bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fluoroquinolone Therapy in Staphylococcus aureus Infections: Where Do We Stand?
Authors: Gade Neeta D , Qazi Mohiuddin S 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT
Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the utility of various commonly used fluoroquinolones against Staphylococcus aureus isolates.
Materials and Methods: A total of 250 isolates of S. aureus were studied from different clinical specimens like blood, pus, wound swabs, sputum, ear swabs, and body fluids between November 2009 and December 2011. All the isolates were tested for their susceptibility to fluoroquinolones and other antimicrobial agents by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method using criteria of standard zone of inhibition. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) detection was done by cefoxitin disk diffusion method. The MRSA isolates were tested for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to vancomycin by E-test strips. All the MRSA strains were sent to National Staphylococcal Phage-typing Centre, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi for phage typing.
Results: A total of 107 strains of S. aureus (42.8%) were detected as MRSA. Multidrug resistance was observed among the MRSA strains more commonly than among the MSSA stains. Among the fluoroquinolones, maximum resistance in MRSA was seen to ciprofloxacin (92.5%), followed by ofloxacin (80.4%). None of the S. aureus isolates showed resistance to vancomycin and linezolid. The MICs of vancomycin for the MRSA tested ranged from 0.5 to 2 μg/ml. Phage typing pattern of 107 MRSA isolates revealed that 37 (34.6%) MRSA isolates were nontypeable and 70 (65.4%) were typeable.
Conclusion: Ciprofloxacin can no longer be used in empirical therapy against MRSA infections. Use of other members of fluoroquinolone should be limited only to those strains that show laboratory confirmation of their susceptibility. Vancomycin remains the drug of choice to treat MRSA infections.
Efficacy and safety of human papillomavirus vaccine for primary prevention of cervical cancer: A review of evidence from phase III trials and national programs
Authors: Basu Partha , Banerjee Dipanwita , Singh Priyanka , Bhattacharya Chandrani , Biswas Jaydip 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines have been widely introduced in the national immunization programs in most of the medium and high income countries following endorsement from national and international advisory bodies. HPV vaccine is unique and its introduction is challenging in many ways – it is the first vaccine developed to prevent any cancer, the vaccine is gender specific, it targets adolescent females who are difficult to reach by any health intervention programs. It is not unusual for such a vaccine to face scepticism and reservations not only from lay public but also from professionals in spite of the clinical trial results convincingly and consistently proving their efficacy and safety. Over the last few years millions of doses of the HPV vaccine have been administered round the world and the efficacy and safety data have started coming from the real life programs. A comprehensive cervical cancer control program involving HPV vaccination of the adolescent girls and screening of the adult women has been proved to be the most cost‑effective approach to reduce the burden of cervical cancer. The present article discusses the justification of HPV vaccination in the backdrop of natural history of cervical cancer, the mechanism of action of the vaccines, efficacy and safety data from phase III randomized controlled trials as well as from the national immunization programs of various countries.
Chronic myeloid leukemia in children and adolescents: A single center experience from Eastern India
Authors: Raut Lalit , Bohara Vinay V. , Ray Siddhartha S. , Chakrabarti Prantar , Chaudhuri Utpal 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Context: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) constitutes around 3% of leukemia in the children and adolescent age group. Aims: The aim of the study was to evaluate the characteristics at presentation and the treatment outcome of CML in the children and adolescent age group. Settings and Design: Retrospective analysis was carried out at a single center in India. Materials and Methods: Thirteen patients (≤17 years) attending CML outdoor from April 2008 to August 2012 were included in the analysis. Statistical Analysis Used: The mean and median of various parameters were calculated using a Microsoft excel sheet. SPSS 16.0 version software was used to calculate OS and PFS. Results: CML-CP was the most common phase at presentation. Maximum patients belonged to the 14 - 17 year old age group. Disease was common in the male sex. Splenic discomfort and asthenia were the most common symptoms and splenomegaly was the most common sign. Conclusions: The treatment with Imatinib was effective and well-tolerated.
Comprehensive update on cancer scenario of Bangladesh
Authors: Hussain Syed Md Akram 
Published: October 2013

AbstractBangladesh, at 142 million people, is the ninth most populous country in the world. There are 13 to 15 lakh cancer patients in Bangladesh, with about two lakh patients newly diagnosed with cancer each year. As an overview, lung cancer and mouth-oropharynx cancer rank as the top two prevalent cancers in males. Other types of cancers are esophagus cancer and stomach cancer. In women, cancer cervix uteri and breast cancer are most prevalent. Other cancer types, which affect women, are mouth and oropharynx cancer, lung cancer, and esophagus cancer. There are around 150 qualified clinical oncologists and 16 pediatric oncologists working in the different parts of the country. Regular cancer treatment is available in 19 hospitals and 465 hospital beds are attached as indoor or day care facilities for chemotherapy in the oncology/radiotherapy departments. There are about 15 linear accelerators, 12 Co-60 teletherapy and 12 brachytherapy units currently available. Approximately, 56 cancer chemotherapeutic agents are obtainable in Bangladesh. Research facilities are available at tertiary care centers and a few multi country collaborative research activities are ongoing. Bangladesh has a unique National Cancer Control Strategy and Plan of Action 2009-2015 formulated with the assistance of WHO with an objective to develop and implement continuum of cancer care through a comprehensive cancer control programe. Preventive measures taken to reduce the incidence of cancer include reduced tobacco smoking, change of dietary habit and reduced food adulteration, ensuring reproductive hygiene, increased physical activity, and reduced occupational hazard. Awareness buildup and media campaign are going on by organizing the general people, opinion leaders of the society, and boy and girl scout. Training of general physicians on cancer warning signs and setup of early cancer detection centers at each medical college and district levels are ongoing. Beside these, some other major cancer programs have taken place for early detection of breast, cervical and oral cancer by Bangladesh Government and NGOs such as ICDDR'B, BRAC, Ahsania Mission Cancer Hospital, BSMMU, Bangladesh Cancer Society, Ashic Foundation, Amader Gram, AK Khan Healthcare Trust, CANSUP, Oncology club etc. Piloting of cervical cancer vaccination has recently been completed. Improving the cancer scenario overnight is not an easy task but policy makers may become interested and push this agenda forward, if the huge health impact and economic loss caused by cancer become evident to them. Besides, Bangladesh has accepted reduction of cancer morbidity and mortality targets set by United Nations and World Health Organization as a part of global non-communicable disease prevention agreement.
Angelina’s choice
Authors: Goel Nishu Singh 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThis is an opinion piece on how a celebrity’s personal choice to undergo prophylactic mastectomy on discovery of an aberrant gene, when publicly promoted, carries in itself the power to influence and impact healthcare trends and decisions. When celebrities advocate causes that are universally and uniformly acceptable and indisputable as the best in the realm of healthcare and cure (e.g. no smoking), it creates well-being and awareness in society at large. But those which are personal choices made out of a repertoire of other available and effective options may, because of celebrity preference, don the mantle of a norm. They thus run the danger of being blindly replicated by others without proper awareness and knowledge of the true potential of disease, risk factors, and other existing remedial or risk-reducing measures. Society should thus be encouraged to question, debate, and understand the validity, authenticity, and reason of the choices, especially those with a medical basis. This tempering of information with intelligence and rationale and making informed choices based on facts will serve humanity as a whole.
Fuchs’ Superficial Marginal Keratitis Managed with Circumferential Marginal Corneoscleral Lamellar Patch Graft
Authors: Mejía Luis F. , Santamaría Juan P. , Gaviria Ana M. , Rodríguez Ana M. 
Published: October 2013

Purpose To report a case of Fuchs’ superficial marginal keratitis managed with circumferential marginal corneoscleral lamellar patch graft. Methods Interventional case report. Results A 34-year-old man presented with several years’ history of ill-defined symptoms of binocular ocular irritation associated with vision loss, mostly in the left eye. A superior marginal corneal thinning was found at biomicroscopy of the left eye, with 2 finely vascularized descemetoceles, and a gray epithelial demarcation line without lipid infiltrates. The right eye was clinically normal. Anterior segment optical coherence tomography demonstrated an important corneal thinning from the 7 o'clock to 3 o'clock positions, without scleral involvement. A circumferential marginal corneoscleral lamellar patch graft was done involving 3 mm of sclera and 3 mm of cornea. Conclusions Fuchs’ superficial marginal keratitis is a rare entity, mostly affecting young adults. It should be considered part of a spectrum of corneal thinning disorders, together with Terrien's marginal degeneration. Definitive treatment with a marginal corneoscleral lamellar patch graft with or without conjunctival autograft is suggested.
Amino acid content and biomass productivity of selected weed species as an indicator of their response to herbicide stress
Authors: Kieloch Renata , Sadowski Jerzy , Domaradzki Krzysztof 
Published: October 2013

Biomass reduction and amino acid content in plants of <em>Papaver rhoeas</em> L. and <em>Stellaria media</em> L. were investigated to evaluate response of these species to herbicide stress under various temperature (25/16 and 8/2 <sup>o</sup>C) and relative humidity (50 and 75%) regimes. Weeds were treated with tribenuron methyl (15 g × ha<sup>-1</sup>), a mixture of 2.4-D with florasulam (180 + 3.75 g × ha<sup>-1</sup>), and a mixture of 2.4-D with dicamba (1252.5 + 97.5 g × ha<sup>-1</sup>). The fresh weight of weeds and the content of free branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine and isoleucine) in plant tissue were recorded. Tribenuron methyl was the herbicide that most limited biomass productivity, regardless of weed species and climate conditions. <em>S. media </em>was more sensitive to herbicides than <em>P. rhoeas</em>. Weed response to herbicides was dependent on temperature, but not on relative humidity. Tribenuron methyl applied to both weed species under various temperature regimes caused significant amino acid deficiency. The reduction in amino acid content in plants of <em>P. rhoeas </em>was greater at warm temperature compared to the cold regime due to stronger reaction to tribenuron methyl applied under these conditions<em>. </em>In most of cases, the mixture of 2.4-D + dicamba induced overproduction of amino acids.
Selecting the Right Similarity‐Scoring Matrix
Authors: Pearson William R. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractProtein sequence similarity searching programs like BLASTP, SSEARCH, and FASTA use scoring matrices that are designed to identify distant evolutionary relationships (BLOSUM62 for BLAST, BLOSUM50 for SSEARCH and FASTA). Different similarity scoring matrices are most effective at different evolutionary distances. “Deep” scoring matrices like BLOSUM62 and BLOSUM50 target alignments with 20% to 30% identity, while “shallow” scoring matrices (e.g., VTML10 to VTML80) target alignments that share 90% to 50% identity, reflecting much less evolutionary change. While “deep” matrices provide very sensitive similarity searches, they also require longer sequence alignments and can sometimes produce alignment overextension into nonhomologous regions. Shallower scoring matrices are more effective when searching for short protein domains, or when the goal is to limit the scope of the search to sequences that are likely to be orthologous between recently diverged organisms. Likewise, in DNA searches, the match and mismatch parameters set evolutionary look‐back times and domain boundaries. In this unit, we will discuss the theoretical foundations that drive practical choices of protein and DNA similarity scoring matrices and gap penalties. Deep scoring matrices (BLOSUM62 and BLOSUM50) should be used for sensitive searches with full‐length protein sequences, but short domains or restricted evolutionary look‐back require shallower scoring matrices. Curr. Protoc. Bioinform. 43:3.5.1‐3.5.9. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
An Overview of RNA Sequence Analyses: Structure Prediction, ncRNA Gene Identification, and RNAi Design
Authors: Stormo Gary D. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThis unit briefly describes the two fundamentally different methods for predicting RNA structures. The first is to find that structure with the minimum free energy of folding, as predicted by various thermodynamic parameters related to base‐pair stacking, loop lengths, and other features. If one has only a single sequence, this thermodynamic approach is the best available method. The second fundamental approach to RNA structure prediction is to use multiple, homologous sequences for which one can infer a common structure, and then try and predict a structure common to all of the sequences. Such an approach is referred to as a comparative method or phylogenetic method of RNA structure prediction. Curr. Protoc. Bioinform. 43:12.1.1‐12.1.3. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Madden‐Julian oscillation detected in Aquarius salinity observations
Authors: Grunseich Gary , Subrahmanyam Bulusu , Wang Bin 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe Madden‐Julian Oscillation (MJO) impacts a wide range of weather and climate phenomena. Current global coupled ocean‐atmospheric general circulation models exhibit considerable shortcomings in representing and predicting the MJO, specifically its initiation, due to a lack of in situ observations. Here we show, for the first time, that the MJO propagation can be detected from the newly launched NASA Aquarius Salinity mission. The magnitude and extent of sea surface salinity (SSS) variations during the MJO is established, providing a useful tool for data assimilation into models to correctly represent both oceanic and atmospheric processes during intraseasonal variations. Salinity observation allows for atmospheric conditions to be inferred from freshwater flux, on which surface salinity is highly dependent. Increased observations of global SSS from the Aquarius mission will be particularly valuable in remote regions of the tropics and will increase our dynamical understanding and advance prediction of the MJO through model improvement.
An overview of the Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP)
Authors: Kravitz Ben , Robock Alan , Forster Piers M. , Haywood James M. , Lawrence Mark G. , Schmidt Hauke 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe Geoengineering Model Intercomparison Project (GeoMIP) was designed to determine robust climate system model responses to solar geoengineering. GeoMIP currently consists of four standardized simulations involving reduction of insolation or increased amounts of stratospheric sulfate aerosols. Three more experiments involving marine cloud brightening are planned. This project has improved confidence in the expected climate effects of geoengineering in several key areas, such as the effects of geoengineering on spatial patterns of temperature and the spatial distribution of precipitation, especially extreme precipitation events. However, GeoMIP has also highlighted several important research gaps, such as the effects on terrestrial net primary productivity and the importance of the CO2 physiological effect in determining the hydrologic cycle response to geoengineering. Future efforts will endeavor to address these gaps, as well as encourage cooperation with the chemistry modeling communities, the impact assessment communities, and other groups interested in model output.
Analysis of polygonal cracking patterns in chloride‐bearing terrains on Mars: Indicators of ancient playa settings
Authors: El‐Maarry M. R. , Pommerol A. , Thomas N. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe ancient southern highlands on Mars (~3.5 Gyr old) contain > 600 regions that display spectral evidence in the infrared for the presence of chloride‐bearing materials. Many of these locations were previously reported to display polygonal cracking patterns. We studied more than 80 of the chloride‐bearing terrains using high‐resolution (0.25–0.5 m/pixel) images, as well as near‐infrared spectral data, to characterize the surface textures and the associated cracking patterns and mineralogies. Our study indicates that ~75% of the studied locations display polygonal cracks that resemble desiccation cracks, while some resemble salt expansion/thrust polygons. Furthermore, we detect, spectrally, the presence of smectites in association with ~30% of the studied fractured terrains. We note that smectites are a special class of swelling clay minerals that can induce formation of large desiccation cracks. As such, we suggest that the cracking patterns are indicative of the presence of smectite phyllosilicates even in the absence of spectral confirmation. Our results suggest that many chloride‐bearing terrains have a lacustrine origin and a geologic setting similar to playas on Earth. Such locations would have contained ephemeral lakes that may have undergone repeated cycles of desiccation and recharging by a near‐surface fluctuating water table in order to account for the salt‐phyllosilicates associations. These results have notable implications for the ancient hydrology of Mars. We propose that the morphologies and sizes of the polygonal cracks can be used as paleoenvironmental, as well as lithological, indicators that could be helpful in planning future missions.
Introduction to Shop‐Floor Control
Authors: Trentesaux Damien , Prabhu Vittaldas V. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractShop‐floor control (SFC) is an important element in managing manufacturing system operations in order to faithfully execute production plans. In this article, the functions and challenges encountered in typical SFC systems are presented along with their evolution from classical centralized approaches to more distributed approaches. An example of modern SFC is used to illustrate the manner in which such systems increasingly encompass manufacturing execution system and supervisory control and data acquisition levels of enterprise architectures. Some recent developments in feedback control approaches for SFC are also presented along with architectural, functional, technological, and human‐centric considerations.
Pure Cutting‐Plane Algorithms and their Convergence
Authors: Gade Dinakar , Küçükyavuz Simge 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Cutting‐plane methods solve a mixed‐integer program (MIP) by iteratively adding a valid linear inequality that violates a fractional solution of a linear relaxation of the problem. This article surveys cutting‐plane algorithms for different subclasses of MIPs and addresses whether these algorithms converge to an optimal solution of MIP in finitely many steps.
Robustness for Operations Research and Decision Aiding
Authors: Roy Bernard 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
This article begins with a succinct presentation of what operations research and decision aiding (OR‐DA) seeks to accomplish and then goes on to develop two examples. The section titled “What Is Robustness in OR‐DA?,” which explains why the search for robustness is a major concern in the field, details the meaning of the qualifier robust, as used in this article. The two requirements presented in the section titled “Two Requirements to Meet the Concern for Robustness Properly” must be considered appropriately, if the concern is to be addressed properly. The section titled “A Framework Schema to Meet the Concern for Robustness” deals with the framework schema wherein the standard answers to the concern can be found. The sections titled “Other Ways of Defining the Concept of ‘Robust Solutions”’ and “The Concept of ‘Robust Conclusions”’ provide an overview of less traditional approaches.
Robustness for OR‐DA is a subject that has given rise to many publications over the last several years. I will first present the focus of OR‐DA and deal with two examples that will be developed further in my article. I will go on to explain why robustness is a major concern in OR‐DA, which will lead me to underscore the two requirements that must be tackled to deal with this concern properly. Then, I will present the framework schema for most research and the way that the concept of a robust solution is usually addressed. In the sections titled “Other Ways of Defining the Concept of ‘Robust Solutions”’ and “The Concept of ‘Robust Conclusions”’, I will examine the most recent research outside the schema, with other definitions of robust solutions and other types of answers (robust conclusions).
Fuzzy Measures and Integrals in Multicriteria Decision Analysis
Authors: Grabisch Michel 
Published: October 2013

AbstractSo far, the weighted sum has been the most popular way of aggregating criteria. We present the Choquet integral with respect to a fuzzy measure as an alternative. The fuzzy measure represents weights of importance on every group of criteria, and the Choquet integral generalizes the weighted sum and the ordered weighted average (OWA). The Shapley value and the interaction index permit to analyze and understand the behavior of the model.k‐additive fuzzy measures are submodels of polynomial size, which are sufficient in practice, and permit to represent the interaction between criteria.
Phage Selection of Peptide “Microantibodies”
Authors: Fujiwara Daisuke , Fujii Ikuo 
Published: October 2013

AbstractA bioactive peptide capable of inhibiting protein‐protein interactions has the potential to be a molecular tool for biological studies and a therapeutic by disrupting aberrant interactions involved in diseases. We have developed combinatorial libraries of peptides with helix‐loop‐helix structure, from which the isolated peptides have the constrained structure to reduce entropy costs in binding, resulting in high binding affinities for target molecules. Previously, we designed a de novo peptide of helix‐loop‐helix structure that we termed a “microantibody.” Using the microantibody as a library scaffold, we have constructed a phage‐display library to successfully isolate molecular‐targeting peptides against a cytokine receptor (granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor receptor), a protein kinase (Aurora‐A), and a ganglioside (GM1). Protocols in this article describe a general procedure for the library construction and the library screening. Curr. Protoc. Chem. Biol. 5:171‐194 © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.