bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prediction of recurrence in advanced gastric cancer patients after curative resection by gene expression profiling
Authors: Motoori Masaaki , Takemasa Ichiro , Yano Masahiko , Saito Sakae , Miyata Hiroshi , Takiguchi Shuji , Fujiwara Yoshiyuki , Yasuda Takushi , Doki Yuichiro , Kurokawa Yukinori , Ueno Noriko , Oba Shigeyuki , Ishii Shin , Monden Morito , Kato Kikuya 
Published: January 2005

AbstractThe prognosis of patients with advanced gastric cancer remains unfavorable. Even after curative resection, 40% of patients with advanced gastric cancer die of recurrence. Conventional clinicopathlogic findings are sometimes inadequate for predicting recurrence in individuals. Hence, we tried to construct a new diagnostic system, which predicts recurrence in patients with advanced gastric cancer after curative resection based on molecular analysis. Gastric cancer progression is a function of multiple genetic events that may affect the expression of large number of genes. We performed gene expression profiling with 2,304 genes in 60 advanced gastric cancer patients who underwent curative resection using a PCR array technique, a high‐throughput quantitative RT‐PCR technique. The diagnostic system, which was constructed from the learning set comprised of 40 patients with the most informative 29 genes, classified each case into a good‐signature or poor‐signature group. Then, we confirmed the predictive performance in an additional test set comprised of 20 patients, and the prediction accuracy for recurrence was 75%. Kaplan‐Meier analysis revealed significant difference between the good‐signature and the poor‐signature group (p = 0.0125). Especially in patients with smaller tumor (≤ 5 cm), less developed LN metastasis (N0,1), or earlier stage (stages I and II), the prediction accuracy was high (88.9%, 84.6%, or 81.8%, respectively). Our diagnostic system based on systematic analysis of gene expression profiling can predict the recurrence at clinically meaningful level. By combining our system with conventional clinicopathologic factors, we can improve the prediction of recurrence in patients with advanced gastric cancer who underwent curative surgery. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Peptide vaccination after repeated resection of metastases can induce a prolonged relapse‐free interval in melanoma patients
Authors: Letsch Anne , Keilholz Ulrich , Fluck Michael , Nagorsen Dirk , Asemissen Anne Marie , Schmittel Alexander , Thiel Eckhard , Scheibenbogen Carmen 
Published: January 2005

AbstractThis pilot study was carried out to gain a first insight into the effects of peptide vaccination in melanoma patients in the high‐risk adjuvant disease setting. From the adjuvant peptide vaccination studies carried out in our institution since 1998, we identified all melanoma patients with a history of at least 3 completely resected metastases during the year preceding enrollment into the trial and describe the clinical and immunologic observations. Out of a total of 44 patients with resected cutaneous melanoma entered into adjuvant peptide vaccination trials, 9 patients were identified with more than 3 metastases in the year before vaccination. After initiation of vaccination, 2 patients remained relapse‐free for 27 and 42+ months, 2 patients experienced single or several initial relapses and subsequent relapse‐free intervals of 18 and 65+ months, whereas 5 patients progressed. In both patients with relapse after prolonged relapse‐free intervals, the relapses were initially confined to the small intestine and could be resected. Induction or boosting of functional tyrosinase peptide‐specific T cells was noted in 6 of 8 patients, including all 4 patients with prolonged relapse‐free intervals. In conclusion, adjuvant peptide vaccination was associated with cessation of recurrences in 4 of 9 patients, of whom all 4 had an immunologic response to the vaccine. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Predictions of mortality from pleural mesothelioma in Italy: A model based on asbestos consumption figures supports results from age‐period‐cohort models
Authors: Marinaccio Alessandro , Montanaro Fabio , Mastrantonio Marina , Uccelli Raffaella , Altavista Pierluigi , Nesti Massimo , Costantini Adele Seniori , Gorini Giuseppe 
Published: January 2005

AbstractItaly was the second main asbestos producer in Europe, after the Soviet Union, until the end of the 1980s, and raw asbestos was imported on a large scale until 1992. The Italian pattern of asbestos consumption lags on average about 10 years behind the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and the Nordic countries. Measures to reduce exposure were introduced in the mid‐1970s in some workplaces. In 1986, limitations were imposed on the use of crocidolite and in 1992 asbestos was definitively banned. We have used primary pleural cancer mortality figures (1970–1999) to predict mortality from mesothelioma among Italian men in the next 30 years by age‐cohort‐period models and by a model based on asbestos consumption figures. The pleural cancer/mesothelioma ratio and mesothelioma misdiagnosis in the past were taken into account in the analysis. Estimated risks of birth cohorts born after 1945 decrease less quickly in Italy than in other Western countries. The findings predict a peak with about 800 mesothelioma annual deaths in the period 2012–2024. Results estimated using age‐period‐cohort models were similar to those obtained from the asbestos consumption model. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
New method of dynamic color doppler signal quantification in metastatic lymph nodes compared to direct polarographic measurements of tissue oxygenation
Authors: Scholbach Thomas , Scholbach Jakob , Krombach Gabriele A. , Gagel Bernd , Maneschi Payam , Di Martino Ercole 
Published: January 2005

AbstractTumor growth depends on sufficient blood and oxygen supply. Hypoxia stimulates neovascularization and is a known cause for radio‐ and chemoresistance. The objective of this study was to investigate the use of a novel ultrasound technique for the dynamic assessment of vascularization and oxygenation in metastatic lymph nodes. Twenty‐four patients (age 44–78 years) with cervical lymph node metastases of squamous cell head and neck cancer were investigated by color duplex sonography and 17 (age 46–78 years) were investigated additionally with polarography. Sonography was performed after contrast enhancer infusion under defined conditions. Intranodal perfusion data (color hue, colored area) were measured automatically by a novel software technique. This allows an evaluation of blood flow dynamics by calculating perfusion intensity—velocity, perfused area, as well as the novel parameters tissue resistance index (TRI) and tissue pulsatility index (TPI)—for each point of a complete heart cycle. Tumor tissue pO2 was measured by means of polarographic needle electrodes placed intranodally. The sonographic and polarographic data were correlated using Pearson's test. Sonography demonstrated a statistically significant inverse correlation between hypoxia and perfusion and significant TPI and TRI changes with different N‐stages. The percentage of nodal fraction with less than 10 mmHg oxygen saturation was significantly inversely correlated with lymph node perfusion (r = −0.551; p = 0.021). Nodes with a perfusion of less than 0.05 cm/sec flow velocity showed significantly larger hypoxic areas (p = 0.006). Significant differences of TPI and TRI existed between nodes in stage N1 and N2/N3 (p = 0.028 and 0.048, respectively). This new method of dynamic signal quantification allows a noninvasive and quantitative assessment of tumor and metastatic lymph node perfusion by means of commonly available ultrasound equipment. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A new analytical method for computing solvent‐accessible surface area of macromolecules and its gradients
Authors: Hayryan Shura , Hu Chin‐Kun , Skřivánek Jaroslav , Hayryane Edik , Pokorný Imrich 
Published: January 2005

AbstractIn the calculation of thermodynamic properties and three‐dimensional structures of macromolecules, such as proteins, it is important to have an efficient algorithm for computing the solvent‐accessible surface area of macromolecules. Here, we propose a new analytical method for this purpose. In the proposed algorithm we consider the transformation that maps the spherical circles formed by intersection of the atomic surfaces in three‐dimensional space onto the circles on a two‐dimensional plane, and the problem of computing the solvent‐accessible surface area is reduced to the problem of computing the corresponding curve integrals on the plane. This allows to consider only the integrals along the circular trajectories on the plane. The algorithm is suitable for parallelization. Testings on many proteins as well as the comparison to the other analogous algorithms have shown that our method is accurate and efficient. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 26: 334–343, 2005
Two‐electron integrations in the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules with correlated wave functions
Authors: Pendás A. Martín , Francisco E. , Blanco M. A. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractA recent method proposed to compute two‐electron integrals over arbitrary regions of space [Martín Pendás, A. et al., J Chem Phys 2004, 120, 4581] is extended to deal with correlated wave functions. To that end, we use a monadic factorization of the second‐order reduced density matrix originally proposed by E. R. Davidson [Chem Phys Lett 1995, 246, 209] that achieves a full separation of the interelectronic components into one‐electron terms. The final computational effort is equivalent to that found in the integration of a one determinant wave function with as many orbitals as occupied functions in the correlated expansion. Similar strategies to extract the exchange and self‐interaction contributions from the two‐electron repulsion are also discussed, and several numerical results obtained in a few test systems are summarized. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 26: 344–351, 2005
Improving gene replacement by intracellular formation of linear homologous DNA
Authors: de Piédoue G. , Maurisse R. , Kuzniak I. , Lopez B. , Perrin A. , Nègre O. , Leboulch P. , Feugeas J.‐P. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractBackgroundGene targeting is a potential tool for gene therapy but is limited by the low rate of homologous recombination. Using highly homologous linear DNA improves gene targeting frequency but requires microinjection into nuclear cells to be effective. Because transfection of circular DNA is more efficient than transfection of linear DNA and adaptable to viral vectors, we developed a system for the intracellular release of linear fragments from circular plasmids.MethodsOnly one cutting site inside the “donor” DNA was not convenient because it led to integration of exogenous sequences into the target. So we constructed several “donor” plasmids containing the homologous sequences flanked by two I‐Sce I recognition sites. Expression of I‐Sce I allowed intracellular delivery of “ends‐out” (replacement) vectors. We compared the efficiency of different constructions to correct a mutated gfp target.ResultsCo‐transfection of “donor” plasmids and an I‐Sce I expression vector into CHO cells enhanced the correction of an extrachromosomal mutated gfp target by at least 10 times. Maximum correction was observed with the greatest homology size and maximum effect of I‐Sce I was obtained when the long hemi‐sites of the duplicated I‐Sce I sites were contiguous to the homologous sequence. Unexpectedly, the reverse orientation of I‐Sce I sites provided little or no effect, probably due to the asymmetrical activity of the I‐Sce I meganuclease.ConclusionsReleasing homologous DNA fragments with I‐Sce I enhances gene replacement. This work provides the basis for the future design of viral vectors for gene replacement. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of Different Woven Geometry in Poly(propylene) Woven Composites
Authors: Houshyar Shadi , Shanks Robert A. , Hodzic Alma 
Published: January 2005

AbstractSummary: The difference between the melting temperatures of poly(propylene) (PP) fibre and random poly(propylene‐co‐ethylene) (PPE) was exploited in order to establish processing conditions for an all PP composite. Under these conditions the matrix must be a liquid in order to ensure good wetting and impregnation at the fibres, though the temperature must not be too high to avoid melting the fibres. The high chemical compatibility of the two components allowed creation of strong physico‐chemical interactions, which favour strong interfacial adhesion. The static and dynamic mechanical properties and morphology of poly(propylene) woven fabric reinforced random PPE composites have been investigated with reference to the woven geometry that influenced the properties of the woven composites. Among the various cloth architectures that were used in the PP‐PPE composites, the satin weave imparted overall excellent mechanical properties due to the weave parameters, such as high float length and fibre count, low interlace point and crimp angle, etc. Morphology of the composite has been investigated by macro photography and scanning electron microscopy. Images from scanning electron microscopy provided confirmation of the above results by displaying the consolidation and good fibre‐matrix wetting of the composites.Loss modulus of poly(propylene) woven‐matrix composites with different types of woven geometry.magnified imageLoss modulus of poly(propylene) woven‐matrix composites with different types of woven geometry.
New Motivation for the Depolymerization Products Derived from Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate) (PET) Waste: a Review
Authors: Nikles David E. , Farahat Medhat S. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractSummary: Over the last several decades, the process of recycling polymer waste has been attracting the attention of many scientists working on this issue. Polymer recycling is very important for at least two main reasons: firstly, to reduce the ever increasing volumes of polymer waste coming from many sources: from daily life packaging materials and disposables and secondly, to generate value‐added materials from low cost sources by converting them into valuable materials similar, to some extent, to virgin materials. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) occupies the top of the list of polymers to be recycled due to its easy recycling by different ways, which, in accordance, give variable products that can be introduced as starting ingredients for the synthesis of many other polymers. PET can by recycled by hydrolysis, acidolysis, alkalolysis, aminolysis, alcoholysis and glycolysis. Glycolysis is the breakdown of the ester linkages by a glycol, resulting in oligomers or oligoester diols/polyols with hydroxyl terminal groups. Oligoesters coming from the glycolysis of PET waste have been well known for a number of decades to be utilized as a starting material in the manufacture of polyurethanes, unsaturated polyesters and saturated polyester plasticizers. But, as a current motivation, we are reporting on a new application for these oligoester diols/polyols by converting the hydroxyl terminals into acrylate/methacrylate groups. These new acrylated/methacrylated oligoesters have been tested as UV curable monomers and gave promising results from the point of view of their curability by UV and their mechanical properties. The new motivations open the potential for the market to apply the depolymerization products of PET waste for UV curable coatings, useful for wood surfaces, paints and other applications.Recycling of PET polymer by different chemical routes.magnified imageRecycling of PET polymer by different chemical routes.
Supertoughness in Polysulfone/Poly(ethylene‐octene) Blends
Authors: Guerrica‐Echevarría Gonzalo , Eguiazábal José Ignacio , Nazábal Jon 
Published: January 2005

AbstractSummary: Poly(sulfone of Bisphenol A) (PSU) based blends were obtained by melt blending PSU with up to 15 wt.‐% poly(ethylene‐octene) either modified with maleic anhydride (mPEO) or not (PEO). The dispersed particle size was small and similar in blends with PEO or mPEO. These facts indicated respectively that the interfacial tension was low and the lack of compatibilizing effect of mPEO. Some preferential presence of PEO in the outer surface of the specimens was observed, and was attributed to the large viscosity difference between the two components of the blends. This had no effect on the modulus of elasticity, but speeded up both the yield stress and ductility decreases at rubber contents above 3.25 wt.‐%. However, despite the immiscibility of the components, and thanks to the small particle size of the blends, super‐toughness was attained in the unmodified PSU/PEO blends. This was at PEO contents (3.25 wt.‐%) at which the modulus, yield stress and ductility of the blends were almost as good as those of pure PSU. It appeared that a change of the chemical nature of the rubber did not influence by itself super‐toughness, unless it was accompanied by either a morphological or adhesion change.Impact strength of PSU‐based blends vs. PEO (○) or mPEO (•) content.magnified imageImpact strength of PSU‐based blends vs. PEO (○) or mPEO (•) content.
Ethylene Polymerization using Combined Ni and Ti Catalysts Supported in situ on MAO‐Modified Silica
Authors: Junges Fernando , de Souza Roberto F. , dos Santos João H. Zimnoch , Casagrande Osvaldo L. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractSummary: Branched polyethylene/linear polyethylene blends (BPE/LPE) were prepared using the combined Ni(α‐diimine)Cl2 (1) (α‐diimine = 1,4‐bis(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)acenaphthenediimine) and {TpMs*}TiCl3 (2) (TpMs* = hydridobis(3‐mesitylpyrazol‐1‐yl)(5‐mesitylpyrazol‐1‐yl)) catalysts supported in situ on methylaluminoxane (MAO)‐modified silica (4.0 wt.‐% Al/SiO2). The polymerization reactions were performed in toluene at two different polymerization temperatures (0 and 30 °C) and several nickel molar fractions (xNi), using MAO as external cocatalyst. At all temperatures, the activities show an approximate linear correlation with xNi, indicating a non‐synergistic effect between the nickel and the titanium species. Higher activities were found at 0 °C. The melting temperatures for the polyethylene blends produced at 0 °C decrease as xNi increases in the medium, indicating good compatibility between the polyethylene phases made by both catalysts. The melting temperature (Tm) of the polyethylene blends was shown to depend on the order in which the catalysts were immobilized on the MAO‐modified silica support. The initial immobilization of 1 on the support (2/1/SMAO‐4) affords polymers with a lower Tm than those produced with 1/2/SMAO‐4. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed that the spherical morphology of the supported catalyst is replicated in the polyethylene particles.Influence of polymerization temperature on the activity of 1/2/SMAO‐4 with varying xNi.magnified imageInfluence of polymerization temperature on the activity of 1/2/SMAO‐4 with varying xNi.
Ring Polymers of Tubulin Induced by Binding of Natural Antimitotic Peptides
Authors: Sackett Dan L. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractA number of natural products with potent antimitotic activity are peptides and depsipeptides that bind to tubulin, provoke depolymerization of microtubules, and induce formation of single layer rings of tubulin dimers. These peptides are all hydrophobic and small relative to tubulin (3‐5 amino acid residues), yet induce rings polymers with properties that can differ significantly in size and self‐association. In addition, these compounds exhibit potent cytotoxicity that varies by several hundred fold from one compound to another. Cryptophycin induces unusually homogeneous rings, composed of eight tubulin dimers, that are stable to dilution at least to nanomolar tubulin concentrations.
Studying Spatial Distributions of Influenza Hemagglutinin on the Plasma Membrane of Fibroblasts: A Work in Progress
Authors: Zimmerberg Joshua , Kumar Mukesh , Verma Anil , Farrington Jane , Roth Michael , Kenworthy Anne , Hess Samuel T. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractThe major envelope protein of influenza virus, hemagglutinin (HA), mediates the fusion of virus to cell for infection, and can mediate cell‐cell fusion. It has been studied as a “raft” protein, as it is found in detergent‐resistant membranes (DRM) and trafficks apically in polarized epithelia. Moreover, the viral envelope of influenza itself is rich in sphingomyelin and cholesterol. Using both immunogold electron microscopy and fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy, we are examining the distribution of HA on the surface of fibroblasts expressing wild‐type HA.
Membrane Cholesterol and the Formation of Cholesterol Domains in the Pathogenesis of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Troup Gregory M. , Xie Yi , Boesze‐Battaglia Kathleen , Huang Yong , Kirk Terry , Hanley Francine , Tulenko Thomas N. 
Published: January 2005

AbstractAt least three types of cholesterol‐rich membrane domains have been described in biological membranes including cholesterol rafts, membrane caveolae and crystalline cholesterol domains,. While clear biological functions have been ascribed to both rafts and caveolae, little attention has been directed to the biological consequences of cholesterol enrichment of cell membranes and the formation of cholesterol domains. Elevated blood cholesterol levels have been shown to result in the enrichment of the cell plasma membrane with cholesterol in arterial smooth muscle cells (SMC), endothelial cells (EC) and cardiac myocytes. In the early period of cholesterol feeding (within days), the cell membrane enriches with cholesterol and membrane viscosity and membrane bilayer width increase. This latter effect severely alters membrane protein function, and recent data indicates that this induces the modulation of vascular cells (SMC and EC) to the atherosclerotic phenotype. In cardiac myocytes these membrane modifications appear to induce alterations in gene expression patterns that lead to the development of a heart failure phenotype. In addition, as the cholesterol content increases, phase separation of cholesterol occurs resulting in the formation of immiscible cholesterol domains within the membrane. These domains likely initiate nucleation of cholesterol crystals which would explain the origin of “cholesterol clefts” in atherosclerotic lesions. Taken together, these membrane alterations secondary to cholesterol enrichment constitute a “membrane lesion” which contribute to the very early pathogenic events underlying major human diseases including coronary artery disease, stroke and heart failure.
Alteration of Lipid Membrane Rigidity by Cholesterol and Its Metabolic Precursors
Authors: Petrache Horia I. , Harries Daniel , Parsegian V. Adrian 
Published: January 2005

AbstractCaused by biosynthesis defects, cholesterol deficiency can lead to developmental disorders and malformations, with possible implication of lipid membrane properties. We show that modification of sterol chemical structure alters membrane physical properties significantly. By X‐ray diffraction and osmotic stress, we measure changes in the bending rigidity of bilayers containing either cholesterol or one of its metabolic precursors. Membrane elasticity differs dramatically between slightly different sterols and varies in the sequence lanosterol < 7‐dehydrocholesterol < lathosterol < cholesterol. We interpret the results in terms of sterol location within lipid structures and modification of lateral stress, a structural feature relevant to interactions within biological membranes. We find that cholesterol is most efficient in enhancing membrane rigidity, a possible clue to why depletion or replacement with other sterols can affect cellular structures.