bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen peroxide induced repression of icaADBC transcription and biofilm development in Staphylococcus epidermidis
Authors: Glynn Aaron A. , O'Donnell Sinead T. , Molony Diarmuid C. , Sheehan Eoin , McCormack Damian J. , O'Gara James P.
Published: October 2008

Expression of the icaADBC‐encoded polysaccharide intercellular adhesion by Staphylococcus epidermidis promotes biofilm formation and represents an important virulence factor in biomaterial‐related infections following orthopedic surgery. Biofilm development by the pathogen can be viewed as a protective reaction to environmental stressors including osmotic stress, thermal stress, and antimicrobial chemotherapy. Oxidative stress, arising from the release of toxic oxygen radicals by polymorphonuclear cells, is encountered by bacteria entering the body perioperatively. Evasion of this and other cell‐mediated immune responses by pathogenic bacteria plays an important role in the development of chronic biomaterial‐related infection. Here we investigated the impact of sublethal oxidative stress induced by H2O2 (<18 mM) on S. epidermidis biofilm formation. S. epidermidis grown in brain heart infusion (BHI) media supplemented with 5 mM H2O2 or 10 mM H2O2 formed significantly less biofilm (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, respectively) than bacteria grown in BHI alone. Consistent with this, using reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction expression of the ica locus was also shown to be reduced by subinhibitory concentrations of H2O2. Furthermore, diminished ica operon expression correlated with increased expression of icaR, which encodes a repressor of icaADBC. Thus, these data suggest that mild oxidative stress downregulates biofilm development by S. epidermidis and may have potential in a therapeutic context. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27: 627–630, 2009
Elevated preoperative serum carcinoembrionic antigen level may be an effective indicator for needing adjuvant chemotherapy after potentially curative resection of stage II colon cancer
Authors: Ogata Yutaka , Murakami Hidetsugu , Sasatomi Teruo , Ishibashi Nobuya , Mori Shinjiro , Ushijima Masataka , Akagi Yoshito , Shirouzu Kazuo
Published: October 2008

Background

To determine the prognostic factors and to rationalize adjuvant therapy, the clinicopathologic data of patients with a stage II colon cancer were analyzed retrospectively.

Patients and Methods

A total of 392 patients underwent potentially curative resection at the Kurume University Hospital between 1982 and 2005. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy using oral fluoropyrimidines was administered in 163 patients, and the other 229 patients underwent surgery alone. Univariate and multivariate analyses for prognostic factors were carried out.

Results

Invasive type in gross features, elevated preoperative CEA level, and surgery alone were each an independently significant factor for shorter relapse‐free survival, and tumor size <50 mm, invasive type in gross features, elevated preoperative CEA level, and surgery alone were each an independently significant factor for shorter overall survival. The relapse‐free survival rate and overall survival rate in the patients who received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy were significantly higher than those in the patients treated with surgery alone even after stratifying to the preoperative CEA level.

Conclusion

Patients with an elevated preoperative CEA may be candidates for adjuvant chemotherapy after curative resection in stage II colon cancer. These findings warrant clinical trials to test out the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II colon cancer with an elevated preoperative CEA. J. Surg. Oncol. 2009;99:65–70. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Kinetic and mechanistic investigation into the influence of chelate substituents on the substitution reactions of platinum(II) terpyridine complexes
Authors: Jaganyi Deogratius , Boer Kristy‐Lyn De , Gertenbach Jan , Perils Joanne
Published: October 2008

The substitution kinetics of the complexes [Pt{4′‐(o‐CH3‐Ph)‐terpy} Cl]SbF6 (CH3PhPtCl(Sb)), [Pt{4′‐(o‐CH3‐Ph)‐terpy}Cl]CF3SO3 (CH3PhPtCl(CF)), [Pt(4′‐Ph‐terpy)Cl]SbF6 (PhPtCl), [Pt(terpy)Cl]Cl·2H2O (PtCl), [Pt{4′‐(o‐Cl‐Ph)‐terpy}Cl]SbF6 (ClPhPtCl), and [Pt{4′‐(o‐CF3‐Ph)‐terpy}Cl]SbF6 (CF3PhPtCl), where terpy is 2,2′:6′,2″‐terpyridine, with the nucleophiles thiourea (TU), N,N′‐dimethylthiourea (DMTU), and N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylthiourea (TMTU) were investigated in methanol as a solvent. The substitution reactions of the chloride displacement from the metal complexes by the nucleophiles were investigated as a function of nucleophile concentration and temperature under pseudo‐first‐order conditions using the stopped‐flow technique. The reactions followed the simple rate law kobs = k2[Nu]. The results indicate that the introduction of substituents in the ortho position of the phenyl group on the ancillary ring of the terpy unit does influence the extent of π‐backbonding in the terpy ring. This controls the electrophilicity of the platinum center, which in turn controls the lability of the chloro‐leaving group. The strength of the electron‐donating or ‐withdrawing ability of the substituents correlates with the reactivity of the complexes. Electron‐donating substituents decrease the rate of substitution, whereas electron‐withdrawing substituents increase the rate of substitution. This was supported by DFT calculations at the B3LYP/LACVP+** level of theory, which showed that most of the electron density of the HOMO is concentrated on the phenyl ligand rather than on the metal center in the case of the strongest electron‐withdrawing substituent in CF3PhPtCl. The opposite was found to be true with the strongest electron‐donating substituent in CH3PhPtCl. Thiourea was found to be the best nucleophile with N,N,N′,N′‐tetramethylthiourea being the weakest due to steric effects. The temperature dependence studies support an associative mode of activation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 40: 808–818, 2008
Size and pressure independent kinetics of CO oxidation on alumina‐supported iridium nanoparticles
Authors: Sushchikh Michael , Cameron Lucas , Metiu Horia , McFarland Eric W.
Published: October 2008

The gas‐phase oxidation of CO catalyzed by iridium was studied under CO‐rich reactant conditions over the pressure range 10−4–10−2 Pa to investigate the controversial size and pressure dependencies. The reactivity of iridium clusters with an average size of 3 nm was compared to macroscopic metal particles with extended single crystal facets over a range of temperatures (433–573 K), and the apparent activation energies for CO oxidation were consistent with the known activation energies for CO desorption from iridium surfaces. No size‐specific dependence of the reaction kinetics was measured, and no indication of the previously reported “pressure gap” was observed. Unlike many other transition metal catalysts, iridium may be used as a model catalyst for CO oxidation in different morphological forms over a range of pressures without invoking a change in the kinetic model. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 40: 826–830, 2008
Study of the reaction of methyl 4‐nitrobenzenesulfonate and Br− in water–glycerol cationic micellar solutions
Authors: Graciani María Del Mar , Rodríguez Amalia , Fernández Gaspar , Muñoz María , Moyá María luisa
Published: October 2008

The reaction of methyl 4‐nitrobenzenesulfonate (MNB) and Br− has been studied in water–glycerol (GLY) alkyltrimethylammonium bromide micellar solutions, with the weight percentage of glycerol up to 50%. A pseudophase kinetic model was used for quantitatively discussing the kinetic data. Results showed that the equilibrium‐binding constant for the organic substrate molecules to the cationic micelles decreases upon increasing the amount of glycerol present in the micellar reaction media. The second‐order rate constant of the reaction in the micellar pseudophase is practically independent of wt% of GLY. Similar results were found in other water–organic solvent alkyltrimethylammonium bromide micellar solutions for the same process. However, the dependence of the reaction rate, for a given surfactant concentration, on the wt% of organic solvent is weaker for glycerol than for the other organic solvents. This was explained by considering that the cationic micellar ionization degree is nearly independent of wt% GLY. As a consequence, bromide ions concentration in the interfacial region (the reaction site) does not change by varying wt% of GLY. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 40: 845–582, 2008
A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, delayed start study to assess rasagiline as a disease modifying therapy in Parkinson's disease (the ADAGIO study): Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics
Authors: Olanow C. Warren , Hauser Robert A. , Jankovic Joseph , Langston William , Lang Anthony , Poewe Werner , Tolosa Eduardo , Stocchi Fabrizio , Melamed Eldad , Eyal Eli , Rascol Olivier
Published: October 2008

A neuroprotective therapy is the single most important unmet medical need in Parkinson's disease. Several promising agents in the laboratory have been tested in the clinic, but none has been established in clinical trials to have a disease modifying effect despite positive results because of potential confounding symptomatic or pharmacologic effects. The delayed start design was developed to try to avoid a symptomatic confound when testing a putative neuroprotective therapy. In this study design, patients are randomly assigned to study drug or placebo in the first phase of the study, and both groups receive the active drug in the second phase. If benefits seen at the end of phase I persist through the end of phase II, they cannot be readily explained by a symptomatic effect (as patients in both groups are receiving the same medication) and benefits in the early start group must relate to the early initiation of the treatment. Although the precise mechanism responsible for such an effect can be debated, positive results in a delayed start study indicate that patients who receive early treatment have a better outcome than those where the treatment is delayed. We are using the delayed start design to assess the potential disease modifying effects of rasagiline in a prospective double blind controlled trial (the ADAGIO study). We here describe the rationale for the study and baseline characteristics of the 1,176 patients who have been enrolled into the trial. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
Anterolateral thigh flap pedicle for interposition artery and vein grafts in head and neck reconstruction: A case report
Authors: Bianchi Bernardo , Copelli Chiara , Ferrari Silvano , Ferri Andrea , Sesenna Enrico
Published: October 2008

The selection of receiving vessels is one of the most critical steps in ensuring a successful outcome in microvascular surgery. The use of interposition grafts in microsurgery offers the surgeon valuable options when the free flaps vascular pedicles are too short to be anastomosed directly to the recipient vessels. Here, we present a case in which artery and vein grafts were used in microsurgical reconstruction of an anterior maxillary defect with an iliac free flap. As donor vessels, we used the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and one of the two venae commitantes. The flap survived without major or minor complications. The anterolateral thigh flap pedicle allowed us to harvest safe, reliable grafts easily, with a suitable vessel length and diameter. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2009.
Treatment of upper limb lymphedema with combination of liposuction, myocutaneous flap transfer, and lymph‐fascia grafting: A preliminary study
Authors: Qi Fazhi , Gu Jianying , Shi Yuedong , Yang Yanwen
Published: October 2008

Treatment of obstructive extremity lymphedema remains a challenge in reconstructive surgery, since none of the varieties of procedures have been demonstrated a reliable resolution for the lymphedema. In this report, we present the preliminary results of treatment of severe upper extremity lymphedema with combined liposuction, latissimus myocutaneous flap transfer, and lymph‐fascia grafting in 11 patients. All patients had histories of radical mastectomy, irradiation therapy for breast cancer, and frequent onsets of erysipelas. Postoperative measurements in an average of 26 months follow up showed that significant decrease of circumferences of the arms on all levels at surgery side were achieved. The onsets of erysipelas were also reduced. There was no chronic lymphedema found in the donor leg after harvest of the lymph‐fascia graft. The results suggest the strategy of liposuction, latissimus myocutaneous flap transfer, and lymph‐fascia grafting may provide a useful method for treatment of the chronic upper extremity lymphedema with severe axillary scar contracture. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2009.
Hemodynamic alterations in the transferred tissue to lower extremities
Authors: Sakurai Hiroyuki , Yamaki Takashi , Takeuchi Masaki , Soejima Kazutaka , Kono Taro , Nozaki Motohiro
Published: October 2008

A higher incidence of failure has been reported for free flaps transplanted to the lower extremities. However, the physiological background of this phenomenon has not been elucidated. We reviewed the 3‐day postoperative hemodynamic data for 103 free flaps, including the in situ venous pressure (N = 103), arterial pressure (N = 53), and surface blood flow (N = 42). The cases were divided into two groups based on the recipient site, i.e., lower extremity (the LE group: N = 29) and the other (non‐LE group: N = 74). The venous pressure was significantly higher in the LE group (26.6 ± 2.2 vs. 14.8 ± 1.2 mmHg), whereas the arterial pressure immediately after surgery was lower than the non‐LE group. The hemodynamic data within the transferred tissues demonstrated significant differences between groups, especially in the early postoperative period. There is a possibility that the high venous pressure may aggravate the poor perfusion in tissues transferred to the lower extremities. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2009.
The thoracodorsal vascular tree‐based combined fascial flaps
Authors: Takeishi Meisei , Ishida Katsuhiro , Makino Yojiro
Published: October 2008

In this study, combined fascial flaps pedicled on the thoracodorsal artery and vein were raised and used for thin coverage of dorsal surfaces of the fingers and the dorsum of hand and foot with favorable results. The combined fascial flaps consist of the serratus anterior fascia and the axillary fascia at the entrance of the latissimus dorsi. These flaps were used for reconstruction of the hand, fingers, or foot in nine patients. Reconstruction was performed for burn or burn scar contracture, after resection of malignant tumors, posttraumatic skin defects, and chronic regional pain syndrome. The sites of reconstruction were dorsal surfaces of fingers, dorsum of hand, wrist and palm, forearm, lower leg, and foot. The flaps were used in various configurations including two independent fascial flaps, two‐lobed fascial flap with separate feeding vessels, and composite fascial and thoracodorsal artery perforator flap. The fascial and skin flaps survived in all nine patients, with favorable results both functionally and esthetically. Good coverage of soft tissue defects and good recovery of range of motion in resurfaced joints were achieved. There were no complications. The scars at the sites of harvest were not noticeable. The advantage of this method is that not only a single flap but flaps of a variety of configurations can be harvested for different purposes. The thoracodorsal vascular tree‐based combined fascial flaps are useful for the reconstruction of soft tissue defects in the extremities. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2009.
Flap pedicle vena comitant as a vein graft donor source
Authors: Stewart Daniel , Liau James , Vasconez Henry
Published: October 2008

A vena comitant segment harvested from a flap's pedicle can be used as an interpositional vein graft in selected microvascular cases. When a vascular pedicle includes paired venae comitantes, one of these can prove suitable for use as a vein graft while still allowing for venous outflow of the flap. An additional operative site and procedure to harvest a vein graft can be avoided if a vena comitant segment can be used. We present eight cases in which pedicle vena comitant segments were used as interpositional vein grafts. In six cases, vena comitant grafts were used to supercharge or augment venous outflow in transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flaps used for breast reconstruction. A vena comitant graft was used to revise the venous anastomosis in one deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap. The arterial anastomosis was revised with a vena comitant graft in a gracilis muscle free flap. Our experience demonstrates the viability and utility of using the flap pedicle's vena comitant as a source of vein graft in selected cases. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery, 2009.
A distributed dual ascent algorithm for Steiner problems in multicast routing
Authors: Drummond Lúcia M. A. , Santos Marcelo , Uchoa Eduardo
Published: October 2008

Multicast routing problems are often modeled as Steiner Problems in undirected or directed graphs, the latter case being particularly suitable to cases where most of the traffic has a single source. Sequential Steiner heuristics are not convenient in that context, because one cannot assume that a central node has complete information about the topology and the state of a large wide area network. This article introduces a distributed version of a Dual Ascent primal‐dual heuristic, known for its remarkably good practical results, lower and upper bounds, in both undirected and directed Steiner problems. Complexity analysis and experimental results are also presented, showing the efficiency of the proposed algorithm when compared with the best distributed algorithms in the literature. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2009
A novel approach to phylogenetic trees:d‐Dimensional geometric Steiner trees
Authors: Brazil M. , Thomas D.A. , Nielsen B.K. , Winter P. , Wulff‐Nilsen C. , Zachariasen M.
Published: October 2008

We suggest a novel distance‐based method for the determination of phylogenetic trees. It is based on multidimensional scaling and Euclidean Steiner trees in high‐dimensional spaces. Preliminary computational experience shows that the use of Euclidean Steiner trees for finding phylogenetic trees is a viable approach. Experiments also indicate that the new method is comparable with results produced by neighbor joining (Saitou and Nei, Mol Biol Evol 4 (1987), 406–425). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2009
The minimum evolution problem: Overview and classification
Authors: Catanzaro Daniele
Published: October 2008

Molecular phylogenetics studies the hierarchical evolutionary relationships among organisms by means of molecular data. These relationships are typically described by means of weighted trees, or phylogenies, whose leaves represent the observed organisms, internal vertices the intermediate ancestors, and edges the evolutionary relationships between pairs of organisms. Molecular phylogenetics provides several criteria for selecting one phylogeny from among plausible alternatives. Usually, such criteria can be expressed in terms of objective functions, and the phylogenies that optimize them are referred to as optimal. One of the most important criteria is the minimum evolution (ME) criterion, which states that the optimal phylogeny for a given set of organisms is the one whose sum of edge weights is minimal. Finding the phylogeny that satisfies the ME criterion involves solving an optimization problem, called the minimum evolution problem (MEP), which is notoriously${\cal N P}$‐Hard. This article offers an overview of the MEP and discusses the different versions of it that occur in the literature. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2009
Semibatch emulsion copolymerization in the presence of n‐methylol acrylamide: effects of emulsifier type and concentration
Authors: Kahraman Ayça , Sarac Ayfer
Published: October 2008

Two types of emulsifier were studied to compare the colloidal and physicochemical properties of vinyl acetate (VAc)/(BuA) emulsions. Emulsions were prepared by varying the composition and the concentration of the anionic and nonionic emulsifiers. An increase in the total emulsifier concentration of anionic and nonionic emulsifier percentage leads to dispersions with smaller particles and higher viscosities. Using anionic and nonionic emulsifiers in copolymer latexes, it was observed that the viscosity goes through a maximum which is located at total emulsifier concentration of about 3.6 wt% The surface tension of the copolymers shows a drastic increase at a concentration above 3.5% for mixed emulsifier systems. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Study on the cell structure and compressive behavior of biodegradable poly(ε‐caprolactone) foam
Authors: Liu Hao , Han Changyu , Dong Lisong
Published: October 2008

Biodegradable poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PCL) foams with a series of controlled structures were prepared by using chemical foaming method. The cell morphology was detected by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The compressive behavior of the foams was investigated by uniaxial compression test. The effect of density and structural parameters on the foam compressive behavior was analyzed. It was found that the relative compressive modulus has a power law relationship with relative density. Increasing of both the cell wall thickness and the cell density lead to higher compressive modulus of the foam; however, the cell size has no distinct effect on compressive behavior. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
The morphology and mechanical properties of sodium alginate based electrospun poly(ethylene oxide) nanofibers
Authors: Moon SungCheal , Ryu Beom‐Young , Choi JaeKon , Jo ByungWook , Farris Richard J.
Published: October 2008

The electrospinning of sodium alginate, a natural biopolymer, was performed from aqueous solutions by blending with PEO, a biodegradable polymer. The conductivity and surface tension of solutions of sodium alginate and PEO were investigated by standard methods. The morphology, thermal, and mechanical properties of the electrospun nanofibers were studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and tensile testing. Uniform, smooth, and ultra‐fine nanofibers with diameters of ∼140–190 nm were obtained with solution concentrations of 6–7.2% and sodium alginate/PEO volume ratios of 30:70–50:50. The mechanical strength of the electrospun sodium alginate/PEO mats with good morphology was 21 MPa compared to PEO mats which had a strength of only 10 MPa. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2009. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Chemorheological characterization of thermosetting polyurethane formulations containing different chain extender contents
Authors: Haddadi Hamed , Nazockdast Ehssan , Ghalei Behnam
Published: October 2008

Chemorheological analyses of thermosetting polyurethane (PU) formulations containing various amounts of chain extender were carried out. In the first part of the present research, effect of chain extender content on the gel time and its dependency with temperature were investigated for PU formulations. Gelation temperature (Tgel) and gel time (tgel) of reactive systems were determined using temperature sweep and time test measurements under dynamic linear viscoelastic deformations. The results of temperature sweep experiments for the samples containing various chain extender weight percents showed that the gelation temperature declined by increasing the chain extender content of PU formulations. The analysis made on gel times determined in a wide temperature range indicated that the activation energy for the gelation process declined and 1/tgel, as a measure of the rate of gelation process, dramatically increased with increasing chain extender concentration. In the second part of this study, calculation of viscoelastic characteristics at the gel point was performed. The results showed that the relaxation exponent (n) declined with increasing chain extender, while the fractal dimension increased. These results confirmed that the gel structures became more elastic and with a tighter structure by increasing the chain extender concentration in PU formulations. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Proteomic analysis of the neuroprotective mechanisms of acupuncture treatment in a Parkinson's disease mouse model
Authors: Jeon Songhee , Kim Youn Jung , Kim Seung‐Tae , Moon Woongjoon , Chae Younbyoung , Kang Minjeong , Chung Mi‐Young , Lee Hyangsook , Hong Mi‐Sook , Chung Joo‐Ho , Joh Tong H. , Lee Hyejung , Park Hi‐Joon
Published: October 2008

Acupuncture is frequently used as an alternative therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD), and it attenuates dopaminergic (DA) neurodegeneration in the substantia nigra (SN) in PD animal models. Using proteomic analysis, we investigated whether acupuncture alters protein expression in the SN to favor attenuation of neuronal degeneration. In C57BL/6 mice treated with 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP, 30 mg/kg/day), intraperitoneal (i.p.) for 5 days, 2 or 100 Hz electroacupuncture (EA) was applied at the effective and specific acupoint, GB34, once a day for 12 consecutive days from the first MPTP treatment. Both treatments in MPTP mice led to restoration of behavioral impairment and rescued tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)‐positive DA neurodegeneration. Using peptide fingerprinting MS, we identified changes in 22 proteins in the SN following MPTP treatment, and nine of these proteins were normalized by EA. They were involved in cell death regulation, inflammation, or restoration from damage. The levels of cyclophilin A (CypA), which is a neuroprotective agent, were unchanged by MPTP treatment but were increased in MPTP‐EA mice. These results suggest that acupoint GB34‐specific EA changes protein expression profiles in the SN in favor of DA neuronal survival in MPTP‐treated mice, and that EA treatment may be an effective therapy for PD patients.
Proteomic analysis of membrane rafts of melanoma cells identifies protein patterns characteristic of the tumor progression stage
Authors: Baruthio Frédérique , Quadroni Manfredo , Rüegg Curzio , Mariotti Agnese
Published: October 2008

The molecular mechanisms controlling the progression of melanoma from a localized tumor to an invasive and metastatic disease are poorly understood. In the attempt to start defining a functional protein profile of melanoma progression, we have analyzed by LC‐MS/MS the proteins associated with detergent resistant membranes (DRMs), which are enriched in cholesterol/sphingolipids‐containing membrane rafts, of melanoma cell lines derived from tumors at different stages of progression. Since membrane rafts are involved in several biological processes, including signal transduction and protein trafficking, we hypothesized that the association of proteins with rafts can be regulated during melanoma development and affect protein function and disease progression. We have identified a total of 177 proteins in the DRMs of the cell lines examined. Among these, we have found groups of proteins preferentially associated with DRMs of either less malignant radial growth phase/vertical growth phase (VGP) cells, or aggressive VGP and metastatic cells suggesting that melanoma cells with different degrees of malignancy have different DRM profiles. Moreover, some proteins were found in DRMs of only some cell lines despite being expressed at similar levels in all the cell lines examined, suggesting the existence of mechanisms controlling their association with DRMs. We expect that understanding the mechanisms regulating DRM targeting and the activity of the proteins differentially associated with DRMs in relation to cell malignancy will help identify new molecular determinants of melanoma progression.
The Queensland cancer risk study: general population norms for the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–General (FACT‐G)
Authors: Janda Monika , DiSipio Tracey , Hurst Cameron , Cella David , Newman Beth
Published: October 2008

Objective: To derive Australian normative scores for the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐General Population (FACT‐GP) and to confirm its factor structure.

Methods: Quality of life (QoL) data (as measured by the FACT‐GP) were collected within the Queensland Cancer Risk Study (QCRS) in 2004. The QCRS explored cancer screening and cancer risk behaviours among 9419 English‐speaking residents of Queensland aged 20–75 years. Information was collected through computer‐assisted telephone interviews and augmented by mailed, Self‐Administered Questionnaires (SAQ). A total of 2727 participants largely comparable to the general population of Queensland self‐completed the FACT‐GP; however, participants were somewhat higher educated, more likely to have had cancer and less likely to be of indigenous heritage.

Results: The Queensland population reported a FACT‐GP summary score of 85.9 (SD=15.1), with subscale scores (range: 19.2 for social well‐being to 25.1 for physical well‐being (PWB)). In this study, men and women within different age groups reported similar QoL. QoL was clinically and significantly lower among participants not married, with a body mass index (BMI) deviating from normal weight and with one or more self‐reported morbidities. A four‐factor solution was confirmed with good goodness‐of‐fit indices (RSMEA<0.05 for all three age groups).

Conclusions: The reference values from the general population reported here can be used for comparison with the QoL measured in populations of cancer patients, providing a benchmark against which clinicians can evaluate the impact of the disease and/or the treatments on QoL. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Burnout in nurses and physicians working at an oncology department
Authors: Alacacioglu Ahmet , Yavuzsen Tugba , Dirioz Meliha , Oztop Ilhan , Yilmaz Ugur
Published: October 2008

Purpose: Burnout is associated with decreased job performance and commitment, predicts stress‐related health problems, and low career satisfaction. The specific objectives in our study were to assess the levels of burnout and to investigate the interrelationships between demographic characteristics and burnout health‐care professionals working with cancer patients in Turkey.

Methods: A questionnaire‐based study was conducted in 77 physicians and 56 nurses working in an oncology clinic at the university hospital. We used quantitative survey to assess burnout levels in participants as well as sociodemographic variables. Data were collected using a Turkish version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI).

Results: Nurses had significantly higher scores of emotional exhaustion (EE) when compared with the physicians, but no significant difference was found between two groups regarding other burnout components. Significant correlations were found in three different components of the MBI, as well as between each component, age and work experience in nurses and physicians. There were statistical significant differences for each of MBI subscales according to age groups in physicians. EE and depersonalization (D) were significantly higher in the ⩽29 years of age group than in the older age groups, while personal accomplishment (PA) score was significantly lower in this age group. EE, D, PA were significantly higher in single physicians compared with married physicians.

Conclusions: Low level of PA was relatively high among Turkish physicians and nurses working in oncology department compared with previous studies. Younger and single physicians had higher burnout levels compared with older and married ones. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Patient willingness to undergo chemotherapy and thoracic radiotherapy for locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Hirose Takashi , Yamaoka Toshimitsu , Ohnishi Tsukasa , Sugiyama Tomohide , Kusumoto Sojiro , Shirai Takao , Okuda Kentaro , Ohmori Tohru , Adachi Mitsuru
Published: October 2008

Objectives: To determine how Japanese patients with lung cancer weigh the chance of cure and potential survival against the potential toxicity of different treatment strategies for locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods: We used a questionnaire describing a hypothetical situation involving locally advanced NSCLC. Seventy‐three patients with lung cancer who had received chemotherapy and a control group of 120 patients without cancer were asked to state the minimal benefit that would make two hypothetical treatments acceptable.

Results: Patients with lung cancer were significantly more likely than were patients without cancer to accept either intensive or less‐intensive chemoradiotherapy for a potentially small benefit for ‘chance of cure’ and ‘response but not cure’. The percentages of patients who would accept intensive or less‐intensive chemoradiotherapy to prolong survival did not differ significantly between the two groups. When the chance of cure was 20%, 56 and 64% of patients with lung cancer were willing to receive intensive and less‐intensive chemoradiotherapy, respectively. If their lives were prolonged by 6 months, 20 and 30% of patients with lung cancer would choose to receive intensive and less‐intensive chemoradiotherapy, respectively. The chance of cure and the survival advantage that patients require for accepting chemoradiotherapy varied widely. No factors were associated with the choice of chemoradiotherapy in patients with lung cancer.

Conclusions: Physicians must consider the substantial range of attitudes to chemoradiotherapy among patients when selecting treatment and give patients opportunities to be included in the treatment‐selection process. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gas Classification of Particles Using a Packed Bed
Authors: Yang Wei , Ding Yulong
Published: October 2008

Gas classification of particles using a packed bed is, for the first time, proposed and tested for two materials, i.e., glass ballotini and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). A 2 m long column with 9.5 mm diameter is packed with 2 mm spherical particles. The particles to be classified are injected into the inlet of the packed bed by a carrier gas. Measurements of the breakthrough curves of the particles are carried out at the outlet of the packed bed. The results show that the particle elution order is particle size dependent with large particles elutriated faster than small ones. Taking the particle size into account, the retention time of irregular MCC particles is much longer than that of spherical glass beads and the difference is attributed to the particle shape and cohesiveness. Based on the findings, binary mixtures of both, glass and MCC beads are injected into the packed bed for the classification experiments. The results show different dependence on the superficial gas velocity of the particle classification efficiency. The particle classification efficiency of glass particles increases with decreasing superficial gas velocity, whereas that of MCC particles increases with increasing superficial gas velocity.
A unified sample preparation protocol for proteomic and genomic profiling of cervical swabs to identify biomarkers for cervical cancer screening
Authors: Rader Janet S. , Malone James P. , Gross Julia , Gilmore Petra , Brooks Rebecca A. , Nguyen Loan , Crimmins Dan L. , Feng Sheng , Wright Jason D. , Taylor Nicholas , Zighelboim Israel , Funk Margo C. , Huettner Phyllis C. , Ladenson Jack H. , Gius David , Townsend R. Reid
Published: October 2008

Cervical cancer screening is ideally suited for the development of biomarkers due to the ease of tissue acquisition and the well‐established histological transitions. Furthermore, cell and biologic fluid obtained from cervix samples undergo specific molecular changes that can be profiled. However, the ideal manner and techniques for preparing cervical samples remains to be determined. To address this critical issue a patient screening protein and nucleic acid collection protocol was established. RNAlater was used to collect the samples followed by proteomic methods to identify proteins that were differentially expressed in normal cervical epithelial versus cervical cancer cells. Three hundred ninety spots were identified via 2‐D DIGE that were expressed at either higher or lower levels (>three‐fold) in cervical cancer samples. These proteomic results were compared to genes in a cDNA microarray analysis of microdissected neoplastic cervical specimens to identify overlapping patterns of expression. The most frequent pathways represented by the combined dataset were: cell cycle: G2/M DNA damage checkpoint regulation; aryl hydrocarbon receptor signaling; p53 signaling; cell cycle: G1/S checkpoint regulation; and the ER stress pathway. HNRPA2B1 was identified as a biomarker candidate with increased expression in cancer compared to normal cervix and validated by Western blot.
Hot‐Wire Ignition of AN‐Based Emulsions
Authors: Turcotte Richard , Goldthorp Sandra , Badeen Christopher M. , Chan Sek Kwan
Published: October 2008

Emulsions based on ammonium nitrate (AN) and water locally ignited by a heat source do not undergo sustained combustion when the pressure is lower than some threshold value usually called the Minimum Burning Pressure (MBP). This concept is now being used by some manufacturers as a basis of safety. However, before a technique to reliably measure MBP values can be designed, one must have a better understanding of the ignition mechanism. Clearly, this is required to avoid under ignitions which could lead to the erroneous interpretation of failures to ignite as failures to propagate. In the present work, facilities to prepare and characterize emulsions were implemented at the Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory. A calibrated hot‐wire ignition system operated in a high‐pressure vessel was also built. The system was used to study the ignition characteristics of five emulsion formulations as a function of pressure and ignition source current. It was found that these mixtures exhibit complicated pre‐ignition stages and that the appearance of endotherms when the pressure is lowered below some threshold value correlates with the MBP. Thermal conductivity measurements using this hot‐wire system are also reported.
TEM study of the structural similarity between NaCl and rhombohedral phase of Te‐based ternary chalcogenide materials
Authors: Sun Changwoo , Lee Jeongyong , Kim Yongtae
Published: October 2008

Comparing the phase‐change behaviour of Ge–Bi–Te (GBT) to that of Ge–Sb–Te (GST), we have tried to verify a general relationship between a metastable NaCl and a stable rhombohedral structure that is easily incurred by stretching the cube along the body diagonal. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show that the NaCl as well as the rhombohedral GBT and GST structures are observed along specific directions. From the TEM images, we suggest an atomic model and a phase transition mechanism by lattice distortion. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Development of an ion attachment mass spectrometer for direct detection of intermediates in combustion flames
Authors: Torii Takahiro , Nishimura Takashi , Nakamura Megumi , Shiokawa Yoshiro , Matsumoto Kozo , Kitagawa Kuniyuki
Published: October 2008

A system with Li+ ion attachment (IA) ionization has been developed for the direct detection of intermediates formed in burning flames by mass spectrometry. Dimethyl ether (DME) among alternative fuels was selected as a test substance to examine the capability of the system. As a result, intermediates generated in a premixed DME‐air flame were directly detectable as Li+ adduct ions. By moving the burner on an X‐Y stage, spatial distribution profiles of different species, including unburned DME and formaldehyde, were obtained for three types of flames: diffusion, partially premixed, and premixed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Extraction and purification procedures for simultaneous quantification of phenolic xenoestrogens and steroid estrogens in river sediment by gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry
Authors: Kinani Said , Bouchonnet Stéphane , Bourcier Sophie , Creusot Nicolas , Porcher Jean‐Marc , Aït‐Aïssa Sélim
Published: October 2008

A sensitive and simple method based on ultrasonication extraction with a hexane/acetone (2:1, v/v) mixture, followed by clean up of the extract by solid‐phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) detection, has been developed and validated for the analysis of 20 estrogenic endocrine‐disrupting chemicals (EEDCs) including phenolic xenoestrogens, synthetic and natural estrogens in river sediment. After extraction and purification, analytes are derivatised with a BSTFA/TMCS/pyridine (49:1:50, v/v/v) mixture and quantified by GC/MS. The GC/MS method involves switching between electron ionisation (EI) and chemical ionisation (CI); it also switches between selected ion storage and tandem mass spectrometry detection. The applicability of the method has been demonstrated by analysing extracts of French river sediments for which bioanalytical tests (in vitro) had already shown that they were impacted by estrogenic endocrine disrupters. The biological contribution of all the products detected in each sediment extract was compared to the estrogenic activity measured by bioassays. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A perspective on emerging automotive safety applications, derived from lessons learned through participation in the DARPA Grand Challenges
Authors: McBride J. R. , Ivan J. C. , Rhode D. S. , Rupp J. D. , Rupp M. Y. , Higgins J. D. , Turner D. D. , Eustice R. M.
Published: October 2008

This paper reports on various aspects of the Intelligent Vehicle Systems (IVS) team's involvement in the recent 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, wherein our platform, the autonomous “XAV‐250,'' competed as one of the 11 finalists qualifying for the event. We provide a candid discussion of the hardware and software design process that led to our team's entry, along with lessons learned at this event and derived from participation in the two previous Grand Challenges. In addition, we give an overview of our vision‐, radar‐, and LIDAR‐based perceptual sensing suite, its fusion with a military‐grade inertial navigation package, and the map‐based control and planning architectures used leading up to and during the event. The underlying theme of this article is to elucidate how the development of future automotive safety systems can potentially be accelerated by tackling the technological challenges of autonomous ground vehicle robotics. Of interest, we will discuss how a production manufacturing mindset imposes a unique set of constraints upon approaching the problem and how this worked for and against us, given the very compressed timeline of the contests. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The MIT–Cornell collision and why it happened
Authors: Fletcher Luke , Teller Seth , Olson Edwin , Moore David , Kuwata Yoshiaki , How Jonathan , Leonard John , Miller Isaac , Campbell Mark , Huttenlocher Dan , Nathan Aaron , Kline Frank‐Robert
Published: October 2008

Midway through the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge, MIT's robot “Talos” and Team Cornell's robot “Skynet” collided in a low‐speed accident. This accident was one of the first collisions between full‐sized autonomous road vehicles. Fortunately, both vehicles went on to finish the race and the collision was thoroughly documented in the vehicle logs. This collaborative study between MIT and Cornell traces the confluence of events that preceded the collision and examines its root causes. A summary of robot–robot interactions during the race is presented. The logs from both vehicles are used to show the gulf between robot and human‐driver behavior at close vehicle proximities. Contributing factors are shown to be (1) difficulties in sensor data association leading to an inability to detect slow‐moving vehicles and phantom obstacles, (2) failure to anticipate vehicle intent, and (3) an overemphasis on lane constraints versus vehicle proximity in motion planning. Finally, we discuss approaches that could address these issues in future systems, such as intervehicle communication, vehicle detection, and prioritized motion planning. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the nomenclature of congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG)
Authors: Jaeken J. , Hennet T. , Freeze H. H. , Matthijs G.
Published: October 2008

A new nomenclature of CDG is proposed because the current one is too complex for clinicians and provides no added value.
RAGE signaling contributes to neuroinflammation in infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
Authors: Saha Arjun , Kim Sung-Jo , Zhang Zhongjian , Lee Yi-Ching , Sarkar Chinmoy , Tsai Pei-Chih , Mukherjee Anil B.
Published: October 2008

Palmitoyl‐protein thioesterase‐1 (PPT1) deficiency causes infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (INCL), a devastating childhood neurodegenerative storage disorder. We previously reported that neuronal apoptosis in INCL is mediated by endoplasmic reticulum‐stress. ER‐stress disrupts Ca2+‐homeostasis and stimulates the expression of Ca2+‐binding proteins. We report here that in the PPT1‐deficient human and mouse brain the levels of S100B, a Ca2+‐binding protein, and its receptor, RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end‐products) are elevated. We further demonstrate that activation of RAGE signaling in astroglial cells mediates pro‐inflammatory cytokine production, which is inhibited by SiRNA‐mediated suppression of RAGE expression. We propose that RAGE signaling contributes to neuroinflammation in INCL.
Late Holocene glacial and periglacial evolution in the upper Orco Valley, northwestern Italian Alps
Authors: Giraudi Carlo
Published: October 2008

The sediments present in some areas of the Orco Valley provide indications on climatic variations that occurred during the last 6000 years on the southern slopes of the Alps. In particular, distribution and ages of peat layers help define periods and extent of glacial fluctuation in the last 2200 years. Sampling of soils involved in periglacial processes provided a basis for development of a chronological framework of late Holocene environmental change. The data indicate a trend toward cooler climate in the second half of the Holocene. A strong relationship exists between phases of River Po flooding and expansion/retreat phases of the Swiss glaciers: major glacial advances were coeval with periods of intense flooding of the River Po, whereas the phases of glacial retreat coincided with periods of little flooding of the Po. Only in three cases do relationships between glacier activity and floods show weak correlations; two of the cases relate to the warmest periods in approximately the last 2200 years, while the third is the present period. Paleoclimatic evidence from the study region indicates the relatively warm Roman Period between about 2200 and 1900 cal yr BP appears to better represent modern conditions than does the Medieval Warm Period.
Alpha 2 giardin is an assemblage A-specific protein of human infectiveGiardia duodenalis
Authors: STEUART R. F. L. , O'HANDLEY R. , LIPSCOMBE R. J. , LOCK R. A. , THOMPSON R. C. A.
Published: October 2008

Of the 7 genetic assemblages of the parasiteGiardia duodenalisonly 2 (A and B) are known to cause infections in humans. These assemblages have been characterized in detail at the genomic level but few studies have examined differences in the proteins expressed. Employing one and two-dimensional PAGE we have identified an assemblage A-specific protein of human infectiveG. duodenalis; alpha 2 giardin. The protein difference was evident using both electrophoretic techniques. Alpha 2 giardin is known to be a structural protein and associates with the caudal flagella and the plasma membrane; however, its exact function is unknown. Although several proteins unique to assemblage B were also observed, we were unable to identify these proteins due to a lack of genomic data available for assemblage B isolates. Together, these proteins represent distinct phenotypic differences between the human infective assemblages ofG. duodenalisand support the need to revise the taxonomy of this parasite.