bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The changing face of malignant melanoma
Authors: Reintgen Christian , Shivers Steven , Reintgen Michael , Giuliano Rosemary , Reintgen Douglas 
Published: April 2010

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesThere is currently an epidemic of malignant melanoma occurring in the United States. At the same time there has been a heightened awareness for early detection of melanoma in the professional ranks as well as in the lay population. A database review was performed to investigate the changing patterns of melanoma presentation during a 2 decade time period in the State of Florida.MethodsThis report is based on data collected in a prospective fashion from three institutions that shared a single melanoma database initially established in 1987. Four 5‐year time periods were arbitrarily selected for the study: 1989–1993, 1994–1998, 1999–2003, and 2004–2008. Patients were grouped by their date of initial diagnosis.ResultsA total of 7,580 patients were registered in the database during the study intervals. Multiple group comparisons by Chi‐Square analysis showed that there were significant differences among the four groups in tumor thickness at diagnosis, stage of disease at diagnosis and disease‐free survival (DFS). The DFS rate for all patients diagnosed with melanoma has progressively improved over the last 20 years (P < 0.0001).ConclusionsEven though there is an epidemic of malignant melanoma occurring in the United States, it appears that patients are being diagnosed earlier with thinner lesions that are capable of being cured with simple surgical techniques. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010; 101:443–446. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Long‐term clinical outcome of pelvic exenteration in patients with advanced gynecological malignancies
Authors: Fotopoulou Christina , Neumann Ulf , Kraetschell Robert , Schefold Joerg C. , Weidemann Henning , Lichtenegger Werner , Sehouli Jalid 
Published: April 2010

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesWe evaluated the outcome of pelvic exenteration in women with locally advanced primary or recurrent gynecological malignancies.MethodsAll pelvic exenteration procedures performed between 01/2003 and 06/2009 were evaluated. Extent of surgical radicality, operative techniques, and outcome were evaluated. Kaplan–Meier curves were calculated for Overall (OS) and progression‐free survival (PFS).ResultsForty‐seven patients (median age: 52.5 years) were evaluated. Ten of 47 patients (21.3%) had a primary and 37(78.7%) a relapsed cancer. Most common (80.8%) site of origin was the cervix. Patients (80.8%) had undergone previous pelvic irradiation. A total exenteration was performed in 32/47 patients (68%). A complete tumor resection was obtained in 23 patients (49%). Thirty‐three patients (70.2%) had at least one major complication, including ileus (8.5%), intestinal‐fistula (29.8%), ureteral anastomotic insufficiency (6.4%), abscess (6.4%), and cardiothrombotic events (23.4%). At a median follow‐up of 7 months (range: 1–42), 22/47 patients (46.8%) died and 22/47 (46.8%) experienced a relapse. Median OS was 4 months (range: 0.1–16) and 22 months (range: 6–42) for patients with versus without postoperative tumor residuals, respectively (P = 0.0006), while median PFS was 4 months (range:0.1–16) versus 12months (range: 6–42) (P < 0.0001).ConclusionsRadical pelvic exenteration due to advanced pelvic malignancies may be associated with a high morbidity. Complete tumor resection is associated with a significantly higher overall and PFS. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010; 101:507–512. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Finding Inspiration in the Protein Data Bank to Chemically Antagonize Readers of the Histone Code
Authors: Campagna‐Slater Valérie , Schapira Matthieu 
Published: April 2010

AbstractMembers of the Royal family of proteins are readers of the histone code that contain aromatic cages capable of recognizing specific sequences and lysine methylation states on histone tails. These binding modules play a key role in epigenetic signalling, and are part of a larger group of epigenetic targets that are becoming increasingly attractive for drug discovery. In the current study, pharmacophore representations of the aromatic cages forming the methyl‐lysine (Me‐Lys) recognition site were used to search the Protein Data Bank (PDB) for ligand binding pockets possessing similar chemical and geometrical features in unrelated proteins. The small molecules bound to these sites were then extracted from the PDB, and clustered based on fragments binding to the aromatic cages. The compounds collected are numerous and structurally diverse, but point to a limited set of preferred chemotypes; these include quaternary ammonium, sulfonium, and primary, secondary and tertiary amine moieties, as well as aromatic, aliphatic or orthogonal rings, and bicyclic systems. The chemical tool‐kit identified can be used to design antagonists of the Royal family and related proteins.
Loss of SED1/MFG‐E8 results in altered luminal physiology in the epididymis
Authors: Raymond Adam S. , Elder Brooke , Ensslin Michael , Shur Barry D. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractSED1/MFG‐E8, herein referred to as SED1, is a bimotif adhesive protein with ascribed functions in a range of cell–cell interactions, including sperm‐egg binding. In the male reproductive tract, SED1 is secreted by the initial segment of the epididymis, where it coats sperm and subsequently facilitates binding to the egg zona pellucida. We have recently reported that SED1‐null epididymides show an unexpected incidence of spermatic granulomas, reflecting breakdown of the epithelium and a consequent autoimmune response against sperm antigens. However, spermatic granulomas are most often manifest in the distal segments of the epididymis, whereas the bulk of SED1 is expressed in the proximal epididymis. In some models, the presence of granulomas in the distal epididymis is associated with an underlying defect in the maintenance of luminal fluid homeostasis. Herein, we report that SED1‐null epididymal fluid is both hypo‐osmotic and alkaline, relative to wildtype epididymal fluid. Furthermore, the SED1‐null epididymal epithelium exhibits various hallmarks of disrupted fluid reabsorption and pH regulation, including altered morphology of clear cells, increased intracellular vesicles, and apical distribution of VATPase. Results indicate that the SED1‐null epididymal pathologies are not the secondary consequences of defective testes or efferent ducts or of improper epididymal differentiation, unlike that seen in other epididymal models. The expression and distribution of various ion exchangers, channels, and enzymes that mediate fluid transport and pH regulation are examined in wildtype and SED1‐null epididymides, and models to account for how SED1 functions in luminal fluid dynamics are discussed. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 77: 550–563, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fully sequential procedures for comparing constrained systems via simulation
Authors: Andradóttir Sigrún , Kim Seong‐Hee 
Published: April 2010

AbstractWe consider the problem of finding the system with the best primary performance measure among a finite number of simulated systems in the presence of a stochastic constraint on a single real‐valued secondary performance measure. Solving this problem requires the identification and removal from consideration of infeasible systems (Phase I) and of systems whose primary performance measure is dominated by that of other feasible systems (Phase II). We use indifference zones in both phases and consider two approaches, namely, carrying out Phases I and II sequentially and carrying out Phases I and II simultaneously, and we provide specific example procedures of each type. We present theoretical results guaranteeing that our approaches (general and specific, sequential and simultaneous) yield the best system with at least a prespecified probability, and we provide a portion of an extensive numerical study aimed at evaluating and comparing the performance of our approaches. The experimental results show that both new procedures are useful for constrained ranking and selection, with neither procedure showing uniform superiority over the other.© 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2010
Competing with channel partners: Supply chain conflict when retailers introduce store brands
Authors: Heese Hans Sebastian 
Published: April 2010

AbstractPrivate‐label products are of increasing importance in many retail categories. While national‐brand products are designed by the manufacturer and sold by the retailer, the positioning of store‐brand products is under the complete control of the retailer. We consider a scenario where products differ on a performance quality dimension and we analyze how retailer–manufacturer interactions in product positioning are affected by the introduction of a private‐label product. Specifically, we consider a national‐brand manufacturer who determines the quality of its product as well the product's wholesale price charged to the retailer. Given the national‐brand quality and wholesale price, the retailer then decides the quality level of its store brand and sets the retail prices for both products. We find that a manufacturer can derive substantial benefits from considering a retailer's store‐brand introduction when determining the national brand's quality and wholesale price. If the retailer has a significant cost disadvantage in producing high‐quality products, the manufacturer does not need to adjust the quality of the national‐brand product, but he should offer a wholesale price discount to ensure its distribution through the retailer. If the retailer is competitive in providing products of high‐quality, the manufacturer should reduce this wholesale price discount and increase the national‐brand quality to mitigate competition. Interestingly, we find the retailer has incentive to announce a store‐brand introduction to induce the manufacturer's consideration of these plans in determining the national‐brand product quality and wholesale price. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2010
Adaptive mesh refinement applied to the scalar transported PDF equation in a turbulent jet
Authors: Olivieri D. A. , Fairweather M. , Falle S. A. E. G. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractThis paper describes a novel solution method for the transported probability density function (PDF) equation for scalars (compositions). In contrast to conventional solution methods based on the Monte Carlo approach, we use a finite‐volume method combined with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) applied in both physical and compositional space. The obvious advantage of this over a uniform grid is that fine meshes are only used where the solution requires high resolution. The efficiency of the method is demonstrated by a number of tests involving a turbulent jet flow with up to two scalars (both reacting and non‐reacting). We find that the AMR calculation can be at a fraction of the computer cost of a uniform grid calculation with the same accuracy. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Synthesis and properties of Polycaprolactone‐graft‐poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate‐co‐methoxy polyethylene glycol monomethacrylate) as non‐viral gene vector
Authors: Guo Shutao , Qiao Yong , Wang Weiwei , Xing Jinfeng , Deng Liandong , Dong Anjie , Xu Jianqing 
Published: April 2010

AbstractPolycaprolactone‐graft‐Poly(2‐(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate‐co‐methoxy polyethylene glycol monomethacrylate) (PCL‐graft‐P(DMAEMA‐co‐mPEGMMA)) was synthesized by combination of ring‐opening polymerization (ROP) and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). PCL‐graft‐P(DMAEMA‐co‐mPEGMMA) was characterized by FTIR,1H NMR, and GPC. PCL‐graft‐P(DMAEMA‐co‐mPEGMMA) with expected composition and structure was achieved. pH‐ and thermo‐sensitive properties of the PCL‐graft‐P(DMAEMA‐co‐mPEGMMA) nanoparticles prepared by the nanoprecipitation method were investigated by TEM and DLS. With increase in the temperature, the size of PCL‐graft‐P(DMAEMA‐co‐mPEGMMA) nanoparticles is decreased under base environment. Furthermore,in vitrotransfection and toxicity assays were tested in 293T cells. The results indicate that PCL‐graft‐P(DMAEMA‐co‐PEGMMA) has lower cytotoxicity at N/P ratios less than 10 with transfection efficiency concomitantly reducing at N/P ratios less than 20 compared to PCL‐graft‐PDMAEMA as the control. However, PCL‐graft‐P(DMAEMA‐co‐PEGMMA) presents higher transfection efficiency at N/P ratios more than 20 compared to PCL‐graft‐PDMAEMA. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pre‐eclampsia: fitting together the placental, immune and cardiovascular pieces
Authors: James Joanna L , Whitley Guy S , Cartwright Judith E 
Published: April 2010

AbstractThe success of pregnancy is a result of countless ongoing interactions between the placenta and the maternal immune and cardiovascular systems. Pre‐eclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication that arises from multiple potential aberrations in these systems. The pathophysiology of pre‐eclampsia is established in the first trimester of pregnancy, when a range of deficiencies in placentation affect the key process of spiral artery remodelling. As pregnancy progresses to the third trimester, inadequate spiral artery remodelling along with multiple haemodynamic, placental and maternal factors converge to activate the maternal immune and cardiovascular systems, events which may in part result from increased shedding of placental debris. As we understand more about the pathophysiology of pre‐eclampsia, it is becoming clear that the development of early‐ and late‐onset pre‐eclampsia, as well as intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), does not necessarily arise from the same underlying pathology. Copyright © 2010 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physiotherapy, based on the Bobath concept, may influence the gait pattern in persons with limb‐girdle muscle dystrophy: a multiple case series study
Authors: Øygard Kjellaug , Hæstad Helge , Jørgensen Lone 
Published: April 2010

AbstractBackground and Purpose. There are few studies on possible effects of physiotherapy for adults with muscular dystrophy. The aim of this study was to examine if treatment based on the Bobath concept may influence specific gait parameters in some of these patients. Methods. A single‐subject experimental design with A–B–A–A phases was used, and four patients, three with limb‐girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) and one with fascioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), were included. The patients had 1 hour of individually tailored physiotherapy at each working day for a period of 3 weeks. Step length, step width and gait velocity were measured during the A–B–A–A phases by use of an electronic walkway. Walking distance and endurance were measured by use of the ‘6 minute walk test’. Results. The three LGMD patients, who initially walked with a wide base of support, had a narrower, velocity‐adjusted step width after treatment, accompanied with the same or even longer step length. These changes lasted throughout follow‐up. Moreover, two of the patients were able to walk a longer distance within 6 minutes after the treatment period. The fourth patient (with FSHD) had a normal step width at baseline, which did not change during the study. Conclusions. The results indicate that physiotherapy treatment based on the Bobath concept may influence the gait pattern in patients with LGMD. However, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy to patients with muscular dystrophies, we call for larger studies and controlled trials. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis and network representation of hotspots in protein interfaces using minimum cut trees
Authors: Tuncbag Nurcan , Salman F. Sibel , Keskin Ozlem , Gursoy Attila 
Published: April 2010

AbstractWe propose a novel approach to analyze and visualize residue contact networks of protein interfaces by graph‐based algorithms using a minimum cut tree (mincut tree). Edges in the network are weighted according to an energy function derived from knowledge‐based potentials. The mincut tree, which is constructed from the weighted residue network, simplifies and summarizes the complex structure of the contact network by an efficient and informative representation. This representation offers a comprehensible view of critical residues and facilitates the inspection of their organization. We observed, on a nonredundant data set of 38 protein complexes with experimental hotspots that the highest degree node in the mincut tree usually corresponds to an experimental hotspot. Further, hotspots are found in a few paths in the mincut tree. In addition, we examine the organization of hotspots (hot regions) using an iterative clustering algorithm on two different case studies. We find that distinct hot regions are located on specific sites of the mincut tree and some critical residues hold these clusters together. Clustering of the interface residues provides information about the relation of hot regions with each other. Our new approach is useful at the molecular level for both identification of critical paths in the protein interfaces and extraction of hot regions by clustering of the interface residues. Proteins 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Structure of full‐length class I chitinase from rice revealed by X‐ray crystallography and small‐angle X‐ray scattering
Authors: Kezuka Yuichiro , Kojima Masaki , Mizuno Ryoji , Suzuki Kazushi , Watanabe Takeshi , Nonaka Takamasa 
Published: April 2010

AbstractThe rice class I chitinase OsChia1b, also referred to as RCC2 or Cht‐2, is composed of an N‐terminal chitin‐binding domain (ChBD) and a C‐terminal catalytic domain (CatD), which are connected by a proline‐ and threonine‐rich linker peptide. Because of the ability to inhibit fungal growth, the OsChia1b gene has been used to produce transgenic plants with enhanced disease resistance. As an initial step toward elucidating the mechanism of hydrolytic action and antifungal activity, the full‐length structure of OsChia1b was analyzed by X‐ray crystallography and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). We determined the crystal structure of full‐length OsChia1b at 2.00‐Å resolution, but there are two possibilities for a biological molecule with and without interdomain contacts. The SAXS data showed an extended structure of OsChia1b in solution compared to that in the crystal form. This extension could be caused by the conformational flexibility of the linker. A docking simulation of ChBD with tri‐N‐acetylchitotriose exhibited a similar binding mode to the one observed in the crystal structure of a two‐domain plant lectin complexed with a chitooligosaccharide. A hypothetical model based on the binding mode suggested that ChBD is unsuitable for binding to crystalline α‐chitin, which is a major component of fungal cell walls because of its collisions with the chitin chains on the flat surface of α‐chitin. This model also indicates the difference in the binding specificity of plant and bacterial ChBDs of GH19 chitinases, which contribute to antifungal activity. Proteins 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss,Inc.
Structure–activity relationship of a novel pentapeptide with cancer cell growth‐inhibitory activity
Authors: Kamiya Masakatsu , Oyauchi Keisuke , Sato Yoshinori , Yokoyama Takuya , Wang Mofei , Aizawa Tomoyasu , Kumaki Yasuhiro , Mizuguchi Mineyuki , Imai Kunio , Demura Makoto , Suzuki Koichi , Kawano Keiichi 
Published: April 2010

AbstractWe previously reported that yamamarin, a pentapeptide with an amidated C‐terminus (DILRG‐NH2) isolated from larvae of the silkmoth, and its palmitoylated analog (C16‐DILRG‐NH2) suppressed proliferation of rat hepatoma (liver cancer) cells. In this study, we investigated the structure–activity relationship of yamamarin by in vitro assay and spectroscopic methods (CD and NMR) for various analogs. The in vitro assay results demonstrated that the chemical structure of the C‐terminal part (‐RG‐NH2) of yamamarin is essential for its activity. The CD and NMR results indicated that yamamarin and its analog adopt predominantly a random coil conformation. Moreover, a comparison of NMR spectra of DILRG‐NH2 and C16‐DILRG‐NH2 revealed that the N‐terminal palmitoyl group of C16‐DILRG‐NH2 did not affect the conformation of the C‐terminal part, which is essential for activity. Together, these results should assist in the design of more sophisticated anticancer drugs. Copyright © 2010 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modelling residential mobility: factors associated with the movement of children in Greater Johannesburg, South Africa
Authors: Ginsburg Carren , Steele Fiona , Richter Linda M. , Norris Shane A. 
Published: April 2010

ABSTRACTConceptualisation of child residential mobility has been influenced by developed country contexts; however, trends and models for movement are likely to differ in transitional societies. This paper uses event‐history analysis to model the residential movements of South African urban children in the Birth to Twenty cohort over their first 14 years of life. Associations with mobility of children are tested over a set of domains relating to the child, the child's primary caregiver, and the child's household. A methodological approach is proposed for analysing repeated moves using multi‐level models, which are adapted to maximise information from children who dropped out of the study or who had long gaps in their residential histories. The results indicate mobility is associated with economic disadvantage with children whose primary caregivers had no formal education and who lived in households with fewer assets and less access to services being more likely to change residence. The study suggests potential risks for mobile children in urban environments who may be more likely to be exposed to disruption or compromised living conditions. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Numerische Untersuchungen zur Querkrafttragfähigkeit von Spannbeton‐Fertigdecken in Slim‐Floor‐Konstruktio
Authors: Hegger Josef , Roggendorf Thomas , Teworte Frederik 
Published: April 2010

AbstractDie Querkrafttragfähigkeit von Spannbeton‐Fertigdecken (vorgespannte Hohlplatten) wird bei der Lagerung auf schlanken Trägern durch Beanspruchungen quer zur Spannrichtung herabgesetzt. In der Praxis stellt sich häufig die Frage, wann die Nachgiebigkeit eines Trägers bei der Bemessung der Platten zu berücksichtigen ist und wie sich eine Veränderung der Trägersteifigkeit auswirkt. Dieser Beitrag fasst die Thematik der biegeweichen Lagerung und Großversuche mit Spannbeton‐Fertigdecken auf deckengleichen Stahlträgern zusammen. Im Anschluss werden numerische Untersuchungen beschrieben und Schlussfolgerungen zum Trag‐ und Verformungsverhalten der beschriebenen Deckenkonstruktionen abgeleitet.Numerical investigations of the shear resistance of prestressed hollow core slabs in slim floor constructions.The shear resistance of prestressed hollow core slabs is considerably reduced due to transverse stresses when the slabs are bedded on slender beams. In practice, open questions are the consideration of a support's flexibility in the design of the slabs and the effect of the beam stiffness. This paper summarises the topic of flexible supports and full‐scale tests with hollow core slabs supported on shallow steel beams. Numerical investigations and conclusions regarding the load bearing behaviour of the described constructions will be discussed in the following.