bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and Evaluation of Gold 3D Cylindrical Nanoelectrode Ensembles
Authors: CAO Li‐Xin , YAN Pei‐Sheng , SUN Ke‐Ning , KIRK W Donald
Published: November 2007

Gold 3D cylindrical nanoelectrode ensembles (NEEs), 100 nm in diameter and 500 nm in length were prepared by electroless template synthesis in polycarbonate filter membranes, followed by selective controlled chemical etching. The morphology of the nanowires and cylindrical NEEs was imaged by scanning electron microscopy. The protruding nanoelectrodes were in good parallel order. EDX study showed that the nanoelectrode elements consisted of pure gold. The electrochemical evaluation of the 3D electrodes was conducted using the well known [Fe(CN)6]3−/[Fe(CN)6]4− couple. Cyclic voltammgrams (CV) show a very low double layer charging current and a higher ratio of signal to background current than 2D disc NEEs. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) indicates that the 3D cylindrical NEEs effectively accelerate the charge transfer process, which is in consistent with the results of CV. The linear relationship with a slope of 0.5 between lg Ipc and lg v shows that linear diffusion is dominant on the 3D cylindrical NEEs at conventional scan rates.
Tri‐n‐butylphosphine Mediated Ring‐Opening Reactions of Aziridines or Epoxides with Diphenyl Diselenide
Authors: ZHANG Wan‐Xuan , YE Kang , RUAN Shan , CHEN Zu‐Xing , XIA Qing‐Hua
Published: November 2007

Aziridines and epoxides were reacted with diphenyl diselenide in the presence of a stoichiometric amount of (n‐Bu)3P, respectively, giving β‐amino‐ or β‐hydroxy selenides in moderate to excellent yields under mild conditions. In the reactions the (n‐Bu)3P might act as a reductant though it was a nucleophilic catalyst in other similar ring‐opening reactions.
Nomogram incorporating PSA level to predict cancer‐specific survival for men with clinically localized prostate cancer managed without curative intent
Authors: Kattan Michael W. , Cuzick Jack , Fisher Gabrielle , Berney Daniel M. , Oliver Tim , Foster Christopher S. , Møller Henrik , Reuter Victor , Fearn Paul , Eastham James , Scardino Peter T.
Published: November 2007

BACKGROUND.

The prognosis of men with clinically localized prostate cancer is highly variable, and it is difficult to counsel a man who may be considering avoiding, or delaying, aggressive therapy. After collecting data on a large cohort of men who received no initial active prostate cancer therapy, the aim was to develop, and to internally validate, a nomogram for prediction of disease‐specific survival.

METHODS.

Working with 6 cancer registries within England and numerous hospitals in the region, a population‐based cohort of men diagnosed with prostate cancer between 1990 and 1996 was constructed. All men had baseline serum prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) measurements, centralized pathologic grading, and centralized review of clinical stage assignment. Based on the clinical and pathologic data from 1911 men, a statistical model was developed and validated that served as the basis for the nomogram. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram were assessed with use of one‐third of the men, who were omitted from modeling and used as a test sample.

RESULTS.

The median age of the included men was 70.4 years. The 25th and 75th percentiles of PSA were 7.3 and 32.6 ng/mL respectively, and the median was 15.4 ng/mL. Forty‐two percent of the men had high‐grade disease. The nomogram predicted well, with a concordance index of 0.73, and had good calibration.

CONCLUSIONS.

An accurate tool was developed for predicting the probability that a man with clinically localized prostate cancer will survive his disease for 120 months if the cancer is not treated with curative intent immediately. The tool should be helpful for patient counseling and clinical trial design. Cancer 2008. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Improved survival with adjuvant external‐beam radiation therapy in lymph node‐negative pancreatic cancer
Authors: Artinyan Avo , Hellan Minia , Mojica‐Manosa Pablo , Chen Yi‐Jen , Pezner Richard , Ellenhorn Joshua D. I. , Kim Joseph
Published: November 2007

BACKGROUND.

Although chemoradiation often is administered as an adjuvant to pancreatic cancer surgery, recent reports have disputed the benefit of radiation therapy. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of adjuvant radiation therapy in patients with locally confined, lymph node‐negative (N0) pancreatic cancer.

METHODS.

The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry was used to identify patients who had undergone cancer‐directed surgery for N0 pancreatic adenocarcinoma between 1988 and 2003. Kaplan‐Meier survival curves were constructed to compare overall survival between patients who did and did not receive adjuvant external‐beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to determine the prognostic significance of EBRT when additional clinicopathologic factors were assessed. The analysis also examined the potential treatment selection bias of patients with survival <3 months.

RESULTS.

A cohort of 1930 surgical patients with N0 disease was identified. The median survival was 17 months. Irradiated patients had significantly better survival compared with nonirradiated patients (20 months vs 15 months, respectively; P < .001). On multivariate analysis, adjuvant EBRT (hazard ratio [HR], 0.72; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.63–0.82; P < .001), age, grade, tumor classification, and tumor location were independent predictors of survival. When patients with survival <3 months were excluded from the analysis, no difference in survival between the EBRT group and the nonradiation group was noted on univariate comparison (P value not significant). However, on multivariate analysis, EBRT remained an independent predictor of improved overall survival (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.75–1.00; P = .044).

CONCLUSIONS.

Adjuvant EBRT was associated with improved survival in patients with operable, N0 pancreatic cancer. Its use should be considered in patients who have early‐stage N0 disease. Cancer 2008. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Circulating bone marrow‐derived endothelial progenitor cells: Characterization, mobilization, and therapeutic considerations in malignant disease
Authors: Dome Balazs , Dobos Judit , Tovari Jozsef , Paku Sandor , Kovacs Gabor , Ostoros Gyula , Timar Jozsef
Published: November 2007

Until recently, tumor vascularization was thought to occur exclusively through angiogenesis. However, recent studies using different animal models of cancer suggested the importance of bone marrow‐derived endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) (i.e. postnatal vasculogenesis) in tumor vascularization and growth. EPCs are present in the peripheral blood, their levels are increased in response to certain signals/cytokines, and they home into the neovascular bed of malignant tissues. Furthermore, at the clinical level, evidence is emerging that changes in EPC levels might predict the efficacy of anticancer drug combinations that include antiangiogenic agents. On the basis of these observations, EPCs have attractive potential diagnostic and therapeutic applications for malignant diseases. In this paper, we review biological features of EPCs and speculate on the utility of these progenitor cells for medical oncology. © 2007 International Society for Analytical Cytology
Effects of oleanolic acid and maslinic acid on hyperlipidemia
Authors: Liu Jun , Sun Hongbin , Wang Xiaofen , Mu Dongyan , Liao Hong , Zhang Luyong
Published: November 2007

In the present study, we examined the therapeutic effects of pentacyclic triterpenes, oleanolic acid (OA) and maslinic acid (MA), on hyperlipidemia in a high‐cholesterol diet model. Hyperlipidemia was induced in male Sprague‐Dawley rats by feeding with a high‐cholesterol diet (HCD) for 30 days. MA and OA were supplemented (100 mg/kg body wt/day) during the last 15 days. The levels of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (HDL‐C), and low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol (LDL‐C) increased in hyperlipidemic rats. An apparent increase in the expression of Acyl‐CoA cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) mRNA was seen in HCD‐fed rats. The activities of hepatic marker enzymes that serve as indices of cellular injury were also altered in HCD‐fed rats. Treatment with triterpenes modulated the abnormalities induced by hyperlipidimia. Lipid accumulation was decreased in histological findings. Elevated hepatic glycogen content (P<0.05) in triterpene groups was observed compared with HCD‐fed groups. Furthermore, ACAT gene expression was suppressed compared with hyperlipidemia‐induced groups without triterpenes. It can be concluded that triterpene treatment possesses therapeutic effects on diet‐induced hyperlipidemia by inhibiting the intestinal absorption and storage of cholesterol. Drug Dev Res 68:261–266, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Air stripping of ammonia and methanol in a bubble‐cap column
Authors: Jenkins D.H. , McCallum D.A. , Ruzbacky R. , Saunders S. , Brent A.K.
Published: November 2007

A twenty‐tray single bubble‐cap column was used to air strip ammonia and methanol from a synthetic, as well as a plant wastewater stream. When feeding synthetic solutions containing ∼700 mg/kg ammonia, stripping efficiencies of more than 98% were achieved at gas to liquid mass ratios (G/L) ratios of 2.5–2.7. This produced stripper bottom solutions contains ∼10 mg/kg ammonia. Reducing the air flow by 25% increased the ammonia content in the stripper bottoms to ∼30 mg/kg.

Using the graphical McCabe–Theile method, the overall column efficiency for the bubble cap column during ammonia stripping was between 9 and 26% because of the low contact efficiency of this column.

When treating the “as received” plant wastewater, the ammonia removal efficiency was only 84% at thelower G/L ratio. This increased to 99% by raising the pH from 9.8 to 11.5 and increasing the G/L mass ratio.

The ammonia volumetric mass transfer coefficient (KLa) for these tests was calculated to be between 0.38 and 0.58 h−1.

Both stripping and absorption of methanol occurred in the column during stripping of ammonia. Based upon solution analyses, the methanol removal efficiency varied between 55 and 95%. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2007
Boron recovery from borax sludge using solid–liquid extraction followed by sorption with a boron selective resin in column
Authors: Özdemir Mine , Kıpçak İlker
Published: November 2007

The recovery of boron from borax sludge was studied. Initially, the solid–liquid extraction was applied to borax sludge in a batch reactor. Subsequently, the extraction solution was treated with the Amberlite IRA‐743—boron specific resin for the separation of boron from the calcium and magnesium components in the extraction solution. In the batch studies, the effect of pH on the boron recovery was studied by adjusting the pH of extraction solution using HCl and NaOH solution. Optimum boron recovery of 44% was obtained at pH 8. The column studies were carried out using different inlet boron concentrations and flow rates at pH 8 and 25°C. Thomas and the Yoon–Nelson Models were found suitable to describe the dynamic behavior of the column and to determine the column kinetic parameters for process design. Almost all the boron, which was sorbed by the resin was eluted using a 0.5 M H2SO4 solution. It was seen that the concentrations of other species in the elution solution were insignificant so that it could not to be detected. In this process, boron was successfully separated from the calcium and magnesium species. It was determined that approximately 70% of the boron in the extraction solution could be recovered at an inlet boron concentration of 250 mg/L, a flow rate of 2.5 mL/min, a pH value of 8 and a temperature of 25°C. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 2007
Gliatrophic and gliatropic roles of PVF/PVR signaling during axon guidance
Authors: Learte A. R. , Forero M. G. , Hidalgo A.
Published: November 2007

Evidence of molecular and functional homology between vertebrate and Drosophila glia is limited, restricting the power of Drosophila as a model system to unravel the molecular basis of glial function. Like in vertebrates, in the Drosophila central nervous system glial cells are produced in excess and surplus glia are eliminated by apoptosis adjusting final glial number to axons. The underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown, as the only gliatrophic pathway known to date in flies is the EGFR and its ligands. The PDGFR signaling pathway plays a major role in regulating oligodendrocyte migration and number in vertebrates. Here, we show that the Drosophila PDGFR/VEGFR homologue PVR is required in midline glia during axon guidance for glial survival and migration, ultimately enabling axonal enwrapment. The midline glia migrate aided by the VUM and the MP1 midline neurons—sources of PVF ligands—and concomitantly interactions with neurons maintain midline glia survival. Upon loss of function for PVF/PVR signaling midline glia apoptosis increases, and gain of function induces supernumerary midline glia. Midline glial cells are displaced towards ectopic sources of PVF ligands. PVR signaling promotes midline glia survival through AKT and ERK pathways. This work shows that the PVR/PDGFR pathway plays conserved gliatrophic and gliatropic roles in subsets of glial cells in flies and vertebrates. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
RETRACTED: Hippocampus of Ames dwarf mice is resistant to β‐amyloid‐induced tau hyperphosphorylation and changes in apoptosis‐regulatory protein levels
Authors: Schrag Matthew , Sharma Sunita , Brown‐Borg Holly , Ghribi Othman
Published: November 2007

The Ames dwarf mouse has a long lifespan and is characterized by a marked resistance to cellular stress, an event that is implicated in the pathogenesis of many neurodegenerative disorders that are associated with aging, including Alzheimer's disease. However, very little is known on the extent to which the Ames dwarf mouse is protected against Alzheimer's disease. We have developed an organotypic slice system cultured from hippocampi of adult dwarf mice and examined deleterious effects of β‐amyloid (Aβ) peptide, a key pathogenic event in the course of Alzheimer's disease. We present the first evidence that long living Ames mice resist β‐amyloid toxicity. We demonstrate that organotypic slices from adult dwarf mice, but not their normal phenotype counterparts (wild type), are resistant to Aβ25‐35‐induced hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, reduction in levels of the antiapoptotic protein Bcl‐2, increase in levels of the pro‐apoptotic protein Bax, and activation of caspase 3. Moreover, incubation of organotypic sections with the GSK‐3β inhibitor SB216763 prevented tau phosphorylation but not alterations in levels of Bcl‐2, Bax, and caspase‐3. Because the hippocampus is a brain area that is severely affected in Alzheimer's disease, our study proposes that organotypic slices from hippocampi of adult Ames dwarf mice may constitute a model system for understanding endogenous factors that may confer protection against Aβ. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antibodies against malaria and Epstein‐Barr virus in childhood Burkitt lymphoma: A case‐control study in Uganda
Authors: Carpenter Lucy M. , Newton Robert , Casabonne Delphine , Ziegler John , Mbulaiteye Sam , Mbidde Edward , Wabinga Henry , Jaffe Harold , Beral Valerie
Published: November 2007

Burkitt lymphoma, a childhood tumor common in parts of sub‐Saharan Africa, has been directly associated with Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) and indirectly with prevalence of malaria. We studied antibodies to both EBV and malaria in children diagnosed with this cancer in Uganda. We performed a case‐control study of HIV‐seronegative children (≤15 years) admitted to hospital. Cases were diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma and controls with non‐malignant conditions or non‐lymphatic cancers. Interviews were conducted and serological samples collected and, when possible, tested for both EBV and malaria. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for Burkitt lymphoma were estimated using unconditional logistic regression adjusting for sex, age, residential district, household income and tribe. The mean age of cases was 7 years and 61% were male. Compared to controls, cases were more likely to be reported having received more frequent treatment for malaria in the past year (OR = 2.0; p = 0.001) and less likely to be living in a home where insecticides were used (OR = 0.2; p < 0.0001). Odds ratios for Burkitt lymphoma in children increased with increasing antibody levels against EBV (p < 0.0001) and malaria (p = 0.05). Findings were similar for children residing in districts close to the capital city and in remote areas. Cases were 5 times more likely than controls to have raised levels of both EBV and malaria antibodies (OR = 5.0; p = 0.003). Our findings suggest that EBV and malaria may act synergistically in the pathogenesis of childhood Burkitt lymphoma. Malaria prevention measures may also prevent this childhood cancer. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prognostic significance of HIF‐1α polymorphisms in transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder
Authors: Nadaoka Junichi , Horikawa Yohei , Saito Mitsuru , Kumazawa Teruaki , Inoue Takamitsu , Narita Shintaro , Yuasa Takeshi , Satoh Shigeru , Nishiyama Hiroyuki , Ogawa Osamu , Tsuchiya Norihiko , Habuchi Tomonori
Published: November 2007

Recently, two single nucleotide polymorphisms in the hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) gene, P582S and A588T, were shown to cause significantly higher transcriptional activity than the wild type. We investigated the association between the HIF‐1α polymorphisms and the incidence and progression of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, and the relationship between the polymorphisms and the tissue vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level or microvessel density (MVD). A total of 219 patients with bladder cancer and 464 healthy native Japanese control subjects were enrolled. Tissue VEGF and HIF‐1α expression levels and the mean MVD were evaluated in 73 radical cystectomy specimens by immunohistochemistry. The HIF‐1α genotype did not significantly influence the incidence or disease status of bladder cancer. Among patients who underwent radical cystectomy, those with a variant allele had significantly worse disease‐free survival (p = 0.001) and disease‐specific survival (p = 0.006) than those without a variant allele. Multivariate analysis using a Cox proportional hazard model revealed that the presence of a variant allele was an independent predictor of disease‐free survival (HR = 3.10, 95%CI = 1.38–6.99, p = 0.006). Although not statistically significant, the moderate/high expression levels of VEGF in tumor tissues were more frequently observed in patients with a HIF‐1α variant allele (11/13, 84.6%) than in those without (33/60, 55%, p = 0.063). The HIF‐1α polymorphisms may have a significant influence on the poor prognosis of the patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer, while they seem to have no relation to the bladder cancer occurrence. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Alterations in Barrett's‐related adenocarcinomas: A proteomic approach
Authors: Peng DunFa , Sheta Essam A. , Powell Steven M. , Moskaluk Christopher A. , Washington Kay , Goldknopf Ira L. , El‐Rifai Wael
Published: November 2007

In this study, we applied high‐resolution, two‐dimensional, gel electrophoresis and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization, time‐of‐flight and tandem mass spectrometry analysis (MALDI TOF MS) to identify novel proteins that are involved in Barrett's tumorigenesis. We analyzed 12 primary tissue samples that included 8 Barrett's‐related adenocarcinomas (BA) and 4 normal mucosae samples. Twenty‐three spots were consistently altered (≥2‐fold) in at least half of the tumors when compared with all normal samples and thus subjected to further analysis. The MALDI TOF MS analysis demonstrated biologically interesting upregulated proteins such as ErbB3, Dr5 and Cyclin D1 as well as several members of the zinc finger proteins (Znf146, Znf212 and Znf363). Examples of downregulated proteins included Lgi1 and Klf6. We selected four proteins (ErbB3, Dr5, Znf146 and Lgi1) that are novel for BAs for validation using quantitative real‐time reverse‐transcription PCR on 39 BA tissue samples when compared with normal samples. We demonstrated mRNA upregulation of ERBB3 (51.3%), DR5 (41%) and ZNF146 (30.7%) and downregulation of LGI1 (100%) in BA. We have further validated the protein overexpression of ErbB3, Dr5 and Znf146, using immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis on a tissue microarray that contained 75 BAs and normal gastric and esophageal mucosae samples. BA tissue samples demonstrated overexpression of ErbB3 (42%), Dr5 (90%) and Znf146 (30%) when compared with normal tissues. In conclusion, we have identified and validated several novel proteins that are involved in Barrett's carcinogenesis. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comment on “Aromatic‐Backbone Interactions in Model α‐Helical Peptides” [Palermo et al., J Comput Chem 2007, 28, 1208]
Authors: Mourik Tanja Van
Published: November 2007

Palermo et al. have recently published a method to correct for intramolecular basis set superposition errors (J Comput Chem 2007, 28, 1208) in intramolecular interactions occurring in peptides. By considering the intermolecular equivalent of this method, it is shown that the method presented by Palermo et al. underestimates the magnitude of the intramolecular BSSE. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2008
Spontaneous Three‐Layer Formation in the Curing of Polyimide/Epoxy Blends
Authors: Chen Fenghua , Wang Xin , Zhao Xiaojuan , Liu Jingang , Yang Shiyong , Han Charles C.
Published: November 2007

Morphological structures of epoxy resin toughened by a fluorinated polyimide were observed by SEM. Three layers formed spontaneously parallel to the film surface in the range of polyimide weight fraction w = 0.14–0.20, when the samples were cured at 130 °C. The two outer layers consisted mostly of the epoxy‐rich phase. The middle layer consisted of bicontinuous domains of polyimide‐ and epoxy‐rich phases with a characteristic domain size much smaller than the outer layer thickness. At w = 0.10–0.13, aggregates of polyimide‐rich particles formed. Observation of the morphological development at w = 0.15 suggested that polyimide‐rich domains were distributed over the whole sample in the early period.

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Mass spectrometric determination of insulins and their degradation products in sports drug testing
Authors: Thevis Mario , Thomas Andreas , Schänzer Wilhelm
Published: November 2007

Insulins' anabolic and anti‐catabolic properties have supposedly led to its misuse in sport. Hence, doping control assays were developed to allow the unequivocal identification of synthetic insulin analogs and metabolic products derived from human insulin and its artificial counterparts in urine and plasma specimens. Analyses were based on immunoaffinity purification and subsequent characterization of target analytes by top‐down sequencing‐based approaches, which were conducted with hybrid tandem mass spectrometers that consisted of either quadrupole‐linear ion trap or linear ion trap‐orbitrap analyzers. Diagnostic product ions and analytical strategies are presented and discussed in light of the need to unambiguously identify misused drugs in urine and plasma specimens for doping control. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., Mass Spec Rev 27:35–50, 2008
Paradoxes of functional neurosurgery: Clues from basal ganglia recordings
Authors: Brown Peter , Eusebio Alexandre
Published: November 2007

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) can be remarkably effective in treating movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, dystonia, and essential tremor. Yet these effects remain essentially unexplained, even paradoxical. Equally challenging is the fact that DBS of motor targets in the basal ganglia appears to reverse abnormalities of movement without any obvious deleterious effects on remaining aspects of movement. Here, we explore the extent to which the noisy signal hypothesis might help solve some of these apparent paradoxes. Essentially the hypothesis, first tentatively advanced by Marsden and Obeso (1994), suggests that disease leads to a pattern of basal ganglia activity that disrupts local and distant function and that surgery acts to suppress or override this noisy signal. Critical to the success this theory is that different disease phenotypes are associated with different patterns of noisy signal, and we survey the evidence to support this contention, with specific emphasis on different types of pathological synchronization. However, just as DBS may suppress or override noisy signals in the basal ganglia, it must equally antagonize any remaining physiological functioning in these key motor structures. We argue that the latter effect of DBS becomes manifest when baseline motor performance is relatively preserved, i.e., when pathological activity is limited. Under these circumstances, the deleterious effects of DBS are no longer obscured by its therapeutic actions in suppressing noisy signals. Whether true, oversimplified or simply incorrect, the noisy signal hypothesis has served to focus attention on the detailed character of basal ganglia discharge and its variation with disease and therapy. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Improved gait parameters after robotic‐assisted locomotor treadmill therapy in a 6‐year‐old child with cerebral palsy
Authors: Borggraefe Ingo , Meyer‐Heim Andreas , Kumar Anita , Schaefer Jan Simon , Berweck Steffen , Heinen Florian
Published: November 2007

Task‐specific body‐weight‐supported treadmill therapy improves walking performance in children with central gait impairment. Modulation of spinal networks and improvement of muscle energy consumption are thought to contribute to this effect. Robotic‐assisted treadmill therapy enabled by a driven gait orthosis (DGO) has been established for adults and shown to provide significant improvements in individuals with spinal cord injury and stroke. Recently a pediatric DGO has been developed. Here, we report the results of a 3‐week trial of robotic‐assisted treadmill therapy of a 6‐year‐old boy with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy. The boy tolerated the trial very well and showed improved function, speed, and endurance of walking. Introducing methods of robotic medicine to pediatrics may help children with central gait impairment to regain motor function. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Microstructural white matter changes in primary torsion dystonia
Authors: Carbon Maren , Kingsley Peter B. , Tang Chengke , Bressman Susan , Eidelberg David
Published: November 2007

Primary torsion dystonia (PTD) has been conceptualized as a disorder of the basal ganglia. However, recent data suggest a widespread pathology involving motor control pathways. In this report, we explored whether PTD is associated with abnormal anatomical connectivity within motor control pathways. We used diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DT‐MRI) to assess the microstructure of white matter. We found that fractional anisotropy, a measure of axonal integrity and coherence, was significantly reduced in PTD patients in the pontine brainstem in the vicinity of the left superior cerebellar peduncle and bilaterally in the white matter of the sensorimotor region. Our data thus support the possibility of a disturbance in cerebello‐thalamo‐cortical pathways as a cause of the clinical manifestations of PTD. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Comparative electrophysiological study of response to botulinum toxin type B in Japanese and Caucasians
Authors: Arimura Kimiyoshi , Arimura Yumiko , Takata Yoshiharu , Nakamura Tomonori , Kaji Ryuji
Published: November 2007

Ethnic differences in the muscle‐relaxing effect of botulinum toxin type B (BTX‐B) were examined by means of electrophysiological measurements in Japanese and Caucasian volunteers. This was a randomized, single‐blinded, single‐center study of 24 Japanese and 24 Caucasian healthy adult male subjects in Japan. BTX‐B (20 U, 100 U, or 500 U/0.2 mL) or placebo was administered to the extensor digitorum brevis (EDB) muscle in the left lower limb as a single dose (in each dose group, 6 subjects received the test drug and two received placebo). The inhibitory effect of BTX‐B on the M wave amplitude of EDB muscle generated by stimulation of the deep peroneal nerve was measured frequently during 2 weeks after administration, and then at weeks 4 (day 28) and 12 (day 84). The inhibitory effect of BTX‐B on the M wave amplitude of EDB muscle was dose‐dependent in both Japanese and Caucasian subjects, and the dose‐response curves were similar. These findings demonstrate that the muscle‐relaxing effect of BTX‐B in Japanese subjects is electrophysiologically similar to that in Caucasians. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Botulinum neurotoxin type A injections reduce spasticity in mild to moderate hereditary spastic paraplegia— Report of 19 cases
Authors: Hecht Martin J. , Stolze Henning , Auf Dem Brinke Matthias , Giess Ralf , Treig Thoams , Winterholler Martin , Wissel Jörg ,   German Spasticity Education Group
Published: November 2007

Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is characterized by lower extremity spasticity. Symptomatic therapy generally includes physical therapy and oral antispastic agents, in selected cases intrathecal baclofen. Because of the positive results in other treatments of spasticity, the use of botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT‐A) might also be considered for patients with HSP. We report the effect of BoNT‐A injections in 19 unselected patients with HSP treated by the members of the German Spasticity Education Group. In 17 patients, the modified Ashworth scale had improved by one point. In one patient, it improved by three points. Most of the patients reported reduction of spasticity. BoNT‐A injections were continued in 11 of 19 patients (57.9%). All of the patients with continued injections had a good or very good global subjective improvement. Patients with less pronounced spasticity and patients with accompanying physical therapy tended to exhibit a better effect. Only four patients reported adverse effects which were increased weakness in three patients and pain in one patient. BoNT‐A injections appear to reduce spasticity effectively and safely, especially in patients with mild to moderate spasticity. The preliminary results of our case series should encourage larger studies of BoNT‐A injections in HSP. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Population‐based case–control study of cigarette smoking and essential tremor
Authors: Benito‐León Julián , Louis Elan D. , Bermejo‐Pareja Félix ,   Neurological Disorders in Central Spain (NEDICES) Study Group
Published: November 2007

Parkinson's disease (PD) is inversely associated with smoking cigarettes. Despite long‐standing clinical links between PD and essential tremor (ET), there are surprisingly few data on smoking in ET. We studied whether smoking cigarettes is inversely associated with ET. Using a population‐based, case–control design, cigarette smoking habits were assessed in 221 prevalent ET cases (75.5 ± 7.1 years old) and 663 matched controls (74.6 ± 7.0 years old). In logistical regression analyses, diagnosis (ET vs. control) was the dependent variable, and cigarette smoking status, the independent variable. Ever smokers were marginally less likely to have ET than were never smokers (22.0% vs. 27.0%, odds ratio [OR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55–1.04, P = 0.09). In an analysis that adjusted for confounding factors (drink‐years and depressive symptoms), ever smokers were nearly half less likely to have ET than the never smokers (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.40–0.84, P = 0.004). There was a strong inverse association between pack‐years and odds of ET (adjusted OR 0.991, 95% CI 0.984–0.997, P = 0.005, i.e., with every 10 pack‐year increase, odds of ET were lowered 10%). Ever smokers in the highest pack‐year tertile were one‐third as likely to have ET than the never smokers (adjusted OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.22–0.69, P = 0.001). We demonstrated an inverse association between ever smoking and ET. Additional studies are needed to reproduce these findings and assess whether this association is due to a biologically protective effect. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Mirror movements in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Ottaviani Donatella , Tiple Dorina , Suppa Antonio , Colosimo Carlo , Fabbrini Giovanni , Cincotta Massimo , Defazio Giovanni , Berardelli Alfredo
Published: November 2007

Mirror movements (MM) refer to ipsilateral involuntary movements that appear during voluntary activity in contralateral homologous body regions. This study aimed to compare the frequency and distribution of MM in an unselected sample of 274 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and 100 healthy subjects, and to check a possible relationship between MM and parkinsonian features. MM of the hand were scored according to the Woods and Teuber scale. The frequency of MM was lower in PD patients than in healthy subjects (29% vs. 71%, P < 0.0001). The distribution of MM also differed in the two groups being often bilateral in healthy subjects, invariably unilateral in PD patients. When parkinsonian signs were unilateral, MM always manifested on the unaffected side; when parkinsonian signs were bilateral, MM manifested on the less affected side. PD patients manifesting MM scored significantly lower on Hohen and Yahr staging than patients without MM. Likewise, there was a significant inverse correlation between the intensity of MM as rated by the Woods and Teuber score and HY staging (r = −0.16, P < 0.01). The low frequency of MM in PD probably relates to the complex interactions between the pathophysiological mechanisms leading to parkinsonian signs and the mechanisms responsible for movement lateralization. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Action‐induced clonus mimicking tremor
Authors: Fraix Valérie , Delalande Isabelle , Parrache Marianne , Derambure Philippe , Cassim François
Published: November 2007

Action tremor has been described in cerebellar, task‐specific, dystonic, or Holmes tremor. We report 2 patients who developed unilateral kinetic or isometric action tremor of the upper extremity, following cervical spondylotic myelopathy and capsular ischemic stroke. Slight motor weakness and spasticity with exaggerated tendon jerks and passive stretch‐induced clonus were present on the same limb. The central motor pathways lesions might have been responsible for a hyperexcitability of the stretch‐reflex arc and an enhancement of the coactivation of skeletal muscles through a loss of the descending or segmental control of the spinal reflexes. The unusual topography of the symptoms, their occurrence during motion, and the similar frequency of the passive clonus and the action tremor, led us to hypothesize that both patients had prolonged action‐induced clonus, mimicking action tremor. Lesions of the central motor pathways lesions might be responsible for action tremor under certain conditions © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Paroxysmal dyskinesias in mice
Authors: Shirley Thomas L. , Rao Lekha M. , Hess Ellen J. , Jinnah H. A.
Published: November 2007

Animal models of human disease are important tools for revealing the underlying mechanisms of pathophysiology and developing therapeutic strategies. Several unique mouse calcium channel mutants have been identified with nonepileptic, episodic dyskinetic movements that are phenotypically similar to human paroxysmal dyskinesias. In this report, video demonstrations of these motor attacks are provided for two previously described mouse mutants, tottering and lethargic, as well as a new one, rocker. Semiquantitative comparisons using two different rating scales reveal differences in attack morphology, severity, and duration among the strains. These mice provide three independent models of paroxysmal dyskinesia and support for prior proposals that channelopathies may underlie the human disorders. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
The G2019S LRRK2 mutation in Brazilian patients with Parkinson's disease: Phenotype in monozygotic twins
Authors: Munhoz Renato P. , Wakutani Yosuke , Marras Connie , Teive Helio A. , Raskin Salmo , Werneck Lineu C. , Moreno Danielle , Sato Christine , Lang Anthony E. , Rogaeva Ekaterina
Published: November 2007

Mutations in the Leucine‐Rich Repeat Kinase 2 gene (LRRK2) are mainly responsible for idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) with either a dominant pattern of transmission or a sporadic occurrence due to the reduced penetrance. A majority of LRRK2 kindreds demonstrate an extremely variable age‐at‐onset in affected members of the same family. The G2019S is the most common LRRK2 mutation, which accounts for 1–5% PD patients in North America, and up to 40% of patients from an isolated Arab population. We assessed the frequency of the G2019S mutation in 83 Brazilian PD patients originally preselected for having an early age‐at‐onset (<50 years) and/or a positive family history. The mutation was detected in three probands (3.5%). Our clinical findings in these kindreds include the first description of the phenotype in identical twins discordant for handedness (a general phenomenon found in ∼25% monozygotic twins). However, both twins developed right asymmetric PD. The clinical presentation of twins was strikingly similar including an identical PD onset at age 60. This observation may suggest that genetic factors predominantly determine age‐at‐onset. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Modeling of granular bed‐stone column‐improved soft soil
Authors: Deb Kousik
Published: November 2007

The present study pertains to the development of a mechanical model for predicting the behavior of granular bed‐stone column‐reinforced soft ground. The granular layer that has been placed over the stone column‐reinforced soft soil has been idealized by the Pasternak shear layer. The saturated soft soil has been idealized by the Kelvin–Voigt model to represent its time‐dependent behavior and the stone columns are idealized by stiffer Winkler springs. The nonlinear behavior of the granular fill has been incorporated in this study by assuming a hyperbolic variation of shear stress with shear strain as in one reported literature. Similarly, for soft soil it has also been assumed that load‐settlement variation is hyperbolic in nature. The effect of consolidation of the soft soil due to inclusion of the stone columns has also been included in the model. Plane‐strain conditions are considered for the loading and foundation soil system. The numerical solutions are obtained by a finite difference scheme and the results are presented in a non‐dimensional form. Parametric studies for a uniformly loaded strip footing have been carried out to show the effects of various parameters on the total as well as differential settlement and stress concentration ratio. It has been observed that the presence of granular bed on the top of the stone columns helps to transfer stress from soil to stone columns and reduces maximum as well as differential settlement. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Erratum
Authors: Gard Gunvor , Tibaek Sigrid
Published: November 2007

Gunvor Gard and Sigrid Tibaek want it to be known that in the following two publications Sigrid Tibaek has an affiliation to both Department of Geriatrics and Rheumatology, Copenhagen University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark and Department of Health Sciences, Division of Physiotherapy, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Transient parvovirus‐associated hypoplasia of multiple peripheral blood cell lines in children with chronic hemolytic anemia
Authors: Cauff Brian E. , Quinn Charles T.
Published: November 2007

Human parvovirus infection typically causes transient red blood cell aplasia. However, contrary to common perceptions, the hematopathologic effects of parvovirus infection are not always limited to the erythroid lineage. We describe here a consecutive series of 17 patients with chronic hemolytic anemia hospitalized for aplastic crisis, of whom 13 had transient hypoplasia of multiple peripheral blood cell lines. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:861–864. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
MIA‐QSAR as an Alternative Approach for Modeling Some Antifungals
Authors: Freitas Matheus P. , Rittner Roberto
Published: November 2007

A congeneric series of 18 antifungal compounds has been modeled using the Multivariate Image Analysis applied to Quantitative Structure–Activity Relationship (MIA‐QSAR) method, in which descriptors are pixels with non‐zero variance among the 2D molecular structures. Calibration was carried out using PLS and an R2 of 0.956 was obtained for five latent variables. The predictive ability of the model was tested through leave‐one‐out cross‐validation, giving a Q$\rm{ _{CV}^2 }$ of 0.621 after removing two outliers. The model showed to be robust and the results compared reasonably well with a previous biparametric approach, having the potential of be used as an alternative and powerful QSAR approach to model novel actives.
QSPR Prediction of pKa for Benzoic Acids in Different Solvents
Authors: Jover Jesús , Bosque Ramón , Sales Joaquim
Published: November 2007

A Computational Neural Network (CNN) derived model is proposed for the pKa prediction of benzoic acids in different solvents. The system studied contains 519 pKa values corresponding to 136 benzoic acids determined in water and in 8 organic solvents. The benzoic acids were described by the usual molecular descriptors and the solvents by a number of physical properties and by several parameters of the most widely used polarity solvent scales. The model is composed of seven descriptors – five of them corresponding to the solute and the other two to the solvents – and was validated by an external prediction set. The three sets of values needed in the analysis, training, prediction, and cross‐validation, have the same squared correlation coefficient (0.998) and Root‐Mean Square Error (RMSE) (0.21) values. The robustness of the model is also given for the statistical results for small subsets, such as ortho‐ and non‐ortho‐substituted acids, those obtained in protic or aprotic solvents, those obtained in each solvent, and even those for the set of pKa values of one specific acid in several solvents. The descriptors encode information about the chemical nature of the solutes and the solvents that is clearly related to the interactions present in the dissociation process in solution. The derived model also has the ability to predict pKa values of a larger set of aromatic neutral acids, containing both phenols and benzoic acids.
Coupling of TiO2‐mediated enrichment and on‐bead guanidinoethanethiol labeling for effective phosphopeptide analysis by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Ahn Yeong Hee , Ji Eun Sun , Lee Ji Yeon , Cho Kun , Yoo Jong Shin
Published: November 2007

Titanium dioxide (TiO2)‐mediated phosphopeptide enrichment has been introduced as an effective method for extracting phosphopeptides from highly complex peptide mixtures. Chemical labeling by β‐elimination/Michael addition is also useful for increasing mass intensity in phosphopeptide analysis. Both of these methods were coupled in order to simultaneously enrich phosphopeptides and allow for detection and sequencing of the enriched peptides with high mass sensitivity. Phosphopeptides were successfully enriched on TiO2 beads without the use of any hydroxy acid additives like 2,5‐dihydroxybenzoic acid. Labeling was accomplished on‐bead with a guanidinoethanethiol (GET) tag containing a guanidine moiety. These GET‐labeled derivatives were detected by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS). GET labeling converted phosphoserine into guanidinoethylcysteine, a structural arginine‐mimic. In particular, GET‐labeled lysine‐terminated phosphopeptides showed dramatically increased peak intensities compared to those of the corresponding intact phosphopeptides. Additionally, the on‐bead labeling minimized manipulation steps and sample loss. The coupled technique was also further validated by applying to the analysis of phosphopeptides from complex tryptic digests of phosphoprotein mixtures. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of dithiocarbamate fungicide residues by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and stable isotope dilution assay
Authors: Crnogorac Goranka , Schwack Wolfgang
Published: November 2007

A rapid and very sensitive high‐performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI‐MS) method for the simultaneous determination of dithiocarbamate (DTC) fungicide residues in fruits and vegetables was developed. The surface extraction of samples used an alkaline buffer consisting of sodium hydrogen carbonate and DL‐penicillamine. The three DTC subclasses, i.e. dimethyldithiocarbamates (DMDs), ethylenebis(dithiocarbamates) (EBDs), and propylenebis(dithiocarbamates) (PBDs), were separated on a Sequant ZIC‐pHILIC column using an acetonitrile/10 mM ammonia gradient. Because of the instability of DTC residues extracted from plant samples, a stable isotope dilution assay was applied. For each DTC subclass, the limits of detection and quantification were approximately 0.03 mg kg−1 and 0.05 mg kg−1, respectively. Recoveries from grapes, cucumbers, tomatoes, and rucola, spiked in the range of 0.01–0.9 mg kg−1, averaged between 90 and 100%. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simple and sensitive quantification of bioactive peptides in biological matrices using liquid chromatography/selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry coupled with trichloroacetic acid clean‐up
Authors: Murao Naoaki , Ishigai Masaki , Yasuno Hideyuki , Shimonaka Yasushi , Aso Yoshinori
Published: November 2007

A simple and sensitive liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometric (LC/ESI‐MS/MS) method has been developed for the quantification of bioactive peptides in biological fluids. The method employs protein precipitation with 4% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and selected reaction monitoring (SRM) using an immonium ion as the product ion. This method was applied to determine the synthetic parathyroid hormone (PTH) analog (MW 1721) in rat plasma and human hepcidin‐25 (MW 2789) in human serum. TCA clean‐up showed a sufficient recovery for peptides with a MW of less than 3000, and would be useful as a simple and rapid method because of direct injection of the supernatant without evaporation or dilution. In addition, TCA clean‐up allowed us not only to reduce sample preparation time, but also to select an immonium ion as a product ion of SRM, which led to detection more sensitive than SRM using other types of product ions. The lower limits of quantitation (LLOQs) of the PTH analog and the human hepcidin‐25 were 0.2 ng/mL and 5 ng/mL, respectively. This method was fully validated with acceptable linearity, intra‐ and inter‐assay precisions, and accuracy. Furthermore, this simple and rapid method is applicable to pharmacokinetic studies. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.