bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pathological activation of KIT in metastatic tumors of acral and mucosal melanomas
Authors: Ashida Atsuko , Takata Minoru , Murata Hiroshi , Kido Kenji , Saida Toshiaki 
Published: November 2008

AbstractRecent studies showed KIT gene aberrations in a substantial number of melanomas on acral skin and mucosa, suggesting the therapeutic benefit of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, such as imatinib. We therefore examined the expression and mutations of KIT in 4 primary and 24 metastatic acral and mucosal melanomas. Immunohistochemistry revealed moderate or strong KIT protein expression in 13 (48%) tumors. Sequence analysis revealed K642E and D820Y mutations in two metastases. Amplification of KIT was identified by real‐time PCR in 4 tumors, including one that had K642E. Western blot analysis showed phosphorylation of the KIT receptor in 8 (62%) of 13 cryopreserved samples, indicating the frequent pathological activation of the receptor in vivo. Phosphorylation of KIT protein was detected in 2 tumors harboring KIT mutations, as well as in one tumor with KIT gene amplification. Furthermore, 5 tumors without detectable KIT gene aberrations showed phosphorylation of the KIT receptor. Expression of stem cell factor (SCF) in melanoma cells as well as stromal cells suggests SCF/KIT autocrine and paracrine activation in these tumors. Finally, we found significant growth suppressive effects of sunitinib in two acral melanoma cell lines; one harboring the D820Y mutation and one showing SCF‐dependent KIT activation. These results show pathological activation of KIT in a substantial number of metastatic tumors of acral and mucosal melanomas, and suggest a potential therapeutic benefit of sunitinib for these melanomas. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cytoplasmic accumulation of activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule is a predictor of disease progression and reduced survival in oral cancer patients
Authors: Sawhney Meenakshi , Matta Ajay , Macha Muzafar A. , Kaur Jatinder , DattaGupta Siddhartha , Shukla Nootan K. , Ralhan Ranju 
Published: November 2008

AbstractActivated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) has been proposed to function as a cell surface sensor for cell density, controlling the transition between local cell proliferation and tissue invasion in cancer progression. Herein, we determined ALCAM expression in 107 oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs), 78 oral lesions (58 hyperplasias and 20 dysplasias) and 30 histologically normal oral tissues using immunohistochemistry and correlated with clinicopathological parameters. Significant increase in ALCAM immunopositivity was observed from normal oral mucosa, hyperplasia, dysplasia to OSCCs (ptrend < 0.001). Increased ALCAM expression was observed in cytoplasm of epithelial cells as early as in hyperplasia (p = 0.001, OR = 3.8). Sixty‐five of 107 (61%) OSCCs showed significant overexpression of ALCAM protein in cytoplasm/membrane of tumor cells (p = 0.043; OR = 3.3) in comparison with the normal oral tissues. Among OSCCs, cytoplasmic ALCAM was associated with advanced tumor size, tumor stage and tobacco consumption. Importantly, cytoplasmic ALCAM was an independent predictor of poor prognosis of OSCCs in multivariate analysis (p = 0.012, OR = 6.2). In an attempt to understand the molecular basis of cytoplasmic localization of ALCAM, 14‐3‐3ζ and 14‐3‐3σ were identified as its novel binding partners in oral cancer cells. In conclusion, increased expression of ALCAM is an early event in oral tumorigenesis; its cytoplasmic accumulation in tumor cells is a predictor of poor prognosis of OSCCs, underscoring its potential as a candidate prognostic marker for oral cancer. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Approximation of Nash equilibria in Bayesian games
Authors: Armantier Olivier , Florens Jean‐Pierre , Richard Jean‐Francois 
Published: November 2008

AbstractWe define a new concept of constrained strategic equilibrium (CSE) for Bayesian games. We show that a sequence of CSEs approximates an equilibrium under standard conditions. We also provide an algorithm to implement the CSE approximation method numerically in a broad class of Bayesian games, including games without analytically tractable solutions. Finally, we illustrate the flexibility of the CSE approximation with a series of auction examples, including a complex multi‐unit auction. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Variability in wintertime position and strength of the North Pacific jet stream as represented by re‐analysis data
Authors: Barton Neil P. , Ellis Andrew W. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe popular National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)/National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) re‐analysis database was used to create a mean winter seasonal jet stream database for the northern Pacific Ocean region for the period 1948–1949 through 2004–2005. Grids of mean seasonal 300 hPa scalar wind were used to determine the latitudinal position of the primary mid‐latitude jet on a longitudinal resolution of 2.5° from eastern Asia to western North America. The position and strength of the jet stream across this region are key determinants of winter precipitation variability downstream across the predominantly arid western region of North America.Results show that the latitudinal position of the jet exhibits greater variance over the eastern half of the northern Pacific Ocean, while the greatest variance in the speed of the seasonal jet occurs across the central northern Pacific Ocean. A statistically significant increase in the speed of the mean seasonal jet occurred over the central area of the northern Pacific Ocean during the last half of the 20th century. A spatially consistent but statistically insignificant trend toward a more southerly position of the jet occurred during the study period. The results do not confirm current theories of a general pole‐ward shift in mid‐latitude jet streams in association with recent and future climate change, suggesting that such an observed or theoretical hemispheric shift may not necessarily be evident within a particular region or that any shift over the last 50 years has been less than the 2.5° resolution of the NCEP/NCAR dataset. The jet stream data support the connection between the jet and the Pacific‐North American atmospheric teleconnection pattern and between the jet and the oscillation of sea surface temperature anomalies in the northern Pacific Ocean known as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
How do we tell which estimates of past climate change are correct?
Authors: Sherwood Steven C. , Titchner Holly A. , Thorne Peter W. , McCarthy Mark P. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractEstimates of past climate change often involve teasing small signals from imperfect instrumental or proxy records. Success is often evaluated on the basis of the spatial or temporal consistency of the resulting reconstruction, or on the apparent prediction error on small space and time scales. However, inherent methodological trade‐offs illustrated here can cause climate signal accuracy to be unrelated, or even inversely related, to such performance measures. This is a form of the classic conflict in statistics between minimum variance and unbiased estimators. Comprehensive statistical simulations based on climate model output are probably the best way to reliably assess whether methods of reconstructing climate from sparse records, such as radiosondes or paleoclimate proxies, actually work on longer time scales. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Nanomechanics of single silkworm and spider fibres: a Raman and micro‐mechanical in situ study of the conformation change with stress
Authors: Colomban Philippe , Dinh Hung Manh , Riand Jacques , Prinsloo Linda C. , Mauchamp Bernard 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe combination of micro‐Raman spectroscopy and an advanced universal fibre tester (UFT) made it possible to probe at the nanoscale (through monitoring the modification of chemical bonds) the change in conformation (α‐helix, β‐sheet, etc.), macromolecular fibroin chain orientation and coupling during the application of stress, quantitatively. Different single fibres of silkworms (Bombyx mori, Gonometa rufobrunea, Gonometa postica) and a spider (Nephila madagascariensis) were tested in a dry environment and compared with the behaviour of keratin fibre. As observed previously for single keratin fibres, a direct relationship is observed between nano‐ and micro‐mechanical tensile behaviour. The phase transition plateau, well defined for some pristine B. mori fibres, disappears in degummed fibres, which indicates a structural modification and increasing disorder with chemical treatments. Stress‐controlled micro‐Raman analysis shows that a few modes involving CH2 and/or amide groups of β‐conformation chains undergo a wavenumber softening during the elastic behaviour (∼0–3%), although most of the modes are not affected. A different behaviour is observed for modes associated with ‘ordered’ and ‘disordered’ β‐sheets and helical chains. Larger softening is observed for lattice modes with increasing stress/strain, as expected. Structural changes and relationships with mechanical behaviour are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NIR‐FT Raman, FT‐IR and surface‐enhanced Raman scattering spectra, with theoretical simulations on chloramphenicol
Authors: Sajan D. , Sockalingum G. D. , Manfait M. , Hubert Joe I. , Jayakumar V. S. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractChloramphenicol (CLM), originally derived from the bacterium Streptomyces venezuelae, is an inhibitor of bacterial ribosomal peptidyl transferase activity. The near infrared Fourier transform (NIR‐FT) Raman, surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectral analyses of CLM, a potential antibacterial drug for the treatment of typhoid fever, were carried out along with density functional computations. The vibrational spectral analysis reveals that the CH2 asymmetric and symmetric stretching modes are shifted to higher wavenumbers than the computed values, owing to the electronic effects resulting from induction of methylene group with the adjacent electronegative atom. The lowering of CO stretching wavenumber is due to the presence of the strong electronegative atom, nitrogen, attached to the carbonyl carbon, causing large degree of molecular π‐electron delocalization and redistribution of electrons, which weakens the CO bond. The absence of a CH stretching vibration and the observed CH out‐of‐plane bending modes suggest that the CLM molecule may be adsorbed in a flat orientation with respect to the silver surface. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in sewage sludge by matrix solid‐phase dispersion and isotope dilution GC–MS
Authors: Sánchez‐Brunete Consuelo , Miguel Ester , Tadeo José L. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractA method for the determination of 14 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in sludge from wastewater treatment plants is presented. PBDEs were extracted by matrix solid‐phase dispersion assisted by sonication and determined by isotope dilution gas chromatography with electron impact mass spectrometric detection in the selected ion monitoring mode, using labelled 13C‐PBDEs as internal standards. The limits of detection and quantification for the tri‐ to hepta‐BDEs were in the range of 0.05 to 0.5 ng/g dry weight and 0.15 to 1.8 ng/g dry weight, respectively, and 1.6 ng/g dry weight and 5.6 ng/g dry weight for deca‐BDE‐209. The proposed analytical method was applied to determine PBDE levels in sewage sludge samples collected from 19 water treatment plants located in the province of Madrid (Spain). In all of the examined samples, BDE‐100 and BDE‐154 were the main compounds found with a mean concentration of 3.9 and 2.0 ng/g, respectively. PBDEs were detected in all of the samples, and their total concentrations not considering BDE‐209 were between 3.9 and 23.0 ng/g dry weight. The dominant PBDE congener in sewage sludge was BDE‐209, which constituted 38.7 to 97.3% of the total, and showed concentration levels ranging from 8.1 to 717.2 ng/g dry weight.
Impact of land use and land cover change on environmental degradation in lake Qinghai watershed, northeast Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau
Authors: Li X.‐Y. , Ma Y.‐J. , Xu H.‐Y. , Wang J.‐H. , Zhang D.‐S. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractLake Qinghai, the largest saline lake in China, covers 4234 km2 (2007) with a catchment area of 29 660 km2 on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. The ecosystem of the lake is extremely vulnerable and sensitive to global climate change and human interference. However, little information is available on land use/cover change (LUCC) in Lake Qinghai watershed. Using a geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS), this study analysed land use and land cover change pattern in Lake Qinghai watershed between 1977 and 2004 and discussed major environmental issues in this area. LUCC analysis indicated that grassland (63 per cent) and water body (18 per cent) dominated in the watershed and the magnitude of the land use and land cover change was generally low; the percentage of the change of various land types relative to the total area was less than 1 per cent. From 1977 to 2004, cropland, sandy land, bare rock, salinized land, swampland and built‐up areas increased by 0·43, 0·35, 0·24, 0·06, 0·03 and 0·03 per cent of the total area, respectively; in contrast, water body, grassland and woodland decreased by 0·99, 0·22 and 0·05 per cent, respectively. Moreover, the area of LUCC tended to expand from places around the lake to the upper reaches of the watershed during the last three decades. The LUCC transition pattern was: woodland converted to grassland, grassland converted to cropland and water body converted to sandy land. Lake level decline and grassland degradation are major ecological and environmental problems in Lake Qinghai watershed. The level and area of the lake decreased at the rate of 6·7 cm a−1 and 6·4 km2 a−1, respectively, between 1959 and 2007, resulting in sandy land expansion and water quality deterioration. Lake level decline and area shrinkage was mainly attributed to climate change, but grassland degradation was mainly resulted from anthropogenic activities (increasing population, overgrazing and policy). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On the existence of finite energy weak solutions to the Navier–Stokes equations in irregular domains
Authors: Kukučka Peter 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThis paper studies the existence of weak solutions of the Navier–Stokes system defined on a certain class of domains in ℝ3 that may contain cusps. The concept of such a domain and weak energy solution for the system is defined and its existence is proved. However, thinness of cusps must be related to the adiabatic constant appearing in the pressure law. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Chardonnay grape seed procyanidin extract supplementation prevents high‐fat diet‐induced obesity in hamsters by improving adipokine imbalance and oxidative stress markers
Authors: Décordé Kelly , Teissèdre Pierre‐Louis , Sutra Thibault , Ventura Emilie , Cristol Jean‐Paul , Rouanet Jean‐Max 
Published: November 2008

AbstractStudies reported the effects of polyphenols but not for grape polyphenols towards obesity. We analysed the effects of a polyphenolic grape seed extract (GSE) on obesity and oxidative stress in hamsters receiving a high‐fat diet (HFD). Three groups of hamsters received a standard diet (STD), or a HFD plus a daily gavage with water (Control, HFD) or a solution of GSE (HFD + GSE) for 12 wk. Plasma glucose, triglycerides (TG), insulin, leptin and adiponectin were measured. Oxidative stress was assessed by cardiac production of superoxide anion and NAD(P)H oxidase expression. After 12 wk, HFD increased abdominal fat as compared with standards. GSE avoided this feature. HFD led to higher plasma glucose, TG, insulin and greater insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) values. GSE prevented in part these effects, reducing insulinemia and leptinemia by 16.5 and 45%, respectively, whereas adiponectin level increased by 61% compared with obese controls. GSE lowered glycemia and HOMA‐IR and strongly prevented cardiac production of superoxide by 74% and NAD(P)H oxidase expression by 30%. This is the first time that chronic consumption of grape phenolics is shown to reduce obesity development and related metabolic pathways including adipokine secretion and oxidative stress.
Computing the conditioning of the components of a linear least‐squares solution
Authors: Baboulin Marc , Dongarra Jack , Gratton Serge , Langou Julien 
Published: November 2008

AbstractIn this paper, we address the accuracy of the results for the overdetermined full rank linear least‐squares problem. We recall theoretical results obtained in (SIAM J. Matrix Anal. Appl. 2007; 29(2):413–433) on conditioning of the least‐squares solution and the components of the solution when the matrix perturbations are measured in Frobenius or spectral norms. Then we define computable estimates for these condition numbers and we interpret them in terms of statistical quantities when the regression matrix and the right‐hand side are perturbed. In particular, we show that in the classical linear statistical model, the ratio of the variance of one component of the solution by the variance of the right‐hand side is exactly the condition number of this solution component when only perturbations on the right‐hand side are considered. We explain how to compute the variance–covariance matrix and the least‐squares conditioning using the libraries LAPACK (LAPACK Users' Guide (3rd edn). SIAM: Philadelphia, 1999) and ScaLAPACK (ScaLAPACK Users' Guide. SIAM: Philadelphia, 1997) and we give the corresponding computational cost. Finally we present a small historical numerical example that was used by Laplace (Théorie Analytique des Probabilités. Mme Ve Courcier, 1820; 497–530) for computing the mass of Jupiter and a physical application if the area of space geodesy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A theoretical and experimental study of the polar Diels–Alder cycloaddition of cyclopentadiene with nitrobenzodifuroxan
Authors: Steglenko Dmitry V. , Kletsky Mikhail E. , Kurbatov Sergey V. , Tatarov Artem V. , Minkin Vladimir I. , Goumont Régis , Terrier François 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe mechanism of the Diels–Alder interaction of 4‐nitrobenzodifuroxan (NBDF) with cyclopentadiene (Cp), resulting in the highly stereoselective formation of the stable endo [2+4] adduct has been elucidated by combining density functional theory (DFT) and experimental studies. Calculations at the B3LYP/6‐31G* level reveal that this adduct does not derive from a direct normal electron demand cycloaddition process. Instead, the evidence is that the interaction proceeds initially through a very polar inverse electron demand process to afford the intermediate [4+2] cycloadduct. Then, this species undergoes a complete conversion into the more stable isomeric endo [2+4] adduct via a [3+3] Claisen‐type sigmatropic shift. The lifetime of the [4+2] intermediate was sufficient to allow its full1H NMR characterization at −10 °C. Viewing the results in the general context of the Diels–Alder reactivity of nitrobenzofuroxans, a noteworthy feature is that the similar behavior of NBDF and 4‐aza‐6‐nitrobenzofuroxan (ANBF) goes along with a similar positioning of the two compounds on the general electrophilicity scale of Parret al. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Theoretical study of neighboring group participation of methyl ω‐chloroesters elimination kinetics in the gas phase
Authors: Romero Mery Lorena , Cordova Tania , Chuchani Gabriel 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe mechanisms of the homogeneous, unimolecular, gas‐phase elimination kinetics of several methyl ω‐chloroesters were examined by using the ‘ab initio’ and DFT level of theories. Theoretical calculations of dehydrochlorination of methyl 3‐chloropropionate suggest a planar concerted, non‐synchronous, four‐membered cyclic transition state to give methyl acrylate. However, the parallel competitive gas‐phase elimination of methyl 4‐chlorobutyrate and methyl 5‐chlrovalerate occurs through neighboring group participation to render methyl chloride and the corresponding lactone through a concerted, semi‐polar five‐ and six‐membered cyclic transition state type of mechanism. Calculated thermodynamic and kinetic parameters reasonably agree with the experimental values at DFT B3LYP/6‐31G* theory level. Geometrical parameters, NBO charges and bond indexes showed strong polarization at Cδ+···Clδ− bond in the transition state suggesting the breaking of CCl bond as rate‐determining factor for both dehydochlorination and lactone formation reactions. The synchronicity parameters suggest a concerted polar mechanism implying a TS which has ion‐pair character for lactone product formation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Experimental and theoretical FT‐IR and FT‐Raman spectroscopic analysis of N1‐methyl‐2‐chloroaniline
Authors: Karabacak Mehmet , Kurt Mustafa , Ataç Ahmet 
Published: November 2008

AbstractIn this work, the experimental and theoretical vibrational spectra of N1‐methyl‐2‐chloroaniline (C7H8NCl) were studied. FT‐IR and FT‐Raman spectra of the title molecule in the liquid phase were recorded in the region 4000–400 cm−1 and 3500–50 cm−1, respectively. The structural and spectroscopic data of the molecule in the ground state were calculated by using density functional method (B3LYP) with the 6‐311++G(d,p) basis set. The vibrational frequencies were calculated and scaled values were compared with experimental FT‐IR and FT‐Raman spectra. The observed and calculated frequencies are found to be in good agreement. The complete assignments were performed on the basis of the total energy distribution (TED) of the vibrational modes, calculated with scaled quantum mechanics (SQM) method. 13C and 1H NMR chemical shifts results were compared with the experimental values. The optimized geometric parameters (bond lengths and bond angles) were given and are in agreement with the corresponding experimental values of aniline and p‐methyl aniline. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genome‐wide linkage scan for prostate cancer susceptibility from the university of michigan prostate cancer genetics project: Suggestive evidence for linkage at 16q23
Authors: Lange Ethan M. , Beebe‐Dimmer Jennifer L. , Ray Anna M. , Zuhlke Kimberly A. , Ellis Jaclyn , Wang Yunfei , Walters Sarah , Cooney Kathleen A. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBACKGROUNDProstate cancer linkage studies have been used to localize rare and presumably highly penetrant cancer susceptibility genes. Underlying genetic heterogeneity, as well as the high sporadic background of the disease, has resulted in many signals that are often not reproducible between research studies.METHODSWe conducted a SNP‐based genome wide linkage scan on 131 Caucasian prostate cancer families participating in the University of Michigan Prostate Cancer Genetics Project (PCGP).RESULTSThe strongest evidence for linkage was detected at 16q23 (LOD = 2.70 at rs1079635). Prostate cancer linkage to the same region of 16q23 has been observed by others and the region contains several strong candidate genes including the known prostate cancer tumor suppressor genes ATBF1 and WWOX. This linkage signal was not detected in our prior linkage study on 175 PCGP families, illustrating the genetic heterogeneity underlying prostate cancer susceptibility.CONCLUSIONSFurther linkage studies in combination with tumor analyses from linked families are in progress to identify the putative hereditary prostate cancer gene at 16q23. Prostate 69:385–391, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.