bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Telomerase-Specific Virotheranostics for Human Head and Neck Cancer
Authors: Kurihara Yuji , Watanabe Yuichi , Onimatsu Hideki , Kojima Toru , Shirota Tatsuo , Hatori Masashi , Liu Dong , Kyo Satoru , Mizuguchi Hiroyuki , Urata Yasuo , Shintani Satoru , Fujiwara Toshiyoshi 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Purpose: Long-term outcomes of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) remain unsatisfactory despite advances in combination of treatment modalities. SCCHN is characterized by locoregional spread and it is clinically accessible, making it an attractive target for intratumoral biological therapies.
Experimental Design: OBP-301 is a type 5 adenovirus that contains the replication cassette in which the human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter drives expression of the E1 genes. OBP-401 contained the replication cassette and the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. The antitumor effects of OBP-301 were evaluated in vitro by the sodium 30-[1-(phenylaminocarbonyl)-3,4-tetrazolium]-bis(4-methoxy-6-nitro)benzene sulfonic acid hydrate assay and in vivo in an orthotopic xenograft model. Virus spread into the lymphatics was also orthotopically assessed by using OBP-401.
Results: Intratumoral injection of OBP-301 resulted in the shrinkage of human SCCHN tumors orthotopically implanted into the tongues of BALB/c nu/nu mice and significantly recovered weight loss by enabling oral ingestion. The levels of GFP expression following ex vivo infection of OBP-401 may be of value as a positive predictive marker for the outcome of telomerase-specific virotherapy. Moreover, whole-body fluorescent imaging revealed that intratumorally injected OBP-401 could visualize the metastatic lymph nodes, indicating the ability of the virus to traffic to the regional lymphatic area and to selectively replicate in neoplastic lesions, resulting in GFP expression and cell death in metastatic lymph nodes.
Conclusions: These results illustrate the potential of telomerase-specific oncolytic viruses for a novel therapeutic and diagnostic approach, termed theranostics, for human SCCHN.
Limited Amounts of Dendritic Cells Migrate into the T-Cell Area of Lymph Nodes but Have High Immune Activating Potential in Melanoma Patients
Authors: Verdijk Pauline , Aarntzen Erik H.J.G. , Lesterhuis W. Joost , Boullart A.C. Inge , Kok Ellemieke , van Rossum Michelle M. , Strijk Simon , Eijckeler Femke , Bonenkamp Johannes J. , Jacobs Joannes F.M. , Blokx Willeke , vanKrieken J. Han J.M. , Joosten Irma , Boerman Otto C. , Oyen Wim J.G. , Adema Gosse , Punt Cornelis J.A. , Figdor Carl G. , de Vries I. Jolanda M. 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Purpose: The success of immunotherapy with dendritic cells (DC) to treat cancer is dependent on effective migration to the lymph nodes and subsequent activation of antigen-specific T cells. In this study, we investigated the fate of DC after intradermal (i.d.) or intranodal (i.n.) administration and the consequences for the immune activating potential of DC vaccines in melanoma patients.
Experimental Design: DC were i.d. or i.n. administered to 25 patients with metastatic melanoma scheduled for regional lymph node resection. To track DC in vivo with scintigraphic imaging and in lymph nodes by immunohistochemistry, cells were labeled with both [111In]-indium and superparamagnetic iron oxide.
Results: After i.d. injection, maximally 4% of the DC reached the draining lymph nodes. When correctly delivered, all DC were delivered to one or more lymph nodes after i.n. injection. Independent of the route of administration, large numbers of DC remained at the injection site, lost viability, and were cleared by infiltrating CD163+ macrophages within 48 hours. Interestingly, 87 ± 10% of the surviving DC preferentially migrated into the T-cell areas, where they induced antigen-specific T-cell responses. Even though more DC reached the T-cell areas, i.n. injection of DC induced similar antigen-specific immune responses as i.d. injection. Immune responses were already induced with &lt;5 × 105 DC migrating into the T-cell areas.
Conclusions: Monocyte-derived DC have high immune activating potential irrespective of the route of vaccination. Limited numbers of DC in the draining lymph nodes are sufficient to induce antigen-specific immunologic responses.
Collicular Vision Guides Nonconscious Behavior
Authors: Tamietto Marco , Cauda Franco , Corazzini Luca Latini , Savazzi Silvia , Marzi Carlo A. , Goebel Rainer , Weiskrantz Lawrence , de Gelder Beatrice 
Published: March 2009

AbstractFollowing destruction or deafferentation of primary visual cortex (area V1, striate cortex), clinical blindness ensues, but residual visual functions may, nevertheless, persist without perceptual consciousness (a condition termed blindsight). The study of patients with such lesions thus offers a unique opportunity to investigate what visual capacities are mediated by the extrastriate pathways that bypass V1. Here we provide evidence for a crucial role of the collicular–extrastriate pathway in nonconscious visuomotor integration by showing that, in the absence of V1, the superior colliculus (SC) is essential to translate visual signals that cannot be consciously perceived into motor outputs. We found that a gray stimulus presented in the blind field of a patient with unilateral V1 loss, although not consciously seen, can influence his behavioral and pupillary responses to consciously perceived stimuli in the intact field (implicit bilateral summation). Notably, this effect was accompanied by selective activations in the SC and in occipito-temporal extrastriate areas. However, when instead of gray stimuli we presented purple stimuli, which predominantly draw on S-cones and are thus invisible to the SC, any evidence of implicit visuomotor integration disappeared and activations in the SC dropped significantly. The present findings show that the SC acts as an interface between sensory and motor processing in the human brain, thereby providing a contribution to visually guided behavior that may remain functionally and anatomically segregated from the geniculo-striate pathway and entirely outside conscious visual experience.
A Multimodal Neural Network Recruited by Expertise with Musical Notation
Authors: Wong Yetta Kwailing , Gauthier Isabel 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Prior neuroimaging work on visual perceptual expertise has focused on changes in the visual system, ignoring possible effects of acquiring expert visual skills in nonvisual areas. We investigated expertise for reading musical notation, a skill likely to be associated with multimodal abilities. We compared brain activity in music-reading experts and novices during perception of musical notation, Roman letters, and mathematical symbols and found selectivity for musical notation for experts in a widespread multimodal network of areas. The activity in several of these areas was correlated with a behavioral measure of perceptual fluency with musical notation, suggesting that activity in nonvisual areas can predict individual differences in visual expertise. The visual selectivity for musical notation is distinct from that for faces, single Roman letters, and letter strings. Implications of the current findings to the study of visual perceptual expertise, music reading, and musical expertise are discussed.
Impact of Climate Change on Crop Yield: A Case Study of Rainfed Corn in Central Illinois
Authors: Cai Ximing , Wang Dingbao , Laurent Romain 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
This paper assesses the effect of climate change on crop yield from a soil water balance perspective. The uncertainties of regional-scale climate models, local-scale climate variability, emissions scenarios, and crop growth models are combined to explore the possible range of climate change effects on rainfed corn yield in central Illinois in 2055. The results show that a drier and warmer summer during the corn growth season and wetter and warmer precrop and postcrop seasons will likely occur. Greater temperature and precipitation variability may lead to more variable soil moisture and crop yield, and larger soil moisture deficit and crop yield reduction are likely to occur more frequently. The increased water stress is likely to be most pronounced during the flowering and yield formation stages. The expected rainfed corn yield in 2055 is likely to decline by 23%–34%, and the probability that the yield may not reach 50% of the potential yield ranges from 32% to 70% if no adaptation measures are instituted. Among the multiple uncertainty sources, the greenhouse gas emissions projection may have the strongest effect on the risk estimate of crop yield reduction. The effects from the various uncertainties can be offset to some degree when the uncertainties are considered jointly. An ensemble of GCMs with an equal weight may overestimate the risk of soil moisture deficits and crop yield reduction in comparison with an ensemble of GCMs with different weight determined by the root-mean-square error minimization method. The risk estimate presented in this paper implies that climate change adaptation is needed to avoid reduced corn yields and the resulting profit losses in central Illinois.
Cyclonic versus Anticyclonic Circulation in Lakes and Inland Seas
Authors: Orlić Mirko , Lazar Martin 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
A simple diagnostic model, reproducing circulation in lakes and marginal seas in which low-density waters are found close to the coasts while high-density waters dominate the offshore areas, is developed. An explicit solution is obtained for the central transverse section of an elongated basin, assuming that the Boussinesq and hydrostatic approximations are valid and that the alongshore variability vanishes. The model reveals cyclonic circulation that may either extend throughout the vertical (type C) or may top anticyclonic circulation developed in the bottom layer (type C/A). With the amplitude of the imposed density anomaly being fixed, the flow type is controlled by the frictional processes and by the basin dimensions. In a typical basin, type C/A flow is supported by weak bottom and vertical friction and by moderate lateral friction, unlike type C flow, which is supported by moderate bottom and vertical friction and by weak lateral friction. Strong frictional influence, especially in the basin interior, suppresses the flow everywhere. The flow is also suppressed in a basin that is narrow O(1 km) and shallow O(10 m), even without the frictional control being too strong. A basin that is narrow and deep favors type C/A flow, whereas a basin that is wide and shallow tends to support type C flow. The theoretical findings are related to observations, particularly those originating from the Adriatic Sea where type C flow prevails but may occasionally be replaced by type C/A flow, as well as to previous modeling results.
Observation of Wave Energy Evolution in Coastal Areas Using HF Radar
Authors: Ramos Rafael J. , Graber Hans C. , Haus Brian K. 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
The capability of phased-array HF radar systems to sample the spatial distribution of wave energy is investigated in different storm scenarios and coastal configurations. First, a formulation introduced by D. E. Barrick to extract significant wave height Hs from backscatter Doppler spectra was calibrated and subsequently tested (to assess bias and uncertainty) with data from seven different buoy/gauge stations collected during three different field experiments. Afterward, Hs observations were obtained for selected sampling locations within the radar effective domain (in all experiments), and a filtering technique based on wavelet transform characterization and decomposition was applied. The accuracy of the filtered radar-derived observations was assessed by comparing these estimates to results from independently calibrated wave propagation models. It was found that the HF radar accurately measured the energy field induced by different storm events. The filtering technique minimized the contribution of unrealistic features introduced by the presence of defective sampling, which is intrinsic to radar remote sensing at this frequency, and it proved to be central for the use of the HF radar as a tool to identify wave energy trends and potential zones of wave energy concentration in coastal areas. These findings show that the sampling capabilities of radar systems may be greatly enhanced because reliable wave energy estimates can be obtained in addition to conventional surface current measurements. This is particularly important in locations such as harbor entrances where in situ measuring devices cannot be deployed.
Explicit Forecasts of Hail Occurrence and Expected Hail Size Using the GEM–HAILCAST System with a Rainfall Filter
Authors: Brimelow Julian C. , Reuter Gerhard W. 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
HAILCAST is a numerical model developed specifically to predict the size of the largest hail reaching the ground. It consists of a steady-state cloud model combined with a time-dependent hailstone growth model. The regional version of the Canadian Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) model is used to provide prognostic model soundings that are used as input data for HAILCAST. A map of forecasted maximum hail size is thereby obtained. Because hail is typically accompanied by rain, it would be advantageous if the GEM–HAILCAST system were to predict the occurrence of hail only in those regions where the GEM model was predicting precipitation. Hence, the utility of applying a forecast rainfall mask from the GEM model to restrict hail forecasts to those areas where rainfall is forecast during a 12-h window centered on 0000 UTC was tested. The accumulated precipitation filter is objective and integrates both the thermodynamic and dynamic output from the GEM model over many time steps.
To test the utility of applying the GEM forecast precipitation mask, the masking technique was applied to HAILCAST-predicted maximum hail size maps for the three Canadian prairie provinces between 1 June and 31 August 2000. Several case studies will be presented to illustrate the usefulness of adding the precipitation mask. Verification statistics confirm that applying the rainfall mask tends to slightly reduce the false alarm ratio while still identifying the majority of hail events within a special study area over southern Alberta. The performance of the precipitation masking technique was not as effective on severe hail days, especially when attempting to identify both the occurrence and location of severe hail swaths.
Translating the Diabetes Prevention Program Into Practice
Authors: Jackson Lindsey 
Published: March 2009

Purpose The purpose of this review is to summarize community interventions based on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) curriculum and to describe differences in curriculum and its effect on outcome measurements. Methods A keyword search of PubMed and review of citation lists of relevant articles yielded 161 articles. Primary outcomes of interest were achievement of the DPP study goals: 5% to 7% loss of body weight and increased moderate physical activity to at least 150 minutes per week. A secondary outcome of improvement in metabolic syndrome components was also included. Inclusion criteria included application of a DPP-based curriculum to a community setting and publication in English. Results Seven articles were included in the review. Interventions were conducted across a variety of settings. All showed a significant amount of weight loss immediately following a DPP-based curriculum, varying in length from 6 to 24 weeks. Three held significance by 12 months. Two articles reported on physical activity improvements. Two articles reported improvement in metabolic syndrome components. Conclusion Although the most effective intervention for type 2 diabetes prevention may not yet be identified, DPP-based interventions show promise for long-term sustainability. The DPP intervention is effective in treating overweight and obesity across a variety of settings and thus may prevent chronic diseases in which overweight and obesity are risk factors. Public health practitioners can use this successful intervention to help individuals lead healthier lives.
Training YMCA Wellness Instructors to Deliver an Adapted Version of the Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Intervention
Authors: Finch Emily A. , Kelly Melinda S. , Marrero David G. , Ackermann Ronald T. 
Published: March 2009

Purpose The purpose of this article is to describe efforts to develop and administer a formal curriculum to train community workers to deliver a group-based adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) lifestyle intervention in YMCA settings. The DPP demonstrated that a structured diet and physical activity intervention that achieves and maintains modest weight loss for overweight adults with impaired glucose tolerance can significantly reduce the development of diabetes. Although tens of millions of American adults could benefit from access to the DPP lifestyle intervention, there currently is no available model for nationwide dissemination of this highly beneficial and cost-effective approach to diabetes prevention. A description of 2 ongoing randomized pilot studies provides information about the feasibility and effectiveness of future efforts to apply this new training curriculum on a national scale. Conclusions Diabetes educators are challenged to partner with community organizations and other health care workers for extensive distribution of the DPP lifestyle intervention messages.
Derivation of functional mature neutrophils from human embryonic stem cells
Authors: Yokoyama Yasuhisa , Suzuki Takahiro , Sakata-Yanagimoto Mamiko , Kumano Keiki , Higashi Katsumi , Takato Tsuyoshi , Kurokawa Mineo , Ogawa Seishi , Chiba Shigeru 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) proliferate infinitely and are pluripotent. Only a few reports, however, describe specific and efficient methods to induce hESCs to differentiate into mature blood cells. It is important to determine whether and how these cells, once generated, behave similarly with their in vivo–produced counterparts. We developed a method to induce hESCs to differentiate into mature neutrophils. Embryoid bodies were formed with bone morphogenic protein-4, stem cell factor (SCF), Flt-3 ligand (FL), interleukin-6 (IL-6)/IL-6 receptor fusion protein (FP6), and thrombopoietin (TPO). Cells derived from the embryoid bodies were cultured on a layer of irradiated OP9 cells with a combination of SCF, FL, FP6, IL-3, and TPO, which was later changed to granulocyte–colony-stimulating factor. Morphologically mature neutrophils were obtained in approximately 2 weeks with a purity and efficiency sufficient for functional analyses. The population of predominantly mature neutrophils (hESC-Neu's) showed superoxide production, phagocytosis, bactericidal activity, and chemotaxis similar to peripheral blood neutrophils from healthy subjects, although there were differences in the surface antigen expression patterns, such as decreased CD16 expression and aberrant CD64 and CD14 expression in hESC-Neu's. Thus, this is the first description of a detailed functional analysis of mature hESC-derived neutrophils.
von Willebrand factor to the rescue
Authors: De Meyer Simon F. , Deckmyn Hans , Vanhoorelbeke Karen 
Published: March 2009

Abstractvon Willebrand factor (VWF) is a large multimeric adhesive glycoprotein with complex roles in thrombosis and hemostasis. Abnormalities in VWF give rise to a variety of bleeding complications, known as von Willebrand disease (VWD), the most common inherited bleeding disorder in humans. Current treatment of VWD is based on the replacement of the deficient or dysfunctional protein either by endogenous release from endothelial Weibel-Palade bodies or by administration of plasma-derived VWF concentrates. During the last years, several efforts have been made to optimize existing therapies for VWD, but also to devise new approaches, such as inducing endogenous expression with interleukin-11, administering exogenous recombinant VWF, or introducing the protein via gene delivery. Clearly, the efficacy of any strategy will depend on several factors, including, for example, the quantity, activity, and stability of the delivered VWF. The inherent complexity of VWF biosynthesis, which involves extensive posttranslational processing, may be limiting in terms of producing active VWF outside of its native cellular sources. This review summarizes recent progress in the development of different treatment strategies for VWD, including those that are established and those that are at the experimental stage. Potential pitfalls and benefits of each strategy are discussed.
Alkane inducible proteins in Geobacillus thermoleovorans B23
Authors: Kato Tomohisa , Miyanaga Asuka , Kanaya Shigenori , Morikawa Masaaki 
Published: March 2009

Abstract

Background
Initial step of β-oxidation is catalyzed by acyl-CoA dehydrogenase in prokaryotes and mitochondria, while acyl-CoA oxidase primarily functions in the peroxisomes of eukaryotes. Oxidase reaction accompanies emission of toxic by-product reactive oxygen molecules including superoxide anion, and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities are essential to detoxify them in the peroxisomes. Although there is an argument about whether primitive life was born and evolved under high temperature conditions, thermophilic archaea apparently share living systems with both bacteria and eukaryotes. We hypothesized that alkane degradation pathways in thermophilic microorganisms could be premature and useful to understand their evolution.

Results
An extremely thermophilic and alkane degrading Geobacillus thermoleovorans B23 was previously isolated from a deep subsurface oil reservoir in Japan. In the present study, we identified novel membrane proteins (P16, P21) and superoxide dismutase (P24) whose production levels were significantly increased upon alkane degradation. Unlike other bacteria acyl-CoA oxidase and catalase activities were also increased in strain B23 by addition of alkane.

Conclusion
We first suggested that peroxisomal β-oxidation system exists in bacteria. This eukaryotic-type alkane degradation pathway in thermophilic bacterial cells might be a vestige of primitive living cell systems that had evolved into eukaryotes.