bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Successive-Cyclic Movement and Island Repair: The Difference between Sluicing and VP-Ellipsis
Authors: Fox Danny , Lasnik Howard 
Published: March 2003

It is well known that in sluicing constructions wh-dependencies can cross certain projections that are otherwise barriers to movement (Ross 1969, Chomsky 1972). This fact would follow under the assumption that the relevant barriers are somehow deactivated when phonologically deleted (“island repair”). The problem, however, is that another form of phonological deletion (VP-ellipsis; VPE) seems to be impossible in certain contexts where sluicing allows for island repair (Chung, Ladusaw, and McCloskey 1995, Merchant 2001). Nevertheless, we argue against the conclusion that island repair is a special property of sluicing. The argument is based on two observations. First, the difference between sluicing and VPE seems too broad to warrant the conclusion that island repair is the distinguishing factor (Lasnik 2001). Second, the conclusion is directly refuted by other VPE environments where island repair is possible (Kennedy and Merchant 2000; Fox, in preparation). The argument leaves us with a puzzle that we attempt to resolve while still maintaining the null hypothesis that VPE and sluicing involve the same operation of deletion, differing only in the size of the deleted constituent. Our proposed resolution capitalizes on a special property of the relevant sluicing contexts—namely, the presence of an indefinite NP in the antecedent clause in a position parallel to that of a trace in the elided clause. We argue that given the parallelism conditions on ellipsis, this fact prevents the wh-phrase in the elided clause from undergoing successive-cyclic movement. The remaining option (one-fell-swoop movement) requires the deletion of all barriers, including those that would otherwise be circumvented via an intermediate landing site. Such deletion occurs in sluicing but not in VPE, which targets a smaller constituent.
Fire exit is a potential four transmembrane protein expressed in developing Drosophila glia
Authors: With Sheila , Rice Tiffany , Salinas Claudia , Auld Vanessa 
Published: March 2003

AbstractSummary: Glia from many diverse organisms play a number of important roles during the development of the nervous system. Therefore, knowing the molecules that control glial cell function will further our understanding of the mechanisms that control nervous system development. We have isolated a novel gene in Drosophila melanogaster that is expressed in a subset of the peripheral glia. We call this gene “Fire exit” (Fie), as the glia that express this gene do so during a time when they mark the entry and exit point of axons at the CNS/PNS boundary. This subset of peripheral glia act as intermediate targets during pathfinding and migration of the sensory axons in particular. Fire exit has been cloned and found to encode a novel transmembrane protein. Fire exit belongs to a group of proteins identified in the Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae databases which contain four predicted transmembrane domains and a shared intracellular motif. Mutations that remove the fire exit protein have no obvious disruption to glial function. On the other hand, glia expressing the Fire exit gene bridge the transition zone between CNS and PNS and play a role in sensory axon guidance. Therefore, it appears that, while the glia that express this protein mediate axon guidance, Fire exit itself plays a nonessential part in this function. A role for Fire exit in glial development may be suggested by its evolutionary relationship to a family of lysosome‐associated proteins called LAPTMs and suggests that Fire exit may function in intracellular transport during glial development. genesis 35:143–152, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
New prognostic indicator for non‐small‐cell lung cancer, quantitation of thymidylate synthase by real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction
Authors: Shintani Yasushi , Ohta Mitsunori , Hirabayashi Hirohisa , Tanaka Hisaichi , Iuchi Keiji , Nakagawa Katsuhiro , Maeda Hajime , Kido Tetsuo , Miyoshi Shinichiro , Matsuda Hikaru 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThymidylate synthase (TS) is an enzyme that catalyzes an important DNA biosynthesis process. The gene expression of TS has not been reported in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. To clarify the correlation between TS mRNA levels and clinicopathological features of NSCLC, we examined 70 Stage I and II NSCLC patients for intra‐tumoral expression of TS using TaqMan reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) assay and immunohistochemistry methods. We also investigated the TS promoter 28 bp polymorphism in 48 cancer tissues using PCR amplification of genomic DNA. Lung cancer tissue showed higher TS mRNA levels than normal lung tissue (Mann‐Whitney U‐tests; p = 0.0020). Further, TS mRNA expression was correlated with immunohistochemical TS expression (p = 0.029). We obtained 2 different DNA fragments, which indicated triple‐repeat (3R) and double‐repeat (2R) type alleles. Cancer tissues with the 3R/3R genotype showed significantly higher TS mRNA levels as compared to those with other genotypes (p = 0.0019). The TS genotype was also correlated with immunohistochemical TS expression (χ2 test; p = 0.0079). The disease‐free survival of the low TS mRNA level group was significantly better than those with high TS mRNA levels (log‐rank test; p = 0.010), however, there were no significant differences found by immunohistochemical evaluation (p = 0.34) or TS genotype analysis (p = 0.11). A multivariate analysis revealed that high TS mRNA levels independently contributed to disease‐free survival. The quantitation of TS mRNA levels is clinically more sensitive and useful for determining the prognosis of Stage I and II NSCLC patients than an immunohistochemical evaluation. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
HLA‐DRB1*01 and DRB1*04 alleles in Sardinian rheumatoid arthritis patients
Authors: Carcassi C. , Passiu G. , Lai S. , Sanna G. , Cauli A. , Alba F. , Mathieu A. , Contu L. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract:In Sardinia, like in other Caucasoid populations, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is significantly associated with HLA‐DR4 and DR1 antigens. To discover which DR4 and DR1 alleles were associated with the disease we selected 22 Sardinian patients affected by RA. Fifty DR4+ and 28 DR1+ healthy individuals coming from the same geographical area were used as controls. In the Sardinian patients only two DRB1*04 alleles were observed: DRB1*0405 in 11 and DRB1*0403 in three patients. The DRB1*0102 allele was observed in two patients and DRB1*0101 in six patients. Hereditary predisposition to RA in Sardinia therefore seems to be almost exclusively associated with the DRB1*0405 and DRB1*0101 alleles which share the 67LLEQRRAA74–85VG86 epitope in the peptide binding groove.
Association of soluble HLA‐G plasma levels with HLA‐G alleles
Authors: Rebmann V. , Van Der Ven K. , Päßler M. , Pfeiffer K. , Krebs D. , Grosse‐Wilde H. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract:Soluble HLA‐G (sHLA‐G) molecules are found in the peripheral blood of healthy females and males, in cord blood and in amniotic fluids and discussed to be a mediator in maternal‐fetal tolerance. In this study we investigated whether there are allele‐specific differences in expression of sHLA‐G molecules. For this, the sHLA‐G plasma concentrations of 94 healthy unrelated individuals were measured by ELISA and correlated to their HLA‐G genotypes, as determined by sequence analysis of exon 2 and 3 of the HLA‐G gene. Mean sHLA‐G levels in individuals with the most common HLA‐G alleles G*01011 (27.0±2.1 SEM ng/ml, n=66), G*01012 (28.4±3.2 SEM ng/ml, n=34) were very similar. In contrast, individuals carrying the HLA‐G*01013 (8.1±1.7 SEM ng/ml, n=17) or the “null” allele HLA‐G*0105N (8.2±3.2 SEM ng/ml, n=7) presented significantly (Pc=0.001 and Pc<0.01, resp.) reduced sHLA‐G levels. Furthermore, individuals with the HLA‐G*01041 allele had significantly (Pc=0.004) increased sHLA‐G levels (42.5±4.6 SEM ng/ml, n=14). These results demonstrate that the generation of sHLA‐G molecules is associated to certain HLA‐G alleles and imply that sHLA‐G levels are under genetic control. As low and high sHLA‐G plasma levels did not segregate with HLA haplotypes including the HLA‐G*01013 or *01041 allele, additional mechanisms may be involved in the regulation of the individual sHLA‐G levels. Nevertheless, the existence of “low” and “high secretor” HLA‐G alleles further suggests different levels of functionality in immune regulation.
XENOTRANSPLANTATION: A VIEW TO THE PAST AND AN UNREALIZED PROMISE TO THE FUTURE
Authors: Toledo‐Pereyra LH , Lopez‐Neblina F 
Published: March 2003

Since the early 20th Century when Emerich Ullman transplanted a pig kidney into the arm of a woman (1902), Princeteau implanted portions of a rabbit kidney into the kidney of a child who was dying of renal insufficiency (1905), Jaboulay transplanted two kidneys from a pig and a goat as donor sources (1906), and Unger implanted a monkey kidney into a human (1910), xenotransplantation has made some strides, mostly related to advanced surgical techniques, improved knowledge of immunological principles, and to steps associated with the development of the most effective immunosuppressive therapy.Innovative surgical techniques were introduced by Alexis Carrel in the first decade of the 1900s, so that vascular anastomoses could be realized without a considerable amount of thrombotic/embolic problems, long before heparin times. Inasmuch as these advances were soundly characterized, it became evident that the results were far from expected and that the time was not ripe for xenotransplantation.It took a further 50 years (1963) before Keith Reemtsma transplanted 13 kidneys from chimpanzees into patients with kidney failure. Remarkably, one patient survived for 9 months before dying from an electrolyte imbalance. In the ensuing years, Starzl (1964), Hardy (1964), Cooley (1968), Ross (1968), Barnard (1977), Bailey (1984) and a few others entered this new field with less than satisfactory accomplishments.7The unsolvable barrier of hyperacute rejection required persistence and ingenuity. The recognition of xenoantibodies and their requirement for full depletion, through ex vivo porcine perfusion, plasmapheresis, immunoabsorption and complement inhibition, facilitated important advances in this field. The introduction of accommodation and molecular chimerism has further improved the knowledge of this newly conceived field. Advanced molecular engineering techniques have recently permitted the creation of the clonal Gal‐deficient pig by eliminating the α‐1, 3 galactosyltransferase gene. These discoveries together with better immunosuppression raise hope for the yet unrealized promise of xenotransplantation.
THE UNKNOWN MAN OF ALEXIS CARREL: THE FATHER OF TRANSPLANTATION
Authors: Toledo‐Pereyra LH 
Published: March 2003

The contributions and great advances accomplished by the dedicated work and extraordinary genius of Alexis Carrel (1873–1944) made possible the establishment of a new discipline, now considered to be transplantation. His pioneering Nobel Prize winning vessel suturing work (1912) plowed the way for an enhanced participation of surgical leaders in the demonstration of the feasibility of his newly introduced techniques. Even though most of the scientific disciplines associated with transplantation were in their infancy, the possibility of offering a means to realize the surgical face of transplantation presented an optimistic and new horizon for the developing field.Carrel remains an unknown man to the scientific and nonacademic readers of his life. In addition to his professional and well‐advanced scientific works, he was a mystical individual. He profoundly studied the human being, and through these studies he revealed himself. As one starts to unfold his complex personality through all his nonmedical writings, one begins to encounter the meticulous man, the impatient individual, the religious believer, the truth seeker and, paradoxically, the acceptor of clairvoyance and the supernatural. His popular and the best‐selling book of his times, Man The Unknown (1935), defined Carrel's philosophical principles of life and confirmed his intense interest in discovering man and the most important part of him, the unknown element. For Carrel, man was as complex as he believed himself to be: the unknown man.Scientists did not take Carrel's philosophical incursions kindly. They did not accept his views and criticized him in all his nonscientific developments. Carrel nevertheless characteristically disregarded his critics and charged himself to search for new concepts and forthcoming ideas. He maintained this resilience through all his existence and his work defines the Carrel as the complex man he was, as the spiritual student he attempted to be, and as the philosopher of the human race he so desired to be in his writings.
Apoplastic and membrane‐associated Ca2+ in leaves and roots as affected by boron deficiency
Authors: Mühling Karl Hermann , Wimmer Monika , Goldbach Heiner E. 
Published: March 2003

A combination of fluorescein‐isothiocyanate (FITC), coumarin‐benzothiazol (BTC), and chlorotetracycline (CTC) fluorescence was used to simultaneously monitor apoplastic pH, apoplastic free Ca2+, and plasma membrane‐bound Ca2+. As early boron deficiency reactions supposedly include alterations of plasma membrane‐bound transport processes besides rapid effects on cell wall physical properties, the corresponding changes were followed in leaves and roots of Vicia faba L. cv. Troy.Boron deficiency did not alter the apoplastic pH, but it reduced plasma membrane‐bound Ca2+ in roots at 4 h and leaves at 3 days after starting the deficiency treatment. The decrease in plasma membrane‐bound Ca2+ coincided with an increase in apoplastic free Ca2+ and K+, and occurred before the first visible symptoms were noticed.It is proposed that less Ca2+ is bound to the plasma membrane due to a reduction of specific Ca2+‐binding sites (borate esters with vic‐diols or polyhydroxy‐carboxylates) before plasma membrane integrity deteriorates.
Low HLA‐DR expression on peripheral blood monocytes predicts bacterial sepsis after liver transplantation: relation with prednisolone intake
Authors: Haveman J.W. , Van Den Berg A.P. , Van Den Berk J.M.M. , Mesander G. , Slooff M.J.H. , De Leij L.H.F.M. , The T.H. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract:Bacterial sepsis remains a frequent complication after liver transplantation. We previously reported the results of a pilot study that suggested that low expression of HLA‐DR on monocytes is a predictive marker for the occurrence of sepsis. We have studied the value of this marker in an additional cohort of patients, and have analyzed the relation of HLA‐DR expression with the use of immunosuppressive agents. 20 adult liver transplantation patients were prospectively monitored during the first 4 weeks after transplantation. All were treated according to standard protocols. The percentage of monocytes expressing HLA‐DR was measured by flow cytometry. In addition, the effects of incubation of monocytes with prednisolonein vitroon the expression of HLA‐DR was determined in 7 healthy volunteers. Seven patients developed bacterial sepsis after a median 15 (range 10–20) days after transplantation. HLA‐DR expression was significantly lower in these patients on days 7, 14, 21, and 28 after transplantation compared with non‐septic patients. The percentage of HLA‐DR positive monocytes was 30% or less, 3 (1–8) days before onset of sepsis. On day 7 after transplantation, HLA‐DR expression on 50% or less of monocytes had a positive predictive value for sepsis of 71%, whereas the negative predictive value was 85%. Patients who developed sepsis received significantly more prednisolone. Incubation with prednisolonein vitrolowered the expression of HLA‐DR in a dose‐dependent manner. We conclude that low HLA‐DR expression on monocytes is a marker for a high risk of subsequent sepsis in liver transplantation patients. This high risk may be (at least partly) related to the dose of prednisolone.
Prevention of infections in solid organ transplant recipients
Authors: Villacian Jorge S. , Paya Carlos V. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract:Solid organ transplantation has become an important therapeutic option for multiple chronic diseases. With the advent of newer and potent immunosuppressive regimens, graft survival has improved, but at the expense of an increased risk for the development of infections secondary to bacterial, fungal, viral and parasitic pathogens. Prevention of such infectious complications with effective, well tolerated, and cost‐effective anti‐microbials would be ideal to improve the outcome of transplanted patients. However, the emergence of multi‐drug resistant pathogens, medication toxicity and drug‐drug interactions need to be carefully evaluated. This review summarizes the most relevant data pertaining to our current understanding of infection prevention for solid organ transplant recipients. Specific recommendations are given for the prevention of each group of microorganisms and types of solid organ transplant (Note).
Amphotericin B preparations: a maximum tolerated dose in severe invasive fungal infections?
Authors: Ellis M. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract:Availability of lipid formulations of amphotericin B has opened up the possibility of treating invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised patients with high doses of this antifungal agent. Evidence is emerging to suggest that lipid formulations may have heightened efficacy compared to conventional amphotericin B. The issue of optimal dosage has been a neglected area. This article reviews published data accrued from clinical, open‐label, salvage, and other studies, and finds little support that the use of high doses of lipid formulations are more efficacious than lower doses. The response rates for invasive fungal infection from most studies are predictably around 56%, irrespective of the lipid formulation and dose used. Animal models provide evidence that low doses of a lipid formulation are as successful in reducing fungal dissemination and in prolonging survival as higher doses, although concomitant tissue fungal eradication is not as effectively achieved by the lower doses (survival‐mycologic eradication dissociation). Kinetic studies performed in the clinically relevant setting of critically ill patients give further support to the use of low doses, since levels of liposomal amphotericin B at all dosages between 1 and 4 mg/kg/day are similar and above maximum inhibitory concentrations for commonly encountered fungi. There has only been one prospective randomised study designed with the primary end‐point of comparing two dosages of an amphotericin B lipid formulation on clinical response and survival. That European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) study concluded that liposomal amphotericin B given at 1 mg was as efficacious as 4 mg/kg/day in treating neutropenic patients with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. There are a multitude of unanswered questions concerning dosing, and their answers are confounded by difficulties in performing clinical trials and the multiplicity of factors other than antifungal chemotherapy that influence outcome. Maximum tolerated dose studies using existing lipid formulations, or perhaps with the newer formulations such as pegylated immunoliposomal amphotericin B, could be performed to shed light on this difficult area.
Antigen detection in the diagnosis and management of a patient with probable cerebral aspergillosis treated with voriconazole
Authors: Machetti M. , Zotti M. , Veroni L. , Mordini N. , Van Lint M.T. , Bacigalupo A. , Paola D. , Viscoli C. 
Published: March 2003

Abstract:This report describes the diagnosis and management of a 16‐year‐old boy who developed neurological signs and symptoms suggestive of cerebral aspergillosis following a haploidentical bone marrow transplant. A new sandwich enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of Aspergillus galactomannan circulating antigens (Platelia Aspergillus, Sanofi Diagnostic Pasteur, France) was used on serum and cerebrospinal fluid to obtain a presumptive diagnosis and to monitor the course of the disease. Having failed conventional therapy with amphotericin B, the patient received compassionate treatment with voriconazole for a period of 37 days. High levels of voriconazole were observed in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), with a trend toward accumulation. After 7 days a marked improvement in the patient’s neurological symptoms was noted, and ELISA data indicated a corresponding decrease in Aspergillus galactomannan levels in both serum and CSF. Voriconazole was well tolerated, with only transient increases in ALT/AST recorded during therapy. Although the patient survived the acute Aspergillus infection, he subsequently died of an unrelated infection.
Quantitation and characterization of anti‐Galα1–3Gal antibodies in sera of 200 healthy persons
Authors: Buonomano Roberto , Tinguely Caroline , Rieben Robert , Mohacsi Paul J. , Nydegger Urs E. 
Published: March 2003

Buonomano R, Tinguely C, Rieben R, Mohacsi PJ, Nydegger UE. Quantitation and characterization of anti‐Galα1–3Gal antibodies in sera of 200 healthy persons. Xenotransplantation 1999; 6:173‐180. © Munksgaard, CopenhagenAbstract: The natural occurrence of complement‐activating anti‐Galαl–3Gal antibodies (anti‐Gal) in human serum is considered as a major obstacle to xenotransplantation. In this study we determined anti‐Gal in sera of 200 healthy volunteers (100 male, 100 female) of different age groups using an IgG‐ and IgM‐isotype specific ELISA. In addition, we used a direct hemagglutination test involving rabbit erythrocytes (ER), which are known for abundant surface expression of the Galα1–3Gal antigen. The measured arbitrary ELISA units (U) for anti‐Gal ranged from 5 to 204 U (77 ± 47; mean ± 1 SD) for IgM, and from 1 to 162 U(73 ± 32) for IgG. Anti‐ER hemagglutination titers were between 1: 65536 and 1: 64 (mean 1: 703), with 75% of all serum samples being in the range of 1: 8192–1: 512. Specificity of the tests was determined by immunoabsorption of anti‐Gal on Sepharose‐coupled synthetic Galα1–3Gal antigen, which reduced ELISA as well as agglutination titers by 90% or more. Overall, inter‐individual differences of both anti‐Gal ELISA values and ER agglutination titers exceeded age‐, gender‐, or ABO‐type related changes. A tendency was found to higher anti‐Gal IgM values in women than in men (P < 0.005 by Student’s t‐test), whereas the gender‐difference for anti‐Gal IgG or ER titers was not significant. Application of the anti‐Gal ELISA as well as the ER agglutination assay for pre‐transplant screening of potential pig xenograft recipients is discussed.