bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Malignant melanoma in pregnancy
Authors: O'Meara Anne T. , Cress Rosemary , Xing Guibo , Danielsen Beate , Smith Lloyd H. 
Published: February 2005

AbstractBACKGROUNDFor many years, there has been controversy in the medical community regarding the correlation of female hormonal factors with the outcome of women with malignant melanoma. There have been multiple reports that women with high hormone states, such as pregnancy, had thicker tumors and/or a worse prognosis compared with a group of control women.METHODSThe authors used a database that contained maternal and neonatal discharge records from the entire state of California from 1991 to 1999 and linked those records to the California Cancer Registry, which maintains legally mandated records of all cancers reported in California during the same time period. Four hundred twelve women with malignant melanoma diagnosed during or within 1 year after pregnancy were identified (145 antepartum, 4 at delivery, and 263 postpartum) and were compared with a group of age‐matched, nonpregnant women with melanoma (controls). The database captured only pregnancies at ≥ 20 weeks of gestation.RESULTSWhen comparing women who had pregnancy‐associated melanoma with the control group, the authors found no difference in the distribution of disease stage (82.0% of pregnant and postpartum women had localized melanoma vs. 81.9% of control women) or the tumor thickness (mean: 0.77 mm for pregnant women, 0.90 mm for postpartum women, and 0.81 mm for the control group). In a multiple regression model that controlled for age, race, stage, and tumor thickness, pregnancy had no impact on survival in women with melanoma. Lymph node assessment and positivity of lymph nodes also were equivalent between the two groups. Maternal and neonatal outcomes did not differ between pregnant women with melanoma and control women who were pregnant and had no history of malignancy. Small numbers of women with advanced melanoma and the inability to capture melanoma that occurred in pregnancies that were lost or were terminated prior to 20 weeks limited the conclusions primarily to women with localized melanoma.CONCLUSIONSIn this large, population‐based study of pregnant women in California from 1991 to 1999 with malignant melanoma, there were no data found to support a more advanced stage, thicker tumors, increased metastases to lymph nodes, or a worsened survival. The outcome for women with localized melanoma associated with pregnancy was excellent. Maternal and neonatal outcomes also were equivalent to those of pregnant women without melanoma. Cancer 2005. © 2005 American Cancer Society.
Making tubes in the Drosophila embryo
Authors: Myat Monn Monn 
Published: February 2005

AbstractEpithelial and endothelial tubes come in various shapes and sizes and form the basic units of many tubular organs. During embryonic development, single unbranched tubes as well as highly branched networks of tubes form from simple sheets of cells by several morphogenic movements. Studies of tube formation in the Drosophila embryo have greatly advanced our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which tubes are formed. This review highlights recent progress on formation of the hindgut, Malpighian tubules, proventriculus, salivary gland, and trachea of the Drosophila embryo, focusing on the cellular events that form each tube and their genetic requirements. Developmental Dynamics 232:617–632, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Distal‐less functions in subdividing the Drosophila thoracic limb primordium
Authors: Bolinger Reese A. , Boekhoff‐Falk Grace 
Published: February 2005

AbstractThe thoracic limb primordium of Drosophila melanogaster is a useful experimental model in which to study how unique tissue types are specified from multipotent founder cell populations. The second thoracic segment limb primordium gives rise to three structures: the wing imaginal disc, the leg imaginal disc, and a larval mechanosensory structure called Keilin's organ. We report that most of the limb primordium arises within neurogenic ectoderm and demonstrate that the neural and imaginal components of the primordium have distinct developmental potentials. We also provide the first analysis of the genetic pathways that subdivide the progenitor cell population into uniquely imaginal and neural identities. In particular, we demonstrate that the imaginal gene escargot represses Keilin's organ fate and that Keilin's organ is specified by Distal‐less in conjunction with the downstream achaete‐scute complex. This specification involves both the activation of the neural genes cut and couch potato and the repression of escargot. In the absence of achaete‐scute complex function, cells adopt mixed identities and subsequently die. We propose that central cells of the primordium previously thought to contribute to the distal leg are Keilin's organ precursors, while both proximal and distal leg precursors are located more peripherally and within the escargot domain. Developmental Dynamics 232:801‐816, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
dAkt kinase controls follicle cell size during Drosophila oogenesis
Authors: Cavaliere Valeria , Donati Alessandra , Hsouna Anita , Hsu Tien , Gargiulo Giuseppe 
Published: February 2005

AbstractThe Drosophila Akt (dAkt) serine/threonine kinase is a component of the insulin receptor/PI3K signaling pathway that regulates cell growth. Here, we show that this kinase is expressed during Drosophila oogenesis and is required for egg chamber development. Loss of dAkt function in follicle cells causes a cell‐autonomous reduction of cell size while expression of the constitutively active myristylated form of this kinase (dAktmyr) causes increased cell size. Accordingly, expression of the antagonist dPTEN in the same follicular domains causes reduced follicle cell size. Perturbations of dAkt function do not affect follicle cell proliferation or cell death. Of interest, expression of dAktmyr in the posterior domain of the follicular epithelium causes a delay in the posterior movement of follicular epithelium and dumpless‐like egg chambers. It appears that dAkt is required for maintaining the continuity of cell size within the follicular epithelium, which in turn is necessary for its proper morphogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 232:845–854, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Compartmentalized morphogenesis in epithelia: From cell to tissue shape
Authors: Pilot Fanny , Lecuit Thomas 
Published: February 2005

AbstractDuring development, embryonic tissues are shaped in a species‐specific manner. Yet, across species, general classes of tissue remodeling events occur, such as tissue infolding and tissue elongation. The spatiotemporal control of these morphogenetic processes is responsible for the organization of different body plans, as well as for organogenesis. Cell morphogenesis in a mesenchyme contributes to the shaping of embryonic tissues. Epithelial cells, despite that they need to maintain an apicobasal organization, play an equally important role during morphogenesis. Moving from apical to basal, we review compartmentalized cellular rearrangements underlying tissue remodeling in Drosophila and compare them with those found in other organisms. Contractile activity at the apical surface triggers tissue folding and invagination. The regulation of adhesion at adherens junctions controls polarized neighbor exchange during intercalation and tissue elongation. Basolateral protrusive activity underlies other cases of intercalation. These localized cell shape changes are spatially regulated by developmental signals. Some signals define a local change in cell behavior (e.g., apical constriction), others orient a dynamic process in the plane of the tissue (e.g., junction remodeling). Developmental Dynamics 232:685–694, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Novel spatiotemporal patterns of epithelial tumor invasion in Drosophila discs large egg chambers
Authors: Goode Scott , Wei Jun , Kishore Sirish 
Published: February 2005

AbstractLoss of Discslarge (Dlg) in early Drosophila egg chambers causes invasion of tumor follicle cells from the anterior epithelium, a pattern that resembles developmental border cell migration during mid‐oogenesis. Here, we have analyzed novel spatial and temporal patterns of dlg invasion. Even though Dlg is ubiquitously expressed in all follicle cells, invasions are biased at the anterior and posterior termini. The patterns of invasion correlate with both a higher rate of follicle cell proliferation and with a greater frequency of loss of epithelial polarity at the termini compared with central regions of the egg chamber. Nonetheless, the average number of cells that invade per invasion event from terminal vs. central regions is approximately equal. Of interest, patterns of dlg invasion appear to coincide with boundaries established by proto‐oncogene signals responsible for anterior–posterior patterning. The Drosophila egg chamber may thus be a useful model for exploring how epithelial tumor invasion might be a neomorphogenetic process organized by signals essential for developmental pattern formation. Developmental Dynamics 232:855–864, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Activated RIC, a small GTPase, genetically interacts with the Ras pathway and calmodulin during Drosophila development
Authors: Harrison Susan M.W. , Rudolph Jennifer L. , Spencer Michael L. , Wes Paul D. , Montell Craig , Andres Douglas A. , Harrison Douglas A. 
Published: February 2005

AbstractThe mammalian Rit and Rin proteins, along with the Drosophila homologue RIC, comprise a distinct and evolutionarily conserved subfamily of Ras‐related small GTP‐binding proteins. Unlike other Ras superfamily members, these proteins lack a signal for prenylation, contain a conserved but distinct effector domain, and, in the case of Rin and RIC, contain calmodulin‐binding domains. To address the physiological role of this Ras subfamily in vivo, activated forms of the Drosophila Ric gene were introduced into flies. Expression of activated RIC proteins altered the development of well‐characterized adult structures, including wing veins and photoreceptors of the compound eye. The effects of activated RIC could be mitigated by a reduction in dosage of several genes in the Drosophila Ras cascade, including Son of sevenless (Sos), Dsor (MEK), rolled (MAPK), and Ras itself. On the other hand, reduction of calmodulin exacerbated the defects caused by activated RIC, thus providing the first functional evidence for interaction of these molecules. We conclude that the activation of the Ras cascade may be an important in vivo requisite to the transduction of signals through RIC and that the binding of calmodulin to RIC may negatively regulate this small GTPase. Developmental Dynamics 232:817–826, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Estimation of individual admixture: Analytical and study design considerations
Authors: Tang Hua , Peng Jie , Wang Pei , Risch Neil J. 
Published: February 2005

AbstractThe genome of an admixed individual represents a mixture of alleles from different ancestries. In the United States, the two largest minority groups, African‐Americans and Hispanics, are both admixed. An understanding of the admixture proportion at an individual level (individual admixture, or IA) is valuable for both population geneticists and epidemiologists who conduct case‐control association studies in these groups. Here we present an extension of a previously described frequentist (maximum likelihood or ML) approach to estimate individual admixture that allows for uncertainty in ancestral allele frequencies. We compare this approach both to prior partial likelihood based methods as well as more recently described Bayesian MCMC methods. Our full ML method demonstrates increased robustness when compared to an existing partial ML approach. Simulations also suggest that this frequentist estimator achieves similar efficiency, measured by the mean squared error criterion, as Bayesian methods but requires just a fraction of the computational time to produce point estimates, allowing for extensive analysis (e.g., simulations) not possible by Bayesian methods. Our simulation results demonstrate that inclusion of ancestral populations or their surrogates in the analysis is required by any method of IA estimation to obtain reasonable results. Genet. Epidemiol. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cytochrome P450 gene polymorphisms and risk of low birth weight
Authors: Chen Dafang , Hu Yonghua , Yang Fan , Li Zhiping , Wu Baiyan , Fang Zhian , Li Jianping , Wang Lihua 
Published: February 2005

AbstractThis study investigated the association between polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 genes (CYP1A1MspI, CYP1A1HincII, and CYP2E1) and low birth weight. Between July 1999 and June 2002, we conducted a study using infant‐parents triads in Anqing, China. The analyses included the families of 248 normal birth weight, full‐term infants, and 248 low‐birth‐weight infants. Genotyping was performed for the polymorphisms of cytochrome P450 genes using standard techniques. We used log‐linear modeling to analyze the association of CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 gene polymorphisms with the risk of low birth weight. In the analysis of children's genotypes, the relative risk was 1.92 (95% confidence interval: 1.05, 3.52, p=0.034) for CYP1A1MspI C/C6235 compared with CYP1A1 MspI T/T6235. In the analysis of mothers' genotypes, an association was also seen for maternal CYP1A1MspI C/C6235 compared with CYP1A1MspI T/T6235 (relative risk: 1.68, 95% confidence interval: 1.06, 2.68, p=0.029). We did not observe a joint effect between mother's and children's genotypes. Analysis of control triads suggests Mendelian transmissions of the variant alleles of CYP1A1MspI, CYP1A1HincII, and CYP2E1. In conclusion, both infant and maternal CYP1A1MspI C/C6235 genotypes were associated with increased risk of low birth weight in our study population. This suggests a possible role for human cytochrome P450 variability in the etiology of low birth weight. Genet. Epidemiol. 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Increasing socio‐economic inequalities in life expectancy and QALYs in Sweden 1980–1997
Authors: Burström Kristina , Johannesson Magnus , Diderichsen Finn 
Published: February 2005

AbstractThe aim of this study was to estimate the change in socio‐economic differences in life expectancy and in quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs), for men and women at different ages, in Sweden 1980 to 1997. We used data from the Swedish Survey of Living Conditions (the ULF survey), which is linked to mortality data, to estimate the life expectancy in different socio‐economic groups in 1980 and 1997 (n=100 868). Health state scores were obtained by mapping responses to selected ULF survey interview questions into the generic health‐related quality of life measure EQ‐5D, using the UK EQ‐5D index tariff (n=34 447). For 20‐year‐old men the difference in life expectancy between the highest (higher non‐manual) and the lowest socio‐economic group (unskilled manual) was 2.11 years in 1980 and 3.79 years in 1997. The corresponding figures for 20‐year‐old women were 1.56 in 1980 and 2.15 in 1997. The difference in QALYs between the highest and the lowest socio‐economic group increased from 5.76 QALYs in 1980 to 7.06 QALYs in 1997 for 20‐year‐old men, and from 4.14 QALYs in 1980 to 5.66 QALYs in 1997 for 20‐year‐old women. The widening socio‐economic inequalities over time were more stable for men than for women. We conclude that our results suggest that the socio‐economic inequality in health has increased between 1980 and 1997 in Sweden. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Optimal mixing to improve the performance of batch and continuous fermentations with recombinant Escherichia coli
Authors: Ganduri Venkata SRK , Ghosh Sanjoy , Patnaik Pratap R 
Published: February 2005

AbstractFermentations with genetically altered bacteria tend to lose plasmids as the fermentation progresses. Methods such as two‐stage cultivation, cell recycle and the addition of antibiotics are commonly used to enhance plasmid stability. Here we examine a different method, the regulation of mixing in the bioreactor. In particular, large bioreactors are considered where uniform mixing is difficult to achieve and the probability of plasmid loss varies with the specific growth rate. For both batch and continuous cultivations of Escherichia coli C600 gal K containing the plasmid pBR Eco gap, it is seen through a model that both modes of operation exhibit high plasmid stability and cell growth when the broth is incompletely mixed, and mixing near and away from the point of inoculation are unequal. Thus, the natural incomplete mixing in large bioreactors may be utilized to improve plasmid stability. A practical method to implement this idea is suggested. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
Cytokine production by dendritic cells genetically engineered to express IL‐4: induction of Th2 responses and differential regulation of IL‐12 and IL‐23 synthesis
Authors: Morita Yoshitaka , Gupta Raj , Seidl Kelly M. , McDonagh Kevin T. , Fox David A. 
Published: February 2005

AbstractDendritic cells (DCs) retrovirally transduced with IL‐4 have recently been shown to inhibit murine collagen‐induced arthritis and associated Th1 immune responses in vivo, but the mechanisms that underly these effects are not yet understood. In this report we demonstrate that IL‐4‐transduced DCs loaded with antigen led to lower T cell production of IFN‐γ, increased production of IL‐4, and an attenuated, delayed type hypersensitivity response. We hypothesized that the ability of such DCs to regulate the Th1 immune response in vivo depends in part on their capacity to produce IL‐12 and IL‐23. Quantitative mRNA analysis revealed that IL‐4‐transduced DCs stimulated with CD40 ligand expressed higher levels of IL‐12p35 mRNA, but lower levels of mRNA for IL‐23p19 and the common subunit p40 found in both IL‐12 and IL‐23, compared with control DCs. These results, which indicate that expression of the IL‐12 and IL‐23 subunits is differentially regulated in IL‐4‐transduced DCs, were confirmed by ELISA of the IL‐12 and IL‐23 heterodimers. Thus, therapeutic suppression of Th1 ‐mediated autoimmunity (as recently shown in murine collagen‐induced arthritis) and induction of Th2 responses in vivo by IL‐4‐transduced DCs occurs despite their potential to produce increased levels of IL‐12, but could reflect, in part, decreased production of IL‐23. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Biocompatible polymer enhances the in vitro and in vivo transfection efficiency of HVJ envelope vector
Authors: Mima Hidetoshi , Tomoshige Ryuji , Kanamori Toshihide , Tabata Yasuhiko , Yamamoto Seiji , Ito Susumu , Tamai Katsuto , Kaneda Yasufumi 
Published: February 2005

AbstractBackgroundVector development is critical for the advancement of human gene therapy. However, the use of viral vectors raises many safety concerns and most non‐viral methods are less efficient for gene transfer. One of the breakthroughs in vector technology is the combination of the vector with various polymers.MethodsHVJ (hemagglutinating virus of Japan) envelope vector (HVJ‐E) has been developed as a versatile gene transfer vector. In this study, we combined HVJ‐E with cationized gelatin to make it a more powerful tool and assessed its transfection efficiency in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we investigated the mechanism of the gene transfer by means of the inhibition of fusion or endocytosis.ResultsThe combination of both protamine sulfate and cationized gelatin with HVJ‐E, referred to as PS‐CG‐HVJ‐E, further enhanced the in vitro transfection efficiency. In CT26 cells, the luciferase gene expression of PS‐CG‐HVJ‐E was approximately 10 times higher than that of the combination of protamine sulfate with HVJ‐E or the combination of cationized gelatin with HVJ‐E, referred to as PS‐HVJ‐E or CG‐HVJ‐E, respectively. Furthermore, the luciferase gene expression in liver mediated by intravenous administration of CG‐HVJ‐E was much higher than the luciferase gene expression mediated by PS‐HVJ‐E or PS‐CG‐HVJ‐E and approximately 100 times higher than that mediated by HVJ‐E alone.ConclusionsCationized gelatin‐conjugated HVJ‐E enhanced gene transfection efficiency both in vitro and in vivo. These results suggest that low molecular weight cationized gelatin may be appropriate for complex formation with various envelope viruses, such as retrovirus, herpes virus and HIV. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Targeted biomarker detection via whole protein ion trap tandem mass spectrometry: thymosin β4 in a human lung cancer cell line
Authors: Yan Fang , He Min , Hogan Jason M. , Rossie Sandra S. , McLuckey Scott A. 
Published: February 2005

AbstractN‐Terminally acetylated thymosin β4, a species implicated for use as a cancer biomarker, was identified in a human lung cancer cell line using ion trap tandem mass spectrometry at the whole protein level. Ion–ion proton transfer reactions were used for parent ion concentration/manipulation and to simplify interpretation of product ion spectra. Dissociation data for the +6 to +3 charge states are reported. As is usually the case, structural information available from the ion trap collisional activation of the protein is sensitive to parent ion charge state. Each parent ion charge state selected, however, provided sufficient information to make a confident identification. Furthermore, each charge state provided relatively rich fragmentation. Therefore, any of the charge states can be used to detect with high specificity thymosin β4 in a complex protein mixture. There are advantages associated with the rapid detection of protein biomarkers at the whole protein level, as opposed to the peptide level following protein digestion, particularly for relatively small protein and polypeptide biomarkers. Having identified and characterized the protein, product ion spectra obtained directly, without recourse to ion–ion proton transfer reactions, can be used for library matching. However, ion–ion proton transfer reactions for parent ion concentration and charge state purification are advantageous in addressing relatively complex mixtures. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development and validation of a liquid chromatographic/electrospray ionization mass spectrometric method for the quantitation of prazepam and its main metabolites in human plasma
Authors: Valavani Paraskevi , Atta‐Politou Julia , Panderi Irene 
Published: February 2005

AbstractA method was developed and fully validated for the quantitation of prazepam and its major metabolites, oxazepam and nordiazepam, in human plasma. Sample pretreatment was achieved by solid‐phase extraction using Oasis HLB cartridges. The extracts were analysed by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with single‐quadrupole mass spectrometry (MS) with an electrospray ionization interface. The MS system was operated in the selected ion monitoring mode. HPLC was performed isocratically on a reversed‐phase XTerra MS C18 analytical column (150 × 3.0 mm i.d., particle size 5 µm). Diazepam was used as the internal standard for quantitation. The assay was linear over a concentration range of 5.0–1000 ng ml−1 for all compounds analyzed. The limit of quantitation was 5 ng ml−1 for all compounds. Quality control samples (5, 10, 300 and 1000 ng ml−1) in five replicates from three different runs of analysis demonstrated an intra‐assay precision (CV) of ≤9.1%, an inter‐assay precision of ≤6.0% and an overall accuracy (relative error) of <4.6%. The method can be used to quantify prazepam and its metabolites in human plasma covering a variety of pharmacokinetic or bioequivalence studies. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.