bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Internal transport properties of macroporous sugar polyacrylate hydrogels: Microsphere diffusion described by phenomenological laws
Authors: Martin Brett D. , Soto Carissa M. , Taitt Chris , Charles Paul T. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractWe have determined the internal transport properties of heterogeneous, macroporous hydrogels based on the regioregular sugar polyacrylate poly(6‐acryloyl‐β‐O‐methyl‐galactopyranoside). This was accomplished by measuring the diffusive flux of variously sized polystyrene microspheres and combining these results with solutions of phenomenological transport laws (the Navier–Stokes equations and Fick's Law with an assumption of first‐order irreversible sphere capture by the gel polymer). This enabled calculation of gel properties such as average pore diameters (ca. 11.76 µm) and the diffusivities of the polystyrene spheres in the gel. These values range from 76% to 83% of that in free solution and correlate closely with the equilibrium solution content of the gel (82.3%). This approach has also enabled calculation of the sphere capture rates (2.4 × 10−3 to 9.6 × 10−5 s−1). These low capture rates indicate that the gel is extremely non‐adhesive towards the spheres, and a linear correlation with sphere form drag area (r2 = 1) was found. The pore sizes of the hydrated gel were observed via DIC light microscopy and the visible effective diameters corresponded very closely to the calculated values (11.66 vs. 11.76 µm). The diffusion/capture of inert spheres in the hydrogel can thus be described in a non‐destructive manner by straightforward application of phenomenological transport laws. This result is significant in that these laws were intended to describe macroscopic ensembles of very large numbers of particles in continuous media, not small numbers (i.e., hundreds) in discontinuous media. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 1241–1249. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Use of Pulsation to Control Polydispersed Particle Flow in a New Type of Pulsed Column
Authors: Brunet L. , Prat L. , Casamatta G. , Carvin P. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractNew internals have been designed and implemented in a semi‐industrial continuous solid‐liquid pulsed column. By coupling these internals with a non‐sinusoidal pulsation, a better control of polydispersed solid particles is achieved. The pulsation is composed of a mixing step during which only the liquid flows through the column and an impulsion step designed to transport the solid phase from stage to stage. Solid and liquid phase behaviors are characterized thanks to residence time distribution measurements. This study demonstrates the strong impact of the pulsation and of the liquid flow rate during the impulsion in reducing particle segregation inside the pilot. The effects of operating parameters on the liquid phase are also investigated and the choice of an operating compromise is discussed to balance the advantages and drawbacks of the process.
Extended producer responsibility and eco‐design changes: perspectives from China
Authors: Yu Jieqiong , Hills Peter , Welford Richard 
Published: October 2007

AbstractThe concept of extended producer responsibility (EPR) has been incorporated into environmental policy by a growing number of governments. Inspired by EPR initiatives of the European Union, China has also enacted similar legislation, known as China RoHS and China WEEE. Despite high expectations, the actual influence of EPR legislation on product design changes remains ambiguous. Based on the findings of 36 questionnaires and in‐depth interviews with China's electrical and electronic (EE) manufacturers, this paper explores the responses of China's EE companies to China RoHS and WEEE and makes comparisons between responses to EPR legislation in the EU and China, building on the previous work of the authors. In order to evaluate the influence of EPR legislation in motivating environmental design changes, drivers and barriers for adopting eco‐design are also investigated. It is found that the impact of EPR regulations in China is low. There is little evidence that EPR has stimulated systematic eco‐design. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
14‐3‐3ϵ Expression is induced during the critical period of thermal control establishment
Authors: Meiri Noam 
Published: October 2007

AbstractSignal‐transduction mechanisms leading to neuronal plasticity involve a series of phosphorylation steps, which lead to transcription and de‐novo protein synthesis. However, it is not clear how the specificity of the signal transduction achieved. Here, we evaluated the role of 14‐3‐3ϵ, a chaperone of phosphorylation and cellular‐localization determination, in thermal control establishment, which represents hypothalamic plasticity, in chicks. As with other sensory mechanisms, there is a critical period in the development of temperature control. Neuroanatomically, body temperature is balanced by the preoptic anterior hypothalamus (PO/AH) and controlled by thermosensitive neurons. Hot or cold exposure during the critical period of temperature control development causes a plastic change in the ratio between hot‐ and cold‐sensitive cells and can modulate temperature tolerance throughout life. It has been found that both mRNA and protein of isoform 14‐3‐3ϵ, but not other 14‐3‐3 isoforms, are induced during hot and cold conditioning in the PO/AH, with a peak at 24 h of conditioning. To determine whether 14‐3‐3ϵ has a general role in neuronal plasticity, we checked its expression after passive avoidance learning in the relevant neuroanatomical areas, i.e. the mesopallium intermediomediale and the striatum mediale. It was established that in these areas its expression was not altered after learning. The present study suggests that the correlative induction of both 14‐3‐3ϵ mRNA and protein many hours after learning is involved in plasticity in the hypothalamus but not in passive avoidance‐related plasticity, which might indicate that specificity in the signal‐transduction mechanism is at least partially mediated by 14‐3‐3. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2008
Electron Transfer and Molecular Recognition in Metallocene‐Containing Dendrimers
Authors: Kaifer Angel E. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractThis manuscript provides a summary of the relatively large body of research on the preparation and characterization of dendrimers containing (1) multiple copies of metallocene residues on their surfaces or (2) a single metallocene residue at their core. Special emphasis is placed on dendrimers functionalized with either ferrocene or cobaltocenium groups, because their reversible electrochemistry makes them particularly attractive to the author's group. Dendrimers containing multiple, peripheral metallocene residues are of interest to develop multivalent interactions with suitable receptors or receptor assemblies. With dendrimers containing a single metallocene at their cores, the key questions relate to the effects of the dendritic mass on their properties and degree of encapsulation or site isolation. We focused our work on the electrochemical properties of these dendrimers as well as on their use as guests in molecular recognition processes with freely diffusing hosts.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Lyn tyrosine kinase is required for P2X4 receptor upregulation and neuropathic pain after peripheral nerve injury
Authors: Tsuda Makoto , Tozaki‐Saitoh Hidetoshi , Masuda Takahiro , Toyomitsu Emika , Tezuka Tohru , Yamamoto Tadashi , Inoue Kazuhide 
Published: October 2007

AbstractNeuropathic pain, a debilitating chronic pain following nerve damage, is a reflection of the aberrant functioning of a pathologically altered nervous system. One hallmark is abnormal pain hypersensitivity to innocuous stimuli (tactile allodynia), for which effective therapy is lacking, and the underlying mechanisms of which remain to be determined. Here we show that Lyn, a member of the Src family kinases (SFKs), plays an important role in the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Nerve injury, but not peripheral inflammation, increased immunoreactivity for active SFKs that were autophosphorylated in the kinase domain (phospho‐SFK‐IR) in spinal microglia. In spinally derived microglial cells, we identified Lyn as the predominant SFK among the five members (Src, Fyn, Yes, Lck, and Lyn) known to be expressed in the CNS. Lyn expression in the spinal cord was highly restricted to microglia, and its level was increased after nerve injury. We found that mice lacking lyn (lyn−/−) exhibit a striking reduction in the levels of phospho‐SFK‐IR and tactile allodynia after nerve injury, without any change in basal mechanical sensitivity or inflammatory pain. Importantly, lyn−/− mice displayed impaired upregulation of the ionotropic ATP receptor subtype P2X4 receptors (P2X4R) in the spinal cord after nerve injury, which is crucial for tactile allodynia. Microglial cells from lyn−/− mice showed a deficit in their ability to increase P2X4R expression in response to fibronectin, a factor implicated as a microglial P2X4R upregulator in allodynia. Together, our findings suggest that Lyn may be a critical kinase mediating nerve injury‐induced P2X4R upregulation and neuropathic pain. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Outcomes of community‐based social service interventions in homebound elders
Authors: Charlson Mary E. , Peterson Janey C. , Syat Beth L. , Briggs William M. , Kline Robin , Dodd Mary , Murad Velda , Dionne William 
Published: October 2007

AbstractObjectiveTo document within‐client change in function and quality of life over 6 months, and determine whether social service interventions, comorbidity, depressive symptoms, social support and stress are predictors of within‐patient change.MethodAssess homebound elderly referred for social services on depressive symptoms measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), comorbidity with the Charlson Index, and stress and support with the Duke instrument. Function was measured by the Functional Autonomy Scale (FAS), measuring Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Independent Activities of Daily Living (IADL), mobility, communication and mental function. The SF‐36 measured quality of life.ResultsAmong 56 new homebound clients with an average age of 82, 33% had depressive symptoms at baseline (>7 on the GDS). At baseline clients were at or below 25th percentile for five of eight domains of the SF‐36, and mental and physical summary scores. Further at baseline, 90% had difficulties with mobility and IADLs; 61% had ADL limitations. At 6‐month follow‐up overall, 26% had depressive symptoms at follow‐up. Greater comorbidity was associated with more depressive symptoms at both baseline and follow‐up. By 6 months, 18% had deteriorated on the FAS, while 11% improved. More clients had changes in quality of life; regarding the physical component score, 13% had important deterioration, while 63% improved. Similarly, 33% declined on the mental component while 27% improved.ConclusionAmong newly homebound elders, those with significant depressive symptoms are more likely to experience deterioration in function and quality of life over 6 months. However, those with more support showed significant improvement in the SF‐36 mental component scale at 6 months. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Common neural systems for contact heat and laser pain stimulation reveal higher‐level pain processing
Authors: Helmchen Christoph , Mohr Christian , Roehl Meike , Bingel U. , Lorenz Juergen , Büchel Christian 
Published: October 2007

AbstractOur current knowledge of pain‐related neuronal responses is largely based on experimental pain studies using contact heat or nontactile laser painful stimulation. Both stimuli evoke pain, yet they differ considerably in their physical and perceptual properties. In sensory cortex, cerebral responses to either stimulus should therefore substantially differ. However, given that both stimuli evoke pain, we hypothesized that at a certain subset of cortical regions the different physical properties of the stimuli become less important and are therefore activated by both stimuli. In contrast, regions with clearly dissociable activity may belong to “lower‐level” pain processing mechanisms depending on the physical properties of the administered stimuli. We used functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) to intraindividually compare pain‐related activation patterns between laser and contact heat stimulation using four different intensities of laser and contact heat stimuli. Common and dissociable neural responses were identified by correlating perceived pain intensities with blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal changes. Only neuronal responses to stimuli that were perceived as painful were analyzed. Pain‐related BOLD signal increases independent of stimulus modality were detected in the anterior insula, anterior cingulate cortex, medial secondary somatosensory cortex, and the prefrontal cortex. These similarities are likely to reflect higher‐level pain processing, which is largely independent of the single physical parameters that determine the painful nature of the stimuli. Hum Brain Mapp 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Serotonergic functioning and trait‐impulsivity in attention‐deficit/hyperactivity‐disordered boys (ADHD): influence of rapid tryptophan depletion
Authors: Zepf Florian Daniel , Stadler Christina , Demisch Lothar , Schmitt Marcus , Landgraf Meike , Poustka Fritz 
Published: October 2007

AbstractObjectiveThe present study investigated the effects of rapid tryptophan depletion (RTD) and the ensuing reduction of central nervous levels of serotonin (5‐HT) on reactive aggression with respect to personality factors comprising aspects of trait‐impulsivity and ‐aggression in boys with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity‐disorder (ADHD).MethodsTwenty‐two male adolescent patients with ADHD received the RTD test on one day, and, on another day a tryptophan balanced placebo in a double‐blind within‐subject crossover design. Impulsive personality factors and trait‐impulsivity were assessed in advance of the study. Aggression was provoked using a competitive reaction time game 270 min after RTD/placebo intake.ResultsRTD had a significant effect on increased aggressive behaviour with which low‐grade impulsive patients responded. High‐grade impulsive patients were not affected by RTD or even responded with increased aggressive behaviour while receiving placebo treatment.ConclusionsThe present study supports the hypothesis that 5‐HT functioning in ADHD patients influences reactive aggression depending on aspects of trait‐impulsivity. Future studies are necessary in order to detect the specific influence of ADHD as regards the relevance to 5‐HT‐induced changed aggressive responding. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Total variation diminishing schemes for pollutant transport in porous media
Authors: Zouhri Lahcen , Smaoui Hassan , Carlier Erick 
Published: October 2007

AbstractA bidimensional numerical model has been used in order to simulate the contaminant transport in the coastal groundwater area (Atlantic margin of the Rharb basin, Morocco). This groundwater is materialized by means of the salt contamination derived from several factors: evapotranspiration, lithological series formations, marine intrusion, and processes of interaction between water and rocks. In order to reduce the numerical diffusion and limit the numerical dispersion, we use the Superbee flux limiter as a total variation diminishing scheme to discretize the convective operator. This kind of discretization was applied to the coastal groundwater of the Rharb basin (Morocco). The results show that the Superbee flux limiter is efficient at drawing the path of the contaminant front with high accuracy. Consequently, this scheme could constitute an approach in water management and allows one to prevent the risks of pollution and to manage the groundwater resource from a durable development perspective. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The water balance of an Amazonian micro‐catchment: the effect of interannual variability of rainfall on hydrological behaviour
Authors: Tomasella Javier , Hodnett Martin G. , Cuartas Luz Adriana , Nobre Antonio D. , Waterloo Maarten J. , Oliveira Sylvia M. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractIn humid tropical systems, the large intraseasonal and interannual variability of rainfall can significantly affect all components of the water balance. This variability and the lack of detailed hydrological and meteorological data in both temporal and spatial scales have created uncertainties regarding the closure of the water balance for the Amazon basin. Previous studies in Amazonian micro‐catchments suggested that both the unsaturated and groundwater system, which are not taken into consideration in basin‐wide water budgets published in the literature, play an important role in controlling the timing of runoff generation.In this paper, the components of the water balance and the variations in different storages within the system were examined using 3 years' data from a 6·58 km2 micro‐catchment in central Amazonia. The role and relative importance of the various stores were examined. The results show a strong memory effect in the groundwater system that carries over seasonal climate anomalies from one year to the next and affects the hydrological response well beyond the time span of the anomaly. In addition, the deep unsaturated zone was found to play a key role in reducing most of the intraseasonal variability and also affected the groundwater recharge. This memory effect is crucial for sustaining streamflow and evaporation in years with rainfall deficiency. The memory effect caused by storage in the groundwater and unsaturated systems may also prevent the closure of annual large‐scale water balances, which assume that storage returns to a standard state each year. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modeling the hERG potassium channel in a phospholipid bilayer: Molecular dynamics and drug docking studies
Authors: Masetti Matteo , Cavalli Andrea , Recanatini Maurizio 
Published: October 2007

AbstractThe hERG potassium channel has recently been a matter of extensive studies both at experimental and computational levels, because of its possible involvement in the potentially lethal drug‐induced long QT syndrome. In this context, in the absence of an experimentally determined 3D structure, to acquire a detailed description of the channel pore and an understanding of atomic determinants for drug binding is of enormous interest at both academic and industrial levels. To contribute to this aim, we first built the open and closed states of the channel by homology modeling techniques, and then submitted both channel models to ns‐time‐scale MD simulations in explicit membrane. An in‐depth analysis of the dynamical behavior of the channel pore with particular attention to the cavity volume was carried out. Finally, using hERG conformations coming from MD simulations, docking experiments were performed to identify a possible binding mode for the most potent hERG channel blocker so far known, the antihistaminic drug astemizole. We show that the combined use of MD and docking is suitable to identify a possible binding mode of drugs in a fairly good agreement with experiments. Moreover, the exploitation of MD snapshots in the docking experiments allowed us to capture some induced‐fit effects related to the side chain conformations of Tyr652 and Phe656, which are residues playing a pivotal role in the hERG drug binding. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2008
Sonographically guided fine needle aspiration of thyroid nodule: Discrepancies between cytologic and histopathologic findings
Authors: Lee Young Hen , Lee Nam Joon , Kim Jung Hyuk , Suh Sang‐il , Kim Taik‐Kun , Song Jae Jun 
Published: October 2007

AbstractPurposeTo analyze the discrepancies between the cytologic results of sonographically (US)‐guided fine needle aspiration (FNA) of thyroid nodules and final histopathologic results and to discuss the limitations of US‐guided FNA.Materials and MethodsThe results of US‐guided FNAs performed by a single experienced radiologist in 315 thyroid nodules in 292 patients (246 women, 46 men aged 12–79 years) were retrospectively correlated with their surgical pathologic results. The FNA results were classified as nondiagnostic, indeterminate, negative, or positive, whereas final pathologic diagnoses were classified as malignant or benign.ResultsThe FNA results were nondiagnostic in 31 cases (9.8%), indeterminate in 97 cases (30.8%), and determinate in 187 cases (59.4%). Of the 187 conclusive cases, 169 (90.4%) were concordant with the final pathologic results, whereas 18 (9.6%) were discordant with 14 false‐positive and 4 false‐negative results. These discrepancies were caused by atypical nuclear features. Among the 97 indeterminate and 31 nondiagnostic cases, a malignancy was found in 14 (14.4%) and 8 (25.8%) cases, respectively. In addition, 10 papillary carcinomas, which were not visualized on sonograms, were detected incidentally in thyroidectomy specimens.ConclusionThe diagnostic accuracy of US‐guided FNA of thyroid nodule has limitations that should be minimized by careful interpretation of the cytologic findings and accurate sampling. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008
Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition of Poly(furfuryl methacrylate)
Authors: Chen Guohua , Gupta Malancha , Chan Kelvin , Gleason Karen K. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractFuran ring‐functionalized solid surfaces are achieved by the initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) method, a solvent‐free process to form films under mild conditions. The polymerization of furfuryl methacrylate monomer is initiated by a resistively heated filament wire. The functionality of the furan group in the iCVD film enabled Diels–Alder chemistry with 4‐phenyl‐1,2,3‐triazolin‐3,5‐dione (N‐PTD).magnified image
Energy substrates in bovine oviduct and uterine fluid and blood plasma during the oestrous cycle
Authors: Hugentobler S.A. , Humpherson P.G. , Leese H.J. , Sreenan J.M. , Morris D.G. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractUp to 40 percent of cattle embryos die within 3 weeks of fertilization but there is little or no published information on the composition of the oviduct and uterine fluids essential for their survival during this time. We have measured the concentrations of the energy substrates, glucose, lactate, and pyruvate in cattle oviduct fluid on Days 0, 2, 4, and 6 and uterine fluid on Days 6, 8, and 14 of the oestrous cycle and corresponding blood samples. Oviduct and uterine fluids were collected in situ. Glucose concentrations in oviduct and uterine fluids were similar on all days and lower than in plasma (P < 0.05). Oviduct lactate concentration was up to eightfold higher than uterine or plasma concentration (P < 0.01). Oviduct pyruvate concentrations were similar on all days and lower than plasma concentrations on Days 0 and 2 (P < 0.005). Pyruvate concentrations were similar in the uterus and in plasma except on Day 14 when the concentration in plasma was higher (P < 0.05). There were no associations between systemic progesterone or oestradiol and glucose, lactate or pyruvate. There was a linear positive relationship (P < 0.001) between oviduct fluid secretion rate and oviduct glucose concentration and a linear negative relationship (P < 0.001) between oviduct fluid secretion rate and oviduct lactate, but no association between uterine fluid secretion rate and energy substrates. The different concentrations and associations between the energy substrates in oviduct and uterine fluids and blood plasma indicate a differential regulation of the secretion of these energy substrates by the oviduct and uterine epithelium. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 496–503, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.