bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Managing the upside: Strategic pricing with natural gas futures
Authors: Mitchell Jacquelyn S. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractThe availability of the natural gas futures contract offers industry participants the opportunity to enter into stable supply agreements with partners of known reliability even though both parties to the agreement have differing views on the timing and magnitude of price changes.Although the examples were based on agreements between a marketer and end user, the concepts work equally as well for agreements between marketers and LDCs, between producers and marketers, and for direct‐purchase agreements between producers and LDCs or end users.
Koralm Tunnel as a Case Study for Sinter Formation in Drainage Systems – Precipitation Mechanisms and Retaliatory Action
Authors: Dietzel Martin , Rinder Thomas , Leis Albrecht , Reichl Peter , Sellner Peter , Draschitz Christian , Plank Gerhard , Klammer Dietmar , Schöfer Herwig 
Published: August 2008

AbstractThe drainage systems of several tunnels in Austria are heavily clogged with calcite precipitates. Cleaning and water conditioning are cost‐intensive for the operating company. The results of the case study Koralm tunnel show that the dissolved calcium in the drainage solutions derives from the ground water and especially from the dissolution of portlandite at the shotcrete. Accordingly, the drainage solutions are often strongly alkaline and as sufficient supersaturation with respect to calcite is reached, calcite precipitates. The carbonate in the calcite sinter is obtained from the ground water or from the absorption of atmospheric CO2. Extensive chemical, mineralogical, and isotopic analyses as well as hydrogeochemical modelling permit to decipher the effective parameters in order to develop recommendations for retaliatory action. In‐situ experiments in the Koralm tunnel simulate the conditions for the designed drainage system, which should provide an appropriate evaluation of the sinter formation in the drainage and the application of inhibitors. Sinter formation will be reduced by using tailored construction materials.
The Koralm‐Line as a Part of Wider European Railway Connections – Integrated in the Baltic‐Adriatic‐Axis
Authors: Adelsberger Helmut , Eicher Harald 
Published: August 2008

AbstractSince antiquity, the land connection between Baltic and Adriatic Seas has been used for trading and cultural exchange. In medieval times, this “amber route”, passing east of the Alps, was shifted to a line following intra‐Alpine valleys orientated southwest – north‐east, the so called “Diagonal Passage”. The historical “Südbahn”, however, lead partly through the Alps, crossing Semmering, but then continuing to Trieste further south‐east, via Graz and Laibach, today Ljubljana. Cut through after the big wars of the 20th century, the railway connection Vienna‐Italy follows now the “Diagonal Passage” at all its length, leaving Graz offside, in a basin separated by mountain ranges to the north and west and open to the east and south.Koralm railway will integrate Graz into the “Baltic‐Adriatic Corridor” which together with its second key element, Semmering base tunnel, will be an attractive trans‐continental rail axis with adequate technical parameters, following the “Diagonal Passage” in its general orientation. The improvement of accessibility and transport conditions, especially in the Southern parts of Austria, will lead to a considerable increase of the regional product and a measurable modal shift, in favour of environment and sustainable mobility. “Baltic‐Adriatic Corridor”, the future axis of welfare from “Poland to Po‐Land (Padania)” or – in Italian language – “from Polonia to Bologna”, will decisively contribute to the re‐integration of Central Europe, enhancing cultural exchange and economic development across the former Iron Curtain.
Combination therapy of lovastatin and rolipram provides neuroprotection and promotes neurorepair in inflammatory demyelination model of multiple sclerosis
Authors: Paintlia Ajaib S. , Paintlia Manjeet K. , Singh Inderjit , Skoff Robert B. , Singh Avtar K. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractDrug combination therapies for central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS) are gaining momentum over monotherapy. Over the past decade, both in vitro and in vivo studies established that statins (HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitors) and rolipram (phosphodiesterase‐4 inhibitor; blocks the degradation of intracellular cyclic AMP) can prevent the progression of MS in affected individuals via different mechanisms of action. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of lovastatin (LOV) and rolipram (RLP) in combination therapy to promote neurorepair in an inflammatory CNS demyelination model of MS, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Combination treatment with suboptimal doses of these drugs in an established case of EAE (clinical disease score ≥ 2.0) significantly attenuated the infiltration of inflammatory cells and protected myelin sheath and axonal integrity in the CNS. It was accompanied with elevated level of cyclic AMP and activation of its associated protein kinase A. Interestingly, combination treatment with these drugs impeded neurodegeneration and promoted neurorepair in established EAE animals (clinical disease score ≥ 3.5) as verified by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and electron microscopic analyses. These effects of combination therapy were minimal and/or absent with either drug alone in these settings. Together, these data suggest that combination therapy with LOV and RLP has the potential to provide neuroprotection and promote neurorepair in MS, and may have uses in other related CNS demyelinating diseases. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Early nutrition and allergy
Authors: Enke Uta , Seyfarth Lydia , Schleussner Ekkehard , Markert Udo R. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractThe perinatal phase is crucial for the development of the infant. The first priming of the immune system occurs before birth, and this process is influenced by the intrauterine environment. One factor of this priming seems to be the fetal nutrition, which mainly depends on maternal diet. After birth, breastfeeding offers optimal alimentation. Allergy prevalence has increased during the last decades. As a method of primary allergy prevention, exclusive breastfeeding for a period of 4 to 6 months is recommended. However, published data on the subject is conflicting. Therefore, this review article will focus on maternal nutrition during breastfeeding with regard to allergy development. Cytokine levels in breast milk seem to depend on maternal state of atopy as well as on her nutrition. Breast milk components can, on the other hand, infl uence immune response of the infant. Differences between recent studies concerning composition of breast milk regarding allergen content, immune mediators and nutrients are discussed and the role of early nutrition on long‐term development in the offspring is shown. To summarize – albeit some confl icting results are published – a healthy and balanced maternal nutrition, rich in fresh fruit and vegetables, milk products, nuts or oily fish, and breastfeeding of the infant seems to be the best way of childhood atopy prevention.
Glycodelin reduces breast cancer xenograft growth in vivo
Authors: Hautala Laura C. , Koistinen Riitta , Seppälä Markku , Bützow Ralf , Stenman Ulf‐Håkan , Laakkonen Pirjo , Koistinen Hannu 
Published: August 2008

AbstractMalignant growth is characterized by loss of cell differentiation, uncontrolled proliferation and resistance to apoptosis. Many tumor suppressor genes that protect cells against malignant transformation regulate cell differentiation. Here, we show for the first time that glycodelin, a differentiation‐related protein, reduces breast cancer tumor growth in vivo. We found that glycodelin cDNA‐transfected MCF‐7 breast cancer cells showed a differentiated phenotype and produced smaller tumors in mouse mammary fat pads compared with control‐transfected cells. Glycodelin‐induced differentiation was associated with reduced expression of oncogenes and increased expression of tumor suppressor genes. Our results suggest that glycodelin acts as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer. This may explain its reported association with a more favorable prognosis in some cancers. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Purification of CYP2B‐like protein from feral leaping mullet (Liza saliens) liver microsomes and its biocatalytic, molecular, and immunological characterization
Authors: Bozcaarmutlu Azra , Arinç Emel 
Published: August 2008

AbstractIn this study, CYP2B‐immunoreactive protein was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from the liver microsomes of leaping mullet. The purified cytochrome P450 (CYP) gave a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis having aMrof 49,300 Da. Absolute absorption spectrum of the purified CYP showed a maximum at 417 nm and CO‐difference spectrum of dithionite‐reduced cytochrome P450 gave a peak at 450 nm. The purified CYP was found to be active in N‐demethylation of benzphetamine, erythromycin, and ethylmorphine, and O‐dealkylation of pentoxyresorufin in the reconstituted system. However, it was unable to catalyze O‐dealkylation of ethoxyresorufin, methoxyresorufin, benzyloxyresorufin, and hydroxylation of lauric acid and aniline. The purified CYP showed strong cross‐reactivity with anti‐sheep lung CYP2B, a homologue of CYP2B4. N‐terminal amino acid sequence of the mullet P450 had the highest degree of homology with CYP2Bs among the known CYPs. Spectral, electrophoretic, immunochemical, N‐terminal amino acid sequence, and biocatalytic properties of the purified CYP are most similar to those of mammalian cytochrome P4502B. All these data indicate that the purified CYP is certainly 2B‐like. In this study, we not only purified biocatalytically active CYP2B‐like protein from fish, but also demonstrated detailed functional properties of CYP2B‐like protein for the first time. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 22:284–298, 2008; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20239
Assessment of Pelargonium graveolens oil as plant‐based antimicrobial and aflatoxin suppressor in food preservation
Authors: Singh Priyanka , Srivastava Bhawana , Kumar Ashok , Kumar Rajesh , Dubey Nawal K , Gupta Rajesh 
Published: August 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: Contamination of stored food commodities by moulds and mycotoxins results in qualitative as well as quantitative losses. Most of the synthetic antimicrobials used for preservation of stored food items produce side effects in the form of residual and mammalian toxicity. Recently some higher plant products have been recommended as safe alternatives of such synthetic antimicrobials. In the present investigation antifungal efficacy of some essential oils was evaluated against two toxigenic strains of Aspergillus flavus with special reference to the oil of Pelargonium graveolens to investigate its potential to inhibit aflatoxin B1 secretion.RESULTS: Essential oil of P. graveolens exhibited absolute fungitoxicity against both the toxigenic strains of A. flavus. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the oil was found to be 0.75 g L−1 and exhibited a fungistatic nature. It was found superior over the synthetic fungicides tested and exhibited a broad fungitoxic spectrum. The oil showed excellent anti‐aflatoxigenic efficacy as it completely inhibited aflatoxin B1 production even at 0.50 g L−1.CONCLUSION: This is the first report on the aflatoxin B1 inhibitory nature of P. graveolens oil. It may be recommended as a novel plant‐based antimicrobial as well as aflatoxin B1 suppressor over synthetic preservatives in food protection. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Learning mode: Adapting and innovating is crucial for teams
Authors: Lindoerfer Dennis 
Published: August 2008

AbstractTeams in the modern organizational world are awash in change and confronted by continually shifting opportunities and threats. Those that do not learn and adapt are bound to fail. There are four general practices teams can engage in to ensure they are learning as they work: establishing a climate for learning, continually assessing team members' work together, working with a team coach, and managing knowledge effectively. The team leader plays a central role in all of these efforts.
Metabolism of curcumin and induction of mitotic catastrophe in human cancer cells
Authors: Dempe Julia S. , Pfeiffer Erika , Grimm Anne S. , Metzler Manfred 
Published: August 2008

AbstractIn cultured cells, curcumin (CUR) causes cell death by interfering with mitosis and leading to fragmented nuclei and disrupted microtubules, a process named mitotic catastrophe. In order to clarify the role of the known CUR metabolites hexahydro‐CUR (HHC) and CUR‐glucuronide (CUR‐gluc) in mitotic catastrophe, the effects of CUR were studied in three human cancer cell lines with different metabolism of CUR. In Ishikawa and HepG2 cells, CUR was metabolized to HHC and small amounts of octahydro‐CUR (OHC), whereas the only metabolism in HT29 cells was the formation of CUR‐gluc. Despite their different metabolism, all three cell systems responded to CUR with arrest in G2/M phase and mitotic catastrophe. Fractionation of the cells showed that concentrations of CUR were higher in the ER and cytosol than in the incubation medium by a factor of up to about 150 and 8, respectively. In contrast to CUR, the metabolite HHC and the products of spontaneous degradation did not elicit any effects in Ishikawa cells. These results imply that the causative agent of mitotic catastrophe is the parent CUR molecule, whereas reductive metabolism and chemical degradation render CUR inactive.
Dietary procyanidins lower triglyceride levels signaling through the nuclear receptor small heterodimer partner
Authors: Del Bas Josep Maria , Ricketts Marie Louise , Baiges Isabel , Quesada Helena , Ardevol Anna , Salvadó Maria Josepa , Pujadas Gerard , Blay Mayte , Arola Lluis , Bladé Cinta , Moore David D. , Fernandez‐Larrea Juan 
Published: August 2008

AbstractHypertriglyceridemia is an independent risk factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases, and we have previously reported that oral administration of a grape seed procyanidin extract (GSPE) drastically decreases plasma levels of triglycerides (TG) and apolipoprotein B (ApoB) in normolipidemic rats, with a concomitant induction in the hepatic expression of the nuclear receptor small heterodimer partner (NR0B2/SHP). Our objective in this study was to elucidate whether SHP is the mediator of the reduction of TG‐rich ApoB‐containing lipoproteins triggered by GSPE. We show that GSPE inhibited TG and ApoB secretion in human hepatocarcinoma HepG2 cells and had and hypotriglyceridemic effect in wild‐type mouse. The TG‐lowering action of GSPE was abolished in HepG2 cells transfected with a SHP‐specific siRNA and in a SHP‐null mouse. Moreover, in mouse liver, GSPE downregulated several lipogenic genes, including steroid response element binding protein 1c (SREBP‐1c), and upregulated carnitine palmitoyltransferase‐1A (CPT‐1A) and apolipoprotein A5 (ApoA5), in a SHP‐dependent manner. In HepG2 cells GSPE also inhibited ApoB secretion, but in a SHP‐independent manner. In conclusion, SHP is a key mediator of the hypotriglyceridemic response triggered by GSPE. This novel signaling pathway of procyanidins through SHP may be relevant to explain the health effects ascribed to the regular consumption of dietary flavonoids.
A corotational interpolatory model for fabric drape simulation
Authors: Liu X. H. , Sze K. Y. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractFabric drapes are typical large displacement, large rotation but small strain problems. In particle models for fabric drape simulation, the fabric deformation is characterized by the displacements of the particles distributed over the fabric. In this paper, a new particle model based on the corotational concept is formulated. Under the small membrane strain assumption, the bending energy can be approximated as a quadratic function of the particle displacements that are finite. In other words, the tangential bending stiffness matrix is a constant and only the tangential membrane stiffness matrix needs to be updated after each iteration or step. On the other hand, the requirement on the particle alignment is relaxed by interpolating the particle displacement in a patch of nine particles. To account for the membrane energy, a simple and efficient method similar to the three‐node membrane triangular element employing the Green strain measure is adopted. With the present model, the predicted drapes appear to be natural and match our daily perception. In particular, circular clothes and circular pedestal that can only be treated laboriously by most particle models can be conveniently considered. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the doping of graphene
Authors: Jones R. , Eberlein T. A. G. , Briddon P. R. 
Published: August 2008

AbstractDensity functional theory is used to show that charge transfer occurs between chemical dopants in GaAs and adsorbates composed of C60 and graphene lying on the (110) surface of GaAs. In the case of C60, charge transfer only occurs for n‐type GaAs in agreement with previous experimental results. However, the calculations show that transfer between graphene and both n‐ and p‐type GaAs can occur which offers a simple way of doping graphene. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Grain boundary effects in nanocrystalline diamond
Authors: Mareš Jirˇí J. , Hubík Pavel , Krištofik Jozef , Nesládek Miloš 
Published: August 2008

AbstractThin films of heavily boron doped plasma‐enhanced chemical vapour deposition grown nanocrystalline diamond were experimentally investigated by means of low temperature transport methods and noise analysis as well. The influence of grain boundaries on superconductivity and other related quantum phenomena observed in this system was treated using phenomenological model according to which the superconducting diamond grains in the film are interconnected by a single or a few weak links having a characteristic dimension in the nanometre range. Comparing then the experimental values of critical current and current‐induced Josephson's noise in the superconductivity transition region with the figures predicted by our model, its relevance for the description of boron‐doped nanocrystalline diamond has been proved. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Electrical and light‐emitting properties of homoepitaxial diamond p–i–n junction
Authors: Makino Toshiharu , Tokuda Norio , Kato Hiromitsu , Kanno Shokichi , Yamasaki Satoshi , Okushi Hideyo 
Published: August 2008

AbstractWe have investigated the electrical and light‐emitting characteristics of (001)‐oriented homoepitaxial diamond p–i–n junction diodes with the boron‐doped p‐type, non‐doped intrinsic, and phosphorus‐doped n‐type layers formed by applying an optimized homoepitaxial growth technique based on microwave plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition. High‐performance p–i–n junction characteristics were confirmed from current–voltage and capacitance–voltage properties. A strong ultraviolet light emission at around 240 nm due to free exciton recombination was observed at a forward current of over 6 mA, while the broad visible light emission from deep levels was significantly suppressed compared to that of reported electroluminescence in diamond p–n junctions. It was elucidated that the excitonic emission intensity increases superlinearly for the current dependence and is stable even at the high temperature of 200 °C. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Deep levels in homoepitaxial boron‐doped diamond films studied by capacitance and current transient spectroscopies
Authors: Muret Pierre , Pernot Julien , Teraji Tokuyuki , Ito Toshimichi 
Published: August 2008

AbstractDeep level transient spectroscopies (DLTS) applied to Schottky junctions made on homoepitaxial boron‐doped diamond films show the existence of two traps. A deep acceptor, negatively charged and strongly attractive for holes, 1.57 eV above the valence band edge displays the characteristic features of a complex defect due to interacting centers and impurities, also displaying some evolutions after thermal cycles, possibly due to hydrogen effusion or diffusion. It is tentatively ascribed to association of a boron atom, a vacancy and several hydrogen atoms. A deep donor, 1.13 eV above the valence band edge, able to compensate the boron acceptors, is attributed to a defect correlated with dislocations. It could be due to the positively charged carbon vacancy. These conclusions are drawn from the Fourier transform‐DLTS results coupled with isothermal time domain algorithms allowing the discrimination of multiple emission rates with high resolution. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Optical absorption of boron nitride nanomaterials
Authors: Gevko Pavel , Bulusheva Lyubov , Okotrub Alexander , Koroteev Viktor , Yushina Irina , Bresson Lionel , Loiseau Annick 
Published: August 2008

AbstractOptical absorption spectra have been measured for hexagonal boron nitride (h ‐BN), rhombohedral BN (rh ‐BN), and material obtained by laser vaporization of BN target under a nitrogen atmosphere and contained single‐wall BN‐nanotubes. Band gap of the BN materials was found to have a value of 6.0‐6.3 eV. The spectra of h ‐BN and vaporized material exhibited a peak at ∼5.5 eV, moreover, the latter sample showed an absorption band around 4.5 eV. The vaporized material has been fractionated to the BN‐platelets and single‐wall BN‐nanotubes. Absorption peaks, located bellow the bottom of the conductance band, were found to be characteristics of thin BN‐platelets and they could be attributed to defects in BN network. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Enforcing patient privacy in healthcare WSNs through key distribution algorithms
Authors: Mišić Jelena , Mišić Vojislav 
Published: August 2008

AbstractPatient data privacy, as one of the foremost security concerns in healthcare applications, must be enforced through the use of strong cryptography. However, in the scenario where the patient wears a body network in which lightweight, battery‐operated wireless sensors monitor various health variables of interest, the requirements for strong cryptography must often be balanced against the requirements for energy efficiency. In this paper, we describe two algorithms for key distribution. The first algorithm relies on a central trusted security server (CTSS) to authenticate that participants indeed belong to the patient's group and to generate the session key. In the second algorithm, participants authenticate each other using certificates and are largely independent of the central trusted security server (CTSS); this algorithm uses elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) to reduce energy consumption by cryptographic computations. In both cases, the patient's security processor has a lead role in authenticating group membership and the key generation process. Using the data from commercial devices compliant with the IEEE 802.15.4 low data rate WPAN technology, we show that this approach can be successfully implemented in networks built with low power motes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.