bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical impact of 11C‐Pittsburgh compound‐B positron emission tomography carried out in addition to magnetic resonance imaging and single‐photon emission computed tomography on the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease in patients with dementia and mild cognitive impairment
Authors: Omachi Yoshie , Ito Kimiteru , Arima Kunimasa , Matsuda Hiroshi , Nakata Yasuhiro , Sakata Masuhiro , Sato Noriko , Nakagome Kazuyuki , Motohashi Nobutaka 
Published: June 2015

AimsThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical impact of addition of [11C]Pittsburgh compound‐B positron emission tomography (11C‐PiB PET) on routine clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and to assess diagnostic agreement between clinical criteria and research criteria of the National Institute on Aging–Alzheimer's Association.MethodsThe diagnosis in 85 patients was made according to clinical criteria. Imaging examinations, including both magnetic resonance imaging and single‐photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography to identify neuronal injury (NI), and 11C‐PiB PET to identify amyloid were performed, and all subjects were re‐categorized according to the research criteria.ResultsAmong 40 patients with probable AD dementia (ProAD), 37 were NI‐positive, 29 were 11C‐PiB‐positive, and 27 who were both NI‐ and 11C‐PiB‐positive were categorized as having ‘ProAD dementia with a high level of evidence of the AD pathophysiological process’. Among 20 patients with possible AD dementia (PosAD), 17 were NI‐positive, and six who were both NI‐ and 11C‐PiB‐positive were categorized as having ‘PosAD with evidence of the AD pathophysiological process’. Among 25 patients with MCI, 18 were NI‐positive, 13 were 11C‐PiB‐positive, and 10 who were both NI‐ and 11C‐PiB‐positive were categorized as having ‘MCI due to AD‐high likelihood’.ConclusionsDiagnostic concordance between clinical criteria and research criteria may not be high in this study. 11C‐PiB PET may be of value in making the diagnosis of dementia and MCI in cases with high diagnostic uncertainty.
Favorable four‐yr outcome after renal transplantation in a patient with complement factor H antibody and CFHR1/CFHR3 gene mutation‐associated HUS
Authors: Grenda Ryszard , Jarmużek Wioletta , Rubik Jacek , Prokurat Sylwester , Miklaszewska Monika , Drozdz Dorota , Zachwieja Katarzyna , Ardissino Gianluigi , Hofer Johannes 
Published: June 2015

AbstractaHUS is a clinical challenge for successful renal transplantation. Case report: A 14‐yr‐old girl lost her kidneys at the age of 7, due to CFH antibodies and CFH‐related protein (CFHR1/CFHR3) homozygous deletion‐associated aHUS. CFH, CFI, and MCP gene mutations were excluded. The patient was a candidate for renal transplantation despite persistent presence of CFH antibodies (up to 539 AU/mL). Treatment with MMF, IVIG, and repeated PF (n = 8) was introduced while being placed on urgent waiting list. Three years after aHUS onset, the patient underwent the deceased donor renal transplantation “under cover” of PF, as PF was performed directly prior to surgery and, then, PFs were repeated up to overall 14 sessions. Quadruple immunosuppression (basiliximab + tacrolimus + MMF + prednisolone) was used. Moderate symptoms of aHUS (hemolysis, low platelets, and low C3) were present within first seven days post‐transplant and then normalized with PF therapy. The patient remained stable during four yr of further follow‐up after transplantation. Conclusion: Specific pre‐ and post‐transplant management allowed successful renal transplantation in a CFH antibody‐positive patient.
Anger is associated with reward‐related electrocortical activity: Evidence from the reward positivity
Authors: Angus Douglas J. , Kemkes Kevin , Schutter Dennis J. L. G. , Harmon‐Jones Eddie 
Published: June 2015

AbstractPrevious research indicates that the reward positivity (RewP), an electrophysiological correlate of sensitivity and biases towards rewarding stimuli, is modulated by affective and motivational variables. Studies have provided evidence that states and traits associated with negative affect and reduced approach motivation are correlated with smaller RewP amplitudes. However, the possible confound of affective valence and motivational direction was not addressed in these studies. In the present study, we examined if anger, an emotion associated with negative affect and increased approach motivation, would affect RewP amplitude. We also investigated if RewP amplitude was related to the motivational properties of reward stimuli. One hundred male participants completed two emotion inductions intended to elicit feelings of either neutrality or anger. Each was followed by a simple gambling task, in which correct choices were followed by images of women in lingerie or swimwear. Although the RewP was elicited following each induction, there was no difference in amplitude between the neutral and anger induction. However, RewP amplitude was positively correlated with how much participants liked the reward stimuli, and this correlation was statistically larger following the anger induction. These results support a motivational interpretation for the differences in RewP amplitude reported in previous studies, suggesting that motivational direction and intensity, rather than affective valence, underlie differences in RewP amplitude. Moreover, the RewP appears to be affected by interactions between motivational state and the motivational value of reward stimuli.
Effect of CPAP therapy on endothelial function in obstructive sleep apnoea: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Schwarz Esther I , Puhan Milo A , Schlatzer Christian , Stradling John R , Kohler Malcolm 
Published: June 2015

AbstractObstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep‐related breathing disorder associated with adverse cardiovascular outcome. Endothelial dysfunction is one of the proposed mechanistic links between OSA and the increased cardiovascular risk. Treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may reverse this detrimental pathophysiological consequence of OSA. Most studies on the effect of CPAP on endothelial function in OSA are limited by their low sample size. The objective of this systematic review was to assess the effect CPAP therapy on endothelial function in patients with OSA. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis searching literature databases up to August 2013 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on the effect of CPAP on endothelial function in OSA, assessed by flow‐mediated dilatation (FMD) and other validated techniques. The primary outcome for the meta‐analysis (DerSimonian/Laird random‐effects method) was the treatment effect on FMD. Eight RCTs comparing the effects of therapeutic CPAP versus subtherapeutic CPAP (or no intervention) on endothelial function involving 245 OSA patients were included in the systematic review. The studies are consistent in effect direction, showing an improvement of endothelial function by CPAP. Four RCTs involving 150 patients could be used for the meta‐analysis. Compared to the control group, CPAP therapy (range 2–24 weeks) significantly increased absolute % FMD by 3.87% (95% confidence interval: 1.93–5.80, P < 0.001). In patients with OSA, CPAP therapy improves endothelial function significantly and to a clinically important extent.
An Agent‐Based Simulation of Residential Location Choice of Tenants in Tehran, Iran
Authors: Shirzadi Babakan Ali , Alimohammadi Abbas 
Published: June 2015

AbstractResidential location choice modeling is one of the substantial components of land use and transportation models. While numerous aggregated mathematical and statistical approaches have been developed to model the residence choice behavior of households, disaggregated approaches such as the agent‐based modeling have shown interesting capabilities. In this article, a novel agent‐based approach is developed to simulate the residential location choice of tenants in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Tenants are considered as agents who select their desired residential alternatives according to their characteristics and preferences for various criteria such as the rent, accessibility to different services and facilities, environmental pollution, and distance from their workplace and former residence. The choice set of agents is limited to their desired residential alternatives by applying a constrained NSGA‐II algorithm. Then, agents compete with each other to select their final residence among their alternatives. Results of the proposed approach are validated by comparing simulated and actual residences of a sample of tenants. Results show that the proposed approach is able to accurately simulate the residence of 59.3% of tenants at the traffic analysis zone level.
Evaluation and Monitoring of Service Quality: Discussing Ways to Meet INSPIRE Requirements
Authors: Seip Christian , Bill Ralf 
Published: June 2015

AbstractService oriented architectures (SOA) are widely used nowadays. As the name implies such architectures rely on services. Germany developed a marine‐specific service oriented data infrastructure (MDI‐DE – Marine Dateninfrastruktur Deutschland) from 2010 to 2013. The services in MDI‐DE can contribute to fulfilling reporting commitments for various European and national legislation. The services of MDI‐DE (just like other services affected, for instance, by INSPIRE) have to meet specific requirements regarding performance, availability and conformity (quality of service, QoS). Although SOA is an important field in scientific research there are very few publications and studies available on QoS, especially regarding INSPIRE requirements. The services of MDI‐DE were analyzed using various existing tools. Their usefulness to reflect where either the aspect's performance, availability or conformity needs improvement was partly verified. Due to varying results and the neglect of some services for various reasons it can be stated that the more tools are used, the more conclusive the outcome. Furthermore, service quality was not coherent when measured with different tools. This means that measuring QoS in terms of INSPIRE will be very difficult to do in the future and there is the danger that people will choose the tools with which their services perform best.
Plasma lactate concentrations and comparison of two point‐of‐care lactate analyzers to a laboratory analyzer in a population of healthy cats
Authors: Tynan Beth , Kerl Marie E. , Jackson Mary L. , Mann F. A. 
Published: June 2015

AbstractObjectiveTo establish a reference interval for plasma lactate in a population of healthy adult cats on a laboratory analyzer (Nova Biomedical Critical Care Xpress [CCX]) and 2 commercially available point‐of‐care (POC) analyzers (Abbott i‐STAT [i‐STAT] and Nova Biomedical Lactate Plus [LP]), and to compare the level of agreement of lactate measurement between the laboratory analyzer and POC analyzers.DesignProspective observational study.SettingUniversity veterinary teaching hospital.AnimalsForty‐seven healthy adult cats.InterventionsJugular phlebotomy.Measurements and Main ResultsIn this population, plasma lactate reference interval was 0.67–5.44 mmol/L for the CCX, 0.65–5.16 mmol/L for the i‐STAT, and 0.68–4.39 mmol/L for the LP. Comparisons were made between lactate measurements on 2 point‐of‐care analyzers and the laboratory analyzer using the Bland–Altman method. For the comparison of CCX and i‐STAT, the bias was −0.10 mmol/L; for the CCX and LP, the bias was −0.24 mmol/L.ConclusionsMeasurements of plasma lactate in cats using the i‐STAT showed acceptable agreement with the CCX. The LP showed weaker agreement. However, both POC analyzers are suitable for measurement of lactate in cats, provided results from different POC analyzers are not directly compared. This study identified a larger reference interval for plasma lactate concentration in cats than what has been previously reported.
Evaluation of Tai Chi Program Effectiveness for People with Arthritis in the Community: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Callahan Leigh F. , Cleveland Rebecca J. , Altpeter Mary , Hackney Betsy 
Published: June 2015

Objective:Evaluate effectiveness of the Arthritis Foundation Tai Chi Program for community participants with arthritis.Methods:343 individuals were randomized to either the intervention or wait-list control group. Performance and self-reported outcome (SRO) measures were assessed at baseline and eight weeks. At one year, SROs only were assessed. Adjusted means were determined using regression models adjusting for covariates, and effect sizes (ES) were calculated.Results:Average participant age was 66 years, 87% were female, and 87% were Caucasian. Among 284 (83%) participants who returned at eight weeks, balance by reach (ES = 0.30) and helplessness, sleep, and role participation satisfaction (ES = 0.24–0.54) improved significantly; pain, fatigue, and stiffness improvement (ES = 0.15–0.23) approached significance. No change was noted in mobility, lower extremity strength, or single-leg stance balance. At one year, improvements in pain, fatigue, stiffness, helplessness, and role participation satisfaction at eight weeks were maintained; 30% continued tai chi practice.Conclusion:Moderate effectiveness of the Arthritis Foundation Tai Chi Program was confirmed.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus spa Type t002 Outbreak in Horses and Staff at a Veterinary Teaching Hospital after Its Presumed Introduction by a Veterinarian
Authors: Steinman Amir , Masarwa Samira , Tirosh-Levy Sharon , Gleser Dan , Kelmer Gal , Adler Amos , Carmeli Yehuda , Schwaber Mitchell J. 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACT

Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) infection and colonization, involving MRSA strains which differ from common human health care-associated clones, have become serious emerging conditions in equine veterinary hospitals. In 2010, MRSA
spa
type t535 caused an outbreak involving both horses and personnel in a veterinary teaching hospital in Israel. Since then, surveillance continued, and occasional MRSA isolation occurred. Two years later, MRSA of another
spa
type, t002, was isolated from a veterinarian and, 3 weeks later, from a horse. The appearance of
spa
type t002, a common clone in human medicine in Israel, among both personnel and horses, prompted a point-prevalence survey of hospital personnel and hospitalized horses. Fifty-nine staff members (
n
= 16 equine;
n
= 43, other) and 14 horses were screened. Ten of 59 staff members (16.9%) and 7 of 14 horses (50%) were MRSA carriers. Among the staff, 44% of large animal department (LAD) personnel, compared with only 7% of non-LAD personnel, were carriers. Isolates from all horses and from 9 of 10 personnel were found to be of MRSA
spa
type t002. This clone was later isolated from an infected postoperative wound in a hospitalized horse. Measures were taken to contain transmission between horses and personnel, as was done in the previous outbreak, resulting in reduction of transmission and, finally, cessation of cross-transmission between horses and personnel.
Evaluation of Remel Spectra CRE Agar for Detection of Carbapenem-Resistant Bacteria from Rectal Swabs Obtained from Residents of a Long-Term-Care Facility
Authors: LaBombardi Vincent J. , Urban Carl M. , Kreiswirth Barry N. , Chen Liang , Osorio Giuliana , Kopacz Joanna , Labaze Georges , Segal-Maurer Sorana 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACT

We compared the Remel Spectra CRE agar plate to CDC standard methodology for the isolation of carbapenem-resistant
Enterobacteriaceae
(CRE) from 300 rectal swab specimens obtained from patients residing in a long-term-care facility (LTCF). Multiplex PCR experiments were performed on isolates to identify specific
Klebsiella pneumoniae
carbapenemases (KPC) and additional β-lactamases. Of the 300 patients, 72 (24%) harbored CRE and were PCR positive for KPC enzymes. The Remel Spectra CRE plates detected KPC-type CRE in isolates from 70 of 72 patients (97.2%), while the CDC method detected CRE in 56 of 72 (77.8%). CRE identification results were available in 18 h compared to 36 h for the CDC method. Remel Spectra CRE agar plates can provide useful means for a fast and reliable method for detecting KPC-type CRE and for accelerated institution of appropriate infection control precautions.
Clinical Performance of Aspergillus PCR for Testing Serum and Plasma: a Study by the European Aspergillus PCR Initiative
Authors: White P. Lewis , Barnes Rosemary A. , Springer Jan , Klingspor Lena , Cuenca-Estrella Manuel , Morton C. Oliver , Lagrou Katrien , Bretagne Stéphane , Melchers Willem J. G. , Mengoli Carlo , Donnelly J. Peter , Heinz Werner J. , Loeffler Juergen 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACT

Aspergillus
PCR testing of serum provides technical simplicity but with potentially reduced sensitivity compared to whole-blood testing. With diseases for which screening to exclude disease represents an optimal strategy, sensitivity is paramount. The associated analytical study confirmed that DNA concentrations were greater in plasma than those in serum. The aim of the current investigation was to confirm analytical findings by comparing the performance of
Aspergillus
PCR testing of plasma and serum in the clinical setting. Standardized
Aspergillus
PCR was performed on plasma and serum samples concurrently obtained from hematology patients in a multicenter retrospective anonymous case-control study, with cases diagnosed according to European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Invasive Fungal Infections Cooperative Group and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Mycoses Study Group (EORTC/MSG) consensus definitions (19 proven/probable cases and 42 controls). Clinical performance and clinical utility (time to positivity) were calculated for both kinds of samples. The sensitivity and specificity for
Aspergillus
PCR when testing serum were 68.4% and 76.2%, respectively, and for plasma, they were 94.7% and 83.3%, respectively. Eighty-five percent of serum and plasma PCR results were concordant. On average, plasma PCR was positive 16.8 days before diagnosis and was the earliest indicator of infection in 13 cases, combined with other biomarkers in five cases. On average, serum PCR was positive 10.8 days before diagnosis and was the earliest indicator of infection in six cases, combined with other biomarkers in three cases. These results confirm the analytical finding that the sensitivity of
Aspergillus
PCR using plasma is superior to that using serum. PCR positivity occurs earlier when testing plasma and provides sufficient sensitivity for the screening of invasive aspergillosis while maintaining methodological simplicity.
Lentiviral Protein Transfer Vectors Are an Efficient Vaccine Platform and Induce a Strong Antigen-Specific Cytotoxic T Cell Response
Authors: Uhlig Katharina M. , Schülke Stefan , Scheuplein Vivian A. M. , Malczyk Anna H. , Reusch Johannes , Kugelmann Stefanie , Muth Anke , Koch Vivian , Hutzler Stefan , Bodmer Bianca S. , Schambach Axel , Buchholz Christian J. , Waibler Zoe , Scheurer Stephan , Mühlebach Michael D. 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACTTo induce and trigger innate and adaptive immune responses, antigen-presenting cells (APCs) take up and process antigens. Retroviral particles are capable of transferring not only genetic information but also foreign cargo proteins when they are genetically fused to viral structural proteins. Here, we demonstrate the capacity of lentiviral protein transfer vectors (PTVs) for targeted antigen transfer directly into APCs and thereby induction of cytotoxic T cell responses. Targeting of lentiviral PTVs to APCs can be achieved analogously to gene transfer vectors by pseudotyping the particles with truncated wild-type measles virus (MV) glycoproteins (GPs), which use human SLAM (signaling lymphocyte activation molecule) as a main entry receptor. SLAM is expressed on stimulated lymphocytes and APCs, including dendritic cells. SLAM-targeted PTVs transferred the reporter protein green fluorescent protein (GFP) or Cre recombinase with strict receptor specificity into SLAM-expressing CHO and B cell lines, in contrast to broadly transducing vesicular stomatitis virus G protein (VSV-G) pseudotyped PTVs. Primary myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) incubated with targeted or nontargeted ovalbumin (Ova)-transferring PTVs stimulated Ova-specific T lymphocytes, especially CD8+T cells. Administration of Ova-PTVs into SLAM-transgenic and control mice confirmed the observed predominant induction of antigen-specific CD8+T cells and demonstrated the capacity of protein transfer vectors as suitable vaccines for the induction of antigen-specific immune responses.IMPORTANCEThis study demonstrates the specificity and efficacy of antigen transfer by SLAM-targeted and nontargeted lentiviral protein transfer vectors into antigen-presenting cells to trigger antigen-specific immune responsesin vitroandin vivo. The observed predominant activation of antigen-specific CD8+T cells indicates the suitability of SLAM-targeted and also nontargeted PTVs as a vaccine for the induction of cytotoxic immune responses. Since cytotoxic CD8+T lymphocytes are a mainstay of antitumoral immune responses, PTVs could be engineered for the transfer of specific tumor antigens provoking tailored antitumoral immunity. Therefore, PTVs can be used as safe and efficient alternatives to gene transfer vectors or live attenuated replicating vector platforms, avoiding genotoxicity or general toxicity in highly immunocompromised patients, respectively. Thereby, the potential for easy envelope exchange allows the circumventing of neutralizing antibodies, e.g., during repeated boost immunizations.
Hepatitis B Virus Covalently Closed Circular DNA Formation in Immortalized Mouse Hepatocytes Associated with Nucleocapsid Destabilization
Authors: Cui Xiuji , Guo Ju-Tao , Hu Jianming 
Published: June 2015

ABSTRACT
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects hundreds of millions of people worldwide and causes acute and chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. HBV is an enveloped virus with a relaxed circular (RC) DNA genome. In the nuclei of infected human hepatocytes, conversion of RC DNA from the incoming virion or cytoplasmic mature nucleocapsid (NC) to the covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA, which serves as the template for producing all viral transcripts, is essential to establish and sustain viral replication. For reasons yet to be understood, HBV is apparently unable to make CCC DNA in normal mouse hepatocytes in the liver. We report here that HBV CCC DNA was formed efficiently in an immortalized mouse hepatocyte cell line, AML12HBV10, and this is associated with destabilization of mature NCs in these cells. These results suggest that destabilization of mature HBV NCs in AML12HBV10 cells facilitates efficient NC uncoating and subsequent CCC DNA formation. They further implicate NC uncoating as an important step in CCC DNA formation that is subject to host regulation and potentially a critical determinant of host range and/or cell tropism of HBV.

IMPORTANCE
Persistent infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV), afflicting hundreds of millions worldwide, is sustained by the episomal viral covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA in the nuclei of infected hepatocytes. CCC DNA is converted from the viral genomic (precursor) DNA contained in cytoplasmic viral nucleocapsids. The conversion process remains ill defined, but host cell factors are thought to play an essential role. In particular, HBV fails to make CCC DNA in normal mouse hepatocytes despite the presence of large amounts of nucleocapsids containing the precursor viral DNA. We have found that in an immortalized mouse hepatocyte cell line, HBV is able to make abundant amounts of CCC DNA. This ability correlates with increased instability of viral nucleocapsids in these cells, which likely facilitates nucleocapsid disassembly (uncoating) to release the genomic DNA for conversion to CCC DNA. Our studies have thus revealed a novel mechanism of controlling viral persistence via regulating nucleocapsid disassembly.