bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparative free‐flow electrophoretic offline ESI‐Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance/MS analysis of Suwannee River fulvic acid
Authors: Gaspar Andras , Harir Mourad , Hertkorn Norbert , Schmitt‐Kopplin Philippe
Published: May 2010

Free‐flow electrophoresis (FFE), a preparative free zone electrophoretic method, was used offline in conjunction with ultrahigh‐resolution FT/ion cyclotron resonance ‐MS to resolve the complexity of Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA). Before MS, the FFE separation conditions and the compatibility with ESI were optimized. The constituents in SRFA were effectively separated based on their charge states and sizes. The obtained mass spectra were compared by means of van Krevelen diagrams and the calculated aromaticity indices of the individual constituents were used to describe the distribution of aromatic/unsaturated structures across the FFE‐fractionated samples. The consolidated number of ions observed within the individual SRFA fractions were much higher than those of the bulk samples alone, demonstrating extensive ion suppression effects in bulk SRFA likely also operating in the analysis of complex biogeochemical mixtures in flow injection mode. The FFE approach allows for producing sizable amounts of sample from dilute solutions, which can be easily fractionated into dozens of individual samples with the possibility of further in‐depth characterization.
Simplified method for concentration of mitochondrial membrane protein complexes
Authors: Yeh Steve T. , Angelos Mark G. , Chen Yeong‐Renn
Published: May 2010

Extracting and concentrating mitochondrial protein complexes from gel strips after blue native PAGE (BN‐PAGE) can be daunting tasks using the traditional methods, such as electroelution, passive diffusion and centrifugal concentration. We present a simplified gel electrophoresis method to concentrate mitochondrial protein complexes with excellent recovery rate. Mitochondrial complex I present in a long gel strip from BN‐PAGE can be easily concentrated into a 0.8 cm gel strip when a second BN‐PAGE is performed with a Y‐shaped gel and the addition of 0.01% n‐dodecyl β‐D‐maltoside and 0.001% SDS in the cathode buffer. Once completed, the concentrated protein complex in the gel strip is ready for SDS‐PAGE or proteomic studies.
A sediment-contact bioassay with Photobacterium phosphoreum
Authors: Brouwer Henry , Murphy Tom , McArdle Lucy
Published: May 2010

A new, rapid test is reported for the toxicity screening of sediments using inhibition of Photobacterium phosphoreum. The bacteria are placed in direct contact with the sediment and the change in luminescence of the Photobacterium is used to determine the toxicity of the sediment relative to a control site. This sediment-contact bioassay appears to be more sensitive to hydrophobic contaminants such as a polychlorinated biphenyl than the standard sediment elutriate test with Microtox® bioassay.
Aquatic environmental fate of nitroguanidine
Authors: Haag Werner R. , Spanggord Ronald , Mill Theodore , Podoll R. Thomas , Chou Tsong-Wen , Tse Doris S. , Harper James C.
Published: May 2010

The environmental fate of nitroguanidine (NQ) in surface waters is dominated by photolysis with surface half-lives at 40°N ranging from 0.6 d in summer to 2.3 d in winter. The environmental quantum yield is 0.01. The NQ is initially photolyzed to nitrite and hydroxyguanidine; nitrite is photochemically converted to nitrate and hydroxyguanidine undergoes sensitized photolysis to unknown products. The photooxidation of nitrite is assisted by organic material in a process not involving H2O2 or singlet oxygen. Nitroguanidine biotransforms cometabolically; in the absence of extra organic nutrients the second-order rate constant was (3.8 ± 0.9) × 10−10 ml cell−1 h−1. Half-life estimates for aerobic, aquatic biotransformation range from 1 to 100 d. Cyanamide appears to be an end product of NQ use and no intermediate biotransformation products were observed. Nitroguanidine is expected to move readily through soils (soil sorption coefficient Kp < 0.1); however, anaerobic biotransformation occurs readily in soil, with an estimated half-life of 4 d.

Other fate parameters measured at 25°C are a water solubility of 2,600 ± 100 ppm, octanol/water partition coefficient of 0.148 ± 0.001 (dimensionless), Henry's constant of < 7 × 10−6 (dimension-less), base hydrolysis constant of (3 ± 1) × 10−4 M−1 S−1, neutral hydrolysis constant ≤ 2 × 10−8 s−1, and biouptake constants of 110 g dry cells/g water for Anabena flos-aquae and 150 g dry cells/g water for Selenastrum capricornutum.
Use of biodegradation data in chemical assessment
Authors: Shimp Robert J. , Larson Robert J. , Boethxing Robert S.
Published: May 2010

Biodegradation is an important removal mechanism for consumer product chemicals released in large volumes to aquatic and terrestrial environments. It results in a decrease in the mass or load of chemicals present in the environment and is key in preventing accumulation and persistence of chemicals. Although biodegradation is an important process in minimizing potentially adverse impacts on environmental systems, it has not been traditionally considered quantitatively in environmental assessments. Efforts to use such data have principally focused on either wholly qualitative evaluations of a material's biodegradation properties (e.g., “fast” or “slow”), or rigorous quantitative models to predict exposure concentrations in particular settings. This paper outlines an alternative approach which provides a semi-quantitative analysis combining biodegradation rate data with an assessment of environmental exposure. The approach is a generic one that relates biodegradation half-lives to rates of transport and residence times in specific environmental compartments (e.g., agricultural soil, rivers). It establishes the kinetic criteria needed to make biodegradation a “practically significant” removal mechanism in a given environmental compartment. It is broadly applicable to chemicals which exhibit pseudo first order biodegradation kinetics at realistic environmental concentrations.
Toxicity of an oil dispersant to the early life stages of four California marine species
Authors: Singer Michael M. , Smalheer Deborah L. , Tjeerdema Ronald S. , Martin Michael
Published: May 2010

Continuous-flow toxicity tests using the oil dispersant Corexit 9527s̊ were performed on the early life stages of four California marine species. Newly released zoospores of the giant kelp, Macrocystis pyrifera, embryos of the red abalone, Haliotis rufescens, 4-d-old juveniles of the mysid, Holmesimysis costata and 10-d-old larvae of the topsmelt, Atherinops affinis, were all used in triplicate 48- and 96-h tests. Quantitative verification of dispersant concentrations using UV spectrophotometry was performed twice daily during testing. Results indicated growth of kelp gametophytes was significantly reduced at <2.4 ppm after a 48-h exposure. Of the three animals tested, developing red abalone were the most sensitive (NOEC = 0.63 to 1.50 ppm; LC50 = 1.60 to 2.20 ppm). Mysid juveniles were intermediate in sensitivity (NOEC = 1.66 to 4.20 ppm; LC50 = 4.26 to 7.26 ppm), whereas topsmelt larvae were the least sensitive (NOEC = 12.27 to 14.18 ppm; LC50 =25.51 to 40.63 ppm). Reproducibility of test data was very high (coefficient of variation = 15.7 to 27.1%).
Effect of incubation temperature on oxygen consumption and ammonia production by Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes, eggs and newly hatched larvae
Authors: Marty Gary D. , Hinton David E. , Cech Joseph J.
Published: May 2010

To develop a database for use in designing sealed-container bioassays, oxygen consumption and ammonia production rates were compared for eggs and newly hatched larvae of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). At 23, 26 and 29°C, the total amount of oxygen required to hatch an egg (49 to 54 μg O2.egg−1) was independent of temperature, but total oxygen required at 20°C (77 μg O2.egg−1) was significantly greater. Eggs produced no measurable ammonia (TAmm), but newly hatched larva produced 14 ng TAmm.h−1.larva−1 at 23°C and up to 48 ng TAmm.h−1.larva−1 at 29°C. When exposure to free air was denied, (a) oxygen, not ammonia, was the limiting factor for normal egg development, and (b) newly hatched larvae were unable to inflate their swimbladder.
Derivation of a freshwater silver criteria for the New River, Virginia, using representative species
Authors: Diamond Jerome M. , Mackler Don G. , Collins Mark , Gruber David
Published: May 2010

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has not published a 30-d average or continuous criterion for silver due to the apparent toxicity of this element and the lack of available chronic exposure data. The present study examined acute effects on nine species representative or indigenous to the New River, Virginia, and sublethal effects on three of those species using the Resident Species Approach. Our results showed that invertebrates were much more sensitive to silver than fish, including juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Hyalella azteca (amphipod) was the most sensitive species followed by the mayflies Stenonema sp. and Isonychia bicolor and the stonefly Leuctra sp. The Final Acute Value in this study was 1.32 μg/L total recoverable silver. In sublethal tests, Isonychia growth, as measured by the number of molts over time, was the most sensitive effect observed. Estimated acute:“chronic” ratios ranged from two to 34 with Corbicula fluminea having the largest ratio. Our study results, along with available published data, suggested a Final Chronic Value of 0.13 μg/L total silver which is approximately one-half the level obtained using the EPA acute formula and ambient water hardness. Our results suggest that a continuous criterion for silver may be predictable using the hardness-dependent formula and a safety factor of 0.5.
Forecasting regional house price inflation: a comparison between dynamic factor models and vector autoregressive models
Authors: Das Sonali , Gupta Rangan , Kabundi Alain
Published: May 2010

This paper uses the dynamic factor model framework, which accommodates a large cross‐section of macroeconomic time series, for forecasting regional house price inflation. In this study, we forecast house price inflation for five metropolitan areas of South Africa using principal components obtained from 282 quarterly macroeconomic time series in the period 1980:1 to 2006:4. The results, based on the root mean square errors of one to four quarters ahead out‐of‐sample forecasts over the period 2001:1 to 2006:4 indicate that, in the majority of the cases, the Dynamic Factor Model statistically outperforms the vector autoregressive models, using both the classical and the Bayesian treatments. We also consider spatial and non‐spatial specifications. Our results indicate that macroeconomic fundamentals in forecasting house price inflation are important. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Price discovery and investor structure in stock index futures
Authors: Bohl Martin T. , Salm Christian A. , Schuppli Michael
Published: May 2010

Previous literature on price discovery in stock index futures and spot markets neglects the role of different investor groups. This study relates time‐varying spot‐futures linkages studied within a VECM‐DCC‐GARCH framework to changes in the investor structure of the futures market over time. Empirical results suggest that during the dominance of presumably uninformed private investors, the futures market does not contribute to price discovery. By contrast, there is evidence of information flows from futures to spot markets and a significant increase in conditional correlation between both markets as institutional investors' share in trading volume increases. We derive implications for the design of emerging futures markets. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark31:282–306, 2011
C11orf95‐MKL2 is the resulting fusion oncogene of t(11;16)(q13;p13) in chondroid lipoma
Authors: Huang Dali , Sumegi Janos , Dal Cin Paola , Reith John D. , Yasuda Taketoshi , Nelson Marilu , Muirhead David , Bridge Julia A.
Published: May 2010

Chondroid lipoma, a rare benign adipose tissue tumor, may histologically resemble myxoid liposarcoma or extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma, but is genetically distinct. In this study, an identical reciprocal translocation, t(11;16)(q13;p13), was identified in three chondroid lipomas, a finding consistent with previously isolated reports. A fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH)‐based positional cloning strategy using a series of bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) probe combinations designed to narrow the 16p13 breakpoint revealed MKL2 as the candidate gene. Subsequent 5′ RACE studies demonstrated C11orf95 as the MKL2 fusion gene partner. MKL/myocardin‐like 2 (MKL2) encodes myocardin‐related transcription factor B in a megakaryoblastic leukemia gene family, and C11orf95 (chromosome 11 open reading frame 95) is a hypothetical protein. Sequencing analysis of reverse transcription‐polymerse chain reaction (RT‐PCR) generated transcripts from all three chondroid lipomas defined the fusion as occurring between exons 5 and 9 of C11orf95 and MKL2, respectively. Dual‐color breakpoint spanning probe sets custom‐designed for recognition of the translocation event in interphase cells confirmed the anticipated rearrangements of the C11orf95 and MKL2 loci in all cases. The FISH and RT‐PCR assays developed in this study can serve as diagnostic adjuncts for the identification of this novel C11orf95‐MKL2 fusion oncogene in chondroid lipoma. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Major, minor element chemistry and oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions of Marun oil‐field brines, SW Iran: Source history and economic potential
Authors: Mirnejad H. , Sisakht V. , Mohammadzadeh H. , Amini A. H. , Rostron B. J. , Haghparast G.
Published: May 2010

Cation and anion concentrations and oxygen and hydrogen isotopic ratios of brines in the Asmari Formation (Oligocene–early Miocene) from the Marun oil field of southwest Iran were measured to identify the origin of these brines (e.g. salt dissolution vs. seawater evaporation) as well as the involvement of water–rock reaction processes in their evolution. Marun brines are characterized by having higher concentrations of calcium (11 000–20 000 mg/L), chlorine (120 000–160 000 mg/L) and bromide (600–1000 mg/L) compared to modern seawater. Samples are also enriched in 18O relative to seawater, fall to the right of the Global Meteoric Water Line and local rain water, and plot close to the halite brine trajectory on the δD versus δ18O diagram. Geochemical characteristics of Marun brines are inconsistent with a meteoric origin, but instead correspond to residual evaporated seawater modified by water–rock interaction, most significantly dolomitization. In addition, anhydrite precipitation or sulphate reduction appears to be important in chemical modification of the Marun brines, as indicated by lower sulphate contents relative to evaporated seawater. Extensive dolomitization, the presence of anhydrite nodules and high salinity fluid inclusions in the upper parts of the Asmari Formation fit a model whereby the Marun brines likely originated from the seepage reflux of concentrated seawater during the deposition of the overlying Gachsaran Formation evaporites in the Miocene. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Retinoic acid regulates myelin formation in the peripheral nervous system
Authors: Latasa Maria‐Jesus , Ituero Mario , Moran‐Gonzalez Alejandra , Aranda Ana , Cosgaya Jose Miguel
Published: May 2010

Understanding the mechanisms that control myelin formation is essential for the development of demyelinating diseases treatments. All‐trans‐retinoic acid (RA) plays an essential role during the development of the nervous system as a potent regulator of morphogenesis, cell growth, and differentiation. In this study, we show that RA is also a potent inhibitor of peripheral nervous system (PNS) myelination. RA acts through its binding to RA receptors (RAR) and retinoid X receptors (RXR), two members of the superfamily of nuclear receptors that act as ligand‐dependent transcription factors. Schwann cells (SCs) express all retinoid receptors during the relevant stages of myelin formation. Through the activation of RXR, RA produces an upregulation of Krox20, a SC‐specific regulatory transcription factor that plays a central role during myelination. Krox20 upregulation translates into Mbp and Mpz overexpression, therefore blocking myelin formation. This increase in myelin protein expression is accompanied by the induction of an adaptive ER stress response. At the same time, through a RAR‐dependent mechanism, RA downregulates myelin‐associated glycoprotein, which also contributes to the dysmyelinating effect of the retinoid. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sphingosine 1‐phosphate receptor 1 and 3 are upregulated in multiple sclerosis lesions
Authors: Van Doorn Ruben , Van Horssen Jack , Verzijl Dennis , Witte Maarten , Ronken Eric , Van Het Hof Bert , Lakeman Kim , Dijkstra Christine D. , Van Der Valk Paul , Reijerkerk Arie , Alewijnse Astrid E. , Peters Stephan L. M. , De Vries Helga E.
Published: May 2010

Sphingolipids are a class of biologically active lipids that have a role in multiple biological processes including inflammation. Sphingolipids exert their functions by direct signaling or through signaling by their specific receptors. Phosphorylated FTY720 (FTY720P) is a sphingosine 1‐phosphate (S1P) analogue that is currently in trial for treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), which targets all S1P receptors but S1P2. To date, however, it remains unknown whether FTY720P may exert direct anti‐inflammatory effects within the central nervous system (CNS), because data concerning S1P receptor expression and regulation under pathological conditions in the human brain are lacking. To investigate potential regulation of S1P receptors in the human brain during MS, we performed immunohistochemical analysis of S1P receptor 1 and 3 expression in well‐characterized MS lesions. A strong increase in S1P receptor 1 and 3 expression on reactive astrocytes was detected in active and chronic inactive MS lesions. In addition, we treated primary cultures of human astrocytes with the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor‐alpha to identify the regulation of S1P1/3 on astrocytes under pathological conditions. Importantly, we demonstrate that FTY720P exerts an anti‐inflammatory action on human astrocytes by limiting secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Our data demonstrate that reactive astrocytes in MS lesions and cultured under proinflammatory conditions strongly enhance expression of S1P receptors 1 and 3. Results from this study indicate that astrocytes may act as a yet‐unknown target within the CNS for the anti‐inflammatory effects observed after FTY720P administration in the treatment of MS. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aquaporin‐4 in manganese‐treated cultured astrocytes
Authors: Rama Rao Kakulavarapu V. , Jayakumar Arumugam R. , Reddy Pichili V. B. , Tong Xiaoying , Curtis Kevin M. , Norenberg M. D.
Published: May 2010

Manganese in excess is neurotoxic and causes CNS injury resembling that of Parkinson's disease. In brain, astrocytes predominantly take up and accumulate manganese and are thus vulnerable to its toxicity. Manganese was shown to induce cell swelling in cultured astrocytes, and oxidative/nitrosative stress (ONS) mediates such swelling. As aquaporin‐4 (AQP4) is important in the mechanism of astrocyte swelling, we examined the effect of manganese on AQP4 protein levels in cultured astrocytes. Treatment of cultures with manganese increased AQP4 protein in the plasma membrane (PM), whereas total cellular AQP4 protein and mRNA levels were unchanged, suggesting that increased AQP4 levels is due to its increased stability and/or increased trafficking to the PM and not to its neosynthesis. AQP4 gene silencing by small interfering ribonucleic acid resulted in a marked reduction in astrocyte swelling by manganese. Antioxidants, as well as an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, diminished the increase in AQP4 protein expression, suggesting a role of ONS in the mechanism of AQP4 increase. As ONS is known to activate mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and MAPK activation has been implicated in astrocyte swelling, we examined the effect of manganese on the activation of MAPKs and found an increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK)1/2, C‐Jun amino‐terminal kinase (JNK)1/2/3, and p38‐MAPK. Inhibitors of ERK1/2 and p38‐MAPK (but not of JNK) blocked (40–60%) the manganese‐induced increase in AQP4 protein content and astrocyte swelling, suggesting the involvement of these kinases in the increased AQP4 content. Inhibition of oxidative stress or MAPKs may represent potential strategies for counteracting AQP4‐related neurological complications associated with manganese toxicity. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sensitivity of beamformer source analysis to deficiencies in forward modeling
Authors: Steinsträter Olaf , Sillekens Stephanie , Junghoefer Markus , Burger Martin , Wolters Carsten H.
Published: May 2010

Beamforming approaches have recently been developed for the field of electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) source analysis and opened up new applications within various fields of neuroscience. While the number of beamformer applications thus increases fast‐paced, fundamental methodological considerations, especially the dependence of beamformer performance on leadfield accuracy, is still quite unclear. In this article, we present a systematic study on the influence of improper volume conductor modeling on the source reconstruction performance of an EEG‐data based synthetic aperture magnetometry (SAM) beamforming approach. A finite element model of a human head is derived from multimodal MR images and serves as a realistic volume conductor model. By means of a theoretical analysis followed by a series of computer simulations insight is gained into beamformer performance with respect to reconstruction errors in peak location, peak amplitude, and peak width resulting from geometry and anisotropy volume conductor misspecifications, sensor noise, and insufficient sensor coverage. We conclude that depending on source position, sensor coverage, and accuracy of the volume conductor model, localization errors up to several centimeters must be expected. As we could show that the beamformer tries to find the best fitting leadfield (least squares) with respect to its scanning space, this result can be generalized to other localization methods. More specific, amplitude, and width of the beamformer peaks significantly depend on the interaction between noise and accuracy of the volume conductor model. The beamformer can strongly profit from a high signal‐to‐noise ratio, but this requires a sufficiently realistic volume conductor model. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Probabilistic fiber tracking using the residual bootstrap with constrained spherical deconvolution
Authors: Jeurissen Ben , Leemans Alexander , Jones Derek K. , Tournier Jacques‐Donald , Sijbers Jan
Published: May 2010

Constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD) is a new technique that, based on high‐angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) MR data, estimates the orientation of multiple intravoxel fiber populations within regions of complex white matter architecture, thereby overcoming the limitations of the widely used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique. One of its main applications is fiber tractography. The noisy nature of diffusion‐weighted (DW) images, however, affects the estimated orientations and the resulting fiber trajectories will be subject to uncertainty. The impact of noise can be large, especially for HARDI measurements, which employ relatively high b‐values. To quantify the effects of noise on fiber trajectories, probabilistic tractography was introduced, which considers multiple possible pathways emanating from one seed point, taking into account the uncertainty of local fiber orientations. In this work, a probabilistic tractography algorithm is presented based on CSD and the residual bootstrap. CSD, which provides accurate and precise estimates of multiple fiber orientations, is used to extract the local fiber orientations. The residual bootstrap is used to estimate fiber tract probability within a clinical time frame, without prior assumptions about the form of uncertainty in the data. By means of Monte Carlo simulations, the performance of the CSD fiber pathway uncertainty estimator is measured in terms of accuracy and precision. In addition, the performance of the proposed method is compared to state‐of‐the‐art DTI residual bootstrap tractography and to an existing probabilistic CSD tractography algorithm using clinical DW data. Hum Brain Mapp, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Impact evaluation of India's ‘Yeshasvini’ community‐based health insurance programme
Authors: Aggarwal Aradhna
Published: May 2010

Using propensity score matching techniques, the study evaluates the impact of India's Yeshasvini community‐based health insurance programme on health‐care utilisation, financial protection, treatment outcomes and economic well‐being. The programme offers free out‐patient diagnosis and lab tests at discounted rates when ill, but, more importantly, it covers highly catastrophic and less discretionary in‐patient surgical procedures. For its impact evaluation, 4109 randomly selected households in villages in rural Karnataka, an Indian state, were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. A comprehensive set of indicators was developed and the quality of matching was tested. Generally, the programme is found to have increased utilisation of health‐care services, reduced out‐of‐pocket spending, and ensured better health and economic outcomes. More specifically, however, these effects vary across socio‐economic groups and medical episodes. The programme operates by bringing the direct price of health‐care down but the extent to which this effectively occurs across medical episodes is an empirical issue. Further, the effects are more pronounced for the better‐off households. The article demonstrates that community insurance presents a workable model for providing high‐end services in resource‐poor settings through an emphasis on accountability and local management. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Diminishing diagnosis of follicular thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Otto Kristen J. , Lam Jacqueline S. C. , MacMillan Christina , Freeman Jeremy L.
Published: May 2010

Background.

Follicular carcinomas have been reported as 10% to 15% of thyroid malignancies. Refinements in the histologic criteria applied in the classification of follicular lesions have occurred. We aim to document the true incidence of follicular cancers in a cohort from a high‐volume endocrine practice.

Methods.

Patient charts were reviewed and cancers were classified into major subtypes; papillary cancers were further classified by common variants. Proportions were compared to historic Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database proportions.

Results.

Only 2.7% of patients had follicular carcinoma. The proportion of patients with follicular cancer was less than the reported rates of 10% to 15%, and less than the 6.7% extrapolated from SEER.

Conclusion.

The proportion of follicular cancers is less than traditionally reported. This change is due to an increased incidence of papillary cancers, and modifications of the histologic criteria used for classification of encapsulated follicular lesions. There are potential prognostic consequences, as follicular cancers have been perceived as more aggressive. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2010
Deleterious Effects of Beta-Blockers on Survival in Patients With Cirrhosis and Refractory Ascites†,‡
Authors: Sersté Thomas , Melot Christian , Francoz Claire , Durand François , Rautou Pierre-Emmanuel , Valla Dominique , Moreau Richard , Lebrec Didier
Published: May 2010

Beta-blockers may have a negative impact on survival in patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the administration of beta-blockers on long-term survival in patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites. We performed a single-center, observational, case-only, prospective study of patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites who did or did not receive beta-blockers for the prevention of gastrointestinal bleeding; 151 patients were included. The mean Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was 18.8 ± 4.1. All patients regularly underwent large-volume paracentesis and intravenous albumin administration. Seventy-seven patients (51%) were treated with propranolol (113 ± 46 mg/day). The median follow-up for the whole group was 8 months. The median survival time was 10 months [95% confidence interval (CI) = 8-12 months]. The probability of survival at 1 year was 41% (95% CI = 33%-49%). The clinical characteristics and laboratory values at enrolment were not significantly different between patients who were receiving propranolol and those who were not. The median survival time was 20.0 months (95% CI = 4.8-35.2 months) in patients not treated with propranolol and 5.0 months (95% CI = 3.5-6.5 months) in those treated with propranolol (

P

= 0.0001). The 1-year probability of survival was significantly lower in patients who received propranolol [19% (95% CI = 9%-29%)] versus those who did not [64% (95% CI = 52%-76%),

P

< 0.0001]. The independent variables of mortality were Child-Pugh class C, hyponatremia and renal failure as causes of refractory ascites, and beta-blocker therapy.

Conclusion:

The use of beta-blockers is associated with poor survival in patients with refractory ascites. These results suggest that beta-blockers should be contraindicated in these patients.
Clinical characteristics and outcome of isolated extracerebral relapses of primary central nervous system lymphoma: a case series
Authors: Provencher Sawyna , Ferlay Céline , Alaoui‐Slimani Khaoula , Devidas Alain , Lepretre Stephane , de Prijck Bernard , Sebban Catherine , de la Fouchardiere Arnaud , Chassagne‐Clement Catherine , Ketterer Nicolas , Thyss Antoine , Delannoy André , Tilly Hervé , Biron Pierre , Blay Jean‐Yves , Ghesquières Hervé
Published: May 2010

There is very limited data on isolated systemic relapses of primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL). We retrospectively reviewed the clinical characteristics and outcome of 10 patients with isolated systemic disease among 209 patients with PCNSL mainly treated with methotrexate‐based chemotherapy (CT) with or without radiation therapy (RT). Isolated systemic relapse remained rare (4.8%, 10/209 patients). Median time from initial diagnosis to relapse was 33 months (range, 3–94). Sites of relapse were mostly extranodal. Three patients presented with early extra‐cerebral (EC) relapse 3, 5 and 8 months from the beginning of initial treatment, respectively, and 7 patients had later relapses (range, 17–94 months). Treatment at relapse included surgery alone, RT alone, CT with or without radiotherapy, or CT with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Median overall survival (OS) after relapse was 15.5 months (range, 5.8–24.5) compared to 4.6 months (range, 3.6–6.5) for patients with central nervous system (CNS) relapse (p = 0.35). In conclusion, isolated systemic relapses exist but are infrequent. Early EC relapse suggests the presence of systemic disease undetectable by conventional evaluation at initial diagnosis. Patient follow‐up must be prolonged because systemic relapse can occur as late as 10 years after initial diagnosis. Whether EC relapses of PCNSL have a better prognosis than CNS relapses needs to be assessed in a larger cohort. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Time spent by health managers in two cultures on work pursuits: real time, ideal time and activities' importance
Authors: Braithwaite Jeffrey , Westbrook Mary T
Published: May 2010

Objectives

We compared health managers' judgements of: (1) the time they spent on nine major work activities, (2) the time they thought they should allocate and (3) the importance they attributed to each pursuit. These and managers' reasons for devoting time to activities were examined in an Anglo and a Confucian‐Asian country.

Method

A questionnaire survey of Australian (n = 251) and Singaporean health managers (n = 340).

Results

In both countries, the correlation between judgements of time spent on activities/activities' importance (1 and 3) was significantly less than the correlation between time spent/time that should be spent (1 and 2), which was less than the correlation between time that should be spent/activities' importance (2 and 3). Singaporeans said they devoted more time to some activities but the importance attached to work pursuits and the reasons given for actual time allocation were similar cross‐culturally.

Conclusions

There was evidence of considerable disparity between managers' actual and preferred time allocation and of the globalization of health managers' work values. Evidence regarding time use might contribute to a rethink of how managers' efficiency and effectiveness are construed. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of evapotranspiration partitioning, plant water stress response and topsoil removal on the soil moisture regime of a floodplain wetland: implications for restoration
Authors: Booth Eric G. , Loheide Steven P.
Published: May 2010

Understanding how the soil moisture regime changes following hydrological restoration activities in wetlands is essential for managers interested in establishing targeted wetland vegetation species. Based on observations from two floodplain sites in southwestern Wisconsin, a variably saturated hydrological model was developed and used to illustrate the importance of changing evapotranspiration (ET) partitioning [through changes in leaf‐area index (LAI)], the plant water stress function, and the thickness of a surficial silt‐loam alluvial deposit on the soil moisture regime. Floodplain restoration activities at these sites consisted of removing a layer of post‐settlement alluvium, which is a part of this deposit. Field observations following restoration of the pre‐settlement floodplain surface at one of the sites show a drier soil moisture regime at 10 and 25 cm depths at the restored (RES) site than at the unrestored site even though the potentiometric surface in a shallow monitoring piezometer was closer to the surface at the RES site. Simulations show that four factors may have contributed to this observation of relatively drier soils at the RES site: (1) lower LAI increases soil evaporation, (2) anaerobiosis limits transpiration near saturation, (3) a confining unit inhibits upward flow of water, and (4) removal of a 0·5‐m silt‐loam layer decreases the reservoir of soil moisture available to plant roots. Our work suggests the importance of effectively characterizing parameters that affect ET partitioning (i.e. LAI), determining the appropriate plant water stress function, and considering the effect of floodplain deposits that act as confining units when simulating the hydrology of floodplain wetland ecosystems. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of self‐produced locomotion in the first year: changes in parent perceptions and infant behaviour
Authors: Hendrix Rebecca R. , Thompson Ross A.
Published: May 2010

Self‐produced locomotion is regarded as a setting event for other developmental transitions in infancy with important implications for socioemotional development and parent–child interaction. Using an age‐held‐constant design, this study examined changes in reported infant behaviour and maternal proactive/reactive control and compared them with direct observations of infant and maternal behaviour associated with the development of self‐produced locomotion. Maternal reports were obtained prior to the locomotor transition and, for half the sample, after infants had transitioned to effective mobility. Observations of all infants were conducted shortly after the second interview. Prelocomotor and transitioning infants showed none of the expected behavioural differences (e.g. emotionality and compliance) associated with the locomotor transition. There was modest confirmation of expected differences in maternal behaviour, particularly in the use of reactive control techniques, and mothers of transitioning infants showed higher proactive controls before their infants began to crawl. These findings suggest that the changes in parent–child interaction associated with the locomotor transition may have as much to do with parental expectations than with changes in infant socioemotional behaviour. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
PSA‐detected prostate cancer and the potential for dedifferentiation—estimating the proportion capable of progression
Authors: Pashayan Nora , Pharoah Paul , Neal David E. , Hamdy Freddie , Donovan Jenny , Martin Richard M. , Greenberg David , Duffy Stephen W.
Published: May 2010

The aims were to determine whether prostate‐specific antigen (PSA)‐detected prostate cancers progress to higher Gleason score during the preclinical screen‐detectable phase, and, if so, to estimate the proportion of tumours with progressive potential. We developed two multi‐state Markov chain models to represent the natural history of two tumour populations, one with (Model I) and the other without (Model II) the potential for progression. For each, we derived the transition rates between the states and used these estimates to calculate the expected prevalence of preclinical low and intermediate‐to‐high Gleason score prostate cancers, using data from the Prostate Testing for Cancer and Treatment (ProtecT) study on 2,310 prostate cancers detected by PSA testing in 71,511 men 50–69 years. We compared the expected prevalence for each tumour population to that of the observed based on ProtecT and the European Randomised Study on Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC)‐Rotterdam Centre's first round screening data, the latter allowing independent assessment of the two models. The overall expected proportion of low Gleason score tumours was 0.56 under Model I and 0.81 under Model II, whereas the observed proportion based on either ProtecT or ERSPC‐Rotterdam was 0.69. Using the observed prevalence from ERSPC‐Rotterdam, we estimated that 22, 33 and 66% of the tumours in men aged 55–59, 60–64 and 65–69 years, respectively, had the potential for progression in the preclinical phase. PSA‐detected prostate cancers are a mixture of progressive and non‐progressive tumours with respect to Gleason score. The former may potentially benefit from screening. Identifying cancers with the potential for progression is important to target screening.
Omega‐3 fatty acid supplementation delays the progression of neuroblastoma in vivo
Authors: Gleissman Helena , Segerström Lova , Hamberg Mats , Ponthan Frida , Lindskog Magnus , Johnsen John Inge , Kogner Per
Published: May 2010

Epidemiological and preclinical studies have revealed that omega‐3 fatty acids have anticancer properties. We have previously shown that the omega‐3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) induces apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells in vitro by mechanisms involving intracellular peroxidation of DHA by means of 15‐lipoxygenase or autoxidation. In our study, the effects of DHA supplementation on neuroblastoma tumor growth in vivo were investigated using two complementary approaches. For the purpose of prevention, DHA as a dietary supplement was fed to athymic rats before the rats were xenografted with human neuroblastoma cells. For therapeutic purposes, athymic rats with established neuroblastoma xenografts were given DHA daily by gavage and tumor growth was monitored. DHA levels in plasma and tumor tissue were analyzed by gas liquid chromatography. DHA delayed neuroblastoma xenograft development and inhibited the growth of established neuroblastoma xenografts in athymic rats. A revised version of the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program evaluation scheme used as a measurement of treatment response showed that untreated control animals developed progressive disease, whereas treatment with DHA resulted in stable disease or partial response, depending on the DHA concentration. In conclusion, prophylactic treatment with DHA delayed neuroblastoma development, suggesting that DHA could be a potential agent in the treatment of minimal residual disease and should be considered for prevention in selected cases. Treatment results on established aggressive neuroblastoma tumors suggest further studies aiming at a clinical application in children with high‐risk neuroblastoma.
Incidence and risk factors for the development of chronic atrophic gastritis: Five year follow‐up of a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Adamu Mariam Abdullahi , Weck Melanie Nicole , Rothenbacher Dietrich , Brenner Hermann
Published: May 2010

Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is a well‐established precursor of intestinal gastric cancer. However, data on incidence of CAG are rare, especially from population‐based studies. The aim of this analysis was to estimate the incidence of CAG in a large population‐based study among older adults from Germany and to identify major risk factors associated with its development. In the baseline and 5‐year follow‐up examinations of the ESTHER study, serological measurements of pepsinogen (PG) I and II and Helicobacter pylori antibodies were performed in 5,229 women and men, aged 50–74 years at baseline. Information on additional potential risk factors was obtained by questionnaire. CAG was defined by PGI < 70 ng/mL and PGI/PGII < 3. In total, there were 58 (1.1%) incident CAG cases. CAG incidence increased with increasing age from 0.5% in age group 50–54 years to 2.1% in age group 70–74 years. Seropositivity with H. pylori was strongly associated with CAG incidence, with adjusted odds ratios of 5.0 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6–15.8] and 11.3 (95% CI: 4.2–30.0) for participants with cytotoxin associated gene A (cagA) negative and cagA positive H. pylori infection at both baseline and follow‐up compared to those without H. pylori infection, respectively. Gender, education, smoking, alcohol consumption and family history of gastric cancer were not significantly associated with CAG incidence. Incidence of CAG is rather low in the German population. Older age and infection with H. pylori are key risk factors for the development of CAG.
Prevalence of multiple malignancies in the Netherlands in 2007
Authors: Liu Lifang , de Vries Esther , Louwman Marieke , Aben Katja , Janssen‐Heijnen Maryska , Brink Mirian , Coebergh Jan Willem , Soerjomataram Isabelle
Published: May 2010

As the number of cancer survivors increases in the Netherlands, there is a concomitant increase in patients with multiple malignancies (MMs), the prevalence of which needs to be assessed to estimate care needs. This study analyzed incidence data on all malignant cancers diagnosed between 1989 and 2006 retrieved from the population‐based Netherlands Cancer Registry. The point prevalence of MMs was determined on January 1, 2007. Of all cancer survivors in 2007, 30,064 (7% of the total) were patients with MMs. Their median age was 74 (interquartile range 71–76) years. Ninety two percent (i.e., 27,660) of these patients had two cancer diagnoses. The most common subsequent cancers being squamous cell skin cancer (5,468), colorectal cancer (4,634), and breast cancer (3,959). High frequency of combinations included: (i) female breast and genital cancers (any order), (ii) urinary tract and prostate cancers (any order), (iii) Hodgkin's lymphoma and subsequent female breast cancer and (iv) non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma and subsequent squamous cell skin cancer. As the number of cancer survivors continues to increase and their survival improves, MMs are becoming more important in the field of cancer surveillance.
Sex disparities in colorectal cancer incidence by anatomic subsite, race and age
Authors: Murphy Gwen , Devesa Susan S. , Cross Amanda J. , Inskip Peter D. , McGlynn Katherine A. , Cook Michael B.
Published: May 2010

Although incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) in the United States has declined in recent years, rates remain higher in men than in women and the male‐to‐female incidence rate ratio (MF IRR) increases progressively across the colon from the cecum to the rectum. Rates among races/ethnicities other than Whites or Blacks have not been frequently reported. To examine CRC rates by sex across anatomic subsite, age and racial/ethnic groups, we used the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program for cases diagnosed among residents of 13 registries during 1992–2006. Incidence rates were expressed per 100,000 person‐years and age‐adjusted to the 2000 US Standard Population; MF IRR and 95% confidence intervals were also calculated. Among each racial/ethnic group, the MF IRR increased fairly monotonically from close to unity for cecal cancers to 1.81 (Hispanics) for rectal cancers. MF IRRs increased with age most rapidly for distal colon cancers from <1.0 at ages <50 years to 1.4–1.9 at older ages. The MF IRR for rectal cancers also rose with age from about 1.0 to 2.0. For proximal cancer, the MF IRR was consistently <1.5; among American Indian/Alaska Natives, it was <1.0 across all ages. The MF IRRs for CRC vary markedly according to subsite and age but less by racial/ethnic group. These findings may partially reflect differences in screening experiences and access to medical care but also suggest that etiologic factors may be playing a role.
Survivin and escaping in therapy‐induced cellular senescence
Authors: Wang Qin , Wu Peter C. , Roberson Rachel S. , Luk Belinda V. , Ivanova Iana , Chu Elizabeth , Wu Daniel Y.
Published: May 2010

Therapy‐induced accelerated cellular senescence (ACS) is a reversible tumor response to chemotherapy that is likely detrimental to the overall therapeutic efficacy of cancer treatment. To further understand the mechanism by which cancer cells can escape the sustained cell cycle arrest in ACS, we established a tissue culture model, in which the p53‐null NCI‐H1299 cells can be induced into senescence by an abbreviated exposure to a chemotherapeutic agent. Previously, we have reported that senescent cells overexpress Cdc2/Cdk1 when they bypassed the prolonged arrest and their viability is dependent on Cdc2/Cdk1 kinase activity. In our study, we show that human survivin is the immediate downstream effector of the Cdc2/Cdk1 mediated survival signal. Survivin cooperates with Cdc2/Cdk1 to inhibit apoptosis following chemotherapy and promote senescence escape. Using HIV‐1 TAT peptides to disrupt survivin phosphorylation by Cdc2/Cdk1, we also found that phosphorylated survivin is necessary both for the escape of senescent cells and for maintenance of subsequent viability after bypassing senescence. These results further propose survivin as an important determinant of senescence reversibility and as a putative molecular target to enforce cell death in ACS.