoplasia
Authors: Lee Jeong‐Won , Choi Jung‐Joo , Seo Eun Sung , Kim Mi Jin , Kim Woo Young , Choi Chel Hun , Kim Tae‐Joong , Kim Byoung‐Gie , Song Sang Yong , Bae Duk‐Soo 
Published: April 2007

AbstractToll‐like receptors (TLRs) recognize pathogen‐associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and enable innate immune responses. Although TLR9 has been previously considered to be expressed only in immune cells, there is now increasing evidence that TLR9 expression is present in nonimmune cells as well. In this study, we undertook to determine whether TLR9 expression was associated with disease progression in cervical neoplasia. TLR9 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 55 formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded cervical tissues; nine normal cervical specimens, 10 low‐grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs), 12 high‐grade CINs, and 24 invasive squamous cell carcinomas (ISCCs). In addition, TLR9 expression was evaluated, at the RNA level, in fresh frozen cervical carcinoma tissues by real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR. Immunohistochemical staining showed that TLR9 expression was undetectable (55.6%) or weak (44.4%) in normal cervical squamous epithelial tissues, however, variable staining was observed in the basal layer of all normal endocervical glands. TLR9 expression, which was mainly observed as cytoplasmic staining, gradually increased in accordance with the histopathological grade in the following order: low‐grade CIN < high‐grade CIN < ISCC (P < 0.001), and in particular, was moderate to strong in 70% of ISCC cases. Furthermore, real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR revealed that TLR9 expression, in tumors, was significantly enhanced compared to normal cervical tissues (P = 0.012). These results suggest that TLR9 may play a significant role in tumor progression of cervical neoplasia and may represent a useful marker for malignant transformation of cervical squamous cells. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inhibition of proprotein convertases: Approaches to block squamous carcinoma development and progression
Authors: de Cicco Ricardo López , Bassi Daniel E. , Benavides Fernando , Conti Claudio J. , Klein‐Szanto Andrés J.P. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractMost proprotein convertase (PC) inhibitors are compounds that act as competitive inhibitors. All of them contain the general cleavage motif RXK/RR that binds to the PC's active site impairing further interactions with their physiological substrates. The first inhibitors synthesized were the acyl‐peptidyl‐chloromethyl ketones that bind to the PC's active site through its peptidyl group and are able to transverse the plasma membrane due to the acyl moiety. For instance, one of the members of this family that exhibits reduced toxicity and has been widely used as an effective general PCs inhbitor is the derivative decanoyl‐RVKR‐chloromethylketone (CMK). Another approach to PC inhibition is based on proteins that contain either a natural or a bioengineered PC cleavage consensus site. In this context, the bioengineered serpin, alpha‐1‐antitrypsin Portland (alpha 1‐PDX or PDX), proved to be a potent inhibitor of furin, the most studied of the cancer‐related PCs. Both PDX and CMK were able to inhibit invasiveness of squamous cell carcinoma cell lines by blocking activation of cancer‐associated PC substrates such as MT‐MMPs, IGF‐1R, and VEGF‐C. A similar effect was produced by inhibiting PC‐mediated processing using furin prosegment. PDX and CMK have also been assayed in vivo using skin carcinogenesis models. Newer promising small molecules and RNA interference approaches are also being developed to inhibit PCs. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The use of unsymmetrical indirect covariance NMR methods to obtain the equivalent of HSQC‐NOESY data
Authors: Blinov Kirill A. , Williams Antony J. , Hilton Bruce D. , Irish Patrick A. , Martin Gary E. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractWe have recently demonstrated that unsymmetrical indirect covariance NMR methods can be used to mathematically calculate the equivalent of low sensitivity, hyphenated NMR experiments by combining data from a pair of higher sensitivity experiments. The present report demonstrates the application of this method to the combination of HSQC and NOESY spectra to provide results comparable to HSQC‐NOESY data, albeit with greater sensitivity and with considerably less spectrometer time. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PIAS1 interacts with and represses SOX9 transactivation activity
Authors: Oh Hyun Ju , Kido Tatsuo , Lau Yun‐Fai Chris 
Published: April 2007

AbstractSOX9 is a transcription factor that harbors a HMG box and plays critical roles in developmental processes including sex determination and chondrogenesis. Currently the regulation of its molecular activity is not well characterized. In the present study, we have identified PIAS1 as a regulator for SOX9 activity. Using the GST pull‐down, co‐immunoprecipitation, and co‐localization methods in tissue culture cells and mouse embryonic tissues, we demonstrated that SOX9 interacts with PIAS1 in vitro and in vivo. PIAS1 enhanced the SUMOylation at lysine 396 of mouse SOX9. Mutant SOX9 with a conversion of lysine 396 to arginine had a distinct nuclear localization from SOX9 with covalently attached SUMO‐1. Effects of SOX9 SUMOylation on its transcriptional activity were examined by reporter assays using Vanin‐1 promoter and Col11a2 enhancer constructs. The lysine 396 to arginine conversion significantly increased the reporter gene activity, while covalent attachment of SUMO‐1 to SOX9 by gene fusion dramatically compromised its transcriptional activity on the reporter gene. Effects of SOX9 interaction with PIAS1 on its transcriptional activity were examined by similar reporter assays. PIAS1 was able to repress both wild type SOX9 and SUMOylation‐deficient SOX9‐K396R, suggesting that SOX9 SUMOylation is not absolutely required for the repression by PIAS1. However, the repression was further enhanced by exogenous SUMO‐1 while SUMO‐ligase‐deficient PIAS1 was not able to repress SOX9 activity. Thus, PIAS1 appears to repress SOX9 activity by at least two SUMO‐ligase dependent mechanisms: (1) the SUMOylation of SOX9 and (2) SUMOylation of unknown factors associated with SOX9 and/or PIAS1. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 74: 1446–1455, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A new selection criterion to assess good quality ovine blastocysts after vitrification and to predict their transfer into recipients
Authors: Leoni G.G. , Berlinguer F. , Succu S. , Bebbere D. , Mossa F. , Madeddu M. , Ledda S. , Bogliolo L. , Naitana S. 
Published: April 2007

AbstractThe feasibility to accurately select viable embryos would be valuable for improving pregnancy rates and avoiding futile transfer attempts. The aim of our study was to assess if in vitro‐produced embryo quality could be determined by the timing of blastocoelic cavity re‐expansion after vitrification, warming, and in vitro culture using sheep as a model. Blastocysts were produced in vitro, vitrified/warmed, and cultured in TCM‐199 plus 10% FCS for 72 hr. Embryos were divided into two groups: re‐expanded within 8 hr (A) and from 8 to 16 hr (B) of IVC after warming. Fast re‐expanded blastocysts showed higher in vitro hatching rates and total cell number calculated on the hatched blastocysts compared with slow re‐expanded ones (P < 0.01). Peroxide status evaluation (P < 0.01) and TUNEL test (P < 0.05) revealed a higher number of positive cells in group B compared with group A. The quantitative analysis of protein synthesis revealed a higher synthesis in fast compared with slow re‐expanded embryos (P < 0.05). Quantitative RT‐PCR showed that 90‐kDa Heat Shock Protein β was more expressed in group A than in group B (P < 0.05), while the quantity of P34cdc2, Cyclin b, Aquaporin 3, Na/K ATPase, and Actin did not differ between the two groups. Pregnancy rates after transfer to synchronized recipients were higher in fast compared to slow re‐expanded blastocysts (P < 0.05). Our results evidenced that timing of blastocoelic cavity re‐expansion after vitrification/warming and in vitro culture can be considered as a reliable index of in vitro produced embryo quality and developmental potential. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 373–382, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.