bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
L1 cell adhesion molecule overexpression in hepatocellular carcinoma associates with advanced tumor progression and poor patient survival
Authors: Guo Xiaodong , Xiong Lu , Zou Lin , Sun Ting , Zhang Jing , Li Hanwei , Peng Ruiyun , Zhao Jingmin 
Published: August 2012

Abstract

Objective
L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM), as a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, has recently been observed in a variety of human malignancies. However, no data of L1CAM are available for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of L1CAM in HCC and determine its correlation with tumor progression and prognosis.

Methods
One-hundred and thirty HCC patients who had undergone curative liver resection were selected and immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) were performed to analyze L1CAM expression in the respective tumors.

Results
Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and Q-PCR consistently confirmed the overexpression of L1CAM in HCC tissues compared with their adjacent nonneoplastic tissues at both protein and gene level (both P <0.01). Additionally, the high expression of L1CAM was significantly associated with advanced tumor stage (P = 0.02) and advanced tumor grade (P = 0.03), respectively. Moreover, HCC patients with high L1CAM expression were significantly associated with lower 5-year overall survival (P <0.01) and lower 5-year disease-free survival (P <0.01), respectively. The Cox proportional hazards model further showed that L1CAM over-expression was an independent poor prognostic factor for both 5-year disease-free survival (P = 0.02) and 5-year overall survival (P = 0.008) in HCC.

Conclusion
Our data suggest for the first time that L1CAM expression in HCC was significantly correlated with the advanced tumor progression and was an independent poor prognostic factor for both overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with HCC.

Virtual slides
The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1970024872761542
Probing the role of stochasticity in a model of the embryonic stem cell – heterogeneous gene expression and reprogramming efficiency
Authors: Chickarmane Vijay , Olariu Victor , Peterson Carsten 
Published: August 2012

Abstract

Background
Embryonic stem cells (ESC) have the capacity to self-renew and remain pluripotent, while continuously providing a source of a variety of differentiated cell types. Understanding what governs these properties at the molecular level is crucial for stem cell biology and its application to regenerative medicine. Of particular relevance is to elucidate those molecular interactions which govern the reprogramming of somatic cells into ESC. A computational approach can be used as a framework to explore the dynamics of a simplified network of the ESC with the aim to understand how stem cells differentiate and also how they can be reprogrammed from somatic cells.

Results
We propose a computational model of the embryonic stem cell network, in which a core set of transcription factors (TFs) interact with each other and are induced by external factors. A stochastic treatment of the network dynamics suggests that NANOG heterogeneity is the deciding factor for the stem cell fate. In particular, our results show that the decision of staying in the ground state or commitment to a differentiated state is fundamentally stochastic, and can be modulated by the addition of external factors (2i/3i media), which have the effect of reducing fluctuations in NANOG expression. Our model also hosts reprogramming of a committed cell into an ESC by over-expressing OCT4. In this context, we recapitulate the important experimental result that reprogramming efficiency peaks when OCT4 is over-expressed within a specific range of values.

Conclusions
We have demonstrated how a stochastic computational model based upon a simplified network of TFs in ESCs can elucidate several key observed dynamical features. It accounts for (i) the observed heterogeneity of key regulators, (ii) characterizes the ESC under certain external stimuli conditions and (iii) describes the occurrence of transitions from the ESC to the differentiated state. Furthermore, the model (iv) provides a framework for reprogramming from somatic cells and conveys an understanding of reprogramming efficiency as a function of OCT4 over-expression.
Updates on HIPK2: a resourceful oncosuppressor for clearing cancer
Authors: D’Orazi Gabriella , Rinaldo Cinzia , Soddu Silvia 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2) is a multitalented protein that exploits its kinase activity to modulate key molecular pathways in cancer to restrain tumor growth and induce response to therapies. HIPK2 phosphorylates oncosuppressor p53 for apoptotic activation. In addition, also p53-independent apoptotic pathways are regulated by HIPK2 and can be exploited for anticancer purpose too. Therefore, HIPK2 activity is considered a central switch in targeting tumor cells toward apoptosis upon genotoxic damage and the preservation and/or restoration of HIPK2 function is crucial for an efficient tumor response to therapies. As a proof of principle, HIPK2 knockdown impairs p53 function, induces chemoresistance, angiogenesis, and tumor growth in vivo, on the contrary, HIPK2 overexpression activates apoptotic pathways, counteracts hypoxia, inhibits angiogenesis, and induces chemosensitivity both in p53-dependent and -independent ways. The role of HIPK2 in restraining tumor development was also confirmed by studies with HIPK2 knockout mice. Recent findings demonstrated that HIPK2 inhibitions do exist in tumors and depend by several mechanisms including HIPK2 cytoplasmic localization, protein degradation, and loss of heterozygosity (LOH), recapitulating the biological outcome obtained by RNA interference studies in tumor cells, such as p53 inactivation, resistance to therapies, apoptosis inhibition, and tumor progression. These findings may lead to new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for treating cancer patients. This review will focus on the last updates about HIPK2 contribution in tumorigenesis and cancer treatment.
Response of hemorrhagic bullous skin lesions of the breast secondary to primary systemic amyloidosis to a five-drug combination chemotherapy: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Agheli Aref , Becker Marvin , Becker Gary , Chaudhry M Rashid , Wang Jen C 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
Two major types of amyloidosis are primary amyloidosis or amyloid light chain amyloidosis and secondary amyloidosis. Although amyloidosis involves a variety of organ systems including skin, the occurrence of bullous skin lesions is rare. Little is known about the mechanism of blister formation. These blisters are often hemorrhagic and typically occur in the oral mucosa. Only a few case reports have described skin involvement in systemic amyloidosis. The manifestation of bullous lesions on the breast in association with primary amyloidosis has not been previously reported. Therefore, we report a case of cutaneous hemorrhagic bullous of the breast secondary to primary systemic amyloidosis, which may be important for medical oncologists to be aware of this uncommon presentation of plasma cell dysrasias. Furthermore, this case only partially responded to the commonly used multiple myeloma-type regimen, the skin lesions responded completely to a five-drug combination chemotherapy regimen, utilizing immunomodulators, liposomal doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, bortezomib, and dexamethasone, suggesting that a more aggressive modality of chemotherapy may be necessary to treat such cases.
Interleukin-6 is the strongest predictor of 30-day mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock due to myocardial infarction
Authors: Andrié René P , Becher Ulrich M , Frommold Ricarda , Tiyerili Vedat , Schrickel Jan W , Nickenig Georg , Schwab Jörg O 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
Introduction
Cardiogenic shock (CS) remains the leading cause of death in patients hospitalized for myocardial infarction (MI). Systemic inflammation with inappropriate vasodilatation is observed in many patients with CS and may contribute to an excess mortality rate. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive role of serial measurements of Nt-proBNP, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and procalcitonin (PCT) for 30-day mortality in patients with CS due to MI.

Methods
The present study is a prospective single-center study including 87 patients with MI complicated by CS treated with acute revascularization and intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) support. Predictive values of plasma levels at admission (T0), after 24 hours (T1), and after 72 hours (T2) were examined according to 30-day mortality.

Results
Significant differences between survivors (n = 59) and nonsurvivors (n = 28) were seen for Nt-proBNP at T0, for IL-6 at T0 and T1, and for PCT at T1 and T2. According to ROC analyses, the highest accuracy predicting 30-day mortality was seen at T0 for IL-6, at T1 for PCT, and at T2 for PCT. In univariate analysis, significant values were found for Nt-proBNP at T1, and for IL-6 and PCT at all points in time. Within the multivariate analysis, age, creatinine, and IL-6 were significant determinants of 30-day mortality, in which IL-6 showed the highest level of significance.

Conclusions
In patients with MI complicated by CS, IL-6 represented a reliable independent early prognostic marker of 30-day mortality. PCT revealed a significant value at later points in time, whereas Nt-proBNP seemed to be of lower relevance.
Mild metabolic acidosis impairs the β-adrenergic response in isolated human failing myocardium
Authors: Schotola Hanna , Toischer Karl , Popov Aron F , Renner André , Schmitto Jan D , Gummert Jan , Quintel Michael , Bauer Martin , Maier Lars S , Sossalla Samuel 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
Introduction
Pronounced extracellular acidosis reduces both cardiac contractility and the β-adrenergic response. In the past, this was shown in some studies using animal models. However, few data exist regarding how the human end-stage failing myocardium, in which compensatory mechanisms are exhausted, reacts to acute mild metabolic acidosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of mild metabolic acidosis on contractility and the β-adrenergic response of isolated trabeculae from human end-stage failing hearts.

Methods
Intact isometrically twitching trabeculae isolated from patients with end-stage heart failure were exposed to mild metabolic acidosis (pH 7.20). Trabeculae were stimulated at increasing frequencies and finally exposed to increasing concentrations of isoproterenol (0 to 1 × 10-6M).

Results
A mild metabolic acidosis caused a depression in twitch-force amplitude of 26% (12.1 ± 1.9 to 9.0 ± 1.5 mN/mm2; n = 12; P < 0.01) as compared with pH 7.40. Force-frequency relation measurements yielded no further significant differences of twitch force. At the maximal isoproterenol concentration, the force amplitude was comparable in each of the two groups (pH 7.40 versus pH 7.20). However, the half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) was significantly increased in the acidosis group, with an EC50 of 5.834 × 10-8M (confidence interval (CI), 3.48 × 10-8 to 9.779 × 10-8; n = 9), compared with the control group, which had an EC50 of 1.056 × 10-8M (CI, 2.626 × 10-9 to 4.243 × 10-8; n = 10; P < 0.05), indicating an impaired β-adrenergic force response.

Conclusions
Our data show that mild metabolic acidosis reduces cardiac contractility and significantly impairs the β-adrenergic force response in human failing myocardium. Thus, our results could contribute to the still-controversial discussion about the therapy regimen of acidosis in patients with critical heart failure.
Multiscale Modeling of Irradiation Induced Hardening in Iron Alloys
Authors: Mastorakos Ioannis N. , Zbib Hussein M. , Li Dongsheng , Khaleel Mohamed A. , Sun Xin 
Published: August 2012

ABSTRACTStructural materials in the new Generation IV reactors will operate in harsh radiation conditions coupled with high levels of hydrogen and helium production and will experience severe degradation of mechanical properties. Therefore, understanding of the physical mechanisms responsible for the microstructural evolution and corresponding mechanical property changes is critical. As the involved phenomena are very complex and span in several length scales, a multiscale approach is necessary in order to fully understand the degradation of materials in irradiated environments. In previous work, we used molecular dynamics simulations to develop critical rules for the mobility of dislocations in various iron alloys and their interaction with several types of defects that include, among others, helium bubbles and grain boundaries. In this work, Dislocation Dynamics simulations of iron alloys are used to study the mechanical behavior and the degradation under irradiation of large systems with high dislocation and defect densities.
Evaluation of Coronal Microleakage in Two Different Post-Core Systems
Authors: Ayyildiz Simel Tezcan , Bagci Emine Çelik 
Published: August 2012

ABSTRACT

Aims
The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the cast metal and ceramic post-core systems, which have similar laboratory and clinical procedures according to coronal microleakage.

Materials and methods
Forty extracted maxillary anterior teeth were endodontically treated. Specimens were randomly assigned to four experimental groups (n = 10). The groups consisted of a cemented metal post-core group (CMPC), a not cemented metal post-core group (NMPC), a cemented ceramic post-core group (CZPC) and a not cemented ceramic post-core group (NZPC). A dual-cure resin cement (Panavia F) was used for both of the cemented groups. All specimens were stained with basic fuchsine and embedded in epoxy resin. Sagittal sections were obtained using a grinding machine and examined under binocular and coal microscopes. Coronal leakages were scored and data were analyzed using Kruskall-Wallis analysis of variance test.

Results
Results were compared between and within groups. No statistically significant differences were found between groups.

Conclusion
Cement alone is not sufficient to provide a barrier against microleakage in post-core restorations. The chosen post-core type or application methods may be more relevant to the leakage issue.
Revolution without Guarantees: Community and Subjectivity in Nancy, Lingis, Sartre and Levinas
Authors: Ryder Andrew 
Published: August 2012

Jean-Luc Nancy’s The Inoperative Community, a collection of writings first published in 1985 and 1986, suggests an understanding of community as irreducibly linked to finitude. Alongside this, he advocates a redefinition of the project of revolutionary communism. This endeavor draws equally on the writings on communication of Georges Bataille and the insistence on finitude found in Martin Heidegger. First, we should recapitulate Nancy’s argument in order to determine his presentation of a novel politics as well as the links and disjunctions of his predecessors. More than this, I would like to suggest that a reading of Alphonso Lingis’s The Community of Those Who Have Nothing in Common, published almost a decade later, suggests an intriguing and promising extension or modification of Nancy’s argument. In particular, Lingis suggests an understanding of revolution that appears somewhat closer to the Marxist tradition. I argue that this is partly a result of an inheritance from Emmanuel Levinas, and in particular his account of ethical subjectivity, which, surprisingly, can be productively allied with the political thought of Jean-Paul Sartre. This friendship between the ethics of Levinas and the politics of Sartre suggests the best groundwork for Lingis’s development of Nancy’s insights.
Development of an Analytical Method for Antimony Speciation in Vegetables by HPLC-Hydride Generation-Atomic Fluorescence Spectrometry
Authors: Olivares David , Bravo Manuel , Feldmann Jorg , Raab Andrea , Neaman Alexander , Quiroz Waldo 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
A new method for antimony speciation in terrestrial edible vegetables (spinach, onions, and carrots) was developed using HPLC with hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Mechanical agitation and ultrasound were tested as extraction techniques. Different extraction reagents were evaluated and optimal conditions were determined using experimental design methodology, where EDTA (10 mmol/L, pH 2.5) was selected because this chelate solution produced the highest extraction yield and exhibited the best compatibility with the mobile phase. The results demonstrated that EDTA prevents oxidation of Sb(III) to Sb(V) and maintains the stability of antimony species during the entire analytical process. The LOD and precision (RSD values obtained) for Sb(V), Sb(III), and trimethyl Sb(V) were 0.08, 0.07, and 0.9 μg/L and 5.0, 5.2, and 4.7%, respectively, for a 100 μL sample volume. The application of this method to real samples allowed extraction of 50% of total antimony content from spinach, while antimony extracted from carrots and onion samples ranged between 50 and 60 and 54 and 70%, respectively. Only Sb(V) was detected in three roots (onion and spinach) that represented 60–70% of the total antimony in the extracts.
Reflectance Near-Infrared Spectroscopic Method with Chemometric Techniques for Simultaneous Determination of Chondroitin, Glucosamine, and Methyl Sulfonyl Methane
Authors: El-Gindy Alaa , Attia Khalid Abdel-Salam , Nassar Mohammad Wafaa , Seda Hamed Hamed Abu , Al-Shabrawi Maisra 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
Reflectance near-IR (RNIR) spectroscopy was used for the simultaneous determination of chondroitin (CH), glucosamine (GO), and methyl sulfonyl methane (MSM) in tablets. Simple sample preparation was done by grinding, sieving, and compression of the tablets for improving RNIR spectra. Principal component regression and partial least squares (PLS-1 and PLS-2) were successfully applied to quantify the three components in the studied mixture using information included in RNIR spectra in the range of 4350–9100 cm–1. The calibration model was developed with drug concentration ranges of 14.5–44.2% (w/w) for CH, 18.4–55.3% (w/w) for GO, and 6–18.6% (w/w) for MSM with addition of tablet excipients to the calibration set in the same ratio as in the tested tablets. The calibration models were evaluated by internal validation, cross-validation, and external validation using synthetic and pharmaceutical preparations. The proposed method was applied for analysis of six batches of the pharmaceutical product. The results of the proposed method were compared with the results of the pharmacopoeial method for the same batch of the pharmaceutical product. No significant differences between the results were found. The RNIR method is accurate and precise, and can be used for QC of pharmaceutical products.
Procedural Revision to the Use-Dilution Methods: Establishment of Maximum Log Density Value for Test Microbes on Inoculated Carriers
Authors: Tomasino Stephen F , Pines Rebecca M , Hamilton Gordon 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
The AOAC Use-Dilution Methods, 955.15 (Staphylococcus aureus) and 964.02 (Pseudomonas aeruginosa), were revised in 2009 to include a standardized procedure to measure the log density of the test microbe and to establish a minimum mean log density value of 6.0 (geometric mean of 1.0 × 106 CFU/carrier) to qualify the test results. This report proposes setting a maximum mean log density value of 7.0 (geometric mean of 1.0 × 107 CFU/carrier) to further standardize the procedure. The minimum value was based on carrier count data collected by four laboratories over an 8-year period (1999–2006). The data have been updated to include an additional 4 years' worth of data (2006–2010) collected by the same laboratories. A total of 512 tests were conducted on products bearing claims against P. aeruginosa and S. aureus with and without an organic soil load (OSL) added to the inoculum (as specified on the product label claim). Six carriers were assayed in each test, for a total of 3072 carriers. Mean log densities for each of the 512 tests were at least 6.0. With the exception of two tests, one for P. aeruginosa without OSL and one for S. aureus with OSL, the mean log densities did not exceed 7.5 (geometric mean of 3.2 × 107 CFU/carrier). Across microbes and OSL treatments, the mean log density (±SEM) was 6.80 (±0.07) per carrier (a geometric mean of 6.32 × 106 CFU/carrier) and acceptable repeatability (0.28) and reproducibility (0.31) SDs were exhibited. A maximum mean log density per carrier of 7.0 is being proposed here as a validity requirement for S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. A modification to the method to allow for dilution of the final test cultures to achieve carrier counts within 6.0–7.0 logs is also being proposed. Establishing a range of 6.0–7.0 logs will help improve the reliability of the method and should allow for more consistent results within and among laboratories.
Gliadin as a Measure of Gluten in Foods Containing Wheat, Rye, and Barley—Enzyme Immunoassay Method Based on a Specific Monoclonal Antibody to the Potentially Celiac Toxic Amino Acid Prolamin Sequences: Collaborative Study
Authors: Immer Ulrike , Haas-Lauterbach Sigrid ,   Collaborators:, Cerne V , Chirdo F , de Sadeleer J , Denery S , Feighery C , Hoertner H , Höhne M , Hoinville A , Iametti S , Immer U , Janssen F , Koeppel E , Malmheden Yman I , Mendez E , Mothes T , Nissler A , Raffler G , Simon E , Thorell L , Vela C , Vidts A 
Published: August 2012

Abstract
The Working Group on Prolamin Analysis and Toxicity (WGPAT) organized a collaborative study to confirm whether the two R5 antibody-based ELISA test kits are able to detect gliadin in the lower mg/kg (ppm) level. Twenty laboratories investigated 12 blind-coded samples, spiked and naturally contaminated, to show the possibility of determining traces of gliadin in heat-treated or nonheat-treated foods by ELISA. It was shown that very small amounts of gliadin (below 100 ppm) could be detected by ELISA with a reproducibility RSDR (37%) and a repeatability RSDr (27%) common for ELISA under these conditions. The recovery of gliadin from the spiked samples was between 84 and 109%, based on the results of all laboratories, including those with poor performance. No false positives were found by the method (P ≤ 0.05), but one negative sample was contaminated during the bakery process. It is recommended that the method be accepted by AOAC as Official First Action.
Stable weighted multiple model adaptive control: discrete‐time stochastic plant
Authors: Zhang Weicun 
Published: August 2012

SUMMARYA stable weighted multiple model adaptive control system for uncertain linear, discrete‐time stochastic plant is presented in the paper. First, a new scheme for calculating controller weights is proposed with assured convergence, that is, the controller weight corresponding to the model closest to the true plant converges to 1, and others converge to 0; second, on the basis of virtual equivalent system concept and methodology, the stability of the overall closed‐loop control system is proved under a unified framework which is independent of specific ‘local’ control strategy. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.