bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Elemental abundance analyses with DAO spectrograms: XXXI. The early F supergiants ν Her (F2 II) and 41 Cyg (F5 Ib‐II)
Authors: Adelman S.J. , Cay I.H. , Tektunali H.G. , Gulliver A.F. , Teker A. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThis series of high quality elemental abundance analyses of mostly Main Sequence normal and peculiar B, A, and F stars defines their properties and provides data for the comparison with analyses of somewhat similar stars and with theoretical predictions. Most use high dispersion and high S/N (≥ 200) spectrograms obtained with CCD detectors at the long camera of the 1.22‐m Dominion Astrophysical Observatory telescope's coudé spectrograph. Here we expand the range of stars examined to include two relatively quiescent F supergiants. ν Her (F2 II) and 41 Cyg (F5 Ib‐II) are analyzed as consistently as possible with previous studies. These LTE fine analyses use the ATLAS9 and the WIDTH9 programs of R. L. Kurucz. High signal‐to‐noise spectrograms and high quality atomic data were employed. The derived values of these photometrically constant stars are somewhat different with the abundances of ν Her being somewhat metal‐poor and those of 41 Cyg being crudely solar‐like. Our analyses indicate that the basic results of Luck & Wepfer (1995) who also studied ν Her and 41 Cyg are not likely to be significantly changed by new studies of all their stars. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Effects of a bout of traditional and original sumo training on neutrophil immune function in amateur university sumo wrestlers
Authors: Umeda Takashi , Saito Kazuo , Matsuzaka Masashi , Nakaji Shigeyuki , Totsuka Manabu , Okumura Toshiki , Tsukamoto Toshiaki , Yaegaki Makoto , Kudoh Umi , Takahashi Ippei 
Published: January 2008

AbstractIn order to examine in detail the influence on the neutrophil immune function in sumo wrestlers of performing traditional and original training we examined changes in the neutrophil immune function in 17 male amateur university sumo wrestlers (aged 20.2 ± 1.5 years), before (‘Pre’) and after the training (‘Post’) for 2.5 h under fasting conditions. Assays included blood leukocyte and neutrophil counts, serum concentration of immunoglobulins, complements, myogenic enzymes and neutrophil oxidative burst activity (OBA) and phagocytic activity (PA). Myogenic enzymes, neutrophil counts, the ratio of neutrophil counts:leukocyte counts significantly increased and immunoglobulins and complements decreased in Post compared with Pre. There was a positive correlation between the change of neutrophil counts before and after the training and the change of creatine kinase (r = 0.667, p < 0.01). The Post OBA significantly increased and PA significantly decreased compared with Pre. It was concluded that sumo training causes muscular damage and an increase in the neutrophil count as a response. In this time, although OBA increased, PA decreased after training. Compensation between PA and reactive oxygen species production may exist to maintain the overall integrity of the neutrophil immune function. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characterization of time-related changes after experimental bile duct ligation
Authors: Georgiev P , Jochum W , Heinrich S , Jang J H , Nocito A , Dahm F , Clavien P-A 
Published: January 2008

AbstractBackgroundAlthough bile duct ligation (BDL) in mice is used to study cholestasis, a detailed description of this animal model is lacking. The aim of this study was to define specific phases of acute and chronic injury and repair in the different cellular compartments of the liver.MethodsC57BL/6 mice underwent BDL or sham laparotomy, and serum and liver tissue were analysed between 8 h and 6 weeks later.ResultsBiliary infarcts and alanine aminotransferase levels revealed acute hepatocellular injury peaking at days 2–3, paralleled by enhanced transcription of pro-proliferative mediators and followed by a distinct peak of hepatocellular proliferation at day 5. Cholangiocellular proliferation occurred in large bile ducts on days 2–3 and in small bile ducts on day 5. Neutrophil infiltration occurred within 8 h, with neutrophils remaining the predominant immune cell type until day 3. Acute injury was followed by continuous tissue repair, lymphocyte and Kupffer cell infiltration, and accumulation of collagen during the second week. Thereafter, the number of α-smooth muscle actin-positive cells and the expression of transforming growth factor β1, tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 and procollagen (I) decreased, and liver fibrosis stabilized.ConclusionBDL elicits dynamic changes in mouse liver. The chronological dissection and quantification of these events identified specific phases of acute and chronic cholestatic liver injury.
Synthesis and Immunological Properties of a Tetrasaccharide Portion of the B Side Chain of Rhamnogalacturonan II (RG‐II)
Authors: Rao Yu , Buskas Therese , Albert Anathea , O'Neill Malcolm A. , Hahn Michael G. , Boons Geert‐Jan 
Published: January 2008

AbstractA highly convergent strategy was used for the synthesis of a tetrasaccharide [3‐aminopropyl β‐L‐arabinofuranosyl‐(1→3)‐α‐L‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→2)‐[α‐L‐rhamnopyranosyl‐(1→3)]‐α‐L‐arabinopyranoside] portion of the B side chain of the plant cell‐wall pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan II (RG‐II). The terminal nonreducing β‐L‐arabinofuranosyl residue of the target compound was installed by using an arabinofuranosyl donor that was protected with a 3,5‐O‐(di‐tert‐butylsilane) group to facilitate nucleophilic attack from the β‐face. The synthetic strategy also employed a chemoselective glycosylation of a trichloroacetimidate donor with a thioglycosyl acceptor; this gave a product that could be used immediately in a subsequent glycosylation. The reducing end of the tetrasaccharide contained an aminopropyl group to facilitate conjugation to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Mice that were immunized with a KLH–tetrasaccharide conjugate produced antibodies that recognized RG‐II isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana cell walls, but did not recognize RG‐II obtained from red wine. Our data suggest that the arabinopyranosyl residue exists in the 4C1 conformation in the tetrasaccharide and in A. thaliana RG‐II, whereas it has the 1C4 conformation in wine RG‐II. It is proposed that differences in the conformation of side chain B might account for the ability of antibodies to discriminate between RG‐II that was isolated from Arabidopsis and wine.
Learning from Procrustes analysis to improve multivariate calibration
Authors: Kalivas John H. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractFor the multivariate calibration model y = Xb + e, y and X are typically mean centered to respective column means to remove offsets before estimating b. Often X is obtained under different experimental conditions (temperature, days, etc.). In this case, mean centering across all the conditions (global mean centering) assumes a common offset for the different conditions. Additionally, after a calibration model has been developed for process analysis, it is often necessary to update the model later in time to new conditions. In this case, new measurements are made. These new X and y values can be augmented to the original X and y arrays; mean centered to new column means, that is global mean centering; and a new calibration model is then obtained. The established method of Procrustes analysis (PA) is used in many spectral preprocessing and calibration transfer methods and local mean centering is a key processing element in PA. Rather than global mean centering in multivariate calibration, this paper looks at local mean centering where X and y are locally mean centered relative to respective experimental conditions, that is mean centering data groups with common offsets. When this approach is used, improved results are possible as demonstrated with two spectroscopic data sets where prediction errors and uncertainties reduce. Other regression diagnostics are also shown to improve. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and In Vitro Biological Properties of Novel Cationic Derivatives of Amphotericin B
Authors: Paquet Valérie , Volmer Astrid A. , Carreira Erick M. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractNovel cationic amphotericin B derivatives as highly potent antifungal agents are reported. These semi‐synthetic derivatives of amphotericin B were elaborated through a series of modifications both on the nitrogen atom of the mycosamine and on the C‐16 carboxylic acid moiety. The antifungal activity of the new conjugates was tested against Saccharomyces cerevisiae and also against nine different strains of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata, including an amphotericin resistant strain. High potency was observed in the case of polyamine derivatives bearing two 3‐aminopropyl chains on the mycosamine. The evaluation of the biological properties also included the determination of the hemolytic activity of the compounds by measuring the EH50 values.
Dissecting the Differences between the α and β Anomers of the Oxidative DNA Lesion FaPydG
Authors: Büsch Florian , Pieck J. Carsten , Ober Matthias , Gierlich Johannes , Hsu Gerald W. , Beese Lorena S. , Carell Thomas 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThe oxidative DNA lesion, FaPydG rapidly anomerizes to form a mixture of the α and β anomer. To investigate the mutagenic potential of both forms, we prepared stabilized bioisosteric analogues of both configurational isomers and incorporated them into oligonucleotides. These were subsequently used for thermodynamic melting‐point studies and for primer‐extension experiments. While the β compound, in agreement with earlier data, prefers cytidine as the pairing partner, the α compound is not able form a stable base pair with any natural base. In primer‐extension studies with the high‐fidelity polymerase Bst Pol I, the polymerase was able to read through the lesion. The β compound showed no strong mutagenic potential. The α compound, in contrast, strongly destabilized DNA duplexes and also blocked all of the tested DNA polymerases, including two low‐fidelity polymerases of the Y‐family.
Taxane Analogues against Breast Cancer: A Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship Study
Authors: Verma Rajeshwar P. , Hansch Corwin 
Published: January 2008

AbstractBreast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. Two taxane analogues, taxol and taxotere, are the most important antimitotic drugs currently in clinical use for the treatment of breast cancers. However, recent reports have indicated that the use of these drugs often results in various undesired side effects as well as multi‐drug resistance. These limitations have led to the development of new taxane derivatives with fewer side effects, superior pharmacological properties, and improved anticancer activity to maximize the induced benefits for breast cancer patients. Herein, four series of taxane derivatives were used to correlate their inhibitory activities against breast cancer cells with their hydrophobic and steric properties in order to understand their chemical–biological interactions. The resulting QSARs show that the inhibitory activities of taxane analogues against breast cancers are mainly dependent either on their hydrophobicity or the hydrophobic/molar refractivity descriptor of their substituents. A parabolic correlation with MRY is the most encouraging example, in which the optimum value of this parameter is well defined. We believe this correlation may prove to be an adequate predictive model that can help provide guidance in design and synthesis and subsequently yield highly specific compounds that may have high anti‐breast‐cancer activity with fewer side effects and superior pharmacological properties. On the basis of this QSAR model, five compounds are suggested as potential synthetic targets. Internal (cross‐validation (LOO−q2 and LMO−q2), quality factor (Q), Fischer statistics (F), and Y‐randomization) and external validation tests have validated all the QSAR models.
Afferent sources to the inferior olive and distribution of the olivocerebellar climbing fibers in cyprinids
Authors: Xue Hao‐Gang , Yang Chun‐Ying , Yamamoto Naoyuki 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThe inferior olive in teleosts is a major afferent origin to the cerebellum. However, inputs to the inferior olive remain largely unknown. The present study examined fiber connections of the inferior olive by tract‐tracing methods in cyprinids. After tracer injections into the inferior olive, labeled somata were observed bilaterally in the pretectum, nucleus ruber, principal sensory trigeminal nucleus, descending trigeminal nucleus, inferior reticular formation, and cerebellar valvula. Principal sensory trigeminal and valvular afferents exhibited a clear contralateral preponderance, while afferents from the nucleus ruber were predominantly ipsilateral. Labeled somata were also seen ipsilaterally in the descending octaval nucleus, and contralaterally in the optic tectum, lateral funicular nucleus, cerebellar corpus, and inferior olive. A few somata were labeled in the inferior raphe. Climbing fibers terminated contralaterally in the ganglionic and molecular layers of the cerebellum, showing peculiar glomerular appearances. Labeled climbing fiber terminals were mainly distributed in the ventral region of cerebellar corpus, the medioventral region of lateral lobe of rostral cerebellar valvula, and the lateroventral region of medial lobe of cerebellar valvula in the present injection materials. Fiber connections of the inferior olive in teleosts thus appear quite similar to those in mammals. J. Comp. Neurol. 507:1409–1427, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Quantitative assessment of the knockdown efficiency of morpholino antisense oligonucleotides in zebrafish embryos using a luciferase assay
Authors: Kamachi Yusuke , Okuda Yuichi , Kondoh Hisato 
Published: January 2008

AbstractDespite the broad use of morpholino antisense oligonucleotides (MO) to knockdown gene function in zebrafish embryos, the efficiency of this method has not been successfully assessed, particularly in the cases of translation‐blocking MOs. In our current study, we describe a luciferase assay‐based system that can monitor the MO knockdown levels in zebrafish by the use of a fusion reporter construct containing the 5′‐mRNA sequence of the gene of interest and the luciferase coding sequence. The decrease in luciferase activity in zebrafish embryos that have been coinjected with this reporter RNA construct and a MO that targets the gene of interest correlated well with the level of inhibition of the corresponding endogenous protein synthesis, and also with the appearance of a knockdown phenotype. This indicates the usefulness of our method. We have also found that MOs can exert considerable knockdown effects upon unintended gene targets if 15 bases or longer of contiguous homology exists between these genes and the 25‐base MO in question. Our quantitative assessment method also reveals, however, that an effective and specific knockdown can be achieved when employing a strategy that takes advantage of the synergistic effect of double MOs used at low levels. genesis 46:1–7, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Development of a pituitary‐specific cre line targeted to the Pit‐1 lineage
Authors: Yin Zhirong , Williams‐Simons Lisa , Rawahneh Lisa , Asa Sylvia , Kirschner Lawrence S. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractTissue‐specific expression of the Cre recombinase is a well‐established genetic tool to analyze gene function in specific tissues and cell types. In this report, we describe the generation of a new transgenic line that expresses Cre under the control of the rat growth hormone releasing hormone receptor (rGhrhr) promoter. This promoter, chosen to target the anterior pituitary, drives cre‐mediated recombination in cells of the Pit1 lineage, including somatotrophs, lactotrophs, and thyrotrophs. Cre activity is first detected at embryonic day 13.5, and gradually increases to reach high level expression by postnatal day 2. In addition to the pituitary, rGhrhr‐cre expression was detected in vibrissae and in hair follicles of the proximal limb, but not in other tissues. The rGhrhr‐cre line will be a valuable tool for the study of the development of the pituitary Pit1 lineage and for the study of tumorigenesis involving these cells. genesis 46:37–42, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Functional and bioinformatics analyses reveal conservation of cis‐regulatory elements between sciaridae and drosophilidae
Authors: Lecci Matheus S. , Malta Tathiane M. , Flausino Vinícius T. , Gitaí Daniel L.G. , Ruiz Jerônimo C. , Monesi Nadia 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThe sciarid DNA puff C4 BhC4‐1 gene is amplified and transcribed in salivary glands at the end of the larval stage. In transgenic Drosophila, the BhC4‐1 promoter drives transcription in prepupal salivary glands and in the ring gland of late embryos. A bioinformatics analysis has identified 162 sequences similar to distinct regions of the BhC4‐1 proximal promoter, which are predominantly located either in 5′ or 3′ regions or introns in the Drosophila melanogaster genome. A significant number of the identified sequences are found in the regulatory regions of Drosophila genes that are expressed in the salivary gland. Functional assays in Drosophila reveal that the BhC4‐1 proximal promoter contains both a 129 bp (−186/−58) salivary gland enhancer and a 67 bp (−253/−187) ring gland enhancer that drive tissue specific patterns of developmentally regulated gene expression, irrespective of their orientation. genesis 46:43–51, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
CNS‐infiltrating CD4+ T lymphocytes contribute to murine spinal nerve transection‐induced neuropathic pain
Authors: Cao Ling , DeLeo Joyce A. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractWe previously reported leukocytic infiltration into the lumbar spinal cord in a rodent spinal nerve L5 transection (L5Tx) neuropathic pain model. Here, we further investigated the role of infiltrating T lymphocytes in the etiology of persistent pain following L5Tx. T lymphocyte‐deficient nude mice showed no evident mechanical hypersensitivity after day 3 of L5Tx compared to wild‐type BALB/c mice. Through FACS analysis, we determined that significant leukocytic infiltration (CD45hi) into the lumbar spinal cord peaked at day 7 post L5Tx. These infiltrating leukocytes contained predominantly CD4+ but not CD8+ T lymphocytes. B lymphocytes, natural killer cells and macrophages were not detected at day 7 post L5Tx. No differences in the activation of peripheral CD4+ T lymphocytes were detected in either the spleen or lumbar lymph nodes between L5Tx and sham surgery groups. Further, CD4 KO mice displayed significantly decreased mechanical hypersensitivity after day 7 of L5Tx, and adoptive transfer of CD4+ leukocytes reversed this effect. Decreased immunoreactivity of glial fibrillary acidic protein observed in CD4 KO mice post L5Tx indicated possible T lymphocyte‐glial interactions. These results strongly support a contributing role of spinal cord‐infiltrating CD4+ T lymphocytes versus peripheral CD4+ T lymphocytes in the maintenance of nerve injury‐induced neuropathic pain.
Ligand binding of leukocyte integrin very late antigen‐4 involves exposure of sulfhydryl groups and is subject to redox modulation
Authors: Liu Si‐Yen , Tsai Min‐Yi , Chuang Kuo‐Pin , Huang Ya‐Fang , Shieh Chi‐Chang 
Published: January 2008

AbstractActivation of leukocyte integrins is important for selective recruitment of cells from the circulation to tissues. Our previous studies showed that the binding between the integrin very late antigen‐4 (VLA‐4) and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) is modulated by reactive oxygen species. In this study, we investigated the molecular nature of redox modulation on the activation states of VLA‐4 on human leukocytes. We found that ligand binding of VLA‐4 induced exposure of sulfhydryl groups on the α4 peptide. Low concentrations (5–10 µM) of exogenous hydrogen peroxide in the presence or absence of added glutathione enhanced the ligand binding ability of VLA‐4 to VCAM‐1 and cell rolling on VCAM‐1, while higher concentrations (⩾100 µM) of hydrogen peroxide inhibited the binding. Exogenous hydrogen peroxide and glutathione induced molecular modification of S‐glutathionylation on the α4 peptide. The redox regulation of the VLA‐4 binding activity required outside‐in signaling and cytoskeleton rearrangement. Our results indicate that ligand binding of VLA‐4 involves redox modulations which may play a pivotal role in regulating the activation states of VLA‐4 in inflammatory tissues and hence direct leukocyte trafficking.
Mortality salience and religion: divergent effects on the defense of cultural worldviews for the religious and the non‐religious
Authors: Norenzayan Ara , Dar‐Nimrod Ilan , Hansen Ian G. , Proulx Travis 
Published: January 2008

AbstractReligious and non‐religious individuals differ in their core beliefs. The religious endorse a supernatural, divinely inspired view of the world, while the non‐religious hold largely secular worldviews. As a result they may respond differently to existential threats. Three studies confirmed this prediction. After a mortality salience (MS) or control prime, Canadian participants read, and responded to, an essay hostile to Western civilization, allegedly written by a radical Muslim student. Results indicated that the non‐religious reliably showed the conventional cultural worldview defense by devaluating the content of the message and decreasing support for the civil rights of anti‐Western individuals when death was salient. No such effect was found for the religious. Religious and non‐religious participants did not differ in self‐esteem levels or in death‐thought accessibility. These results suggest that a religious stance among believers plays a defensive role against the awareness of death. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The threat of those who “understand”: ways in which out‐groups induce guilt
Authors: Zebel Sven , Doosje Bertjan , Spears Russell 
Published: January 2008

AbstractTwo types of out‐groups are hypothesized to make people feel guilty about their in‐group's misdeeds. Given its expertise and legitimacy, a disapproving victimized out‐group should raise guilt. However, when a morally tainted perpetrator out‐group is the evaluator, a need to differentiate the self from this out‐group should characterize the guilt responses. This out‐group's disapproval should therefore diminish guilt, whereas some understanding toward the in‐group's position may paradoxically increase guilt. Moreover, these patterns are likely to be accentuated as in‐group identification increases. Predictions were supported among Dutch participants (N = 145) who read how either the current Jewish Dutch (victimized out‐group) or Germans (perpetrator out‐group) evaluated the Dutch collaboration with the Nazis. Results indicated that compassion for the victimized partially mediated the guilt responses. Implications for how perpetrator groups are persuaded to acknowledge their misdeeds are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.