bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In vitro hemocompatibility of albumin–heparin multilayer coatings on polyethersulfone prepared by the layer‐by‐layer technique
Authors: Sperling Claudia , Houska Milan , Brynda Eduard , Streller Uwe , Werner Carsten 
Published: November 2005

AbstractPolyethersulfone foils (PES)—a unique material for blood purification membranes—were coated with a multilayer assembly of heparin (unfractionated or high anticoagulant activity fraction heparin) and albumin (albumin–heparin coatings), or with a multilayer of albumin (albumin coating), using the layer‐by‐layer technique. The coatings combine advantages of albumin (reduction of nonspecific interactions) and heparin (specific interactions with blood coagulation proteins). The differences between the two heparins, while significant for their biological activity, had only a minor effect on the multilayer assembly with albumin monitored in situ by reflection infrared spectroscopy (FTIR MIRS). Uncoated as well as modified PES surfaces were evaluated using an in vitro assay with freshly drawn, slightly heparinized (1.5 IU heparin/mL) human whole blood. The blood was circulated with a roller pump over the sample surfaces in shear flow across rectangular slit channels (
app. 6 mL/min and
120 s−1) for 1.5 h at 37°C. All coatings effectively reduced platelet adhesion and activation according to the PF4 release. The activation of coagulation evaluated as TAT generation was significantly lowered for the coating composed of albumin and high activity heparin. A further beneficial effect of the heparin containing coatings was reduced complement activation as determined by different complement fragments. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006
Development, implantation, in vivo elution, and retrieval of a biocompatible, sustained release subretinal drug delivery system
Authors: Beeley Nathan R.F. , Stewart Jay M. , Tano Ryotaro , Lawin Laurie R. , Chappa Ralph A. , Qiu Guanting , Anderson Aron B. , de Juan Eugene , Varner Signe E. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractA biocompatible, sustained‐release subretinal drug‐delivery platform was developed to overcome the therapeutic accessibility limitations of current retinal disease treatments. The prototype implants were fabricated by coating nitinol, poly(methyl methacrylate) or chromic gut core filaments, with a drug‐eluting polymer matrix. The polymer coatings are manufactured and coated by SurModics. The coating is a mixture of poly(butyl methacrylate) and poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl acetate). The drug is either triamcinolone acetonide or sirolimus. The rods were successfully implanted into the subretinal space of 20/24 rabbits. Four rabbits were lost to early surgery from a dysfunctional infusion line and hemorrhage. No serious complications were observed during the 4‐week follow‐up period. Slight conjunctival redness was reported in all rabbits by 1‐day follow‐up, but the redness had subsided by the following week. Intraocular lens touch occurred in six rabbits during the implantations; of these, four had a lensectomy at the time of surgery, and the remaining two developed cataract. Corneal edema developed in three rabbits by 1‐week follow‐up, but subsided within 2 weeks. Initial observations of the implantation and elution characteristics revealed that the implants are well tolerated by the retinal tissue and that the implant can elute triamcinolone acetonide for a period of at least 4 weeks without eliciting an inflammatory response or complications. There were adverse clinical indications with the sirolimus‐loaded implants at the delivered dose. Device retrieval required an uncomplicated surgical procedure, and revealed no associated or adherent tissue. Implant drug content analysis and opacity changes to the polymer matrix coating following retrieval demonstrated the sustained elution of the drug. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006
Low barrier kinetics: Dependence on observables and free energy surface
Authors: Ma Hairong , Gruebele Martin 
Published: November 2005

AbstractDynamics on free energy surfaces with high activation barriers are usually treated by few‐state kinetics models, yielding characteristic rate coefficients and amplitudes depending on the connectivity of the states. When the barriers are low (<3kT), the assumption of instantaneous equilibration of the transition state, and hence, the few‐state kinetics treatment, break down. Langevin dynamics is used here to explore the characteristic trends that occur in such cases, as a function of barrier height, number of barriers, dimensionality of the free energy surface, and switching functions that describe how spectroscopic probes vary from reactant to product. The result is a systematic phenomenological description of low barrier kinetics and dynamics. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 27: 125–134, 2006
Numerical instabilities in the computation of pseudopotential matrix elements
Authors: Wüllen Christoph van 
Published: November 2005

AbstractSteep high angular momentum Gaussian basis functions in the vicinity of a nucleus whose inner electrons are replaced by an effective core potential may lead to numerical instabilities when calculating matrix elements of the core potential. Numerical roundoff errors may be amplified to an extent that spoils any result obtained in such a calculation. Effective core potential matrix elements for a model problem are computed with high numerical accuracy using the standard algorithm used in quantum chemical codes and compared to results of the MOLPRO program. Thus, it is demonstrated how the relative and absolute errors depend an basis function angular momenta, basis function exponents and the distance between the off‐center basis function and the center carrying the effective core potential. Then, the problem is analyzed and closed expressions are derived for the expected numerical error in the limit of large basis function exponents. It is briefly discussed how other algorithms would behave in the critical case, and they are found to have problems as well. The numerical stability could be increased a little bit if the type 1 matrix elements were computed without making use of a partial wave expansion. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., J Comput Chem 27: 135–141 2006
Utilisation of C2–C4 gaseous hydrocarbons and isoprene by microorganisms
Authors: Shennan Jean L 
Published: November 2005

AbstractMicroorganisms able to grow on low molecular weight aliphatic hydrocarbon gases, i.e. the n‐alkanes, ethane, propane and butane, and the terminal alkenes, ethylene, propylene and butylene, are not uncommon but mainly belong to certain taxonomic groups. These microbes are described in this review together with the pathways by which the hydrocarbons are assimilated. Microbial oxidation of the volatile alkadiene, isoprene, is also discussed. Avenues for possible commercial exploitation of these metabolic activities are also reviewed. Short‐chain n‐alkane‐utilising organisms have been investigated as tools in petroleum exploration and for production of single cell protein. More recently microbes grown on gaseous hydrocarbons other than methane have been evaluated for use in biotechnological production of epoxides, synthesis of chiral epoxyalkanes and as catalysts in bioremediation systems. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Removal of TEX vapours from air in a peat biofilter: influence of inlet concentration and inlet load
Authors: Gabaldón Carmen , Martínez‐Soria Vicente , Martín Miguel , Marzal Paula , Penya‐roja Josep‐Manuel , Alvarez‐Hornos F. Javier 
Published: November 2005

AbstractThis paper presents the results of the study of the removal of toluene, ethylbenzene, and o‐xylene (TEX) by biofiltration using a commercial peat as filter‐bed material. Runs with a single organic compound in air, and with the mixture of TEX in air, were carried out for at least 55 days in laboratory‐scale reactors inoculated with a conditioned culture. The influence of organic compound inlet load and of gas flow rate on the biofilter's performance was studied, including relatively high values of pollutant inlet concentration (up to 4.3 gC m−3 for ethylbenzene, 3.2 gC m−3 for toluene, and 2.7 gC m−3 for o‐xylene). Results obtained show maximum elimination capacities of 65 gC m−3 h−1 for o‐xylene, 90 gC m−3 h−1 for toluene, and 100 gC m−3 h−1 for ethylbenzene, and high removal efficiency (>90%) even for moderately elevated concentrations: 3.0, 2.5 and 1.8 gC m−3 for ethylbenzene, toluene and o‐xylene, respectively. The behaviour of the TEX mixture was in good agreement with the results obtained for the runs in which only one organic compound was present. Ethylbenzene and toluene are degraded easier than o‐xylene, and inhibitory effects due to the presence of multiple substrates were not observed. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Optimisation study of large‐scale enzymatic synthesis of oleyl oleate, a liquid wax ester, by response surface methodology
Authors: Mat Radzi Salina , Basri Mahiran , Salleh Abu Bakar , Ariff Arbakariya , Mohammad Rosfarizan , Abdul Rahman Mohammad Basyaruddin , Raja Abdul Rahman Raja Noor Zaliha 
Published: November 2005

AbstractAn optimisation study of the large‐scale enzymatic synthesis of a liquid wax ester from oleic acid and oleyl alcohol using Novozym 435 was carried out. Investigations were performed in batch mode with a stirred tank reactor (STR) with one multi‐bladed impeller. Response surface methodology (RSM) based on a five‐level, three‐variable central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was used to evaluate the interactive effects of various parameters. The parameters are amount of enzyme (A) (90–120 g), impeller speed (B) (100–400 rpm) and temperature (C) (40–60 °C). The optimum conditions derived via RSM at a fixed reaction time of 1 h were successfully optimised as A = 104 g, B = 388.0 rpm and C = 49.7 °C. The actual experimental yield was 96.7% under the optimum conditions, which compared well with the maximum predicted value of 97.6%. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
PDT‐induced death of sensory neurons and glial cells in the isolated crayfish stretch receptor after proteolytic treatment
Authors: Lobanov A.V. , Uzdensky A.B. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractTo study the involvement of neuroglial interactions in photodynamic damage of crayfish stretch receptor, which consists of only two neurons surrounded by satellite glial cells (SGCs), we attempted to proteolytically uncouple neurons and glia and then compare the responses of these cells to photosensitization when intercellular communications were intact or impaired. After incubation of isolated stretch receptors with pronase or collagenase they were photosensitized with Photosens, a mixture of sulfonated alumophthalocyanines AlPcSn (n = 2, 3, and 4; mean n = 3.1). In the next 6 hr the preparations were double fluorochromed with propidium iodide and Hoechst‐33342 to visualize necrotic and apoptotic cells. Proteolytic treatment shortened bioelectric neuron response and precipitated its functional inactivation; however, it did not significantly impair neuron morphology and did not induce its necrosis either in the darkness or under photosensitization. Photodynamic treatment induced necrosis of neurons and SGC and apoptosis of glial cells. Pronase but not collagenase increased percent of necrotic and apoptotic SGCs in the darkness and thus reduced the number of glial cells around the neuron; however, both pronase and collagenase prevented photodynamically induced apoptosis of glial cells. The involvement of neuron‐to‐glia signaling interactions in this phenomenon is suggested. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nerve growth factor increases connexin43 phosphorylation and gap junctional intercellular communication
Authors: Cushing Paul , Bhalla Ruchi , Johnson Andrew M. , Rushlow Walter J. , Meakin Susan O. , Belliveau Daniel J. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractThe function of gap junctions is regulated by the phosphorylation state of their connexin subunits. Numerous growth factors are known to regulate connexin phosphorylation; however, the effect of nerve growth factor on gap junction function is not understood. The phosphorylation of connexin subunits is a key event during many aspects of the lifecycle of a connexin, including open/close states, assembly/trafficking, and degradation, and thus affects the functionality of the channel. PC12 cells infected with connexin43 (Cx43) retrovirus were used as a neuronal model to characterize the signal transduction pathways activated by nerve growth factor (NGF) that potentially affect the functional state of Cx43. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated that Cx43 and the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK), ERK‐1/2, were phosphorylated in response to TrkA activation via NGF and that phosphorylation could be prevented by treatment with the MEK‐1/2 inhibitor U0126. The effects of NGF on gap junction intercellular communication were examined by monitoring fluorescence recovery after photobleaching PC12‐Cx43 cells preloaded with calcein. Fluorescence recovery in the photobleached area increased after NGF treatment and decreased when pretreated with the MEK‐1/2 inhibitor U0126. These data are the first to show a direct signaling link between neurotrophins and the phosphorylation of connexin proteins through the MAPK pathway resulting in increased gap junctional intercellular communication. Neurotrophic regulation of connexin activity provides a novel mechanism of regulating intercellular communication between neurons during nervous system development and repair. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Apotransferrin and the cytoskeleton of oligodendroglial cells
Authors: Ortiz Esteban H. , Pasquini Laura A. , Soto Eduardo F. , Pasquini Juana M. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractApotransferrin (aTf), has been shown to accelerate the differentiation of oligodendroglial cells (OLGcs) in primary cultures and to increase the expression of different components of the myelin cytoskeleton (CSK). We examined the incorporation and distribution of human aTf (aTfh) exogenously added to OLGcs cultures and its effects on the CSK of the OLGcs. When OLGcs treated with aTfh were extracted with a CSK‐stabilizing buffer containing detergent, aTfh was found in the soluble fraction. In vitro experiments showed that purified tubulin was not altered by the addition of aTfh. In OLGc primary cultures treated with aTfh, this glycoprotein showed a punctate distribution pattern along the OLGc processes. Treatment of the cultures with colchicine, cytochalasin, or taxol induced a displacement of the immunoreactivity of aTfh toward the OLGc soma. Analysis of the effects of aTfh on the cell distribution of tyrosinated and detyrosinated tubulin and STOP (stable tubule only polypeptide), showed that aTfh added to OLGc cultures promoted changes suggesting a stabilizing effect on the microtubules (MT) at the tip of the processes. Kinesin and dynein were found to colocalize with the aTfh, indicating that these motors participate in the transport of the added glycoprotein. Moreover, after treatment with aTfh, clathrin immunoreactivity was displaced from the OLGc body toward the cell processes. These results indicate that although aTfh added to OLGcs does not interact directly with CSK components, it seems to be transported in clathrin coated vesicles from the cell body to the tips of the OLGc processes where it promotes their stabilization. This mechanism may be of importance in the increased formation of the myelin membrane induced by aTf. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nitric oxide enhances collagen synthesis in cultured human tendon cells
Authors: Xia Wei , Szomor Zoltan , Wang Yao , Murrell George A.C. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractCollagen deposition is an important process that occurs during wound healing. We and others have shown that nitric oxide (NO) is important in tendon healing. The mechanisms whereby healing is enhanced are, however, undetermined. The aim of this study was to investigate whether NO could enhance collagen synthesis in cultured human tendon cells via exogenous NO and via an adenovirus containing the gene for inducible nitric oxide synthase (Ad‐iNOS).Tendon cells from the torn edge of the tendons of patients undergoing rotator cuff repair surgery were cultured following collagenase digestion, and stimulated with exogenous NO (SNAP), transfected with Ad‐iNOS, and treated with the NOS inhibitor, L‐NMMA. Total protein and collagen synthesis were evaluated by 3H‐proline and collagenase sensitive 3H‐proline incorporation in human tendon cells. High doses of exogenous NO (SNAP) inhibited collagen synthesis. Lower doses enhanced total protein and collagen synthesis of the tendon cells. Ad‐iNOS successfully transfected active iNOS into human tendon cells in vitro and also enhanced total protein and collagen synthesis of the tendon cells. The NOS inhibitor, L‐NMMA, inhibited the effects of iNOS on the cells.Our studies show for first time that nitric oxide can enhance collagen synthesis in human tendon cells in vitro. These results may explain, in part, at least, the beneficial effects of NO donors in animal models and during the treatment of tendonopathies in human clinical trials. © 2005 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
A critical view of the desertification debate in southeastern Spain
Authors: Martínez‐Fernández J. , Esteve M. A. 
Published: November 2005

AbstractIn Spain, desertification has been—and is still—mainly associated with soil erosion, particularly in natural and semi‐natural systems. Such association cannot be supported either from the scientific or the socio‐economic point of view. Most average values of erosion rates in Spain have been overestimated, especially in the case of natural systems. High rates of soil erosion in natural systems are usually restricted to spatially limited areas like badlands, most of them generated through active natural geomorphologic processes. The main erosion problems are not found in natural environments but in agricultural systems, especially in marginal agricultural areas on steep slopes and with bad agricultural practices and also in intensively irrigated lands, especially greenhouses. The association of arid zones with the ancient destruction of vegetation is rooted in simplistic ideas considering areas with scarce vegetation, little biomass or limited height to be generated by negative human interventions. However, in arid and semiarid systems this is not always true. The simplistic ideas linking scarce vegetation with desertification is also deeply negative for the conservation of the outstanding biodiversity of arid systems, most of them included in the European Habitat Directive. The main desertification problem in Spain is generated by unsustainable water management. The current expansion of irrigated lands outside the areas suited for agriculture is increasing the intensity of aquifer exploitation, already causing serious problems of salinization, the loss of springs and wetlands and associated biodiversity and the exhaustion of non‐renewable groundwater resources. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Soil quality evaluation and monitoring based on land evaluation
Authors: Rosa D. de la 
Published: November 2005

AbstractSoil quality evaluation is the process of predicting the capacity of a soil to function. Due to the many possible soil functions, simple measuring of an individual soil parameter is not sufficient. These soil‐quality parameters or indicators are grouped in physical, chemical and biological components. Land evaluation, which tries to predict land behaviour for each particular use, is not the same as soil‐quality assessment, basically because the biological parameters of the soil are not considered by land evaluation. However, the process of evaluating soil is not new, and agro‐ecological land evaluation has much to offer in this sense. A state‐of‐the‐art review of soil quality evaluation and monitoring is presented in this paper, focusing on the possibilities of applying the accumulated knowledge from past studies of land evaluation. An agro‐ecological approach is suggested to facilitate the monumental task of relating the nearly infinite list of soil quality indicators to the numerous soil functions, such as an application of MicroLEIS DSS to soil quality. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Rheology Study of Wafer Level Underfill
Authors: Sun Yangyang , Zhang Zhuqing , Wong Ching Ping 
Published: November 2005

AbstractSummary: As a special epoxy resin material used in the electronics packaging, wafer level underfill (WLU) is studied using a chemorheology approach to provide a fundamental understanding of its reaction dependent rheology behaviors. In this work, the relationship between the molecular weight ($\overline M _{\rm w}$) and the viscosity of the epoxy resins at fixed temperatures has been established. Subsequently an Arrhenius‐Erying equation was used to fit the relationship between viscosity and temperature for given molecular weight epoxies. By combining the two relationships, the viscosity could be modeled as a function of temperature and molecular weight. To obtain the viscosity change of the WLU during the reflow process, the molecular weight change of the underfill was calculated from the degree of curing through the kinetics modeling. A semi‐empirical model was developed to predict the viscosity of the underfill as a function of time and temperature during the curing process. Modeled predictions were compared with experimental data under isothermal and ramping temperatures during curing experiments. The model showed good agreement with the experiments in the early stage of curing reaction. The critical viscosity of the underfill for solder wetting was obtained by wetting experiments, which can be used as the criteria to determine the flowability of the wafer level underfill.Data fitting of the viscosity model at isothermal condition.magnified imageData fitting of the viscosity model at isothermal condition.
Layered Silicate‐Induced Enhancement of Fracture Toughness of Epoxy Molding Compounds over a Wide Temperature Range
Authors: Tark Han Joong , Cho Kilwon 
Published: November 2005

AbstractSummary: The fracture toughness of EMC was dramatically increased over a wide temperature range by the addition of a very low volume fraction of layered silicates to EMC filled with micro‐silica particles. Layered silicate‐EMC nanocomposites containing intercalated and the exfoliated silicates were fabricated by using o‐cresol and biphenyl type epoxy resins, respectively. It was found that exfoliated silicates were more effective than intercalated silicates at toughening EMC at temperatures above Tg of the epoxy resin. Enhanced fracture toughness of EMC over a wide temperature range, from ambient to 230 °C has been attributed to the presence of layered silicates, which induces macroscopic crack deflection and severe plastic deformation in front of the crack tip.
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