bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Production of Lactic Acid from Barley: Strain Selection, Phenotypic and Medium Optimization
Authors: Venus J. , Richter K. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractOriginally, lactic acid was produced from pure starch or from glucose. Increasingly, however, agricultural feedstocks such as grains and green biomass are also being used as raw materials for the production of microbial lactic acid. A high productivity lactic acid bacterium strain was selected, process parameters were optimized for the batch fermentation on a laboratory scale, and its lactate productivity for cultivation on a barley hydrolyzate medium was examined. The parameter optimization showed that the strain Lactobacillus paracasei 168 can achieve a maximum productivity of 11.8 g/(L h), in batch cultivation on a nutrient enriched MRS medium, at a temperature of 39 °C and a pH value of 6.3. However, this parameter optimum does not correspond to the parameter optimum of lactate yield (96.8 %, T = 30 °C, pH 5.75). In order to define working points for the large‐scale production of lactic acid, parameter combinations which guarantee high values of both lactate productivities (≥ 8 g/(L h)) and lactate yields (≥ 92 %) in a short process duration (≤ 35 h) were predicted by means of three‐dimensional model equations. As a consequence, productivities of 8 g/(L h)–11 g/(L h) with lactate yields of 93–95 % can be achieved with the strain L. paracasei 168. Cultivation on MRS barley hydrolyzate medium resulted in production data with about the same range of values as those obtained with the MRS medium. Under these conditions, this strain accumulated more than 100 g of lactate/L in the medium. Medium optimization experiments showed that the main components of the nitrogen containing nutrients in the MRS medium (peptone and yeast extract) can be replaced by protein extracts from green biomass (lucerne green juice). This positive result for the utilization of different renewable resources in lactic acid fermentation has to be confirmed and optimized for the continuous mode and pilot scale, respectively.
Antimicrobial Evaluation of Endophytic Fungi Inhabiting Medicinal Plants of the Western Ghats of India
Authors: Raviraja N. S. , Maria G. L. , Sridhar K. R. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractAltogether fifteen species of endophytic fungi were recovered from surface sterilized leaf, stem and bark samples collected from eight medicinal plant species sampled in three different locations of the Western Ghats of India. Ethyl acetate extracts of fermentation cultures of these fungi were tested for the production of antimicrobial compounds using a panel of four bacterial strains and Candida albicans. From fifteen species, eight species of endophytes revealed the production of antimicrobial compounds. Partially purified extracts from solid state fermentation of Alternaria sp., Nigrospora oryzae and Papulospora sp. showed inhibitory activity against both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. In addition, extracts of Alternaria sp., inhibited the growth of Candida albicans. Extracts of Alternaria sp., Nigrospora oryzae and Papulospora sp. are promising enough to deserve further purification and characterization.
Systems Biology Approaches to Bioprocess Development
Authors: Deckwer W.‐D. , Jahn D. , Hempel D. , Zeng A.‐P. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractBioinformatic tools can be applied to reconstruct the potential metabolic network of a microorganism from the genome alone. Networks are the rational basis of systems biology. For a systems biology focusing on processes and products, it is a must to functionalize the potential networks. This particularly requires that the phenotype which yields optimal processes and productivities be found out. The functionality of the gene regulatory and the metabolic networks as well can be achieved by the ‘omics' methods. As the functionality depends on the environome, it is essential to apply these techniques coordinatively and possibly simultaneously. Presently, the fluxome (flux distribution of the central metabolic pathways), which has to be determined under variation of genetic properties (metabolic engineering) as well as alterations of the environment, is of particular interest. A process‐oriented systems biology offers manifold tasks for the biochemical engineer, which can only be solved in close cooperation with molecular biologists and bioinformaticians. Among others, engineering is not only responsible for developing defined and reproducible cultivation strategies in highly instrumented bioreactors but also for reliably determining kinetic relationships in dependence on genomic and environmental properties and efficiently performing network simulations. The recognition of influences of engineering parameters on network functionality is only at the beginning.
A general approximate‐state Riemann solver for hyperbolic systems of conservation laws with source terms
Authors: Lhomme Julien , Guinot Vincent 
Published: September 2006

AbstractAn approximate‐state Riemann solver for the solution of hyperbolic systems of conservation laws with source terms is proposed. The formulation is developed under the assumption that the solution is made of rarefaction waves. The solution is determined using the Riemann invariants expressed as functions of the components of the flux vector. This allows the flux vector to be computed directly at the interfaces between the computational cells. The contribution of the source term is taken into account in the governing equations for the Riemann invariants. An application to the water hammer equations and the shallow water equations shows that an appropriate expression of the pressure force at the interface allows the balance with the source terms to be preserved, thus ensuring consistency with the equations to be solved as well as a correct computation of steady‐state flow configurations. Owing to the particular structure of the variable and flux vectors, the expressions of the fluxes are shown to coincide partly with those given by the HLL/HLLC solver. Computational examples show that the approximate‐state solver yields more accurate solutions than the HLL solver in the presence of discontinuous solutions and arbitrary geometries. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Anion channels in astrocytes: Biophysics, pharmacology, and function
Authors: Kimelberg Harold K. , MacVicar Brian A. , Sontheimer Harald 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe chloride/anion channels that have been so far identified in cultured astrocytes and those that have been confirmed in situ by a combination of mRNA identification, immunocytochemistry, and biophysical studies are reviewed. It is emphasized that we are just beginning to describe such channels and analyze their functions in astrocytes. The best‐studied anion channels studied so far are those known as volume‐regulated anion channels (VRACs). These, as for most channels, have been mainly studied in cultured astrocytes, but some correlative studies have been done in situ, because these channels have been emphasized as release routes for transmitters; namely, excitatory amino acids and ATP. They are activated by cell shape changes and cell swelling, and the release of amino acids and ATP and chloride currents, measured by whole cell clamping, by these processes has been well described, as is also their activation by low concentrations of extracellular ATP. However, the identity of these channels in astrocytes, as in all other cells, remains elusive. The potential involvement of VRACs in pathological states such as stroke, metastasis, and spreading depression is also discussed. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, melphalan and prednisone therapy for elderly patients with multiple myeloma
Authors: García‐Sanz R , Hernández JM , Sureda A , García‐Laraña J , Prósper F , Alegre A , Bárez A , Mateos MV , San Miguel JF 
Published: September 2006

AbstractMelphalan & Prednisone (MP) is considered as the standard therapy for Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients not eligible for high‐dose therapy. Here, we report the results of a phase I–II study to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the association of PLD to the conventional MP regimen during the first six cycles of the front‐line therapy for untreated MM patients older than 70. Thirty patients were included in the study with a median age of 77 years (71–84) and a M/F ratio of 17/13. The phase I of the study demonstrated that the maximum tolerable dose of PLD in this setting was 30 mg/m2, so it was the final dose evaluated in the study. Twenty‐nine patients were valuable for response, which was: complete in 4 (14%) partial in 15 (52%) minor/no changes in 7 (24%) and progressive in 3 (10%). The median progression free survival (PFS) was 24 months. The median overall survival (OS) has not been reached yet, with a 3‐year probability for OS and PFS of 52 and 37%, respectively. Haematological toxicity was frequent but usually weak/moderate (grades 1 & 2 of the WHO scale) and it was resolved only with dose delays. Infection was a relatively frequent event (30% of patients), but only in 4 cases it was of grade 3. No cases of palmar‐plantar erythrodysesthesia were observed. In conclusion, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin can be safely added to the other chemotherapeutic drugs in the treatment of elderly MM patients, which can be very useful for patients in whom novel agents are not tolerated or inefficient. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
cdk5 modulates β‐ and δ‐catenin/Pin1 interactions in neuronal cells
Authors: Muñoz Juan P. , Huichalaf Claudia H. , Orellana Daniel , Maccioni Ricardo B. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe cdk5/p35 complex has been implicated in a variety of functions related to brain development, including axonal outgrown and neuronal migration. In this study, by co‐immunoprecipitation and pull‐down experiments, we have shown that the cdk5/p35 complex associates with and phosphorylates the neuronal δ‐catenin. Immunocytochemical studies of δ‐catenin and the cdk5‐activator p35 in primary cortical neurons indicated that these proteins co‐localize in the cell body of neuronal cells. In addition, cdk5 co‐localized with β‐catenin in the cell–cell contacts and plasma membrane of undifferentiated and differentiated N2A cells. In this context, we identified Ser191 and Ser246 on β‐catenin structure as specific phosphorylation sites for cdk5/p35 complex. Moreover, Pin1, a peptidyl–prolyl isomerase (PPIase) directly bound to both, β‐ and δ‐catenin, once they have been phosphorylated by the cdk5/p35 complex. Studies indicate that the cdk5/p35 protein kinase system is directly involved in the regulatory mechanisms of neuronal β‐ and δ‐catenin. J. Cell. Biochem. 100: 738–749, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reducing landslide risk in areas of unplanned housing in the Caribbean—a Government‐Community partnership model
Authors: Anderson Malcolm , Holcombe Liz , Williams Donovan 
Published: September 2006

AbstractUnplanned housing developments in vulnerable communities on steep tropical and subtropical hillslopes in many developing countries pose major problems for the residents themselves; for Governments, in terms of potential relocation costs; for engineers in determining the precise nature of the hazard and risk; and for donor agencies, such as the World Bank, in establishing the form of disaster mitigation policies that should be promoted. We present a new low‐cost, community‐based approach to landslide risk reduction in such a context. It is founded on the vision that there is often sufficient capacity within Governments to address such landslide issues without needing to incur significant additional costs by employing non‐Government specialist staff. Such expenditure adds to debt and only suboptimally builds within‐country capacity. The approach we present develops a cross‐ministry Government management team, implements a community‐based approach to landslide risk assessment, develops low‐cost interventions through the social intervention fund and builds capacity through community knowledge transfer. We report on the successful pilot undertaken in the Skate Town community, Castries, St. Lucia, West Indies. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enterotoxigenic Bacillus spp. DNA fingerprint revealed in naturally contaminated nonfat dry milk powder using rep‐PCR
Authors: Cooper Robin M. , McKillip John L. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractDry milk powders and functional ingredients frequently contain high levels of viable bacterial spores, some of which may result in growth of toxigenic Bacillus spp. in reconstituted and temperature‐abused foods. Samples from nonfat dry milk (NFDM), infant milk formula (IMF), coffee creamer, lecithin, and cocoa powder were subjected to a short heat treatment followed by enrichment in tryptone phosphate glucose yeast extract (TPGY) broth at 32 °C for 12–25 hours to obtain cell densities of 106 CFU ml–1. DNA was extracted using a modification of established protocol, leading to the development of an optimized method for each food system. Purified DNA was amplified by rep‐PCR using extragenic sequence‐targeting primers and optimized for each food. PCR fingerprints from each food were analyzed electrophoretically for banding patterns earlier correlated to that of enterotoxigenic Bacillus spp. and Bacillus cereus positive control DNA fingerprints. Reverse passive latex agglutination (RPLA) and Bacillus Diarrhoeal Enterotoxin Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (Tecra Diagnostics) confirmed the presence of HBL and NHE enterotoxin production in NFDM, Coffee creamer, infant milk formula, and two lecithin samples but not in cocoa powder. These results demonstrate the utility of rep‐PCR not only as a tool for bacterial genotyping, but a unique means of quality control and hygiene monitoring in food microbiology. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Use of RNA fingerprinting to identify fungal genes specifically expressed during ectomycorrhizal interaction
Authors: Krause Katrin , Kothe Erika 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe ecosystem soil is characterized by interactions between microorganisms and plants including mycorrhiza – mutualistic interactions between fungi and plant roots. Species of the basidiomycete genus Tricholoma form ectomycorrhiza with tree roots which is characterized by morphological and metabolic changes of both partners, yet molecular mechanisms of the interaction are poorly understood. We performed differential display with arbitrarily primed RT–PCR using ectomycorrhiza between the basidiomycete Tricholoma vaccinum and its compatible host spruce (Picea abies) to isolate mycorrhiza‐specific fungal gene fragments. 76 differentially expressed PCR fragments were verified and checked for plant or fungal origin and expression pattern. Of 20 fungal fragments with mycorrhiza‐specific expression, sequence analyses were performed to identify homologs with known function of the encoded protein. Among the genes identified were orthologs to an aldehyde dehydrogenase, an alcohol dehydrogenase and a protein of the MATE transporter family, all with possible function in plant pathogen response. A phospholipase B, a β‐glucosidase and a binding protein of basic amino acids might play a role in nutrient exchange and growth in planta. A protein similar to inactive E2 compounds of ubiquitin‐conjugating enzymes like CROC‐1 and MMS2, a Ras protein and an APS kinase were placed in signal transduction and two retrotransposons of the Ty3‐gypsy and the Ty1‐copia family are expressed most likely due to stress. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Atmospheric flow indices, regional climate, and Glacier mass balance in the Canadian Rocky mountains
Authors: Shea Joseph M. , Marshall Shawn J. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractGlacier mass balance is governed by cumulative temperature and precipitation patterns in a region, making it a sensitive indicator of climate variability and trends. Many studies have drawn the link between local meteorological conditions and glacier mass balance, but these statistical relationships are difficult to extrapolate to other sites or to apply in sensitivity studies of future climate change. In this paper, we explore the ability to predict regional climate anomalies and glacier mass balance in the Canadian Rockies on the basis of 500‐mb circulation indices derived from the NCEP‐NCAR reanalysis dataset. Daily precipitation amounts and variance‐weighted seasonal temperature and precipitation anomalies at a suite of six long‐term meteorological stations in the Canadian Rockies (1953–2002) demonstrate a coherent dependence on the daily and mean seasonal atmospheric flow indices. The Peyto Glacier, Alberta, Canada offers the best available mass balance time‐series in the Canadian Rockies (1966–2004). Regression models for Peyto Glacier winter, summer, and annual mass balance variability were constructed from (1) Jasper climate anomalies, (2) regional climate anomalies, and (3) atmospheric flow indices. Model performance was examined in terms of the multiple coefficient of determination and of the variables retained in the stepwise regression analysis. Flow indices were the stronger predictors of mass balance. This offers important advantages for mass balance forecasts, because large‐scale circulation patterns are better captured than surface weather in mountain regions, in both reanalysed climatology and model‐generated climate change scenarios. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society.
Systematic errors in the simulation of european climate (1961–2000) with RegCM3 driven by NCEP/NCAR reanalysis
Authors: Bergant Klemen , Belda Michal , Halenka Tomáš 
Published: September 2006

AbstractSystematic errors of a European climate simulation (1961–2000) with RegCM3 were analyzed. Model results were compared to Climate Research Unit (CRU) observations. Average (AveB) and annual cycle biases (CycB) were evaluated for three surface variables: air temperature (TMP), water vapor pressure (VAP), and precipitation (PRE). The model shows a cold AveB over Europe with the exception of the northern part. It also shows a prevailing wet AveB. Annual PRE is underestimated only in regions with high average values, while VAP is overestimated over the entire European continent. The AveB is between − 1.2 °C and + 1.0 °C for TMP, 0.4 mb and 1.4 mb for VAP and − 15% and + 33% for PRC on annual/subcontinental scale. Most of the TMP and VAP CycB is related to the amplitude of annual cycle (CycA). The CycA of the TMP is underestimated over most of Europe. The CycA of the VAP is underestimated in some coastal regions and overestimated over the continental regions. The distinction between coastal and inland regions can also be seen in the CycB of the PRE. In coastal regions, with a PRE maximum in late autumn/early winter and minimum in summer, the CycA is underestimated. In some continental regions, with a precipitation maximum in summer and minimum in late autumn/early winter, the CycA is overestimated. The annual cycle pattern is not captured well by RegCM3 over the Alps and European Russia. Most of systematic errors in the RegCM3 simulation can be related to boundary conditions. Although the bias in NCEP/NCAR reanalysis is reflected in RegCM3 simulation, the RegCM3 enriches large‐scale information with regional details and with the more realistic description of annual cycles, especially for PRE. Because of these advantages and the overall relatively good performance of RegCM3, the model is seen as a valuable tool in regional projections of future climate change. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society
Development of a three‐tier in vitro system, using Caco‐2 cells, to assess the effects of lactate on iron uptake and transport from rye bread following in vitro digestion
Authors: Bering Stine , Bukhave Klaus , Henriksen Marianne , Sandström Brittmarie , Pariagh Sandra , Fairweather‐Tait Susan J. , Lund Elizabeth K. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractA three‐tier Caco‐2 cell system was developed to assess simultaneously iron dialysability, uptake and transport across the Caco‐2 monolayer from an in vitro digested food matrix. The effect of lactate (0–200 mmol L−1) on iron absorption from rye bread subjected to simulated peptic (pH 5.5) and pancreatic digestion (pH 6.5) was investigated to model absorption pre and post the sphincter of Oddi. Lactate increased dialysability (11.8%, P < 0.05) in peptic digests whereas it reduced it in pancreatic digests (4.9%, P < 0.001). Iron uptake from the peptic digests was in the region of 39–76 pmol mg−1 protein whereas it decreased from 281 to 51 pmol mg−1 protein in pancreatic digests. Iron transport was calculated for the peptic digests from [14C]polyethylene glycol movement and only at 200 mmol L−1 lactate was there any detectable transcellular transport (180 pmol mg−1 protein, P < 0.05). Iron absorption was positively correlated to dialysable iron for both digests (R2 = 0.48 and 0.41, respectively, P < 0.01) and the effect of lactate was therefore associated mainly with iron bioaccessibility. The three‐tier system showed the potential to obtain detailed insight into each step involved in iron transport across the monolayer from a food mixture. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Beneficial effects of berry fruit polyphenols on neuronal and behavioral aging
Authors: Lau Francis C , Shukitt‐Hale Barbara , Joseph James A 
Published: September 2006

AbstractIt is becoming increasingly clear that although there is a great deal of research being devoted to elucidating the molecular mechanisms involved in aging, practical information on how to forestall or reverse the deleterious effects of aging may be years away. Therefore, it may be beneficial to determine other methods to improve the quality of life in the aging population. A plethora of epidemiological studies have indicated that individuals who consume a diet containing high amounts of fruits and vegetables may have a reduced incidence of age‐associated diseases such as cardiovascular or neurodegenerative diseases. Research from our laboratory has suggested that supplementation with fruit or vegetable extracts high in antioxidants can decrease the enhanced vulnerability to oxidative stress and inflammation that occurs in aging, and that these reductions are expressed as improvements in behavior. In addition to research indicating the antioxidant or anti‐inflammatory functions of the polyphenolic compounds found in these fruits and vegetables, further studies have suggested that other mechanisms such as cellular signaling may contribute to the beneficial effects of these compounds on aging. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
A microstrip‐fed cavity‐backed circularly polarized horn antenna
Authors: Seong Nak‐Seon , Park Seong‐Ook 
Published: September 2006

AbstractA 20 GHz 2 × 2 subarray radiator of microstrip‐fed cavity‐backed circularly polarized horn is presented. Since horn antennas incorporating waveguide types of circular polarizers have big size of radiator height, microstrip feeding and polarization is proposed and cavity‐backed introduced to improve radiation performance. Two approaches of single and 2 × 2 subarray of horn are compared to be a basic radiation element of an array antenna. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 2454–2456, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21952