bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Upfront treatment of high‐risk neuroblastoma with a combination of 131I‐MIBG and topotecan
Authors: Kraal Kathelijne C.J.M. , Tytgat Godelieve A.M. , van Eck‐Smit Berthe L.F. , Kam Boen , Caron Huib N. , van Noesel Max 
Published: May 2015

Background131I‐metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I‐MIBG) has a significant anti‐tumor effect against neuroblastoma (NBL). Topotecan (TPT) can act as a radio‐sensitizer and can up‐regulate 131I‐MIBG uptake in vitro in NBL.AimDetermine the efficacy of the combination of 131I‐MIBG with topotecan in newly diagnosed high‐risk (HR) NBL patients.MethodsIn a prospective, window phase II study, patients with newly diagnosed high‐risk neuroblastoma were treated at diagnosis with two courses of 131I‐MIBG directly followed by topotecan (0.7 mg/m2 for 5 days). After these two courses, standard induction treatment (four courses of VECI), surgery and myeloablative therapy (MAT) with autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) was given. Response was measured after two courses of 131I‐MIBG‐topotecan and post MAT and ASCT. Hematologic toxicity and harvesting of stem cells were analysed. Topoisomerase‐1 activity levels were analysed in primary tumor material.ResultsSixteen patients were included in the study; median age was 2.8 years. MIBG administered activity (AA) (median and range) of the first course was 0.5 (0.4–0.6) GBq/kg (giga Becquerel/kilogram) and of the second course 0.4 (0.3–0.5) GBq/kg. The overall objective response rate (ORR) after 2 × MIBG/TPT was 57%, the primary tumor RR was 94%, and bone marrow RR was 43%. The ORR post MAT and ASCT was 57%. Hematologic grade four toxicity: after first and second 131I‐MIBG (platelets 25/33%, neutrophils 13/33%, and hemoglobin 25/7%). Topoisomerase‐1 activity levels were increased in 10/10 (100%) measured tumors.ConclusionsCombination therapy with MIBG‐topotecan is an effective window treatment in newly diagnosed high‐risk neuroblastoma patients. Pediatr Blood Cancer © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
LC‐MS‐based metabolite profiling of methanolic extracts from the medicinal and aromatic species Mentha pulegium and Origanum majorana
Authors: Taamalli Amani , Arráez‐Román David , Abaza Leila , Iswaldi Ihsan , Fernández‐Gutiérrez Alberto , Zarrouk Mokhtar , Segura‐Carretero Antonio 
Published: May 2015

AbstractIntroductionThere has been increasing interest dedicated to the phenolic compounds with a view to their antioxidant and healthy properties. Recent studies have focused on plants from the Lamiaceae family with special interest in phenolic compounds antioxidant potential.ObjectiveThe metabolite profile of methanolic extracts from two Lamiacea medicinal plants was investigated.Materials and MethodsMentha pulegium and Origanum majorana methanolic extracts were analysed using reversed‐phase ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography (RP‐UHPLC) coupled to electrospray ionisation quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (ESI‐QTOF‐MS) detection in the negative ion mode.ResultsA total of 85 metabolites were characterised from different families, such as organic acids and derivatives, amino acids and derivatives, nucleosides, phenolic compounds as well as other polar metabolites, by using the MS and MS/MS information provided by the QTOF‐MS. However, the total phenols and flavonoids were also quantified spectrophotometrically and they registered higher amounts in Mentha pulegium than in Origanum majorana extract. Gallocatechin was the major compound in M. pulegium extract whereas quercetin dimethyl ether, jaceidin and dihydrokaempferide were the major ones in O. majorana extract.ConclusionThe distribution of phenolic compounds in the methanolic extract showed a variation among studied plants. Mentha pulegium can be considered as a source of gallocatechin. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Current knowledge of prenatal diagnosis of mosaic autosomal trisomy in amniocytes: karyotype/phenotype correlations
Authors: Wallerstein Robert , Misra Sonya , Dugar R. Bryce , Alem Monika , Mazzoni Ronit , Garabedian Matthew J. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractGenetic counseling for prenatal diagnosis of autosomal trisomy is complex because of the uncertainty of outcome, which is important for management decisions. Compilation of cases of prenatally diagnosed autosomal trisomies in amniocytes has been done previously in an attempt to elucidate the clinical phenotype of these pregnancies. It has been greater than a decade since these studies were completed. To update this work, we reviewed cases reported in the literature since that time. These cases are correlated with the prior reports to increase knowledge about outcomes and to hopefully improve the data available for genetic counseling. The risk of abnormal outcome can be summarized as: very high risk (>60%) for 47,+2/46; 47,+9/46; 47,+16/46; 47,+20/46; and 47,+22/46; high risk (40–59%) for 47,+5/46; 47,+14/46; and 47,+15/46; moderately high risk (20–39%) for 47,+7/46 47,+12/46; and 47,+17/46; moderate risk (up to 19%) for 47,+6/46 and 47,+8/46, and none were low risk. 47,+6/46 was originally indeterminate, 47,+7/46 was originally moderate risk, 47,+9/46 was originally high risk, and 47,+17/46 was originally low risk. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
C‐strider: type‐aware heap traversal for C
Authors: Saur Karla , Hicks Michael , Foster Jeffrey S. 
Published: May 2015

SummaryResearchers have proposed many tools and techniques that work by traversing the heap, including checkpointing systems, heap profilers, heap assertion checkers, and dynamic software updating systems. Yet building a heap traversal for C remains difficult, and to our knowledge, extant services have used their own application‐specific traversals. This paper presents C‐strider, a framework for writing C heap traversals and transformations. Writing a basic C‐strider service requires implementing only four callbacks; C‐strider then generates a program‐specific traversal that invokes the callbacks as each heap location is visited. Critically, C‐strider is type aware – it tracks types as it walks the heap, so every callback is supplied with the exact type of the associated location. We used C‐strider to implement heap serialization, dynamic software updating, heap checking, and profiling, and then applied the resulting traversals to several programs. We found that C‐strider requires little programmer effort, and the resulting services are efficient and effective. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Showing, Not Telling
Authors: Branscombe Margaret 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe article positions the body as a neglected entity within education today. In opposition to seat based and individual oriented learning, the article presents the process drama convention of ‘tableau’ as an example of collaborative, embodied learning that gets students out of their seats and moving as they create representations of texts. The article is grounded in Vygotsky's theory of tools as shaping cognition and in the article, tableau is presented as a tool that changes the way students think about informational texts and enhances comprehension. In light of current reading policy on the close reading of informational texts, the author considers tableau as an alternative and innovative approach to representing the main ideas within such texts. However, the article also provides examples for the use of tableau across a range of text genres and steps for teachers to follow in the implementation of tableau in their classroom.
Differential radial growth response of three coexisting dominant tree species to local and large‐scale climate variability in a subtropical evergreen broad‐leaved forest of China
Authors: Su Hongxin , Axmacher Jan C. , Yang Bo , Sang Weiguo 
Published: May 2015

AbstractSubtropical evergreen broad‐leaved forests (EBF) face great pressure from global climate change. However, little consensus exists related to how coexisting trees in these forests will respond to climatic change. We used tree rings to establish climate‐growth relationships of three coexisting dominant canopy tree species in an EBF located in the Gutianshan National Nature Reserve, Zhejiang Province, in eastern China. Our results emphasize highly species‐specific radial growth responses to both local and large‐scale climate variability. The radial growth of Pinus massoniana was enhanced by high minimum autumn and low winter temperatures as well as La Niña events. Positive growth responses in Castanopsis eyrei were linked to high minimum summer and spring temperatures. Low winter temperatures and summer sunshine also increased the growth of Schima superba. We modeled future tree‐ring growth using two climate change scenarios. Under both an intermediate (Representative Concentration Pathway, RCP 4.5) and a high emission climate change scenario (RCP 8.5), we projected further growth acceleration in C. eyrei, but a reduced growth rate in S. superb. Growth of P. massoniana was not predicted to change under the RCP 4.5 scenario, but was predicted to increase significantly under the RCP 8.5 scenario. These results suggest that climate change will have repercussions for the competitive balance among these tree species in subtropical forests, and the diverging responses of individual tree species need to fully considered in any models of the effects of climate change on the EBF and in future management plans.
NPM-ALK mediates phosphorylation of MSH2 at tyrosine 238, creating a functional deficiency in MSH2 and the loss of mismatch repair
Authors: Bone K M , Wang P , Wu F , Wu C , Li L , Bacani J T , Andrew S E , Lai R 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe vast majority of anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK+ALCL) tumors express the characteristic oncogenic fusion protein NPM-ALK, which mediates tumorigenesis by exerting its constitutive tyrosine kinase activity on various substrates. We recently identified MSH2, a protein central to DNA mismatch repair (MMR), as a novel binding partner and phosphorylation substrate of NPM-ALK. Here, using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, we report for the first time that MSH2 is phosphorylated by NPM-ALK at a specific residue, tyrosine 238. Using GP293 cells transfected with NPM-ALK, we confirmed that the MSH2Y238F mutant is not tyrosine phosphorylated. Furthermore, transfection of MSH2Y238F into these cells substantially decreased the tyrosine phosphorylation of endogenous MSH2. Importantly, gene transfection of MSH2Y238F abrogated the binding of NPM-ALK with endogenous MSH2, re-established the dimerization of MSH2:MSH6 and restored the sensitivity to DNA mismatch-inducing drugs, indicative of MMR return. Parallel findings were observed in two ALK+ALCL cell lines, Karpas 299 and SUP-M2. In addition, we found that enforced expression of MSH2Y238F into ALK+ALCL cells alone was sufficient to induce spontaneous apoptosis. In conclusion, our findings have identified NPM-ALK-induced phosphorylation of MSH2 at Y238 as a crucial event in suppressing MMR. Our studies have provided novel insights into the mechanism by which oncogenic tyrosine kinases disrupt MMR.
Temporal variation overshadows the response of leaf litter microbial communities to simulated global change
Authors: Matulich Kristin L , Weihe Claudia , Allison Steven D , Amend Anthony S , Berlemont Renaud , Goulden Michael L , Kimball Sarah , Martiny Adam C , Martiny Jennifer B H 
Published: May 2015

AbstractBacteria and fungi drive the decomposition of dead plant biomass (litter), an important step in the terrestrial carbon cycle. Here we investigate the sensitivity of litter microbial communities to simulated global change (drought and nitrogen addition) in a California annual grassland. Using 16S and 28S rDNA amplicon pyrosequencing, we quantify the response of the bacterial and fungal communities to the treatments and compare these results to background, temporal (seasonal and interannual) variability of the communities. We found that the drought and nitrogen treatments both had significant effects on microbial community composition, explaining 2–6% of total compositional variation. However, microbial composition was even more strongly influenced by seasonal and annual variation (explaining 14–39%). The response of microbial composition to drought varied by season, while the effect of the nitrogen addition treatment was constant through time. These compositional responses were similar in magnitude to those seen in microbial enzyme activities and the surrounding plant community, but did not correspond to a consistent effect on leaf litter decomposition rate. Overall, these patterns indicate that, in this ecosystem, temporal variability in the composition of leaf litter microorganisms largely surpasses that expected in a short-term global change experiment. Thus, as for plant communities, future microbial communities will likely be determined by the interplay between rapid, local background variability and slower, global changes.
Flatworms have lost the right open reading frame kinase 3 gene during evolution
Authors: Breugelmans Bert , Ansell Brendan R. E. , Young Neil D. , Amani Parisa , Stroehlein Andreas J. , Sternberg Paul W. , Jex Aaron R. , Boag Peter R. , Hofmann Andreas , Gasser Robin B. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractAll multicellular organisms studied to date have three right open reading frame kinase genes (designated riok-1, riok-2 and riok-3). Current evidence indicates that riok-1 and riok-2 have essential roles in ribosome biosynthesis and that the riok-3 gene assists this process. In the present study, we conducted a detailed bioinformatic analysis of the riok gene family in 25 parasitic flatworms (platyhelminths) for which extensive genomic and transcriptomic data sets are available. We found that none of the flatworms studied have a riok-3 gene, which is unprecedented for multicellular organisms. We propose that, unlike in other eukaryotes, the loss of RIOK-3 from flatworms does not result in an evolutionary disadvantage due to the unique biology and physiology of this phylum. We show that the loss of RIOK-3 coincides with a loss of particular proteins associated with essential cellular pathways linked to cell growth and apoptosis. These findings indicate multiple, key regulatory functions of RIOK-3 in other metazoan species. Taking advantage of a known partial crystal structure of human RIOK-1, molecular modelling revealed variability in nucleotide binding sites between flatworm and human RIOK proteins.
Rhodobacter sphaeroides mutants overexpressing chlorophyllide a oxidoreductase of Blastochloris viridis elucidate functions of enzymes in late bacteriochlorophyll biosynthetic pathways
Authors: Tsukatani Yusuke , Harada Jiro , Nomata Jiro , Yamamoto Haruki , Fujita Yuichi , Mizoguchi Tadashi , Tamiaki Hitoshi 
Published: May 2015

AbstractIn previous studies we have demonstrated that chlorophyllide a oxidoreductases (CORs) from bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a-producing Rhodobacter species and BChl b-producing Blastochloris viridis show distinct substrate recognition and different catalytic hydrogenation reactions and that these two types of CORs therefore cause committed steps for BChls a and b biosynthesis. In this study, COR genes from B. viridis were incorporated and overexpressed in a series of Rhodobacter sphaeroides mutants. We found that the following two factors are essential in making R. sphaeroides produce BChl b: the loss of functions of both intrinsic COR and 8-vinyl reductase (BciA) in the host R. sphaeroides strain; and expression of the BchYZ catalytic components of COR from B. viridis, not the complete set of COR (BchXYZ), in the host strain. In addition, we incorporated bchYZ of B. viridis into the R. sphaeroides mutant lacking BchJ and BciA, resulting in the strain accumulating both BChl a and BChl b. This is the first example of an anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterium producing BChls a and b together. The results suggest that BchJ enhances activity of the intrinsic COR. The physiological significance of BchJ in pigment biosynthetic pathways will be discussed.
Acidification reduced growth rate but not swimming speed of larval sea urchins
Authors: Chan Kit Yu Karen , García Eliseba , Dupont Sam 
Published: May 2015

AbstractSwimming behaviors of planktonic larvae impact dispersal and population dynamics of many benthic marine invertebrates. This key ecological function is modulated by larval development dynamics, biomechanics of the resulting morphology and behavioral choices. Studies on ocean acidification effects on larval stages have yet to address this important interaction between development and swimming under environmentally-relevant flow conditions. Our video motion analysis revealed that pH covering present and future natural variability (pH 8.0, 7.6 and 7.2) did not affect age-specific swimming of larval green urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachiensisin still water nor in shear, despite acidified individuals being significantly smaller in size (reduced growth rate). This maintenance of speed and stability in shear was accompanied by an overall change in size-corrected shape, implying changes in swimming biomechanics. Our observations highlight strong evolutionary pressure to maintain swimming in a varying environment and the plasticity in larval responses to environmental change.
Helical Growth of Aluminum Nitride: New Insights into Its Growth Habit from Nanostructures to Single Crystals
Authors: Zhang Xing-Hong , Shao Rui-Wen , Jin Lei , Wang Jian-Yu , Zheng Kun , Zhao Chao-Liang , Han Jie-Cai , Chen Bin , Sekiguchi Takashi , Zhang Zhi , Zou Jin , Song Bo 
Published: May 2015

AbstractBy understanding the growth mechanism of nanomaterials, the morphological features of nanostructures can be rationally controlled, thereby achieving the desired physical properties for specific applications. Herein, the growth habits of aluminum nitride (AlN) nanostructures and single crystals synthesized by an ultrahigh-temperature, catalyst-free, physical vapor transport process were investigated by transmission electron microscopy. The detailed structural characterizations strongly suggested that the growth of AlN nanostructures including AlN nanowires and nanohelixes follow a sequential and periodic rotation in the growth direction, which is independent of the size and shape of the material. Based on these experimental observations, an helical growth mechanism that may originate from the coeffect of the polar-surface and dislocation-driven growth is proposed, which offers a new insight into the related growth kinetics of low-dimensional AlN structures and will enable the rational design and synthesis of novel AlN nanostructures. Further, with the increase of temperature, the growth process of AlN grains followed the helical growth model.
Tailoring Plasmonic Enhanced Upconversion in Single NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ Nanocrystals
Authors: Wang Ya-Lan , Mohammadi Estakhri Nasim , Johnson Amber , Li Hai-Yang , Xu Li-Xiang , Zhang Zhenyu , Alù Andrea , Wang Qu-Quan , Shih Chih-Kang 
Published: May 2015

AbstractBy using silver nanoplatelets with a widely tunable localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and their corresponding local field enhancement, here we show large manipulation of plasmonic enhanced upconversion in NaYF4:Yb3+/Er3+ nanocrystals at the single particle level. In particular, we show that when the plasmonic resonance of silver nanolplatelets is tuned to 656 nm, matching the emission wavelength, an upconversion enhancement factor ~5 is obtained. However, when the plasmonic resonance is tuned to 980 nm, matching the nanocrystal absorption wavelength, we achieve an enhancement factor of ~22 folds. The precise geometric arrangement between fluorescent nanoparticles and silver nanoplatelets allows us to make, for the first time, a comparative analysis between experimental results and numerical simulations, yielding a quantitative agreement at the single particle level. Such a comparison lays the foundations for a rational design of hybrid metal-fluorescent nanocrystals to harness the upconversion enhancement for biosensing and light harvesting applications.
The diagnostic targeting of a carbohydrate virulence factor from M.Tuberculosis
Authors: Chan Conrad E. , Götze Sebastian , Seah Geok T. , Seeberger Peter H. , Tukvadze Nestan , Wenk Markus R. , Hanson Brendon J. , MacAry Paul A. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe current clinical management of TB is complicated by the lack of suitable diagnostic tests that can be employed in infrastructure and resource poor regions. The mannose-capped form of lipoarabinomannan (ManLAM) is unique to the surface envelope of slow-growing, pathogenic mycobacteria such as M.tuberculosis (M.tb) and facilitates passive invasion of mononuclear phagocytes. The detection of this virulence factor in urine, sputum and serum has engendered interest in its employment as a biomarker for M.tb infection. In this study, we utilize a subtractive screening methodology to engineer the first high affinity recombinant antibody (My2F12) with exquisite specificity for the α1-2 mannose linkages enriched in ManLAM from M.tb. My2F12 binds to pathogenic mycobacterial species but not fast growing non-pathogenic species. Testing on matched urine and serum samples from TB patients indicates that My2F12 works in patient cohorts missed by other diagnostic methodologies.
Black tea protects against hypertension-associated endothelial dysfunction through alleviation of endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: San Cheang Wai , Yuen Ngai Ching , Yen Tam Ye , Yu Tian Xiao , Tak Wong Wing , Zhang Yang , Wai Lau Chi , Chen Zhen Yu , Bian Zhao-Xiang , Huang Yu , Ping Leung Fung 
Published: May 2015

AbstractHypertensive patients have been found to be associated with elevated levels of homocysteine, known as hyperhomocysteinemia. Homocysteine (Hcy) can induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in endothelial cells. This study aims to investigate whether black tea (BT) protects against hypertension-associated endothelial dysfunction through alleviation of ER stress. Rat aortae and cultured rat aortic endothelial cells were treated with Hcy, BT extract and theaflavin-3,3’-digallate (TF3). Male Sprague Dawley rats were infused with angiotensin II (Ang II) to induce hypertension and orally administrated with BT extract at 15 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks. Hcy impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations of rat aortae and led to ER stress in endothelial cells, which were ameliorated by co-incubation of BT extract and TF3. The blood pressure of Ang II-infused rats and plasma Hcy level were normalized by BT consumption. Impaired endothelium-dependent relaxations in renal arteries, carotid arteries and aortae and flow-mediated dilatations in third-order mesenteric resistance arteries were improved. Elevations of ER stress markers and ROS level, plus down-regulation of Hcy metabolic enzymes in aortae from Ang II-infused rats were prevented by BT treatment. Our data reveal the novel cardiovascular benefits of BT in ameliorating vascular dysfunctions, providing insight into developing BT into beneficial dietary supplements in hypertensive patients.