bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Perioperative radiotherapy and concurrent radiochemotherapy in rectal cancer
Authors: Rödel Claus , Sauer Rolf 
Published: August 2002

AbstractCombined modality treatment is the recommended standard adjuvant therapy for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer in the United States and Germany. During the last decade substantial progress has been made in treatment modalities, and surgical management currently includes a broad spectrum of operative procedures ranging from radical operations to innovative sphincter‐preserving techniques. Specialized groups have reported excellent local control rates with total mesorectal excision (TME) alone. New and improved radiation techniques (conformal and intraoperative radiotherapy) and innovative schedules (protracted intravenous and chronomodulated infusion) and combinations (oxaliplatin and irinotecan) of chemotherapy may have the potential to further increase the therapeutic benefit of adjuvant treatment. Moreover, the basic issue of timing (pre‐ or postoperative) within a multimodal regimen is currently being addressed in prospective trials. Evidently there is a need to question the current monolithic approaches, which were established by studies conducted more than a decade ago. It is also under discussion whether to apply the same schedule of postoperative radiochemotherapy to all patients with stage II/III rectal cancer, or to give preoperative intensive short‐course radiation according to the Swedish concept for all patients with resectable rectal cancer irrespective of tumor stage and treatment goal (e.g., sphincter preservation). This review discusses different irradiation settings in more recent and ongoing studies of perioperative radiotherapy for rectal cancer, and focuses on the issue of which patient should receive radiotherapy (if at all), and if so, how and when. Semin. Surg. Oncol. 20:3–12, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
1‐, 2‐, and 3‐dimensional polyphenylenes—from molecular wires to functionalised nanoparticles
Authors: Grimsdale Andrew C. , Müllen Klaus 
Published: August 2002

AbstractPolyphenylenes, ranging from one‐dimensional wire‐like conjugated polymers to two‐dimensional disc‐shaped polyaromatic hydrocarbons and three‐dimensional sphere‐like dendrimers, have been prepared using methods that allow synthetic control of their molecular and supramolecular order in order to optimise their physical, especially optical and electrical, properties. 1D‐conjugated polymers can be used as emitting materials in LEDs, with their colours tuned so as to give emission across the whole visible spectrum. Their supramolecular order can be manipulated by attachment of bulky sidechains to suppress aggregation, and by formation of rod‐coil block copolymers. 2D polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons form stable columnar mesophases with high charge carrier mobilities. Their size, shape, and substitution patterns can be altered so as to maximise their intra‐ and intercolumnar order. 3D polyphenylene dendrimers can be prepared in ways that enable control of their shape, and their surfaces can be selectively functionalised in ways that permit them to act as functionalised nanoparticles. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and The Japan Chemical Journal Forum Chem Rec 1:243–257, 2001
The Caracol Time Travel Project
Authors: Hughes Charles E. , Michael Moshell J. , Reed Dean , Chase Diane Z. , Chase Arlen F. 
Published: August 2002

AbstractVirtual drama is based on the use of a shareable virtual world as a stage setting, with avatars controlled by actors and audience members. The Caracol Time Travel Project was an experiment in the use of virtual drama for learning about archaeology. Eighteen undergraduate students at the University of Central Florida used a locally developed Java‐based system for sharing VRML worlds. They designed and constructed a virtual drama to teach basic concepts of Mesoamerican archaeology and the cultural history of the ancient Maya for middle schools. This paper presents their story design and details of the system we developed to support interaction in this shared virtual world. We then discuss performance issues, lessons learned and newer features that we did not have available at the time. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using Wavelet Analysis to Assess Turbulence/Rotor Interactions
Authors: Kelley Neil D. , Osgood Richard M. , Bialasiewicz Jan T. , Jakubowski Andrzej 
Published: August 2002

AbstractLarge loading events on wind turbine rotor blades are often associated with transient bursts of coherent turbulent energy in the turbine inflow. These coherent turbulent structures are identified as peaks in the three‐dimensional, instantaneous, turbulent shearing stress field. Such organized inflow structures and the accompanying rotor aeroelastic responses typically have timescales of only a few seconds and therefore do not lend themselves to analysis by conventional Fourier spectral techniques. Wavelet analysis offers the ability to study more closely the spectral decomposition of short‐period events such as the interaction of coherent turbulence with a moving rotor blade. In this paper we discuss our initial progress in the application of wavelet analysis techniques to the decomposition and interpretation of turbulence/rotor interaction. We discuss the results of using both continuous and discrete wavelet transforms for our application. Several examples are given of the techniques applied to both observed turbulence and turbine responses and those generated using numerical simulations. We found that the presence of coherent turbulent structures, as revealed by the inflow Reynolds stress field, is a major contributor to large load excursions. These bursts of coherent turbulent energy induce a broadband aeroelastic response in the turbine rotor as it passes through them. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficiency calibration of energy‐dispersive detectors for application in quantitative x‐ and γ‐ray spectrometry
Authors: Szalóki I. , Szegedi S. , Varga K. , Braun M. , Osán J. , Van Grieken R. 
Published: August 2002

AbstractA semi‐empirical method was used in a full‐peak efficiency calculation procedure; it was based on the measurements of characteristic x‐ray lines of pure elemental and compound samples and on the application of the fundamental parameter method (FPM) for the theoretical calculation of the characteristic x‐ray intensities. Radioactive standards were applied for the efficiency calibration of different semiconductor detectors [Si(Li), Si‐PIN and HpGe]. The efficiency curves were fitted to the characteristic intensities measured by a conventional Si(Li) and two Si‐PIN detectors, using 125I and 55Fe radioactive sources for x‐ray excitation in a ring‐shaped geometrical arrangement. Several quantitative applications in x‐ and γ‐ray spectrometry were carried out with these calibrated detectors: (i) x‐ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis of sediment samples [Si(Li)], (ii) determination of specific activity of 137Cs nuclide in sediment core samples originated from an oxbow area of the river Tisza, using γ‐spectroscopy (HpGe) with low‐background conditions, (iii) study of electrosorption phenomena at solid– liquid interfaces by making use of an in situ radiotracer method based on the application of low‐energy x‐ray emitting radionuclides (e.g. 65Zn), (iv) quantitative XRF analysis of ceramic glaze and (v) electron microprobe analysis of aerosol particles using an instrument equipped with a thin‐window Si(Li) detector. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mutants defective in secretory/vacuolar pathways in the EUROFAN collection of yeast disruptants
Authors: Avaro Sandrine , Belgareh‐Touzé Naïma , Sibella‐Argüelles Carla , Volland Christiane , Haguenauer‐Tsapis Rosine 
Published: August 2002

AbstractWe have screened the EUROFAN (European Functional Analysis Network) deletion strain collection for yeast mutants defective in secretory/vacuolar pathways and/or associated biochemical modifications. We used systematic Western immunoblotting to analyse the electrophoretic pattern of several markers of the secretory/vacuolar pathways, the soluble α‐factor, the periplasmic glycoprotein invertase, the plasma membrane GPI‐anchored protein Gas1p, and two vacuolar proteins, the soluble carboxypeptidase Y and the membrane‐bound alkaline phosphatase, which are targeted to the vacuole by different pathways. We also used colony immunoblotting to monitor the secretion of carboxypeptidase Y into the medium, to identify disruptants impaired in vacuolar targeting. We identified 25 mutants among the 631 deletion strains. Nine of these mutants were disrupted in genes identified in recent years on the basis of their involvement in trafficking (VPS53, VAC7, VAM6, APM3, SYS1), or glycosylation (ALG12, ALG9, OST4, ROT2). Three of these genes were identified on the basis of trafficking defects by ourselves and others within the EUROFAN project (TLG2, RCY1, MON2). The deletion of ERV29, which encodes a COPII vesicle protein, impaired carboxypeptidase Y trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum to the Golgi apparatus. We also identified eight unknown ORFs, the deletion of which reduced Golgi glycosylation or impaired the Golgi to vacuole trafficking of carboxypeptidase Y. YJR044c, which we identified as a new VPS gene, encodes a protein with numerous homologues of unknown function in sequence databases. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Program Refinement Tool
Authors: Carrington D. , Hayes I. , Nickson R. , Watson G. , Welsh J. 
Published: August 2002

Abstract.
The refinement calculus for the development of programs from specifications is well suited to mechanised support. We review the requirements for tool support of refinement as gleaned from our experience with existing refinement tools, and report on the design and implementation of a new tool to support refinement based on these requirements.
The main features of the new tool are close integration of refinement and proof in a single tool (the same mechanism is used for both), good management of the refinement context, an extensible theory base that allows the tool to be adapted to new application domains, and a flexible user interface.
Heterogeneous Notations for Pure Formal Method Integration
Authors: Paige Richard F. 
Published: August 2002

Abstract.
We outline an extendible approach for combining formal methods – such as Z, Morgan's refinement calculus, and predicative programming – based on composing specifications written in similar formal languages. We discuss how algorithm refinement can be extended to such a setting, and outline some examples of using integrated formal methods. We also provide justifications for why using combinations of similar methods might be helpful.
Investigating the Integration of two Formal Methods
Authors: Bicarregui Juan , Matthews Brian , Ritchie Brian , Agerholm Sten 
Published: August 2002

Abstract.
VDM and B are two mature formal methods currently in use by industry and supported by commercial tools. Though the methods are foundationally similar, the coverage of their supporting tools differ significantly. The SPECTRUM project has investigated the feasibility of integrating support for the two methodologies. In this paper, we describe the project and report on some technical results.
Expression of Telomerase‐associated Genes: Reflection of Telomerase Activity in Gastric Cancer?
Authors: Kameshima Hidekazu , Yagihashi Atsuhito , Yajima Tomomi , Kobayashi Daisuke , Hirata Koichi , Watanabe Naoki 
Published: August 2002

Abstract.Telomerase activation is a characteristic of immortalized tumor cells but not of normal cells. Telomerase activity has been detected in approximately 85% of malignant tumors, and assaying for telomerase activity is thought to be useful for diagnosing cancer. Three telomerase‐associated molecules [human telomerase RNA component (hTR), telomerase‐associated protein (TEP1), and human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT)] have been cloned. We semiquantitatively measured telomerase activity and the expression of these genes in cancerous and noncancerous regions of gastric cancer patients. We also investigated whether the expression of these genes correlated with telomerase activity. Telomerase activity in cancerous regions was significantly higher than in noncancerous regions, but there was no correlation between telomerase activity and the expression of these genes. Furthermore, no clear difference was observed between cancerous and noncancerous regions. These data indicate that the level of three telomerase‐associated genes (i.e., hTR, TEP1 mRNA, hTERT mRNA), do not reflect telomerase activity, and the RNA levels of these genes are not useful markers for diagnosing gastric cancer.
Acute Phase is the Only Significantly Reduced Component of the Injury Response after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Authors: Targarona Eduardo M. , Pons María José , Balagué Carmen , Espert Juan José , Moral Antonio , Martínez Joaquín , Gaya Juan , Filella Xavier , Rivera Francisca , Ballesta Antonio , Trías Manuel 
Published: August 2002

AbstractThe objective demonstration of improved postoperative recovery suggests that the surgical injury response induced by the laparoscopic approach is less intense than that after open surgery. Twenty‐five patients diagnosed as having noncomplicated gallstones were studied prospectively. They were operated by laparoscopy (group I, n = 12) or open surgery (group II, n = 13). Analgesia requirements (p < 0.026) and postoperative stay (p < 0.001) were significantly less in group I. Cholecystectomy performed by either technical options induced a significant increase over basal values of glucose, lactate, white blood cell count, prolactin, ACTH, cortisol, interleukin 6, C‐reactive protein, and PCO2. Both surgical procedures induced a significant reduction of total proteins, albumin, prealbumin, free fatty acids hemoglobin, hematocrit, and pH. There were no differences between the levels of growth hormone, insulin, glucagon, or PO2 during any of the periods studied. Comparison of the results of the two cholecystectomy techniques showed that laparoscopic cholecystectomy induced a significantly less intense acute‐phase response (area under the curve) of interleukin 6 (17 ± 17 versus 47 ± 26 pg/ml × hr × 102; p < 0.003), C‐reactive protein (16 ± 12 versus 35 ± 16 mg/dl × hr × 10;p < 0.004), and prealbumin (16 ± 2.7 versus 13.8 ± 2.3 mg/dl × hr × 102; p < 0.05). The surgical injury response after laparoscopic cholecystectomy is similar to that after open cholecystectomy, but the acute‐phase response component is less intense. This finding may be a consequence of the reduced size of the operative wound with laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
Historical Evolution of Hypothermic Liver Surgery
Authors: Yamanaka Naoki , Dai Chao‐Liu , Okamoto Eizo 
Published: August 2002

AbstractThe clinical application of hypothermia dates back to the surgical treatment of blue babies (1949) and the early days of open heart surgery (1952), when generalized cooling was employed. The induction of hepatic hypothermia began with whole‐body cooling in experimental models in 1953 and clinically in 1961. It was designed to minimize the ischemia‐reperfusion injury associated with hepatic inflow occlusion. Body surface cooling and cooling via an extracorporeal circuit, however, were not widely accepted for hepatic surgery because of the adverse effects on the extrahepatic organs. Consequently, with the introduction of improved venovenous bypass techniques, in situ cold hepatic perfusion has been used in selected patients since 1971. In situ hypothermic hemihepatic perfusion, introduced in 1995, prevents an ischemic insult to the contralateral hepatic lobe. Topical cooling using ice slush under total or hemihepatic inflow occlusion was reported in 1993. This technique does not require cumbersome hypothermic perfusion equipment. In attempts to minimize intraoperative bleeding by vascular occlusion, the liver surgeon must consider the benefits and technical demands of hepatic hypothermia.
New Surgical Strategy for Gastroduodenal Ulcer: Laparoscopic Approach
Authors: Dubois François 
Published: August 2002

AbstractAlthough peptic gastroduodenal ulcers are rarely treated surgically today, when surgery is required a laparoscopic approach is possible with its well known advantages. The most widely used technique is vagotomy by various modalities. Training in laparoscopy requires good instrumentation to avoid complications. Vagotomy can be truncal and bilateral via laparoscopy or thoracoscopy, which is the easiest and quickest procedure; moreover, the sequelae are less important and less frequent, as has been reported. It can also be highly selective or mixed, such as the Taylor procedure; and large series have been reported with good results. Gastric resection is rarely used for peptic ulcers, although it is feasible laparoscopically; it requires a large experience. Long‐term results of laparoscopic vagotomy are now available and have indicated the same results as are attained with open surgery.
Fertility of Mares After Unilateral Laparoscopic Tubal Ligation
Authors: Mccue Patrick M. , Hendrickson Dean A. , Hess Milan B. 
Published: August 2002

Objective—To develop a technique for laparoscopic tubal (oviductal) ligation and to evaluate pregnancy rates for mares that ovulated ipsilateral or contralateral to the ligated oviduct.Study Design—Randomized prospective clinical trial comparing pregnancy rates after unilateral laparoscopic tubal ligation.Animals—Twelve mares of light horse breeds.Methods—One oviduct in each of 6 mares was surgically ligated with a laparoscopic technique; 6 other mares served as nonligated controls. Mares with unilateral tubal ligations (UTL) were inseminated with 500 million progressively motile sperm during 1 cycle when the dominant follicle was ipsilateral to the ligation site and 1 cycle when the dominant follicle was contralateral to the ligation site. Control mares were bred during 2 cycles regardless of the side of the dominant follicle. Pregnancy examinations were performed on days 12, 14, and 16 after ovulation by transrectal ultrasonography.Results—None of the mares became pregnant when ovulations occurred from the ovary adjacent to the ligated oviduct. All 6 mares became pregnant on the first cycle when an ovulation occurred from the opposite ovary. Control mares became pregnant on 10 of 12 cycles (83.3 %).Conclusions—UTL was completely effective in preventing pregnancy when ovulation occurred ipsilateral to the ligation site. The surgical procedure did not interfere with the establishment of pregnancy when ovulation occurred from the contralateral ovary.Clinical Relevance—UTL may be a clinically useful procedure for preparing a recipient mare for gamete intrafallopian transfer. The recipient mare could be allowed to ovulate and UTL would prevent fertilization of her oocyte but would not interfere with normal corpus luteum formation. The donor oocyte could be placed into the oviduct contralateral to the UTL site.
Transfer of Cationic Antibacterial Agents Berberine, Palmatine, and Benzalkonium Through Bimolecular Planar Phospholipid Film and Staphylococcus aureus Membrane
Authors: Severina Inna I. , Muntyan Maria S. , Lewis Kim , Skulachev Vladimir P. 
Published: August 2002

AbstractSome organic cations are known to be electrophoretically imported into bacterial cells and actively extruded from these cells by multidrug resistance (MDR) pumps. We have studied penetration of plant antimicrobial agents berberine and palmatine and synthetic antiseptic benzalkonium chloride through black planar phospholipid membrane (BLM) and membrane of Staphylococcus aureus cells. Gradients of these cations across BLM generated an electric potential difference. Penetrating anion tetraphenyl borate and phloretin (a plant substance decreasing membrane dipole potential) stimulated this effect. Under optimal conditions, the magnitude of the electric potential was close to theoretical, that is, 60 mV/10‐fold cation gradient. Berberine accumulated in S. aureus cells as shown by direct measurement of berberine with a berberinesensitive electrode. The berberine accumulation was prevented by protonophore CCCP and was stimulated by mutation in the MDR pump NorA. It is concluded that the plant alkaloids and benzalkonium are penetrating cations and substrates of an MDR pump.
Release of Ca 2+ from Mitochondria via the Saturable Mechanisms and the Permeability Transition
Authors: Pfeiffer Douglas R. , Gunter Thomas E. , Eliseev Roman , Broekemeier Kimberly M. , Gunter Karlene K. 
Published: August 2002

AbstractThe literature, reviewed in the previous article, supports three physiological roles for sequestration of calcium by mitochondria: 1) control of the rate of ATP production, 2) activation of the Ca 2+ ‐induced mitochondrial permeability transition (PT), and 3) modulation of cytosolic Ca 2+ transients. Removal of Ca 2+ from mitochondria permits rapid and efficient changes in the rate of ATP production to adapt to changing demands and can reverse the process of PT induction. Two separate, saturable mechanisms for facilitating Ca 2+ efflux from mitochondria exist. In addition, the permeability transition or PT, which may also remove Ca 2+ from the mitochondrial matrix, is intimately involved in other important functions such as apoptosis. Here we briefly review what is known about these important mitochondrial mechanisms and from their behavior speculate on their possible and probable functions.
Optimal design for discrete‐time linear systems via new performance index
Authors: Polyak B.T. , Halpern M.E. 
Published: August 2002

AbstractWe introduce a class of linear discrete‐time systems called ‘superstable’. For the SISO case this means that the absolute value of the constant term of the characteristic polynomial is greater than the sum of absolute values of all other coefficients, while superstable MIMO systems have a state matrix with l1 norm less than one. Such systems have many special features. First, non‐asymptotic bounds for the output of such systems with bounded input can be easily obtained. In particular, for small enough initial conditions, we get the equalized performance property, recently introduced for the SISO case by Blanchini and Sznaier (36th CDC, San Diego, 1997, pp. 1540–1545). Second, the same bounds can be obtained for LTV systems, provided all the frozen LTI systems are super stable. This makes the notion well suited for adaptive control.These bounds can be used as the performance index for optimal controller design, as proposed by Blanchini and Sznaier for the SISO case. Then to obtain disturbance rejection in SISO or MIMO systems, we design a controller which guarantees super stability of the closed‐loop system and minimizes the proposed performance index (γ‐optimality). This problem happens to be quasiconvex with respect to the controller coefficients and can be solved via parametric linear programming. Compared with the well‐known l1 optimization‐based design technique, the approach allows low‐order controllers to be designed (while l1 optimal controllers may have high order) and can take into account non‐asymptotic time‐domain behaviour of the system with non‐zero initial conditions. For unbounded controller orders we prove the existence and finite dimensionality of γ‐optimal designs. We also address the robustness issues for transfer functions with coprime factor uncertainty bounded in l1 norm. A robust performance problem can be formulated and similarly solved via linear programming. Numerous examples are provided to compare the proposed design with optimal l1 and H∞ controllers. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.