bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Protease Inhibitors Cause Necrotic Cell Death in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Inducing the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species
Authors: Voigt Juergen , Woestemeyer Johannes 
Published: May 2015

AbstractProtease inhibitors affecting the activity of the proteasome were reported to induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) in some mammalian cell lines. Proteasome activity can be suppressed by specific peptide derivatives and by N‐tosyl‐lysine‐chloromethyl‐ketone (TLCK) and N‐tosyl‐phenylalanine‐chloromethyl‐ketone (TPCK), which affect the trypsine‐ and chymotrypsine‐like activities of the proteasome, respectively. Particularly TLCK and TPCK caused necrotic cell death in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. As a control, the effects of these protease inhibitors on the survival of human WISH cells were also studied. Bleaching of the Chlamydomonas cells after addition of TLCK or TPCK indicated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were involved in this process. Indeed, increased levels of ROS were detected in Chlamydomonas cells treated with TLCK or TPCK. Furthermore, cell death induced by these protease inhibitors was accelerated by illumination and prevented or slowed down by scavengers of ROS.
Redescription and Phylogenetic Position of Condylostoma arenarium Spiegel, 1926 (Ciliophora, Heterotrichea) from Guanabara Bay, Brazil
Authors: Fernandes Noemi M. , Dias Roberto J. P. , Schrago Carlos G. , Silva‐Neto Inácio D. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractDetails on Condylostoma arenarium infraciliature have not been described; therefore, it is considered a poorly known species. The lack of detailed description on C. arenarium morphology caused several misidentifications that have accumulated in the literature. In this study, we present the first complete description of C. arenarium infraciliature based on protargol‐impregnated organisms and scanning electron microscopy. We also have inferred the phylogenetic position of this species based on 18S rRNA sequences. The main characteristics of C. arenarium population from Guanabara Bay are as follows: in vivo elongated body shape with 350–600 μm length × 70–220 μm width, they are highly contractile when subjected to disturbances, green‐yellowish cortical granules are present, contractile vacuoles absent, V‐shaped peristome comprises approximately 1/5 of the total length, adoral zone with 83–145 membranelles, 1–2 small frontal cirrus observed only in impregnated specimens, 10–15 fiber‐like stripes arranged transversely on the inner wall of the oral cavity, 30–45 somatic kineties, moniliform macronucleus with 15–20 nodules. Some observations on morphogenesis of C. arenarium were also included. In phylogenetic analyses, C. arenarium clustered with Condylostoma sp. within a clade composed of three C. curva sequences with high support values.
Stability of Postoperative Delirium Psychomotor Subtypes in Individuals with Hip Fracture
Authors: Albrecht Jennifer S. , Marcantonio Edward R. , Roffey Darren M. , Orwig Denise , Magaziner Jay , Terrin Michael , Carson Jeffrey L. , Barr Erik , Brown Jessica P. , Gentry Emma G. , Gruber‐Baldini Ann L. ,   the Functional Outcomes in Cardiovascular Patients Undergoing Surgical Hip Fracture Repair Cognitive Ancillary Study Investigators
Published: May 2015

ObjectivesTo determine the stability of psychomotor subtypes of delirium over time and identify characteristics associated with delirium psychomotor subtypes in individuals undergoing surgical repair of hip fracture.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingThe Transfusion Trigger Trial for Functional Outcomes in Cardiovascular Patients Undergoing Surgical Hip Fracture Repair Cognitive Ancillary Study was conducted at 13 participating sites from 2008 to 2009.ParticipantsIndividuals who had undergone surgical repair of hip fracture (N = 139).MeasurementsDelirium was assessed up to four times postoperatively using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and the Memorial Delirium Assessment Scale. Psychomotor subtypes of delirium were categorized as hypoactive, hyperactive, mixed, and normal psychomotor activity.ResultsIncidence of postoperative delirium was 41% (n = 57). Of 90 CAM–positive (CAM+) observations, 56% were hypoactive, 10% were hyperactive, 21% were mixed, and 14% had normal psychomotor symptoms. Of 26 participants with more than one CAM+ assessment, 50% maintained subtype stability over time. Participants with hypoactive or normal psychomotor symptoms (n = 31) were less likely to have chart documentation of delirium than participants with any hyperactive symptoms (n = 19) (22% vs 58%, P = .009).ConclusionPsychomotor subtypes of delirium often fluctuate from assessment to assessment, rather than representing fixed categories of delirium. Hypoactive delirium is the most common presentation of delirium but is the least likely to be documented by healthcare providers.
Neuropsychological Profiles of an Elderly Cohort Undergoing Elective Surgery and the Relationship Between Cognitive Performance and Delirium
Authors: Fong Tamara G. , Hshieh Tammy T. , Wong Bonnie , Tommet Doug , Jones Richard N. , Schmitt Eva M. , Puelle Margaret R. , Saczynski Jane S. , Marcantonio Edward R. , Inouye Sharon K. 
Published: May 2015

ObjectivesTo examine baseline (preoperative) neuropsychological test performance in a cohort of elderly individuals undergoing elective surgery and the association between specific neuropsychological domains and postoperative delirium.DesignOngoing prospective cohort study.SettingSuccessful Aging after Elective Surgery Study.ParticipantsElderly adults (N = 300) scheduled for elective (noncardiac) surgery.MeasurementsNeuropsychological testing, including standardized assessments of memory, divided and sustained attention, speed of mental processing, verbal fluency, working memory, language, and an overall measure of premorbid cognitive functioning, was performed 2 to 4 weeks before surgery. The relationship between the individual neuropsychological tests and delirium status was examined using linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, and education.ResultsStudy participants were generally highly educated (mean years of education 15.0 ± 2.9), with minimal or no cognitive impairment (mean Modified Mini‐Mental State Examination score 93.2 out of 100). After adjustment, participants who developed postoperative delirium had performed significantly lower preoperatively on measures of speed of mental processing and divided attention (Trail‐Making Test Part B, mean difference 17.55, P = .02), category fluency (animal naming, mean difference −1.94, P = .01), sustained visual attention (Visual Search and Attention, mean difference −3.19, P < .001), and working memory with new learning and recall (Hopkins Verbal Learning Test—Revised Total mean difference −0.53 to −0.79, P < .01).ConclusionIndividuals who later develop delirium have lower scores on tests evaluating the areas of complex attention, executive functioning, and rapid access to verbal knowledge or semantic networks at baseline. Future studies to better understand how the cognitive profiles identified may predispose individuals to developing delirium may help pave the way to greater understanding of the mechanisms of delirium.
The effect of ambient temperature on locomotor activity patterns in reproductive and non‐reproductive female Damaraland mole‐rats
Authors: Oosthuizen M. K. , Bennett N. C. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe subterranean niche is a specialized environment that presents its inhabitants with a unique set of microclimatic conditions. African mole‐rats are strictly subterranean and exhibit a continuum of sociality ranging from solitary to highly social. Colonies of the Damaraland mole‐rat Fukomys damarensis comprise of a dominant breeding or reproductive female and one or two male consorts and a number of subordinate and non‐reproductive individuals of both sexes. In this study, we investigated the locomotor activity patterns of reproductive and non‐reproductive female Damaraland mole‐rats with the intention to investigate daily timing of activity and activity levels with changes in ambient temperature and also whether activity would differ between the reproductive castes at different ambient temperatures. The Damaraland mole‐rats displayed predominantly nocturnal activity at all three temperatures and the levels of activity were different for all three temperatures tested. Mole‐rats exhibited the lowest levels of activity at 30°C; they are most active at 25°C while they display intermediate levels of activity at 20°C. Despite exhibiting the majority of their activity during the night, non‐reproductive females display significantly more day‐time activity compared with the reproductive females at all three temperatures. Nocturnal activity is comparable between reproductive and non‐reproductive animals at 20 and 25°C, but not at 30°C. Daily locomotor activity rhythms of the Damaraland mole‐rats appear to be relatively flexible and respond to comparatively small changes in ambient temperatures. Differences in daily activity between reproductive and non‐reproductive animals may emphasize the existence of physiological and morphological castes in the Damaraland mole‐rat.
A Hybrid Optimization Algorithm with Bayesian Inference for Probabilistic Model Updating
Authors: Sun Hao , Betti Raimondo 
Published: May 2015

AbstractA hybrid optimization methodology is presented for the probabilistic finite element model updating of structural systems. The model updating process is formulated as an inverse problem, analyzed by Bayesian inference, and solved using a hybrid optimization algorithm. The proposed hybrid approach is a combination of a modified artificial bee colony (MABC) algorithm and the Broyden‐Fletcher‐Goldfarb‐Shanno (BFGS) method. The MABC includes four modifications compared to the standard ABC algorithm, which basically improve the global convergence of ABC in the solution phases of initialization, updating, selection, and rebirth. The BFGS is inserted to improve the finer solution search ability aiming at a higher solution accuracy. In brief, a probabilistic framework based on Bayesian inference is first derived so to get a regularized objective function for optimization. Then the proposed MABC‐BFGS algorithm is applied to determine the unknown system parameters by minimizing the newly defined objective function. System parameters as well as the prediction error covariance are updated iteratively in the optimization process. Posterior distributions of the identified system parameters are determined using a weighted sum of Gaussian distributions. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated by the numerical data sets of the Phase I IASC‐ASCE benchmark model and the experimental data sets of a three‐storey frame structure (from the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), New Mexico, United States).
Rehabilitation of the severely resorbed maxilla: reappraisal of the Lefort I osteotomy and application of modern tissue engineering principles
Authors: Tsegga T.M. , English M.C. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThere are several pre‐prosthetic reconstructive options to prepare the severely resorbed maxilla to receive endosseous dental implants. The conventional LeFort I Osteotomy is one technique that will address both skeletal and soft tissue deficiency. Although this technique has historically required an abundant amount of autogenous bone graft transfer, we describe an application that takes advantage of autogenous cellular marrow, with minimal surgical morbidity.
Patch test results in children and adolescents across Europe. Analysis of the ESSCA Network 2002–2010
Authors: Belloni Fortina Anna , Cooper Susan M. , Spiewak Radoslaw , Fontana Elena , Schnuch Axel , Uter Wolfgang 
Published: May 2015

AbstractBackgroundContact sensitization in children is more frequent than previously thought.MethodsThe ESSCA collected patch test data from 11 European countries aggregated to 4 European regions.ResultsSix thousand and eight patients aged 1–16 years old with suspected allergic contact dermatitis were analyzed during a period of 8 years (2002–2010). The overall prevalence of at least one positive reaction to a hapten was 36.9%. The 10 most frequent haptens were as follows: nickel sulfate, cobalt chloride and potassium dichromate, neomycin sulfate, Myroxylon pereirae resin (balsam of Peru), para‐phenylenediamine, chloromethylisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone 3:1, fragrance mix, lanolin alcohols, and colophony. No difference was found in the prevalence of at least one positive reaction to at least one hapten between boys and girls and between children with atopic dermatitis and children without. Children without atopic dermatitis, when compared with those with, had a significantly higher prevalence of contact sensitization for nickel sulfate (20.91% vs 16.87%, respectively), 4‐tert. butylphenol formaldehyde resin (1.61% vs. 0.7%), and para‐phenylenediamine (2.49% vs. 1.3%).Limitations of the studyChamber loading is not an exact science and variation may occur between staff and departments. Interinstitution variations in readings can occur. A possible geographic confounder is that the southern regions tested more children in the younger age group. Relevance was not addressed due to difficulties in the application of a set of uniform definitions.ConclusionsOur study adds information on the most common contact allergens detected in children which could help to define a Standard European Pediatric Baseline Series.
Low incidence of pulmonary aspiration in children allowed intake of clear fluids until called to the operating suite
Authors: Andersson Hanna , Zarén Björn , Frykholm Peter 
Published: May 2015

SummaryBackgroundInternational guidelines recommend 2 h of clear fluid fasting prior to general anesthesia. The pediatric anesthesia unit of Uppsala University Hospital has been implementing a more liberal fasting regime for more than a decade; thus, children scheduled for elective procedures are allowed to drink clear fluids until called to the operating suite.AimTo determine the incidence of perioperative pulmonary aspiration in pediatric patients allowed unlimited intake of clear fluids prior to general anesthesia.MethodElective pediatric procedures between January 2008 and December 2013 were examined retrospectively by reviewing anesthesia charts and discharge notes in the electronic medical record system. All notes from the care event and available chest x‐rays were examined for cases showing vomiting, regurgitation, and/or aspiration. Pulmonary aspiration was defined as radiological findings consistent with aspiration and/or postoperative symptoms of respiratory distress after vomiting during anesthesia.ResultsOf the 10 015 pediatric anesthetics included, aspiration occurred in three (0.03% or 3 in 10 000) cases. No case required cancellation of the surgical procedure, intensive care or ventilation support, and no deaths attributable to aspiration were found. Pulmonary aspiration was suspected, but not confirmed by radiology or continuing symptoms, in an additional 14 cases.ConclusionShortened fasting times may improve the perioperative experience for parents and children with a low risk of aspiration.
The Paradoxes of Recovery Policy: Exploring the Impact of Austerity and Responsibilisation for the Citizenship Claims of People with Drug Problems
Authors: Roy Alastair , Buchanan Julian 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThis article critically examines the implications accompanying the introduction and implementation of recovery‐based policy. The article draws upon research conducted in Lancashire, England, where commissioners have been at the forefront of recent developments in ‘whole system’ models of commissioning. Empirical data are drawn on to make a series of new arguments about the tensions and practice implications of the new recovery agenda. The article has three main objectives. First, it explores current shifts in England, in which drug service commissioning has moved from being centrally funded and directed, to locally determined. Second, it references the rise of the well‐informed user in the reconfigured landscape of recovery and the ways in which commissioning models may enhance or negate the contribution of user activists to local cultures of recovery. Third, it references the changing political context, in which austerity is being used to increase the pressure on provider services to demonstrate social value, utility and effectiveness. The article argues that there is a palpable need to re‐politicize drug debates and recognize the structural and demographic factors which frame problem drug use, as well as the social and cultural factors which support or negate their opportunities for recovery.
Molecular epidemiology of human Herpesviruses types 1–6 and 8 among Greek blood donors
Authors: Rouka E. , Kyriakou D. 
Published: May 2015

SUMMARYBackgroundHuman Herpesviruses (HHVs) maintain life‐long latent persistence in the majority of the adult population including blood donors. The necessity for their study resides in the potential risk of transfusion‐associated infection and the subsequent complications in the immunocompromised host. We aimed to assess the prevalence of HHVs types 1–6 and 8 among healthy blood donors of Thessaly prefecture in order to evaluate the frequency distribution of HHVs in Greek population and to ascertain possible correlations with demographic factors.Materials and MethodsPolymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of HHVs DNA was determined in 401 randomly selected consecutive blood donors of Central Greece. Epidemiological data were recorded through a well structured questionnaire.ResultsThe overall PCR positivity for HHVs was 25·4%. HHVs types 1–3 were not detected in any donor sample. A specimen with high level of HHV‐6 DNA (1 580 400 copies per mL) was recorded. HHV‐4 DNA positivity was significantly associated with rural residency.ConclusionHHV‐4 DNA is commonly detected in whole blood specimens of healthy individuals. HHVs types 5, 6 and 8 are rarely detected. However, the existence of a donor sample with high HHV‐6 viral load raises questions regarding the potential risk of HHV‐6 blood‐borne infection and the safety of blood products.
Cysticercosis and epilepsy in rural Tanzania: a community‐based case–control and imaging study
Authors: Hunter Ewan , Burton Kathryn , Iqbal Ahmed , Birchall Daniel , Jackson Margaret , Rogathe Jane , Jusabani Ahmed , Gray William , Aris Eric , Kamuyu Gathoni , Wilkins Patricia P. , Newton Charles R. , Walker Richard 
Published: May 2015

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the contribution of neurocysticercosis (NCC) to the burden of epilepsy in a rural Tanzanian population.MethodsWe identified adult people with epilepsy (PWE) in a door‐to‐door study in an established demographic surveillance site. PWE and community controls were tested for antibodies to Taenia solium, the causative agent of NCC, and all PWE were offered a computed tomography (CT) head scan. Data on household occupancy and sanitation, pig‐keeping and pork consumption were collected from PWE and controls and associations with epilepsy were assessed using chi‐square or Fisher's exact tests.ResultsSix of 218 PWE had antibodies to T. solium (2.8%; 95% CI 0.6–4.9), compared to none of 174 controls (Fisher's exact test, P = 0.04). Lesions compatible with NCC were seen in eight of 200 CT scans (4.0%; 95% CI 1.3–6.7). A total of 176 PWE had both investigations of whom two had positive serology along with NCC‐compatible lesions on CT (1.1%; 95% 0.3–4.0). No associations between epilepsy and any risk factors for NCC were identified.ConclusionsNeurocysticercosis is present in this population but at a lower prevalence than elsewhere in Tanzania and sub‐Saharan Africa. Insights from low‐prevalence areas may inform public health interventions designed to reduce the burden of preventable epilepsy.
High prevalence of anaemia among African migrants in Germany persists after exclusion of iron deficiency and erythrocyte polymorphisms
Authors: Müller Sophie A. , Amoah Stephen K. B. , Meese Stefanie , Spranger Joachim , Mockenhaupt Frank P. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractObjectivesHaematological parameters differ between individuals of African and European ancestry. However, respective data of first‐generation African migrants are virtually absent. We assessed these in Ghanaian migrants living in Berlin, compared them with reference data from Germany and Ghana, and estimated the role of iron deficiency (ID) and erythrocyte polymorphisms in anaemia.MethodsA total of 576 Ghanaians (median age, 45 years) were analysed. Blood counts were performed, haemoglobinopathies and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency were genotyped, and concentrations of ferritin and C‐reactive protein were measured to define ID.ResultsMost individuals had resided in Germany for more than a decade (median, 18 years). By WHO definition, anaemia was present in 30.9% of females and 9.4% of males. Median haemoglobin (Hb) levels were lower than among Germans (women, −0.8 g/dl, men, −0.7 g/dl). However, applying reference values from Ghana, only 1.9% of the migrants were considered anaemic. Alpha‐thalassaemia, Hb variants and G6PD deficiency were observed in 33.9%, 28.3% and 23.6%, respectively. ID was highly prevalent in women (32.0%; men, 3.9%). The population fraction of anaemia cases attributable to ID was 29.0% (alpha‐thalassaemia, 13.6%; G6PD deficiency, 13.5%). Nevertheless, excluding ID, alpha‐thalassaemia, G6PD deficiency and sickle cell disease, anaemia prevalence remained high (women, 18.4%; men, 6.5%), and was also high when applying uncensored thresholds proposed for African Americans (females, 19.3%; males, 7.8%).ConclusionsIron deficiency and erythrocyte polymorphisms are common among first‐generation Ghanaian migrants but explain only part of the increased prevalence of anaemia. Common Hb thresholds for the definition of anaemia may not be appropriate for this group.
Otoacoustic emission testing in Ghanaian children with sickle‐cell disease
Authors: Kegele Josua , Hurth Helene , Lackner Peter , Enimil Anthony , Sylverkin Justice , Ansong Daniel , Nkyi Clara , Bonsu Benedicta , Agbenyega Tsiri , Schartinger Volker H. , Schmutzhard Erich , Zorowka Patrick , Kremsner Peter , Schmutzhard Joachim 
Published: May 2015

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate hearing loss in children as a complication of sickle‐cell disease.MethodsIn Kumasi, Ghana, 35 children with SCD aged 6 months to 10 years underwent transient‐evoked otoacoustic emissions testing (TEOAE) to investigate the function of the inner ear. Healthy Ghanaian children recruited in school and kindergarten served as controls.ResultsOne of 35 children with SCD and 13 of 115 control children failed the otoacoustic emissions testing. This difference between the control group and the children with SCD was not statistically significant.ConclusionEarly hearing impairment does not regularly occur in sickle‐cell disease, and in children, it is not a likely cause of delayed or impaired language development.