bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Glycosylated neuropeptides: A new vista for neuropsychopharmacology?
Authors: Polt Robin , Dhanasekaran Muthu , Keyari Charles M. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThe application of endogenous neuropeptides (e.g., enkephalins) as analgesics has been retarded by their poor stability in vivo and by their inability to effectively penetrate the blood–brain barrier (BBB). Effective BBB transport of glycosylated enkephalins has been demonstrated in several labs now. Analgesia (antinociception) levels greater than morphine, and with reduced side effects have been observed for several glycopeptides related to enkephalin. Somewhat paradoxically, enhanced BBB transport across this lipophilic barrier is achieved by attaching water‐soluble carbohydrate groups to the peptide moieties to produce biousian glycopeptides that can be either water‐soluble or membrane bound. Transport is believed to rely on an endocytotic mechanism (transcytosis), and allows for systemic delivery and transport of the water‐soluble glycopeptides. Much larger endorphin/dynorphin glycopeptide analogs bearing amphipathic helix address regions also have been shown to penetrate the BBB in mice. This holds forth the possibility of transporting much larger neuropeptides across the BBB, which may encompass a wide variety of receptors beyond the opioid receptors. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The interaction of cationic antimicrobial peptides with vesicles containing synthetic glycolipids as models of the outer membrane of gram‐negative bacteria
Authors: Gobbo Marina , Biondi Laura , Filira Fernando , Rocchi Raniero 
Published: August 2005

AbstractTwo simple lipid A analogues methyl 2,3‐di‐O‐tetradecanoyl‐α‐D‐glucopyranoside (GL1) and methyl 2,3‐di‐O‐tetradecanoyl‐α‐D‐glucopyranoside 4‐O‐phosphate (GL2) were synthesized and used for preparing mixed phosphocholine vesicles as models of the outer membrane of gram‐negative bacteria. The interaction of these model membranes with magainin 2, a representative of the α‐helical membrane active peptides, and apidaecin Ib and drosocin, two insect Pro‐rich peptides which do not act at the level of the cellular membrane, were studied by CD and dye‐releasing experiments. The CD spectra of apidaecin Ib and drosocin in the presence of GL1‐ or GL2‐containing vesicles were consistent with largely unordered structures, whereas, according to the CD spectra, magainin 2 adopted an amphipathic α‐helical conformation, particularly in the presence of negatively charged bilayers. The ability of the peptides to fold into amphipathic conformations was strictly correlated to their ability to bind and to permeabilize phospholipid as well as glycolipid membranes. Apidaecin Ib and drosocin, which are unable to adopt an amphipathic structure, showed negligible dye‐leakage activity even in the presence of GL2‐containing vesicles. It is reasonable to suppose that, as for the killing mechanism, the two classes of antimicrobial peptides follow different patterns to cross the bacterial outer membrane. Copyright © 2005 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Spectral properties of helium‐like ions under strongly coupled plasma conditions
Authors: Sil A. N. , Mukherjee P. K. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractSystematic investigations have been performed to study the effect of strongly coupled plasma on the dynamic polarizabilities, low‐lying energy levels, oscillator strengths, and transition probabilities for the helium isoelectronic ions Li+, Be2+, B3+, C4+, N5+, O6+, F7+, and Ne8+. An ion‐sphere (IS) model of the plasma has been adopted and time‐dependent perturbation theory has been applied to calculate the energy levels and other transition properties. Systematic trend is observed for the spectroscopic properties along the isoelectronic sequence under a given plasma strength and also for a given ion under different plasma strengths. The ionization potential for a given ion is found to decrease, and the number of bound excited states has become finite under increased plasma strengths. The spectral line shifts under such plasma environment have been calculated. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006
Effect of Salts and Sugars on Pressure‐induced Gelatinisation of Wheat, Tapioca, and Potato Starches
Authors: Rumpold Birgit A. , Knorr Dietrich 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThe impact of a variety of chlorides, sodium salts, potassium salts and low‐molecular sugars on pressure‐induced gelatinisation of wheat, tapioca and potato starches has been investigated. Just as thermal gelatinisation, pressure‐induced gelatinisation is influenced by solutes in the starch suspensions. In general the effects of salts and sugars on starch gelatinisation were comparable for thermal and pressure treatments. For example, the gelatinisation pressure was reduced by sugars whereas the degree of gelatinisation was linearly correlated with the number of equatorial hydroxyl groups. The influence of salts on the gelatinisation pressure varied and the extent of effect on the gelatinisation pressure did not only depend on the solute added but also on the type of starch. At high chloride concentrations (> 2 M) the impact of the salts on starch gelatinisation augmentation followed the order Na+<K+<Li+<Ca2+, which corresponds to the order of the lyotropic series. At concentrations above 1 M the effect of potassium salts on starch gelatinisation upon pressurisation also followed the order of the Hofmeister series (Cl−<Br−<I−<SCN−).
Reactive Low Voltage Ion Plating (RLVIP). Prozess‐, Plasma‐ und Schichteigenschaften am Beispiel von Ta2O5/SiO2
Authors: Schlichterle S. , Strauss G. N. , Tafelmeier H. , Huber D. , Pulker H.K. 
Published: August 2005

AbstractModerne optische Vielschichtsysteme fordern hohe Schichtstabilität, geringe mechanische Schichtspannungen und kleinste optische Verluste der sich aufbauenden Einzelschichten. Mit dem BAP800 Beschichtungssystem aufgebrachte Vielschichtsysteme genügen höchsten Anforderungen der Präzisionsoptik.Ziel dieser Arbeit ist eine Vorstellung dieses ausgewählten PVD Beschichtungsprozesses, die Darstellung der Plasmakenndaten und die Präsentation der praktischen Umsetzung von Ta2O5 und SiO2 Schichten in optischen Vielschichtsystemen.Dafür wurden Ta2O5/SiO2 Wechselschichten in einer BAP800 mittels Reaktiven Niedervolt–Hochstrom‐Ionenplatieren (RLVIP) auf geheizten Kieselglas‐Substraten aufgebracht. Diese Metalloxid‐Schichten wurden auf deren optischen Eigenschaften (Brechungsindex n und optischer Absorption Koeffizient k) und auf deren mechanische Eigenschaften (Dichte ρ und Schichtspannung σ) untersucht. Das Prozess‐Plasma wurde mittels Plasmamonitor, Langmuirsonde und Faraday Cups erfasst. Eine Korrelation der Plasmadaten mit den Schichteigenschaften wird aufgezeigt.
Measurements, modeling and simulations of the UWB propagation channel based on direct‐sequence channel sounding
Authors: Cassioli Dajana , Durantini Annalisa 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThe paper presents the statistical model for the ultra‐wideband (UWB) indoor channel having a bandwidth of 2.4 GHz and a central frequency of 4.78 GHz. The model is based on propagation experiments performed in different rooms on a floor of an office‐laboratory building. Within each room the receiver antenna is automatically moved over a square grid of 25 × 25 locations spaced 2 cm apart. A correlative channel sounding technique is employed; actually the carrier is modulated by a train of short duration (0.4 ns) pulses shaped by a PN‐sequence. After coherently demodulating the detected signals and removing the PN‐sequence modulation, we post‐process the extracted channel impulse responses by best‐fit procedures to set up a statistical tapped delay line model (STDL) of the UWB indoor channel. We characterize the path loss for line‐of‐sight (LOS) and non‐line‐of‐sight (NLOS) conditions by distance‐power laws and the shadowing by lognormal distributions. A clustered structure is observed in the average power‐delay profiles; rays arrive at the receiver in groups, exponentially decaying with different decay constants. The small‐scale effects are modeled by the Gamma distribution since it verifies with a 95%‐confidence interval both the Chi‐Square test and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test applied to the experimental data. The shape parameters of such Gamma distributions are truncated Gaussian variables spreading in the range from 1 to 3. An implementation of the derived STDL model is finally proposed and a comparison between the simulated and the measured statistics is performed proving the validity of our approach. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Implementation aspects of a transmitted‐reference UWB receiver
Authors: Casu Mario R. , Durisi Giuseppe 
Published: August 2005

AbstractIn this paper, we discuss the design issues of an ultra wide band (UWB) receiver targeting a single‐chip CMOS implementation for low data‐rate applications like ad hoc wireless sensor networks. A non‐coherent transmitted‐reference (TR) receiver is chosen because of its small complexity compared to other architectures. After a brief recapitulation of the UWB fundamentals and a short discussion on the major differences between coherent and non‐coherent receivers, we discuss issues, challenges and possible design solutions. Several simulation results obtained by means of a behavioral model are presented, together with an analysis of the trade‐off between performance and complexity in an integrated circuit implementation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
U‐MAC: a proactive and adaptive UWB medium access control protocol
Authors: Jurdak Raja , Baldi Pierre , Lopes Cristina Videira 
Published: August 2005

AbstractUltra wide band (UWB) technology has received increasing recognition in recent years for its potential applications beyond radar technology to communication networks. UWB is a spread spectrum technology that requires careful coordination among communicating nodes to jointly control link power and transmission rates. Here, we present ultra wide band MAC (U‐MAC), an adaptive medium access control (MAC) protocol for UWB in which nodes periodically declare their current state, so that neighbors can proactively assign power and rate values for new links locally in order to optimize global network performance. Simulations comparing U‐MAC to the reactive approach confirm that U‐MAC lowers link setup latency and control overhead, doubles the throughput and adapts better to high network loads. Simulations also reveal that the basic form of U‐MAC favors nodes that are closer to the receiver. As a result, we also introduce novel mechanisms that control the radius around a receiver within which nodes can have fair access to it. We show through simulations the effect of the mechanisms on the tradeoff between network throughput and fair access. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diffusion in plant cuticles as affected by temperature and size of organic solutes: similarity and diversity among species
Authors: BAUR P. , BUCHHOLZ A. , SCHÖNHERR J. 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTMobilities of lipophilic organic solutes in cuticular membranes (CM) isolated from mature leaves of Citrus aurantium L., Citrus grandis L., Hedera helix L., IIex aquifolium L., Ilex paraguariensis St.‐Hil., Mains domestica Borkh., Prunus armeniaca L., Primus laurocerasus L., Pyrus communis L., Pyrus pyrifolia (Burm. f.) Nakai, Stephanotis florihunda Brongn. and Strophantus gratus Baill. were measured over a temperature range of 15–78°C. In this range, solute mobilities increased up to 1000‐fold, which corresponds to temperature coefficients Q10 of 3 (IAA in P. armeniaca) to 14 (cholesterol in H. helix). For most species, Arrhenius graphs showed good linearity up to 40°C, and up to 78°C for some species, while for others activation energies declined with increasing temperature. However, no distinct phase transitions caused by sudden structural changes in the CM were observed. In three species we examined whether heating to 70°C changed solute mobility irreversibly by comparing Arrhenius graphs for two successive experiments with the same CM. The two graphs were very similar for P. laurocerasus, while mobilities in the second graph were somewhat reduced for C. aurantium and greatly increased (at 25 and 35°C) for H. helix. This indicates rearrangements of at least some wax constituents when heated to high temperatures. The activation energies of diffusion (ED) ranged from 75 to 189 KJ mol−11 depending on species and solute size. Size selectivity and variability between cuticles decreased with increasing temperature, and this is caused by differences in (ED). An excellent correlation between the pre‐exponential factor of the Arrhenius equation and ED was observed, which is evidence that organic solutes differing greatly in molecular size (130–349 cm3 mol−1) and cuticle/water partition coefficient (25–108) use similar diffusion paths in the CM of all 12 plant species tested. Diffusion occurs in regions with identical physicochemical properties and differs only in magnitude.
Impact of iron deficiency and iron re‐supply during the early stages of vegetative development in maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: THOIRON S. , PASCAL N. , BRIAT J.‐F. 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTThe consequences of iron deficiency and iron re‐supply were evaluated during the early stages of growth and development of young maize plantlets grown hydroponically in the absence of iron. Various parameters, such as fresh and dry weights, and the concentration of chlorophylls, iron, copper, manganese, calcium, magnesium and potassium in leaves, were measured at various times during the first 15 d of culture. Ten‐day‐old maize plantlets grown without iron displayed severe alterations, with a 50% decrease in iron and chlorophyll concentrations in leaves, and serious impairments in mitochondria and chloroplast ultrastructure. In contrast, neither leaf nor root growth, nor other mineral concentrations other than iron were significantly affected at this stage of development. In an attempt to characterize proteins potentially involved in iron nutrition or the adaptative response to iron starvation, comparative 2D‐gel electrophoretic analysis of polypeptides was carried out on soluble and membrane fractions prepared from leaves and roots of iron‐deficient and iron‐sufficient 10‐d‐old maize plantlets. Two polypeptides (11 and 17 kDa, pI of about 6.8) from the microsomal fraction of leaves were found to be repressed under iron‐deficient conditions. Some other polypeptides were found to he induced in microsomal fractions either from roots or leaves. Significant variations in the concentration of most of these polypeptides were observed from one experiment to another. It can be concluded from this study that, at this early stage of maize vegetative growth and development, molecular variations induced by iron deficiency do not affect major house‐keeping proteins, but probably affect very specific events depending on low abundance proteins.
Attenuation of UV radiation by plant cuticles from woody species
Authors: KRAUSS P. , MARKSTÄDTER C. , RIEDERER M. 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTTransmittance spectra of isolated plant cuticles were measured in the wavelength range from 270 to 600 nm. The cuticles were enzymatically isolated from the leaves of 27 species (26 evergreen or deciduous woody, one succulent herbaceous) and from four species of fruits. With the exception of subtropical and tropical species all plants were cultivated in the field. The cuticles of the species studied strongly attenuated ultraviolet (UV) radiation at wavelengths < 400 nm while they were practically translucent in the visible range. Relatively broad transmittance minima occurred at wavelengths from 280 to 320 nm (UV‐B). Spectral transmittances at 300 nm ranged from 0.004 (Ilex aquifolium) to 0.50 (Prunus avium) for leaf cuticles and from 0.00023 (Cydonia oblonga) to 0.005 (Mains domestica) for fruit cuticles. The constitutive UV protection by cuticular pigments may be supplemented, to varying degrees, by pigments located in the epidermal cell wall and protoplast. Thus, it is concluded that only a small fraction of incident UV‐B radiation may actually reach the sensitive tissues of the leaves of non‐herbaceous species and of fruits.
Allergen immunotherapy with heat‐killed Listeria monocytogenes alleviates peanut and food‐induced anaphylaxis in dogs
Authors: Frick O. L. , Teuber S. S. , Buchanan B. B. , Morigasaki S. , Umetsu D. T. 
Published: August 2005

Background:  Heat‐killed Listeria monocytogenes (HKL) potently stimulates interferon (IFN)‐γ production in CD4 T‐lymphocytes, and when used as adjuvant for immunotherapy, reduces immunoglobulin (Ig)E production and reverses established allergen‐induced airway hyperreactivity (AHR) in a murine model of asthma. We asked if such treatment could decrease established peanut‐induced anaphylaxis or cow's milk‐induced food allergy in highly food‐allergic dogs.Methods:  We therefore studied four 4‐year‐old atopic colony dogs extremely allergic to peanut (Group I), as well as five 7‐year‐old dogs very allergic to wheat, milk and other foods (Group II). All dogs experienced marked allergic symptoms, including vomiting and diarrhea on oral challenge with the relevant foods. The dogs were then vaccinated once subcutaneously with peanut or milk and wheat with HKL emulsified in incomplete Freund's adjuvant.Results:  Following vaccination of the allergic dogs with HKL and allergen, oral challenges with peanut (Group I) or milk (Group II) elicited only minor or no symptoms. In addition, skin test end‐point titrations showed marked reductions for >10 weeks after treatment, and levels of Ara h 1‐specific IgE in serum of peanut sensitive dogs, as demonstrated by immunoblotting, were greatly reduced by treatment with HKL plus peanut allergen.Conclusions:  Thus, HKL plus allergen treatment markedly improved established food allergic responses in dogs, suggesting that such an immunotherapy strategy in humans might greatly improve individuals with food allergy and anaphylaxis.
Allergic rhinitis and asthma comorbidity in a survey of young adults in Italy
Authors: Bugiani M. , Carosso A. , Migliore E. , Piccioni P. , Corsico A. , Olivieri M. , Ferrari M. , Pirina P. , De Marco R. ,   ISAYA (ECRHS Italy) Study Group
Published: August 2005

Background:  Several studies have provided evidence of a strong association between asthma and allergic or nonallergic rhinitis, leading to the hypothesis that allergic rhinitis (AR) and asthma represent a continuum of the same disease.Aim:  The aims of our study were: (i) to measure the comorbidity of AR and asthma and asthma‐like symptoms and (ii) to assess whether asthma, AR, and their coexistence share a common pattern of individual risk factors.Methods:  The subjects are participants from the Italian multicentre, cross‐sectional survey on respiratory symptoms in the young adult general population (Italian Study of Asthma in Young Adults, ISAYA). The relationship between individual risk factors and asthma, AR and their coexistence, was studied by means of a multinomial logistic regression.Results:  About 60% of asthmatics reported AR. On the other hand, subjects with AR presented an eightfold risk of having asthma compared to subjects without AR. Age was negatively associated with asthma [OR = 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.82–0.96], AR (OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86–0.98), and asthma associated with AR (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.79–0.88). The risk of AR without asthma was significantly higher in the upper social classes (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.08–1.39). Active current smoking exposure was positively associated with asthma alone (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.09–1.41) and negatively associated with AR with (OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.54–0.88) or without (OR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.69–0.84) asthma.Conclusions:  Asthma and AR coexist in a substantial percentage of patients; bronchial asthma and AR, when associated, seem to share the same risk factors as AR alone while asthma without AR seems to be a different condition, at least with respect to some relevant risk factors.
Crack trapping effect of persistent grain boundary islands
Authors: KONG X. , QIAO Y. 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTIn the polycrystalline Fe–Si alloy, when a cleavage front transmits from one grain to another, it first penetrates stably across the grain boundary at a number of breakthrough points (BTPs) that distribute along the front quasi‐periodically. As the critical energy release rate is reached, unstable crack jump occurs and the persistent grain boundary islands (PGBI) between the BTPs are left behind the verge of propagating, bridging across the crack flanks, which leads to a 10–30% increase in fracture resistance. In this article, this process is investigated through an energy analysis. The influence of the size/spacing ratio of PGBI on the grain boundary toughness is discussed in detail.
Determination of structural stress for fatigue analysis of welded aluminium components subjected to bending
Authors: MATIC T. , DOMAZET Z. 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTThe results of extrapolation procedures for the determination of structural stresses are often questionable due to the fact that the stresses at extrapolation points obtained with finite element analyses can be strongly dependent on the mesh size of finite element model and loading mode. Also, existing design S–N curves are derived mostly on the basis of fatigue testing of joints loaded axially. In the present paper the influence of the finite element mesh size on the structural stress value determined by a linear extrapolation method is analysed. Also, the paper examines the possibility of using existing design S–N curves for cases of bending induced by a force on the welded stiffener. Fatigue test results from aluminium welded components with longitudinal or round pad stiffeners subjected to bending loads have been assessed using a structural stress range approach, and compared with the structural stress design S–N curve FAT 40 (IIW) and the structural stress design S–N curve FAT 44 (Eurocode 9). It is concluded that the more precise estimation of fatigue life of aluminium components subjected to bending can be achieved with structural stress design S–N curve proposed by Eurocode 9. The conclusions also include recommendations for regarding component finite element modelling for the determination of structural stresses in case of bending.
Using the Patchwork Text as a vehicle for promoting interprofessional health and social care collaboration in Higher Education
Authors: Crow Jayne , Smith Lesley , Jones Shirley 
Published: August 2005

AbstractThe promotion of effective interprofessional collaboration is very high on the UK government's agenda for reform and modernization of the Health and Social Care Services. As lecturers in Higher Education we are concerned with developing meaningful learning experiences that facilitate this collaboration in practice. To this end we introduced the Patchwork Text as an innovative form of teaching, learning and assessment and, in this article, we report the findings of our small exploratory study examining the student experience of the process and the potential of the Patchwork Text to facilitate interprofessional collaboration. We collected data from students via open‐ended questionnaires and a focus group discussion. The findings that emanated from the data showed that the iterative process of the Patchwork Text enabled students to develop and express the characteristics that are essential for collaborative working. It thus acted as a powerful vehicle for the learning and practice of collaboration in the classroom.