bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The MAGi RNA extraction method: a highly efficient and simple procedure for fresh and dry plant tissues
Authors: Ince Ayşe Gül , Karaca Mehmet 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: Samples from different plant species, different organs or tissues at different times of the year, usually show great differences in their cell compositions, pH, and the endogenous RNase activities, decreasing the RNA yield and quality.RESULTS: In this study we describe a reagent and a simple total RNA isolation method for plant organs, tissues and dry seeds. The RNA extraction reagent (MAGi) is non‐toxic and can be stored at room temperature for several months to years. The principle of the total RNA extraction is that tissues are lysed in extraction solution with the aid of mortar homogenization–maceration, and cellular proteins, polysaccharides and DNA are removed from the RNA. We tested the reported method on more than 16 different types of plant seed and 15 different tissues and organs of pepper.CONCLUSION: The RNA extraction procedure reported in the present study greatly reduces the time required to isolate dry seed total RNA and other tissues by more than half as compared with the previously reported methods. The range of typical RNA yield and quality represents a significant improvement over existing protocols. The quality is high enough to be considered as suitable method for RT‐PCR, cDNA library construction and microarray gene expression studies. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Efficient simulation of multi‐body contact problems on complex geometries: A flexible decomposition approach using constrained minimization
Authors: Dickopf Thomas , Krause Rolf 
Published: November 2008

AbstractWe consider the numerical simulation of non‐linear multi‐body contact problems in elasticity on complex three‐dimensional geometries. In the case of warped contact boundaries and non‐matching finite element meshes, particular emphasis has to be put on the discretization of the transmission of forces and the non‐penetration conditions at the contact interface. We enforce the discrete contact constraints by means of a non‐conforming domain decomposition method, which allows for optimal error estimates. Here, we develop an efficient method to assemble the discrete coupling operator by computing the triangulated intersection of opposite element faces in a locally adjusted projection plane but carrying out the required quadrature on the faces directly. Our new element‐based algorithm does not use any boundary parameterizations and is also suitable for isoparametric elements. The emerging non‐linear system is solved by a monotone multigrid method of optimal complexity. Several numerical examples in 3D illustrate the effectiveness of our approach. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adult neural stem cells and their role in brain pathology
Authors: Yadirgi G , Marino S 
Published: November 2008

AbstractStem cells are multipotent cells that can give rise to a differentiated progeny as well as self‐renew. The balanced coordination of these two stem cell fates is essential for embryonic development and tissue homeostasis in the adult. Perturbed stem cell function contributes significantly to a variety of pathological conditions, eg impaired self‐renewal capacity due to cellular senescence contributes to ageing, and degenerative diseases or impaired stem cell differentiation by oncogenic mutations contribute to cancer formation. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms involved in regulating the normal function of neural stem cells in the adult mammalian brain and on the involvement of these cells in brain pathology. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determining the predictive value of Read/OXMIS codes to identify incident acute myocardial infarction in the General Practice Research Database
Authors: Hammad Tarek A. , McAdams Mara A. , Feight Andrea , Iyasu Solomon , Dal Pan Gerald J. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractPurposeTo determine (1) the positive predictive value (PPV) of multiple Read/OXMIS codes to identify incident acute myocardial infarction (AMI) cases in General Practice Research Database (GPRD); (2) the ability to capture the correct timing of the clinical event.MethodsA random sample of 238 records (from 155 general practitioner (GP) practices) with AMI codes, between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2004, was selected from GPRD. Questionnaires were sent to the GPs to verify the diagnosis and timing of code‐identified incident AMI events and collect supporting information. We calculated the PPV of the AMI codes as the proportion of code‐identified AMIs that the GPs confirmed as AMI cases. Two physicians from Food and Drug administration (FDA), blinded to the GP response, reviewed the supporting hospital records returned by GPs for 98 AMI cases.ResultsA total of 217 questionnaires were completed (91% response rate). The PPV of the AMI codes was 93% (201/217). Thirty one (15%) cases had a different event date than the one recorded in the electronic medical records (EMR); 28 (90%) of the dates were within 15 days. One GP indicated that a patient had a previous AMI, 110 days before the codes that captured the AMI diagnosis. A total of 159 (79%) AMI cases were hospitalized; hospital records were provided for 98 patients. Physician review of the hospital records found that 96% of these records had enough information for classification, but not independent diagnosis, of AMI.ConclusionsInformation in GPRD is sufficient to identify incident AMI cases and determine the event date with reasonable accuracy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reactivity of C4‐indolyl substituted 1,4‐dihydropyridines toward superoxide anion (O2•) in dimethylsulfoxide
Authors: Salazar Ricardo , Navarrete‐Encina P. A. , Squella J. A. , Camargo C. , Núñez‐Vergara Luis J. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractReactivity of two new C4‐indolyl substituted 1,4‐dihydropyridines (1,4‐DHPs) toward superoxide anion (O2•) in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) is reported. Reactivity was followed by electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used to identify the final products of the reaction. C4 indolyl‐substituted‐1,4‐DHPs reacted toward O2•at significant rates, according to the calculated kinetic rate constants. Results are compared with 4‐phenyl‐DHP and the commercial 1,4‐DHPs, nimodipine, nisoldipine, and amlodipine. Indolyl‐substituted 1,4‐DHPs were more reactive than the commercial derivatives. The direct participation of proton of the 1‐position of the secondary amine in the quenching of O2•was demonstrated. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Erratum: Combining p‐values in large‐scale genomics experiments. DOI: 10.1002/pst.304. Pharmaceut. Statist. 2007; 6: 217–226
Authors: Zaykin Dmitri , Zhivotovsky Lev , Czika Wendy , Shao Susan , Wolfinger Russell 
Published: November 2008

AbstractIn this article, Śidák values in Table 1 and Figure 2 were reported incorrectly. In Table 1, the first column of the results (Śidák) should read as 0.738, 0.335, 0.529, 0.178, 0.327, 0.138, 0.203, 0.290. Consequently, the value in bold should be 0.879, under ‘RTP (10)’. In Figure 2, the first point (at K=1, which corresponds to Śidák) in both graphs is incorrect: power at K=1 in graph (a) should be at 0.199; expected–log(p‐value) at K=1 in graph (b) should be at 1.949.The only affected sentence in the manuscript text is in Appendix 2: ‘Interestingly, there is no monotonicity in going from K=1 (Śidák correction) to K=2,3, etc.’ (there is in fact monotonicity).Incorrect values do not affect any other discussion or conclusions of the paper.
Optimization of automated gas sample collection and isotope ratio mass spectrometric analysis of δ13C of CO2 in air
Authors: Zeeman Matthias J. , Werner Roland A. , Eugster Werner , Siegwolf Rolf T. W. , Wehrle Günther , Mohn Joachim , Buchmann Nina 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe application of 13C/12C in ecosystem‐scale tracer models for CO2 in air requires accurate measurements of the mixing ratios and stable isotope ratios of CO2. To increase measurement reliability and data intercomparability, as well as to shorten analysis times, we have improved an existing field sampling setup with portable air sampling units and developed a laboratory setup for the analysis of the δ13C of CO2 in air by isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). The changes consist of (a) optimization of sample and standard gas flow paths, (b) additional software configuration, and (c) automation of liquid nitrogen refilling for the cryogenic trap. We achieved a precision better than 0.1‰ and an accuracy of 0.11 ± 0.04‰ for the measurement of δ13C of CO2 in air and unattended operation of measurement sequences up to 12 h. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surface analysis on discharged MnO2 cathode using XPS and SIMS techniques
Authors: Minakshi Manickam , Thurgate Stephen 
Published: November 2008

AbstractManganese dioxide (MnO2) appears to be an effective cathode material for a battery system. No studies on lithium insertion in aqueous media are known to the best of our knowledge. However, in one of our previous papers we reported that lithium could be intercalated into a MnO2 host compound using an aqueous LiOH electrolyte; however simple chemistry suggests that it should not. It is found that a battery with LiOH electrolyte functions quite differently from the cell that uses Li2SO4. This paper describes the surface modifications that accompany the electrochemical behavior of MnO2 during redox (discharge) processes in the lithium hydroxide and sulfate media. XPS and SIMS techniques were used to study the resultant surface of the MnO2 cathode and the spectra reveal that the formation of an insoluble layer of Li2CO3 precedes the process of reduction. SEM was used to study the microstructure of the MnO2 cathode. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The biochemistry, metabolism and inherited defects of the pentose phosphate pathway: A review
Authors: Wamelink M. M. C. , Struys E. A. , Jakobs C. 
Published: November 2008

SummaryThe recent discovery of two defects (ribose‐5‐phosphate isomerase deficiency and transaldolase deficiency) in the reversible part of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) has stimulated interest in this pathway. In this review we describe the functions of the PPP, its relation to other pathways of carbohydrate metabolism and an overview of the metabolic defects in the reversible part of the PPP.
First documentation of the Ordovician Guttenberg δ13C excursion (GICE) in Asia: chemostratigraphy of the Pagoda and Yanwashan formations in southeastern China
Authors: BERGSTRÖM STIG M. , XU CHEN , SCHMITZ BIRGER , YOUNG SETH , JIA-YU RONG , SALTZMAN MATTHEW R. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe only published δ13C data from the Ordovician of China are from the Lower and Upper Ordovician, and only the latter records include a significant excursion, namely the Hirnantian excursion (HICE). Our recent chemostratigraphic work on the Upper Ordovician (Sandbian–Katian) Pagoda and Yanwashan formations at several localities on the Yangtze Platform and Chiangnan (Jiangnan) slope belt has resulted in the recognition of a positive δ13C excursion that has values of ~+1.5‰ above baseline values. This excursion starts a few metres above a stratigraphic interval withB. alobatusSubzone conodonts as well as graptolites of theN. gracilisZone. The distinctive conodontsAmorphognathusaff.Am. ventilatusandHamarodus europaeusfirst occur at, or very near, the excursion interval. Because these conodonts appear in the stratigraphic interval of the Guttenberg δ13C excursion (GICE) in Estonia, we identify the Chinese excursion as the GICE. This is the first record of the GICE in the entire Asian continent. It confirms that GICE is a global excursion and provides an illustration of how δ13C chemostratigraphy, combined with new biostratigraphic data, solves the problem of the previously controversial age of the Pagoda Formation and how this classical stratigraphic unit correlates with the Baltoscandian and North American successions.
Coercion, voluntary compliance and protest: the role of trust and legitimacy in combating local opposition to protected areas
Authors: STERN MARC J. 
Published: November 2008

SUMMARYProtected areas (PAs) have long struggled to successfully enforce compliance with their regulations. Even some of the best-funded PAs in the world face shortcomings in using enforcement as an effective deterrent to PA opposition. This suggests that traditional enforcement on its own may be insufficient for effective resource protection. Research was undertaken to understand why some would-be offenders refrain from harmful actions toward neighbouring national parks while others do not. Perceptions of the trustworthiness of PA managers were the most consistent predictors of exercised restraint on behalf of those living within the immediate vicinities of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Virgin Islands National Park and Podocarpus National Park. These trust assessments were most commonly based upon respondents' perceptions of positive personal interactions between PA managers and the public, of PA managers' receptiveness to local input, of the benefits and disadvantages associated with PA presence, and of PA officials' effective performance of their duties and equitable treatment of different groups. The study reveals trust and legitimacy as key factors related to voluntary compliance in situations where general agreement with PA regulations does not necessarily exist and provides insight into how trust and legitimacy can be developed or eroded.
The impact of hunting with dogs on wildlife harvests in the Bosawas Reserve, Nicaragua
Authors: KOSTER JEREMY 
Published: November 2008

SUMMARYAlthough they are used throughout the Neotropics, the impact of dogs on the composition of wildlife harvests has received little systematic attention. In the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve of Nicaragua, indigenous hunters rely heavily on dogs to locate prey. Hunting harvest data over a year-long period in two indigenous Mayangna and Miskito communities indicate that the use of hunting dogs is significantly associated with the harvests of several terrestrial mammalian species. The use of dogs is also a significant predictor of the extent to which the species composition of harvests deviates from Neotropical averages. Although dogs appear to have little effect on the sex profiles of harvested game species, the use of dogs is significantly associated with hunting in agricultural landscapes. From a conservation perspective, the disadvantages of dogs include their indiscriminate pursuit of prey species, including species that hunters would not otherwise pursue. Advantages of dogs include their relative ineffectiveness in pursuits of species that are particularly vulnerable to overhunting, such as primates and white-lipped peccaries (Tayassu pecari). Hunting dogs may be an economical option for many Neotropical societies, and their role in wildlife management plans merits increased attention from conservationists.
A sociotonetic analysis of Sui dialect contact
Authors: Stanford James N. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractSui clan exogamy can serve as a laboratory for investigation of dialect contact and immigration. The Sui people, an indigenous minority of southwest China, have marriage customs requiring that a wife and husband have different clan origins, and the wife permanently immigrates to the husband's village at the time of marriage. Due to subtle interclan dialect variation, a married woman may have different dialect features than her husband and other local villagers. This study presents an acoustic analysis of such clan-level variation in lexical tone, asociotoneticanalysis. Results show that the immigrant women maintain the tone variants of their home clan dialects to a high degree despite spending a decade or more in the husband's village, thus illustrating a case where linguistic identity is maintained in the face of close, long-term contact.
Stereotypes, variation and change: Understanding the change of coronal sonorants in a rural variety of Modern Greek
Authors: Pappas Panayiotis A. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe results of a study of the variation between the palatal and alveolar pronunciation of the coronal sonorants /l/ and /n/ in a rural Greek community are presented. The study integrates the methodologies of both large surveys and ethnographic studies and shows that there is change in progress as younger speakers adopt the alveolar pronunciation through contact with urban varieties. The results of the statistical analysis indicate that the variation is determined by factors such as gender, education, attitude toward the local community, and awareness of the variation. The responses given in the interviews reveal that the palatal pronunciation is stigmatized asvlachika, a term that connotes rural rather than urban, uneducated rather than educated, and naive rather than sophisticated attributes. This information coupled with a closer look at the behavior of particular individuals helps elucidate aspects of the pattern of variation that at first appear to be counterintuitive.
Antimicrobial resistance in companion animals
Authors: Scott Weese J. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an emerging problem in companion animals, because of difficult-to-treat infections, possible pressure to use antimicrobials that are important in human medicine, and potential zoonotic transmission. The extent and importance of AMR in companion animals are poorly understood, in part because of limited surveillance; however, it is clear that resistance is problematic in many pathogens and commensals, including staphylococci, enterococci,Escherichia coliandSalmonella.
Antimicrobial peptides and bacteriocins: alternatives to traditional antibiotics
Authors: Sang Yongming , Blecha Frank 
Published: November 2008

AbstractAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are ubiquitous, gene-encoded natural antibiotics that have gained recent attention in the search for new antimicrobials to combat infectious disease. In multicellular organisms, AMPs, such as defensins and cathelicidins, provide a coordinated protective response against infection and are a principal component of innate immunity in vertebrates. In unicellular organisms, AMPs, such as bacteriocins, function to suppress competitor species. Because many AMPs kill bacteria by disruption of membrane integrity and are thus thought to be less likely to induce resistance, AMPs are being extensively evaluated as novel antimicrobial drugs. This review summarizes and discusses the antibiotic properties of AMPs highlighting their potential as alternatives to conventional antibiotics.
A purification method for improving the process yield and quality of recombinant human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor expressed in Escherichia coli and its characterization
Authors: Rao Dasari Venkata Krishna , Narasu Mangamoori Lakshmi , Rao Adibhatla Kali Satya Bhujanga 
Published: November 2008

A purification method employing a process‐control strategy was developed for improving the yield of rhG‐CSF (recombinant human granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor). A purity of ≥99% with an overall yield of 2.18 g/l was achieved in the present study. Analysis of the product during purification indicated that detergents removed 72% of LPS (lipopolysaccharides) and 98% of HCPs (host cell proteins) without removing nucleic acid. Cysteine concentration was a key parameter in protein refolding. The bed height and HETP (height equivalent theoretical plates) value in the SEC (size‐exclusion chromatography) column was evaluated and its impact on the resolution was studied. Formulation during SEC was found to be crucial for increasing the product yields with saving of time and process costs. The yield obtained in the present study is nearly four times higher than that reported in the literature. The product obtained was found to be acceptable for toxicological studies.
Oxysterol activation of phosphatidylcholine synthesis involves CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase α translocation to the nuclear envelope
Authors: Gehrig Karsten , Lagace Thomas A. , Ridgway Neale D. 
Published: November 2008

In addition to suppressing cholesterol synthesis and uptake, oxysterols also activate glycerophospholipid and SM (sphingomyelin) synthesis, possibly to buffer cells from excess sterol accumulation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of oxysterols on the CDP-choline pathway for PtdCho (phosphatidylcholine) synthesis using wild-type and sterol-resistant CHO (Chinese-hamster ovary) cells expressing a mutant of SCAP [SREBP (sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein) cleavage-activating protein] (CHO-SCAP D443N). [3H]Choline-labelling experiments showed that 25OH (25-hydroxycholesterol), 22OH (22-hydroxycholesterol) and 27OH (27-hydroxycholesterol) increased PtdCho synthesis in CHO cells as a result of CCTα (CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase α) translocation and activation at the NE (nuclear envelope). These oxysterols also activate PtdCho synthesis in J774 macrophages. in vitro, CCTα activity was stimulated 2- to 2.5-fold by liposomes containing 5 mol% 25OH, 22OH or 27OH. Inclusion of up to 5 mol% cholesterol did not further activate CCTα. 25OH activated CCTα in CHO-SCAP D443N cells leading to a transient increase in PtdCho synthesis and accumulation of CDP-choline. CCTα translocation to the NE and intranuclear tubules in CHO-SCAP D443N cells was complete after 1 h exposure to 25OH compared with only partial translocation by 4–6 h in CHO-Mock cells. These enhanced responses in CHO-D443N cells were sterol-dependent since depletion with cyclodextrin or lovastatin resulted in reduced sensitivity to 25OH. However, the lack of effect of cholesterol on in vitro CCT activity indicates an indirect relationship or involvement of other sterols or oxysterol. We conclude that translocation and activation of CCTα at nuclear membranes by side-chain hydroxylated sterols are regulated by the cholesterol status of the cell.
Turkish Stuttering Association: A Model Project to Bring Stuttering Self-help to Turkey
Authors: Louis Kenneth O. St. , Topbaş Seyhun , OÖzdemir R. Sertan 
Published: November 2008

Abstract
A new self-help organization has been established to serve stuttering individuals and their families and/or friends in Turkey and other Turkish-speaking areas of the world. This Turkish Stuttering Association (TKB for “Türkiye Kekemelik Birliği” in Turkish) was inaugurated with a Web site in both Turkish and English. The Web site permits discussions among those who stutter and other interested persons. The next step is to foster face-to-face chapters of the TKB through the Web site and via annual workshops at the Education, Research, and Training Center for Speech and Language Disorders (DILKOM) at Anadolu University in Eskisehir, Turkey.