bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Expression of HCV E1 Protein in Baculovirus-Infected Cells: Effects on Cell Viability and Apoptosis Induction
Authors: Ciccaglione Anna Rita , Marcantonio Cinzia , Costantino Angela , Equestre Michele , Rapicetta Maria 
Published: April 2003

The molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are not yet understood. Recently, we reported that the expression of the envelope protein E1 is toxic for <i>Escherichia coli</i> cells. The toxicity is related to the ability of C-terminal transmembrane (TM) domain of E1 to modify membrane permeability. In this study we expressed the E1 protein, complete (a.a. 192–383) or deleted (a.a. 192–340) of the TM region, fused to the C-terminus of glutathione-S-transferase by two recombinant baculoviruses. Infection of Sf9 insect cells by E1 baculovirus induced a rapid decrease in cell viability in the first 18–24 h postinfection. Premature cytopathic changes and low level of E1 protein expression were also reported. The analysis of DNA isolated from cells revealed a typical internucleosomal ladder pattern characteristic of apoptosis. The DNA degradation was first detected at 18 h postinfection by ethidium bromide gel electrophoresis and was confirmed by TUNEL assay. The results indicated that the C-terminal domain of E1 is essential for apoptosis induction as neither cell death nor DNA degradation were observed following infection with the recombinant baculovirus expressing the C-terminal-deleted E1. These findings support the hypothesis that the TM domain of E1 may play a role in viral pathogenesis.
Effect of antiviral treatment in patients with chronic HCV infection and t(14;18) translocation
Authors: Giannelli Francesca , Moscarella Stefania , Giannini Carlo , Caini Patrizio , Monti Monica , Gragnani Laura , Romanelli Roberto Giulio , Solazzo Vera , Laffi Giacomo , La Villa Giorgio , Gentilini Paolo , Zignego Anna Linda 
Published: April 2003

Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) may be associated with the mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome and other B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs). The t(14;18) translocation may play a pathogenetic role. Limited data are available regarding the effects of antiviral therapy on rearranged B-cell clones. We evaluated the effects of interferon and ribavirin on serum, B-lymphocyte HCV RNA, and t(14; 18) in 30 HCV+, t(14;18)+ patients without either mixed cryoglobulinemia syndrome or other LPDs. The t(14;18) translocation was analyzed by both bcl-2/JH polymerase chain reaction and bcl-2/JH junction sequencing in peripheral blood mononuclear cells in all patients. Fifteen untreated patients with comparable characteristics served as controls. Throughout the study, the presence or absence of both t(14;18) and HCV RNA sequences were, in most cases, associated in the same cell samples. At the end of treatment, t(14;18) was no longer detected in 15 patients (50%) with complete or partial virologic response, whereas it was persistently detected in nonresponders (P &lt; .05), as well as in 14 of 15 control patients. In 4 responder patients, t(14;18) and HCV RNA sequences were no longer detected in blood cells after treatment, but were again detected after viral relapse; the same B-cell clones were involved in the pretreatment and posttreatment periods. In conclusion, this study suggests that antiviral therapy may induce regression of t(14;18)–bearing B-cell clones in HCV+ patients and that this phenomenon may be related, at least in part, to the antiviral effect of therapy. This in turn suggests that antiviral treatment may help prevent or treat HCV-related LPDs.
Telomerase levels control the lifespan of human T lymphocytes
Authors: Röth Alexander , Yssel Hans , Pène Jérôme , Chavez Elizabeth A. , Schertzer Mike , Lansdorp Peter M. , Spits Hergen , Luiten Rosalie M. 
Published: April 2003

AbstractThe loss of telomeric DNA with each cell division contributes to the limited replicative lifespan of human T lymphocytes. Although telomerase is transiently expressed in T lymphocytes upon activation, it is insufficient to confer immortality. We have previously shown that immortalization of human CD8+ T lymphocytes can be achieved by ectopic expression of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene, which encodes for the catalytic component of the telomerase complex. To study the role of endogenous hTERT in the lifespan of human T cells, we blocked endogenous hTERT expression by ectopic expression of dominant-negative (DN) hTERT. Cells expressing DN-hTERT had a decreased lifespan and showed cytogenetic abnormalities, including chromosome ends without detectable telomeric DNA as well as chromosome fusions. These results indicate that while endogenous hTERT cannot prevent overall telomere shortening, it has a major influence on the longevity of human T cells. Furthermore, we show that up-regulation of hTERT in T cells upon activation decreases over time in culture. Long-term–cultured T cells also show a decreased expression of c-myc upon activation, resulting in less c-myc–induced transcription of hTERT. Moreover, memory T cells, which have expanded in vivo upon antigen encounter, expressed a lower level of hTERT upon activation than naive cells from the same donor. The observed inverse correlation between telomerase levels and replicative history suggests that telomerase levels in T cells are limiting and increasingly insufficient to sustain their proliferation.
Eotaxin-3 is a natural antagonist for CCR2 and exerts a repulsive effect on human monocytes
Authors: Ogilvie Patricia , Paoletti Samantha , Clark-Lewis Ian , Uguccioni Mariagrazia 
Published: April 2003

AbstractEotaxin-3 (CCL26) belongs to the group of CC chemokines that attract eosinophils, basophils, and Th2 lymphocytes. Like eotaxin (CCL11) and eotaxin-2 (CCL24), eotaxin-3 mediates its activity through CCR3. Here we show that eotaxin-3 also binds to CCR2 on monocytes and CCR2-transfected cells. In contrast to monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1; CCL2), eotaxin-3 does not trigger intracellular calcium mobilization, enzyme release, or phosphorylation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase ERK and induces a weak chemotaxis in monocytes. Instead, eotaxin-3 inhibits MCP-1–mediated responses, thus acting as a natural antagonist for CCR2. This study also demonstrates that eotaxin-3 promotes active movement of monocytes away from a gradient of eotaxin-3 in vitro. This repellent effect is amplified when an additional gradient of MCP-1 is applied, demonstrating that the 2 mechanisms are synergistic. Eotaxin-3 effects on monocytes are largely abolished when cells are pretreated with MCP-1 or CCR2 antagonists. Like MCP-1–mediated migration, repulsion is sensitive to Bordetella pertussis toxin, indicating the involvement of Gi protein–coupled receptors. However, using transfected cells expressing CCR2 we could not detect F-actin formation or an active movement away induced by eotaxin-3, suggesting that either expression of a single receptor type is not sufficient to mediate cell repulsion or that the used transfected cell lines lack additional interaction molecules that are required for reverse migration. Eotaxin-3 was expressed by vascular endothelial cells and was essential for endothelial transmigration of eosinophils. Our data provide a mechanism by which 2 chemokine gradients that are oriented in opposite directions could cooperate in efficiently driving out monocytes from blood vessels into tissue.
The toll-like receptor repertoire of human B lymphocytes: inducible and selective expression of TLR9 and TLR10 in normal and transformed cells
Authors: Bourke Emer , Bosisio Daniela , Golay Josée , Polentarutti Nadia , Mantovani Alberto 
Published: April 2003

AbstractThe present study was designed to investigate the expression of members of the toll-like receptor (TLR) family in human B cells. High-density, resting, and low-density activated tonsillar B cells expressed TLR9 and TLR10 mRNA transcripts at the highest levels. Expression was higher in activated B cells than in resting cells. Analysis of a range of resting and activated human leukocyte populations revealed that mRNA expression of TLR10 was restricted to B cells. Stimulation of resting B cells with anti-μ and anti-CD40 antibodies or with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I bacteria (SAC) increased expression of TLR9 and TLR10. TLR1 and TLR4 expression were not significantly induced by B-cell activation. Interestingly, a CpG oligonucleotide, a TLR9 agonist, also stimulated TLR9 expression in B cells. Exposure to anti-μ antibodies augmented TLR9 expression, concomitantly and dramatically increasing the responsiveness of B cells to CpG oligonucleotides in terms of proliferation and chemokine (CC chemokine ligand 3 [CCL3] and CCL22) production. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)–transformed cell lines and other cell lines representative of mature B-cell neoplasias (Burkitt lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, multiple myeloma) expressed TLR9 and/or TLR10, whereas pre-B cell lines were negative. These results show that normal and neoplastic human B lymphocytes express a distinct TLR repertoire including TLR9 and TLR10 and that expression is increased upon engagement of the antigen receptor complex or TLR9 itself. Regulated expression of selected TLRs in B cells is likely to play an important role in linking innate and adaptive immune responses in normal and pathologic conditions.
Risks and outcomes of invasive fungal infections in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants after nonmyeloablative conditioning
Authors: Fukuda Takahiro , Boeckh Michael , Carter Rachel A. , Sandmaier Brenda M. , Maris Michael B. , Maloney David G. , Martin Paul J. , Storb Rainer F. , Marr Kieren A. 
Published: April 2003

Abstract
The incidence of invasive mold infections has increased during the 1990s among patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT) after myeloablative conditioning. In this study, we determined risk factors for invasive mold infection and mold infection-related death among 163 patients undergoing allogeneic HCT with nonmyeloablative conditioning. The cumulative incidence rates of proven or probable invasive fungal infections, invasive mold infections, invasive aspergillosis, and invasive candidiasis during the first year after allogeneic HCT with nonmyeloablative conditioning were 19%, 15%, 14%, and 5%, respectively, which were similar to those after conventional myeloablative HCT. Invasive mold infections occurred late after nonmyeloablative conditioning (median, day 107), with primary risk factors including severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), chronic extensive GVHD, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease. The 1-year survival after diagnosis of mold infections was 32%. High-dose corticosteroid therapy at diagnosis of mold infection was associated with an increased risk for mold infection–related death. Overall, nonrelapse mortality was estimated at 22% (36 patients) after nonmyeloablative conditioning, of which 39% (14 patients) were mold infection-related (9% of the overall mortality). More effective strategies are needed to prevent invasive mold infections, which currently account for a notable proportion of nonrelapse mortality after nonmyeloablative allogeneic HCT.
Cord blood transplantation provides better reconstitution of hematopoietic reservoir compared with bone marrow transplantation
Authors: Frassoni Francesco , Podestà Marina , Maccario Rita , Giorgiani Giovanna , Rossi Gabriele , Zecca Marco , Bacigalupo Andrea , Piaggio Giovanna , Locatelli Franco 
Published: April 2003

Abstract
Delayed hematopoietic recovery is the main factor precluding a wider use of cord blood (CB) transplants. We hypothesized that this delayed engraftment might not be related to an insufficient number of stem cells in the graft, but to an intrinsic difficulty of these cells to undergo differentiation. To test our hypothesis, 2 groups of children were compared; 12 received a CB transplant and 12 an adult bone marrow (BM) transplant. We studied neutrophil and platelet recovery and, at a median time of approximately 1 year after transplantation, the frequency of colony-forming cells (CFCs) and long-term culture initiating cells (LTC-ICs) in the BM of the 2 groups. Recipients of BM transplants received 1-log more cells and had significantly faster neutrophil and platelet recovery. Conversely, the frequency of committed and early progenitors was significantly higher in the BM of children given CB cells compared with BM transplant recipients (median count of CFC/2 × 104 BM mononuclear cells, 20 versus 11, P = .007; median count of LTC-IC/106 BM mononuclear cells, 8.2 versus 0.2 P = .001). CB, but not adult BM stem cells, can better restore the host hematopoietic progenitor cell reservoir; the delayed engraftment after CB transplantation may reflect the difficulty of CB progenitors to reprogram themselves toward differentiation.
Cardiovascular Disease as a Long-Term Complication of Treatment for Testicular Cancer
Authors: Huddart R.A. , Norman A. , Shahidi M. , Horwich A. , Coward D. , Nicholls J. , Dearnaley D.P. 
Published: April 2003

Purpose: To assess the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and cardiac risk factors in long-term survivors of testicular cancer according to treatment received. Patients and Methods: All resident male patients registered in the United Kingdom between 1982 and 1992 attending for follow-up were eligible for recruitment. Patients completed a current health questionnaire and underwent clinical review, along with hematologic, biochemical, and hormonal profiles. For patients not under routine review, follow-up information was sought from their general practitioner and mortality data were sought from the Office of National Statistics. Descriptive analysis was performed on all variables and comparisons were made among patients treated by orchidectomy and follow-up only, chemotherapy alone (C), radiotherapy alone (RT), and radiotherapy and chemotherapy (C/RT). Results: Data on cardiovascular events were available on 992 patients. After a median follow-up of 10.2 years, 68 events had been reported, including 18 deaths. After adjusting for age, increased risk for cardiac events was seen after C (relative risk [RR] = 2.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15 to 5.84; P = .022), RT (RR = 2.40; 95% CI, 1.04 to 5.45; P = .036), and C/RT (RR = 2.78; 95% CI, 1.09 to 7.07; P = .032). There were no significant differences in cardiac risk factors. On multivariate analysis, age, treatment group, free thyroxine, protein, and magnesium levels were associated with cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: In long-term survivors of testicular cancer, we observed a two-fold or greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease. This was not due to increases in cardiac risk factors, which suggests a direct or indirect treatment effect. These data support the continued research into the minimization of treatment in good-prognosis testicular cancer.
Crystal Structure, Hydrogen Bonding, and 81Br NQR of Low-Temperature Phase of 4-Aminopyridinium Tetrabromoantimonate(III)
Authors: Hashimoto Masao , Terao Hiromitsu , Fuess Hartmut , Svoboda Ingrid , Ehrenberg Helmut 
Published: April 2003

Abstract
The crystal structure of the low-temperature phase (LTP) of the title compound was determined at 220 K (monoclinic, P21⁄c). The 4-aminopyridinium cations (4-NH2C5H4NH+) were found to be ordered in LTP, while being severely disordered in the room-temperature phase (monoclinic, C2⁄c). The tetrabromoantimonate anions (SbBr4−) were incorporated into the infinite polyanion chains of irregular SbBr6 octahedra with two-edges sharing. The trans-Br–Sb–Br moiety in the SbBr4− anion was approximately symmetric differing from the asymmetric Br–Sb···Br moiety found in LTP of pyridinium tetrabromoantimonate(III). The N–H moieties in both of the pyridine ring and the amino (–NH2) group participate in the formation of N–H···Br hydrogen bonds. It was shown that the 81Br NQR spectrum of LTP is closely related to the anion structure and the hydrogen bonds. The distinctive anion structures, as well as the different types of phase transitions, exhibited by the PyH and 4-APyH salts, seemed to be attributable to the difference in the hydrogen bond scheme between them.
Dynamic Quantification of the Atom Rearrangement Behavior with Al-Mg 5052 Undercooling Liquid Film
Authors: Tokuchi Eisaku , Asai Kimioku 
Published: April 2003

Abstract
The atom rearrangement behaviors along with the rapid solidification and high temperature oxidation of an interdendritic liquid (liquid film) with an arc spot-fused A5052 sheet were experimentally investigated in comprehensive terms of the solidification progress, concentration, and temperature by using high-speed breaking and breakage techniques. The latter is a new quenching method with an aqueous solution of surface-active agents to prevent the fractured section from the selective diffusion of Mg coupled with high temperature oxidation. Continuous liquid films of the fractured-section (solidification) layers were analyzed by XPS as well as fractography with FE-SEM . In a surfactant experiment, the results verified that the characteristic diffusion during oxidation occurred with the driving force being electrostatic attraction. Concerning the solidification behavior of rapidly solidifying columnar dendrite, the results of XPS measurements indicated that after a tip undercooling of about 25 °C the liquid solute concentration increased exponentially with decreasing temperature, while taking a solute concentration path below the T0 curve (in binary system analysis). The fractography was in qualitative agreement with the solute concentration result in terms of the mass balance by showing restricted lateral solidification progress.
Syntheses, Structures and Photoluminescence Properties of Ag(I), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Mn(II) Complexes with N,N′-Bis(3-pyridylmethyl)-1,4-benzenedimethyleneimine
Authors: Zhu Hui-Fang , Li Ling , Okamura Taka-aki , Zhao Wei , Sun Wei-Yin , Ueyama Norikazu 
Published: April 2003

Abstract
Four novel coordination complexes, [Ag(bpb)]NO3·2H2O (1), [Cu2(CH3COO)4(bpb)] (2), [ZnCl2(bpb)2] (3) and [MnCl2(bpb)2] (4) [bpb = N,N′-bis(3-pyridylmethyl)-1,4-benzenedimethyleneimine], with one-dimensional chain structures were synthesized and their structures were determined by X-ray crystallography. A structure analysis revealed that the bpb acts as a bridging ligand using two pyridyl N atoms to link two metal atoms, while the two imine N atoms do not participate in the coordination with the metal atoms. The photoluminescence properties of the title complexes were also studied. Although Cu(II) (2) and Zn(II) (3) complexes show intense violet-blue photoluminescence, no clear photoluminescence was observed for the Ag(I) (1) and Mn(II) (4) complexes.
Preparation and Characterization of Lamellar Vanadyl Alkylphosphates as Catalyst Precursors for the Selective Oxidation of Butane
Authors: Kamiya Yuichi , Nishikawa Eiichiro , Satsuma Atsushi , Okuhara Toshio 
Published: April 2003

Abstract
Vanadyl alkylphosphates consisting of V4+ and P5+ were synthesized by the reaction of a solid mixture of V2O5 and V4O9 (2:3 in mol) with P2O5 in primary aliphatic (from C1 to C8), secondary aliphatic (C3 and C4), and alicyclic (C5) alcohols, and were characterized by means of elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and magnetic susceptibility. The chemical formulae of the products were determined to be VO(RO)x(HO)1−xPO3·(ROH)y (x = 0.5–0.7, y = 0.3–0.5 for primary aliphatic alcohols; x = 0.1–0.2, y = 0.4–0.9 for secondary aliphatic and alicyclic alcohols; and R = organic group). X-ray diffraction revealed that the compounds had a lamellar structure, where the organic groups existed as double layers with a tilt of about 56° against the basal plane. Magnetism and IR spectroscopy demonstrated that the construction of the basal planes in the vanadyl alkylphosphates was similar to that of VOHPO4·0.5H2O, which consists of V4+ dimers linked with PO4, except for vanadyl sec-butylphosphate, consisting of isolated V4+ monomers. Calcination of vanadyl methylphosphate and vanadyl cyclopentylphosphate brought about crystallites of (VO)2P2O7. These (VO)2P2O7 exhibited high selectivities to maleic anhydride (65–68%) for the selective oxidation of butane under a high concentration of butane (5.0%).
Stock Replenishment and Shipment Scheduling for Vendor-Managed Inventory Systems
Authors: Çetinkaya Sila , Lee Chung-Yee 
Published: April 2003

Vendor-managed inventory (VMI) is a supply-chain initiative where the supplier is authorized to manage inventories of agreed-upon stock-keeping units at retail locations. The benefits of VMI are well recognized by successful retail businesses such as Wal-Mart. In VMI, distortion of demand information (known as bullwhip effect) transferred from the downstream supply-chain member (e.g., retailer) to the upstream member (e.g., supplier) is minimized, stockout situations are less frequent, and inventory-carrying costs are reduced. Furthermore, a VMI supplier has the liberty of controlling the downstream resupply decisions rather than filling orders as they are placed. Thus, the approach offers a framework for synchronizing inventory and transportation decisions. In this paper, we present an analytical model for coordinating inventory and transportation decisions in VMI systems. Although the coordination of inventory and transportation has been addressed in the literature, our particular problem has not been explored previously. Specifically, we consider a vendor realizing a sequence of random demands from a group of retailers located in a given geographical region. Ideally, these demands should be shipped immediately. However, the vendor has the autonomy of holding small orders until an agreeable dispatch time with the expectation that an economical consolidated dispatch quantity accumulates. As a result, the actual inventory requirements at the vendor are partly dictated by the parameters of the shipment-release policy in use. We compute the optimum replenishment quantity and dispatch frequency simultaneously. We develop a renewaltheoretic model for the case of Poisson demands, and present analytical results.
Nonsymmetric Values of Nonatomic and Mixed Games
Authors: Haimanko Ori 
Published: April 2003

This paper presents a new unifying approach to the study of nonsymmetric (or quasi-) values of nonatomic and mixed games. A family of path values is defined, using an appropriate generalization of Mertens diagonal formula. A path value possesses the following intuitive description: consider a function (path) γ attaching to each player a distribution function on [0, 1]. We think of players as arriving randomly and independently to a meeting when the arrival time of a player is distributed according to γ. Each player's payoff is defined as his marginal contribution to the coalition of players that have arrived earlier. Under certain conditions on a path, different subspaces of mixed games (pNA, pM, bv′FL) are shown to be in the domain of the path value. The family of path values turns out to be very wide—we show that on pNA, pM and their subspaces the path values are essentially the basic construction blocks (extreme points) of quasi-values.
Time-Cost Trade-Offs in Overlapped Product Development
Authors: Roemer Thomas A. , Ahmadi Reza , Wang Robert H. 
Published: April 2003

Increasingly shorter product life cycles impel firms to design, develop, and market more products in less time than ever before. Overlapping of design and development stages is commonly regarded as the most promising strategy to reduce product development times. However, overlapping typically requires additional resources and can be costly. Our research addresses the trade-off between product development time and costs and introduces an algorithm to determine an appropriate overlapping strategy under different scenarios. The methodology developed was successfully employed at Rocketdyne Division of Rockwell International.