bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of accelerated tumor growth by blocking the recruitment of mobilized endothelial progenitor cells after chemotherapy
Authors: Murakami Junichi , Li Tao‐Sheng , Ueda Kazuhiro , Tanaka Toshiki , Hamano Kimikazu 
Published: October 2008

AbstractIt has been suggested that immature progenitor cells mobilize from bone marrow into the peripheral blood in response to the chemotherapy‐induced myelosuppression. We investigated how the mobilization of immature progenitor cells affects tumor growth after chemotherapy. We found significantly increased numbers of CD34+/Flk‐1+ endothelial progenitor cells in the peripheral blood of mice 1 week after the administration of 100 mg/kg cyclophosphamide vs. a saline injection (0.39 ± 0.09% vs. 0.20 ± 0.10%, respectively; p < 0.05). Tumor growth in the mice given chemotherapy was almost 1.3‐fold faster than that in the mice given saline (268 ± 66 mg vs. 210 ± 3 5 mg, respectively; p < 0.05). Histological examination of tumor tissue revealed significantly higher microvessel density and more Ki67‐positive cells, but significantly fewer apoptotic cells, in the mice given chemotherapy than in those given saline (p < 0.05). Furthermore, we detected significantly more bone marrow‐derived cells, some of which stained positively for CD34 and were localized in the vessels, in tumor tissue from the mice given chemotherapy than in that from the mice given saline. However, the transient disruption of the SDF‐1/CXCR4 axis by the antibody neutralization of CXCR4, which occurred over 1 week, blocked the recruitment of bone marrow‐derived cells into the tumor tissue, and resulted in complete inhibition of accelerated tumor growth after chemotherapy. Our results show that chemotherapy induced the mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells and accelerated tumor growth, but that transient disruption of the SDF‐1/CXCR4 axis could prevent accelerated tumor growth by blocking the recruitment of mobilized endothelial progenitor cells after chemotherapy. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Causality from real stock returns to real activity: evidence of regime‐dependence
Authors: Kanas Angelos , Ioannidis Christos 
Published: October 2008

AbstractWe find strong evidence of regime switching in the relation between real stock prices and real activity for the UK over the period 1946–2002. Furthermore, there is evidence that the causality pattern from real stock returns to the IP growth rate varies across regimes: causality exists only in the low stock market volatility regime, while it does not exist in the high stock market volatility regime. As the latter largely refers to the period of inflation targeting in the UK, this finding uncovers the importance of monetary policy in insulating the real economy from unexpected financial market effects during periods of financial instability. Additional evidence of regime‐dependence is uncovered using impulse response analysis. Finally, the US stock market is found to exercise significant regime‐independent effects on the UK relation as a whole as well as on the future UK IP growth. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Carbofuran poisoning detected by mass spectrometry of butyrylcholinesterase adduct in human serum
Authors: Li He , Ricordel Ivan , Tong Larry , Schopfer Lawrence M. , Baud Frédéric , Mégarbane Bruno , Maury Eric , Masson Patrick , Lockridge Oksana 
Published: October 2008

AbstractCarbofuran is a pesticide whose acute toxicity is due to inhibition of acetylcholinesterase. Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) in plasma is inhibited by carbofuran and serves as a biomarker of poisoning by carbofuran. The goal was to develop a method to positively identify poisoning by carbofuran. Sera from an attempted murder and an attempted suicide were analyzed for the presence of carbofuran adducts on BChE. The BChE from 1 ml of serum was rapidly purified on a 0.2 ml procainamide–Sepharose column. Speed was essential because the carbofuran–BChE adduct decarbamylates with a half‐life of about 2 h. The partially purified BChE was boiled to denature the protein, thus stopping decarbamylation and making the protein vulnerable to digestion with trypsin. The labeled peptide was partially purified by HPLC before analysis by LC/MS/MS in the multiple reaction monitoring mode on the QTRAP 2000 mass spectrometer. Carbofuran was found to be covalently bound to Ser 198 of human BChE in serum samples from two poisoning cases. Multiple reaction monitoring triggered MS/MS spectra positively identified the carbofuran–BChE adduct. In conclusion a mass spectrometry method to identify carbofuran poisoning in humans has been developed. The method uses 1 ml of serum and detects low‐level exposure associated with as little as 20% inhibition of plasma butyrylcholinesterase. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NF‐κB in liver diseases: a target for drug therapy
Authors: Muriel Pablo 
Published: October 2008

AbstractThere are five nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) transcription factors with important roles in innate immunity, liver inflammation, fibrosis and apoptosis prevention. Several inhibitors of NF‐κB, like caffeic acid, captopril, curcumin, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, resveratrol, silymarin and thalidomide, have demonstrated antinecrotic, anticholestatic, antifibrotic and anticancer activities in the liver. A link between inflammation and hepatocellular carcinoma through the NF‐κB pathway has been observed, providing ample experimental support for the tumor‐promoting function of NF‐κB in various models of cancer. NF‐κB has been associated with the induction of proinflammatory gene expression and has attracted interest as a target for the treatment of inflammatory disease. However, despite much attention being focused on the deleterious effects of NF‐κB, activation of this factor during the resolution of inflammation is associated with the production of antiinflammatory molecules like interleukin (IL)‐10 and the onset of apoptosis. This suggests that NF‐κB has an antiinflammatory rolein vivoinvolving the regulation of the resolution of inflammation. Also, NF‐κB promotes liver regeneration by upregulating IL‐6 and other molecules like hepatocyte growth factor. It has been postulated that the beneficial properties of NF‐κB are due to p50 homodimers, whose activation prevents cholestatic and chronic liver injury. More basic understanding on the function of the diverse NF‐κB factors is urgently needed in different physiological and pathological conditions, because depending on the subunit composition of the dimmer, the disease and the stage of the illness, inhibition of the factor may result in a beneficial or in a deleterious response. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fabrication of porous NiTi shape memory alloy structures using laser engineered net shaping
Authors: Krishna B. Vamsi , Bose Susmita , Bandyopadhyay Amit 
Published: October 2008

AbstractPorous NiTi alloy samples were fabricated with 12–36% porosity from equiatomic NiTi alloy powder using laser engineered net shaping (LENS™). The effects of processing parameters on density and properties of laser‐processed NiTi alloy samples were investigated. It was found that the density increased rapidly with increasing the specific energy input up to 50 J/mm3. Further increase in the energy input had small effect on density. High cooling rates associated with LENS processing resulted in higher amount of cubic B2 phase, and increased the reverse transformation temperatures of porous NiTi samples due to thermally induced stresses and defects. Transformation temperatures were found to be independent of pore volume, though higher pore volume in the samples decreased the maximum recoverable strain from 6% to 4%. Porous NiTi alloy samples with 12–36% porosity exhibited low Young's modulus between 2 and 18 GPa as well as high compressive strength and recoverable strain. Because of high open pore volume between 36% and 62% of total volume fraction porosity, these porous NiTi alloy samples can potentially accelerate the healing process and improve biological fixation when implantedin vivo. Thus porous NiTi is a promising biomaterial for hard tissue replacements. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2009
Biodegradable and injectable paclitaxel‐loaded poly(ester amide)s microspheres: Fabrication and characterization
Authors: Guo Kai , Chu C. C. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractNovel biodegradable submicron microspheres of amino acid based poly(ester amide)s (PEAs) were fabricated by an oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsion/solvent evaporation technique and their morphology and drug loading efficiency were examined. PEAs microspheres of mean diameter <1 μm with very narrow size distribution were obtained at a fair yield about 80%. The effects of PEA polymer concentration, polyvinyl alcohol emulsifier concentration, and the homogenizer speed on the size and morphology of final PEA microspheres were examined by analyzing their SEM images. It is found that a low PEA concentration, a high PVA concentration, and a high homogenizer speed are the optimal conditions for obtaining smaller microspheres. The biodegradation behaviors of these PEA microspheres at 37°C were investigated as a function of enzyme (α‐chymotrypsin) concentration and incubation time. The data showed similar surface erosion degradation mechanism as PEA polymers reported previously. Paclitaxel loaded PEA microspheres with high encapsulation efficiency were obtained without significantly affecting their size and surface morphology. The high drug loading efficiency close to 100% suggested that PEA microspheres may have the potential for the injection administration of highly hydrophobic anticancer drugs. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2009
Synthesis and use of pHEMA microbeads with human EA.hy 926 endothelial cells
Authors: Nyangoga Hervé , Zecheru Teodora , Filmon Robert , Baslé Michel‐Félix , Cincu Corneliu , Chappard Daniel 
Published: October 2008

AbstractCancer has become a major problem in public health and the resulting bone metastases a worsening factor. Facing it, different strategies have been proposed and mechanisms involved in tumor angiogenesis are being studied. Enhanced permeability retention (EPR) effect is a key step in designing new anticancer drugs. We have prepared poly 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (pHEMA) microbeads to target human endothelial EA.hy 926 cells, a cell line derived from human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Microbeads were synthesized by emulsion precipitation method and carried positive or negative charges. EA.hy 926 cells were cultured in 24‐well plates and microbeads were deposited on cells at various times. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and three‐dimensional (3D) reconstruction were used to characterize microbeads and their location outside and inside cells. Microbeads were uptaken by endothelial cells with a better internalization for negatively charged microbeads. 3D reconstruction of confocal optical sections clearly evidenced the uptake and internalization of microbeads by endothelial cells. pHEMA microbeads could represent potential drug carrier in tumor model of metastases. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2009
Removal of DDT from aqueous solutions using mesoporous silica materials
Authors: Tian Hua , Li Jinjun , Zou Linda , Mu Zhen , Hao Zhengping 
Published: October 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: There are few reports about adsorbents for the effective removal of large‐molecule pesticides such as DDT (1,1,1‐trichloro‐2,2′ bis(p‐chlorophenyl)ethane). Some mesoporous silica materials and their modified derivatives might serve as good adsorbents for these large organic molecules because of their large pore diameter and special pore structures. In this work, the adsorption processes of DDT in aqueous solutions were investigated using different mesoporous silica materials, including HMS, MCM‐41, SBA‐15 and MCM‐48.RESULTS: All these materials exhibit efficient DDT removal, and the adsorption is a rapid process with over 50% of DDT removed within approximately 2 h. The efficiency of DDT removal is influenced by the adsorbent characteristics, such as pore volume, pore diameter, connectivity between pore channels and surface OH groups. The influences of water/acetone ratio and initial DDT concentration in solution were also explored. It was found that with enhancing DDT solubility, the addition of acetone in the reaction solution had no evident impact on DDT adsorption efficiency. Increasing the initial concentration of DDT resulted in a decrease of DDT adsorption efficiency. The adsorption kinetics of DDT on mesoporous silica material is shown to be pseudo‐second‐order. After thermal treatment at a relatively low temperature of 450 °C, the adsorbed DDT was completely decomposed and the adsorbents, except MCM‐41, were regenerated well.CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate the potential of a simple and efficient new approach for the removal of OCPs (organochlorine pesticides), especially large OCP molecules from surface water or groundwater. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
A novel microbial BOD biosensor developed by the immobilization of P. Syringae in micro‐cellular polymers
Authors: Kara Serdar , Keskinler Bülent , Erhan Elif 
Published: October 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: A biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) sensor, based on an immobilized Pseudomonas syringae in highly porous micro‐cellular polymer (MCP) in combination with a dissolved oxygen electrode, has been developed for the analysis of biodegradable organic compounds in aqueous samples. Microorganisms were immobilized in a molded MCP disk and a wastewater sample was injected into the biocomposite disk by a flow injection system. Dissolved oxygen (DO) changes as a measure of soluble BOD was read with a DO probe placed into a flow cell carrying biocatalytically activated disk.RESULTS: Optimal response of the MCP BOD sensor was obtained at pH 6.8 and 25 °C with a typical response time of 3–5 min for a 2 mm thick molded polymeric disk. The sensor showed detection linearity over the range 5–100 mg L−1 BOD5 (r2 > 0.99) at a flow rate of 0.6 mL min−1. The repeatability and reproducibility of the sensor response were found to be 3.08% and 7.77%, respectively. BOD values produced with this biosensor for various municipal and industrial wastewaters correlated well with those determined by the conventional 5‐day BOD test.CONCLUSION: This new biosensor was different from present amperometric BOD biosensor configurations in which the biocatalyst (microbial/enzymatic) is placed between cellulose and Teflon membranes installed on a DO probe. The use of a molded MCP disk coniainng microbial activity offers better stability and lifetime for commercial use in environmental monitoring. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Toxic effect of environmental acid‐stress on the sperm of a hill‐stream fish Devario aequipinnatus: A scanning electron microscopic evaluation
Authors: Dey Sudip , Kharbuli S.M. , Chakraborty Rahul , Bhattacharyya S.P. , Goswami U.C. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractEnvironmental stress due to acidic pH of water was found to be one of the major factors leading to toxic effects on the sperm of a hill‐stream fish Devario aequipinnatus of Meghalaya, India. The Scanning Electron Microscopy of the transverse section of testes of the fish collected from its natural habitat with acidic pH (5.6–6.0) showed that the sperms were clumped together and their tails were either absent or were of extremely small length. The acrosome and midpiece were also not well differentiated. When the fingerlings from the natural habitat were reared to maturity in aquarium with water from natural habitat after changing the pH to alkaline range (8.0–8.2), the clumping of the sperm was not observed. The sperm tail was found to be well‐developed along with well‐differentiated acrosome and midpiece. Since the only change in the water quality parameters of the experimental aquarium as compared to those of the natural habitat was the pH, it is evident that the abnormal features of the sperm observed in fish from natural habitat is mainly because of environmental acid stress. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Spatial calibration of structured illumination fluorescence microscopy using capillary tissue phantoms
Authors: Lee Grace S. , Miele Lino F. , Turhan Aslihan , Lin Miao , Hanidziar Dusan , Konerding Moritz A. , Mentzer Steven J. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractQuantitative assessment of microvascular structure is relevant to the investigations of ischemic injury, reparative angiogenesis and tumor revascularization. In light microscopy applications, thick tissue specimens are necessary to characterize microvascular networks; however, thick tissue leads to image distortions due to out‐of‐focus light. Structured illumination confocal microscopy is an optical sectioning technique that improves contrast and resolution by using a grid pattern to identify the plane‐of‐focus within the specimen. Because structured illumination can be applied to wide‐field (nonscanning) microscopes, the microcirculation can be studied by sequential intravital and confocal microscopy. To assess the application of structured illumination confocal microscopy to microvessel imaging, we studied cell‐sized microspheres and fused silica microcapillary tissue phantoms. As expected, structured illumination produced highly accurate images in the lateral (X‐Y) plane, but demonstrated a loss of resolution in the Z‐Y plane. Because the magnitude of Z‐axis distortion was variable in complex tissues, the silica microcapillaries were used as spatial calibration standards. Morphometric parameters, such as shape factor, were used to empirically optimize Z‐axis software compression. We conclude that the silica microcapillaries provide a useful tissue phantom for in vitro studies as well as spatial calibration standard for in vivo morphometry of the microcirculation. Microsc. Res. Tech., 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Why isn't South Africa growing faster? Microeconomic evidence from a firm survey
Authors: Clarke George , Habyarimana James , Kaplan David , Ramachandran Vijaya 
Published: October 2008

AbstractThe investment levels in South Africa have remained relatively low despite an overall picture of economic stability and good governance. This analysis looks at South Africa's investment climate, using data from an Investment Climate Survey (ICS) of over 800 firms conducted by the Department of Trade and Industry and the World Bank. It suggests that exchange rate instability and the cost of crime may be deterrents to investment. But more importantly, labour regulations may be discouraging firms from entering labour‐intensive areas. Labour costs are also high, especially for skilled workers. Efforts to improve worker skills are crucial for raising human capital levels and reducing the cost of skilled labour. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The impact of African growth and opportunity act (Agoa) on U.S. imports from Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA)
Authors: Tadesse Bedassa , Fayissa Bichaka 
Published: October 2008

AbstractWe evaluate the impact of the unilateral trade policy concession known as African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on U.S. imports from eligible Sub‐Saharan African (SSA) countries. Using U.S.–SSA countries' trade data that span the years 1991–2006, we find that AGOA has contributed to the initiation of new and the intensification of existing U.S. imports in both manufactured and non‐manufactured goods and several product categories. However, compared to its import initiation impact, the import intensification effect of the Act has been marginal. Our results have important policy implication for further intensification of African exports to the U.S. markets. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The postnatal skull of the extant North American turtlePseudemys texana(Cryptodira: Emydidae), with comments on the study of discrete intraspecific variation
Authors: Bever Gabe S. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractThis study describes the postnatal morphology of the skull in the extant testudinoid turtlePseudemys texana. The material basis of this study is drawn from a single population and therefore provides the opportunity to document cranial variation expressed at multiple levels of inference (e.g., ontogeny, sexual dimorphism, individual) within a taxonomically restricted sample. Such descriptions are exceedingly rare for reptiles but are important for evaluating the inherent biological information that skeletal morphology provides to more inclusive biological questions. Results indicate that postnatal variation inPseudemys texanafor discrete cranial characters is considerable, especially when recognizing the taxonomically conservative nature of the sample and the fact that most of the examined characters were drawn from published phylogenetic analyses. Results demonstrate a complex relationship between size, skeletal maturity, and the expression of discrete skeletal characters in this sexually dimorphic reptile. Such complexity potentially could affect our interpretation of evolutionary history based on discrete characters. This study emphasizes the need for increasing the numbers and taxonomic breadth of morphological descriptions based on expanded samples so that a better understanding of the phylogenetic distribution and modular expression of anatomical variability can be achieved. The available empirical data lag seriously behind recent theoretical advances that broaden the application of intraspecific variation data for discrete characters to phylogenetic and evolutionary questions. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Three‐dimensional reconstruction of the musculature of various life cycle stages of the cycliophoran Symbion americanus
Authors: Neves Ricardo Cardoso , Kristensen Reinhardt Møbjerg , Wanninger Andreas 
Published: October 2008

AbstractCycliophora is a very recently described phylum of acoelomate metazoans with a complex life cycle and a phylogenetic position that has been under debate ever since its discovery in 1995. Symbion americanus, which lives attached to the mouthparts of the American lobster, Homarus americanus, represents the second species described for the phylum. Aiming to increase the morphological knowledge about this cryptic clade, the present study describes the muscle arrangement of the feeding stage, the attached Prometheus larva with the dwarf male inside, the free living male, the Pandora larva, and the chordoid larva of S. americanus using actin staining and confocal laser scanning microscopy. 3D reconstructions of the muscular systems are presented. In the feeding stage, circular muscles compose the buccal funnel aperture. In addition, a pair of muscles runs longitudinally in the buccal funnel. A complex sphincter was found just proximally to the anus, and six longitudinal muscles run from the trunk constriction (“neck”) in basal direction. The musculature of the larval stages and the dwarf male is very complex and includes longitudinal muscles that run dorsally and ventrally. In addition, we found dorso‐ventral muscles. The male has a complex posterior muscle apparatus in the vicinity of the penis. In this stage, X‐ and V‐shaped structures were identified on the dorsal and the ventral side, respectively. Pandora and chordoid larvae possess additional circular muscles. We discuss our findings with respect to muscle elements of other metazoan groups and the chordoid larva of Symbion pandora. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.