bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
TNK2 gene amplification is a novel predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer
Authors: Shinmura Kazuya , Kiyose Shinichiro , Nagura Kiyoko , Igarashi Hisaki , Inoue Yusuke , Nakamura Satoki , Maeda Matsuyoshi , Baba Megumi , Konno Hiroyuki , Sugimura Haruhiko 
Published: November 2013

AbstractBackgrounds and ObjectivesWe previously examined the amplification status of 10 kinase genes (PIK3CA, EPHB3, TNK2, PTK7, EGFR, MET, ERBB2, HCK, SRC, and AURKA) in gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to determine the prognostic significance of these gene amplifications in GC.MethodsA survival analysis was performed for GC patients. Since TNK2 amplification was identified as a prognostic marker in the analysis, we also examined the functional effect of TNK2 overexpression on gastric cells.ResultsA Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that the prognosis of patients with GC exhibiting TNK2 or AURKA amplification was significantly poorer than the prognosis of patients with GC without TNK2 or AURKA amplification. A further multivariate analysis revealed that TNK2 amplification was an independent predictor of a poor survival outcome among patients with GC (hazard ratio, 3.668; 95% confidence interval, 1.513–7.968; P = 0.0056). TNK2‐overexpressing GC cells showed an increase in cell migration and non‐anchored cell growth. Finally, microarray and pathway analyses revealed the aberrant regulation of some cancer‐related pathways in TNK2‐overexpressing GC cells.ConclusionsThese results suggested that TNK2 amplification is an independent predictor of a poor prognosis in patients with GC and leads to an increase in the malignant potential of GC cells. J. Surg. Oncol. 2014 109:189–197. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nighttime Sleep, Daytime Napping, and Labor Outcomes in Healthy Pregnant Women in Taiwan
Authors: Tsai Shao‐Yu , Lin Jou‐Wei , Kuo Lu‐Ting , Lee Chien‐Nan , Landis Carol A. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractWe prospectively examined the associations of nighttime and daytime sleep during the third trimester of pregnancy with labor duration and risk of cesarean deliveries in a convenience sample of 120 nulliparous women who completed sleep‐related questionnaires and wore wrist actigraphs for up to 7 days. Nap duration and 24‐hour sleep duration were inversely associated with labor duration in women with vaginal delivery. Neither actigraphy‐derived nor self‐reported sleep variables were associated with type of delivery (e.g., vaginal, cesarean). Results showed a beneficial effect of sleep on labor duration and suggest that studies of sleep duration effects on labor and pregnancy outcomes require a consideration of the amount of both daytime and nighttime sleep. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 36: 612–622, 2013
Predicting preterm birth in women with previous preterm birth and cervical length ≥ 25 mm
Authors: Care A. G. , Sharp A. N. , Lane S. , Roberts D. , Watkins L. , Alfirevic Z. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo identify risk factors predicting subsequent spontaneous preterm birth or preterm prelabor rupture of membranes (PPROM) in a cohort of women with a history of spontaneous preterm birth and a cervical length of ≥ 25 mm at 20–24 weeks' gestation.MethodsWe identified all pregnant women who attended our preterm labor clinic between January 2010 and December 2012 because of previous spontaneous preterm birth or PPROM before 34 weeks. Women with a normal cervical length (defined as ≥ 25 mm) between 20 and 24 weeks' gestation were identified and included in the analysis. Maternal characteristics, obstetric history, shortest cervical length and gestational age at shortest cervical length of women who delivered preterm (before 37 weeks) were compared with those who delivered at or after 37 weeks in the index pregnancy. Multiple regression analysis was planned to examine the relationship between significant clinical and cervical‐length variables to identify significant clinical predictors of spontaneous preterm birth among high‐risk patients with a normal cervix between 20 and 24 weeks' gestation.ResultsOf 134 women with a normal cervix at 20–24 weeks, 28 (20.9%) delivered spontaneously or had PPROM before 37 weeks; of these 12 (9.0%) delivered before 34 weeks. None of the selected explanatory variables was predictive of recurrent preterm birth in this cohort. No correlation between absolute cervical length and gestational age at delivery was found (R = 0.01).ConclusionIn high‐risk women with a cervical length of ≥ 25 mm at 20–24 weeks' gestation, demographic characteristics and absolute cervical length are not useful in predicting subsequent spontaneous preterm birth. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Accuracy of neurosonography and MRI in clinical management of fetuses referred with central nervous system abnormalities
Authors: Paladini D. , Quarantelli M. , Sglavo G. , Pastore G. , Cavallaro A. , D'Armiento M. R. , Salvatore M. , Nappi C. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo assess the accuracy of expert neurosonography (two‐ and three‐dimensional NSG) in the characterization of major fetal central nervous system (CNS) anomalies seen at a tertiary referral center and to report the differential clinical usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used as a second‐line diagnostic procedure in the same cohort.MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of all 773 fetuses with confirmed CNS abnormalities referred to our center between 2005 and 2012. The following variables were analyzed: gestational age at NSG and MRI, NSG and MRI diagnoses, indication for MRI (confirmation of NSG findings; diagnostic doubt; search for possible additional brain anomalies), association with other malformations, diagnostic accuracy of NSG vs MRI (no additional clinical value for either MRI or NSG; additional information with clinical/prognostic significance on MRI relative to NSG; additional information with clinical/prognostic significance on NSG relative to MRI, NSG and MRI concordant but incorrect) and final diagnosis, which was made at autopsy or postnatal MRI/surgery.ResultsCNS malformations were associated with other anomalies in 372/773 (48.1%) cases and were isolated in the remaining 401 (51.9%) cases. NSG alone was able to establish the diagnosis in 647/773 (83.7%) cases. MRI was performed in 126 (16.3%) cases. The indication for MRI was: confirmation of NSG diagnosis in 59 (46.8%) cases; diagnostic query (in the case of inconclusive or uncertain finding on NSG) in 20 (15.9%) cases; search for possible additional brain anomalies in 47 (37.3%) cases. NSG and MRI were concordant and correct in 109/126 (86.5%) cases. Clinically relevant findings were evident on MRI alone in 10/126 (7.9%) cases (1.3% of the whole population) and on NSG alone in 6/126 (4.8%) cases; in all six of these cases, MRI had been performed at < 24 weeks of gestation. In one case, both NSG and MRI diagnoses were incorrect. The main type of malformation in which MRI played an important diagnostic role was space‐occupying lesions, MRI identifying clinically relevant findings in 42.9% (3/7) of these cases.Conclusions(1) In a tertiary referral center with good NSG expertise in the assessment of fetal CNS malformations, MRI is likely to be of help in a limited proportion of cases; (2) MRI is more useful after 24 weeks of gestation; (3) the lesions whose diagnosis is most likely to benefit from MRI are gross space‐occupying lesions. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Novel extremely acidic lipases produced from Bacillus species using oil substrates
Authors: Saranya P , Kumari H Sukanya , Jothieswari M , Rao B Prasad , Sekaran G 
Published: November 2013

Abstract
The extremely acidophilic microorganisms Bacillus pumilus and Bacillus subtilis were isolated from soil collected from the commercial edible oil and fish oil extraction industry. Optimization of conditions for acidic lipase production from B. pumilus and B. subtilis using palm oil and fish oil, respectively, was carried out using response surface methodology. The extremely acidic lipases, thermo-tolerant acidic lipase (TAL) and acidic lipase (AL), were produced by B. pumilus and B. subtilis, respectively. The optimum conditions for B. pumilus obtaining the maximum activity (1,100 U/mL) of TAL were fermentation time, 96 h; pH, 1; temperature, 50 °C; concentration of palm oil, 50 g/L. After purification, a 7.1-fold purity of lipase with specific activity of 5,173 U/mg protein was obtained. The molecular weight of the TAL was 55 kDa. The AL from B. subtilis activity was 214 U/mL at a fermentation time of 72 h; pH, 1; temperature, 35 °C; concentration of fish oil, 30 g/L; maltose concentration, 10 g/L. After purification, an 11.4-fold purity of lipase with specific activity of 2,189 U/mg protein was obtained. The molecular weight of the extremely acidic lipase was 22 kDa. The functional groups of lipases were determined by Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy.
An Association Can be Found between Hounsfield Units and Success of Lumbar Spine Fusion
Authors: Schreiber Joseph J. , Hughes Alexander P. , Taher Fadi , Girardi Federico P. 
Published: November 2013

Background Measuring Hounsfield units (HUs) from computed tomography (CT) scans has recently been proposed as a tool for assessing vertebral bone quality, as it has been associated with bone mineral density, compressive strength, and fracture risk. Vertebral bone quality is believed to be an important determinant of outcome and complication rates following spine surgery and potentially influences success of interbody spinal fusion. Questions/Purposes The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between HU on CT scans and fusion success in patients with lateral transpsoas surgery for lumbar interbody fusion (LIF). Methods The CT scans of 28 patients with a combined 52 levels of stand-alone LIF were evaluated at a minimum of 12 weeks postoperatively. Coronal and sagittal images were evaluated for evidence of fusion, and HU values were collected from axial images. HU measurements were also taken from vertebral bodies proximal to the construct to evaluate global bone quality. Results Of the 52 LIF levels, 73% were assessed as fused and 27% were nonunited at the time of evaluation. The successful fusion levels had significantly higher HU measurements than the nonunion levels (203.3 vs. 139.8, p < 0.001). Patients with successful fusion constructs also had higher global bone density when vertebral bodies proximal to the construct were compared (133.7 vs. 107.3, p < 0.05). Conclusion With the aging population and increasing prevalence of osteoporosis, preoperative assessment of bone quality prior to spinal fusion deserves special consideration. We found that a successful lumbar fusion was associated with patients with higher bone density, as assessed with HU, both globally and within the fusion construct, as compared to patients with CT evidence of nonunion.
Thermodynamic effects during growth and collapse of a single cavitation bubble
Authors: Dular Matevž , Coutier-Delgosha Olivier 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe thermodynamic effects associated with the growth and collapse of a single cavitation bubble are investigated in the present paper by an experimental approach. The study focuses on the temperature variations in the liquid surrounding the bubble. Experiments are conducted in a cylinder partially filled with water at an ambient temperature and atmospheric pressure. The bubble growth results from the expansion of an initial air bubble, due to the pressure wave generated by a so-called ‘tube-arrest’ method. Several locations of the bubble, at different distances from the bottom wall of the cylinder, are considered. The bottom wall is made of sapphire, which is transparent to both the visible and infrared light spectra which enables temperature measurements by a high-speed thermovision camera at a wavelength of 3–$5~\unicode[.5,0][STIXGeneral,Times]{x03BC} \mathrm{m} $. Water is opaque to the infrared light spectrum, hence only temperatures in the boundary layer and on the liquid vapour interface could be determined. A temperature decrease of${\sim }3$ K was recorded during the bubble growth while an increase up to 4 K was detected during the collapse. Experimental results are compared to the predictions of the ‘thermal delay’ model based on the assumption that the bubble growth and collapse are due to phase changes only. In this approach, the temperature variations are related to the latent heat exchanges during the vapourization and condensation processes. On the basis of these results, the respective effects of phase change and air dilatation/compression in the bubble dynamics are discussed.
Tobacco smoking in schizophrenia: investigating the role of incentive salience
Authors: Freeman T. P. , Stone J. M. , Orgaz B. , Noronha L. A. , Minchin S. L. , Curran H. V. 
Published: November 2013

BackgroundSmoking is highly prevalent in people diagnosed with schizophrenia, but the reason for this co-morbidity is currently unclear. One possible explanation is that a common abnormality underpins the development of psychosis and independently enhances the incentive motivational properties of drugs and their associated cues. This study aimed to investigate whether incentive salience attribution towards smoking cues, as assessed by attentional bias, is heightened in schizophrenia and associated with delusions and hallucinations.MethodTwenty-two smokers diagnosed with schizophrenia and 23 control smokers were assessed for smoking-related attentional bias using a modified Stroop task. Craving, nicotine dependence, smoking behaviour and positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia were also recorded.ResultsBoth groups showed similar craving scores and smoking behaviour according to self-report and expired carbon monoxide (CO), although the patient group had higher nicotine dependence scores. Attentional bias, as evidenced by significant interference from smoking-related words on the modified Stroop task, was similar in both groups and correlated with CO levels. Attentional bias was positively related to severity of delusions but not hallucinations or other symptoms in the schizophrenia group.ConclusionsThis study supports the hypothesis that the development of delusions and the incentive motivational aspects of smoking may share a common biological substrate. These findings may offer some explanation for the elevated rates of smoking and other drug use in people with psychotic illness.
The EU as an “enforcement patchwork”: the impact of national enforcement for compliance with EU water law in Spain and Britain
Authors: García Quesada Mónica 
Published: November 2013

AbstractFailures of compliance with European Union (EU) directives have revealed the EU as a political system capable of enacting laws in a wide range of different policy areas, but facing difficulties to ensure their actual implementation. Although the EU relies on national enforcement agencies to ensure compliance with the EU legislation, there is scarce analysis of the differential deterrent effect of national enforcement in EU law compliance. This article examines the enforcement of an EU water directive, the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, in Spain and the UK. It focuses on the existing national sanctions for disciplining actors in charge of complying with EU requirements, and on the actual use of punitive sanctions. The analysis shows that a more comprehensive and active disciplinary regime at the national level contributes to explain a higher degree of compliance with EU law. The article calls for a detailed examination of the national administrative and criminal sanction system for a more comprehensive understanding of the incentives and disincentives to comply with EU law at the national state level.
Stationary reflection principles and two cardinal tree properties
Authors: Sakai Hiroshi , Veličković Boban 
Published: November 2013

AbstractWe study the consequences of stationary and semi-stationary set reflection. We show that the semi-stationary reflection principle implies the Singular Cardinal Hypothesis, the failure of the weak square principle, etc. We also consider two cardinal tree properties introduced recently by Weiss, and prove that they follow from stationary and semi-stationary set reflection augmented with a weak form of Martin’s Axiom. We also show that there are some differences between the two reflection principles, which suggests that stationary set reflection is analogous to supercompactness, whereas semi-stationary set reflection is analogous to strong compactness.
Land use and soils disposal: From competition to territorial governance (examples from land use conflicts in the greater Paris region)
Authors: Torre André , Darly Ségolène 
Published: November 2013

AbstractRural, natural and peri-urban areas seem nowadays to become the object of conflicts and tensions because of their multi-functional nature. If these conflicts issue from opposing views about the use of land, they are also determined by the spatial parameters that characterize the pieces of land affected by the projects of land-use transformation, and by the antagonistic relationship between two or several units of action (farmers and local planners, for example). Therefore, there is a need for a new management of rural (and peri-urban) areas, and this is the role of territorial governance, which is the engine of local development, and the tool for better local compromises, involving periods of opposition and streams of negotiation. Territorial governance has to take into account not only negotiations but conflict relations as well and to include both interaction schemes into its framework. Our study assesses the role played by conflicts in land use within a peri-urban context, based on studies on the Greater Paris region, and a case study on the use of agricultural soils on the urban fringe.
Effects of high and low 17β-estradiol doses on focal cerebral ischemia: negative results
Authors: Strom Jakob O. , Ingberg Edvin , Theodorsson Elvar , Theodorsson Annette 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe reasons why some animal studies indicate that estrogens increase focal cerebral ischemic damage while others show estrogen-induced neuroprotection has hitherto not been fully elucidated. Recent evidence indicates that discrepancies in hormone administration paradigms, resulting in highly different serum hormone concentrations, may account for the dichotomy. The current study aimed to test this hypothesis. Sixty ovariectomized female rats were randomized into three groups differing in 17β-estradiol regimens and transient focal cerebral ischemia was subsequently induced. All animals were subjected to a small functional testing battery and three days after MCAo they were sacrificed for infarct size assessment. Infarct sizes did not differ between groups, however clear discrepancies were seen in body weight and feeding behavior. In comparison to sham-operated animals, ovariectomized rats rapidly increased in body weight, whereas the opposite was seen in rats receiving 17beta-estradiol. The weight gain in the ovariectomized rats was paralleled by an increased food intake.
Optical imaging to map blood-brain barrier leakage
Authors: Jaffer Hayder , Adjei Isaac M. , Labhasetwar Vinod 
Published: November 2013

AbstractVascular leakage in the brain is a major complication associated with brain injuries and certain pathological conditions due to disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). We have developed an optical imaging method, based on excitation and emission spectra of Evans Blue dye, that is >1000-fold more sensitive than conventional ultraviolet spectrophotometry. We used a rat thromboembolic stroke model to validate the usefulness of our method for vascular leakage. Optical imaging data show that vascular leakage varies in different areas of the post-stroke brain and that administering tissue plasminogen activator causes further leakage. The new method is quantitative, simple to use, requires no tissue processing and can map the degree of vascular leakage in different brain locations. The high sensitivity of our method could potentially provide new opportunities to study BBB leakage in different pathological conditions and to test the efficacy of various therapeutic strategies to protect the BBB.
Identification of a Previously Undescribed Satellite RNA Associated with a Cucumber mosaic virus Subgroup II Strain from Pratia pedunculata in Ohio
Authors: Fisher John R. 
Published: November 2013

To our knowledge, the results represent the first confirmed report of Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) infecting Blue Star Creeper (Pratia pedunculata). These findings support the notion that ornamental hosts are serving as reservoirs for CMV and in some cases satRNA. Accepted for publication 17 June 2013. Published 1 September 2013.
First Report of Arabis mosaic virus Infecting Vinca minor in Ohio
Authors: Fisher John R. 
Published: November 2013

These results represent the first confirmed report of Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV) infecting periwinkle (Vinca minor) in Ohio. Growers should be aware of ArMV as a threat to the industry due to its wide host range and ease of transmission, and of Vinca minor as a potential perennial reservoir for the virus since periwinkle is propagated by seed, division, and by cuttings. Accepted for publication 21 June 2013. Published 1 September 2013.
Preharvest Applications of Fungicides for Control of Sphaeropsis Rot in Stored Apples
Authors: Kim Y. K. , Xiao C. L. 
Published: November 2013

Sphaeropsis rot caused by Sphaeropsis pyriputrescens is a recently reported postharvest fruit rot disease of apple in Washington State and causes significant economic losses. Infection of apple fruit by the fungus occurs in the orchard, but decay symptoms develop during storage or in the market. The objective of this study was to evaluate preharvest fungicide applications to control Sphaeropsis rot. Thirty isolates of the fungus collected from various sources were tested for sensitivity to the registered fungicides Pristine, Topsin M, and Ziram using an in vitro mycelial growth assay. In the orchard, ‘Golden Delicious' apple fruit were inoculated with the conidial suspension of the fungus at 2 or 5 weeks before harvest, sprayed with fungicides within 2 weeks before harvest, and harvested and stored at 0°C for disease evaluation. All three fungicides effectively inhibited mycelial growth of the fungus in the in vitro tests. On apple fruit in four seasons, Pristine applied 1 week and Ziram applied 2 weeks before harvest significantly reduced incidence of Sphaeropsis rot compared to the nontreated control by 43 to 80% and 42 to 83%, respectively. In 4 years of testing, the performance of Topsin M was less consistent than that of Pristine and Ziram. Accepted for publication 18 July 2013. Published 19 September 2013.