bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Autoimmune encephalopathies
Authors: Leypoldt Frank , Armangue Thaís , Dalmau Josep 
Published: October 2014

Over the past 10 years, the continual discovery of novel forms of encephalitis associated with antibodies to cell‐surface or synaptic proteins has changed the paradigms for diagnosing and treating disorders that were previously unknown or mischaracterized. We review here the process of discovery, the symptoms, and the target antigens of 11 autoimmune encephalitic disorders, grouped by syndromes and approached from a clinical perspective. Anti‐N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis, several subtypes of limbic encephalitis, stiff‐person spectrum disorders, and other autoimmune encephalitides that result in psychosis, seizures, or abnormal movements are described in detail. We include a novel encephalopathy with prominent sleep dysfunction that provides an intriguing link between chronic neurodegeneration and cell‐surface autoimmunity (IgLON5). Some of the caveats of limited serum testing are outlined. In addition, we review the underlying cellular and synaptic mechanisms that for some disorders confirm the antibody pathogenicity. The multidisciplinary impact of autoimmune encephalitis has been expanded recently by the discovery that herpes simplex encephalitis is a robust trigger of synaptic autoimmunity, and that some patients may develop overlapping syndromes, including anti‐NMDAR encephalitis and neuromyelitis optica or other demyelinating diseases.
Reducing Radiation Exposure during CRT Implant Procedures: Early Experience with a Sensor‐Based Navigation System
Authors: THIBAULT BERNARD , ANDRADE JASON G. , DUBUC MARC , TALAJIC MARIO , GUERRA PETER G. , DYRDA KATIA , MACLE LAURENT , RIVARD LÉNA , ROY DENIS , MONDÉSERT BLANDINE , KHAIRY PAUL 
Published: October 2014

BackgroundCardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) implant procedures are often complex and prolonged, resulting in significant ionizing radiation (IR) exposure to the patient and operator. We report our early experience working with a novel sensor‐based electromagnetic tracking system (MediGuide™, MDG, St. Jude Medical Inc., St. Paul, MN, USA), in terms of procedural IR exposure reduction.Methods and ResultsInformation regarding patient demographics, procedural details, procedural duration, and IR exposure were prospectively collected on 130 consecutive CRT procedures performed between January 2013 and January 2014. Sixty procedures were performed with MDG guidance, and 70 were performed without MDG guidance. Despite a nonsignificant trend toward shorter procedure duration with the use of MDG (120 minutes vs 138 minutes with non‐MDG, P = 0.088), a 66% reduction in total IR exposure (median 769 μGray·m2 vs 2,608 μGray·m2, P < 0.001) was found. This reduction was primarily driven by a >90% reduction in IR dose required to cannulate the coronary sinus (median 80 μGray·m2 vs 922 μGray·m2, P < 0.001), and to a lesser extent from a reduction in IR dose required for LV lead placement (median 330 μGray·m2 vs 737 μGray·m2, P = 0.059). In addition, a significant learning curve effect was observed with a significantly shorter procedural duration for the last 15 cases compared to the first 15 cases (median 98 minutes vs 175 minutes, P < 0.001).ConclusionThe nonfluoroscopic MDG positioning system is associated with a dramatic reduction in exposure to IR during CRT implant procedures, with a 90% decrease in the IR dose required to cannulate the coronary sinus. A steep learning curve was quantified.
Cryoablation of Focal Tachycardia Originating from the Right Atrial Free Wall during Upstream Phrenic Pacing to Avoid Phrenic Nerve Injury
Authors: JOHNSRUDE CHRISTOPHER 
Published: October 2014

BackgroundRecognition of the potential for phrenic nerve injury (PNI) often prompts less aggressive attempts at catheter ablation of multiple forms of tachycardia or abandoning ablation altogether. Some novel techniques to avoid PNI during catheter ablation have been described.MethodsFive patients (age: 13–57 years, three females) with ectopic atrial tachycardia originating from the right atrial free wall (RAFW) near the phrenic nerve underwent electrophysiology study with three‐dimensional mapping and endocardial cryoablation. Upstream phrenic pacing was performed after cryoadherence was achieved, and cryoablation of ectopic foci was performed during close observation for occurrence of PNI and tachycardia elimination.ResultsCryoablation acutely eliminated five of six atrial tachycardias originating close to the phrenic nerve. Transient PNI during cryothermy occurred in two patients, and resolved within 3 minutes. Patients were observed overnight on telemetry, with no early recurrences of targeted atrial tachycardias and no evidence of PNI. At last follow‐up of 1–39 months, four patients were arrhythmia free on no medications.ConclusionsCatheter cryoablation during simultaneous upstream phrenic nerve pacing can lead to safe and effective elimination of focal atrial tachycardias originating from the RAFW close to the phrenic nerve.
OsAUX1 controls lateral root initiation in rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Zhao Heming , Ma Tengfei , Wang Xin , Deng Yingtian , Ma Haoli , Zhang Rongsheng , Zhao Jie 
Published: October 2014

AbstractPolar auxin transport, mediated by influx and efflux transporters, controls many aspects of plant growth and development. The auxin influx carriers in Arabidopsis have been shown to control lateral root development and gravitropism, but little is known about these proteins in rice. This paper reports on the functional characterization of OsAUX1. Three OsAUX1 T‐DNA insertion mutants and RNAi knockdown transgenic plants reduced lateral root initiation compared with wild‐type (WT) plants. OsAUX1 overexpression plants exhibited increased lateral root initiation and OsAUX1 was highly expressed in lateral roots and lateral root primordia. Similarly, the auxin reporter, DR5‐GUS, was expressed at lower levels in osaux1 than in the WT plants, which indicated that the auxin levels in the mutant roots had decreased. Exogenous 1‐naphthylacetic acid (NAA) treatment rescued the defective phenotype in osaux1‐1 plants, whereas indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) and 2,4‐D could not, which suggested that OsAUX1 was a putative auxin influx carrier. The transcript levels of several auxin signalling genes and cell cycle genes significantly declined in osaux1, hinting that the regulatory role of OsAUX1 may be mediated by auxin signalling and cell cycle genes. Overall, our results indicated that OsAUX1 was involved in polar auxin transport and functioned to control auxin‐mediated lateral root initiation in rice.
Histone modification and signalling cascade of the dormancy‐associated MADS‐box gene, PpMADS13‐1, in Japanese pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) during endodormancy
Authors: SAITO TAKANORI , BAI SONGLING , IMAI TSUYOSHI , ITO AKIKO , NAKAJIMA IKUKO , MORIGUCHI TAKAYA 
Published: October 2014

AbstractDormancy‐associated MADS‐box (DAM) genes play an important role in endodormancy phase transition. We investigated histone modification in the DAM homolog (PpMADS13‐1) from Japanese pear, via chromatin immunoprecipitation–quantitative PCR, to understand the mechanism behind the reduced expression of the PpMADS13‐1 gene towards endodormancy release. Our results indicated that the reduction in the active histone mark by trimethylation of the histone H3 tail at lysine 4 contributed to the reduction of PpMADS13‐1 expression towards endodormancy release. In contrast, the inactive histone mark by trimethylation of the histone H3 tail at lysine 27 in PpMADS13‐1 locus was quite low, and these levels were more similar to a negative control [normal mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG)] than to a positive control (AGAMOUS) in endodormancy phase transition. The loss of histone variant H2A.Z also coincided with the down‐regulation of PpMADS13‐1. Subsequently, we investigated the PpMADS13‐1 signalling cascade and found that PpCBF2, a pear C‐repeated binding factor, regulated PpMADS13‐1 expression via interaction of PpCBF2 with the 5′‐upstream region of PpMADS13‐1 by transient reporter assay. Furthermore, transient reporter assay confirmed no interaction between the PpMADS13‐1 protein and the pear FLOWERING LOCUS T genes. Taken together, our results enhance understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying endodormancy phase transition in Japanese pear.
Ultraviolet‐Bcomponent of sunlight stimulates photosynthesis and flavonoid accumulation in variegatedPlectranthus coleoidesleaves depending on background light
Authors: VIDOVIĆ MARIJA , MORINA FILIS , MILIĆ SONJA , ZECHMANN BERND , ALBERT ANDREAS , WINKLER JANA BARBRO , VELJOVIĆ JOVANOVIĆ SONJA 
Published: October 2014

AbstractWe used variegatedPlectranthus coleoidesas a model plant with the aim of clarifying whether the effects of realistic ultraviolet‐B (UV‐B) doses on phenolic metabolism in leaves are mediated by photosynthesis. Plants were exposed toUV‐Bradiation (0.90 W m−2) combined with two photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) intensities [395 and 1350 μmol m−2 s−1, low light (LL) and high light (HL)] for 9 d in sun simulators. Our study indicates thatUV‐Bcomponent of sunlight stimulatesCO2assimilation and stomatal conductance, depending on background light.UV‐B‐specific induction of apigenin and cyanidin glycosides was observed in both green and white tissues. However, all the other phenolic subclasses were up to four times more abundant in green leaf tissue. Caffeic and rosmarinic acids, catechin and epicatechin, which are endogenous peroxidase substrates, were depleted atHLin green tissue. This was correlated with increased peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase activities and increased ascorbate content. TheUV‐Bsupplement toHLattenuated antioxidative metabolism and partly recovered the phenolic pool indicating stimulation of the phenylpropanoid pathway. In summary, we propose thatortho‐dihydroxy phenolics are involved in antioxidative defence in chlorophyllous tissue upon light excess, while apigenin and cyanidin in white tissue have preferentiallyUV‐screening function.
Transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing a β‐1,3‐glucanase from sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) show reduced callose deposition and increased tolerance to aluminium toxicity
Authors: ZHANG HUI , SHI WU LIANG , YOU JIANG FENG , BIAN MING DI , QIN XIAO MEI , YU HUI , LIU QING , RYAN PETER R. , YANG ZHEN MING 
Published: October 2014

AbstractSeventy‐one cultivars of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) were screened for aluminium (Al) tolerance by measuring relative root growth (RRG). Two contrasting cultivars, ROMA (Al tolerant) and POTCHETSTRM (Al sensitive), were selected to study shorter term responses to Al stress. POTCHETSTRM had higher callose synthase activity, lower β‐1,3‐glucanase activity and more callose deposition in the root apices during Al treatment compared with ROMA. We monitored the expression of 12 genes involved in callose synthesis and degradation and found that one of these, SbGlu1 (Sb03g045630.1), which encodes a β‐1,3‐glucanase enzyme, best explained the contrasting deposition of callose in ROMA and POTCHETSTRM during Al treatment. Full‐length cDNAs of SbGlu1 was prepared from ROMA and POTCHETSTRM and expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana using the constitutive cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S promoter. Independent transgenic lines displayed significantly greater Al tolerance than wild‐type plants and vector‐only controls. This phenotype was associated with greater total β‐1,3‐glucanase activity, less Al accumulation and reduced callose deposition in the roots. These results suggest that callose production is not just an early indicator of Al stress in plants but likely to be part of the toxicity pathway that leads to the inhibition of root growth.
DNA Damage Checkpoint Responses in the S Phase of Synchronized Diploid Human Fibroblasts
Authors: Chastain Paul D. , Brylawski Bruna P. , Zhou Yingchun C. , Rao Shangbang , Chu Haitao , Ibrahim Joseph G. , Kaufmann William K. , Cordeiro‐Stone Marila 
Published: October 2014

AbstractWe investigated the hypothesis that the strength of the activation of the intra‐S DNA damage checkpoint varies within the S phase. Synchronized diploid human fibroblasts were exposed to either 0 or 2.5 J m−2 UVC in early, mid‐ and late‐S phase. The endpoints measured were the following: (1) radio‐resistant DNA synthesis (RDS), (2) induction of Chk1 phosphorylation, (3) initiation of new replicons and (4) length of replication tracks synthesized after irradiation. RDS analysis showed that global DNA synthesis was inhibited by approximately the same extent (30 ± 12%), regardless of when during S phase the fibroblasts were exposed to UVC. Western blot analysis revealed that the UVC‐induced phosphorylation of checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) on serine 345 was high in early and mid S but 10‐fold lower in late S. DNA fiber immunostaining studies indicated that the replication fork displacement rate decreased in irradiated cells at the three time points examined; however, replicon initiation was inhibited strongly in early and mid S, but this response was attenuated in late S. These results suggest that the intra‐S checkpoint activated by UVC‐induced DNA damage is not as robust toward the end of S phase in its inhibition of the latest firing origins in human fibroblasts.
The production and comparative evaluation of native and recombinant antigens for the fast serodiagnosis of cystic echinococcosis with dot immunogold filtration assay
Authors: Chen X. , Chen X. , Lu X. , Feng X. , Wen H. 
Published: October 2014

SummaryClinical diagnosis and post‐surgery assessment of cystic echinococcosis depend on laboratory serodiagnosis and ultrasound examinations. This study aims to produce the recombinant antigen (rAgB) and compare its diagnostic effect with natural antigens (crude fluid antigen, protoscolex antigen). After rAgB, crude fluid antigen, protoscolex antigen were produced, and the diagnostic accuracy was evaluated with dot immunogold filtration assay (DIGFA) by the sera from the following groups: surgically confirmed cystic echinococcosis patients (n = 113), alveolar echinococcosis patients (n = 46), other parasitic diseases (n = 49), nonparasitic hepatic diseases (n = 63) and healthy people (n = 121). In diagnosing cystic echinococcosis, the sensitivity of recombinant AgB was 77·9% and the specificity was 98·3%. The crude fluid antigen B showed a sensitivity of 92·9% and specificity of 81·0%. The protoscolex antigen had sensitivity of 87·6% and specificity of 90·9%. The recombinant AgB indicates the advantage of no cross‐reaction with other parasite diseases or nonparasite hepatic diseases. Recombinant antigen B can improve the specificity but decrease the sensitivity. The combination of native and recombinant antigens will improve the overall performance of serodiagnosis of cystic echinococcosis.
Expression analysis of genes associated with sucrose accumulation in sugarcane (Saccharum spp. hybrids) varieties differing in content and time of peak sucrose storage
Authors: Chandra A. , Verma P. K. , Islam M. N. , Grisham M. P. , Jain R. , Sharma A. , Roopendra K. , Singh K. , Singh P. , Verma I. , Solomon S. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractSucrose synthesis/accumulation in sugarcane is a complex process involving many genes and regulatory sequences that control biochemical events in source–sink tissues. Among these, sucrose synthase (SuSy), sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS), soluble acid (SAI) and cell wall (CWI) invertases are important. Expression of these enzymes was compared in an early (CoJ64) and late (BO91) maturing sugarcane variety using end‐point and qRT‐PCR. Quantitative RT‐PCR at four crop stages revealed high CWI expression in upper internodes of CoJ64, which declined significantly in both top and bottom internodes with maturity. In BO91, CWI expression was high in top and bottom internodes and declined significantly only in top internodes as the crop matured. Overall, CWI expression was higher in CoJ64 than in BO91. During crop growth, there was no significant change in SPS expression in bottom internodes in CoJ64, whereas in BO91 it decreased significantly. Apart from a significant decrease in expression of SuSy in mature bottom internodes of BO91, there was no significant change. Similar SAI expression was observed with both end‐point and RT‐PCR, except for significantly increased expression in top internodes of CoJ64 with maturity. SAI, being a major sucrose hydrolysing enzyme, was also monitored with end‐point PCR expression in internode tissues of CoJ64 and BO91, with higher expression of SAI in BO91 at early crop stages. Enzyme inhibitors, e.g. manganese chloride (Mn++), significantly suppressed expression of SAI in both early‐ and late‐maturing varieties. Present findings enhance understanding of critical sucrose metabolic gene expression in sugarcane varieties differing in content and time of peak sucrose storage. Thus, through employing these genes, improvement of sugarcane sucrose content is possible.
Predicting Time to Threshold for Initiating Antiretroviral Treatment to Evaluate Cost of Treatment as Prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Authors: Lynch Miranda L. , DeGruttola Victor 
Published: October 2014

SummaryThe goal of the paper is to predict the additional amount of antiretroviral treatment that would be required to implement a policy of treating all human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected people at the time of detection of infection rather than at the time that their CD4 T-lymphocyte counts are observed to be below a threshold—the current standard of care. We describe a sampling-based inverse prediction method for predicting time from HIV infection to attainment of the CD4 cell threshold and apply it to a set of treatment naive HIV-infected subjects in a village in Botswana who participated in a household survey that collected cross-sectional CD4 cell counts. The inferential target of interest is the population level mean time to reaching the CD4 cell-based treatment threshold in this group of subjects. To address the challenges arising from the fact that these subjects’ dates of HIV infection are unknown, we make use of data from an auxiliary cohort study of subjects enrolled shortly after HIV infection in which CD4 cell counts were measured over time. We use a multiple-imputation framework to combine across the different sources of data, and we discuss how the methods compensate for the length-biased sampling that is inherent in cross-sectional screening procedures, such as household surveys. We comment on how the results bear on analyses of costs of implementation of treatment-for-prevention use of antiretroviral drugs in HIV prevention interventions.
Regression Analysis for Differentially Misclassified Correlated Binary Outcomes
Authors: Tang Li , Lyles Robert H. , King Caroline C. , Hogan Joseph W. , Lo Yungtai 
Published: October 2014

SummaryIn many epidemiological and clinical studies, misclassification may arise in one or several variables, resulting in potentially invalid analytic results (e.g. estimates of odds ratios of interest) when no correction is made. Here we consider the situation in which correlated binary response variables are subject to misclassification. Building on prior work, we provide an approach to adjust for potentially complex differential misclassification via internal validation sampling applied at multiple study time points. We seek to estimate the parameters of a primary generalized linear mixed model that accounts for baseline and/or time-dependent covariates. The misclassification process is modelled via a second generalized linear model that captures variations in sensitivity and specificity parameters according to time and a set of subject-specific covariates that may or may not overlap with those in the primary model. Simulation studies demonstrate the precision and validity of the method proposed. An application is presented based on longitudinal assessments of bacterial vaginosis conducted in the ‘HIV epidemiology research’ study.
Optimal Observation Times for Multistate Markov Models—Applications to Pneumococcal Colonization Studies
Authors: Mehtälä Juha , Auranen Kari , Kulathinal Sangita 
Published: October 2014

SummaryApplications of finite state Markov transition models are numerous and the problem of estimating transition rates of such processes has been considered in many fields of science. Because these processes cannot always be followed in continuous time, the investigators often confront the question of when to measure the state of the process. The estimation of transition rates then needs to be based on a sequence of discrete time data, and the variance and estimability of the estimators greatly depend on the time spacings between consecutive observations. We study optimal time spacings for a sequence of discrete time observations to estimate the transition rates of a time homogeneous multistate Markov process. For comparative studies, optimal time spacings to estimate rate ratios are considered. Optimality criteria are formulated through the minimization of the variances of the parameter estimators of interest and are investigated assuming a stationary initial distribution. For practical purposes, we propose a simple approximation for the optimal time spacing and study the limits for its applicability. The work is motivated by studies of colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae.
Dacryocystitis following a nasolacrimal duct obstruction caused by an ectopic intranasal tooth in a dog
Authors: Voelter‐Ratson Katrin , Hagen Regine , Grundmann Stefan , Spiess Bernhard Martin 
Published: October 2014

AbstractPurposeTo describe a nasolacrimal duct (NLD) obstruction secondary to an ectopic tooth in a 5‐year‐old male Border collie. The dog was presented with a 1‐month history of mucopurulent discharge from the left eye (OS) preceded by a lifelong history of epiphora OS. Treatment with neomycin/polymyxin B/dexamethasone ophthalmic solution had not improved the clinical signs, and the NLD was not patent when irrigated by the referring veterinarian.MethodsA complete ophthalmologic examination was performed followed by dacryocystorhinography and computed tomography (CT).ResultsThe ophthalmologic examination revealed marked mucopurulent discharge, mild conjunctivitis, slightly elevated STT measurements, and a negative Jones test OS. Both nasolacrimal puncta OS could be cannulated without resistance for approximately 1.5 cm. Upon irrigation, copious amounts of mucopurulent discharge were exited through the corresponding punctum, while no fluid could be detected at the nares. Dacryocystorhinography was performed. Radiographs revealed an ectopic left canine tooth within the left nasal cavity. A cystic dilation of the NLD was observed proximal to the ectopic tooth. Computed tomography was performed to determine the exact position of the tooth and possible involvement of adjacent structures; CT confirmed the previous imaging findings. Treatment with systemic antibiotics, NSAIDs, and ofloxacin ophthalmic solution led to resolution of the clinical signs within several days. Surgery was declined by the owner.ConclusionThis is the first case report describing a blocked NLD due to an ectopic tooth in a dog. Ectopic teeth should be included as a differential diagnosis in cases of dacryocystitis and chronic epiphora in dogs.