bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Patient‐Level and Practice‐Level Characteristics Associated with Receipt of Preventive Dental Services: 48‐Month Incidence
Authors: Gilbert Gregg H. , Bader James D. , Litaker Mark S. , Shelton Brent J. , Duncan R. Paul
Published: January 2008

Objectives: This study aims to: a) quantify the incidence of preventive dental services [in‐office fluoride application and dental cleaning (prophylaxis)]; b) determine if these services are effectively targeted to patients with the highest need; and c) quantify the role of practice characteristics and patient‐level factors in service receipt. Methods: A population‐based prospective cohort study was conducted with 873 adults who had at least one tooth at baseline, 743 of whom provided 48‐month data. In‐person interviews and clinical examinations were conducted biennially for 48 months, with 6‐monthly telephone interviews in between. Dental records were abstracted afterward, and practices that served participants completed questionnaires. Analysis was limited to persons with at least one dental visit of any type during follow‐up (87 percent of the sample). Results: Only 9 percent of the persons received at least one fluoride application; 75 percent received a dental cleaning. Persons with high need were actually less likely to have received preventive services. In multivariable regression analyses, characteristics of the practice in which the subject received care were very strongly related to fluoride receipt, independent of patient‐specific characteristics. Conclusions: One preventive procedure was common; the other was uncommon. However, practices did not effectively target high‐risk patients for either procedure. Instead, both services were typically received by persons with the least need for them. These findings are consistent with the conclusion that practitioners greatly influenced the delivery of fluoride services, with substantial contributions also made by patient‐level predisposing and enabling factors for both preventive services.
Oral Manifestations of HIV Infection in Patients Receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) in Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Da Silva Carlos Alberto Lima , Dourado Inês , Dahia Samir Resack , Harzheim Erno , Rutherford George Williams
Published: January 2008

Objectives: We investigated the oral manifestations of HIV‐infected patients in Salvador, Brazil, and their relationship to immunologic, sociodemographic, and therapeutic factors. Methods: This was a cross‐sectional study that used data from adult patients' medical records in the dentistry service of the AIDS Reference Center in Salvador, Brazil. We reviewed the patients' records to collect information concerning oral health status and data on socioeconomic status, immunologic status, and treatment. Results: A total of 993 patients were included in the study, of whom 473 (47.6 percent) were male. Approximately 5.5 percent of the patients presented with any oral lesions. Oral lesions were the most common in the patients with fewer than 350 CD4+T lymphocytes (8.4 percent) and with viral loads greater than 10,000 copies (8.3 percent). Conclusions: Our study shows that lesions are more common in patients with advanced immune suppression and low level of schooling. Oral candidiasis and angular chelitis were the most common lesions seen.
A Conceptual Framework for Hispanic Oral Health Care
Authors: Mejia Gloria C. , Kaufman Jay S. , Corbie‐Smith Giselle , Rozier R. Gary , Caplan Daniel J. , Suchindran Chirayath M.
Published: January 2008

The need to study the health and health care determinants of US Hispanics is mandated by their rapid population growth. Nonetheless, it is challenging to study such a diverse population that incorporates many similarities and differences in values and experiences. This paper aims to highlight the factors that should be considered in Hispanic oral health research in the United States, and presents, in a theoretical framework, the relationships between these factors. The proposed ecological framework is supported by an extensive literature review, with an emphasis on the factors that are reported to differ among ethnic groups. It has a foundation in social science and is based on existing models from different fields of knowledge. To be comprehensive, the framework simultaneously addresses individual and environmental constructs. Within these, antecedent factors shape the intention to seek oral health care, while empowerment factors play a mediating role between intention and actual receipt of care. Individual antecedent factors incorporate risk markers, need, and predisposing factors. Environmental antecedent factors are represented by social constructs that allude to the population's health culture. Empowerment factors explain the level of control that a person perceives or the environment provides in receiving care. A thorough consideration of the factors that drive Hispanics' oral health care usage will aid US researchers and practitioners in improving this population's health and access to care.
Underutilization of Dental Care When It Is Freely Available: A Prospective Study of the New England Children's Amalgam Trial
Authors: Maserejian Nancy Nairi , Trachtenberg Felicia , Link Carol , Tavares Mary
Published: January 2008

Objective: This study aims to prospectively examine the trends and reasons for the underutilization of free semiannual preventive dental care provided to children with unmet dental needs who participated in the 5‐year New England Children's Amalgam Trial. Methods: Children aged 6 to 10 at baseline (1997‐99) with ≥2 posterior carious teeth were recruited from rural Maine (n = 232) and urban Boston (n = 266). Interviewer‐administered questionnaires assessed demographic and personal characteristics. Reasons for missed appointments were recorded during follow‐up and are descriptively presented. We used an ordinal logistic regression to analyze the utilization of semiannual dental visits. Results: On average, urban children utilized 69 percent of the visits and rural children utilized 82 percent of the visits. For both sites, utilization steadily decreased until the end of the 5‐year trial. Significant predictors of underutilization in the multivariate model for urban children were non‐White race, household welfare use, deep debt, and distance to dental clinic. Among the relatively less‐diverse rural children, caregiver education level and a greater number of decayed tooth surfaces at baseline (i.e., need for care) were significantly associated with underutilization. Among all children, the common reasons for missed visits included guardian scheduling and transportation difficulties; reasons among urban participants also indicated a low priority for dental care. Conclusions: Among these children with unmet dental needs, the provision of free preventive dental care was insufficient to remove the disparities in utilization and did not consistently result in high utilization through follow‐up. Differences between educational levels, ethnicities, and rural/urban location suggest that public health programs need to target the social settings in which financial burdens exist.
Overview and Quality Assurance for the Oral Health Component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2003‐04
Authors: Dye B. A. , Nowjack‐Raymer R. , Barker L. K. , Nunn J. H. , Steele J. G. , Tan S. , Lewis B. G. , Beltran‐Aguilar E. D.
Published: January 2008

The 2003‐04 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was a collaborative effort involving 28 federal funding partners with the National Center for Health Statistics. The collaborators for the 2003‐04 NHANES oral health component included the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Oral Health. Oral health data are available on 8,272 persons aged 2 years or older. This report provides an overview of the 2003‐04 oral health component including content descriptions and procedures for oral health assessments conducted for the first time in a national survey in the United States. These assessments include posterior functional contacts, tooth wear, and oral health‐related quality of life. This report also provides evaluations of data quality in terms of examiner reliability statistics (percent agreements, kappas, and correlation coefficients) for various NHANES 2003‐04 oral health examination components and analytical recommendations for producing 6‐year estimates using the previous two NHANES data collection components (1999‐2000 and 2001‐02).
Target Peptide Sequence within Infectious Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Does Not Ensure Envelope-Specific T-Helper Cell Reactivation: Influences of Cysteine Protease and Gamma Interferon-Induced Thiol Reductase Activities
Authors: Sealy Robert , Chaka Wendy , Surman Sherri , Brown Scott A. , Cresswell Peter , Hurwitz Julia L.
Published: January 2008

Recent clinical trials have shown that the presence of a robust human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific T-cell response may not be sufficient to prevent or control HIV-1 infection. Studies of antigen processing in the context of infectious HIV-1 are therefore warranted. Envelope-specific, major histocompatibility complex class II-restricted murine T-cell hybridomas were tested for responsiveness to splenic antigen-presenting cells exposed to HIV-1-infected GHOST cells. Interleukin-2 assays showed that the presence of a peptide within HIV-1 did not ensure the reactivation of peptide-specific T cells. Further experiments defined the impact of gamma interferon-induced thiol reductase and cysteine proteases on the processing of HIV-1 peptides. The results highlight potential influences of peptide context on T-cell reactivation by HIV-1 and encourage the continued study of antigen processing as support for improved vaccine design.
Coencapsulation of CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides with RecombinantLeishmania majorStress-Inducible Protein 1 in Liposome Enhances Immune Response and Protection against Leishmaniasis in Immunized BALB/c Mice
Authors: Badiee Ali , Jaafari Mahmoud R. , Samiei Afshin , Soroush Dina , Khamesipour Ali
Published: January 2008

CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) have been shown to have potent adjuvant activity for a wide range of antigens. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential benefit of using liposomes as a delivery vehicle to enhance the adjuvant activity of CpG ODN withLeishmania majorstress-inducible protein 1 (LmSTI1) antigen in induction of the Th1 response in a murine model of leishmaniasis. BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously three times in 3-week intervals with liposomal recombinant LmSTI1 (Lip-rLmSTI1), rLmSTI1 coencapsulated with CpG ODN in a liposome (Lip-rLmSTI1-CpG ODN), rLmSTI1 plus CpG ODN in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), rLmSTI1 plus non-CpG ODN in PBS, rLmSTI1 in PBS, empty liposome, or PBS. The intensity of infection induced byL. majorpromastigote challenge was measured by footpad swelling. A significant (P< 0.001) inhibition of infection in mice immunized with Lip-rLmSTI1-CpG ODN was shown compared to the other groups, and no parasite was detected in the spleens of this group 14 weeks after challenge. The highest immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) titer and the highest IgG2a/IgG1 ratio were also shown in the sera of mice immunized with Lip-rLmSTI1-CpG ODN before and 14 weeks after challenge. The results indicated the superiority of CpG ODN in its liposomal form over its soluble form to induce the Th1 response when used in association with rLmSTI1 antigen. It seems that using a liposome delivery system carrying CpG ODN as an adjuvant coencapsulated withLeishmaniaantigen plays an important role in vaccine development strategies against leishmaniasis.
Use of Recombinant gp43 Isoforms Expressed in
Pichia pastoris
for Diagnosis of Paracoccidioidomycosis
Authors: Carvalho K. C. , Vallejo M. C. , Camargo Z. P. , Puccia R.
Published: January 2008

gp43 is the main diagnostic antigen for paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). In vitro, gp43 expression in supernatant fluids of
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
cultures can be unstable, and its regulation is poorly understood. We have been able to express soluble recombinant gp43 (gp43r) isoforms as N-mannosylated proteins secreted in the supernatants of
Pichia pastoris
cultures induced with methanol. They were secreted as major components from day 2 of induction and could be purified with affinity columns containing anti-gp43 monoclonal antibodies. We have expressed
P. brasiliensis GP43
(Pb
GP43
) sequences from genotypes A, D, and E, and the correspondent gp43r isoforms (gp43r A, -B, and -C, respectively; 200 ng) were compared to native gp43 in immunodiffusion (ID) and dot blot assays. Among 90 PCM patient sera showing ID-positive reactions with purified native gp43, 100% were positive with gp43rD and gp43rE and 98% reacted with gp43rA. Of these sera, 78 were tested in dot blot assays at a 1:1,000 dilution, and 100% reacted with all recombinant isoforms. In ID assays, the specificity was 100%, since 40 sera from patients with related mycoses and 30 sera from healthy individuals did not react with any of the antigens. In dot blot assays, 100% specificity for PCM occurred when cross-reactive mannose epitopes were neutralized with 10 mM metaperiodate or eliminated through deglycosylation. However, a 1:1,000 serum dilution was already discriminatory for most sera. We suggest that
P. pastoris
recombinant gp43, especially isoforms D and E, may replace the native antigen in ID and dot blot assays for diagnosis and prognosis of PCM. Regulated expression of large amounts of antigen in nonpathogenic yeast would justify its preferred use.
Successive Emergence of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing and Carbapenemase-Producing
Enterobacter aerogenes
Isolates in a University Hospital
Authors: Biendo M. , Canarelli B. , Thomas D. , Rousseau F. , Hamdad F. , Adjide C. , Laurans G. , Eb F.
Published: January 2008

Sixty-two clinical isolates of
Enterobacter aerogenes
resistant to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins were collected between July 2003 and May 2005. Among these isolates, 23 (37.1%) were imipenem (IPM) susceptible, and 39 (62.9%) were IPM insusceptible, of which 89.7% (35/39) were resistant and 10.3% (4/39) were intermediate. Isolate genotypes were compared by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Of 62 isolates, 48 belonged to epidemic pulsotype A (77.4%). This pulsotype included 37.5% and 58.4% of β-lactam phenotypes b and a, respectively. Nine isolates (14.5%) belonged to pulsotype E, which included 22.3% and 77.7% of phenotypes b and a, respectively. The β-lactamases with pIs of 5.4, 6.5, 8.2, and 8.2 corresponded to extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) TEM-20, TEM-24, SHV-5, and SHV-12, respectively. Of 39 IPM-insusceptible
E. aerogenes
isolates, 26 (66.6%) were determined to be metallo-β-lactamase producers, by using a phenotypic method. Of these isolates, 24 harbored a
bla
IMP-1
gene encoding a protein with a pI of >9.5, and two carried the
bla
VIM-2
gene encoding a protein with a pI of 5.3, corresponding to β-lactamases IMP-1 and VIM-2, respectively. The remaining 13 (33.4%) isolates were negative for the
bla
IMP-1
and
bla
VIM-2
genes but showed an alteration of their outer membrane proteins (OMPs). Ten of these isolates produced the two possible OMPs (32 and 42 kDa), with IPM MICs between 8 and 32 μg/ml, and three others produced only a 32-kDa OMP with IPM MICs >32 μg/ml. This work demonstrates that, in addition to resistance to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins, IPM resistance can occur in ESBL-producing
E. aerogenes
isolates by carbapenemase production or by the loss of porin in the outer membrane.
Suppression-Subtractive Hybridization as a Strategy To Identify Taxon-Specific Sequences within the
Mycoplasma mycoides
Cluster: Design and Validation of an
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
-Specific PCR Assay
Authors: Maigre Laure , Citti Christine , Marenda Marc , Poumarat François , Tardy Florence
Published: January 2008

The phylogenetically related
Mycoplasma capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and
M. mycoides
subsp.
mycoides
biotype Large Colony are two small-ruminant pathogens involved in contagious agalactia. Their respective contributions to clinical outbreaks are not well documented, because they are difficult to differentiate with the current diagnostic techniques. In order to identify DNA sequences specific to one taxon or the other, a suppression-subtractive hybridization approach was developed. DNA fragments resulting from the reciprocal subtraction of the type strains were used as probes on a panel of
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and
M. mycoides
subsp.
mycoides
biotype Large Colony strains to assess their intrataxon specificity. Due to a high intrataxon polymorphism and important cross-reactions between taxa, a single DNA fragment was shown to be specific for
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and to be present in all
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
field isolates tested in this study. A PCR assay targeting the corresponding gene (
simp
A51) was designed that resulted in a 560-bp amplification only in
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and in
M. capricolum
subsp.
capripneumoniae
(the etiological agent of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia).
simp
A51 was further improved to generate a multiplex PCR (
mult
A51) that allows the differentiation of
M. capricolum
subsp.
capripneumoniae
from
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
. Both the
simp
A51 and
mult
A51 assays accurately identify
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
among other mycoplasmas, including all members of the
M. mycoides
cluster.
simp
A51 and
mult
A51 PCRs are proposed as sensitive and robust tools for the specific identification of
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and
M. capricolum
subsp.
capripneumoniae
.
Assessment of Rapid Tests for Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Specific Antibodies in Recently Infected Individuals
Authors: Louie Brian , Wong Ernest , Klausner Jeffrey D. , Liska Sally , Hecht Frederick , Dowling Terri , Obeso Martha , Phillips Susan S. , Pandori Mark W.
Published: January 2008

We have evaluated four current Food and Drug Administration-cleared rapid tests for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific antibodies with a panel of specimens from recently infected individuals. Recent infection was detected by RNA-based screening coupled with enzyme immunoassay-based testing. We found that the sensitivities of the various rapid tests vary greatly with regard to their ability to detect HIV-specific antibodies in recently infected individuals.
Three-Year Population-Based Evaluation of Standardized Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive-Unit-Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Typing ofMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Allix-Béguec Caroline , Fauville-Dufaux Maryse , Supply Philip
Published: January 2008

Standardized mycobacterial interspersed repetitive-unit-variable-number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing based on 15 and 24 loci recently has been proposed forMycobacterium tuberculosisgenotyping. So far, this optimized system has been assessed in a single, 1-year population-based study performed in Germany (M. C. Oelemann, R. Diel, V. Vatin, W. Haas, S. Rusch-Gerdes, C. Locht, S. Niemann, and P. Supply, J. Clin. Microbiol.45:691-697, 2007). Here, we evaluated these optimized formats in a much larger population-based study conducted during 39 months in the Brussels capital region of Belgium. Isolates from 807 patients were genotyped. The resolution power, cluster, and lineage identification by the standardized MIRU-VNTR sets were compared to those obtained using standardized IS6110-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), spoligotyping, and a previous 12-MIRU-VNTR-locus set. On a subset representing 77% of the cases during a 16-month period, a high concordance was observed between unique isolates or strain clusters as defined by standardized MIRU-VNTR and IS6110-RFLP (i.e., more than five IS6110bands). When extended to the entire population-based collection, the discriminatory subset of 15 loci decreased the strain-clustering rate by almost twofold compared to that of the old 12-locus set. The addition of the nine ancillary MIRU-VNTR loci and/or spoligotyping only slightly further decreased this strain-clustering rate. Familial, social, and/or geographic proximity links were found in 48% of the clusters identified, and well-known risk factors for tuberculosis transmission were identified. Finally, an excellent correspondence was determined between our MIRU-VNTR-spoligotyping strain identifications and external reference strain lineages included in the MIRU-VNTRplusdatabase and identified by, e.g., large sequence polymorphisms. Our results reinforce the proposal of standardized MIRU-VNTR typing as a new reference genotyping method for the epidemiological and phylogenetic screening ofM. tuberculosisstrains.
Diagnostic Approach to Acute Diarrheal Illness in a Military Population on Training Exercises in Thailand, a Region of
Campylobacter
Hyperendemicity
Authors: Tribble David R. , Baqar Shahida , Pang Lorrin W. , Mason Carl , Houng Huo-Shu H. , Pitarangsi Chittima , Lebron Carlos , Armstrong Adam , Sethabutr Orntipa , Sanders John W.
Published: January 2008

High rates of
Campylobacter
fluoroquinolone resistance highlight the need to evaluate diagnostic strategies that can be used to assist with clinical management. Diagnostic tests were evaluated with U.S. soldiers presenting with acute diarrhea during deployment in Thailand. The results of bedside and field laboratory diagnostic tests were compared to stool microbiology findings for 182 enrolled patients.
Campylobacter jejuni
was isolated from 62% of the cases. Clinical and laboratory findings at the time of presentation were evaluated to determine their impact on the posttest probability, defined as the likelihood of a diagnosis of
Campylobacter
infection. Clinical findings, the results of tests for inflammation (stool occult blood testing [Hemoccult], fecal leukocytes, fecal lactoferrin, plasma C-reactive protein), and the numbers of
Campylobacter
-specific antibody-secreting cells in peripheral blood failed to increase the posttest probability above 90% in this setting of
Campylobacter
hyperendemicity when these findings were present. Positive results by a
Campylobacter
-specific commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and, less so, a research PCR were strong positive predictors. The negative predictive value for ruling out
Campylobacter
infection, defined as a posttest probability of less than 10%, was similarly observed with these
Campylobacter
-specific stool-based tests as well the fecal leukocyte test. Compared to the other tests evaluated, the
Campylobacter
EIA is a sensitive and specific rapid diagnostic test that may assist with diagnostic evaluation, with consideration of the epidemiological setting, logistics, and cost.
Rapid Identification and Differentiation of
Trichophyton
Species, Based on Sequence Polymorphisms of the Ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer Regions, by Rolling-Circle Amplification
Authors: Kong Fanrong , Tong Zhongsheng , Chen Xiaoyou , Sorrell Tania , Wang Bin , Wu Qixuan , Ellis David , Chen Sharon
Published: January 2008

DNA sequencing analyses have demonstrated relatively limited polymorphisms within the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions among
Trichophyton
spp. We sequenced the ITS region (ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2) for 42 dermatophytes belonging to seven species (
Trichophyton rubrum
,
T. mentagrophytes
,
T. soudanense
,
T. tonsurans
,
Epidermophyton floccosum
,
Microsporum canis
, and
M. gypseum
) and developed a novel padlock probe and rolling-circle amplification (RCA)-based method for identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that could be exploited to differentiate between
Trichophyton
spp. Sequencing results demonstrated intraspecies genetic variation for
T. tonsurans
,
T. mentagrophytes
, and
T. soudanense
but not
T. rubrum
. Signature sets of SNPs between
T. rubrum
and
T. soudanense
(4-bp difference) and
T. violaceum
and
T. soudanense
(3-bp difference) were identified. The RCA assay correctly identified five
Trichophyton
species. Although the use of two “group-specific” probes targeting both the ITS1 and the ITS2 regions were required to identify
T. soudanense
, the other species were identified by single ITS1- or ITS2-targeted species-specific probes. There was good agreement between ITS sequencing and the RCA assay. Despite limited genetic variation between
Trichophyton
spp., the sensitive, specific RCA-based SNP detection assay showed potential as a simple, reproducible method for the rapid (2-h) identification of
Trichophyton
spp.
Rapid Detection of the Pandemic Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
Clone ST 239, a Dominant Strain in Asian Hospitals
Authors: Feil Edward J. , Nickerson Emma K. , Chantratita Narisara , Wuthiekanun Vanaporn , Srisomang Pramot , Cousins Richard , Pan WuBin , Zhang Ge , Xu BangLao , Day Nicholas P. J. , Peacock Sharon J.
Published: January 2008

We describe and validate a novel PCR assay to detect the pandemic hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(HA-MRSA) lineage ST 239. Results based on previously uncharacterized isolates from a hospital in northeast Thailand support the view that at least 90% of HA-MRSA isolates in mainland Asia correspond to ST 239 or close relatives.
Optimal Method of Collection of First-Void Urine for Diagnosis of
Chlamydia trachomatis
Infection in Men
Authors: Wisniewski Craig A. , White John A. , Michel Claude-Edouard C. , Mahilum-Tapay Lourdes , Magbanua Jose Paolo V. , Nadala Elpidio Cesar B. , Barber Penelope J. , Goh Beng T. , Lee Helen H.
Published: January 2008

First-void urine (FVU) is the preferred specimen for the diagnosis of urogenital
Chlamydia trachomatis
infection in men. We have developed FirstBurst, a urine collection device that collects the first 4 to 5 ml of FVU and yields a specimen with a sixfold higher
C. trachomatis
organism load than the regular urine cup by quantitative PCR (32,533 versus 5,271 plasmids/ml;
P
< 0.0001). Consequently, the use of FirstBurst to collect a urine sample improved the sensitivity of a rapid test for
Chlamydia
over testing of samples collected with a urine cup (82 versus 47% sensitivity using PCR as a reference;
P
< 0.0015).
New Diagnostic Real-Time PCR for Specific Detection of
Parachlamydia acanthamoebae
DNA in Clinical Samples
Authors: Casson Nicola , Posfay-Barbe Klara M. , Gervaix Alain , Greub Gilbert
Published: January 2008

Given the low sensitivity of amoebal coculture, we developed a specific real-time PCR for the detection of
Parachlamydia
. The analytical sensitivity was high, and the inter- and intrarun variabilities were low. When the PCR was applied to nasopharyngeal aspirates, it was positive for six patients with bronchiolitis. Future studies should assess the role of
Parachlamydia
in bronchiolitis.
Septic Pulmonary Emboli and Bacteremia Associated with Deep Tissue Infections Caused by Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Lin Michael Y. , Rezai Katayoun , Schwartz David N.
Published: January 2008

We report four adult patients who presented with septic pulmonary emboli and community-acquired methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
bacteremia associated with deep tissue infections, such as pyomyositis, osteomyelitis, and prostatic abscess. The patients lacked evidence of right-sided endocarditis or thrombophlebitis. This association, previously described in children, may also be important in adults.
The Tight Junction Proteins Claudin-1, -6, and -9 Are Entry Cofactors for Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Meertens Laurent , Bertaux Claire , Cukierman Lisa , Cormier Emmanuel , Lavillette Dimitri , Cosset François-Loïc , Dragic Tatjana
Published: January 2008

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease in humans. The CD81 tetraspanin is necessary but not sufficient for HCV penetration into hepatocytes, and it was recently reported that the tight junction protein claudin-1 is a critical HCV entry cofactor. Here, we confirm the role of claudin-1 in HCV entry. In addition, we show that claudin-6 and claudin-9 expressed in CD81
+
cells also enable the entry of HCV pseudoparticles derived from six of the major genotypes. Whereas claudin-1, -6, and -9 function equally well as entry cofactors in endothelial cells, claudin-1 is more efficient in hepatoma cells. This suggests that additional cellular factors modulate the ability of claudins to function as HCV entry cofactors. Our work has generated novel and essential means to investigate the mechanism of HCV penetration into hepatocytes and the role of the claudin protein family in HCV dissemination, replication, and pathogenesis.
Identification of a Hydrophobic Domain of HA2 Essential to Morphogenesis of
Helicoverpa armigera
Nucleopolyhedrovirus
Authors: Wang Qian , Wang Yun , Liang Changyong , Song Jianhua , Chen Xinwen
Published: January 2008

The HA2 protein of the
Helicoverpa armigera
single-nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) is a WASP homology protein capable of nucleating branched actin filaments in the presence of the Arp2/3 complex in vitro. To determine the role of
ha2
in the HearNPV life cycle,
ha2
knockout and
ha2
repair bacmids were constructed. Transfection and infection analysis demonstrated that the
ha2
null bacmid was unable to produce infectious budded virus (BV), while the repair bacmid rescued the defect. In vitro analysis demonstrated that the WCA domain of HA2 accelerates Arp2/3-mediated actin assembly and is indispensable to the function of HA2. However, analysis of the repaired recombinant with a series of truncated
ha2
mutants demonstrated that the WCA domain was essential but not enough to yield infectious virions, and a hydrophobic domain (H domain) consisting of amino acids (aa) 167 to 193 played a pivotal role in the production of BV. Subcellular localization analysis with enhanced green fluorescent protein fusions showed that the H domain functioned as a nuclear localization signal. In addition, deletion of the C terminus of the
ha2
product, a phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase homolog, dramatically decreased the viral titer, while deletion of 128 aa from the N terminus did not affect HA2 function.
Selective Ablation of Virion Host Shutoff Protein RNase Activity Attenuates Herpes Simplex Virus 2 in Mice
Authors: Korom Maria , Wylie Kristine M. , Morrison Lynda A.
Published: January 2008

The virion host shutoff (vhs) protein of herpes simplex virus (HSV) has endoribonuclease activity and rapidly reduces protein synthesis in infected cells through mRNA degradation. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 vhs mutants are highly attenuated in vivo, but replication and virulence are largely restored to HSV-2 vhs mutants in the absence of a type I interferon (IFN) response. The role of vhs in pathogenesis and the hindrance of the type I IFN response have classically been examined with viruses that completely lack vhs or express a truncated vhs protein. To determine whether RNase activity is the principal mechanism of vhs-mediated type I IFN resistance and virulence, we constructed a HSV-2 point mutant that synthesizes full-length vhs protein lacking RNase activity (RNase
−
virus). Wild-type and mutant HSV-2 vhs proteins coimmunoprecipitated with VP16 and VP22. vhs protein bearing the point mutation was packaged into the virion as efficiently as the wild-type vhs protein. Like a mutant encoding truncated vhs, the RNase
−
virus showed IFN-dependent replication that was restricted compared with that of the wild-type virus. The RNase
−
virus was highly attenuated in wild-type mice infected intravaginally, with reduced mucosal replication, disease severity, and spread to the nervous system comparable to those of the vhs truncation mutant. Surprisingly, in alpha/beta interferon (IFN-α/β) receptor knockout mice, the vhs RNase mutant was more attenuated than the vhs truncation mutant in terms of disease severity and virus titer in vaginal swabs and central nervous system samples, suggesting that non-enzymatically active vhs protein interferes with efficient virus replication. Our results indicate that vhs enzymatic activity plays a complex role in vhs-mediated type I IFN resistance during HSV-2 infection.
Potent Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Neutralizing and Complement Lysis Activities of Antibodies Are Not Obligatorily Linked
Authors: Huber Michael , von Wyl Viktor , Ammann Christoph G. , Kuster Herbert , Stiegler Gabriela , Katinger Hermann , Weber Rainer , Fischer Marek , Stoiber Heribert , Günthard Huldrych F. , Trkola Alexandra
Published: January 2008

To evaluate the contribution of complement-mediated lysis to the in vivo activities of neutralizing antibodies, we analyzed the influence of complement activation on treatment success in a recent passive immunization trial with the neutralizing monoclonal antibodies 2G12, 2F5, and 4E10. Administration of monoclonal antibodies led to an immediate, high activation of the complement system even in the absence of viremia in the 14 participating human immunodeficiency virus-infected individuals. Lysis activity measured in patient plasma increased during passive immunization; however, the increases were modest and only partially attributable to the administration of antibodies. We found that unlike neutralization activity, lysis activity was not associated with treatment success in this trial. Compared to complement lysis mounted by the polyclonal antibody response in vivo, monoclonal antibodies were weak inducers of this activity, suggesting that polyclonal responses are more effective in reaching the required threshold of complement activation. Importantly, strong neutralization activity of the monoclonal antibodies did not predict complement lysis activity against patient and reference viruses, suggesting that these activities are not linked. In summary, our data support the notion that the in vivo activities of 2G12, 2F5, and 4E10 are likely due to direct neutralization or Fc receptor-mediated mechanisms such as phagocytosis and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity.
Risk and severity of motor vehicle crashes in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea
Authors: Mulgrew A T , Nasvadi G , Butt A , Cheema R , Fox N , Fleetham J A , Ryan C F , Cooper P , Ayas N T
Published: January 2008

Background:

Obstructive sleep apnoea/hypopnoea (OSAH) appears to be associated with an increased risk of motor vehicle crashes (MVCs). However, its impact on crash patterns, particularly the severity of crashes, has not been well described. A study was undertaken to determine whether OSAH severity influenced crash severity in patients referred for investigation of suspected sleep-disordered breathing.

Methods:

Objective crash data (including the nature of crashes) for 783 patients with suspected OSAH for the 3 years prior to polysomnography were obtained from provincial insurance records and compared with data for 783 age- and sex-matched controls. The patient group was 71% male with a mean age of 50 years, a mean apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI) of 22 events/h and a mean Epworth Sleepiness Scale score of 10.

Results:

There were 375 crashes in the 3-year period, 252 in patients and 123 in controls. Compared with controls, patients with mild, moderate and severe OSAH had an increased rate of MVCs with relative risks of 2.6 (95% CI 1.7 to 3.9), 1.9 (95% CI 1.2 to 2.8) and 2.0 (95% CI 1.4 to 3.0), respectively. Patients with suspected OSAH and normal polysomnography (AHI 0–5) did not have an increased rate of MVC (relative risk 1.5 (95% CI 0.9 to 2.5), p = 0.21). When the impact of OSAH on MVC associated with personal injury was examined, patients with mild, moderate and severe OSAH had a substantially higher rate of MVCs than controls with relative risks of 4.8 (95% CI 1.8 to 12.4), 3.0 (95% CI 1.3 to 7.0) and 4.3 (95% CI 1.8 to 8.9), respectively, whereas patients without OSAH had similar crash rates to controls with a relative risk of 0.6 (95% CI 0.2 to 2.5). Very severe MVCs (head-on collisions or those involving pedestrians or cyclists) were rare, but 80% of these occurred in patients with OSAH (p = 0.06).

Conclusion:

Patients with OSAH have increased rates of MVCs, and disproportionately increased rates of MVCs are associated with personal injury.
OÖSPORE GERMINATION IN ALBUGO CANDIDA
Authors: Vanterpool T. C.
Published: January 2008

In addition to the well-known sessile vesicular zoosporangial type of oöspore germination in Albugo candida (Lév.) Kuntze, a second type is described. This consists of an exit tube one to two and a half times the length of the diameter of the oöspore and about one quarter of its width, at the end of which the vesicular zoosporangium is produced. Best results were secured by soaking the oöspores for 7 to 10 days in water at 10° to 12 °C and then changing to fresh water. The oöspore material came from hypertrophied inflorescences of rape (Brassica napus L. var. annua Koch).
STUDIES ON SOLIDAGO L.: IV. THE CHROMOSOME NUMBERS OF CERTAIN TAXA OF THE GENUS SOLIDAGO
Authors: Beaudry Jean R. , Chabot Denise L.
Published: January 2008

The authors report the chromosome numbers of 25 taxa of the genus Solidago which had not yet been studied from this standpoint, and review the literature. The chromosome numbers of 42 taxa have now been published. The basic number of the genus is nine. Thirty-three taxa are diploid (2n = 18), five are tetraploid (2n = 36), three are aggregate taxa containing both diploid and tetraploid cytodemes, and one is hexaploid (2n = 54). Polyploidy has thus contributed to the evolution of the genus Solidago but it seems that most of the species have differentiated gradually. S. decemflora DC. of western North America differs from S. nemoralis Ait. of the same continent by morphological characters, its geographical distribution, and its chromosome number, the first taxon being tetraploid and the second diploid; the two are thus good species and not only varieties of the same species. The S. rigida of authors is an aggregate made up of two entities which are distinguished not only by their morphology and geographical distribution but also by their chromosome numbers; the eastern one (S. rigida L.) is tetraploid, whereas the western one (S. parvirigida Beaudry) is diploid. The bog and marsh goldenrods, S. Purshii and S. uliginosa, also possess different chromosome numbers, the first being diploid and the second tetraploid.
SPIN-POLARIZED ATOMIC DEUTERIUM (↓D) IN THE STATIC FLUCTUATION APPROXIMATION (SFA)
Authors: SANDOUQA A. S. , JOUDEH B. R. , AL-SUGHEIR M. K. , GHASSIB H. B.
Published: January 2008

Spin-polarized atomic deuterium (↓D) is investigated in the static fluctuation approximation with a Morse-type potential. The thermodynamic properties of the system are computed as functions of temperature. In addition, the ground-state energy per atom is calculated for the three species of ↓D : ↓D 1, ↓D 2, and ↓D 3. This is then compared to the corresponding ground-state energy per atom for the ideal gas, and to that obtained by the perturbation theory of the hard sphere model. It is deduced that ↓D is nearly ideal.
QUANTIZED DETECTOR NETWORKS: A REVIEW OF RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
Authors: JAROSZKIEWICZ G.
Published: January 2008

QDN (quantized detector networks) is a description of quantum processes in which the principal focus is on observers and their apparatus, rather than on states of SUOs (systems under observation). It is a realization of Heisenberg's original instrumentalist approach to quantum physics, and can deal with time dependent apparatus, multiple observers and inter-frame physics. QDN is most naturally expressed in the mathematical language of quantum computation, a language ideally suited to describe quantum experiments as processes of information exchange between observers and their apparatus. Examples in quantum optics are given, showing how the formalism deals with quantum interference, non-locality and entanglement. Particle decays, relativity and non-linearity in quantum mechanics are also discussed.
QUANTUM INFORMATION ENTROPIES OF THE EIGENSTATES OF THE MORSE POTENTIAL
Authors: AYDINER EKREM , ORTA CENK , SEVER RAMAZAN
Published: January 2008

The position and momentum space information entropies for the Morse potential are numerically obtained for different strengths of the potential. It is found to satisfy the bound obtained by Beckner, Bialynicki-Birula, and Mycielski. Interesting features of the entropy densities are graphically demonstrated.
GLASS FORMATION IN SIMULATED HIGH-DENSITY Al2O3·2SiO2
Authors: HOANG VO VAN
Published: January 2008

Glass formation in octahedral phase of Al 2 O 3·2 SiO 2 has been investigated via Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation in a model containing 3025 atoms with the Born–Mayer type pair potentials under periodic boundary conditions. The system has been cooled from 7000 K to 350 K at a cooling rate γ = 4.375×1013 K/s and at a fixed density of 4.00 g/cm3 corresponding to the octahedral network structure phase of the system. Glass transition temperature Tg has been obtained via temperature dependence of the system potential energy. Evolution of structure upon cooling from the melt has been found and discussed. Structural properties of an amorphous model obtained at the temperature of 350 K have been analyzed in detail through the partial radial distribution functions (PRDF), coordination number distributions, bond-angle distributions and interatomic distances, compared with those for the model at the same temperature and density obtained by compression of the initial 2.60 g/cm3 amorphous one. The local environment of oxygen and the problem of triclusters in high-density phase has been calculated and discussed.
POWER-FLOW DENSITY OF ELECTRIC QUADRUPOLE RADIATION IN MAGNETIC ANISOTROPIC MEDIUM
Authors: HONG QINGQUAN
Published: January 2008

The radium in anisotropic medium is investigated. A general formula is worked out for showing power-flow of electric quadrupole radiation with tensor form in anisotropic magnetic medium. After substituting the radiation field of electric quadrupole into this general formula, an expression of average power-flow density electric quadrupole radium in anisotropic magnetic medium is then obtained at anisotropic rectangular coordinate system through dyadic calculation. After coordinate transformation, an expression of average power-flow density of electric quadrupole radium in anisotropic magnetic medium formulated by ordinary rectangular coordinate system is finally obtained. Moreover, the principal direction in which electric quadrupole radiation concentrates is judged, and the inferred new formula is verified, which offers a theoretical basis for studying the development and the application of anisotropic magnetic medium.
SPIN-GALVANIC EFFECT AND SPIN ORIENTATION BY CURRENT IN NON-MAGNETIC SEMICONDUCTORS
Authors: GANICHEV S. D.
Published: January 2008

The spin-galvanic effect and the inverse effect, which yeilds current induced spin polarization, in low dimensional semiconductor structures are reviewed. Both effect are caused by asymmetric spin relaxation in systems with lifted spin degeneracy due to k-linear terms in the Hamiltonian.
CONTROL OF ELECTRON SPIN DECOHERENCE IN MESOSCOPIC NUCLEAR SPIN BATHS
Authors: LIU REN-BAO , YAO WANG , SHAM L. J.
Published: January 2008

The electron spin decoherence by nuclear spins in semiconductor quantum dots is caused by quantum entanglement between the electron and the nuclei. The many-body dynamics problem of the interacting nuclear spins can be solved with the pair-correlation approximation which treats the nuclear spin flip-flops as mutually independent. The nuclear spin dynamics can be controlled by simply flipping the electron spin so that the electron is disentangled from the nuclei and hence its lost coherence is restored.
CLUSTER STATE QUANTUM COMPUTATION AND THE REPEAT-UNTIL-SUCCESS SCHEME
Authors: KWEK L. C.
Published: January 2008

Cluster state computation or the one way quantum computation (1WQC) relies on an initially highly entangled state (called a cluster state) and an appropriate sequence of single qubit measurements along different directions, together with feed-forward based on the measurement results, to realize a quantum computation process. The final result of the computation is obtained by measuring the last remaining qubits in the computational basis. In this short tutorial on cluster state quantum computation, we will also describe the basic ideas of a cluster state and proceed to describe how a single qubit operation can be done on a cluster state. Recently, we proposed a repeat-until-success (RUS) scheme that could effectively be used to realize one-way quantum computer on a hybrid system of photons and atoms. We will briefly describe this RUS scheme and show how it can be used to entangled two distant stationary qubits.
MODELING FERROMAGNETISM IN DILUTE MAGNETIC SEMICONDUCTORS: INSIGHTS FROM MICROSCOPIC CALCULATIONS
Authors: MAHADEVAN PRIYA
Published: January 2008

We use first principle electronic structure calculations to construct realistic models for magnetism in the context of dilute magnetic semiconductors. The predictions of the model are verified by recent experiments (see Nature 442, 436 (2006)).
A NEW QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION PROTOCOL BASED ON QUANTUM FARADAY ROTATION
Authors: CHOI TAESEUNG , CHOI MAHN-SOO
Published: January 2008

We propose a new quantum key distribution (QKD) protocol, which exploits the maximal entanglement between home qubits and flying qubits induced by means of quantum Faraday rotation (QFR). The entanglement between the flying and home qubits provides the essential part of the security of the protocol. We also discuss possible experimental implementations, the optical cavity QED and quantum dots in microcavity, which is feasible in current spintronics technology.
CARRIER-MEDIATED EXCHANGE COUPLING AND FERMI SURFACE TOPOLOGY
Authors: HUANG WEN-MIN , LAI HSIN-HUA , CHANG CHENG-HUNG , LIN HSIU-HAU
Published: January 2008

We investigate the carrier-mediated exchange coupling between two ferromagnets, sandwiching an intermediate thin layer with Rashba interaction. The effective exchange coupling is obtained by integrating out the itinerant carriers. It turns out that the magnetic trends depend sensitively upon the topology of the Fermi surface. As the topology changes from “wedding cake” to “donut”, the mediated exchange goes from the oscillatory Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida to the non-collinear spiral interactions accordingly. It is rather surprising that the Fermi surface topology determines which type of magnetic interaction becomes dominant. Finally, we also discuss potential applications for carrier-mediated exchange coupling across the junction.