bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Low cost, robust, in‐house hardware for heart cutting two‐dimensional gas chromatography
Authors: Apps Peter 
Published: September 2006

AbstractNatural materials are so complex that no single column can separate all of the components. Heart cutting 2‐D GC (GC‐GC) using a Deans switch provides maximum separation, but the requisite gas flow configurations have earned a reputation for being fiddly and time consuming to set up and tune, unless electronic gas controls and costly software are employed. A design for a vented Deans switch is presented that can be assembled in‐house from standard commercial components. A vent to atmosphere replaces the balancing resistor, which solves the problem of balancing the pressures and flows, and requires no compensation for changes in gas viscosity and back‐pressure during temperature programming. First and second dimension columns can both be run at optimum flow rates, even if they are of different diameters. Analyte detectability is preserved by cutting only the target fraction from the first column and transferring the whole of it to the second column. Cryotrapping the selected fraction allows cuts of any width, and transfer of analytes to the second column as sharp bands. I have applied the vented Deans switch–cold trap to the identification of flavour and fragrance compounds from South African plants and foods; cuts are very repeatable, and the detectability of trace components is enhanced. Its capabilities are demonstrated by examples from analyses of essential oils and flavour extracts.
Clinical variability in type I familial amyloid polyneuropathy (Val30Met): Comparison between late‐ and early‐onset cases in Portugal
Authors: Conceição Isabel , De Carvalho Mamede 
Published: September 2006

AbstractWe compared early‐ with late‐onset cases in 86 patients with familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy type I (FAP). Among these patients, 43 presented before age 50 (early‐onset) and 43 after this age (late‐onset). Sex and geographical distribution were similar, although a family history of the disorder was more frequent in early‐onset cases. In late‐onset disease, autonomic dysfunction was less frequent, but organ involvement and severe neuropathic pain were more frequent. Neurophysiological measurements were similar. FAP is a cause of neuropathy in elderly patients, in particular in those presenting with neuropathic pain. Muscle Nerve, 2006
Myeloid dendritic cells in inclusion‐body myositis and polymyositis
Authors: Greenberg Steven A. , Pinkus Geraldine S. , Amato Anthony A. , Pinkus Jack L. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractDendritic cells (DCs), immune system cells central to the development of immunity, have not previously been reported in muscle in inclusion‐body myositis (IBM). We performed immunohistochemical studies on muscle biopsy specimens from 50 patients using monoclonal antibodies that distinguish two classes of DCs, myeloid DC and plasmacytoid DC. In 17 of 20 IBM and 9 of 10 polymyositis (PM) specimens, myeloid DCs were present in substantial numbers, frequently surrounded and sometimes invading otherwise intact myofibers, and were part of dense collections of cells that included T cells. Dermatomyositis muscle had more plasmacytoid DCs than myeloid DCs, whereas IBM and PM had greater numbers of myeloid DCs. The stellate morphology of myeloid DCs in dense collections of cells that included T cells suggests local intramuscular antigen presentation in IBM and PM. Muscle Nerve, 2006
Rigidity and spasms from autoimmune encephalomyelopathies: Stiff‐person syndrome
Authors: Espay Alberto J. , Chen Robert 
Published: September 2006

AbstractStiff‐person syndrome (SPS) is a disorder characterized by progressive muscle rigidity with superimposed painful muscle spasms and gait impairment due to continuous motor activity. Evidence has accumulated in favor of SPS representing an autoimmune, predominantly encephalomyelopathic disorder resulting from B‐cell–mediated clonal production of autoantibodies against presynaptic inhibitory epitopes on the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and the synaptic membrane protein amphiphysin. Recognition of the clinical spectrum of SPS is important, particularly the upper‐limb, cervical, and cranial nerve involvement that occurs in paraneoplastic variants. The correlation between antibody levels and severity of disease offers evidence for a pathogenic role for the anti‐GAD and anti‐amphiphysin autoantibodies. The scarcity of neuropathological correlates stand in sharp contrast with the severity of the disability in affected individuals and suggests that functional impairment of inhibitory circuits without structural damage is sufficient to develop the full clinical spectrum of SPS. The rarity of this condition limits the feasibility of controlled clinical trials in the treatment of SPS, but the available evidence suggest that drugs that increase cortical and spinal inhibition such as benzodiazepines and drugs that provide immune modulation such as intravenous immunoglobulin, plasmapheresis, and prednisone are effective treatments. Muscle Nerve, 2006
Sensory sparing patterns and the sensory ratio in acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
Authors: Al‐Shekhlee Amer , Robinson Jenice , Katirji Bashar 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe relative preservation (sparing) of sural sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs) is a useful diagnostic finding in patients with acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (AIDP). However, recording of sural SNAPs is not always technically feasible, especially in obese, edematous, or elderly individuals. Hence, we systematically evaluated the predictive values of the commonly employed SNAPs in the diagnosis of AIDP within 2 weeks from onset of symptoms. Sensory sparing patterns and sensory ratios of the sural, radial, median, and ulnar SNAPs of AIDP patients were included in a retrospective and blinded analysis, and compared to patients with diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) and controls. Logistic regression models for the sural plus radial SNAPs/median plus ulnar SNAPs (sensory ratio) were constructed. A sural sparing pattern was present only in the AIDP group (34.4%, P < 0.001). A radial sparing pattern did not discriminate the AIDP from the DPN groups. The sural/radial sensory ratio was useful to ascertain DPN, but did not discriminate AIDP from controls. The sensory ratio was higher in AIDP compared to DPN and controls and was an independent predictor for AIDP. This study implies that the sensory ratio is a useful predictor for the diagnosis of AIDP and may substitute for sural sparing in technically difficult situations. Muscle Nerve, 2006
Solving minimum K‐cardinality cut problems in planar graphs
Authors: Bruglieri Maurizio , Maffioli Francesco , Trubian Marco 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe present work tackles a recent problem in the class of cardinality constrained combinatorial optimization problems for the planar graph case: the minimum k‐cardinality cut problem. Given an undirected edge‐weighted connected graph the min k‐cardinality cut problem consists in finding a partition of the vertex set V in two sets V1, V2 such that the number of the edges between V1 and V2 is exactly k and the sum of the weights of these edges is minimal. Although for general graphs the problem is already strongly 𝒩𝒫‐hard, we have found a pseudopolynomial algorithm for the planar graph case. This algorithm is based on the fact that the min k‐cardinality cut problem in the original graph is equivalent to a bi‐weighted exact perfect matching problem in a suitable transformation of the geometric dual graph. Because the Lagrangian relaxation of cardinality constraint yields a max cut problem and max cut is polynomially solvable in planar graphs, we also develop a Lagrangian heuristic for the min k‐cardinality cut in planar graphs. We compare the performance of this heuristic with the performance of a more general heuristic based on a Semidefinite Programming relaxation and on the Goemans and Williamson's random hyperplane technique. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, Vol. 48(4), 195–208 2006
Synthesis and characterization of poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymers with sulfonimide side groups for a proton‐exchange membrane
Authors: Cho Chang Gi , Kim Yu Seung , Yu Xiang , Hill Melinda , McGrath James E. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractA sulfonimide‐containing comonomer derived from 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenylsulfone was synthesized and copolymerized with 4,4′‐dichlorodiphenylsulfone and 4,4′‐biphenol to prepare sulfonimide‐containing poly(arylene ether sulfone) random copolymers (BPSIs). These copolymers showed slightly higher water uptake than disulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone) copolymer (BPSH) controls, but their proton‐conductivity values were very comparable to those of the BPSH series with similar ion contents. The proton conductivity increased with the temperature for both systems. For samples with 30 mol % ionic groups, BPSI showed less temperature dependence in proton conductivity and slightly higher methanol permeability in comparison with BPSH. The thermal characterization of the sulfonimide copolymers showed that both the acid and salt forms were stable up to 250 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. The results suggested that the presumed enhanced stability of the sulfonimide systems did not translate into higher protonic conductivity in liquid water. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6007–6014, 2006
Polymerization of aniline by copper‐catalyzed air oxidation
Authors: Bicak Niyazi , Karagoz Bunyamin 
Published: September 2006

AbstractA novel method for preparing organosoluble and conducting polyaniline (PANI) is presented. It is demonstrated that Cu(II) is an excellent catalyst for the polymerization of aniline by air oxygen in aqueous emulsions. Reactions carried out at 0 °C or at room temperature yield PANIs of reasonably high molecular weights (number‐average molecular weight = 23,000–114,000 Da) in an emeraldine base form that are soluble in many organic solvents, such as tetrahydrofuran, dimethylformamide, N‐methylpyrrolidinone, chloroform, and acetone. Spectroscopic investigations (ultraviolet, Fourier transform infrared, and 1H NMR) have shown that PANI obtained by this procedure has the same structure as those prepared by the conventional persulfate oxidation method. The resulting PANIs show reasonable electronic conductivities (0.067–0.320 S cm−1) upon doping with p‐toluenesulfonic acid or dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6025–6031, 2006
Synthesis and chiroptical properties of optically active poly(N‐propargylamide) bearing photoisomerizable azobenzene moieties
Authors: Zhou Jing‐Lun , Chen Xiao‐Fang , Fan Xing‐He , Lu Chun‐Xiang , Zhou Qi‐Feng 
Published: September 2006

AbstractA chiral azobenzene‐containing N‐propargylamide monomer, that is, (R)‐2‐(4‐phenylazophenoxy)‐n‐prop‐2‐ynyl‐propionamide, was prepared and polymerized in the presence of a rhodium catalyst to yield an optically active polyacetylene. The 1H NMR analysis of the polymer indicated a predominant cis structure of the backbone (cis concentration = 80%); and the chiroptical property studies showed an enhanced optical rotatory power and a strong Cotton effect, indicating the formation of a secondary helical conformation. A reversible optical modulation of chiroptical properties of the polymer due to the reversible photoisomerization of the azobenzene was observed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6047–6054, 2006
Study of mechanical properties, oxygen permeability and AFM topography of zein films plasticized by polyols
Authors: Ghanbarzadeh Babak , Oromiehie A. R. , Musavi Mohamad , Falcone Pasquale Massimiliano , D‐Jomeh Zahra Emam , Rad Elhame Razmi 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThe use of plastic for packaging has grown extensively in recent years. In this context, biodegradable films can be a source of energy saving and an important issue for environmental protection. Zein protein (prolamin of corn) is one of the best biopolymers for edible film making and polyols are convenient plasticizers for biopolymers. Polyols (sorbitol, glycerol and mannitol) at three levels (0.5, 0.7 and 1g/g zein) were used as plasticizers and the tensile properties, oxygen permeability (OP) and AFM topography of zein films were studied. Films plasticized by sorbitol had a relatively higher ultimate tensile strength (UTS) than films containing glycerol and mannitol at low levels of plasticizers (0.25, 0.7g/g zein). There was no significant difference between the strain at break values (SB) of films plasticized by sorbitol and glycerol at low levels of plasticizers, while films plasticized by sorbitol had higher SB than the films containing glycerol and mannitol at a high level of plasticizer (1g/g zein). Pure zein films had low oxygen permeability (OP), and increasing the plasticizer level to 0.5g/g zein decreased OP values in films containing sorbitol and glycerol. Films containing sorbitol and mannitol had the lowest and highest OP values, respectively. AFM images were used to evaluate the surface morphology (qualitative parameter) and roughness (quantitative parameter) of zein films. Films plasticized by glycerol had smoother surfaces and a lower roughness parameter (Rq). No relationship between OP values and the roughness of the zein films was observed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight characterization of bisphenol‐A copolyformals containing nickel(II)/Schiff base, eicosane and 2‐butene units in the main chain
Authors: Vitalini Daniele , Spina Emanuela , Rapisardi Roberto , Scamporrino Emilio , Mineo Placido 
Published: September 2006

AbstractSome bisphenol‐A copolyformals, containing in the main chain different amounts of a Ni‐diimine nonlinear optical (NLO)‐chromophore, eicosane and/or 2‐butene units, were synthesized by condensation reaction between dibromomethane and suitable mixtures of Ni(II)/Schiff base complex, 1,20‐di(bisphenol‐A)ether‐eicosane and/or 1,4‐di(bisphenol‐A)ether‐2‐butene. Structural composition and thermal properties of polymeric materials were inferred by analyses by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOFMS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG). MALDI‐TOF data show that both Ni‐diimine and unsaturated units are present in the copolyformals with a homogeneous arrangement in all the polymer mass range (GPC data). It has also been ascertained that the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the copolymers changes as a consequence of the abundance of aliphatic units in the macromolecules (DSC data). Cross‐linking experiments of the copolymer at temperatures near the Tg value and under UV irradiation were also performed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Compound‐specific stable carbon isotope ratios (δ13C values) of the halogenated natural product 2,3,3′,4,4′,5,5′‐heptachloro‐1′‐methyl‐1,2′‐bipyrrole (Q1)
Authors: Vetter Walter , Gleixner Gerd 
Published: September 2006

AbstractCompound‐specific isotope analysis using gas chromatography interfaced to isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/IRMS) was applied for the determination of δ13C values of the marine halogenated natural product 2,3,3′,4,4′,5,5′‐heptachloro‐1′‐methyl‐1,2′‐bipyrrole (Q1). The δ13C value of a lab‐made Q1 standard (−34.20 ± 0.27‰) was depleted in 13C by more than 11‰ relative to the residues of Q1 in dolphin blubber from Australia and skua liver from Antarctica. This clarified that the synthesized Q1 was not the source for Q1 in the biota samples. However, two Australian marine mammals showed a large variation in the δ13C value, which, in our experience, was implausible. Since the GC/IRMS system was connected to a conventional ion trap mass spectrometer by a post‐column splitter, we were able to closely inspect the peak purity of Q1 in the respective samples. While the mass spectra of Q1 did not indicate any impurity, a fronting peak of PCB 101 was identified in one sample. This interference falsified the δ13C value of the respective sample. Once this sample was excluded, we found that the δ13C values of the remaining samples, i.e. liver of Antarctic brown skua (−21.47 ± 1.47‰) and blubber of Australian melon‐headed whale (−22.80 ± 0.33‰), were in the same order. The standard deviation for Q1 was larger in the skua samples than in the standard and the whale blubber sample. This was due to lower amounts of skua sample available. It remained unclear if the Q1 residues originate from the same producer and location. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CreateTarget and Analyze This!: new software assisting imaging mass spectrometry on Bruker Reflex IV and Ultraflex II instruments
Authors: Clerens Stefan , Ceuppens Ruben , Arckens Lutgarde 
Published: September 2006

AbstractTwo new software programs are presented which enable matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionisation imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI‐IMS) on Bruker Reflex and Ultraflex instruments. The first program, CreateTarget, creates a high density raster with the dimensions of the tissue section, and converts these parameters into a virtual target plate file that can be imported in the normal mass spectrometer control software. Following automated spectrum acquisition, the second program, Analyze This!, converts the array of spectra into an Analyze 7.5 image format that can be read by image analysis software. These two tools are sufficient to allow IMS, and offer a valid alternative to commercially available software. CreateTarget and Analyze This! are available free of charge. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High‐performance liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometry determination of cholesterol uptake by Caco‐2 cells
Authors: Tian Qingguo , Failla Mark L. , Bohn Torsten , Schwartz Steven J. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractA simple, sensitive and selective liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization tandem mass spectrometric method (LC/APCI‐MS/MS) was developed and applied to quantitative determination of uptake of cholesterol by Caco‐2 human intestine cells. Caco‐2 cells were cultured in medium containing cholesterol‐3,4‐13C2 and phytosterols from nutritional supplements after in vitro digestion. Cellular cholesterol (cholesterol‐3,4‐13C2) and endogenous cholesterol were extracted using methanol/chloroform (1:2, v/v) and directly analyzed using LC/APCI‐MS/MS with selected reaction monitoring (SRM), using cholesterol‐2,2,3,4,4,6‐d6 as an internal standard. Detection and quantification limits were 2.2 and 7.2 pmol, respectively. This method provides an effective tool for rapid determination of cholesterol uptake by cells with increased selectivity and sensitivity in comparison to previously reported LC/APCI‐MS analysis using selected ion monitoring (SIM). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antioxidants and inhibitors of flavoprotein‐dependent oxidases abrogate TGF‐beta induction of biglycan: Evidence for a role of reactive oxygen species
Authors: Ungefroren Hendrik , Groth Stephanie , Fändrich Fred 
Published: September 2006

AbstractTransforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) in excess evokes inflammation, fibrosis, and desmoplasia in part by stimulating extracellular matrix synthesis including expression of the small leucine‐rich proteoglycan biglycan (Bgn). Since TGF‐β exerts some of its effects by stimulating the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells, we investigated the possibility that ROS signaling is involved in Bgn induction by TGF‐β. In pancreatic carcinoma PANC‐1 cells, antioxidants (N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine, ascorbic acid), ROS scavengers (Tiron) and inhibitors of flavoprotein‐dependent oxidases such as the ROS producing enzyme NADPH oxidase (apocynin and diphyleneiodonium) all inhibited TGF‐β1‐induced Bgn expression. In agreement with a role of the transcription factor NFκB in ROS cellular actions, the NFκB inhibitor pyrrolidinecarbodithiocarbamate also reduced the TGF‐β effect on Bgn, while S‐M‐sulfate, an inhibitor of the nitric oxide‐generating enzyme iNOS was ineffective in this respect. TGF‐β time‐dependently and moderately induced ROS production that was suppressed by diphenyleneiodonium. RT‐PCR revealed that PANC‐1 cells expressed various subunits of NADPH oxidase, namely p22phox, p47phox and p67phox as well as Nox isoforms 2, 4, 5 and 6, but lacked mRNA for Nox1 and 3. Blocking TGF‐β‐induced Bgn expression by modulating cellular redox status could have beneficial effects on fibrotic disorders caused by TGF‐β hyperactivity.
Compiler optimizations for processors with SIMD instructions
Authors: Pryanishnikov Ivan , Krall Andreas , Horspool Nigel 
Published: September 2006

AbstractTo achieve maximum efficiency, modern embedded processors for media applications exploit single instruction multiple data (SIMD) instructions. SIMD instructions provide a form of vectorization where a large machine word is viewed as a vector of subwords and the same operation is performed on all subwords in parallel. Systematic usage of SIMD instructions can significantly improve program performance. With C becoming the dominant language for programming embedded devices, there is a clear need for C compilers that use SIMD instructions whenever appropriate. However, SIMD instructions typically require each memory access to be aligned with the instruction's data access size. Therefore an important problem in designing the compiler is to determine whether a C pointer is aligned, i.e. whether it refers to the beginning of a machine word. In this paper, we describe our SIMD generation algorithm and present an analysis method which determines the alignment of pointers at compile time. The alignment information is used to reduce the number of dynamic alignment checks and the overhead incurred by them. Our method uses an interprocedural analysis which propagates pointer alignment information in function bodies and through function calls. The effectiveness of our method is supported by experimental results which show that in typical programs the alignments of about 50% of the pointers can be statically determined. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exceptions in remote procedure calls using C++ template metaprogramming
Authors: Rintala Matti 
Published: September 2006

AbstractSerialization of data is needed when information is passed among program entities that have no shared memory. For remote procedure calls, this includes serialization of exception objects in addition to more traditional parameters and return values. In C++, serialization of exceptions is more complicated than parameters and return values, since internal copying and passing of exceptions is handled differently from C++ parameters and return values. This article presents a light‐weight template metaprogramming‐based mechanism for passing C++ exceptions in remote procedure calls, remote method invocations, and other situations where caller and callee do not have a shared address space. This mechanism has been implemented and tested in the KC++ concurrent active object system. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.