bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antitumor activity of fludarabine against human multiple myeloma in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Meng Haitao , Yang Chunmei , Ni Wanmao , Ding Wei , Yang Xiudi , Qian Wenbin 
Published: November 2007

AbstractFludarabine, a nucleoside analogue, plays a major role in the treatment of B‐cell lymphocytic leukemia, hairy cell leukemia, and indolent lymphomas. There is a controversy about antitumor activity of fludarabine in multiple myeloma (MM). The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of fludarabine against human myeloma cells both in vivo and in vitro. We demonstrated that myeloma cell line RPMI8226 was efficiently inhibited by fludarabine, concomitantly with decreased phosphorylation of Akt, down‐regulation of the inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) family, including XIAP and survivin, and induction of apoptosis related to activation of caspase cascade. Contrary to dexamethasone, the effect of fludarabine on RPMI8226 cells was independent of interleukin‐6. Fludarabine also induced cytotoxicity in dexamethasone‐sensitive (MM.1S) and ‐resistant (MM.1R) cells at 48 h with IC50 of 13.48 μg/mL and 33.79 μg/mL, respectively. In contrast, U266 cells were resistant to fludarabine. Moreover, RPMI8226 myeloma xenograft model was established using severe combined immunodeficient mice. The tumors treated with fludarabine at 40 mg/kg increased less than 5‐fold in 25 d comparing with approximately 10‐fold in the control tumors, demonstrating the antitumor activity of fludarabine in vivo. These results suggest that fludarabine may be an important therapeutic option for MM patients who are resistant to dexamethasone.
Ultraviolet A1 phototherapy for treatment of acrosclerosis in systemic sclerosis: controlled study with half‐side comparison analysis
Authors: Durand F. , Staumont D. , Bonnevalle A. , Hachulla E. , Hatron P.‐Y. , Thomas P. 
Published: November 2007

Background: Treatments currently used in acrosclerosis for patients with systemic sclerosis (SS) are not very efficient and are associated with adverse effects. Several reports concern the efficacy of ultraviolet A1 (UVA1) phototherapy for localized scleroderma. Recent studies appear to indicate the interest of UVA1 in acrosclerosis for patients with SS. However, these studies are uncontrolled.Objective: To determine whether UVA1 phototherapy is effective for acrosclerosis in SS with a randomized, investigator‐blinded, controlled study.Methods: Nine patients with SS completed the study. The duration of disease ranged from 6 to 21 years. None of them had received glucocorticoids or immunosuppressive agents. Low‐dose UVA1 phototherapy (40 J/cm2) of the randomized hand was performed three times weekly over a period of 14 weeks. The other hand served as control. The clinical evaluation used a modified semiquantitative skin scoring system, the index flexion and extension, and a visual analog scale (VAS) was performed at baseline and after treatment.Results: The mean of skin score and VAS improved significantly (P<0.05), but this improvement does not appear to be different between the treated or the untreated hands. There was no modification of the index flexion or extension. Two patients noticeably improved the functions of the treated hand. No side effects were observed.Conclusions: These results suggest that UVA1 phototherapy does not improve cutaneous thickness in acrosclerosis even if few functional improvements, and some ulcerations healings can be occasionally observed. However, a larger scale trial is necessary to confirm this inefficiency.
Fluorescence of putative chromophores in Skh‐1 and citrate‐soluble calf skin collagens
Authors: Menter Julian M. , Abukhalaf Imad K. , Patta Abrienne M. , Silvestrov Natalia A. , Willis Isaac 
Published: November 2007

Background/purpose: Fluorescence of Skh‐1 hairless mouse and calf skin acid‐soluble type I collagens are envelopes of several bands putatively due to tyrosine (excitation/emission peak at 275/300 nm), dihydroxyphenylalanine (dopa; 280/325 nm), tyrosine aggregate (285/360 nm), dityrosine 325/400 nm), and advanced glycation end (AGE) product (370/450 nm), respectively. As these fluorophores can be markers of pathological conditions, we wish to present further evidence for or against these assignments.Methods: We analysed intact type I mouse collagens and AGE by conventional fluorescence spectroscopy, synchronous spectroscopy, high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and borate quenching.Results: The relative amount of each fluorophore depends on the collagen sample. Acid‐ or enzyme‐hydrolysis results in loss of fluorescence intensity at 350–400 nm, and enhanced emission 400–500 nm which could be reproduced by controlled dopa oxidation. Borate buffer quenches fluorescence at λ>400 nm from intact collagens, dityrosine, dopa, and oxidized dopa but does not quench tyrosine or AGE fluorescence.Conclusion: Collagen fluorescence depends on its source and previous history. The data indicate that collagen fluorescence is derived from tyrosine, dopa, interacting tyrosine residues, covalent dityrosine, and dopa oxidation product(s), but not AGE.
Narrow‐band ultraviolet therapy in early‐stage mycosis fungoides: study on 20 patients
Authors: Brazzelli V. , Antoninetti M. , Palazzini S. , Prestinari F. , Borroni G. 
Published: November 2007

Background: In recent years, narrow‐band ultraviolet B (NB‐UVB, 311–313 nm) has been found to be beneficial for early‐stages mycosis fungoides (MF). The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of NB‐UVB in 20 patients with early‐stage MF.Methods: Twenty patients (10 women and 10 men, mean age 54 ± 22 years) with clinically and histologically confirmed MF were enrolled in the study. All of the patients had clinical stage I disease (T1 or T2, N0, M0) with cutaneous involvement, consisting of patch‐stage disease of limited extent, in 50% of the cases (stage IA), and more widespread in the other 50% (stage IB). All the patients were treated with NB‐UVB therapy until more than 95% clearance of the patient's skin lesions had occurred.Results: A complete response was achieved in 90% of the cases after a mean of 29 ± 14 treatments within a mean period of 4 months (range 1–8 months), with an average cumulative dose of 25 ± 16.77 J/cm2. In the follow‐up period, relapse occurred after a mean period of 8 months (range 3–17 months), and then therapy was restarted.Conclusion: This study provides evidence that NB‐UVB might be an efficient option for stage IA and IB MF patients.
Polydeoxyribonucleotide promotes cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer repair in UVB‐exposed dermal fibroblasts
Authors: Belletti Silvana , Uggeri Jacopo , Gatti Rita , Govoni Paolo , Guizzardi Stefano 
Published: November 2007

Background: DNA is the main cellular chromophore for ultraviolet B (UVB). Its absorption leads to the generation of typical photoproducts. The most frequent types (about 80%) are cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). Several studies have suggested that treatment with deoxyribonucleosides can protect some cell types from DNA damage. The aim of this work was to evaluate the ability of the polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) to protect human dermal fibroblasts from UVB‐induced DNA damage.Methods: Human dermal fibroblasts were irradiated with 600 mJ/cm2 of UVB radiation. Cells were analyzed at increasing time points from irradiation to study the recovery from UVB‐induced DNA photodamage. Damage repair was subsequently assessed by immunocytochemical analysis of CPDs levels and by measurement of p53 protein expression.Results: The extracellular addition of 100 μg/ml PDRN immediately after irradiation caused a strong activation of p53 protein in the first 24 h. This signal was accompanied by an increase in CPDs repair rates at early time points of recovery.Conclusions: The addition of PDRN to the culture medium supports CPDs repair probably providing a faster supply of precursors for the deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates pool necessary to UVB‐damaged cells. This condition could promote the action of the salvage pathway, thereby accelerating DNA repair, but other inducible responses linked to increased p53 expression could be involved.
Institutional Conditions for IWRM: The Israeli Case
Authors: Fischhendler Itay 
Published: November 2007

AbstractMany places in the world are experiencing a water crisis. This water crisis is attributed to a governance crisis, whereas often fragmented institutional and physical water structures are used to explain a policy of overexploitation. The Israeli water system, which adopted integrated water resource management (IWRM), is often cited as a model for other countries struggling with fragmented water systems. Yet, despite the exceptional degree of integration, Israel in the past two decades has adopted an unsustainable water policy. The aim of this study is to understand this failure and thereby to postulate on the institutional conditions required for successful implementation of IWRM. The study focuses on the politics of water allocation during the drought of 1999 to 2002. It was found that the failure originates in setting administrative divisions in the decision‐making process and in differential checks, with no balances implicitly instituted within the integrated water system. These two factors have resulted in a water system that is physically integrated but is not coupled by a balanced institutional structure. This case study teaches us that when reforming the water sector along IWRM lines, measures must be taken to ensure that the physical integration coincides with a balanced institutional integration—otherwise the results may be worse than if there were no integration at all.
THE PRICE OF RISK IN THE SOUTH AFRICAN EQUITY MARKET
Authors: Samouilhan Nicholas Lawrence 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThis paper investigates domestic risk–return behaviour by focussing on the intertemporal relationship between the conditional domestic equity market premium, its conditional variance and its conditional covariance with the international equity market. The paper finds that the domestic equity market prices in both domestic and international diversification risk. The estimated daily price of domestic variance risk is 0.0279% (EAR: 7.28%) for every one unit of expected domestic variance. The estimated daily price of covariance risk is 0.0111% (EAR: 2.83%) for every unit of expected covariance risk. The representative domestic investor values domestic variance more than covariance risk. The variances of domestic and international equity returns are found to be time‐varying, as is the covariance between the two. Evidence is found that the Johannesburg Securities Exchange is not perfectly integrated with the world economy, in an absolute sense. The volatility spillover effect is observed to be both significant and positive. The standard Capital Asset Pricing Model misspecifies the return to domestic risk, biasing the risk–return coefficient upwards. Domestic investors are rewarded for holding internationally diversified portfolios, with an internationally diversified portfolio expected to have an additional daily return of 0.0238% (EAR: 6.29%) for the same level of risk as an entirely domestic equity portfolio.
INCOME INEQUALITY, RECIPROCITY AND PUBLIC GOOD PROVISION: AN EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS
Authors: Hofmeyr Andre , Burns Justine , Visser Martine 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThis paper analyses the impact of income inequality on public good provision in an experimental setting. A sample of secondary school students were recruited to participate in a simple linear public goods game where income heterogeneity was introduced by providing participants with unequal token endowments. The results show that endowment heterogeneity does not have any significant impact on contributions to the public good, and that consistent with models of reciprocity, low and high endowment players contribute the same fraction of their endowment to the public pool. Moreover, individuals appear to adjust their contributions in order to maintain a fair share rule.
ON THE RAND: DETERMINANTS OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN EXCHANGE RATE
Authors: Frankel Jeffrey 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThis paper is an econometric investigation of the determinants of the real value of the South African rand over the period 1984‐2007. The results show a relatively good fit. As always with exchange rate equations, there is substantial weight on the lagged exchange rate, which can be attributed to a momentum component. Nevertheless, economic fundamentals are significant and important. This is especially true of an index of the real prices of South African mineral commodities, which even drives out real income as a significant determinant. An implication is that the 2003‐2006 real appreciation of the rand can be attributed to the Dutch Disease. In other respects, the rand behaves like currencies of industrialised countries with well‐developed financial markets. In particular, high South African interest rates raise international demand for the rand and lead to real appreciation, controlling also for a forward‐looking measure of expected inflation and a measure of default risk or country risk.
On the Applicability of a Spoked-Wheel Wake Generator for Clocking Investigations
Authors: König Sven , Stoffel Bernd 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
A comprehensive investigation was carried out using two different experimental setups: A 1.5-stage axial turbine and a simplified model, a “spoked-wheel” setup with a rotating wake generator consisting of cylindrical bars. The second stator of the turbine was designed at MTU Aero Engines as a high-lift profile with a Reynolds number typical for low-pressure turbines in jet engines. At design conditions, the flow on the stator 2 suction side features a pronounced separation bubble. To study the behavior of the stator 2 boundary layer and the interaction mechanisms between stator and rotor wakes, different measurement techniques were used: X-wire probes, five-hole probes, static pressure tappings, and surface mounted hot-film gauges. It was found that a rotating wake generator of the spoked-wheel type is not capable of resolving the relevant clocking mechanisms that occur in a real engine. However, such a simplified setup is useful to separate some of the physical mechanisms, and in case that the interaction of the stator 1 wakes with the stator 2 boundary layer is negligible, a spoked-wheel setup is well suited to simulate the influence of periodically incoming wakes on the transition behavior of stator 2.
Comparison of Two Commercially Available Gamma Interferon Blood Tests for Immunodiagnosis of Tuberculosis
Authors: Domínguez Jose , Ruiz-Manzano Juan , De Souza-Galvão Malú , Latorre Irene , Milà Celia , Blanco Silvia , Jiménez M. Ángeles , Prat Cristina , Lacoma Alicia , Altet Neus , Ausina Vicente 
Published: November 2007

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the T-SPOT.TB and Quantiferon-TB Gold
In tube
(QFN-G-IT) tests for diagnosing
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
infection. T-SPOT.TB was more sensitive than QFN-G-IT in diagnosing both active and latent infection. Both gamma interferon tests were unaffected by prior
Mycobacterium bovis
BCG vaccination. Among children who were not BCG vaccinated but had a positive tuberculin skin test, QFN-G-IT was negative in 53.3% of cases, and T-SPOT.TB was negative in 50% of cases.
“Mid-G” Region Sequences of the Glycoprotein Gene of Austrian Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus Isolates Form Two Lineages within European Isolates and Are Distinct from American and Asian Lineages
Authors: Kolodziejek Jolanta , Schachner Oskar , Dürrwald Ralf , Latif Muna , Nowotny Norbert 
Published: November 2007

ABSTRACT
Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is one of the most important pathogens of salmonid fish. In this study a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the genetic evolution and variety of Austrian IHNV strains, as well as selected strains ensuring worldwide coverage, is presented. The phylogenetic investigation is based on sequences comprising the “mid-G” region of the G gene, and it includes all currently available IHNV sequences of the G gene with a length of at least 615 bp. Austrian IHNVs are located—together with other European IHNV isolates—in two clusters of genogroup M (M-Eur1 and M-Eur2) and are clearly separated from American and Asian lineages. The genetic clustering, however, could not be linked to certain clinical symptoms or significant differences in the mortality rates.
Emergence of Clonal Complex 17
Enterococcus faecium
in The Netherlands
Authors: Top Janetta , Willems Rob , van der Velden Saskia , Asbroek Miranda , Bonten Marc 
Published: November 2007

ABSTRACT

The global emergence of vancomycin-resistant
Enterococcus faecium
has been characterized as the clonal spread of clonal complex 17 (CC17)
E. faecium
. CC17 was defined upon multilocus sequence typing and is characterized by resistance to quinolones and ampicillin and the presence of the enterococcal surface protein (Esp) in the majority of isolates. The recently noticed increased incidence of vancomycin-susceptible CC17
E. faecium
infections in our hospital initiated a nationwide study to determine ecological changes among enterococcal infections. The data and strain collections were obtained from 26 (38%) and 9 (14%) of 66 microbiology laboratories in The Netherlands.
E. faecium
and
E. faecalis
were distinguished by multiplex PCR; all
E. faecium
isolates were genotyped by multiple-locus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA), and the presence of
esp
was identified by PCR. Average numbers of ampicillin-resistant enterococcal isolates from normally sterile body sites per hospital increased from 5 ± 1 in 1994 to 25 ± 21 in 2005. Among all enterococcal bloodstream infections, the proportions of ampicillin-resistant
E. faecium
(AREF) increased from 4% in 1994 to 20% in 2005 (
P
< 0.001). All
E. faecalis
isolates were susceptible to ampicillin, whereas 78% of the
E. faecium
isolates were resistant (49% of these contained
esp
). Genotyping revealed that 86% of AREF isolates belonged to CC17, including four dominant MLVA types found in ≥3 hospitals, accounting for 64% of the AREF isolates. Infections caused by CC17
E. faecium
has increased nationwide, especially in university hospitals due to the clonal spread of four MLVA types, and seems associated with acquisition of the
esp
gene.
Novel
Brucella
Strain (BO1) Associated with a Prosthetic Breast Implant Infection
Authors: De Barun K. , Stauffer Larry , Koylass Mark S. , Sharp Susan E. , Gee Jay E. , Helsel Leta O. , Steigerwalt Arnold G. , Vega Robert , Clark Thomas A. , Daneshvar Maryam I. , Wilkins Patricia P. , Whatmore Adrian M. 
Published: November 2007

ABSTRACT

We report the microbiological, biochemical, and molecular characterization of an unusual
Brucella
strain (BO1) isolated from a breast implant wound in a 71-year-old woman with clinical symptoms consistent with brucellosis. Initial phenotypic analysis, including biochemical and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, cellular fatty acid analysis, and molecular analysis based on DNA-DNA reassociation and the presence of multiple copies of IS
711
element suggested that the isolate was a
Brucella
-like organism, but species determination using microbiological algorithms was unsuccessful. Furthermore, molecular data based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing and multilocus sequence analysis demonstrated that BO1 was an unusual
Brucella
strain and not closely related to any currently described
Brucella
species. However, comparison with equivalent sequences in
Ochrobactrum
spp. confirms that the isolate is much more closely related to
Brucella
than to
Ochrobactrum
spp., and thus the isolate likely represents an atypical and novel strain within the genus
Brucella
.
Cervical Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection in South African Women: Implications for HPV Screening and Vaccine Strategies
Authors: Allan Bruce , Marais Dianne J. , Hoffman Margaret , Shapiro Samuel , Williamson Anna-Lise 
Published: November 2007

ABSTRACT

The prevalence of cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) in South African women (
n
= 1,073) increased from 20.4% (173/848) in women with normal cytology to 41.7% (48/115) in women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, 70.2% (40/57) in women with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, and 83% (44/53) in women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs). HPV types 16 and 35 were the dominant types in women with HSILs but not in women in the other categories.
Clonal Focusing of Epitope-Specific CD8+T Lymphocytes in Rhesus Monkeys following Vaccination and Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Challenge
Authors: Sen Pritha , Charini William A. , Subbramanian Ramu A. , Manuel Edwin R. , Kuroda Marcelo J. , Autissier Patrick A. , Letvin Norman L. 
Published: November 2007

ABSTRACTTo afford the greatest possible immune protection, candidate human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) vaccines must generate diverse and long-lasting CD8+T lymphocyte responses. In the present study, we evaluate T-cell receptor Vβ (variable region beta) gene usage and a CDR3 (complementarity-determining region 3) sequence to assess the clonality of epitope-specific CD8+T lymphocytes generated in rhesus monkeys following vaccination and simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) challenge. We found that vaccine-elicited epitope-specific CD8+T lymphocytes have a clonal diversity comparable to those cells generated in response to SHIV infection. Moreover, we show that the clonal diversity of vaccine-elicited CD8+T-lymphocyte responses is dictated by the epitope sequence and is not affected by the mode of antigen delivery to the immune system. Clonal CD8+T-lymphocyte populations persisted following boosting with different vectors, and these clonal cell populations could be detected for as long as 4 years after SHIV challenge. Finally, we show that the breadth of these epitope-specific T lymphocytes transiently focuses in response to intense SHIV replication. These observations demonstrate the importance of the initial immune response to SHIV, induced by vaccination or generated during primary infection, in determining the clonal diversity of cell-mediated immune responses and highlight the focusing of this clonal diversity in the setting of high viral loads. Circumventing this restricted CD8+T-lymphocyte clonal diversity may present a significant challenge in the development of an effective HIV vaccine strategy.