bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Local and systemic impacts of pleural oxygen exposure in thoracotomy
Authors: Tsukioka Takuma , Takemura Shigekazu , Minamiyama Yukiko , Nishiyama Noritoshi , Mizuguchi Shinjiro , Okada Shigeru , Suehiro Shigefumi 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe pleural cavity is normally in a state of negative pressure and low oxygen tension. It is exposed to the atmosphere during thoracic surgery. However, no reports of pathophysiological investigation of the effects of pleural oxygen exposure involved in thoracotomy are available. In this study, the effects of pleural oxygen exposure on systemic and pleural inflammation were investigated. Male Wistar rats (9 weeks old) were placed on mechanical ventilation and underwent thoracotomy with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration, which simulates latent inflammatory condition. The pleural cavity was exposed to nitrogen (N2 thoracotomy group), air (20% oxygen, air thoracotomy group), or 100% oxygen (O2 thoracotomy group) under mechanical ventilation for 2 h. Animals were sacrificed 2 h or 8 h after LPS administration, and inflammatory indices (plasma tumor necrosis factor‐α and interleukin‐6, histology) were examined. For examination of inflammatory mediators, pleural effusion was added to cultured RAW264 cells, a murine macrophage cell line, and tumor necrosis factor‐α levels in supernatant were measured. The capacity of pleural superoxide generation was investigated without LPS administration. Results showed increases in plasma interleukin‐6 concentration and lung injury in the air and O2 thoracotomy groups. Pleural oxygen exposure stimulated pleural superoxide generation, and increased pleural 4‐hydroxy–2‐nonenal and lung lipid peroxide concentrations. Tumor necrosis factor‐α levels in cell culture supernatants were increased by the addition of pleural effusion from the air and O2 thoracotomy groups. In conclusion, pleural oxygen exposure induced pleural oxidative injury and aggravated latent systemic inflammatory response.
Coenzyme Q10 effects on manganese superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the hairless mouse skin induced by ultraviolet B irradiation
Authors: Kim Dong‐Woo , Hwang In Koo , Kim Dae Won , Yoo Ki‐Yeon , Won Chung‐Kil , Moon Won‐Kook , Won Moo‐Ho 
Published: December 2008

AbstractCoenzyme Q10 (CoQ10 ) is a naturally occurring antioxidant and a prominent component of mitochondrial electron transport chain. In the present study, we investigated the effect of CoQ10 nanoparticle against photoaging using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis in the hairless mouse skin induced by ultraviolet B (UVB) irradiation (300 mJ/cm2, 3 min/day for 21 days). In the UVB‐irradiated distilled water (DW)‐treated group, manganese superoxide dismutase (SOD2) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) immunoreactivity and their protein levels in the skin were significantly lower than those in the control group. However, SOD2 and GPx immunoreactivity and their protein levels in the skin of the UVB‐irradiated CoQ10 treated group were higher than those in the UVB‐irradiated DW‐treated group. GPx activity in the skin in the UVB‐irradiated DW‐treated group significantly decreased compared to that in the control group; whereas GPx activity in the UVB‐irradiated CoQ10 ‐treated group was similar to that in the control group. These results suggest that CoQ10 strongly inhibits oxidative stress in the skin induced by UVB via increasing SOD2 and GPx.
Enhanced pro‐apoptotic and anti‐adipogenic effects of genistein plus guggulsterone in 3T3‐L1 adipocytes
Authors: Yang Jeong‐Yeh , Della‐Fera Mary Anne , Rayalam Srujana , Ambati Suresh , Baile Clifton A. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractGenistein (G), an isoflavone, and guggulsterone (GS), the active substance in guggulipid, have been reported to possess therapeutic effects for obesity. In the present study, we investigated the effects of combinations of G plus GS on apoptosis and adipogenesis in 3T3‐L1 cells. In mature adipocytes, G and GS individually caused apoptosis, but combination of G plus GS significantly increased apoptosis, more than either compound alone. Furthermore, G plus GS caused a greater increase in procaspase‐3 cleavage, Bax expression, cytochrome c release, and proteolytic cleavage of PARP than either compound alone. In maturing preadipocytes G and GS each suppressed lipid accumulation, but the combination potentiated the inhibition of lipid accumulation. These results suggest that combination of genistein and guggulsterone may exert anti‐obesity effects by inhibiting adipogenesis and inducing apoptosis in adipocytes.
Effects of antioxidant stobadine on protein carbonylation, advanced oxidation protein products and reductive capacity of liver in streptozotocin‐diabetic rats: Role of oxidative/nitrosative stress
Authors: Cumaoǧlu Ahmet , Cevik ÇEmal , Rackova Lucia , Ari Nuray , Karasu ÇImen 
Published: December 2008

AbstractBackground: Increased oxidative/nitrosative stress is important in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications, and the protective effects of antioxidants are a topic of intense research. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a pyridoindole antioxidant stobadine (STB) have a protective effect on tissue oxidative protein damage represented by the parameters such as protein carbonylation (PC), protein thiol (P‐SH), total thiol (T‐SH) and non‐protein thiol (Np‐SH), nitrotyrosine (3‐NT), and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) in streptozotocin‐diabetic rats.Methods: Diabetes was induced in male Wistar rats by intraperitonal injection of streptozotocin (55 mg/kg). Some of the non‐diabetic (control) and diabetic rats treated with STB (24.7 mg/kg/day) during 16 weeks, and the effects on blood glucose, PC, AOPP, 3‐NT, P‐SH, T‐SH and Np‐SH were studied. Biomarkers were assayed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) or by colorimetric methods.Results: Administration of stobadine to diabetic animals lowered elevated blood glucose levels by ∼16% relative to untreated diabetic rats. Although stobadine decreased blood glucose, poor glycemic control was maintained in stobadine treated diabetic rats during the treatment period. Biochemical analyses of liver proteins showed significant diminution of sulfhydryl groups, P‐SH, T‐SH, Np‐SH, and elevation of carbonyl groups in diabetic animals in comparison to healthy controls. As a biomarker of nitrosative stress, 3‐NT levels did not significantly change by diabetes induction or by stobadine treatment when compared to control animals. However, the treatment with stobadine resulted in a significant decrease in PC, AOPP levels and normalized P‐SH, T‐SH, Np‐SH groups in liver of diabetic animals.
Citrus nobiletin suppresses bone loss in ovariectomized ddY mice and collagen‐induced arthritis in DBA/1J mice: Possible involvement of receptor activator of NF‐kappaB ligand (RANKL)‐induced osteoclastogenesis regulation
Authors: Murakami Akira , Song Meiyu , Katsumata Shin‐Ichi , Uehara Mariko , Suzuki Kazuharu , Ohigashi Hajime 
Published: December 2008

AbstractBone resorption is known to accelerate during the onset of several disorders, including osteoporosis (OP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Some epidemiological surveys have suggested that a high intake of vegetables and fruits has an inverse relation to such disease incidence, though the number of active constituents elucidated thus far is limited. In the present study, we examined the efficacy of various food phytochemicals using two animal models. First, female ddY mice were ovariectomized (OVX) or sham‐operated (sham), after which five different compounds (phenethyl isothiocyanate, zerumbone, auraptene, 1'‐acetoxychavicol acetate, and nobiletin) were administered separately to OVX mice with a mini‐osmotic pump at doses of 0.25 or 0.5 mg/day for 4 weeks, with 17β‐estradiol (E2, 0.03 μg/day) used as a positive control. Nobiletin, in contrast to the other tested phytochemicals, significantly (P < 0.05) suppressed the reduction of whole bone mineral density by 61%, which was comparable to or higher than the efficacy of E2 . Next, nobiletin given as an i.p. administration at 20 mg/kg of body weight, but not 2 mg/kg, to male DBA/1J mice every 2 days for 12 days led to a marked decrease in type II collagen‐induced arthritis by 45% (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the flavonoid (4–50 μM) attenuated receptor activator of nuclear factor kappaB ligand (RANKL)‐induced osteoclastogenesis of RAW264.7 cells, as detected by tartarate‐resistant acid phosphatase activity and microscopic observations. Of note, nobiletin also suppressed RANKL‐activated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase1/2, c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase1/2, and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase activities, and thereby regulated the promoter activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NFκB) and activator protein‐1, key transcription factors for differentiation. Together, our results suggest that nobiletin is a promising phytochemical for the prevention or treatment of osteoclastogenesis‐related disorders, including OP and RA, with reasonable action mechanisms.
Application of poly ethylene glycol hydrogel to overcome latex urinary catheter related problems
Authors: Sankar Sriram , Rajalakshmi T. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractUrinary catherization is a routine procedure in an intensive care unit (ICU) for monitoring the urine output of critically ill patients. The catheters which are most often used to help with urinary incontinence and retention also face problems like blockage, leakage and infection. These problems are due to proteins that adhere to the catheter surface and quickly build up on each other forming a protein layer. As the layers build up they can crystallize, providing the major source of blockage and leakage. Current strategies to avoid these problems include coating a catheter with silver alloy to reduce bacteria on the catheter surface. However, silver alloy coatings can lead to increased silver resistance for bacteria. Since silver is already used as an antibacterial agent in many places in a hospital, it is even more possible that resistance can develop. An alternative solution is presented involving coating latex, a common urinary catheter material with a micro layer (5‐100 microns) of polyethylene glycol. This hydrogel is applied using an interfacial photopolymerizatoin process with ethyl eosin as the photoinitiator. A 25 ppm concentration of ethyl eosin provided the strongest gel to surface adhesion and significantly lowered protein adhesion when compared to an uncoated latex substrate.
Immobilization of derivatized dextran nanoparticles on konjac glucomannan/chitosan film as a novel wound dressing
Authors: Zhang Hui , Gu Chun‐Hu , Wu Hong , Fan Li , Li Fei , Yang Fan , Yang Qian 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe aim of this study was to prepare konjac glucomannan (KGM)/chitosan (CS) film containing glycidyl methacrylate derivatized dextran (dex‐GMA)/acrylic acid(AAc) nanoparticles loaded with antibacterial agent. In this study, An optimized procedure chosen from three methods was used to prepare Erythromycin (EM)‐loaded poly(dex‐GMA/AAc) nanoparticles and obtained nanoparticles ranged from 50–200 nm. Film was found to have equilibrium water content (EWC) 99.3% which could prevent exudates on wound bed from accumulating and also have excellent water adsorption 2362.3 ± 55.2%; the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) was 2335 ± 36 gm−2 day−1 and evaporative water loss from the film (EWL) was approximately 10% after 1 h and within 6 h it increased to 90%. Drug release of film containing nanoparticles or absent was determined, within 22 h accumulative release was 40.3%, 72.5% respectively. In conclusion, KGM/CS film containing nanoparticles could not only maintain a moist environment over wound bed in moderate to heavily exuding wound but also provide a continuous and sustained release of the antibacterial agent on the wound surface, which could be potential wound dressing.
Role of endogenous zinc in bones of newborn rats
Authors: Drzazga Z. , Michalik K. , Maciejewska K. , Trzeciak H. , Kaszuba M. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractConcentration of abundant elements e.g. calcium as well as of elements present in trace amount e.g. zinc in mandibles of 7, 14 an 28 day old newborn rats were determined by X‐ray fluorescence analysis.The measurements were carried out by using a measurement system containing X‐ray tube ECLIPSE‐III and X‐ray and gamma ray detector XR‐100T‐CdTe (Amptek Inc.).Concentration of calcium and zinc depended on the region of interest on the rat's mandible due to mineralization degree conditioned by its function. Increasing age produced a remarkable increase in Ca content in contrast to Zn content in the bone tissue obtained from 7, 14 and 28 day old newborn rats. The calculated Zn/Ca concentration ratio was the biggest for 7 day old newborns and successively decreased with age indicating the important role of zinc at the beginning of bone ontogenesis.
Amplified protein sensing using deep purple fluorophores on homogeneous Au substrates
Authors: Xie Fang , Goldys Ewa , Baker Mark 
Published: December 2008

AbstractWe report here the first observation of appreciable enhancement of fluorescence induced by large Au colloids. Au monolayers with Au colloids of 40 nm, 59 nm, and 81 nm in radii, were formed on silane modified glass surfaces, respectively. The nanoparticle densities were varied by varying the deposition times and documented by scanning electron microscopy. Two types of samples were prepared, with large inter‐particle distance and hence little or no inter‐particle coupling and small inter‐particle distance with inter‐particle coupling. The fluorescence enhancement was examined by using a self assembled monolayer of the fluorophore‐protein conjugate with Deep Purple as a fluorophore and Bovine Serum Albumin as protein (DP‐BSA). The data show the over 15 fold enhancement under optimized conditions and reveal strong variations with both inter‐particle distance and particle size. Nanostructures of appropriate size with optimized inter‐particle distance thus prepared can produce promising substrates for decent fluorescence enhancement. We demonstrated that the Au colloid monolayers on glass surfaces are promising substrates for fluorescence enhancement with outstanding macroscopic homogeneity. This important feature will pave the way for the application of our substrates in biotechnology and life sciences such as imaging and sensing of biomolecules in proteomics.
Monte Carlo simulation of NIR diffuse reflectance in the normal and diseased human breast tissues
Authors: Prince Shanthi , Malarvizhi S. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe spectral reflectance measurements in tissue reveal physiological meaning. Normally, functional changes like, increase in total hemoglobin concentration, decrease in oxygen saturation, etc., are observed when there is an abnormality creeping in the normal tissue. These functional changes can act together to reveal disease by non‐invasive near‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, as it influence its optical properties.In the present study, a simple two dimensional, four layer model of breast is proposed. The four layers are (i) skin (ii) adipose layer (iii) glandular tissue and (iv) muscle. Each layer is modeled with appropriate biological chromophores like hemoglobin, water, lipid and melanin. From the literature, the concentrations and molar extinction coefficients of the chromophores in various layers of the model are obtained. These values are used to calculate the wavelength dependent absorption characteristics of a particular layer.Monte Carlo simulation of diffuse reflectance (percentage of back reflected photons after multiple scattering with the broad variety of angles) are simulated for the modeled breast tissue with and without diseased condition. Near‐infrared wavelengths are chosen, as the depth of penetration in tissue is more compared to UV and visible region. Simulations are carried out on the modeled breast tissue for different races (skin colors) at different NIR wavelengths. Results show significant changes in diffuse reflectance and relative absorbance for normal and diseased breast tissues for differently pigmented model. This model can be used to study the photo dynamical therapy, drug delivery and prognosis of cancer.
A novel high resolution micro‐radiotherapy system for small animal irradiation for cancer research
Authors: Wang Sigen , Liu Zhijun , Sultana Shabana , Schreiber Eric , Zhou Otto , Chang Sha 
Published: December 2008

AbstractMicro‐radiotherapy (micro‐RT) system is specially designed for small animal (cancer cell) irradiation for basic and translational cancer research. We use carbon nanotube (CNT) field emission technology to develop a novel micro‐RT system for image‐guided high precision irradiation that is similar to the state of the art radiotherapy which our cancer patients receive today at mouse scale. Through the field emission control of its individually addressable x‐ray pixel beams the micro‐RT system electronically shapes the radiation field and forms intensity modulation pattern. In this paper, we present the development of a carbon nanotube field emission cathode array chip — a key component for our novel micro‐RT system. The prototype micro‐RT CNT field emission cathode array chip has 5×5 individually addressable cathode pixels that are 1 mm in diameter and 2 mm in pitch. An individual CNT cathode pixel is predicted to generate a dose rate in the order of 100 cGy/min at the center of the irradiated mouse based on our Monte Carlo simulation. The temporal and spatial resolutions of the micro‐RT system are expected to be ∼ms level and <2 mm respectively.
Glucose sensors made of novel carbon nanotube‐gold nanoparticle composites
Authors: Cai Dong , Yu Ying , Lan Yucheng , Dufort Fay J. , Xiong Guangyong , Paudel Trilochan , Ren Zhifeng , Wagner Dean J. , Chiles Thomas C. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractCarbon nanotube and metal particle composites have been exploited to fabricate high performance electrochemical devices. However, the physical and chemical procedures to synthesize the composites are labor intensive and inefficient. Our study reveals an one‐step wet chemistry method to accomplish fast and controllable production of gold nanoparticle (AuNP) and carbon naotube (CNT) composites. Such a process is sensitive to the surface charge. Especially, when functionalized with carboxyl groups, the CNTs carried negative charges and showed low level association with negatively charged AuNPs. Thermal treatment was employed to decompose the carboxyl groups and render each CNT a charge‐free surface thereby achieving a high level AuNP‐CNT association. The fabricated glucose sensors demonstrated dependence of their sensitivities to the amount of AuNPs on the CNTs. The enhancement of sensitivity can be attributed to an accelerated electron transfer rate from glucose oxidase Gox to the electrode. The Michaelis‐Menten kinetics also indicated improved performance in the glucose sensor made of AuNP‐CNTs. Therefore, our research revealed a novel approach to produce metallic nanoparticle and CNT composite for fabricating high performance electrochemical sensors.
Study on the biochemical characterization of herbicide detoxification enzyme, glutathione S ‐transferase
Authors: Cho Hyun‐Young , Kong Kwang‐Hoon 
Published: December 2008

AbstractTo gain further insight into herbicide detoxification, we studied the herbicide activity and specificity toward glutathione S‐transferases from human and rice. In this study, the genes of the plant specific phi and tau class GST enzymes from Oryza sativa (OsGST) and human pi class GST enzyme (hGSTP1‐1) were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli with the pET and pKK vector systems, respectively. The gene products were purified to homogeneity by GSH Sepharose affinity column chromatography. The herbicide specificity of the enzymes was investigated by enzyme‐catalyzed conjugation of GSH with chloroacetanilide, diphenylether and chloro‐s‐triazine herbicides. The hGSTP1‐1 showed very high specific activity toward atrazine. On the other hand, the phi class OsGST enzymes showed high specific activity toward chloroacetanilide herbicides, acetochlor, alachlor and metolachlor. The tau class GST enzymes displayed remarkable activity toward the diphenylether herbicide, fluorodifen. From these results, we conclude that the phi and the tau class GST enzymes show herbicide specificities and also they play an important role in the detoxification reaction of plant toward herbicides.
Suppression of influenza A virus nuclear antigen production and neuraminidase activity by a nutrient mixture containing ascorbic acid, green tea extract and amino acids
Authors: Jariwalla R. J. , Roomi M. W. , Gangapurkar B. , Kalinovsky T. , Niedzwiecki A. , Rath M. 
Published: December 2008

Abstractinfluenza, one of the oldeist and most common infections, poses a serious health problem causing significant morbidity and mortality, and imposing substantial economic costs. The efficacy of current drugs is limited and improved therapies are needed. A unique nutrient mixture (NM), containing ascorbic acid, green tea extract, lysine, proline, N‐acetyl cysteine, selenium among other micronutrients, has been shown to exert anti‐carcinogenic and anti‐atherogenic activity both in vitro and in vivo. Many of the constituents of NM have been shown to have an inhibitory effect on replication of influenza virus and HIV. This prompted us to study the effect of NM on influenza A virus multiplication in infected cells and neuraminidase activity (NA) in virus particles. Addition of NM to Vero or MDCK cells post infection resulted in dose‐dependent inhibition of viral nucleoprotein (NP) production in infected cells. NM‐mediated inhibition of viral NP was selective and not due to cytotoxicity towards host cells. This antiviral effect was enhanced by pretreatment of virus with the nutrient mixture. Individual components of NM, namely ascorbic acid and green tea extract, also blocked viral NP production, conferring enhanced inhibition when tested in combination. Incubation of cell‐free virus with NM resulted in dose‐dependent inhibition of associated NA enzyme activity. In conclusion, the nutrient mixture exerts an antiviral effect against influenza A virus by lowering viral protein production in infected cells and diminishing viral enzymatic activity in cell‐free particles.
Antidiabetic potential of Citrus sinensis and Punica granatum peel extracts in alloxan treated male mice
Authors: Parmar Hamendra Singh , Kar Anand 
Published: December 2008

AbstractAn investigation on the effects of four different concentrations of peel extract from Citrus sinensis (CS) or Punica granatum (PG) in male mice revealed the maximum glucose lowering and antiperoxidative activities at 25 mg/kg of CS and 200 mg/kg of PG. In a separate experiment their potential was evaluated with respect to the regulation of alloxan induced diabetes mellitus. While a single dose of alloxan (120 mg/kg) increased the serum levels of glucose and α‐amylase activity, rate of water consumption and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in hepatic, cardiac and renal tissues with a parallel decrease in serum insulin level, administration of 25 mg/kg of CS or 200 mg/kg of PG was found to normalize all the adverse changes induced by alloxan, revealing the antidiabetic and anti peroxidative potential of test fruit peel extracts. Subsequent phytochemical analysis indicated that the high content of total polyphenols in the test peels might be related to the antidiabetic and antiperoxidative effects of the test peels.