bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Retrospective Matched Case–Control Study on Medical Costs of Refractory Migraine in Taiwan
Authors: Tang Chao‐Hsiun , Chen Yong‐Chen , Ng Kwong , Wang Shuu‐Jiun 
Published: February 2013

BackgroundMigraine is associated with a significant economic burden in Western countries. However, there is limited information regarding the impact of the cost of migraine in Asia.ObjectivesTo quantify and compare the direct medical costs of refractory migraine (RM) and other migraine, using health insurance claims data in Taiwan.MethodsA retrospective matched case–control study was conducted utilizing data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. RM cases were defined as patients with at least 1 neurological outpatient visit with a primary or secondary International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code of 346.11 (common migraine with intractable migraine, so stated), diagnosed by certified neurologists in medical centers during 2007‐2008. The first control group was the non‐migraineurs matched with cases at a 4:1 ratio by age, gender, urbanization level of the residence, and income. The second control group was patients with other migraine types (346.00, 346.10, 346.20, 346.80, and 346.90) matched with cases at a 4:1 ratio by age, gender, and hospital setting. Medical utilization and costs within 365 days after the index visit date were assessed using a 2‐part model. The exchange rate for US$1 was NT$32.50.ResultsPatients with RM had significantly higher total medical costs compared with non‐migraineurs (NT$57,932 [US$1783] vs NT$26,817 [US$825]; P < .001) or other migraineurs (NT$54,678 [US$1682] vs NT$38,397 [US$1181]; P < .001). The mean drug costs for those with RM were also higher than for non‐migraineurs (NT$19,752 [US$608] vs NT$8660 [US$266]; P < .001) or those with other migraine (NT$17,623 [US$542] vs NT$10,088 [US$310]; P < .001). In addition, we reviewed the charts of all patients with an outpatient department diagnostic code of 346.11 (n = 98) at our hospital (Taipei Veterans General Hospital, a medical center in Taiwan) in 2007. Of these patients, 88 (90%) fulfilled the Silberstein–Lipton criteria for chronic migraine, ie, >15 headache days per month and presence of a history of migraine.ConclusionsRefractory migraineurs in Taiwan had significantly higher medical costs than either non‐migraineurs or those with other migraine diagnoses.
Measuring the short‐term effects of incorporating academic service learning throughout a dental hygiene curriculum
Authors: Simmer‐Beck M , Gadbury‐Amyot C , Williams KB , Keselyak NT , Branson B , Mitchell TV 
Published: February 2013

AbstractObjectivesAcademic service learning (ASL) provides the venue for dental hygiene education to take oral healthcare services directly into communities while at the same time promoting professional responsibility within the student bodies. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively examine the change in pre‐existing attitudes and behaviours of dental hygiene students following the incorporation of ASL activities throughout a five‐semester dental hygiene curriculum.MethodsSeventy‐seven first‐year dental hygiene students who participated in ASL from the graduating classes of 2008–2010 participated in the study. A survey instrument developed by Shiarella, based on Schwartz's Helping Behaviors Model, was used to assess students' attitudes towards community service. Additionally, questions were developed using Shinnamon's Methods and Strategies for Assessing Service‐Learning in the Health Professions.ResultsInternal estimates of reliability for scales (Cronbach's α) were all >0.8. The results revealed statistically significant improvements over time in enhanced learning (P = 0.0001), self‐awareness (P = 0.0001), sense of volunteerism (P = 0.013), impact on career choices (P = 0.001) and decrease in personal costs (P = 0.0001). There were no significant changes in other subscales over time. Further investigating these domains revealed minimal to no changes in attributes of service learning.ConclusionService learning integrated into the dental hygiene curriculum can enhance learning and improve students' self‐awareness, sense of volunteerism, career choices and perception of personal costs. In concert with the literature on ASL, these experiences throughout the curriculum have potential for increasing students' awareness of community need and their roles as oral health professionals.
Marantic endocarditis presenting with multifocal neurological symptoms
Authors: Wong S. F. , Seow J. , Profitis K. , Johns J. , Barnett S. , John T. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractNon‐bacterial thrombotic endocarditis (NBTE), also known as marantic endocarditis, has been reported to occur in 0.3–9.3% of the adult population at autopsy. NBTE associated with malignancy is an underrecognised cause of thromboembolic disorders. The clinical spectrum encountered and investigation results can be non‐specific, often mimicking other acute conditions such as infective endocarditis. We describe the case of a 34‐year‐old woman with non‐localising and multifocal neurological symptoms, who was subsequently diagnosed with NBTE secondary to a resectable primary lung adenocarcinoma.
Triple negative breast cancer in a male‐to‐female transsexual
Authors: Pattison S. T. , McLaren B. R. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractThere is limited published literature on the risk of breast cancer in transgender patients. We report a case of an aggressive triple negative inflammatory breast cancer in a male‐to‐female transsexual. This patient had a complicated psychiatric history with significant antipsychotic use, and the case raises several questions about the pathogenesis of this breast cancer. The literature on breast cancer in transgender patients and in relation to hyperprolactinaemia is reviewed.
Sheep linkage mapping: RFLP markers for comparative mapping studies
Authors: Montgomery G W , Penty J M , Henry H M , Sise J A , Lord E A , Dodds K G , Hill D F 
Published: February 2013

SummaryRestriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) detected using cDNA probes for conserved genes provide an important set of markers that anchor or link syntenic groups in a range of divergent mammalian species. DNA probes from sheep, cattle, pig, human and mouse were screened against sheep DNA samples and 24 new RFLP markers for sheep were identified. Among the loci tested, 22 had a homologue that has been mapped in humans. An RFLP for fibronectin (FN1) was linked to α‐inhibin (INHA) at a distance of 5cM. The FN1 locus has been assigned to sheep chromosome 2q41–q44 and linkage between FN1 and INHA assigns INHA to the same chromosome in sheep. In addition to the new loci reported here, 28 RFLPs have been published previously by this group and these are collated together with RFLPs published from other laboratories. RFLPs have been reported for 86 loci in sheep. Fifty‐four loci have been mapped to 16 different chromosomes.
Gene expression analysis of protein synthesis pathways in bovine mammary epithelial cells purified from milk during lactation and short‐term restricted feeding
Authors: Sigl T. , Meyer H. H. D. , Wiedemann S. 
Published: February 2013

SummaryThe objective of the study was to investigate selected key regulatory pathways of milk protein biosynthesis in primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (MECs) of dairy cows during the first 155 days of lactation. In addition, cows were exposed to feed restriction for a short period (FR) during different stages of lactation (week 4 and 21 pp) to study adjustment processes of molecular protein biosynthesis to metabolic challenge. Morning milk samples from twenty‐four Holstein–Friesian cows were collected throughout the experimental period (n = 10 per animal). MEC from raw milk were purified using an immunomagnetic separation technique and used for real‐time quantitative PCR analyses. As was seen in transcript abundances of all major milk proteins, mRNA levels of E74‐like factor 5 (ELF5), an enhancer of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) action, concomitantly decreased towards mid‐lactation. Expression of ELF5 as well as of all milk protein genes showed a similar increase during FR in early lactation. Occasional changes in expression could be seen in other Janus kinase (JAK)/STAT factors and in mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway elements. Amino acid transfer and glucose transporter and the β‐casein expression were also partially affected. In conclusion, our findings suggest a pivotal role of the transcription factor ELF5 in milk protein mRNA expression with complementary JAK/STAT and mTOR signalling for the regulation of protein biosynthesis in the bovine mammary gland.
Liver disease in adult transfusion‐dependent beta‐thalassaemic patients: investigating the role of iron overload and chronic HCV infection
Authors: Kountouras Dimitrios , Tsagarakis Nikolaos J. , Fatourou Evangelia , Dalagiorgos Efthimios , Chrysanthos Nikolaos , Berdoussi Helen , Vgontza Niki , Karagiorga Markissia , Lagiandreou Athanasios , Kaligeros Konstantinos , Voskaridou Ersi , Roussou Paraskevi , Diamanti‐Kandarakis Evanthia , Koskinas John 
Published: February 2013

AbstractBackgroundIron overload and hepatitis‐C virus (HCV) infection, have been implicated in the evolution of liver disease, in patients with transfusion‐dependent beta‐thalassaemia major (BTM). However, the impact of these factors in late stages of liver disease in adults with BTM, has not been extensively studied.AimsTo investigate serum indices of iron overload, HCV infection and liver disease, in a cohort of 211 adult Greek patients with BTM, in relation with the findings from liver biopsies.MethodsIn this cross‐sectional study, 211 patients with BTM were enrolled and studied, in relation with HCV infection, ferritin, transaminases, chelation treatment and antiviral treatment. Based on 109 patients biopsied, we correlated liver fibrosis, haemosiderosis and inflammation, with serum indices and HCV statusResultsAmong all patients, 74.4% were anti‐HCV positive (HCV+). Ferritin was positively correlated with transaminases and negatively correlated with age, while it was not significantly different among HCV+ and HCV− patients. Among the HCV+ patients, 55.4% reported antiviral treatment, while genotype 1 predominated. In a subfraction of 109 patients, in which liver biopsy was performed, 89% were HCV+ and 11% HCV−. Fibrosis was significantly correlated with age (P = 0.046), AST (P = 0.004), ALT (P = 0.044) and inflammation (P < 0.001). Advanced fibrosis was present with even minimal haemosiderosis, independently of ferritin values or HCV history.ConclusionsThese data suggest that in the late stages of liver disease in BTM patients, iron overload may be the critical determinant, since fibrosis is related to the minimal haemosiderosis, independently of HCV history.
Normal enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) values in apparently healthy subjects undergoing a health check‐up and in living liver donors in South Korea
Authors: Yoo Eun Jin , Kim Beom Kyung , Kim Seung Up , Park Jun Yong , Kim Do Young , Ahn Sang Hoon , Han Kwang‐Hyub , Chon Chae Yoon , Kim Hyon‐Suk 
Published: February 2013

AbstractBackgroundThe enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) value is a non‐invasive serum marker used for assessing liver fibrosis in chronic liver disease. To use the ELF value for the purpose of screening the general population and selecting subpopulations at high risk, it is important to know the normal range of ELF values as a prerequisite.AimsWe aimed to define the normal range of ELF values by recruiting apparently healthy subjects and investigating factors influencing ELF values in subjects with minimal fibrotic burden.MethodsELF values were determined in a cohort of healthy subjects who underwent a health check‐up and in healthy living liver donors who were screened for transplantation. None of subjects suffered from chronic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or human immunodeficiency virus infection, systemic autoimmune disease or liver dysfunction.ResultsAmong 183 subjects analyzed, the normal ELF 5th through 95th percentile range was 5.95–8.73. Body mass index (P = 0.014) and male gender (P = 0.015) showed significant positive correlations with ELF value, whereas age did not. In multivariate linear regression analysis, platelet count was identified as the only independent factor influencing the ELF value (β=−0.006, P = 0.016). When considering the difference in ELF values between genders, the normal range of men was defined to be 6.72–8.93, this was slightly higher than that of women, 5.69–8.67.ConclusionsWe identified the normal range of ELF values and found that it can be significantly influenced by platelet count even in the healthy population.
Ascorbate Reduces Mouse Platelet Aggregation and Surface P‐Selectin Expression in an Ex Vivo Model of Sepsis
Authors: Secor Dan , Swarbreck Scott , Ellis Christopher G. , Sharpe Michael D. , Tyml Karel 
Published: February 2013

AbstractObjectiveCompromised perfusion of the capillary bed can lead to organ failure and mortality in sepsis. We have reported that intravenous injection of ascorbate inhibits platelet adhesion and plugging in septic capillaries. In this study, we hypothesized that ascorbate reduces aggregation of platelets and their surface expression of P‐selectin (a key adhesion molecule) in mice.MethodsPlatelets were isolated from control mice and subjected to agents known to be released into the bloodstream during sepsis (thrombin, ADP or U46619, thromboxane A2 analog). Platelet aggregation was analyzed by aggregometry and P‐selectin expression by flow cytometry.ResultsPlatelet‐activating agents increased aggregation and P‐selectin expression. Ascorbate inhibited these increases. This inhibitory effect was NOS‐independent (LNAME had no effect). In contrast to the platelet‐activating agents, direct stimuli lipopolysaccharide, TNFα, or plasma from septic mice did not increase aggregation/expression, a finding consistent with the literature. The results suggest a complex mechanism of platelet aggregation and P‐selectin expression in sepsis, where generation of platelet‐activating stimuli is required first, before platelet aggregation and adhesion in capillaries occur.ConclusionThe ability of ascorbate to reduce platelet aggregation and P‐selectin expression could be an important mechanism by which ascorbate inhibits capillary plugging in sepsis.
Activity of Daptomycin with or without 25 Percent Ethanol Compared to Combinations of Minocycline, EDTA, and 25 Percent Ethanol against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Embedded in Biofilm
Authors: Estes R. , Theusch J. , Beck A. , Pitrak D. , Mullane Kathleen M. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT

Central venous catheters commonly develop central line-associated bloodstream infections.
In vitro
antibiotic lock therapy (ALT) was simulated on 10 methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) clinical isolates imbedded in biofilm-coated silicon disks. Five days of 4-h daily exposures to daptomycin (2.5 mg/ml) in 25% ethanol or minocycline (3 mg/ml) plus 25% ethanol and 30 mg/ml EDTA resulted in significantly greater elimination of MRSA colonization than treatment with minocycline alone.
Transcriptional Profiling of Candida glabrata during Phagocytosis by Neutrophils and in the Infected Mouse Spleen
Authors: Fukuda Yuichi , Tsai Huei-Fung , Myers Timothy G. , Bennett John E. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT

Expression microarray analysis of
Candida glabrata
following phagocytosis by human neutrophils was performed, and results were compared with those from
C. glabrata
incubated under conditions of carbohydrate or nitrogen deprivation. Twenty genes were selected to represent the major cell processes altered by phagocytosis or nutrient deprivation. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) with TaqMan chemistry was used to assess expression of the same genes in spleens of mice infected intravenously with
Candida glabrata
. The results in spleen closely paralleled gene expression in neutrophils or following carbohydrate deprivation. Fungal cells responded by upregulating alternative energy sources through gluconeogenesis, glyoxylate cycle, and long-chain fatty acid metabolism. Autophagy was likely employed to conserve intracellular resources. Aspartyl protease upregulation occurred and may represent defense against attacks on cell wall integrity. Downregulated genes were in the pathways of protein and ergosterol synthesis. Upregulation of the sterol transport gene
AUS1
suggested that murine cholesterol may have been used to replace ergosterol, as has been reported
in vitro. C. glabrata
isolates in spleens of gp91
phox−/−
knockout mice with reduced oxidative phagocyte defenses were grossly similar although with a reduced level of response. These results are consistent with reported results of other fungi responding to phagocytosis, indicating that a rapid shift in metabolism is required for growth in a carbohydrate-limited intracellular environment.
Quorum-Sensing Systems LuxS/Autoinducer 2 and Com Regulate Streptococcus pneumoniae Biofilms in a Bioreactor with Living Cultures of Human Respiratory Cells
Authors: Vidal Jorge E. , Howery Kristen E. , Ludewick Herbert P. , Nava Porfirio , Klugman Keith P. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT

Streptococcus pneumoniae
forms organized biofilms in the human upper respiratory tract that may play an essential role in both persistence and acute respiratory infection. However, the production and regulation of biofilms on human cells is not yet fully understood. In this work, we developed a bioreactor with living cultures of human respiratory epithelial cells (HREC) and a continuous flow of nutrients, mimicking the microenvironment of the human respiratory epithelium, to study the production and regulation of
S. pneumoniae
biofilms (SPB). SPB were also produced under static conditions on immobilized HREC. Our experiments demonstrated that the biomass of SPB increased significantly when grown on HREC compared to the amount on abiotic surfaces. Additionally, pneumococcal strains produced more early biofilms on lung cells than on pharyngeal cells. Utilizing the bioreactor or immobilized human cells, the production of early SPB was found to be regulated by two quorum-sensing systems, Com and LuxS/AI-2, since a mutation in either
comC
or
luxS
rendered the pneumococcus unable to produce early biofilms on HREC. Interestingly, while LuxS/autoinducer 2 (AI-2) regulated biofilms on both HREC and abiotic surfaces, Com control was specific for those structures produced on HREC. The biofilm phenotypes of strain D39-derivative Δ
comC
and Δ
luxS
QS mutants were reversed by genetic complementation. Of note, SPB formed on immobilized HREC and incubated under static conditions were completely lysed 24 h postinoculation. Biofilm lysis was also regulated by the Com and LuxS/AI-2 quorum-sensing systems.
Participation of MyD88 and Interleukin-33 as Innate Drivers of Th2 Immunity to Trichinella spiralis
Authors: Scalfone Lisa K. , Nel Hendrik J. , Gagliardo Lucille F. , Cameron Jody L. , Al-Shokri Shaikha , Leifer Cynthia A. , Fallon Padraic G. , Appleton Judith A. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT

Trichinella spiralis
is a highly destructive parasitic nematode that invades and destroys intestinal epithelial cells, injures many different tissues during its migratory phase, and occupies and transforms myotubes during the final phase of its life cycle. We set out to investigate the role in immunity of innate receptors for potential pathogen- or danger-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs or DAMPs). Focusing on the MyD88-dependent receptors, which include Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) family members, we found that MyD88-deficient mice expelled worms normally, while TLR2/4-deficient mice showed accelerated worm expulsion, suggesting that MyD88 was active in signaling pathways for more than one receptor during intestinal immunity. A direct role for PAMPs in TLR activation was not supported in a transactivation assay involving a panel of murine and human TLRs. Mice deficient in the IL-1 family receptor for the DAMP, IL-33 (called ST2), displayed reduced intestinal Th2 responses and impaired mast cell activation. IL-33 was constitutively expressed in intestinal epithelial cells, where it became concentrated in nuclei within 2 days of infection. Nuclear localization was an innate response to infection that occurred in intestinal regions where worms were actively migrating. Th2 responses were also compromised in the lymph nodes draining the skeletal muscles of ST2-deficient mice, and this correlated with increased larval burdens in muscle. Our results support a mechanism in which the immune system recognizes and responds to tissue injury in a way that promotes Th2 responses.
The development and validation of a scoring system for shoulder injuries in rugby players
Authors: Roberts Simon Benedict , Funk Lennard 
Published: February 2013

BackgroundShoulder injuries are relatively common among professional rugby players and result in a large proportion of days absent from training and competition. No instrument exists that is designed and validated to assess function or outcome following therapeutic interventions in rugby players sustaining shoulder injuries. The objective was to develop and validate an athlete-reported scoring system to assess shoulder function in rugby players following shoulder injuries.MethodsPotential items for the scoring system were identified by a literature review of shoulder-specific scoring systems (n=46), and by interviewing professional rugby players (n=38) and medical staff (n=12). Redundant and clinician-assessed items were excluded. A second set of interviews with rugby players (n=8) determined the frequency importance product (FIP) of potential items. The 20 items with the highest FIPs were selected for the provisional Rugby Shoulder Score (RSS) that was tested for internal consistency and reliability by administering to rugby players with stable shoulder injuries (n=11).ResultsThe literature review and interviews identified 575 items, of which 105 items were neither clinician-assessed nor redundant. Twenty items with the highest FIPs were selected for the RSS. The RSS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.96) and reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient= 0.941, paired student t test p>0.05).ConclusionsA reliable athlete-reported scoring system for assessing shoulder injuries in rugby players has been developed that incorporates the most important factors for rugby players recovering from shoulder injuries. Further prospective testing of the instrument is being undertaken to determine its discriminative and evaluative functions and construct validity.