bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A case of IgG4‐related lung disease complicated by asymptomatic chronic Epstein‐Barr virus infection
Authors: Kotetsu Yasuaki , Ikegame Satoshi , Takebe‐Akazawa Keiko , Koga Takaomi , Okabayashi Kan , Takata Shohei 
Published: January 2016

AbstractIntroductionIgG4‐related disease is characterized by IgG4‐positive plasmacyte infiltration into various organs, but its etiology is not unknown.ObjectivesTo elucidate the etiology of IgG4‐related disease.MethodsWe experienced an interesting case of IgG4‐related lung disease complicated by chronic EB virus infection.ResultsA 70‐year‐old male visited our hospital due to failure of pneumonia treatment. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed consolidation in the right middle field and slight mediastinal lymphadenopathy in the subcarinal region. Lung consolidation improved with antibiotics; subcarinal lymphadenopathy progressed after 4 months. Malignant lymphoma was suspected given elevated sIL2‐R levels (1862 U/mL). Patchy ground glass opacities appeared in the bilateral lung field just before surgical biopsy. He was diagnosed with IgG4‐related lung disease after inspection of a pathological specimen obtained from the right upper lung and right hilar lymph node. EB virus‐infected cells were also detected in the lymph node. Blood examination revealed EB virus viremia, but the patient did not present with symptoms or organ involvement. This led to a diagnosis of asymptomatic chronic EB virus infection.ConclusionRecent studies have suggested an association between EB virus infection and IgG4‐related diseases in the pathological exploration of surgically resected lymph nodes. Our case is the first case of IgG4‐related lung disease in which EB virus infection was both pathologically and clinically proved. The present case is of particular interest in view of this newly reported association, and may serve as a fundamental report for future studies connecting EB virus infection with IgG4‐related diseases.
Limited value of transbronchial lung biopsy for diagnosing Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease
Authors: Sekine Akimasa , Saito Takefumi , Satoh Hiroaki , Morishita Yukio , Tsunoda Yoshiya , Tanaka Toru , Yatagai Yohei , Lin Shih‐Yuen , Miyazaki Kunihiko , Miura Yukiko , Hayashihara Kenji 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBackground and AimsIt remains unclear whether transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) is useful for diagnosing Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease.MethodsThirty‐eight consecutive patients with MAC lung disease, who were evaluated with TBLB tissue culture between June 2006 and May 2010, were included. Bronchial washing (BW) and histopathological evaluation were performed in all patients. The positivity rates of BW and TBLB tissue culture, and typical histopathological findings for MAC disease were investigated. Furthermore, all patients were divided into two groups according to the presence of intrabronchial purulent or mucopurulent secretion and the clinical, bacteriological and pathological characteristics were compared between the two groups.ResultsThe positive culture rates of BW and TBLB specimens for MAC were 100% (38 patients) and 28.9% (11 patients). BW materials were much more sensitive for culture positivity than TBLB specimens (P < 0.0001). Typical pathological findings for MAC disease were present in the TBLB specimens of only 11 patients (28.9%). Intrabronchial secretion was identified in 15 patients (39.5%, secretion‐positive group) and absent in 23 patients (60.5%, secretion‐negative group). Typical histopathological findings for MAC disease were more common in the secretion‐positive group than in the secretion‐negative group (53.3% vs 13.0%, P = 0.01), although the radiological classification and smear positivity of BW were not different between the two groups.ConclusionTBLB for pathological and bacterial investigations would provide only a limited value for MAC diagnosis. Moreover, the presence of intrabronchial secretion may be an important manifestation of ongoing airway damage, which would require early treatment.
Twin pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus: a single centre cohort study
Authors: Dinham G. K. , Henry A. , Lowe S. A. , Nassar N. , Lui K. , Spear V. , Shand A. W. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractAimsIn women with a twin pregnancy, to determine the incidence of, risk factors for and outcomes of women with gestational diabetes mellitus, and assess how these have changed with a change in gestational diabetes screening.MethodsRetrospective cohort study of women with a twin pregnancy attending an Australian tertiary hospital, 2002–2013. Information on gestational diabetes status, gestational diabetes risk factors and pregnancy outcomes was ascertained. Pregnancy outcomes included hypertensive disorders, twin birthweight centile and a composite adverse pregnancy outcome. Analysis was stratified pre/post screening protocol change (epoch 1: 2002–2009, epoch 2: 2010–2013) and by gestational diabetes status.ResultsGestational diabetes was diagnosed in 86/982 (8.8%) women, increasing from 4.4% to 14.7% between epochs (P = 0.0001). The proportion of women with hypertensive disorders increased (11.7% vs. 13.4%, P = 0.009), but the proportion of infant's birthweight > 90th centile decreased (11.0% vs. 7.6%, P = 0.02) between epochs. Overall, 33.6% of women had ≥ 1 risk factors for gestational diabetes. Three‐quarters (73.7%) of women overall had an adverse pregnancy outcome, with a slightly higher proportion in women with gestational diabetes compared with those with no gestational diabetes (79.7% vs. 73.1%, P = 0.06). The rate of the adverse pregnancy outcome did not change by epoch, after adjusting for maternal and pregnancy risk factors (adjusted odds ratio = 0.96, 95% confidence interval 0.73–1.26).ConclusionsAlmost 1 in 10 women with a twin pregnancy were diagnosed with gestational diabetes, with the incidence of gestational diabetes increasing threefold with a new screening protocol. The pregnancy outcomes of women with a twin pregnancy did not change with increased detection and treatment for gestational diabetes.
Oestrogen activity of the serum in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Martínez D. , Castro A. , Merino P. M. , López P. , Lardone M. C. , Iñiguez G. , Cassorla F. , Codner E. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractAimsTo assess serum oestrogen levels and oestrogenic activity in adolescents with Type 1 diabetes compared with a healthy control group.MethodsWe conducted a cross‐sectional study that evaluated adolescents with Type 1 diabetes (n = 38) and healthy adolescents (control group; n = 32). Serum oestrogens, urinary oestrogen metabolites and serum oestrogenic activity were assessed. Oestrogenic activity was evaluated in an in vitro cell proliferation assay using a modified E‐screen assay with MCF‐7/BUS cells.ResultsAdolescents with Type 1 diabetes had lower oestrogenic activity levels in both phases of the menstrual cycle compared with the control group (follicular phase: 76 vs 94%; luteal phase: 97 vs 131%; P < 0.01), even after adjusting for BMI, oestradiol and oestrone levels. Postmenarcheal adolescents with Type 1 diabetes had lower oestradiol levels compared with control subjects in the follicular phase (63.3 pmol/l vs 89.4 pmol/l; P < 0.01) and higher oestrone levels compared with controls in the luteal phase (196 vs 151.9 pmol/l; P < 0.05).ConclusionsAdolescents with Type 1 diabetes had lower levels of serum oestrogenic activity, and these were lower than expected based on their serum oestradiol levels. We postulate that changes in the serum milieu of oestrogens in patients with Type 1 diabetes may explain their decreased oestrogenic activity and may play a role in their adverse metabolic profile.
Heart acceleration and deceleration capacities associated with dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Zou Cao , Dong Hongkai , Wang Fengyan , Gao Meiwen , Huang Xingmei , Jin Jianling , Zhou Bingyuan , Yang Xiangjun 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBackgroundHeart rate deceleration capacity and acceleration capacity are novel autonomic nervous system indicators of cardiac neural regulation. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) changes cardiac electrophysiology; however, how deceleration capacity and acceleration capacity associated with DCM remain unclear.Materials and methodsTo evaluate the association between heart rate acceleration capacity, deceleration capacity and DCM, 66 DCM patients with DCM and 209 controls were enrolled in the study. Demographic data, echocardiographic data, heart rate variability, deceleration capacity and acceleration capacity were collected. The association pattern between DCM and these indexes were studied by multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsDeceleration capacity and acceleration capacity were independent risk factors for DCM with an odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), determined by multiple logistic regression analysis, of 7·97 (3·87–16·42) and 0·09 (0·05–0·19), respectively. Univariate ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that acceleration capacity, fastest heart rate, standard deviation of normal‐to‐normal RR intervals (SDNN) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LEVF) associated with heart failure grade. The OR for each covariate was further adjusted for the effects of other significant covariates in multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis. Acceleration capacity, fastest heart rate and LVEF were still independent risk factors in the final equation with ORs of 1·32 (1·03–1·79), 1·04 (0·01–1·07) and 0·46 (0·23–0·93), respectively.ConclusionHeart rate acceleration capacity and deceleration capacity are independent risk factors for DCM, and acceleration capacity is a predictive factor for heart failure exacerbation in patients with DCM.
Long term effect of early intervention service on duration of untreated psychosis in youth and adult population in Hong Kong
Authors: Chan Sherry K.W. , Chau Esther H.S. , Hui Christy L.M. , Chang Wing C. , Lee Edwin H.M. , Chen Eric Y.H. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractAimThe current study explored the effect of an early intervention (EI) service for psychosis in Hong Kong (EASY) on the reduction of the duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) at 10 years, in adolescent and adult patients.MethodData from three first‐episode psychosis (FEP) studies conducted over 10 years using the same DUP assessment was analysed. FEP study 1 year before the EI service (2000) was used as a control, with those aged <25 comprising the youth psychosis control group and those aged over 25 comprising the adult psychosis control group. Data from the EASY service collected in 2010 constituted the youth psychosis EI group and data from an adult EI service collected from 2009 to 2011 constituted the adult psychosis EI group. DUP of EI and control groups was compared. The effect of the mode of onset and family history of psychosis on DUP was studied.ResultsDUP in the adult group was significantly reduced from median of 180 days to 93 days after 10 years (U = 12 906.50, P = 0.01), particularly in those with gradual onset and without family history. However, no significant change of DUP was found in the youth psychosis group.ConclusionsResults of the current study provide evidence that EI programmes with public awareness campaign can significantly reduce DUP of adult patients but not in youth group. The effect is more specific in those with long DUP. Further research should explore the specific factors contributed to the long DUP of patients of different age groups so as to establish targeted intervention strategies.
Changes in psychological well‐being among heroin‐dependent adolescents during psychologically supported opiate substitution treatment
Authors: Smyth Bobby P. , Ducray Kevin , Cullen Walter 
Published: January 2016

AbstractAimHeroin‐dependent adolescents demonstrate high rates of comorbid psychological problems. Among heroin‐dependent adults, opiate substitution treatment (OST) programmes appear to reduce mental health problems. We sought to examine the impact of OST on psychological well‐being in adolescents, as this is unknown.MethodsWe conducted a prospective study examining psychological well‐being in heroin dependent adolescents, aged 18 years or younger, engaged in outpatient psychologically supported OST. Patients were treated with either methadone or buprenorphine. This was complimented with individual key working, counselling (motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioral therapy) and group work focusing on life skills. The Beck Youth Inventory was used to measure psychological well‐being at treatment entry and repeated after 4 months of treatment.ResultsAmong 55 consecutive treatment episodes, we examined the 32 episodes where the patient persisted with the OST programme. Polysubstance use was the norm at treatment entry. At follow‐up, the median doses of methadone and buprenorphine were 50 mgs and 8 mgs, respectively. Only three patients were treated with antidepressant medication. There was significant improvement in the mean depression (65.0 to 57.9, P = 0.001), anxiety (61.7 to 57.0, P = 0.006) and anger (57.8 to 54.6, P = 0.009) subscale scores. The self‐concept and disruptive behaviour subscale scores did not improve significantly.ConclusionIn this relatively short‐term follow‐up, psychosocially assisted OST appears to be associated with improved psychological well‐being in heroin‐dependent adolescents, especially in the area of depressive and anxiety symptoms.
Students’ perceptions of vertical and horizontal integration in a discipline‐based dental school
Authors: Postma T. C. , White J. G. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractIntroductionIntegration is a key concern in discipline‐based undergraduate dental curricula. Therefore, this study compared feedback on integration from students who participated in different instructional designs in a Comprehensive Patient Care course.MethodsThe study was conducted at the University of Pretoria (2009–2011). Third‐year cohorts (Cohorts A, B and C) participated in pre‐clinical case‐based learning, whilst fourth‐year cohorts (Cohorts D and E) received didactic teaching in Comprehensive Patient Care. Cohorts A, D and E practised clinical Comprehensive Patient Care in a discipline‐based clinic. Cohort B conducted their Comprehensive Patient Care patient examinations in a dedicated facility supervised by dedicated faculty responsible to teach integration. Students had to indicate on visual analogue scales whether the way they were taught at the school helped them to integrate knowledge from the same (horizontal integration) and preceding (vertical integration) year of study. The end‐points of the scales were defined as ‘definitely’ and ‘not at all’. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to measure the differences between cohorts according to the year of study.ResultsThird‐year case‐based learning cohorts rated the horizontal integration close to 80/100 and vertical integration ranging from 64 to 71/100. In year four, Cohort B rated vertical and horizontal integration 9–15% higher (ANOVA, P < 0.05) than Cohorts A and D. In year five, Cohort A rated vertical and horizontal integration 11–18% higher (ANOVA, P < 0.05) than Cohorts D and E.ConclusionPre‐clinical case‐based learning and Comprehensive Patient Care supervised by dedicated faculty were associated with more favourable perceptions about integration in the discipline‐based undergraduate dental curriculum.
Involvement of spinal α2‐adrenoceptors in prolonged modulation of hind limb withdrawal reflexes following acute noxious stimulation in the anaesthetized rabbit
Authors: Harris John 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThe role of spinal α2‐adrenoceptors in mediating long‐lasting modulation of hind limb withdrawal reflexes following acute noxious chemical stimulation of distant heterotopic and local homotopic locations has been investigated in pentobarbitone‐anaesthetized rabbits. Reflexes evoked in the ankle extensor muscle medial gastrocnemius (MG) by electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral heel, and reflexes elicited in the ankle flexor tibialis anterior and the knee flexor semitendinosus by stimulation at the base of the ipsilateral toes, could be inhibited for over 1 h after mustard oil (20%) was applied to either the snout or into the contralateral MG. The heel–MG response was also inhibited after applying mustard oil across the plantar metatarsophalangeal joints of the ipsilateral foot, whereas this homotopic stimulus facilitated both flexor responses. Mustard oil also caused a significant pressor effect when applied to any of the three test sites. The selective α2‐adrenoceptor antagonist, RX 821002 (100–300 μg, intrathecally), had no effect on reflexes per se, but did cause a decrease in mean arterial blood pressure. In the presence of the α2‐blocker, inhibitory and facilitatory effects of mustard oil on reflexes were completely abolished. These data imply that long‐lasting inhibition of spinal reflexes following acute noxious stimulation of distant locations involves activation of supraspinal noradrenergic pathways, the effects of which are dependent on an intact α2‐adrenoceptor system at the spinal level. These pathways and receptors also appear to be involved in facilitation (sensitization) as well as inhibition of reflexes following a noxious stimulus applied to the same limb.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis causes small fiber pathology
Authors: Dalla Bella E. , Lombardi R. , Porretta‐Serapiglia C. , Ciano C. , Gellera C. , Pensato V. , Cazzato D. , Lauria G. 
Published: January 2016

Background and purposeOur aim was to address the correlation between small fiber loss and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for disease onset, phenotype, genotype, duration, severity and sensory findings.MethodsConsecutive patients referred for suspected ALS were screened. Exclusion criteria were possible ALS and previous diagnosis or known risk factors for small fiber neuropathies. A sural nerve conduction study (NCS) was bilaterally recorded. The ALS functional rating scale revised was administered and loss of functions were calculated using the Milano−Torino staging (MITOS) system. Sensory symptoms and signs were recorded. Genetic analysis was performed by the next‐generation sequencing approach. Skin biopsy was performed at the distal leg and intraepidermal nerve fiber (IENF) density was quantified in three non‐consecutive sections following published guidelines. Findings were referred to age‐ and sex‐adjusted normative values.ResultsFifty‐seven patients including six with facial onset sensory and motor neuronopathy (FOSMN) were enrolled. Eight (15.7%) pure ALS patients and five (83%) FOSMN patients complained of sensory disturbances with different distributions. Sural NCS was normal in all except two patients. IENF density was reduced in 75.4% of pure ALS and 50% of FOSMN patients, without correlation with any disease features. IENF density was similarly reduced in bulbar (78.5%), flail limb (87.5%), pyramidal (100%), and spinal (68.2%) onset, as well as in genetic (83.3%) and sporadic (82%) ALS. There was no correlation with genotype, disease duration and severity.ConclusionsIntraepidermal nerve fiber loss is a feature of most ALS patients. It does not correlate with onset, phenotype, course and severity of the disease, and cannot be considered a clinical or prognostic biomarker.
The effect of pedunculopontine nucleus deep brain stimulation on postural sway and vestibular perception
Authors: Yousif N. , Bhatt H. , Bain P. G. , Nandi D. , Seemungal B. M. 
Published: January 2016

Background and purposeDeep brain stimulation (DBS) of the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) reduces the number of falls in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). It was hypothesized that enhanced sensory processing contributes to this PPN‐mediated gait improvement.MethodsFour PD patients (and eight matched controls) with implanted bilateral PPN and subthalamic nucleus DBS electrodes were assessed on postural (with/without vision) and vestibular perceptual threshold tasks.ResultsPedunculopontine nucleus ON stimulation (compared to OFF) lowered vestibular perceptual thresholds but there was a disproportionate increase in the normal sway increase on going from light to dark.ConclusionsThe disproportionate increased sway with PPN stimulation in the dark may paradoxically improve balance function since mechanoreceptor signals rapidly adapt to continuous pressure stimulation from postural akinesia. Additionally, the PPN‐mediated vestibular signal enhancement also improves the monitoring of postural sway. Overall, PPN stimulation may improve sensory feedback and hence balance performance.
No evidence for local adaptation of dengue viruses to mosquito vector populations in Thailand
Authors: Fansiri Thanyalak , Pongsiri Arissara , Klungthong Chonticha , Ponlawat Alongkot , Thaisomboonsuk Butsaya , Jarman Richard G. , Scott Thomas W. , Lambrechts Louis 
Published: January 2016

AbstractDespite their epidemiological importance, the evolutionary forces that shape the spatial structure of dengue virus genetic diversity are not fully understood. Fine‐scale genetic structure of mosquito vector populations and evidence for genotype × genotype interactions between dengue viruses and their mosquito vectors are consistent with the hypothesis that the geographical distribution of dengue virus genetic diversity may reflect viral adaptation to local mosquito populations. To test this hypothesis, we measured vector competence in all sympatric and allopatric combinations of 14 low‐passage dengue virus isolates and two wild‐type populations of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes sampled in Bangkok and Kamphaeng Phet, two sites located about 300 km apart in Thailand. Despite significant genotype × genotype interactions, we found no evidence for superior vector competence in sympatric versus allopatric vector–virus combinations. Viral phylogenetic analysis revealed no geographical clustering of the 14 isolates, suggesting that high levels of viral migration (gene flow) in Thailand may counteract spatially heterogeneous natural selection. We conclude that it is unlikely that vector‐mediated selection is a major driver of dengue virus adaptive evolution at the regional scale that we examined. Dengue virus local adaptation to mosquito vector populations could happen, however, in places or times that we did not test, or at a different geographical scale.
The implications of small stem cell niche sizes and the distribution of fitness effects of new mutations in aging and tumorigenesis
Authors: Cannataro Vincent L. , McKinley Scott A. , St. Mary Colette M. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractSomatic tissue evolves over a vertebrate's lifetime due to the accumulation of mutations in stem cell populations. Mutations may alter cellular fitness and contribute to tumorigenesis or aging. The distribution of mutational effects within somatic cells is not known. Given the unique regulatory regime of somatic cell division, we hypothesize that mutational effects in somatic tissue fall into a different framework than whole organisms; one in which there are more mutations of large effect. Through simulation analysis, we investigate the fit of tumor incidence curves generated using exponential and power‐law distributions of fitness effects (DFE) to known tumorigenesis incidence. Modeling considerations include the architecture of stem cell populations, that is, a large number of very small populations, and mutations that do and do not fix neutrally in the stem cell niche. We find that the typically quantified DFE in whole organisms is sufficient to explain tumorigenesis incidence. Further, deleterious mutations are predicted to accumulate via genetic drift, resulting in reduced tissue maintenance. Thus, despite there being a large number of stem cells throughout the intestine, its compartmental architecture leads to the accumulation of deleterious mutations and significant aging, making the intestinal stem cell niche a prime example of Muller's Ratchet.