bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Tawny Owls Strix aluco with reliable food supply produce male‐biased broods
Authors: DESFOR KASI B. , BOOMSMA JACOBUS J. , SUNDE PETER 
Published: October 2006

Tawny Owls Strix aluco have been reported to skew the sex ratio of their offspring towards males when facing food shortage during the nestling period (and vice versa), because female fitness is more compromised by food shortage during development than male fitness. To test the generality of these results we used a DNA marker technique to determine the sex ratio in broods of Tawny Owls in Danish deciduous woodland during two years of ample food supply (rodent population outbreak) and two years of poor food supply. Of 268 nestlings, 59% were males (95% CI: 53–65%). This proportion was higher than previously reported for the species (49% in Northumberland, UK, and 52% in Hungary), but consistent with Fisherian sex allocation, which predicts a male bias of c. 57% based on inferred differences in energy requirements of male and female chicks. Contrary to previous results, brood sex ratios were not correlated with the resource abundance during the breeding seasons, despite considerable variation in breeding frequency, brood size or hatching date across years. Brood sex ratios were unaffected by brood reduction prior to DNA sampling, and nestling mortality rates after DNA sampling were not related to gender. The inconsistency between the sex ratio allocation patterns in our study and previous investigations suggests that adaptive sex allocation strategies differ across populations. These differences may relate to reproductive constraints in our population, where reproductive decisions seem primarily to concern whether to lay eggs at all, rather than adjust the sex ratio to differences in starvation risk of nestlings.
A comparison of root surface instrumentation using two piezoelectric ultrasonic scalers and a hand scaler in vivo
Authors: Kawashima H. , Sato S. , Kishida M. , Ito K. 
Published: October 2006

Background and Objective:  This study compared the effectiveness of two piezoelectric ultrasonic scalers and a hand scaler for subgingival scaling and root planing in vivo.Material and Methods:  Fifteen patients with advanced periodontal disease and with teeth scheduled for extraction were selected for this study. Three experimental groups of 10 teeth each were treated with one of two piezoelectric ultrasonic scalers [Vector™ scaler and Enac® scaler] or with a hand scaler. Instrumentation was continued until the root surface felt hard and smooth to an explorer tip. The root surface characteristics after instrumentation were examined using scanning electron microscopy, and the amount of remaining calculus, roughness and loss of tooth substance were estimated using the remaining calculus index and roughness loss of tooth substance index.Results:  The remaining calculus index did not differ significantly among the three groups. The roughness loss of tooth substance index was significantly lower for the Vector™ scaler and Enac® scaler groups than for the hand scaler group and also differed significantly between the Vector™ scaler and Enac® scaler groups.Conclusion:  This study suggests that the Vector™ scaler produces a smooth root surface with minimal loss of tooth substance. It is a reasonable choice for gentle periodontal maintenance treatment.
Diving behaviour of Cuvier’s (Ziphius cavirostris) and Blainville’s (Mesoplodon densirostris) beaked whales in Hawai‘i
Authors: Baird Robin W. , Webster Daniel L. , McSweeney Daniel J. , Ligon Allan D. , Schorr Gregory S. , Barlow Jay 
Published: October 2006

Beaked whales (family Ziphiidae) are thought to be among the longest and deepest diving mammals, and some species appear to be prone to mass-strand in response to high-intensity sonar. We studied diving behaviour of Cuvier’s ( Ziphius cavirostris G. Cuvier, 1823) and Blainville’s ( Mesoplodon densirostris (Blainville, 1817)) beaked whales in Hawaiian waters using suction-cup-attached time–depth recorders. Six whales, two Cuvier’s and four Blainville’s, were tagged and 41 h of dive data were collected. While Cuvier’s beaked whales were found in significantly deeper water depths (median depth = 2079 m) than Blainville’s beaked whales (median depth = 922 m), several aspects of diving were similar between the two species: (i) both regularly dove for 48–68 min to depths greater than 800 m (maximum 1408 m for Blainville’s and 1450 m for Cuvier’s); (ii) ascent rates for long/deep dives were substantially slower than descent rates, while for shorter dives there were no consistent differences; and (iii) both spent prolonged periods of time (66–155 min) in the upper 50 m of the water column. Based on time intervals between dives for the Cuvier’s beaked whales, such long dives were likely aerobic, but both species appeared to prepare for long dives by spending extended periods of time near the surface.
Habitat use and behaviour of Greater Snow Geese during movements from nesting to brood-rearing areas
Authors: Mainguy J. , Gauthier G. , Giroux J.-F. , Duclos I. 
Published: October 2006

Many precocial birds make long-distance movements with their young after hatch to reach the best foraging sites. On Bylot Island, Nunavut, a large number of Greater Snow Goose ( Chen caerulescens atlantica L., 1758) families move 30 km from the main nesting colony (MNC) to reach the main brood-rearing area (MBR) soon after hatch. Geese moving from the MNC to the MBR generally rear lighter and smaller goslings than geese that avoid this movement by both nesting and rearing their brood at the MBR. In this study, we tested the hypotheses that use of low-quality habitats and an increase in the time spent walking at the expense of foraging during movements could explain the reduced growth of goslings in those families. We conducted visual observations to compare habitat use and selection as well as behaviour of geese during brood movements from the MNC to the MBR (i.e., at a transit area) with those of families that had already settled at the MBR. We also conducted aerial tracking to monitor habitat use of 16 radio-marked females during and after brood movements. Streams, wet polygons, and lakes, considered high-quality habitats in terms of feeding opportunities and predator refuges, were preferred, while upland, a low-quality habitat, was avoided at both the transit area and the MBR. However, broods were found in the upland habitat more often during movements than once settled on a rearing site. The behaviour of unmarked geese at the transit site did not differ from that of geese at the MBR. We suggest that reduced food intake in low-quality habitats during movements, but not the increase in time spent walking, may explain the reduction in growth observed at fledging in goslings moving from the MNC to the MBR.
The Potential of BORIS Detected in the Leukocytes of Breast Cancer Patients as an Early Marker of Tumorigenesis
Authors: D'Arcy Vivien , Abdullaev Ziedulla K. , Pore Naresh , Docquier France , Torrano Verónica , Chernukhin Igor , Smart Melissa , Farrar Dawn , Metodiev Metodi , Fernandez Nelson , Richard Carlos , Delgado M. Dolores , Lobanenkov Victor , Klenova Elena 
Published: October 2006

AbstractPurpose: Brother of the regulator of imprinted sites (BORIS) is a novel member of the cancer-testis antigen gene family. These genes are normally expressed only in spermatocytes but abnormally activated in different malignancies, including breast cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of BORIS in the leukocytes of breast cancer patients and the correlation between BORIS levels and clinical/pathologic variables.Experimental Design: Leukocytes were obtained from whole blood of 87 breast cancer patients and 52 donors not diagnosed with cancer. BORIS protein was detected in leukocytes by immunohistochemical staining; the immunoreactivity score (IRS) of each sample was determined. Additionally, BORIS expression was assessed by Western blot analysis and real-time reverse transcription-PCR.Results: We describe significantly high levels of BORIS (IRS = 4.25 ± 0.034) in a subpopulation of leukocytes, the neutrophil polymorphonuclear granulocytes, in 88.5% of breast cancer patients. Increased IRS for BORIS in these patients correlated with increased tumor size. In comparison, 19.2% samples from the control group were BORIS positive with only very low levels of BORIS (IRS = 0.25 ± 0.009).Conclusion: We report here the novel finding of BORIS expression in polymorphonuclear granulocytes of breast cancer patients. This tumor-related occurrence is a phenomenon not observed in donors with injuries and immune and inflammatory diseases. Detection of BORIS in a high proportion of patients with various types of breast tumors indicates that BORIS can be a valuable early blood marker of breast cancer. We conclude that BORIS represents a new class of cancer biomarkers different from those currently used in medical practice.
The Novel p21 Polymorphism p21G251A Is Associated with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer
Authors: Staalesen Vidar , Knappskog Stian , Chrisanthar Ranjan , Nordgard Silje H. , Løkkevik Erik , Anker Gun , Østenstad Bjørn , Lundgren Steinar , Risberg Terje , Mjaaland Ingvil , Gram Inger Torhild , Kristensen Vessela N. , Børresen-Dale Anne-Lise , Lillehaug Johan Richard , Lønning Per Eystein 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
Purpose: p21 is a main effector of growth arrest induced by p53. In addition, a second transcript from the same gene (p21B) has been linked to apoptosis. We previously analyzed p21 status in breast cancer and reported two novel polymorphisms of the p21 gene. In the present study, we present a larger study designed to explore a possible association between these novel polymorphisms and breast cancer.
Experimental Design: The p21/p21B polymorphisms were analyzed in 507 breast cancer patients and 1,017 healthy individuals using cDNA or genomic DNA from tumor and/or blood samples.
Results: We detected five polymorphisms of the p21 gene. Three of these polymorphisms are earlier reported by others, whereas two were reported for the first time in a recent study by us. The presence of the A allele of the p21G251A polymorphism was observed more frequently among patients with primary stage III breast cancer (4.5%) compared with stage I and II tumors (1.5%) and healthy female controls (1.4%; P = 0.007, comparing the three groups; P = 0.0049 and P = 0.0057, comparing locally advanced to stage I/II and healthy controls, or to healthy controls alone, respectively). The allele frequencies of the remaining four polymorphisms were evenly distributed among patients and healthy individuals.
Discussion: The finding of an association between locally advanced breast cancer and one particular polymorphism of the p21 gene suggests this polymorphism to be related to tumor behavior, including enhanced growth rate. If confirmed in other studies, this may add significant information to our understanding of the biology as well as of the clinical behaviour of locally advanced breast cancers.
Functional Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 Gene Variants and Breast Cancer Survival
Authors: Zhang Xianglan , Shu Xiao-Ou , Cai Qiuyin , Ruan ZhiXian , Gao Yu-Tang , Zheng Wei 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
Purpose: Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) plays an important role in cancer invasion and metastasis. A common polymorphism (4G/5G) in the promoter region of the PAI-1 gene has been reported to influence transcription and plasma levels of PAI-1. We evaluated the association between PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism and breast cancer survival in a population-based cohort of breast cancer patients.
Experimental Design: Included in this analysis were 1,083 Chinese women diagnosed with stage 0 to III primary breast cancer at age 25 to 64 years who were recruited between 1996 and 1998 for the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study and followed for a median of 5.2 years. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox model were used to evaluate the genotype and survival association.
Results: After adjustment for known prognostic factors for breast cancer, patients homozygous for the 4G allele had significantly poorer disease-free survival [hazard ratio (HR), 1.7; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.1-2.4] and overall survival (HR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-2.3) than those homozygous for the 5G allele. The association was more evident in patients with advanced disease. The HRs (95% CI) were 3.5 (1.4-9.0) for disease-free survival and 3.1 (1.1-8.3) for overall survival in stage III patients.
Conclusions: The PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism may be a prognostic marker for young and middle-aged Chinese breast cancer patients.
Effect of Simultaneous Inhibition of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor and Cyclooxygenase-2 in HER-2/Neu-Positive Breast Cancer
Authors: Lanza-Jacoby Susan , Burd Randy , Rosato Francis E. , McGuire Kandace , Little James , Nougbilly Noel , Miller Sheldon 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
Purpose: HER-2/erbB2/neu is overexpressed in 25% to 30% of all invasive breast cancers and is associated with an aggressive course and reduced survival. HER-2/erbB2/neu breast tumors are frequently associated with up-regulation of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway, which promote enhanced cell growth and resistance to apoptosis. This study investigated whether simultaneously blocking both EGFR and COX-2 pathways with ZD1839 and celecoxib, respectively, would be more effective in inhibiting cell growth and inducing apoptosis than either agent alone.
Experimental Design: The effects of ZD1839, celecoxib, and their combination on cell survival, cell cycle progression, and apoptosis were determined in NMF11.2 mouse mammary tumor cells. We also investigated the potential downstream EGFR-activated pathways that are altered by simultaneous inhibition of COX-2 and EGFR.
Results: Celecoxib alone and ZD1839 alone produced a concentration- and time-dependent inhibition of cell survival. Both agents combined produced supra-additive inhibitory effects on cell survival and apoptosis compared with either agent alone. This effect was associated with increased cleaved poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase and reduced protein expression of bcl-2. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 was partially blocked by ZD1839 and celecoxib alone and was completely blocked by the combination of both agents. The enhanced proapoptotic effects of the combined agents were also associated with decreased phosphorylation of Akt and increased phosphorylation of p38.
Conclusions: These findings show that both COX-2 and EGFR are important targets for inhibiting survival and inducing apoptosis in breast cancer. The data suggest a potential cross-talk between COX-2 and EGFR signaling in breast cancer cells overexpressing HER-2/erbB2/neu.
Reverse Transcription-PCR for t(11;18)(q21;q21) Staging and Monitoring in Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma
Authors: Streubel Berthold , Huber Daniela , Wöhrer Stefan , Chott Andreas , Raderer Markus 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
Purpose: Subclinical dissemination as well as persistence after therapy may be difficult to assess on clinical and histologic examinations in patients with mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. We have analyzed the use of reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) for the detection of t(11;18)(q21;q21) in histologically infiltrated and normal biopsies at diagnosis and during follow-up to determine its clinical and prognostic effect.
Experimental Design: Twenty-one patients with t(11;18)(q21;q21)+ MALT lymphoma were included in this retrospective study. Presence of t(11;18)(q21;q21) was determined by RT-PCR done on 316 biopsies of various tissues obtained during staging and follow-up.
Results: Infiltration with lymphoma was histologically detected in 67 of 316 biopsies, whereas molecular infiltration was established in 104 of 316 biopsies. All histologically positive specimens were also positive in RT-PCR. There was a good concordance (P = 0.0001) between histology and RT-PCR at the time of disease presentation with only one further infiltration site identified by RT-PCR. In 8 of 12 patients with persistent lymphoma, RT-PCR revealed tumor infiltration in histologically unsuspected sites. Eight of nine treated patients with histologic and clinical complete remission (CR) remained RT-PCR positive. CR on RT-PCR was achieved later than histologic CR (between 13-59 months) without any further therapy in five of these eight patients; only one patient with persistent t(11;18)(q21;q21) relapsed histologically.
Conclusions: This study shows the potential of RT-PCR for t(11;18)(q21;q21) done on routine paraffin-embedded specimens to identify disseminated disease in tissues otherwise not diagnostic of MALT lymphoma involvement. T(11;18)(q21;q21) persistence in patients with clinical and histologic CR does not necessarily require therapeutic intervention.
Carcinoembryonic Antigen Messenger RNA Expression in Blood Predicts Recurrence in Esophageal Cancer
Authors: Setoyama Tetsuro , Natsugoe Shoji , Okumura Hiroshi , Matsumoto Masataka , Uchikado Yasuto , Ishigami Sumiya , Owaki Tetsuhiro , Takao Sonshin , Aikou Takashi 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
Purpose: The clinical significance of isolated tumor cells (ITC) in blood has not been clearly established, particularly during follow-up in cancer patients. We conducted a longitudinal analysis of the relationship between ITC in blood during follow-up and clinicopathologic findings in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Experimental Design: Blood samples obtained from 106 patients were examined by real-time RT-PCR assay targeting carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) mRNA. Follow-up examination every 3 months after surgery included testing for CEA mRNA and tumor markers, as well as imaging.
Results: Thirty-nine (36.8%) patients were positive for CEA mRNA expression. CEA mRNA positivity significantly correlated with tumor depth, lymph node metastasis, stage, and venous invasion. Recurrent disease was found in 34 of 106 (32.1%) cases. CEA mRNA was found in 28 (76.5%) patients experiencing relapse. Of these 28 patients, the number positive of CEA mRNA before detection by imaging, at the same time of detection by imaging, and after detection by imaging was 18 (52.9%), 8 (23.5%), and 2 (5.9%), respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for CEA mRNA were higher than those for serum CEA or squamous cell carcinoma. Patients positive for CEA mRNA experienced significantly shorter disease-free interval than those with negative CEA mRNA (P &lt; 0.001). According to multivariate analysis, CEA mRNA positivity was an independent factor for disease-free interval.
Conclusions: Examination of CEA mRNA in peripheral blood during follow-up is useful for early detection of occult recurrence. We believe that CEA mRNA in blood will be a new marker for recurrence in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Targeting Factors Involved in Bone Remodeling as Treatment Strategies in Prostate Cancer Bone Metastasis
Authors: Vessella Robert L. , Corey Eva 
Published: October 2006

Abstract
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men within the western world and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Even if the cancer is considered localized to the prostate, there is a 15% to 20% incidence of subsequent metastatic disease. Prostate cancer has a very high proclivity for metastasizing to bone, with ∼90% of men with advanced disease having skeletal lesions. The prostate cancer metastases are characteristically osteoblastic, with extensive new bone deposition, unlike other tumors that metastasize to bone and cause an osteolytic response reflective of bone degradation. There are a considerable number of studies relating to inhibition of the osteoblastic response, including interference with endothelin-1, bone morphogenetic proteins, and Wnt signaling pathways. Within the past few years, several studies showed that increased osteolytic activity also occurs in the background of the prostate cancer skeletal metastases. Because growth factors are being released from the bone matrix during degradation, it suggests that inhibition of osteolysis might be effective in slowing tumor growth. Several strategies are being developed and applied to affect directly the osteolytic events, including use of bisphosphonates and targeting the critical biological regulators of osteoclastogenesis, receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand. This review focuses on several of the clinical and preclinical strategies to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in bone and to alleviate the multitude of associated skeletal-related events.
Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Bisphosphonates: Current Status
Authors: Roelofs Anke J. , Thompson Keith , Gordon Sharon , Rogers Michael J. 
Published: October 2006

AbstractPurpose: Bisphosphonates are currently the most important class of antiresorptive agents used in the treatment of metabolic bone diseases, including tumor-associated osteolysis and hypercalcemia. These compounds have high affinity for calcium ions and therefore target bone mineral, where they are internalized by bone-resorbing osteoclasts and inhibit osteoclast function.Experimental Design: This article reviews the pharmacology of bisphosphonates and the relationship between chemical structure and antiresorptive potency. We also describe new insights into their intracellular molecular mechanisms of action, methods for assessing the effects of bisphosphonates on protein prenylation, and their potential as direct antitumor agents.Results: Nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates act intracellularly by inhibiting farnesyl diphosphate synthase, an enzyme of the mevalonate pathway, thereby preventing prenylation of small GTPase signaling proteins required for normal cellular function. Inhibition of farnesyl diphosphate synthase also seems to account for their antitumor effects observed in vitro and for the activation of γ,δ T cells, a feature of the acute-phase response to bisphosphonate treatment in humans. Bisphosphonates that lack a nitrogen in the chemical structure do not inhibit protein prenylation and have a different mode of action that seems to involve primarily the formation of cytotoxic metabolites in osteoclasts.Conclusions: Bisphosphonates are highly effective inhibitors of bone resorption that selectively affect osteoclasts in vivo but could also have direct effects on other cell types, such as tumor cells. After &gt;30 years of clinical use, their molecular mechanisms of action on osteoclasts are finally becoming clear but their exact antitumor properties remain to be clarified.