bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Absolute Stereochemistry of the Galbulimima Alkaloids.
Authors: Willis Anthony C. , O'Connor Patrick D. , Taylor Walter C. , Mander Lewis N.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Identification of a Deacetylase Involved in the Maturation of Teicoplanin.
Authors: Truman Andrew W. , Robinson Louisa , Spencer Jonathan B.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Optimization of Perovskite Materials for Fuel Electrodes
Authors: Tao S. W. , Irvine J. T. S. , et al. et al.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Methods of Synthesis of Group 4—9 Transition Metal Imido Complexes
Authors: Zarubin D. N. , Ustynyuk N. A.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Thermotropic Lanthanidomesogens
Authors: Piguet Claude , Buenzli Jean‐Claude G. , Donnio Bertrand , Guillon Daniel
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
A Unified Synthetic Approach to the Pyrazinone Dragmacidins
Authors: Garg Neil K. , Stoltz Brian M.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Synthesis and Biological Activity of Substituted Amides and Hydrazides of 1,4‐Dicarboxylic Acids
Authors: Koz'minykh V. O.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
New Applications of Phase Transfer Catalysis in Organic Synthesis
Authors: Albanese Domenico
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Fullerene Oxides and Ozonides
Authors: Heymann Dieter , Weisman R. Bruce
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Reactions of Iminoglycines with C60 Fullerene and Their Unambiguous Characterization Using NMR Spectroscopy
Authors: Keller Paul A. , Pyne Stephen G. , Hawkins Bill C.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Molecular Structure of 1‐Azaadamantanes and 1,3‐Diazaadamantanes
Authors: Jimenez‐Cruz Federico , Rios‐Olivares Hector , Gutierrez Jose Luis Garcia
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Sequentially Palladium‐Catalyzed Processes
Authors: Mueller Thomas J. J.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Transition‐Metal Peroxides: Synthesis and Role in Oxidation Reactions
Authors: Conte Valeria , Bortolini Olga
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Meerwein—Ponndorf—Verley Reduction over Heterogeneous Catalysts
Authors: Chuah G. K. , Jaenicke S. , Zhu Y. Z. , Liu S. H.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Illuminating Molecular Processes in Living Cells
Authors: Umezawa Yoshio
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
p53 — A Natural Cancer Killer: Structural Insights and Therapeutic Concepts
Authors: Roemer Lin , Klein Christian , Dehner Alexander , Kessler Horst , Buchner Johannes
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Mechanism of First Hydrogen Abstraction from Light Alkanes on Oxide Catalysts
Authors: Millet Jean‐Marc M.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Complete Relaxation and Conformational Exchange Matrix Analysis of STD‐NMR Spectra of Ligand Receptor Complexes
Authors: Krishna N. Rama , Jayalakshmi V.
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Correlation of Fluorescence Anisotropy Decay with Molecular Size and Shape of Covalently and Noncovalently Bound Large Porphyrin Arrays
Authors: Aratani Naoki , Yoon Zin Seok , Kim Dongho , Osuka Atsuhiro
Published: December 2006

ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 200 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract, please click on HTML or PDF.
Species differences in the localization of soluble guanylyl cyclase subunits in monkey and rat brain
Authors: Pifarré P. , García A. , Mengod G.
Published: December 2006

Nitric oxide (NO) exerts most of its physiological effects through activation of a predominantly soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC). In mammalian cells sGC exists as a heterodimer of α and β subunits. Currently, four subunits (α1, α2, β1, and β2) have been characterized. We used in situ hybridization with subunit‐specific33P‐labeled oligonucleotide probes to compare the anatomical distribution of sGC subunit mRNAs in rat and monkey brains. Message for all subunits except β2 was detected in both species. The sGC subunit showing the highest expression and widest distribution was β1. High expression for all subunits was found in basal ganglia, olfactory system, hippocampus, cortex, and cerebellum. Minor species differences in the relative distribution of α subunits were observed. In general, the α1 message was more prominent in monkey brain and the α2 message in rat brain. This was more evident in limbic areas and cerebellar cortex. Some differences were also observed in subunit laminar distribution in cerebral cortex. The limited species differences in sGC subunit distribution suggest that in primates, as occurs in rodents, the NO‐cGMP signaling pathway will be involved in important brain functions such as memory formation, sensory processing, and behavior. J. Comp. Neurol. 500:942–957, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Quantitative CARS Spectroscopy Using the Maximum Entropy Method: The Main Lipid Phase Transition
Authors: Rinia Hilde A. , Bonn Mischa , Müller Michiel , Vartiainen Erik M.
Published: December 2006

The maximum entropy method for phase retrieval of multiplex coherent anti‐Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) spectra is described in detail and applied to the time‐resolved measurement of the main lipid phase transition of small, unilamellar 1,2‐dimyristoyl‐sn‐glycero‐3‐phosphocholine (DMPC) vesicles subject to a 3 min temperature sweep. Since the—thus derived—imaginary part of the third‐order CARS susceptibility can be directly related to the linear vibrational spectrum, the multiplex CARS spectral data can be analyzed quantitatively and without prior knowledge of the sample. It is shown that the maximum entropy model provides an exact description of the original data, including the noise, if all available autocorrelation functions are used. Our findings confirm the acyl‐chain order–disorder phase‐transition behavior of small, unilamellar lipid vesicles.
Low sex steroids, high steroid receptors: Increasing the sensitivity of the nonreproductive brain
Authors: Canoine Virginie , Fusani Leonida , Schlinger Barney , Hau Michaela
Published: December 2006

Male aggressive behavior is generally regulated by testosterone (T). In most temperate breeding males, aggressive behavior is only expressed during the reproductive period. At this time circulating T concentrations, brain steroid receptors, and steroid metabolic enzymes are elevated in many species relative to the nonreproductive period. Many tropical birds, however, display aggressive behavior both during the breeding and the nonbreeding season, but plasma levels of T can remain low throughout the year and show little seasonal fluctuation. Studies on the year‐round territorial spotted antbird (Hylophylax n. naevioides) suggest that T nevertheless regulates aggressive behavior in both the breeding and nonbreeding season. We hypothesize that to regulate aggressive behaviors during the nonbreeding season, when T is at its minimum, male spotted antbirds increase brain sensitivity to steroids. This can be achieved by locally up‐regulating androgen receptors (ARs), estrogen receptors (ERs), or the enzyme aromatase (AROM) that converts T into estradiol. We therefore compared mRNA expression of AR, ERα, and AROM in free‐ living male spotted antbirds across reproductive and nonreproductive seasons in two brain regions known to regulate both reproductive and aggressive behaviors. mRNA expression of ERα in the preoptic area and AR in the nucleus taeniae were elevated in male spotted antbirds during the nonbreeding season when circulating T concentrations were low. This unusual seasonal receptor regulation may represent a means for the year‐round regulation of vertebrate aggressive behavior via steroids by increasing the brain's sensitivity to sex steroids during the nonbreeding season. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 67: 57–67, 2007
Subunit‐dependent cadmium and nickel inhibition of acid‐sensing ion channels
Authors: Staruschenko Alexander , Dorofeeva Natalia A. , Bolshakov Konstantin V. , Stockand James D.
Published: December 2006

Acid‐sensing ion channels (ASIC) are ligand‐gated cation channels that are highly expressed in peripheral sensory and central neurons. ASIC are transiently activated by decreases in extracellular pH and are thought to play important roles in sensory perception, neuronal transmission, and excitability, and in the pathology of neurological conditions, such as brain ischemia. We demonstrate here that the heavy metals Ni2+ and Cd2+ dose‐dependently inhibit ASIC currents in hippocampus CA1 neurons and in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells heterologously expressing these channels. The effects of both Ni2+ and Cd2+ were voltage‐independent, fast, and reversible. Neither metal affected activation and desensitization kinetics but rather decreased pH‐sensitivity. Moreover, distinct ASIC isoforms were differentially inhibited by Ni2+ and Cd2+. External application of 1 mM Ni2+ rapidly inhibited homomeric ASIC1a and heteromeric ASIC1a/2a channels without affecting ASIC1b, 2a, and ASIC3 homomeric channels and ASIC1a/3 and 2a/3 heteromeric channels. In contrast, external Cd+ (1 mM) inhibited ASIC2a and ASIC3 homomeric channels and ASIC1a/2a, 1a/3, and 2a/3 heteromeric channels but not ASIC1a homomeric channels. The acid‐sensing current in isolated rat hippocampus CA1 neurons, thought to be carried primarily by ASIC1a and 1a/2a, was inhibited by 1 mM Ni2+. The current study identifies ASIC as a novel target for the neurotoxic heavy metals Cd2+ and Ni2+. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 67: 97–107, 2007
Development of time comparison equipment for ETS‐VIII satellite
Authors: Nakagawa Fumimaru , Takahashi Yasuhiro , Gotoh Tadahiro , Fujieda Miho , Hosokawa Mizuhiko , Kiuchi Hitoshi , Imae Michito
Published: December 2006

Engineering Test Satellite VIII (ETS‐VIII) is planning to be launched in 2005 for fundamental studies on satellite positioning technologies and is the one first to have installed a highly precise cesium clock in Japan. To measure the clock offset between the satellite and the TCE earth station, Time Comparison Equipment (TCE) has been developed by NICT. The TCE will be used to measure both code and carrier phases and this system will improve two‐way time and frequency transfer. This equipment makes it possible to compare two clocks with high precision. Moreover, TCE and TCE earth stations have abilities to remove the delay caused by terrestrial ionosphere and that between the receivers and transmitters.

We estimated measurement precision in code and carrier phases. Furthermore, from the examinations using TCE‐EM (Engineering Model), we confirmed that TCE is able to measure the clock phases with a subnanosecond precision by code phase observation and a precision of a few picoseconds by carrier phase observation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 158(3): 61–71, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20385
Formation of DLC films by three‐dimensional ion implantation under high vacuum
Authors: Tamba Moritake , Saitou Takahiro , Ikegami Yuji , Suzuki Yoshiaki , Kobayashi Tomohiro , Tokuchi Akira , Katayama Takeshi
Published: December 2006

Using a modified loop antenna, RF plasmas are formed under high vacuum without collisions between neutral atoms and a test piece or a target (Si) that is mounted in the plasma. By applying a negative high voltage to the target, carbon ions are implanted into the target by the three‐dimensional ion implantation method. Films thus formed have been identified as DLC (diamond‐like carbon) by Raman spectra, X‐ray diffractometry, and Rutherford back scattering. In the case of a target of WC with 10% Co, it has been found that the sticking force of the film is 60 N and the friction coefficient 0.13. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 158(3): 1–11, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20444
A Novel Amphiphilic ReI Complex with Bis(fullerene)‐Substituted Bipyridine Ligands: Synthesis, Electrochemistry, and Langmuir Film
Authors: Deuk Lee Hwi , Keun Oh Sang , Soo Choi Chan , Kay Kwang‐Yol
Published: December 2006

An amphiphilic fullerene (C60) derivative with a (bipyridine)tricarbonylrhenium(I) chloride polar head group has been prepared. Electrochemical studies indicate that some ground state electronic interactions between the fullerene subunit and the metal complexed moiety are present in ReI complex 1. The Langmuir film of this compound has been characterized by its surface pressure versus molecular area isotherm and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) observations. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Reactions of Group 13 Organometallics tBu3M with Distibanes Sb2R4
Authors: Schuchmann Daniella , Kuczkowski Andreas , Fahrenholz Sonja , Schulz Stephan , Flörke Ulrich
Published: December 2006

Tetraalkyldistibanes Sb2R4 (R = nPr, iBu) react with tBu3M (M = Al, Ga) at –30 °C with the formation of the Lewis acid–base adducts [tBu3M]2[Sb2R4] [M = Al, R = nPr (1), iBu (2); M = Ga, R = nPr (3), iPr 4)]. Compounds 1 and 2 are stable in solution whereas 3 undergoes a Sb–Sb bond‐breakage reaction with the subsequent formation of [tBu2GaSb(nPr)2]2 (5). The same trend was observed for the reaction of Sb2(iBu)4 with tBu3Ga, which yielded the heterocyclic stibanylgallane [tBu2GaSb(iBu)2]2 (6). In addition, the simple trialkylstibane adduct tBu3Al–Sb(iBu)3 (7) was obtained as a byproduct from the reaction of Sb2(iBu)4 with tBu3Al. Compounds 1–7 were characterized by multinuclear NMR (1H, 13C{1H}) and mass spectroscopy and elemental analysis. Compounds 1, 3, 5, and 7 were also investigated by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)
Toward an integrated microchip sized 2‐D polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis device for proteomic analysis
Authors: Demianová Zuzana , Shimmo Masahiko , Pöysä Eemeli , Franssila Sami , Baumann Marc
Published: December 2006

We describe a miniaturized instrument capable of performing 2‐DE. Our miniaturized device is able to perform IEF and polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis (PASGE) in the same unit. It consists of a compartment for a first‐dimensional IEF gel, which is connected to a second‐dimensional PASGE gel. The focused samples are automatically transferred from the IEF gel to the PASGE gel by electromigration. Our preliminary experiments show that the device is able to focus and separate a mixture of proteins in approximately 1 h, excluding the time required for the staining procedure. On average, the gel‐to‐gel retardation factor (Rf) variation was 6.2% (±0.9%) and pI variation was 2.5% (±0.6%). Separated protein spots were excised from stained gels, digested with trypsin, and further identified by MS, thus enabling direct proteomic analysis of the separated proteins.
Interdisciplinary survey in Messenia, Southwest Peloponnese, Greece
Authors: Simpson Richard Hope
Published: December 2006

The survey of Messenia by the University of Minnesota Messenia Expedition (UMME) was recently followed by the Pylos Regional Archaeological Project (PRAP). Despite improvements in survey methodology, problems remain, particularly with the interpretation of field data and with extrapolation, especially when this is made based on survey results alone, without excavation. In addition, the work of the archaeologists has not yet been fully integrated with that of the earth scientists. Some examples are given of the difficulties encountered in this survey, especially concerning retrodictions (predictions about the past) of ancient settlement patterns and numbers. Suggestions are made here for further survey and selective excavation, especially in eastern Messenia, where fieldwork has been far less extensive than in western Messenia. More fieldwork is needed to determine the pattern of geomorphic changes in the region, especially in relation to the varying degrees of visibility and/or preservation of the ancient sites. Meanwhile, increased recent human activity is rapidly destroying or endangering those remains that have hitherto survived, so that survey is often de facto of a rescue nature.© 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quality improvement and its impact on the use and equality of outpatient health services in India
Authors: Dipankar Rao Krishna , Peters David H.
Published: December 2006

This paper examines the impact of quality improvements in conjunction with user fees on the utilization and equality of outpatient services at a range of public sector health facilities in India. Project impact on outpatient visits was estimated via the difference‐in‐difference method using pooled time series visit data from project and control facilities. The results indicate that the quality improvements significantly increased visits at all facility types. The project effect was largest at primary health center (PHC) and community health center (CHC), followed by district hospital (DH) and female district hospital (FDH). Pro‐rich inequalities in outpatient visits increased at DHs and FDHs while at CHCs and PHCs the distribution remained equitable. This suggests that quality improvements at public sector health facilities can increase utilization of outpatient services in the presence of nominal user fees, but can also promote greater inequality favoring the better‐off. At the referral hospital level, quality improvements should be made in conjuction with programs which encourage utilization by the poor. In contrast, the benefit of quality improvements at PHCs and CHCs is equitably distributed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Arsenic stimulates sinusoidal endothelial cell capillarization and vessel remodeling in mouse liver
Authors: Straub Adam C. , Stolz Donna B. , Ross Mark A. , Hernández-Zavala Araceli , Soucy Nicole V. , Klei Linda R. , Barchowsky Aaron
Published: December 2006

Trivalent arsenic [As(III)] is a well-known environmental toxicant that causes a wide range of organ-specific diseases and cancers. In the human liver, As(III) promotes vascular remodeling, portal fibrosis, and hypertension, but the pathogenesis of these As(III)-induced vascular changes is unknown. To investigate the hypothesis that As(III) targets the hepatic endothelium to initiate pathogenic change, mice were exposed to 0 or 250 parts per billion (ppb) of As(III) in their drinking water for 5 weeks. Arsenic(III) exposure did not affect the overall health of the animals, the general structure of the liver, or hepatocyte morphology. There was no change in the total tissue arsenic levels, indicating that arsenic does not accumulate in the liver at this level of exposure. However, there was significant vascular remodeling with increased sinusoidal endothelial cell (SEC) capillarization, vascularization of the peribiliary vascular plexus (PBVP), and constriction of hepatic arterioles in As(III)-exposed mice. In addition to ultrastructural demonstration of SEC defenestration and capillarization, quantitative immunofluorescence analysis revealed increased sinusoidal PECAM-1 and laminin-1 protein expression, suggesting gain of adherens junctions and a basement membrane. Conversion of SECs to a capillarized, dedifferentiated endothelium was confirmed at the cellular level with demonstration of increased caveolin-1 expression and SEC caveolae, as well as increased membrane-bound Rac1-GTPase.

Conclusion

: These data demonstrate that exposure to As(III) causes functional changes in SEC signaling for sinusoidal capillarization that may be initial events in pathogenic changes in the liver. (Hepatology 2007; 45:205–212.)
Immune role of hepatic TLR-4 revealed by orthotopic mouse liver transplantation
Authors: John Beena , Klein Ingo , Crispe Nicholas I.
Published: December 2006

Activated CD8+ T cells migrate to the liver at the end of an immune response and go through apoptosis there, but this mechanism is impaired in mice lacking Toll-like receptor-4. This allowed us to test the importance of liver trapping in an ongoing immune response. In the absence of Toll-like receptor-4, reduced liver accumulation was associated with an increase in the circulating CD8+ T cell pool, more long-lived memory T cells and increased CD8+ T cell memory responses. Using experimental orthotopic liver transplantation, we showed that the effect of Toll-like receptor-4 on the formation of the CD8+ T cell memory resides in the liver.

Conclusion

: These studies reveal a new function for the liver, which is to regulate the magnitude of T cell memory responses through a Toll-like receptor-4–dependent mechanism. (Hepatology 2007;45:178–186.)
Intrahepatic delivery of α-galactosylceramide-pulsed dendritic cells suppresses liver tumor
Authors: Tatsumi Tomohide , Takehara Tetsuo , Yamaguchi Shinjiro , Sasakawa Akira , Sakamori Ryotaro , Ohkawa Kazuyoshi , Kohga Keisuke , Uemura Akio , Hayashi Norio
Published: December 2006

Alpha-galactosylceramide, a glycosphingolipid, mediates interaction of dendritic cells (DCs) and NKT cells, leading to activation of both innate and acquired immunity. For cancer treatment, conventional DC-based vaccine has been tried, but its clinical efficacy is limited against liver cancer. Intrahepatic injection of α-Galactosylceramide-pulsed DCs (αGCDC) has not yet been tested in the liver that contains abundant immune cells such as NK, NKT, and T cells. In the present study, we examined the efficacy of αGCDC administration in comparison with p53 peptide-pulsed DCs using a well-established murine CMS4 tumor model. Injection of αGCDC into CMS4 liver tumors resulted in complete tumor rejection and established long-term survival of the animals, while injection of p53232-240 peptide-pulsed DCs (pepDC) only partially suppressed tumor growth in the liver. The levels of IFN-γ in sera of αGCDC-treated mice were significantly higher than those of pepDC-treated mice. Hepatic NK cells were efficiently activated by αGCDC injection and played a critical role in liver tumor rejection as evidenced by an in vivo antibody-mediated NK cell depletion study. Injection of αGCDC into liver tumor led to higher p53232-240 peptide-specific CD8+ T cell response than that of pepDC. The mice that had been protected from CMS4 liver tumor by αGCDC injection became resistant to subcutaneous CMS4 rechallenge, but not to Colon26 rechallenge.

Conclusion

: These results demonstrate that αGCDC injection into the liver can efficiently activate NK cells that in turn reject liver tumors to establish potent acquired immunity against the original tumor. (Hepatology 2007;45:22–30.)
Race, insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis in chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Conjeevaram Hari S. , Kleiner David E. , Everhart Jay E. , Hoofnagle Jay H. , Zacks Steven , Afdhal Nezam H. , Wahed Abdus S.
Published: December 2006

Hepatic steatosis is common in chronic hepatitis C and has been linked to concurrent obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, disease severity, and poor response to therapy. Racial differences in rates of obesity and diabetes may contribute to racial differences in hepatic steatosis and treatment response. The aim of the present study was to compare hepatic steatosis and its associations between African American (AA) and Caucasian American (CA) patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1, participating in a prospective study of peginterferon and ribavirin therapy. Liver biopsy results were available from 194 AA patients and 205 CA patients. The 2 groups were compared for anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical features and insulin resistance estimated by the homeostasis model assessment index (HOMA-IR). Sixty-one percent of the AA patients and 65% of the CA patients had hepatic steatosis (

P

= 0.38). In univariable analysis, steatosis was associated with HOMA-IR, body mass index, waist circumference, serum triglycerides, aminotransferase level, and histological scores for inflammation and fibrosis. After adjusting for these features, AA patients had a lower risk of steatosis than did CA patients (OR 0.54, 95% CI 0.32-0.91,

P

= 0.02). Insulin resistance but not steatosis was associated with a lower rate of sustained virological response when adjusted for known factors that predict response (relative risk 0.87, 95% CI 0.77-0.99,

P

= 0.028).

Conclusion

: After adjusting for the higher prevalence of features associated with hepatic steatosis, AA patients had a lower prevalence of hepatic steatosis than did CA patients with chronic hepatitis C, genotype 1. Insulin resistance but not steatosis was independently associated with lower sustained virological response. (Hepatology 2006;45:80–87.)
Long-acting octreotide versus placebo for treatment of advanced HCC: A randomized controlled double-blind study
Authors: Becker Gerhild , Allgaier Hans-Peter , Olschewski Manfred , Zähringer Andreas , Blum Hubert Erich
Published: December 2006

Although numerous treatment modalities have been explored in patients with advanced HCC, the therapeutic options are still limited. Somatostatin has been shown to have antimitotic activity in endocrine as well as in a variety of nonendocrine tumors. Expression of somatostatin receptors is found in HCCs, but the efficacy of the somatostatin analogue octreotide remains controversial. Therefore, a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled multicenter trial was performed to assess the efficacy of long-acting octreotide for the treatment of advanced HCC. One hundred twenty untreated patients with histologically confirmed HCC were randomized to receive either long-acting octreotide (Sandostation LAR 30 mg) intramuscularly every 4 weeks or placebo. The study groups were comparable with respect to clinical characteristics. There was no difference in the cumulative survival. The median survival time was 4.7 months in the octreotide group compared with 5.3 months in the control group. Six-month survival rates were 41% for octreotide patients and 42% for control patients, respectively. The unadjusted relative risk for mortality in the octreotide group compared with patients in the control group was 1.11 (95% CI 0.76-1.63;

P

= 0.59). When adjusted for Okuda, CTP, and Cancer of the Liver Italian Program (CLIP) scores, the relative risk for octreotide did not change markedly and was 1.05 (95% CI 0.71-1.55;

P

= 0.83). The CLIP score seems to predict survival better than both Okuda and CTP score.

Conclusion:

The randomized controlled double-blind HECTOR trial showed no survival benefit for HCC patients treated with long-acting octreotide compared with placebo. (Hepatology 2007;45:9–15.)
Tuition reimbursement, perceived organizational support, and turnover intention among graduate business school students
Authors: Pattie Marshall , Benson George S. , Baruch Yehuda
Published: December 2006

Recent research has shown that while tuition reimbursement is generally associated with employee retention, employees may be more inclined to switch jobs when they earn graduate degrees. This article investigates the relationship between employees currently receiving tuition reimbursement and intention to leave the organization. Analysis of survey data from 322 employed graduate students shows that receiving tuition reimbursement is positively related to perceived organizational support, which reduces turnover intention. However, employees working toward degrees unrelated to their current jobs express greater intention to leave the organization, which increases as they near graduation.
Mega‐trends in the American workforce
Authors: Horn Carl E. Van
Published: December 2006

This article uses results from a series of national public opinion surveys to shed light on the views and concerns of American workers and employers. The article explores five major themes that have emerged from the surveys and then proposes ways that policymakers, employers, and workers can understand, adapt to, and accept the ever‐changing labor market and economy.
High survivin expression is associated with favorable outcome in advanced primary oral squamous cell carcinoma after radiation therapy
Authors: Freier Kolja , Pungs Susanne , Sticht Carsten , Flechtenmacher Christa , Lichter Peter , Joos Stefan , Hofele Christof
Published: December 2006

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a solid neoplasm exhibiting aggressive tumor phenotypes with unpredictable biological behavior. Recent studies suggested that high expression of the antiapoptotic protein survivin might be associated with adverse outcome in oral cancer patients. To investigate, whether increased copy numbers of the survivin‐encoding gene BIRC5 results in elevated survivin levels and whether BIRC5 and survivin could serve as progression markers in the clinical course of OSCC, tumor tissue microarray analysis was performed applying fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry to 296 OSCC specimens. Gene copy number gain of BIRC5 was detected in 33.9% (150/227) of cases, which correlated significantly with high UICC stage and the presence of lymph node metastases (p = 0.003 and p = 0.001, respectively), but not with unfavorable patients' outcome (p > 0.05) in multivariate analysis. High survivin expression was found in 67.3% (169/251) of cases to predict increased 5‐ and 10‐year overall survival of patients in a multivariate model including UICC stage and age as covariables (p = 0.035 and p = 0.026, respectively). Within a subgroup of patients, who received radiation therapy (n = 121), high survivin expression was found to be the only predictor of favorable 3‐, 5‐ and 10‐year overall survival in a multivariate cox regression analysis including UICC stage and age as covariables (p = 0.001, p = 0.004 and p = 0.006, respectively). In conclusion, high survivin expression might be useful to identify OSCC patients, who would benefit from radiotherapy. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The p53 positive Bcl‐2 negative phenotype is an independent marker of prognosis in breast cancer
Authors: Rolland Phil , Spendlove Ian , Madjid Zahra , Rakha Emad A. , Patel Poulam , Ellis Ian O. , Durrant Lindy
Published: December 2006

The purpose of this work was to determine if the immunohistochemical p53 (+) Bcl‐2 (−) phenotype predicts survival in breast cancer patients. Tissue from 819 cases of resected primary breast cancer, presented between 1986 and 1998, were assembled in tissue microarray format. Clinicopathological data and prospective disease specific survival data were collected prospectively and immunohistochemical analyses of p53 and Bcl‐2 expression were performed using antibodies DO‐7 (p53) and 124 (Bcl‐2) employing a standard IHC protocol. The expression data were correlated with clinicopathological variables and outcomes in both univariate (χ2) and multivariate (Cox's regression) analyses. Abnormal p53 expression and positive Bcl‐2 expression were detected in 29% (193/673) and 46% (307/673) of tumours, respectively. On univariate analysis Bcl‐2 expression was correlated with the clinicopathological features of less aggressive disease and loss of Bcl‐2 expression correlated with a reduction in survival (log rank = 11.91; p < 0.001). p53 expression correlated with the clinicopathological features of aggressive cancers and a reduction in survival (log rank = 17.81; p < 0.001). Nineteen percent (127/673) of tumours displayed a p53 (+) Bcl‐2 (−) phenotype. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed a significant reduction in survival in these cases (log rank 34.01; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that while neither p53 expression nor Bcl‐2 expression alone had independent prognostic significance, the p53 (+) Bcl‐2 (−) phenotype remained independently associated with a worse prognosis (HR 1.79 95%CI 1.10–2.89 p = 0.018). © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Photoreceptor proteins as cancer‐retina antigens
Authors: Bazhin Alexandr V. , Schadendorf Dirk , Willner Nadine , De Smet Charles , Heinzelmann Anita , Tikhomirova Natalya K. , Umansky Viktor , Philippov Pavel P. , Eichmüller Stefan B.
Published: December 2006

Melanocytes, melanoma and photoreceptor cells are of neuroectodermal origin and have a certain sensitivity to light. In this study, we present evidence for photoreceptor proteins that are responsible for visual transduction and its regulation function as a new class of cancer antigens in melanoma. Visual rhodopsin, transducin, cGMP‐phosphodiesterase 6, cGMP‐dependent channels, guanylyl cyclase, rhodopsin kinase, recoverin and arrestin are expressed in melanoma and can induce antibody responses in patients. Melanocytes also express mRNA of all photoreceptor genes besides transducin, but were devoid of the corresponding protein, which was tested for rhodopsin, cGMP‐phosphodiesterase, guanylyl cyclase and recoverin. Furthermore, we show for the first time that some healthy tissues express mRNA of these genes, but never protein. Expression profiles and autoantibody responses were confirmed in the MT/retand theHGFtg/Ink4a−/−transgenic mouse melanoma models. We propose a molecular transition of cancer‐retina antigens from mRNA expression in melanocytes to protein expression in melanoma. Our work provides the basis for analyzing regulation of photoreceptor gene expression in normal and malignant cells as well as possible therapeutic tumor targeting using the newly defined class of cancer‐retina antigens. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differential responses of biomarkers in tissues of a freshwater mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, to the exposure of sediment extracts with different levels of contamination
Authors: Osman A. M. , Heuvel H. van den , Noort P. C. M. van
Published: December 2006

In this study, zebra mussels, D. polymorpha, were exposed to extracts of sediments obtained from two sites, a contaminated lake (Ketelmeer, Km) and a relatively clean lake (Drontenmeer, Dm). The main objective of this work was to investigate whether six selected biomarkers could discriminate between the two sediments. The selected biomarkers included phase I enzymes such as DT‐diaphorase, NADPH‐cytochrome c reductase, NADH‐cytochrome c reductase, a phase II enzyme (glutathione S‐transferase, GST), an antioxidant enzyme, catalase, and the total glutathione, reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG). After a short (24 h) and a long‐term (7 days) exposure, the levels of these biomarkers were measured in gills and the rest of soft mussel tissues (soft mussel tissue minus gills) and compared with control values. A decrease of GST level by 20% (P = 0.004) and a 4‐fold decrease of total glutathione concentration relative to the control, were observed in the gills of mussels exposed to the more contaminated Km extract. No significant differences in the GST activities were observed in the gills of control and Dm extract‐treated mussels (P = 0.23). Although the levels of catalase and NADH‐cytochrome c reductase were, in the short‐term exposure, unaffected, both activities were, in the long‐term exposure, reduced in the gills of the mussels exposed to the contaminated Km extract, compared with control values, by 43% and 20%, respectively. The activities of DT‐diaphorase and NADPH‐cytochrome c reductase remained unaffected in all exposure conditions. However, the level of NADPH‐cytochrome c reductase was found higher in gills than in the rest of soft mussel tissues. This difference in the ratio of the two reductases between the two tissues could account for the observed differential responses of the biomarkers. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Citrinin and endosulfan induced teratogenic effects in Wistar rats
Authors: Singh Nittin D. , Sharma Anil K. , Dwivedi Prabhaker , Patil Rajendra D. , Kumar Manoj
Published: December 2006

Dietary exposures to food pollutants such as mycotoxin(s) or pesticide(s) are most significant due to their adverse effects on the production and reproduction in animals and the human population. The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the teratogenic potential of citrinin (CIT) and endosulfan either alone or in combination in pregnant rats during gestational days 6–20. Endosulfan (1 mg kg−1 body weight, by oral intubation) and CIT (10 mg kg−1 feed, through diet) when administered either alone or in combination in pregnant rats caused significant teratogenic effects in the developing fetuses. There was no maternal mortality, however, reduced maternal weight gain and number of live fetuses and increased fetal resorptions were recorded in all the treated groups. The fetal body weights and crown to rump lengths were significantly decreased and the per cent gross, visceral and skeletal anomalies were significantly increased in the fetuses of dams of all the treated groups. The internal hydrocephalus, cerebellar hypoplasia, microphthalmia, contracted and notched kidneys, multilobulated liver, dilated renal pelvis, incomplete ossification of skull bones, rib anomalies and sacral and caudal vertebrae agenesis were the important fetal malformations. The occurrence of fetal gross, skeletal and visceral malformations was more severe in the combination group, suggesting an additive interaction of CIT and endosulfan in inducing developmental toxicity in Wistar rats. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lipid peroxidation is enhanced in Yusho victims 35 years after accidental poisoning with polychlorinated biphenyls in Nagasaki, Japan
Authors: Shimizu Kazuhiro , Ogawa Fumihide , Thiele Jens J , Bae SangJae , Sato Shinichi
Published: December 2006

Thirty‐five years have passed since the accidental poisoning with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) in Japan and yet high concentrations of PCB are still detected in the serum of the victims. PCB produces superoxide and thus victims are considered to be in a persistent state of oxidative stress. Urinary concentrations of 8‐isoprostane (8IP) in the victims and age‐matched controls were measured to assess this hypothesis. The mean urinary concentration of 8IP was significantly higher than that in the controls. There was a positive correlation between urinary 8IP and serum concentrations of cholinesterase. It was considered that Yusho is an oxidative stress and 8IP is a useful tool for checking the oxidative condition in Yusho victims. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimization of the methods for introduction of amine groups onto the silica nanoparticle surface
Authors: Liu Song , Zhang Hai‐Li , Liu Tian‐Cai , Liu Bo , Cao Yuan‐Cheng , Huang Zhen‐Li , Zhao Yuan‐Di , Luo Qing‐Ming
Published: December 2006

The luminescent silica nanoparticle has attracted the researchers' concentration in bioanalysis recently. Its extensive application is based on the immobilization of various biomolecules such as deoxyribonucleic acid, antibody, and so forth onto the surface. By comparing different introduction methods of amine groups, it was confirmed that the “two‐step” route is more preferable by adding tetraethyl orthosilicate and 3‐aminopropyl‐(triethoxyl)silane in sequence, to attain ideal amine‐modified silica nanoparticles. On this basis, carboxyl groups were derived from amine groups on the nanoparticle surface and then were activated by 1‐ethyl‐3‐3‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide hydrochloride and N‐hydroxy‐succinimide. Finally, mouse monoclonal antihuman CD71 antibody (McAb CD71) and transferrin were effectively linked with the carboxyl groups and successfully labeled the receptors in the membrane of fibroblast cells, respectively. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
Effect of pore size on in vitro cartilage formation using chitosan‐based hyaluronic acid hybrid polymer fibers
Authors: Yamane Shintaro , Iwasaki Norimasa , Kasahara Yasuhiko , Harada Kazuo , Majima Tokifumi , Monde Kenji , Nishimura Shin‐ichiro , Minami Akio
Published: December 2006

In this study, we successfully developed three‐dimensional scaffolds fabricated from the chitosan‐based hyaluronic acid hybrid polymer fibers, which can control the porous structure. To determine the adequate pore size for enhancing the chondrogenesis of cultured cells, we compared the behaviors of rabbit chondrocytes in scaffolds comprising different pore sizes (100, 200, and 400 μm pore size). Regarding the cell proliferation, there was no significant difference among the three groups. On the other hand, glycosaminoglycan contents in the 400 μm group significantly increased during the culture period, compared with those in the other groups. The ratio of type II to type I collagen mRNA level was also significantly higher in the 400 μm group than in the other groups. These results indicate that our scaffold with 400 μm pore size significantly enhances the extracellular matrix synthesis by chondrocytes. Additionally, the current scaffolds showed high mechanical properties, compared with liquid and gel materials. The data derived from this study suggest great promise for the future of a novel fabricated material with relatively large pore size as a scaffold for cartilage regeneration. The biological and mechanical advantages presented here will make it possible to apply our scaffold to relatively wide cartilaginous lesions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 2007
S. epidermidis biofilm formation: Effects of biomaterial surface chemistry and serum proteins
Authors: Patel Jasmine D. , Ebert Michael , Ward Robert , Anderson James M.
Published: December 2006

Most infections due to implanted cardiovascular biomaterials are initiated by bacterial adhesion of Staphylococcus epidermidis, followed by colonization and biofilm formation on the surface of the implant. This study examined the role of serum proteins and material surface chemistry in the formation of S. epidermidis biofilm on polyurethanes (Elasthane 80A, hydrophobic) modified with polyethylene oxide (Elasthane 80A‐6PEO, hydrophilic) and fluorocarbon (Elasthane 80A‐6F, hydrophobic). Initial adhesion, aggregation, biofilm thickness, viability, and slime formation of S. epidermidis strain, RP62A in phosphate buffered saline (PBS), tryptic soy broth (TBS), and 20% pooled human serum was quantified. In the presence of adsorbed serum proteins, initial bacterial adhesion was suppressed significantly to <2% relative to adhesion in TSB or PBS. However, adhesion, aggregation, and proliferation increased dramatically in the 12–24 h period on Elasthane 80A and Elasthane 80A‐6F, which resulted in an extensive network of biofilm. A contrasting trend was observed on the hydrophilic Elasthane 80A‐6PEO surface, with minimal bacterial adhesion, which decreased steadily over 24 h. In the presence of serum proteins, an increasingly thick (∼20 μm) biofilm formed on the hydrophobic surfaces over 48 h whereas the formation of a mature biofilm on the hydrophilic surface was impeded with few viable bacteria present over 48 h. Furthermore, slime was detected during the initial phase of bacterial adhesion at 2 h and increased over time with the formation of biofilm. These results have shown that while initial S. epidermidis adhesion is suppressed in the presence of adsorbed proteins, inter‐bacterial adhesion possibly aided by slime production leads to the formation of a robust mature biofilm. Also, biomaterial surface chemistry affected biofilm formation and, most notably, polyethylene oxide significantly inhibited S. epidermidis biofilm formation over 48 h in vitro. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2007
SPAC: A financing tool with something for everyone
Authors: Hale Lola Miranda
Published: December 2006

A special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) is a shell company formed to raise capital for a business that will be acquired in the future. Management, investors, and the target company can all benefit from a SPAC—it has something for everyone. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The commonality of plasticity underlying multipotent tumor cells and embryonic stem cells
Authors: Postovit Lynne‐Marie , Costa Fabricio F. , Bischof Jared M. , Seftor Elisabeth A. , Wen Bo , Seftor Richard E. B. , Feinberg Andrew P. , Soares Marcelo Bento , Hendrix Mary J. C.
Published: December 2006

Aggressive cancer cells and pluripotent stem cells converge in their capacity for self‐renewal, proliferation and plasticity. Recent studies have capitalized on these similarities by demonstrating that tumors arise from specific cancer stem cell populations that, in a manner reminiscent of normal stem cells, are able to both self‐renew and give rise to a heterogeneous tumor population. This stem cell like function of aggressive cancer cells is likely attributable to the ectopic expression of embryonic factors such as Nodal and Cancer Testis Specific Antigens (CTAs), which maintain a functional plasticity by promoting pluripotency and immortality. During development, the expression of these embryonic factors is tightly regulated by a dynamic array of mediators, including the spatial and temporal expression of inhibitors such as Lefty, and the epigenetic modulation of the genome. In aggressive cancer cells, particularly melanoma, this balance of regulatory mediators is disrupted, leading to the aberrant expression of pluripotency‐associated genes. By exposing aggressive cancer cells to embryonic microenvironments, this balance of regulatory mediators is restored, thereby reprogramming tumor cells to a more benign phenotype. These stem cell‐derived mediators, as well as the genes they regulate, provide therapeutic targets designed to specifically differentiate and eradicate aggressive cancers. J. Cell. Biochem. 101: 908–917, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.