bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
DcR3/TR6 modulates immune cell interactions
Authors: Wan Xiaochun , Shi Guixiu , Semenuk Mark , Zhang Jun , Wu Jiangping 
Published: May 2003

AbstractDcR3/TR6, a secreted protein, is a member of TNF receptor family. Its ligands include FasL, LIGHT, and TL1A, all TNF family members. TR6 can interfere with FasL‐ or LTβR‐mediated apoptosis; it can also inhibit T‐cell costimulation by blocking the two‐way signaling between TR2 and LIGHT, and the one‐way signaling from TL1A to DR3. In this study, we discovered that TR6 was secreted by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) stimulated by T‐cell mitogens. It inhibited actin polymerization of T cells upon mitogen stimulation, and repress T‐cell pseudopodium formation, which is known to be important for cell–cell interaction. As a consequence, T‐cell aggregation stimulated by alloantigens, anti‐CD3 or PHA was suppressed by either soluble or solid phase TR6‐Fc. This result suggests that TR6 might regulate T‐cell interaction with other cells such as antigen‐presenting cells (APC) or their fellow T cells by preventing them from forming inseparable cell clusters, which are undesirable for the progression of immune responses. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Phospholipase C–protein kinase C mediated phospholipase D activation pathway is involved in tamoxifen induced apoptosis
Authors: Ahn Soo‐Jung , Yoon Mee‐Sup , Hyuk Shin , Han Wonshik , Yoon Yong‐Dal , Han Joong‐Soo , Noh Dong‐Young 
Published: May 2003

AbstractTamoxifen (TAM) is the endocrine therapeutic agent the most widely used in the treatment of breast cancer, and it operates primarily through the induction of apoptosis. In this study, we attempted to elucidate the non‐ER mediated mechanism behind TAM treatment, involving the phospholipase C–protein kinase C (PLC–PKC) mediated phospholipase D (PLD) activation pathway, using multimodality methods. In TAM treated MCF7 cells, the PLC and PLD protein and mRNA levels increased. Phosphatidylethanol (PEt) and diacylglycerol (DAG) generation also increased, showing increased activity of PLD and PLCγ1. Translocation of PKCα, from cytosol to membrane, was observed in TAM treated cells. By showing that both PKC and PLC inhibitors could reduce the effects of TAM‐induced PLD activation, we confirmed the role of PKC and PLC as upstream regulators of PLD. Finally, we demonstrated that TAM treatment reduced the viability of MCF7 cells and brought about rapid cell death. From these results, we confirmed the hypothesis that TAM induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells, and that the signal transduction pathway, involving PLD, PLC, and PKC, constitutes one of the possible mechanisms underlying the non‐ER mediated effects associated with TAM. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The sphingosine 1‐phosphate receptor S1P4 regulates cell shape and motility via coupling to Gi and G12/13
Authors: Gräler Markus H. , Grosse Robert , Kusch Angelika , Kremmer Elisabeth , Gudermann Thomas , Lipp Martin 
Published: May 2003

AbstractSphingosine 1‐phosphate (S1P) receptors represent a novel subfamily of G‐protein‐coupled receptors binding S1P specifically and with high affinity. Although their in vivo functions remain largely unknown, in vitro extracellular application of S1P induces distinct S1P receptor‐dependent cellular responses including proliferation, differentiation, and migration. We have analyzed signaling pathways engaged by S1P4, which is highly expressed in the lymphoid system. Here we show that S1P4 couples directly to Gαi and even more effectively to Gα12/13‐subunits of trimeric G‐proteins, but not to Gαq unlike other S1P receptors. Consequently, CHO‐K1 cells ectopically expressing S1P4 potently activate the small GTPase Rho and undergo cytoskeletal rearrangements, inducing peripheral stress fiber formation and cell rounding, upon S1P stimulation. Overexpression of S1P4 in Jurkat T cells induces pertussis toxin‐sensitive cell motility even in the absence of exogenously added S1P. In addition, S1P4 is internalized upon binding of S1P. The capacity of S1P4 to mediate cellular responses, such as motility and shape change through Gαi‐ and Gα12/13‐coupled signaling pathways may be important for its in vivo function which is currently under investigation. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Understanding of lubrication with neutrons
Authors: Wolff M. , Magerl A. , Frick B. , Zabel H. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractLubrication is an old but nevertheless barely understood phenomenon. Insufficient lubrication leads to permanent wear, causing an estimated damage in the USA of about 6 % of the GNP [1]. Already the Egyptian civilisation was aware of the usefulness of lubricants. The painting from the grotto at El‐Bershed dated about 1880 B.C. shows the use of a lubricant to spare the power of men [2]. In recent years new sophisticated experimental techniques like surface force apparatus [3, 4], friction force microscopy [3, 5] and quartz‐crystal microbalance [6] have been employed to test theories and computer simulations [3, 7] of friction mechanism. However, these methods cannot provide in situ information of the sliding action and the dynamical response on a molecular level. The large penetration power of thermal neutrons allow non‐destructive studies of samples in complex environments. Combining this with an outstanding energy resolution makes it possible to study simultaneously the macroscopic flow and the microscopic diffusion of flowing liquids. For a commercial motor oil we found surface slip. In addition, under shear the microscopic diffusion becomes anisotrop.
Adult primary extragonadal germ cell tumors: Treatment results and long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Andac Argon , Mert Basaran , Sevil Bavbek , Burak Sakar , Haluk Onat 
Published: May 2003

AbstractBackgroundPrimary extragonadal germ cell tumors (PEGCT) are rare neoplasms. They have a poor prognosis, different behavior, and natural course compared to their gonadal counterparts. Both primary and salvage treatment of these tumors constitute a challenge. We retrospectively evaluated the clinicopathologic status, therapeutic implications, and outcome of our patients with PEGCT.ProcedureBetween 1991 and 2000, 18 patients with PEGCT (median age 31 years; range 17–63), diagnosed with tru‐cut biopsy and treated with cisplatin‐based chemotherapy, were evaluated in respect to treatment response and outcome.ResultsCisplatin‐based chemotherapy achieved a complete response rate of 27.8% and a partial response rate of 55.5%. Overall response rate was 83.3%. Only three patients were unresponsive to chemotherapy; an additional six patients with residual mass underwent surgical resection and were rendered disease‐free by surgery. The 5‐year actuarial event‐free and overall survival were 63.4 and 71.3%, respectively.ConclusionsThe outcomes of our patients with extragonadal primaries including mediastinal localization appear to be slightly better than those previously reported. Multimodality therapy is essential for these patients and given the relatively poor prognosis, prospective trials with large sample sizes, and new treatment approaches to improve outcome are required. Med Pediatr Oncol 2003;41:49–53. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Amplitude modulation of nonlinear waves in a fluid‐filled tapered elastic tube
Authors: Demiray H. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractIn the present work, treating the arteries as a tapered, thin walled, long, and circularly conical prestressed elastic tube and using the reductive perturbation method, we have studied the amplitude modulation of nonlinear waves in such a fluid‐filled elastic tube. By considering the blood as an incompressible non‐viscous fluid, the evolution equation is obtained as the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with variable coefficients. It is shown that this type of equations admit a solitary wave type of solution with a variable wave speed. It is observed that the wave speed increases with distance for narrowing tubes while it decreases for expanding tubes.
Diffraction of plane waves by an acoustically penetrable strip located between two soft/hard half‐planes
Authors: Çınar G. , Büyükaksoy A. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractUniform asymptotic high‐frequency solution is developed for the diffraction of plane waves by an acoustically transmissive strip located between two half‐planes which are soft at the top and hard at the bottom. After simulating the partially transmissive strip by “resistive type” boundary conditions, the three‐part boundary value problem is formulated as a “Modified Matrix Wiener‐Hopf” equation. By performing the Wiener‐Hopf factorization of the kernel matrix through the Daniele‐Khrapkov method, the modified matrix Wiener‐Hopf equation is first reduced to a pair of coupled Fredholm integral equations of the second kind and then solved by iterations. Diffracted field expressions are derived up to the third order terms which include the surface wave field effects in a uniform manner.
Stress intensity factors for a penny‐shaped crack in a transversely isotropic layer bonded between two isotropic half spaces
Authors: Ataberk N. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractIn this paper, a problem in an elastic‐perfectly plastic dissimilar layered medium is considered. It is assumed that a transversely isotropic layer is sandwiched between two isotropic semi‐infinite half spaces, and contains a penny‐shaped crack located in its mid‐plane. The problem is formulated by using integral transform technique under uniform load and reduced to a singular integral equation. This integral equation is solved numerically by using Gaussian Quadrature Formulae. Stress intensity factors are given for various penny‐shaped crack sizes and transversely isotropic materials.
Interfacial edge crack between two bonded dissimilar orthotropic strips under antiplane point loading
Authors: Wu X.‐F. , Dzenis Y.A. , Zou W.‐S. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractA closed‐form solution is obtained for the interfacial edge crack between two bonded dissimilar orthotropic strips loaded by antiplane point loading in form of screw dislocation or line force. Conformal mapping and existing dislocation solutions are utilized for constructing the fundamental solution of the problem. The stress intensity factor (SIF) and the energy release rate (ERR) are obtained explicitly.
Doppler‐ultrasound as a predictor of uterine fibroid response to GnRH therapy
Authors: Kanelopoulos N. , Dendrinos S. , Oikonomou A. , Panagopoulos P. , Markussis V. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractObjectives:GnRH agonists (GnRHa) are able to reduce the bleeding and size of fibroids. We monitored the response of fibroids to GnRHa with power‐Doppler ultrasound.Methods:Thirty‐five women with fibroids, aged 32–48, received a 6‐month course with the GnRHa triptorelin (Decapeptyl, Ipsen, France). The resistance index (RI) of the uterine artery was measured with power‐Doppler ultrasound.Results:The uterine volume reduced from 470±347 to 297±295 cm3(P<0.01) at the 6th month of treatment. The fibroid volume reduced after 3 months of treatment from 62±81 to 44±78 cm3(P<0.05) and after 6 months of treatment to 30±70 cm3(P<0.001 from baseline). Uterine artery RI increased from 0.73±0.16 to 1.05±0.27 at the 3rd month of treatment (P<0.001). The percent reduction of fibroid volume at the 6th month correlated with the percent increase of uterine RI at the 3rd month of treatment (r=0.45,P=0.01).Conclusions:The administration of triptorelin reduced fibroid dimensions. The increase of the uterine artery resistance index (RI) at the 3rd month correlated with fibroid shrinkage at the 6th month of treatment and may be used to predict the response to this therapeutic maneuver.
Vortex pinning with bounded fields for the Ginzburg–Landau equation
Authors: Andre Nelly , Bauman Patricia , Phillips Dan 
Published: May 2003

We investigate vortex pinning in solutions to the Ginzburg–Landau equation. The coefficient,

a(x)

, in the Ginzburg–Landau free energy modeling non-uniform superconductivity is nonnegative and is allowed to vanish at a finite number of points. For a sufficiently large applied magnetic field and for all sufficiently large values of the Ginzburg–Landau parameter

κ=1/ε

, we show that minimizers have nontrivial vortex structures. We also show the existence of local minimizers exhibiting arbitrary vortex patterns, pinned near the zeros of

a(x)

.

Résumé

On étudie la localisation des vortex des solutions de l’équation de Ginzburg–Landau. Dans l’énergie libre de Ginzburg–Landau, le coefficient

a(x)

modélise la supraconductivité non uniforme. Ce coefficient est positif et s’annule en un nombre fini de points. On montre que, pour un champ magnétique assez grand et pour toutes les valeurs du paramètre de Ginzbug–Landau

κ=1/ε

assez grandes, les minimiseurs présentent des structures de vortex non triviales. On montre aussi l’existence de minimiseurs locaux présentant une structure prescrite de vortex situés au voisinage des zéros de

a(x)

.
Acetabular blood flow during Bernese periacetabular osteotomy: An intraoperative study using laser Doppler flowmetry
Authors: Hempfing Axel , Leunig Michael , Nötzli Hubert P. , Beck Martin , Ganz Reinhold 
Published: May 2003

AbstractBackground: The blood flow to the acetabular fragment is of some concern in juxtaarticular pelvic osteotomies used for the treatment of hip dysplasia. No direct measurements have determined the effect of the Bernese periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) on acetabular perfusion.Methods: Acetabular perfusion was measured by means of laser Doppler flowmetry in 10 patients undergoing a PAO for symptomatic acetabular dysplasia. During the surgical procedure, the intraosseous high energy laser Doppler reliably depicts dynamic changes of small vessel blood flow. Measurements were performed after defined surgical steps to obtain sequential information on the blood perfusion of the acetabular fragment.Results: After complete separation of the acetabular fragment, nine out of 10 patients had pulsatile signals, but the blood flow (BF) significantly decreased by 77%. Corrective positioning of the fragment induced no further drop of the BF signal but a loss of pulsatility in six patients. After a recovery period of about 30 min following preliminary fixation of the fragment, reestablishment of the pulsatile signal and an increase of the BF signal was seen. At termination of the surgical procedure, five out of eight patients, who could be followed throughout the whole procedure, showed a clear pulsatile signal in the supraacetabular area. Bleeding of the supraacetabular cancellous surface could be observed in all acetabula.Conclusion: Despite careful preservation of soft tissues during the surgical procedure, a significant reduction of the blood flow in the supraacetabular region has been observed. Nevertheless, a pulsatile signal in more than 60% of the fragments after fragment correction and an increasing signal during the recovery period showed ongoing blood perfusion indicating reversible changes in the measured supraacetabular area. All osteotomies healed within eight weeks without showing signs of necrosis during a minimum follow up of 1 year. © 2003 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Oral health and treatment needs of institutionalized chronic psychiatric patients in Israel
Authors: Ramon T. , Grinshpoon A. , Zusman S.P. , Weizman A. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractThe aim of the study was to examine the oral health and treatment needs of chronically hospitalized psychiatric patients in Israel. Ten percent of the patients hospitalized for more than 2 years in the 18 psychiatric institutions in Israel were selected at random. The dental status (DMF-T index) was calculated, demographic and medical data were retrieved from the files. Of the 431 patients examined (250 men, 181 women, average age 54 years) 312 patients had only partial natural dentition. The average DMF-T score was 26.74 (out of 32), one of the highest in the literature. The caries component accounted for 2.3% of the DMF-T, the missing teeth component 72% and the restored teeth component 5%. There was an adverse correlation between age and caries and between duration of hospitalization and number of teeth. The average number of carious and missing teeth was higher than in the healthy population. No all-edentulous patients had dentures. These findings confirm the urgent need for an intervention program to improve dental health care in high-risk, difficult-to-treat, psychiatric chronic inpatients.
Normal and obsessional jealousy: a study of a population of young adults
Authors: Marazziti Donatella , Di Nasso Elena , Masala Irene , Baroni Stefano , Abelli Marianna , Mengali Francesco , Mungai Francesco , Rucci Paola 
Published: May 2003

AbstractBackgroundJealousy is a heterogenous emotion ranging from normality to pathology. Several problems still exist in the distinction between normal and pathological jealousy.Aim of the studyWith the present study, we aimed to contribute to the definition of the boundary between obsessional and normal jealousy by means of a specific self-report questionnaire developed by us.MethodsThe questionnaire called “Questionnaire on the Affective Relationships” (QAR) and consisting of 30 items, was administered to 400 university students of both sexes and to 14 outpatients affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) whose main obsession was jealousy. The total scores and single items were analysed and compared.ResultsTwo hundred and forty-five, approximately 61% of the questionnaires, were returned. The statistical analyses showed that patients with OCD had higher total scores than healthy subjects; in addition, it was possible to identify an intermediate group of subjects, corresponding to 10% of the total, who were concerned by jealousy thoughts around the partner, but at a lower degree than patients, and that we called “healthy jealous subjects” because they had no other psychopathological trait. Significant differences were also observed for single items in the three groups.ConclusionsOur study showed that 10% of a population of university students, albeit normal, have jealousy thoughts around the partner, as emerged by the specific questionnaire developed by us. This instrument permitted to clearly distinguish these subjects from patients with OCD and healthy subjects with no jealousy concern.
Depression influences the EDI scores in anorexia nervosa patients
Authors: Bizeul Chantal , Brun Jean Marcel , Rigaud Daniel 
Published: May 2003

AbstractAimTo study the influence of the severity of depression on the eating disorder’s inventory (EDI) scores in anorexia nervosa (AN) patients.MethodsWe compared by variance analysis the EDI scores from three groups of AN patients: 55 patients having a major depression (as assessed by a Beck’s depression inventory (BDI) ≥ 16); 77 patients having a less severe depression (BDI < 16); 32 patients with mild or non-existent depression (BDI ≤ 7) and the EDI scores from a control group of 29 French healthy young women.ResultsHigher EDI scores were elicited in the more severely depressed AN patients than in the less- or non-depressed AN patients (P < 0.01). In non-depressed AN patients, none of the scores was different from those of the control group. This was particularly true for the scores “Slimness wish”, “bulimia”, “body image dissatisfaction”, “perfectionism” and “fear of maturity”. The non-depressed restrictive AN patients had no score which differ from healthy controls.DiscussionsThe present results suggested that the EDI scores are clearly influenced by the severity of depression. Among the psychopathological and behavioural traits assessed with the EDI, only a few were not related to depressive symptoms: “feeling of inefficiency” and “distrust in interpersonal relations”.
Risk factors, and the neurodevelopmental course of schizophrenia
Authors: Walker E. 
Published: May 2003

SummaryFrom birth to two years, preschizophrenic children show much higher rates of neuromotor abnormalities and negative affective displays than their healthy siblings. Retrospectively, parents report that preschizophrenic children show more social and interpersonal problems and more abnormalities of thought. Similar results have been found with adolescents who have schizotypal personality disorder. Adolescence appears to be a critical period for the emergence of psychopathology in general, but especially for psychotic disorders. This may in large part be through the actions of gonadal and adrenal hormones, including cortisol, and in particular their influence on the expression of genes. In the case of schizophrenia, these are presumably the vulnerability genes. Patients with schizophrenia have heightened baseline levels of cortisol, and a heightened cortisol response to some biological challenges. Cortisol levels are positively correlated with symptom severity. In addition, the hippocampus, which modulates the activity of the HPA axis, is abnormal in schizophrenia. The HPA axis and hippocampal complex are modulatory neural systems; in the case of schizophrenia, what they might be modulating is the expression of abnormalities in dopamine neurotransmission. Whilst we assume that schizophrenia has prenatal neurodevelopmental origins, neural maturational processes that occur later in life, especially in adolescence, have significant implications for the expression of the illness. It is likely that preventive interventions for schizophrenia, be they pharmacological or behavioural, will have the best chance of success if they are directed at adolescents who are showing preschizophrenic indicators.
Schizophrenia, the prefrontal cortex, and a mechanism of genetic susceptibility
Authors: Weinberger D.R. 
Published: May 2003

SummaryInformation-processing in the prefrontal cortex is abnormal in patients with schizophrenia. From functional neuroimaging and other studies, it appears that neurons of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex are effectors of core clinical and biological phenomena associated with the illness. Cognitive deficits qualitatively similar to those in patients with schizophrenia are also found in their healthy siblings and other relatives. The evidence for abnormal prefrontal function in healthy siblings suggests that the deficit in information-processing is part of the biology of genetic susceptibility. Therefore, genetic variations in human DNA that affect this kind of information-processing may contribute part of the genetic risk for the illness. COMT is an enzyme that is distributed widely throughout the brain, but seems to be uniquely relevant to how dopamine affects information-processing in the prefrontal cortex. There is a common variation in the genetic sequence of the COMT gene, which causes a dramatic change in its enzyme activity. In people with schizophrenia, in their healthy siblings, and also in normal controls, the COMT genotype predicts 4% of the variation in human executive cognition and working memory. We have thus identified a genetic mechanism in the human species that affects the efficiency and efficacy of information-processing in the prefrontal cortex. It is, also, a weak genetic risk factor for schizophrenia: in family studies, it increases the risk of schizophrenia by 50-80%. Prefrontal neuronal tuning may be a target for new drug development in the future.
Intranuclear Ca2+signals within individual nuclear lobes of neutrophils
Authors: Hodges Robert , Laffafian Iraj , Hallett Maurice B. 
Published: May 2003

AbstractCytosolic free Ca2+and intranuclear Ca2+behave similarly in human neutrophils. However, conventional laser scanning at 350 ms/frame resolution at lower than physiological temperatures demonstrates that (i) the nuclear fluo3‐Ca2+signal persists longer than the cytosolic signal in some (but not all) nuclear lobes, (ii) the neutrophil nuclear membrane and fine inter‐lobe filaments present barriers to diffusion of fluo3‐Ca2+and lucifer yellow, and (iii) the diffusion barrier correlates with condensed chromosomal material on the nuclear envelope and blockage of the movement of fluo3‐Ca2+into individual nuclear lobes.