bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Migraine and Risk of Dementia: A Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Chuang Chieh-Sen , Lin Cheng-Li , Lin Ming-Chia , Sung Fung-Chang , Kao Chia-Hung
Published: July 2013

Objective: Migraines are one of the most common neurological disorders. Dementia is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by slow progressive memory loss and cognitive dysfunction. This retrospective cohort study investigates the association between migraines and dementia using a nationwide population-based database in Taiwan. Methods: We retrieved the data analyzed in this study from the National Health Insurance Research database (NHIRD) in Taiwan. We used multivariate Cox proportion-hazards regression models to assess the effects of migraines on the risk of dementia after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and comorbidities. Results: The migraine cohort had a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, head injury and depression at baseline (p < 0.0001). After adjusting the covariates, migraine patients had a 1.33-fold higher risk of developing dementia [hazard ratio (HR) 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22-1.46]. The sex-specific incidence rate of dementia was higher in men than in women in both cohorts, with an HR of 1.09 (95% CI 1.00-1.18) for men compared to women. Kaplan-Meier analysis shows that the cumulative incidence of dementia was 1.48% greater in the migraine cohort than in the nonmigraine cohort (log-rank test, p < 0.0001). Conclusions: This study shows that migraines are associated with a future higher risk of dementia after adjusting for comorbidities. Specifically, the association between migraine and dementia is greater in young adults than in older adults.
HIV Replication Alters the Composition of Extrinsic Pathway Coagulation Factors and Increases Thrombin Generation
Authors: Baker Jason V. , Brummel‐Ziedins Kathleen , Neuhaus Jacqueline , Duprez Daniel , Cummins Nathan , Dalmau David , DeHovitz Jack , Lehmann Clara , Sullivan Ann , Woolley Ian , Kuller Lewis , Neaton James D. , Tracy Russell P. ,   INSIGHT SMART Study Team
Published: July 2013

Background

HIV
infection leads to activation of coagulation, which may increase the risk for atherosclerosis and venous thromboembolic disease. We hypothesized that
HIV
replication increases coagulation potentially through alterations in extrinsic pathway factors.

Methods and Results

Extrinsic pathway factors were measured among a subset of
HIV
participants from the Strategies for Management of Anti‐Retroviral Therapy (
SMART
) trial. Thrombin generation was estimated using validated computational modeling based on factor composition. We characterized the effect of antiretroviral therapy (
ART
) treatment versus the untreated state (
HIV
replication) via 3 separate analyses: (1) a cross‐sectional comparison of those on and off
ART
(n=717); (2) a randomized comparison of deferring versus starting
ART
(n=217); and (3) a randomized comparison of stopping versus continuing
ART
(n=500). Compared with viral suppression,
HIV
replication consistently showed short‐term increases in some procoagulants (eg, 15% to 23% higher
FVIII
;
P
<0.001) and decreases in key anticoagulants (eg, 5% to 9% lower antithrombin [
AT
] and 6% to 10% lower protein C;
P
<0.01). The net effect of
HIV
replication was to increase coagulation potential (eg, 24% to 48% greater thrombin generation from computational models;
P
<0.01 for all). The pattern of changes from
HIV
replication was reversed with
ART
treatment and consistent across all 3 independent comparisons.

Conclusions

HIV
replication leads to complex changes in extrinsic pathway factors, with the net effect of increasing coagulation potential to a degree that may be clinically relevant. The key influence of changes in
FVIII
and
AT
suggests that
HIV
‐related coagulation abnormalities may involve changes in hepatocyte function in the context of systemic inflammation.

Clinical Trial Registration

URL:
ClinicalTrials.gov
. Unique identifier:
NCT
00027352.
Revision of the Indo-West Pacific genus Brachypterois (Scorpaenidae: Pteroinae), with description of a new species from northeastern Australia
Authors: MATSUNUMA MIZUKI , SAKURAI MAKOTO , MOTOMURA HIROYUKI
Published: July 2013

A taxonomic revision of the scorpaenid genus Brachypterois resulted in three valid species. Brachypterois serrulifer Fowler 1938, previously regarded as a junior synonym of Sebastes serrulatus Richardson 1846, can be distinguished from its congeners by having usually 16 pectoral-fin rays (vs. 15 in the congeners) and 0–22 spines on the median lateral ridge of the maxilla (vs. almost always absent), in addition to longer dorsal- and anal-fin soft rays, relatively fewer large dark spots on the caudal fin, and the posterior lacrimal spines usually directed ventrally. Brachypterois curvispina sp. nov., described on the basis of 32 specimens, can be distinguished from B. serrulata (Richardson 1846) by having fewer number of scale rows in the longitudinal series 41–45 (vs. 44–51 in B. serrulata); relatively long head, its length 41.6–44.5 (mean 43.1)% SL [vs. 38.3–43.1 (mean 40.2)% SL]; posterior lacrimal spines usually directed posteriorly, with the tip curved strongly upward in large males (vs. simply directed posteroventrally); and posteriorly directed spine(s) on the posterior corner of the outer angular ridge (vs. directed ventrally). Brachypterois serrulifer is distributed widely in the Indo-West Pacific, whereas distributional ranges of B. curvispina sp. nov. and B. serrulata are restricted to northeastern Australia and the northwestern Pacific, respectively. Intraspecific variation, including sexual dimorphism and ontogenetic changes in the three species are described in detail. A neotype, collected from southern Taiwan, is designated for S. serrulatus Richardson 1846.
Taxonomy and distribution of Sternotrigon Skopin in China (Coleoptera, Tenebrionidae)
Authors: BA YI-BIN , REN GUO-DONG
Published: July 2013

Sternotrigon Skopin is reviewed. One new species, Sternotrigon albipulis sp. nov., is described and Sternotrigon zichyi Csiki, 1901 is newly recorded in China. A key to the species of Sternotrigon is included. Species of Sternotrigon are divided into two distributional types: an Inner Asian and Mongolian tableland type; the distribution pattern is briefly described. The type and other materials examined are deposited in the Museum of Hebei University (MHBU), Baoding, China.
Will Future Climate Favor More Erratic Wildfires in the Western United States?
Authors: Luo Lifeng , Tang Ying , Zhong Shiyuan , Bian Xindi , Heilman Warren E.
Published: July 2013

Wildfires that occurred over the western United States during August 2012 were fewer in number but larger in size when compared with all other Augusts in the twenty-first century. This unique characteristic, along with the tremendous property damage and potential loss of life that occur with large wildfires with erratic behavior, raised the question of whether future climate will favor rapid wildfire growth so that similar wildfire activity may become more frequent as climate changes. This study addresses this question by examining differences in the climatological distribution of the Haines index (HI) between the current and projected future climate over the western United States. The HI, ranging from 2 to 6, was designed to characterize dry, unstable air in the lower atmosphere that may contribute to erratic or extreme fire behavior. A shift in HI distribution from low values (2 and 3) to higher values (5 and 6) would indicate an increased risk for rapid wildfire growth and spread. Distributions of Haines index are calculated from simulations of current (1971–2000) and future (2041–70) climate using multiple regional climate models in the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program. Despite some differences among the projections, the simulations indicate that there may be not only more days but also more consecutive days with HI ≥ 5 during August in the future. This result suggests that future atmospheric environments will be more conducive to erratic wildfires in the mountainous regions of the western United States.
Concept map construction from text documents using affinity propagation
Authors: Qasim Iqbal , Jeong Jin-Woo , Heu Jee-Uk , Lee Dong-Ho
Published: July 2013

Concept maps are playing an increasingly important role in various computing fields. In particular, they have been popularly used for organizing and representing knowledge. However, constructing concept maps manually is a complex and time-consuming task. Therefore, the creation of concept maps automatically or semi-automatically from text documents is a worthwhile research challenge. Recently, various approaches for automatic or semi-automatic construction of concept maps have been proposed. However, these approaches suffer from several limitations. First, only the noun phrases in text documents are included without resolution of the anaphora problems for pronouns. This omission causes important propositions available in the text documents to be missed, resulting in decreased recall. Second, although some approaches label the relationship to form propositions, they do not show the direction of the relationship between the subject and object in the form of Subject–Relationship–Object, leading to ambiguous propositions. In this paper, we present a cluster-based approach to semi-automatically construct concept maps from text documents. First, we extract the candidate terms from documents using typed dependency linguistic rules. Anaphoric resolution for pronouns is introduced to map the pronouns with candidate terms. Second, the similarities are calculated between the pairs of extracted candidate terms of a document and clusters are made through affinity propagation by providing the calculated similarities between the candidate terms. Finally, the extracted relationships are assigned between the candidate terms in each cluster. Our empirical results show that the semi-automatically constructed concept maps conform to the outputs generated manually by domain experts, since the degree of difference between them is proportionally small based on a Likert scale. Furthermore, domain experts verified that the constructed concept maps are in accordance with their knowledge of the information system domain.
The value of gadoxetic acid-enhanced and diffusion-weighted MRI for prediction of grading of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors
Authors: Jang Kyung Mi , Kim Seong Hyun , Lee Soon Jin , Choi Dongil
Published: July 2013

Background

Parenchyma-preserving resection for the treatment of benign pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) has been tried, and preoperative prediction of benign pancreatic NET is important. Recently, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of abdomen magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used to characterize benign and malignant tumors and DWI might be helpful in prediction of benign pancreatic NETs.

Purpose

To evaluate the value of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI and DWI in predicting benign pancreatic NETs for determination of parenchyma-preserving resection.

Material and Methods

Our ethics committee approved this study with a waiver of informed consent given its retrospective design. We searched radiology and pathology databases from November 2010 to July 2012 to identify patients who underwent surgery for pancreatic NETs (<4 cm). Twenty patients in the benign group and 14 patients in the non-benign group were included in this study. Two radiologists analyzed the morphologic features, signal intensity on MR images including DWI ( b = 800), and dynamic enhancement pattern of the tumors with consensus. The tumor-to-parenchyma ratio and tumor apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) were quantitatively assessed.

Results

The benign pancreatic NETs were more often round (7/20, 35%) or ovoid (13/20, 65%) in shape and less hypovascular on the arterial phase (3/20, 15%) than were the non-benign pancreatic NETs (1/14, 7.1% and 5/14, 35.8%; 7/14, 50% respectively; P < 0.05). Main pancreatic duct dilatation by tumors was demonstrated only in non-benign pancreatic NETs (4/14, 28.4%; P = 0.021). ADC values and ratios were significantly different between benign pancreatic NETs (mean, 1.48 × 10−3 mm2/sec, 1.11 ± 0.25, each) and non-benign pancreatic NETs (mean, 1.04 × 10−3 mm2/sec, 0.74 ± 0.13, each) ( P < 0.01). Other qualitative and quantitative analyses between benign and non-benign pancreatic NETs were not significantly different ( P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Abdominal MRI with DWI may be useful for differentiating benign pancreatic NETs from non-benign pancreatic NETs, which might be helpful for determination of parenchyma-preserving resection.
Implementation of Tasks in RTI
Authors: Werts Margaret Gessler , Carpenter Ellen Stahl
Published: July 2013

A survey of special education teachers in one state was conducted to determine their perceptions on the performance of tasks in the Response to Intervention (RTI) process. We asked teachers to identify professionals who completed or were involved in these tasks at each tier. Participants were asked to check who (a) refers students, (b) assesses individual needs, (c) plans instruction, (d) selects curriculum, (e) delivers instruction, (f) collects data, (g) graphs data, (h) interprets the data, and (i) makes decisions to move students to another tier of instruction. Overall, special education teachers perceive that general education teachers are involved in the majority of tasks throughout the tiers. They perceive the general education teachers’ involvement as decreasing from Tier 1 to Tier 3. Special education teachers perceive themselves as increasing in involvement from Tier 1 through Tier 3.
Manyu youths, belonging and the antinomies of patrimonial elite politics in contemporary Cameroon
Authors: Orock Rogers Tabe E
Published: July 2013

This article explores the social and political connections between youths and political elites from Manyu Division in South-Western Cameroon. Unlike several recent studies on youths in Africa, it focuses on educated youths from Manyu, exploring their strategies to secure greater political inclusion and better chances for upward social mobility. With a critical attention to their discourses and practices, the article examines the disjuncture between the promise of Cameroon’s patrimonial state as an inclusive structure of political action and the sense of exclusion, anxiety, and uncertainty felt by many actors. It argues that this tension generates relations of mutuality and interdependence between elite and nonelite actors. Yet, the article finds that while the logics of political intimacy between Manyu students and their political elites in Cameroon are mediated by kinship, ethnicity, and patronage, these do not always guarantee inclusion and success in social mobility for the youthful actors. For these youths, they felt their exclusion to be more a result of the obstructive character of middle-aged elites who were reticent to acknowledge the values of kinship, ethnicity, and patronage as valid basis for granting opportunities to their younger kinsmen.
British Association for Sexual Health and HIV Scottish Investigation 2010–2011: reasons for non-attendance in individuals lost to follow-up for HIV care for more than 12 months in Scotland
Authors: Cullen B L , Codere G , Wallace L A , Baguley S , Clutterbuck DJ
Published: July 2013

Summary

As of 31 March 2011, 6696 HIV diagnoses had ever been reported in Scotland; of these, 1791 individuals had died, 3339 were attending specialist services, but the remainder had defaulted from specialist care; an investigation into their reasons for non-attendance, and the efforts of services to re-engage, was undertaken by British Association for Sexual Health and HIV Scottish branch using a web-based survey questionnaire. Twelve of the 13 Scottish HIV services returned information for 424 of 579 eligible cases; 112 of these 424 individuals were identified as genuine non-attendees. Findings indicate that the epidemiology of these non-attendees is similar to that of the whole Scottish HIV cohort. Three-quarters of individuals failed to attend a booked appointment following their last known attendance and very few attempts to contact non-attending individuals were successful. This survey has refocused attention on those lost to follow-up, while quality of the national data-set has improved, providing a clearer epidemiological picture of people living with HIV in Scotland.
Invasive trichosporonosis in an AIDS patient: case report and review of the literature
Authors: Roman Arthur Dessi E , Salvaña Edsel Maurice T , Guzman-Peñamora Mary Ann J De , Roxas Evalyn A , Leyritana Katerina T , Saniel Mediadora C
Published: July 2013

Invasive Trichosporon infection is a rare, life-threatening infection in immunocompromised patients. It has been reported as an emerging opportunistic infection in those with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Only 12 cases of invasive trichosporonosis in patients with HIV have been documented, none in Southeast Asia. We report a case of fatal, disseminated trichosporonosis in a Filipino AIDS patient with severe cutaneous and pulmonary involvement. Invasive trichosporonosis should be considered in HIV-positive patients with disseminated fungal infection since this may be refractory to conventional antifungal treatment.
The value of a support group for medical professionals with substance use disorders
Authors: Wile Cheryl , Jenkins Kym
Published: July 2013

Objective:

The objective of this study was to explore how a support group in Victoria, Australia, that has been set up for doctors and medical students with substance use disorders is perceived by group members.

Method:

Past and present participants were surveyed anonymously regarding their attitudes to the group and its role in their recovery.

Results:

Respondents overwhelmingly valued the support group, seeing it as an integral and essential part of their recovery and on-going health.

Conclusions:

It is recommended that such support groups for doctors who have substance use disorders be more widely available in jurisdictions other than Victoria.
Explaining Low Redistributive Impact in Bolivia
Authors: Arauco Verónica Paz , Molina George Gray , Aguilar Ernesto Yáñez , Pozo Wilson Jiménez
Published: July 2013

This article analyzes the fiscal incidence of cash and in-kind transfers, taxes, and subsidies in Bolivia. Between 2007 and 2009, social spending as a share of gross domestic product rose by about three percentage points. In spite of this, fiscal policy in Bolivia has shown a low redistributive impact. The weak impact is mainly due to the presence of significant leakages in transfers to the nonpoor and to the small size of per beneficiary transfers. The impact of fiscal policy on poverty and income inequality could increase with better targeting to the poor, larger per capita benefits, and an increase in coverage and progressivity of the tax system.
Cognitive reserve in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Sumowski James F , Leavitt Victoria M
Published: July 2013

Cognitive impairment is common among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), but some patients are able to withstand considerable disease burden (e.g. white matter lesions, cerebral atrophy) without cognitive impairment (cognitive inefficiency, memory decline). What protects these patients from cognitive impairment? We review the literature on cognitive reserve in MS, which shows that heritable (larger maximal lifetime brain growth) and environmental (greater intellectual enrichment) factors attenuate the negative effect of disease burden on cognitive status. That is, persons with larger maximal lifetime brain growth, greater vocabulary knowledge, and/or greater early life participation in cognitive leisure activities (e.g. reading, hobbies) are better able to cope with MS disease without cognitive impairment. We review evidence that benefits of intellectual enrichment on cognitive status may stem from more efficient patterns of brain function. We discuss clinical implications and highlight important unanswered questions for future research on reserve against cognitive impairment in MS.
Mindfulness and Motivational Interviewing: Two candidate methods for promoting self-management
Authors: Benzo Roberto P.
Published: July 2013

There is no conclusive evidence about the way to a promote behavior change in self-management programs for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The latter is a significant knowledge gap as there is a need to promote a sustained effect in interventions like Pulmonary Rehabilitation or Supporting Programs. Embracing patient’s values seems to be a key ingredient to ignite genuine motivation for behavior change. This manuscript describes two pilot qualitative studies carried out in patients with severe COPD aimed to engage the patient inner experience and promote self-management: a trial testing motivational interviewing (MI) as one style of helping patients with severe COPD make changes in their behavior and second a trial testing a mindfulness-based intervention. The MI study consisted of a 3-month program of weekly coaching phone calls after one face-to-face visit. The following themes were outstanding: patients value the supportive communication with coach and believe the MI-based coaching created increased level of awareness and accountability. They perceived an increase in physical activity and reported “feeling better” or other benefits not directly related to exercise. The Mindfulness for Health Program was a mandatory 8-week program that consisted on 2-hour classes aimed to cultivate nonjudgmental attention in the moment (through different meditative practices and sharing) plus monthly face-to-face encounters aimed to sustain practice and sharing of life experiences for 1 year. The following themes (at 1 year) were outstanding: appreciating life by seeing hardships as opportunities, valuing the self through compassion and awareness, cultivating connectedness with others, acquiring joy, and adopting healthy behaviors. In the search for the “holy grail” for self-management programs that can promote a behavior change, mindfulness and MI seem promising for cultivating a way to live a life in which people are fully present and consciously agree with.
Dowry in 21st-Century India
Authors: Banerjee Priya R.
Published: July 2013

The World Health Organization (2009) implicates deep-rooted cultural and social norms as influential contributing factors toward physical and intimate partner violence against women. The dowry system is a social practice that perpetuates the oppression, torture, and murder of women in India. The practice of dowry is an expected part of marriage in cultures where arranged marriages are the norm. Violence can occur when the dowry or bride-price is deemed unsatisfactory by the recipient. In India, in spite of laws prohibiting the practice, not much has changed over the last 30 years. The National Crime Records Bureau of India, recorded a total of 8,618 female deaths related to dowry disputes in 2011, and the Asian Women’s Human Rights Council (2009) estimates that the practice of dowry is implicated in 25,000 deaths and maiming of women between the ages of 15–34 in India every year. The current review of literature reveals that despite efforts on the part of the Indian government, social activists and feminists organizations in India, not much has changed over the past decade, in fact, the problem has increased, resulting in an unprecedented amount of mortality and morbidity among women in India.
A Model of Persistent Learned Nonuse Following Focal Ischemia in Rats
Authors: MacLellan Crystal L. , Langdon Kristopher D. , Botsford Alex , Butt Stephanie , Corbett Dale
Published: July 2013

Background. After hemiplegic stroke, people often rely on their unaffected limb to complete activities of daily living. A component of residual motor dysfunction involves learned suppression of movement, termed learned nonuse. Objective. To date, no rodent stroke model of persistent learned nonuse has been described that can facilitate understanding of this phenomenon and test interventions to overcome it. Methods. Rats were trained in the staircase skilled-reaching and limb use asymmetry (cylinder) tasks. Endothelin-1 was injected into the cortex and striatum to create focal ischemia. Starting 7 days poststroke, half of the rats (ipsilateral training; n = 15) were trained to reach for food reward pellets in the tray-reaching task with the ipsilateral forelimb. Training lasted 20 days. Rats in the control group (control; n = 15) did not receive training. All rats then remained in their home cages for an additional 30 days. Performance on the cylinder and staircase tasks was assessed ~2 months poststroke. Results. Ischemia caused significant functional impairments in all rats. Significant contralateral forelimb skilled-reaching recovery was evident in the control group at 2 months but not the ipsilateral training group. There was no difference in performance in the cylinder task. Similarly, the volume of brain injury (~66 mm3) was similar between groups. Ipsilateral forelimb training reduced poststroke motor recovery. Conclusion. This rodent model of persistent nonuse after stroke may be used to further understand mechanisms of learned nonuse as well as to evaluate pharmacological and rehabilitation treatments to overcome it.
What Do Girls Do When Boys Are Away?
Authors: Assadi Jamal Ali
Published: July 2013

Rand’s triadic model is particularly germane to understanding Fitzgerald’s Bernice Bobs Her Hair. I will discuss Fitzgerald’s characters, their worlds, and beliefs in terms of the conflicts between the three types of people: “Being,” “Having,” and “Doing.” I will also explain why Fitzgerald presents his characters the way he does and examine how Rand’s theory influences his narrative point of view.
Genome-wide upstream motif analysis of Cryptosporidium parvum genes clustered by expression profile
Authors: Oberstaller Jenna , Joseph Sandeep J , Kissinger Jessica C
Published: July 2013

Background

There are very few molecular genetic tools available to study the apicomplexan parasiteCryptosporidium parvum. The organism is not amenable to continuousin vitrocultivation or transfection, and purification of intracellular developmental stages in sufficient numbers for most downstream molecular applications is difficult and expensive since animal hosts are required. As such, very little is known about gene regulation inC. parvum.

Results

We have clustered whole-genome gene expression profiles generated from a previous study of seven post-infection time points of 3,281 genes to identify genes that show similar expression patterns throughout the first 72 hours ofin vitroepithelial cell culture. We used the algorithms MEME, AlignACE and FIRE to identify conserved, overrepresented DNA motifs in the upstream promoter region of genes with similar expression profiles. The most overrepresented motifs were E2F (5′-TGGCGCCA-3′); G-box (5′-G.GGGG-3′); a well-documented ApiAP2 binding motif (5′-TGCAT-3′), and an unknown motif (5′-[A/C] AACTA-3′). We generated a recombinantC. parvumDNA-binding protein domain from a putative ApiAP2 transcription factor [CryptoDB: cgd8_810] and determined its binding specificity using protein-binding microarrays. We demonstrate that cgd8_810 can putatively bind the overrepresented G-box motif, implicating this ApiAP2 in the regulation of many gene clusters.

Conclusion

Several DNA motifs were identified in the upstream sequences of gene clusters that might serve as potentialcis-regulatory elements. These motifs, in concert with protein DNA binding site data, establish for the first time the beginnings of a globalC. parvumgene regulatory map that will contribute to our understanding of the development of this zoonotic parasite.
Surveillance of the prevalence, antibiotic susceptibility, and genotypic characterization of invasive candidiasis in a teaching hospital in China between 2006 to 2011
Authors: Li Fang , Wu Lin , Cao Bin , Zhang Yuyu , Li Xiaoli , Liu Yingmei
Published: July 2013

Background

Invasive candidiasis is an important nosocomial infection associated with high mortality among immunosuppressive or critically ill patients. We described the incidence of invasive candidiasis in our hospital over 6 years and showed the antifungal susceptibility and genotypes of the isolated yeast.

Method

The yeast species were isolated on CHROMagar Candida medium and identified using an yeast identification card, followed by analysis of the D1/D2 domain of 26S rDNA. The susceptibilities of the isolates to flucytosine, amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole, and voriconazole were tested using the ATB FUNGUS 3 system, and that to caspofungin was tested using E-test strips. C. albicans was genotyped using single-strand conformation polymorphism of CAI (Candida albicans I) microsatellite DNA combined with GeneScan data.

Results

From January 2006 to December 2011, a total of 259 isolates of invasive Candida spp. were obtained from 253 patients, among them 6 patients had multiple positive samples. Ninety-one stains were from blood and 168 from sterile fluids, accounting for 6.07% of all pathogens isolated in our hospital. Most of these strains were C. albicans (41.29% in blood/59.06% in sterile body fluids), followed by C. tropicalis (18.06%/25.72%), C. parapsilosis (17.42%/5.43%), C. glabrata (11.61%/3.99%) and other Candida spp. (11.61%/5.80%). Most Candida spp. were isolated from the ICU. The new species-specific CLSI candida MIC breakpoints were applied to these date. Resistance to fluconazole occurred in 6.6% of C. albicans isolates, 10.6% of C. tropicalis isolates and 15.0% of C. glabrata isolates. For the 136 C. albicans isolates, 54 CAI patterns were recognized. The C. albicans strains from blood or sterile body fluids showed no predominant CAI genotypes. C. albicans isolates from different samples from the same patient had the same genotype.

Conclusions

Invasive candidiasis has been commonly encountered in our hospital in the past 6 years, with increasing frequency of non-C. albicans. Resistance to fluconazole was highly predictive of resistance to voriconazole. CAI SSCP genotyping showed that all C. albicans strains were polymorphic. Invasive candidiasis were commonly endogenous infection.
Bone turnover and bone mineral density in HIV-1 infected Chinese taking highly active antiretroviral therapy –a prospective observational study
Authors: Zhang Lixia , Su Yuanbo , Hsieh Evelyn , Xia Weibo , Xie Jing , Han Yang , Cao Ying , Li Yanling , Song Xiaojing , Zhu Ting , Li Taisheng , Yu Wei
Published: July 2013

Background

Low bone mass and high bone turnover have been reported in HIV-infected individuals, both as a consequence of HIV infection itself, as well as from treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of HAART on bone mineral density and bone turnover in HIV-1 infected Chinese patients.

Methods

Forty HIV-1 infected patients were enrolled in this study; all patients were followed through 48 weeks, and 17 patients completed 96 weeks. Bone mineral density (BMD), procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), collagen type 1 cross-linked C-telopeptide (β-CTX), parathyroid hormone (PTH), and 25-OH vitamin D levels were measured at baseline, 48 and 96 weeks. Baseline measurements were compared with an age-, gender-, and BMI-matched healthy control population.

Results

At baseline, raw BMD in the lumbar spine of HIV-1 infected patients was significantly lower than that of healthy controls (1.138 ± 0.112 g/cm2 vs. 1.195 ± 0.139 g/cm2, p = 0.047). During the first 48 weeks after initiating HAART, BMD of lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip decreased significantly in HIV-1 infected patients, with annual percent decline ranging from 1.78-3.28%. However, from week 48 to 96, BMD remained stable. Baseline levels of β-CTX (0.31 ± 0.16 ng/mL vs. 0.42 ± 0.19 ng/mL, p = 0.008) and P1NP (32.96 ± 14.00 ng/mL vs. 55.82 ± 26.87 ng/mL, p = 0.05) were lower in HIV-infected patients compared with controls, respectively. Both β-CTX and P1NP levels increased after onset of HAART until week 48, and remained elevated during the next 48 weeks. 25-OH vitamin D in HIV-infected patients was lower at baseline compared to healthy controls, but this difference was not statistically significant. PTH, however, was higher in HIV patients at baseline, and showed a significant increase throughout the study.

Conclusions

Chinese adults with HIV-1 infection have low bone turnover prior to HAART as well as lower raw BMD of the lumbar spine compared with healthy controls, with further bone loss occurring following the initiation of HAART. The long-term clinical implications of these findings remain unclear at this time.
Germinated brown rice and its bioactives modulate the activity of uterine cells in oophorectomised rats as evidenced by gross cytohistological and immunohistochemical changes
Authors: Muhammad Sani I , Ismail Maznah , Mahmud Rozi B , Salisu Abubakar M , Zakaria Zuki A
Published: July 2013

Background

Germinated brown rice (GBR) is gaining momentum in the area of biomedical research due to its increased use as a nutraceutical for the management of diseases. The effect of GBR on the reproductive organs of oophorectomised rats was studied using the gross, cytological, histological and immunohistochemical changes, with the aim of reducing atrophy and dryness of the genital organs in menopause.

Methods

Experimental rats were divided into eight groups of six rats per group. Groups 1, 2 and 3 (sham-operated (SH), oophorectomised without treatment (OVX) and oophorectomised treated with 0.2 mg/kg oestrogen, respectively) served as the controls. The groups 4,5,6,7 and 8 were treated with 20 mg/kg Remifemin, 200 mg/kg of GBR, ASG, oryzanol and GABA, respectively. All treatments were administered orally, once daily for 8 weeks. Vaginal smear cytology was done at the 7th week on all the rats. The weight and dimensions of the uterus and vagina were determined after sacrifice of the rats. Uterine and vaginal tissues were taken for histology and Immunohistochemical examinations.

Results

GBR and its bioactives treated groups significantly increased the weight and length of both the uterus and the vagina when compared to Oophorectomised non-treated group (OVX-non-treated) (p < 0.05). Significant changes were observed in the ratio of cornified epithelial cells and number of leucocytes in the vaginal cytology between the oophorectomised non-treated and treated groups. There was also an increase in the luminal and glandular epithelial cells activity in the treated compared with the untreated groups histologically. Immunohistochemical staining showed specific proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in the luminal and glandular epithelium of the treated groups, which was absent in the OVX-non-treated group. GBR improved the length and weight of the uterus and also increased the number of glandular and luminal cells epithelia of the vagina.

Conclusion

GBR and its bioactives could be a potential alternative in improving reproductive system atrophy, dryness and discomfort during menopause.
Clonidine versus captopril for treatment of postpartum very high blood pressure: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (CLONCAP)
Authors: Noronha-Neto Carlos , Katz Leila , Coutinho Isabela C , Maia Sabina B , Souza Alex Sandro Rolland , Amorim Melania Maria Ramos
Published: July 2013

Background

The behavior of arterial blood pressure in postpartum of women with hypertension and pregnancy and the best treatment for very high blood pressure in this period still need evidence. The Cochrane systematic review assessing prevention and treatment of postpartum hypertension found only two trials (120 patients) comparing hydralazine with nifedipine and labetalol for the treatment of severe hypertension and did not find enough evidence to know how best to treat women with hypertension after birth. Although studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of treatment with captopril, side effects were reported. Because of these findings, new classes of antihypertensive drugs began to be administered as an alternative therapy. Data on the role of clonidine in this particular group of patients, its effects in the short and long term are still scarce in the literature.

Objectives

To determine the effectiveness of clonidine, compared to captopril, for the treatment of postpartum very high blood pressure in women with hypertension in pregnancy.

Methods/design

The study is a triple blind randomized controlled trial including postpartum women with diagnosis of hypertension in pregnancy presenting very high blood pressure, and exclusion criteria will be presence of heart disease, smoking, use of illicit drugs, any contraindication to the use of captopril or clonidine and inability to receive oral medications.

Eligible patients will be invited to participate and those who agree will be included in the study and receive captopril or clonidine according to a random list of numbers. The subjects will receive the study medication every 20 minutes until blood pressure is over 170 mmHg of systolic blood pressure and 110 mmHg diastolic blood pressure. A maximum of six pills a day for very high blood pressure will be administered. In case of persistent high blood pressure levels, other antihypertensive agents will be used.

During the study the women will be subject to strict control of blood pressure and urine output. This proposal has already obtained approval of the local Institutional Review Board of the coordinating center (IMIP, Recife, Brazil) and of the National Council for Ethics in Research (CONEP) of the Brazilian Ministry of Health.

Trial registration

Clinical Trials Register under the number NCT01761916.
The good, the bad and the dubious: VHELIBS, a validation helper for ligands and binding sites
Authors: Cereto-Massagué Adrià , Ojeda María José , Joosten Robbie P , Valls Cristina , Mulero Miquel , Salvado M Josepa , Arola-Arnal Anna , Arola Lluís , Garcia-Vallvé Santiago , Pujadas Gerard
Published: July 2013

Background

Many Protein Data Bank (PDB) users assume that the deposited structural models are of high quality but forget that these models are derived from the interpretation of experimental data. The accuracy of atom coordinates is not homogeneous between models or throughout the same model. To avoid basing a research project on a flawed model, we present a tool for assessing the quality of ligands and binding sites in crystallographic models from the PDB.

Results

The Validation HElper for LIgands and Binding Sites (VHELIBS) is software that aims to ease the validation of binding site and ligand coordinates for non-crystallographers (i.e., users with little or no crystallography knowledge). Using a convenient graphical user interface, it allows one to check how ligand and binding site coordinates fit to the electron density map. VHELIBS can use models from either the PDB or the PDB_REDO databank of re-refined and re-built crystallographic models. The user can specify threshold values for a series of properties related to the fit of coordinates to electron density (Real Space R, Real Space Correlation Coefficient and average occupancy are used by default). VHELIBS will automatically classify residues and ligands as Good, Dubious or Bad based on the specified limits. The user is also able to visually check the quality of the fit of residues and ligands to the electron density map and reclassify them if needed.

Conclusions

VHELIBS allows inexperienced users to examine the binding site and the ligand coordinates in relation to the experimental data. This is an important step to evaluate models for their fitness for drug discovery purposes such as structure-based pharmacophore development and protein-ligand docking experiments.
Tackling graduate unemployment in North Africa through employment subsidies: A look at the SIVP programme in Tunisia
Authors: Broecke Stijn
Published: July 2013

This paper takes a closer look at Tunisia’s SIVP: an employment subsidy aimed at university graduates and, until recently, the country’s largest active labour market policy. Using a tracer survey of the 2004 graduating cohort, OLS and matching techniques are applied to estimate the relationship between programme participation and the labour market outcomes of participants. Graduates who benefited from the programme appear less likely to be unemployed and considerably more likely to have found a job in the private sector - but this may partly reflect selection into the programme, which is not random.

JEL classification

J08, J20
Reduction of Cancer-Related Fatigue With Dexamethasone: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Patients With Advanced Cancer
Authors: Yennurajalingam Sriram , Frisbee-Hume Susan , Palmer J. Lynn , Delgado-Guay Marvin O. , Bull Janet , Phan Alexandria T. , Tannir Nizar M. , Litton Jennifer Keating , Reddy Akhila , Hui David , Dalal Shalini , Massie Lisa , Reddy Suresh K. , Bruera Eduardo
Published: July 2013

Purpose

Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is the most common symptom in patients with advanced cancer. The primary objective of this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was to compare the effect of dexamethasone and placebo on CRF.

Patients and Methods

Patients with advanced cancer with ≥ three CRF-related symptoms (ie, fatigue, pain, nausea, loss of appetite, depression, anxiety, or sleep disturbance) ≥ 4 of 10 on the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) were eligible. Patients were randomly assigned to either dexamethasone 4 mg or placebo orally twice per day for 14 days. The primary end point was change in the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness–Fatigue (FACIT-F) subscale from baseline to day 15. Secondary outcomes included anorexia, anxiety, depression, and symptom distress scores.

Results

A total of 84 patients were evaluable (dexamethasone, 43; placebo, 41). Mean (± standard deviation) improvement in the FACIT-F subscale at day 15 was significantly higher in the dexamethasone than in the placebo group (9 [± 10.3] v 3.1 [± 9.59]; P = .008). The improvement in FACIT-F total quality-of-life scores was also significantly better for the dexamethasone group at day 15 (P = .03). The mean differences in the ESAS physical distress scores at day 15 were significantly better for the dexamethasone group (P = .013, respectively). No differences were observed for ESAS overall symptom distress (P = .22) or psychological distress score (P = .76). Frequency of adverse effects was not significantly different between groups (41 of 62 v 44 of 58; P = .14).

Conclusion

Dexamethasone is more effective than placebo in improving CRF and quality of life in patients with advanced cancer.
Bortezomib-Based Versus Nonbortezomib-Based Induction Treatment Before Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation in Patients With Previously Untreated Multiple Myeloma: A Meta-Analysis of Phase III Randomized, Controlled Trials
Authors: Sonneveld Pieter , Goldschmidt Hartmut , Rosiñol Laura , Bladé Joan , Lahuerta Juan José , Cavo Michele , Tacchetti Paola , Zamagni Elena , Attal Michel , Lokhorst Henk M. , Desai Avinash , Cakana Andrew , Liu Kevin , van de Velde Helgi , Esseltine Dixie-Lee , Moreau Philippe
Published: July 2013

Purpose

To characterize efficacy and safety of bortezomib-based versus nonbortezomib-based induction regimens through an integrated analysis of data from phase III studies in transplantation-eligible patients with previously untreated myeloma.

Patients and Methods

Patient-level data from the IFM 2005-01 (bortezomib-dexamethasone v vincristine-doxorubicin-dexamethasone [VAD] induction), HOVON-65/GMMG-HD4 (bortezomib-doxorubicin-dexamethasone v VAD), and PETHEMA GEM05MENOS65 (bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone v thalidomide-dexamethasone) studies were pooled in an integrated analysis of efficacy and safety. Study-level data from the GIMEMA MM-BO2005 study (bortezomib-thalidomide-dexamethasone v thalidomide-dexamethasone) supplemented the integrated patient-level analysis. Key efficacy end points were post-transplantation complete plus near-complete response (CR+nCR) rate and progression-free survival (PFS).

Results

Patient-level data for 1,572 patients (bortezomib-based induction, n = 787; nonbortezomib-based induction, n = 785) were included. Post-transplantation CR+nCR rate was significantly higher following bortezomib-based versus nonbortezomib-based induction (38% v 24%; odds ratio, 2.05; P < .001); the benefit remained similar (pooled odds ratio, 1.96) when GIMEMA MM-BO2005 data were included. Median PFS was 35.9 months versus 28.6 months with bortezomib-based versus nonbortezomib-based induction, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.75; P < .001); 3-year overall survival (OS) rates were 79.7% and 74.7%, respectively (hazard ratio for OS, 0.81; P = .0402). Median duration of induction treatment was 11 weeks in both treatment groups. Rates of peripheral neuropathy during induction were 34% versus 17% (grade ≥ 3, 6% v 1%). Overall, 3% and 4% of patients died during bortezomib-based and nonbortezomib-based induction, respectively.

Conclusion

Bortezomib-based induction results in significant improvements in response and PFS/OS compared with nonbortezomib-based induction and is generally well tolerated, with a higher rate of peripheral neuropathy but no apparent increase in risk of death during induction.
The novel Rac effector RIN-1 regulates neuronal cell migration and axon pathfinding inC. elegans
Authors: Doi Motomichi , Minematsu Hideki , Kubota Yukihiko , Nishiwaki Kiyoji , Miyamoto Masaaki
Published: July 2013

Cell migration and axon guidance require proper regulation of the actin cytoskeleton in response to extracellular guidance cues. Rho/Rac small GTPases are essential regulators of actin remodeling. Caenorhabditis elegans CED-10 is a Rac1 homolog that is required for various cellular morphological changes and migration events and is under the control of several guidance signaling pathways. There is still considerable uncertainty regarding events following the activation of guidance receptors by extracellular signals and the regulation of actin dynamics based on spatiotemporally restricted Rac activity. Here we show that the VPS9 domain protein RIN-1 acts as a novel effector for CED-10 in C. elegans. The orthologous mammalian Rin1 protein has previously been identified as an effector for Ras GTPase and is now known to function as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rab5 GTPase. We found that RIN-1 specifically binds to the GTP-bound form of CED-10 and that mutations in rin-1 cause significant defects in migration and axon guidance of restricted neuronal cell types including AVM and HSN neurons, in contrast to the various defects observed in ced-10 mutants. Our analyses place RIN-1 in the Slit-Robo genetic pathway that regulates repulsive signaling for dorsoventral axon guidance. In rin-1 mutants, actin accumulated on both the ventral and dorsal sides of the developing HSN neuron, in contrast to its ventral accumulation in wild type. These results strongly suggest that RIN-1 acts as an effector for CED-10/Rac1 and regulates actin remodeling in response to restricted guidance cues.
Adult neural stem cells: plastic or restricted neuronal fates?
Authors: Sequerra Eduardo B. , Costa Marcos R. , Menezes João R. L. , Hedin-Pereira Cecilia
Published: July 2013

During embryonic development, the telencephalon is specified along its axis through morphogenetic gradients, leading to the positional-dependent generation of multiple neuronal types. After embryogenesis, however, the fate of neuronal progenitors becomes more restricted, and they generate only a subset of neurons. Here, we review studies of postnatal and adult neurogenesis, challenging the notion that fixed genetic programs restrict neuronal fate. We hypothesize that the adult brain maintains plastic neural stem cells that are capable of responding to changes in environmental cues and generating diverse neuronal types. Thus, the limited diversity of neurons generated under normal conditions must be actively maintained by the adult milieu.