bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recurrent ischemic stroke as a result of caseous calcifications of the mitral annulus under dual anti‐platelet therapy
Authors: Fukushima Naoya , Yoshizawa Hiroshi , Iijima Mutsumi , Nagashima Yoji , Yamasaki Kenji , Hagiwara Nobuhisa , Kitagawa Kazuo 
Published: July 2017

AbstractWe report on a patient with recurrent ischemic stroke as a result of caseous calcifications of the mitral annulus under dual anti‐platelet therapy. She underwent surgical removal of a calcified mass attached to the posterior mitral valve, and she had no recurrent stroke after surgery. Although mitral annular calcification is usually believed to be benign and at low risk of embolic complications, caseous calcifications of the mitral annulus might be at high risk of embolic stroke and refractory to medical treatment, such as anti‐thrombotic therapy. In patients with ischemic stroke of unknown etiology, thorough examination of uncommon cardiac sources is important. Although there is no established indication of surgical treatment for caseous calcifications of the mitral annulus, surgical removal would be considered when the patients experienced recurrent stroke under aggressive anti‐thrombotic therapy.
Acute complete bilateral ophthalmoplegia and ptosis without ataxia or areflexia associated with serum anti‐GQ1b antibody
Authors: Tsuzaki Koji , Tatsuno Kentaro , Inoue Manabu , Tachibana Naoko , Hamano Toshiaki 
Published: July 2017

AbstractWe report the case of a 65‐year‐old woman who presented with acute complete bilateral ophthalmoplegia and ptosis. Deep tendon reflexes were normal and there were no signs of ataxia. On laboratory examination, the patient had vitamin B1 deficiency; however, symptoms did not improve after fursultiamine administration. Thereafter, it was found that the patient was seropositive for anti‐ganglioside Q1b immunoglobulin G antibody, and she was diagnosed with acute ophthalmoplegia and ptosis associated with anti‐ganglioside Q1b immunoglobulin G antibody. The patient's symptoms improved gradually without further treatment over the next several months. Ataxia and areflexia were not observed during the clinical course.
Radiofrequency ablation of fast ventricular tachycardia causing an ICD storm in an infant with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Ergul Yakup , Ozyilmaz Isa , Bilici Meki , Ozturk Erkut , Haydin Sertaç , Guzeltas Alper 
Published: July 2017

AbstractAn implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) storm involves very frequent arrhythmia episodes and ICD shocks, and it is associated with poor short‐term and long‐term prognosis. Radiofrequency catheter ablation can be used as an effective rescue treatment for patients with an ICD storm. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an infant with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy presenting with an ICD storm and undergoing successful radiofrequency catheter ablation salvage treatment for the fast left posterior fascicular ventricular tachycardia.
A Penalized Inference Approach to Stochastic Block Modelling of Community Structure in the Italian Parliament
Authors: Signorelli Mirko , Wit Ernst C. 
Published: July 2017

SummaryWe analyse bill cosponsorship networks in the Italian Chamber of Deputies. In comparison with other parliaments, a distinguishing feature of the Chamber is the large number of political groups. Our analysis aims to infer the pattern of collaborations between these groups from data on bill cosponsorships. We propose an extension of stochastic block models for edge-valued graphs and derive measures of group productivity and of collaboration between political parties. As the model proposed encloses a large number of parameters, we pursue a penalized likelihood approach that enables us to infer a sparse reduced graph displaying collaborations between political parties.
Poor genetic differentiation but clear cytoform divergence among cryptic species in Simulium damnosum complex (Diptera: Simuliidae)
Authors: OFORKA LINDA C. , ADELEKE MONSURU A. , ANIKWE JOSEPH C. , HARDY NATE B. , MATHIAS DERRICK K. , MAKANJUOLA WINIFRED A. , FADAMIRO HENRY Y. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractA complex cryptic species taxonomy has been developed for the flies that vector Onchocerca volvulus Leuckart in Africa. This taxonomy names cytoforms of Simulium damnosum Theobald s.l. based on chromosomal inversion polymorphisms. Researchers have linked variation in cytoforms to variation in geographical distributions and biological traits, but have failed to demonstrate that many of these cytoforms are differentiated genetically or morphologically. This may be explained by recent divergence and incomplete lineage sorting of ancestral polymorphisms. Alternatively, it may be the outcome of ongoing gene flow, with inversions maintaining sets of co‐adapted alleles and selection driving inversion frequency differences across habitats. Here, our goals were to test species delimitations in the S. damnosum complex, and determine if the poor differentiation between these species is better explained by the ancestral polymorphisms or gene‐flow hypotheses. Geometric morphometric analysis and more intensive genetic sampling of populations in Nigeria only reinforced the lack of clear divergence among S. damnosum complex cytoforms. By contrast, the first statistical estimates of evolutionary relationships based on chromosomal inversion polymorphism data revealed clear signs of divergence, which lends support to the ancestral polymorphisms hypothesis. But the latter analyses may be biased by non‐neutral evolution of inversion polymorphisms; more rigorous tests of cytoform‐based species hypothesis will require deeper sampling across populations and neutral genetic markers along with explicit modelling of genetic isolation and migration.
The Accusative‐Subject Generalization
Authors: Wood Jim 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThis article discusses the morphosyntax of accusative‐subject constructions in Icelandic, from the point of view of the “dependent case” analysis of accusative. The primary focus is on deriving the Accusative‐Subject Generalization (ASG), the generalization that accusative subjects are never related thematically to a morphologically intransitive verb. After it is demonstrated that the ASG holds, it is proposed that the ASG follows from the claim that there is no such thing as inherently case‐marked accusatives in Icelandic. The accusative‐subject constructions under scrutiny in fact involve a silent external argument that distributes like a clitic syntactically and is interpreted like a weather pronoun semantically. The account is explanatory insofar as it involves one stipulation—the presence of a silent clitic—from which the ASG and numerous other syntactic, semantic, and morphological properties of accusative‐subject constructions follow. The explanatory value of the account hinges on a grammatical architecture in which morphological idiosyncrasy and semantic idiosyncrasy are computed in distinct components of the grammar, and case marking—even structural case marking—is divorced from DP licensing.
Transfusion for sickle cell disease in pregnancy: a single‐centre survey
Authors: Sharif J. , Byrd L. , Stevenson K. , Raddats J. , Morsman E. , Ryan K. 
Published: July 2017

SUMMARYIntroductionSickle cell disease in pregnancy carries a high risk of maternal and fetal adverse outcomes. The use of prophylactic transfusions to reduce the risk of sickle complications is controversial. Current UK standards do not recommend the routine use of transfusion for sickle pregnancy.We examined transfusion episodes during sickle pregnancies in a single centre over an 11‐year period.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective observational study of all pregnancies in patients with sickle cell disease who attended the joint obstetric/haematology clinic over an 11‐year period. All pregnancies were managed according to a local protocol, which did not recommend routine transfusion.ResultsA total of 38 pregnancies (HbSS 22, HbSC 13, Hb S/beta thalassaemia 3) were included, with a mean age at booking of 29 years. A total of 61% of pregnancies required on‐demand or emergency transfusion during the course of pregnancy or post‐partum. Women requiring a transfusion during pregnancy had a higher mean number of hospital admissions in the previous year (1·11 vs 0·15, P = 0·057), a significantly lower mean steady‐state haemoglobin (85·0 vs 99·6 g L−1, P = 0·003) and a significantly lower mean haemoglobin at the pregnancy booking visit. (86·1 vs 99·5 g L−1, P = 0·02).ConclusionIn sickle pregnancies assigned to standard management in a single centre, a high proportion of women required on‐demand transfusion. Possible pre‐pregnancy factors predictive of a need for transfusion include lower baseline haemoglobin and number of hospital admissions in the previous 12 months.
Results of allergen‐specific immunotherapy in atopic dogs withMalasseziahypersensitivity: a retrospective study of 16 cases
Authors: Åberg Liselotte , Varjonen Katarina , Åhman Susanne 
Published: July 2017

BackgroundHypersensitivity reactions toMalasseziaspp have been shown to occur in dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD) and to cause exacerbation of clinical signs. Improvement of clinical signs following use of antifungal medication is seen with bothMalasseziaovergrowth orMalasseziahypersensitivity (MHS). Subcutaneous immunotherapy (SCIT) is considered a safe and effective treatment for management of canine AD. Adverse effects are considered rare.ObjectivesTo report on the use ofSCITwithMalasseziaextracts in mono‐sensitized dogs.AnimalsSixteen client owned dogs diagnosed withMHSand treated withSCIT.MethodsA retrospective review of medical records of atopic dogs diagnosed withMHS, mono‐sensitized forMalasseziaallergens on intradermal test and treated withSCITfor more than 10 months. Efficacy was measured by decreasing use of anti‐inflammatory and antifungal medication by ≥50% and by decreasing pruritus by ≥50% as assessed by owners, using a pruritus score.ResultsGood response toSCITwas seen in nine of 16 cases (56%) with both a reduction in use of anti‐inflammatory and antifungal medication as well as a reduction in pruritus scores by ≥50%. No adverse effects were reported.ConclusionAllergen‐specific immunotherapy was a safe treatment for dogs withMalasseziahypersensitivity. The efficacy ofMalasseziaimmunotherapy corresponds well to the results of previous studies of immunotherapy with other environmental allergens.
Babesia microti: from Mice to Ticks to an Increasing Number of Highly Susceptible Humans
Authors: Westblade Lars F. , Simon Matthew S. , Mathison Blaine A. , Kirkman Laura A. 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACT

Babesia microti
, a zoonotic intraerythrocytic parasite, is the primary etiological agent of human babesiosis in the United States. Human infections range from subclinical illness to severe disease resulting in death, with symptoms being related to host immune status. Despite advances in our understanding and management of
B. microti
, the incidence of infection in the United States has increased. Therefore, research focused on eradicating disease and optimizing clinical management is essential. Here we review this remarkable organism, with emphasis on the clinical, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of human disease.
Determination of Disk Diffusion and MIC Quality Control Ranges for Nafithromycin (WCK 4873), a New Lactone-Ketolide
Authors: Hackel Meredith A. , Karlowsky James A. , Dressel Dana , Sahm Daniel F. 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACT

Disk diffusion and MIC quality control (QC) ranges were determined for nafithromycin, a new lactone-ketolide, following the completion of a nine-laboratory, Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) document M23-defined tier 2 study. Five QC strains consistent with the spectrum of activity of nafithromycin were tested:
Staphylococcus aureus
ATCC 25923 (disk only),
S. aureus
ATCC 29213 (broth only),
Enterococcus faecalis
ATCC 29212 (broth only),
Streptococcus pneumoniae
ATCC 49619 (disk and broth), and
Haemophilus influenzae
ATCC 49247 (disk and broth). Nafithromycin disk diffusion QC ranges were determined to be 25 to 31 mm for
S. aureus
ATCC 25923, 25 to 31 mm for
S. pneumoniae
ATCC 49619, and 16 to 20 mm for
H. influenzae
ATCC 49247. Nafithromycin MIC QC ranges were determined to be 0.06 to 0.25 μg/ml for
S. aureus
ATCC 29213, 0.016 to 0.12 μg/ml for
E. faecalis
ATCC 29212, 0.008 to 0.03 μg/ml for
S. pneumoniae
ATCC 49619, and 2 to 8 μg/ml for
H. influenzae
ATCC 49247. All disk diffusion and MIC QC ranges established in this study were approved by the CLSI Subcommittee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing at their June 2015 meeting and were initially reported in the 2017 M100S document. The QC ranges established in this study should be used for determining the
in vitro
activity of nafithromycin in phase 2 and phase 3 human clinical trials and subsequently for testing patient isolates and isolates in phase 4 surveillance studies.
Hepatitis C Virus Induces the Localization of Lipid Rafts to Autophagosomes for Its RNA Replication
Authors: Kim Ja Yeon , Wang Linya , Lee Jiyoung , Ou Jing-hsiung James 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACT
Autophagy plays important roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis. It uses double- or multiple-membrane vesicles termed autophagosomes to remove protein aggregates and damaged organelles from the cytoplasm for recycling. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been shown to induce autophagy to enhance its own replication. Here we describe a procedure that combines membrane flotation and affinity chromatography for the purification of autophagosomes from cells that harbor an HCV subgenomic RNA replicon. The purified autophagosomes had double- or multiple-membrane structures with a diameter ranging from 200 nm to 600 nm. The analysis of proteins associated with HCV-induced autophagosomes by proteomics led to the identification of HCV nonstructural proteins as well as proteins involved in membrane trafficking. Notably, caveolin-1, caveolin-2, and annexin A2, which are proteins associated with lipid rafts, were also identified. The association of lipid rafts with HCV-induced autophagosomes was confirmed by Western blotting, immunofluorescence microscopy, and immunoelectron microscopy. Their association with autophagosomes was also confirmed in HCV-infected cells. The association of lipid rafts with autophagosomes was specific to HCV, as it was not detected in autophagosomes induced by nutrient starvation. Further analysis indicated that the autophagosomes purified from HCV replicon cells could mediate HCV RNA replication in a lipid raft-dependent manner, as the depletion of cholesterol, a major component of lipid rafts, from autophagosomes abolished HCV RNA replication. Our studies thus demonstrated that HCV could specifically induce the association of lipid rafts with autophagosomes for its RNA replication.

IMPORTANCE
HCV can cause severe liver diseases, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and is one of the most important human pathogens. Infection with HCV can lead to the reorganization of membrane structures in its host cells, including the induction of autophagosomes. In this study, we developed a procedure to purify HCV-induced autophagosomes and demonstrated that HCV could induce the localization of lipid rafts to autophagosomes to mediate its RNA replication. This finding provided important information for further understanding the life cycle of HCV and its interaction with the host cells.
Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 Expressing Kaposi Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Latency-Associated Nuclear Antigen (LANA) Reveals both Functional Conservation and Divergence in LANA Homologs
Authors: Gupta Arundhati , Oldenburg Darby G. , Salinas Eduardo , White Douglas W. , Forrest J. Craig 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACT

Latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) is a multifunctional protein encoded by members of the
Rhadinovirus
genus of gammaherpesviruses. Studies using murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) demonstrated that LANA is important for acute replication, latency establishment, and reactivation
in vivo
. Despite structural similarities in their DNA-binding domains (DBDs), LANA homologs from Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and MHV68 exhibit considerable sequence divergence. We sought to determine if KSHV and MHV68 LANA homologs are functionally interchangeable. We generated an MHV68 virus that encodes KSHV LANA (kLANA) in place of MHV68 LANA (mLANA) and evaluated the virus's capacity to replicate, establish and maintain latency, and reactivate. kLANA knock-in (KLKI) MHV68 was replication competent
in vitro
and
in vivo
but exhibited slower growth kinetics and lower titers than wild-type (WT) MHV68. Following inoculation of mice, KLKI MHV68 established and maintained latency in splenocytes and peritoneal cells but did not reactivate efficiently
ex vivo
. kLANA repressed the MHV68 promoter for
ORF50
, the gene that encodes the major lytic transactivator protein RTA, while mLANA did not, suggesting a likely mechanism for the KLKI MHV68 phenotypes. Bypassing this repression by providing MHV68 RTA in
trans
rescued KLKI MHV68 replication in tissue culture and enabled detection of KLKI MHV68 reactivation
ex vivo
. These data demonstrate that kLANA and mLANA are functionally interchangeable for establishment and maintenance of latency and suggest that repression of lytic replication by kLANA, as previously shown with KSHV, is a kLANA-specific function that is transferable to MHV68.

IMPORTANCE
Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) are members of the
Rhadinovirus
genus of gammaherpesviruses. These viruses establish lifelong infections that place their respective human and murine hosts at risk for cancer. Latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA) is a conserved
Rhadinovirus
protein that is necessary for long-term chronic infection by these viruses. To better understand the conserved functions performed by LANA homologs, we generated a recombinant MHV68 virus that encodes the KSHV LANA protein in place of the MHV68 LANA homolog. We determined that the KSHV LANA protein is capable of supporting MHV68 latency in a mouse model of chronic infection but also functions to repress viral replication. This work describes an
in vivo
model system for defining evolutionarily conserved and divergent functions of LANA homologs in
Rhadinovirus
infection and disease.
Insufficient Innate Immunity Contributes to the Susceptibility of the Castaneous Mouse to Orthopoxvirus Infection
Authors: Earl Patricia L. , Americo Jeffrey L. , Moss Bernard 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACTThe castaneous (CAST) mouse, a wild-derived inbred strain, is highly susceptible to orthopoxvirus infection by intranasal and systemic routes. The 50% lethal intraperitoneal dose of vaccinia virus (VACV) was 3 PFU for CAST mice, whereas BALB/c mice survived 106PFU. At all times and in all organs analyzed, virus titers were higher in CAST than in BALB/c mice. In individual CAST mice, luciferase-expressing VACV was seen to replicate rapidly leading to death, whereas virus levels increased for a few days and then declined in BALB/c mice. Increases in gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were delayed and low in CAST mice compared to BALB/c mice following VACV infection or poly(I-C) inoculation, consistent with differences in innate immune responses. In addition, naive CAST mice had considerably lower numbers of NK and T cells than BALB/c mice. The percentage of IFN-γ-producing CD4+and CD8+T cells increased following infection of CAST mice only after considerable virus spread, and the absolute cell numbers remained low. Administration of exogenous IFN-γ or -α to CAST mice before or during the first days of infection suppressed virus replication and prolonged survival, allowing the mice to make adaptive CD4+and CD8+T cell responses that were necessary to clear the virus after cessation of interferon treatment. Thus, insufficient innate cytokine and cellular immune responses contribute to the unique susceptibility of CAST mice to VACV, whereas the adaptive immune response can be protective only if virus replication is suppressed during the first several days of infection.IMPORTANCEMost inbred mouse strains are relatively resistant to orthopoxviruses. The castaneous (CAST) mouse is a notable exception, exhibiting extreme vulnerability to monkeypox virus, cowpox virus, and vaccinia virus and thus providing a unique model for studying pathogenicity, immunity, vaccines, and antiviral drugs. To fully utilize the CAST mouse for such purposes, it is necessary to understand the basis for virus susceptibility. We showed that naive CAST mice make low IFN-γ and TNF-α responses and have low levels of NK cells and CD4+and CD8+T cells compared to a resistant classical inbred mouse strain. Attenuating virus replication with one or more doses of exogenous IFN-α or -γ before or during the first few days of infection enabled the development of adaptive cellular immunity and clearance of virus. Further genetic studies may reveal the basis for the low innate immunity.
Long-term complications, reoperations and survival following cardioverter-defibrillator implant
Authors: Hawkins Nathaniel Mark , Grubisic Maja , Andrade Jason G , Huang Flora , Ding Lillian , Gao Min , Bashir Jamil 
Published: July 2017

ObjectiveImplantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) reduce risk of death in select populations, but are also associated with harms. We aimed to characterise long-term complications and reoperation rate.MethodsWe assessed the rate, cumulative incidence and predictors of long-term reoperation and survival using a prospective, multicentre registry serving British Columbia in Canada, a universal single payer healthcare system with 4.5 million residents. 3410 patients (mean 63.3 years, 81.7% male) with new primary (n=1854) or secondary prevention (n=1556) ICD implant from 2003 to 2012 were followed for a median of 34 months (single chamber n=1069, dual chamber n=1905, biventricular n=436). Independent predictors of adverse outcomes were defined using Cox regression models.ResultsThe overall reoperation rate was 12.0% per patient-year, and less for single vs dual vs biventricular ICDs (9.1% vs 12.5% vs 17.8% per patient-year, respectively). The Kaplan-Meier complication estimates (excluding generator end of life) at 1, 3 and 5 years were respectively: single chamber 10.2%, 16.2% and 21.6%; dual 11.7%, 19.1% and 27.4% and biventricular 15.9%, 22.2% and 24.7%. Cardiac resynchronisation therapy had the highest rate of early lead complications, but lower long-term need for upgrade. Device complexity, age and atrial fibrillation were key determinants of complications. Overall mortality at 1, 3 and 5 years was 5.4%, 17.4% and 32.7%, respectively. In younger patients, observed 5-year survival approached the expected survival in the general population (relative survival ratio=0.96 (0.90–0.98)). With increasing age, observed survival steadily declined relative to expected.ConclusionsIn a prospective registry capturing all procedures, complication and reoperation rates following de novo ICD implantation were high. Shared decision making must carefully consider these factors.