bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Primary angiosarcoma of the small intestine with metastasis to the liver: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Ni Qingqiang , Shang Dong , Peng Honghao , Roy Manish , Liang Guogang , Bi Wei , Gao Xue 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Angiosarcoma is a rare disease with a poor prognosis; significantly, patients with intestinal angiosarcomas who survive over 1 year after diagnosis are extraordinarily rare. This article describes the case of a 33-year-old gentleman who presented with abdominal pain of 4 months duration, which had increased in severity 2 weeks prior to presentation. After a complicated diagnostic and therapeutic process, the diagnosis of primary angiosarcoma of the small intestine with metastasis to the liver was made by pathological and immunohistochemical examinations. We reviewed previous cases of angiosarcoma described in the English literature to determine their risk factors, diagnosis and treatment, and we found that angiosarcoma is extremely rare, especially in the small intestine. To the best of our knowledge, this may be the youngest case of primary angiosarcoma of the small intestine with metastasis to the liver reported in the English literature.
Promoting universal financial protection: evidence from seven low- and middle-income countries on factors facilitating or hindering progress
Authors: McIntyre Di , Ranson Michael K , Aulakh Bhupinder K , Honda Ayako 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Although universal health coverage (UHC) is a global health policy priority, there remains limited evidence on UHC reforms in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper provides an overview of key insights from case studies in this thematic series, undertaken in seven LMICs (Costa Rica, Georgia, India, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Thailand) at very different stages in the transition to UHC.
These studies highlight the importance of increasing pre-payment funding through tax funding and sometimes mandatory insurance contributions when trying to improve financial protection by reducing out-of-pocket payments. Increased tax funding is particularly important if efforts are being made to extend financial protection to those outside formal-sector employment, raising questions about the value of pursuing contributory insurance schemes for this group. The prioritisation of insurance scheme coverage for civil servants in the first instance in some LMICs also raises questions about the most appropriate use of limited government funds.
The diverse reforms in these countries provide some insights into experiences with policies targeted at the poor compared with universalist reform approaches. Countries that have made the greatest progress to UHC, such as Costa Rica and Thailand, made an explicit commitment to ensuring financial protection and access to needed care for the entire population as soon as possible, while this was not necessarily the case in countries adopting targeted reforms. There also tends to be less fragmentation in funding pools in countries adopting a universalist rather than targeting approach. Apart from limiting cross-subsidies, fragmentation of pools has contributed to differential benefit packages, leading to inequities in access to needed care and financial protection across population groups; once such differentials are entrenched, they are difficult to overcome. Capacity constraints, particularly in purchasing organisations, are a pervasive problem in LMICs. The case studies also highlighted the critical role of high-level political leadership in pursuing UHC policies and citizen support in sustaining these policies.
This series demonstrates the value of promoting greater sharing of experiences on UHC reforms across LMICs. It also identifies key areas of future research on health care financing in LMICs that would support progress towards UHC.
Expression, purification and molecular analysis of the human ZNF706 protein
Authors: Colombo Jucimara , Provazzi Paola Jocelan Scarin , Calmon Marilia Freitas , Pires Lilian Campos , Rodrigues Nathália Campos , Petl Paulo , Fossey Marcelo Andrés , de Souza Fátima Pereira , Canduri Fernanda , Rahal Paula 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
The ZNF706 gene encodes a protein that belongs to the zinc finger family of proteins and was found to be highly expressed in laryngeal cancer, making the structure and function of ZNF706 worthy of investigation. In this study, we expressed and purified recombinant human ZNF706 that was suitable for structural analysis in Escherichia coli BL21(DH3).

Findings
ZNF706 mRNA was extracted from a larynx tissue sample, and cDNA was ligated into a cloning vector using the TOPO method. ZNF706 protein was expressed according to the E. coli expression system procedures and was purified using a nickel-affinity column. The structural qualities of recombinant ZNF706 and quantification alpha, beta sheet, and other structures were obtained by spectroscopy of circular dichroism. ZNF706's structural modeling showed that it is composed of α-helices (28.3%), β-strands (19.4%), and turns (20.9%), in agreement with the spectral data from the dichroism analysis.

Conclusions
We used circular dichroism and molecular modeling to examine the structure of ZNF706. The results suggest that human recombinant ZNF706 keeps its secondary structures and is appropriate for functional and structural studies. The method of expressing ZNF706 protein used in this study can be used to direct various functional and structural studies that will contribute to the understanding of its function as well as its relationship with other biological molecules and its putative role in carcinogenesis.
How to diagnose the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome in patients with schizophrenia: a case report
Authors: Ohi Kazutaka , Hashimoto Ryota , Yamamori Hidenaga , Yasuda Yuka , Fujimoto Michiko , Nakatani Noriko , Kamino Kouzin , Takeda Masatoshi 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
The 22q11.2 deletion syndrome is caused by a microdeletion of chromosome 22. One third of all patients with 22q11.2 deletion develop schizophrenia-like symptoms. In general, the prevalence of 22q11.2 deletion in patients with schizophrenia is 1%–2%. The 22q11.2 deletion is one of the major known genetic risk factors for schizophrenia. However, clinical differences in the phenotypes between patients with schizophrenia who are 22q11.2 deletion carriers and those who are not are still unknown. Therefore, it may be difficult to diagnose 22q11.2 deletion in patients with schizophrenia on the basis of clinical symptoms. To date, only two Japanese patients with the deletion have been identified through microdeletion studies of patients with schizophrenia in the Japanese population. Herein, we report the case study of a 48-year-old Japanese woman with 22q11.2 deletion who had a 30-year history of schizophrenia. Based on craniofacial anomalies, unpredictable agitation, hypocalcemia, and brain imaging finding, we suspected the 22q11.2 deletion in clinical populations and diagnosed the deletion using fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. To find common phenotypes in Japanese patients with the deletion who have schizophrenia-like symptoms, we compared phenotypes among three Japanese cases. The common phenotypes were an absence of congenital cardiovascular anomalies and the presence of current findings of low intellectual ability, agitation, and hypocalcemia. We propose that hypocalcemia and agitation in patients with schizophrenia may derive from the 22q11.2 deletion, particularly when these phenotypes are coupled with schizophrenia-like symptoms.
Implementation of evidence-based practice across medical, nursing, pharmacological and allied healthcare professionals: a questionnaire survey in nationwide hospital settings
Authors: Weng Yi-Hao , Kuo Ken N , Yang Chun-Yuh , Lo Heng-Lien , Chen Chiehfeng , Chiu Ya-Wen 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
Implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) is regarded as core competence to improve healthcare quality. In the current study, we investigated the EBP of six groups of professionals: physicians, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, technicians, and other allied healthcare personnel.

Methods
A structured questionnaire survey of regional hospitals throughout Taiwan was conducted by post in 2011. Questionnaires were mailed to all healthcare workers of 11 randomly selected hospitals. Linear and logistic regression models were used to examine predictors for implementing EBP.

Results
In total, 6,160 returned questionnaires, including 645 from physicians, 4,206 from nurses, 430 from pharmacists, 179 from physical therapists, 537 from technicians, and 163 from other allied healthcare professionals, were valid for the analysis. Physicians and pharmacists were more aware of EBP than were the other professional groups (p < 0.001). Positive attitudes toward and beliefs in EBP were significantly lower among nurses than in the other groups (p < 0.001). Physicians had more sufficient knowledge and skills of EBP than did the other professionals (p < 0.001); in addition, they implemented EBP for clinical decision-making more often and perceived fewer personal barriers to EBP (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that EBP implementation was associated with the following characteristics of participants: EBP training, having a faculty position, academic degree, one's profession, and perceptions (beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, skills and barriers).

Conclusions
This study depicts various levels of EBP implementation among medical, nursing, pharmacological, and allied healthcare personnel. There were significant differences in their implementation of EBP. We observed that certain factors were associated with EBP implementation, including personal backgrounds and perceptions toward EBP. The data suggest that strategies for enhancing EBP implementation should differ for various groups of professionals.
A flow visualization model of duodenogastric reflux after esophagectomy with gastric interposition
Authors: Park Chul-Hyun , Lee Jae-Ik , Sung Jaeyong , Choi Sunghoon , Ko Kwang-Pil 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
Our goal was to verify surgical factors that affect duodenogastric reflux (DGR) after esophagectomy through the use of a flow visualization model that would mimic an intrathoracic gastric tube.

Methods
Transparent gastric tube models for different routes (retrosternal space [RS] and posterior mediastinum [PM]) were fabricated. Various distal pressures were applied to the experimental model filled with water, and the flow was recorded with a high-speed camera. The volume and maximum height of the refluxate through the pylori of two different sizes (7.5 mm, 15 mm) in two different postures (upright, semi-Fowler) was measured by analyzing the video clips.

Results
For the large pylorus setting, when the pressures of 20, 30, and 40 mmHg were applied in the upright position, the volumes of the refluxate in the RS/PM tubes were 87.7 ± 1.1/96.4 ± 1.7 mL, 150.8 ± 1.1/158.0 ± 3.2 mL, and 156.8 ± 3.3/198.0 ± 4.7 mL (p < 0.05), and the maximum heights were 101.6 ± 4.8/113.4 ± 2.9 mm, 151.4 ± 2.2/165.4 ± 1.5 mm, and 166.1 ± 1.7/193.7 ± 6.6 mm (p < 0.05). The data for the small pylorus setting or in the semi-Fowler position showed similar tendencies. For any given route, posture or pressure setting, DGR in the large pylorus model was definitively higher than that for small one.

Conclusions
This fluid mechanics study demonstrates posterior mediastinal gastric interposition or pyloric drainage procedure, or both, is associated with high reflux of duodenal contents.
Isolation of anticancer constituents from flos genkwa (Daphne genkwaSieb.et Zucc.) through bioassay-guided procedures
Authors: Li Simeng , Chou Guixin , Hseu Youcheng , Yang Hsinling , Kwan HiuYee , Yu Zhiling 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
Flos Genkwa (yuanhua in Chinese), the dried flower buds of Daphne genkwa Sieb.et Zucc. (Thymelaeaceae), is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb mainly used for diuretic, antitussive, expectorant, and anticancer effects. However, systematic and comprehensive studies on Flos Genkwa and its bioactivity are limited.

Results
After confirmation of the anti-tumor activity, the 95% ethanolic extract was subjected to successive solvent partitioning to petroleum ether, dichloromethane, n-butanol, and water soluble fractions. Each fraction was tested using the same biological activity model, and the dichloromethane fraction had the highest activity. The dichloromethane fraction was subjected to further chromatographic separation for the isolation of compounds 1–13. Among the 13 compounds, the diterpene esters (compounds 10–13) showed anticancer activity, whereas the flavonoids, lignanoids, and peptides showed moderate activity. Compound 13 was a new daphnane diterpenoid, which was named genkwanin VIII.
The preliminary antitumor mechanism of yuanhuacine was studied by protein expression and cell cycle analysis in MCF-7 cancer cells.

Conclusion
The present investigation tends to support the traditional use of Flos Genkwa for treating cancer. Through bioassay-guided fractionation and isolation techniques, the CH2Cl2 fraction was determined as the active fraction of the flower buds of D. genkwa, and the anti-tumor activity was ascribable to the compounds 10–13.
Pathway-based outlier method reveals heterogeneous genomic structure of autism in blood transcriptome
Authors: Campbell Malcolm G , Kohane Isaac S , Kong Sek Won 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
Decades of research strongly suggest that the genetic etiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) is heterogeneous. However, most published studies focus on group differences between cases and controls. In contrast, we hypothesized that the heterogeneity of the disorder could be characterized by identifying pathways for which individuals are outliers rather than pathways representative of shared group differences of the ASD diagnosis.

Methods
Two previously published blood gene expression data sets – the Translational Genetics Research Institute (TGen) dataset (70 cases and 60 unrelated controls) and the Simons Simplex Consortium (Simons) dataset (221 probands and 191 unaffected family members) – were analyzed. All individuals of each dataset were projected to biological pathways, and each sample’s Mahalanobis distance from a pooled centroid was calculated to compare the number of case and control outliers for each pathway.

Results
Analysis of a set of blood gene expression profiles from 70 ASD and 60 unrelated controls revealed three pathways whose outliers were significantly overrepresented in the ASD cases: neuron development including axonogenesis and neurite development (29% of ASD, 3% of control), nitric oxide signaling (29%, 3%), and skeletal development (27%, 3%). Overall, 50% of cases and 8% of controls were outliers in one of these three pathways, which could not be identified using group comparison or gene-level outlier methods. In an independently collected data set consisting of 221 ASD and 191 unaffected family members, outliers in the neurogenesis pathway were heavily biased towards cases (20.8% of ASD, 12.0% of control). Interestingly, neurogenesis outliers were more common among unaffected family members (Simons) than unrelated controls (TGen), but the statistical significance of this effect was marginal (Chi squared P < 0.09).

Conclusions
Unlike group difference approaches, our analysis identified the samples within the case and control groups that manifested each expression signal, and showed that outlier groups were distinct for each implicated pathway. Moreover, our results suggest that by seeking heterogeneity, pathway-based outlier analysis can reveal expression signals that are not apparent when considering only shared group differences.
The ovarian transcriptome of the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, feeding upon a bovine host infected with Babesia bovis
Authors: Heekin Andrew M , Guerrero Felix D , Bendele Kylie G , Saldivar Leo , Scoles Glen A , Dowd Scot E , Gondro Cedric , Nene Vishvanath , Djikeng Appolinaire , Brayton Kelly A 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
Cattle babesiosis is a tick-borne disease of cattle with the most severe form of the disease caused by the apicomplexan, Babesia bovis. Babesiosis is transmitted to cattle through the bite of infected cattle ticks of the genus Rhipicephalus. The most prevalent species is Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, which is distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical countries of the world. The transmission of B. bovis is transovarian and a previous study of the R. microplus ovarian proteome identified several R. microplus proteins that were differentially expressed in response to infection. Through various approaches, we studied the reaction of the R. microplus ovarian transcriptome in response to infection by B. bovis.

Methods
A group of ticks were allowed to feed on a B. bovis-infected splenectomized calf while a second group fed on an uninfected splenectomized control calf. RNA was purified from dissected adult female ovaries of both infected and uninfected ticks and a subtracted B. bovis-infected cDNA library was synthesized, subtracting with the uninfected ovarian RNA. Four thousand ESTs were sequenced from the ovary subtracted library and annotated.

Results
The subtracted library dataset assembled into 727 unique contigs and 2,161 singletons for a total of 2,888 unigenes, Microarray experiments designed to detect B. bovis-induced gene expression changes indicated at least 15 transcripts were expressed at a higher level in ovaries from ticks feeding upon the B. bovis-infected calf as compared with ovaries from ticks feeding on an uninfected calf. We did not detect any transcripts from these microarray experiments that were expressed at a lower level in the infected ovaries compared with the uninfected ovaries. Using the technique called serial analysis of gene expression, 41 ovarian transcripts from infected ticks were differentially expressed when compared with transcripts of controls.

Conclusion
Collectively, our experimental approaches provide the first comprehensive profile of the R. microplus ovarian transcriptome responding to infection by B. bovis. This dataset should prove useful in molecular studies of host-pathogen interactions between this tick and its apicomplexan parasite.
Antimicrobial activities of stearidonic and gamma-linolenic acids from the green seaweed Enteromorpha linza against several oral pathogenic bacteria
Authors: Park Nam-Hee , Choi Jae-Suk , Hwang Seon-Yeong , Kim Yang-Chun , Hong Yong-Ki , Cho Kwang Keun , Choi In Soon 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
We found that the edible green seaweed Enteromorpha linza displayed potent antimicrobial activity against Prevotella intermedia and Porphyromonas gingivalis. To elucidate the active component of E. linza, isolation procedures were performed.

Results
The main active compound was isolated by polarity fractionation, Sephadex LH-20 gel chromatography, and reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). The active compounds were eluted at isocratic 95% acetonitrile by RP-HPLC and identified as unsaturated fatty acids, stearidonic acid (SA, C18:4 n-3) and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, C18:3 n-6) by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The yields of SA and GLA from dried seaweed tissue were 6.33 × 10-3% and 6.47 × 10-3%, respectively. The minimal inhibitory concentration values of SA and GLA were 39.06 μg/mL against P. intermedia and 9.76 μg/mL against P. gingivalis, respectively. SA and GLA were also active against several other oral pathogens, including Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Candida albicans, Fusobacterium nucleatum subsp. vincenti, and Streptococcus mutans, at micromolar concentrations.

Conclusions
These data suggest that the E. linza extracts SA and GLA are useful antimicrobial agents for the prevention and/or treatment of periodontitis.
Designing and implementing unemployment benefit systems in middle and low income countries: beyond risk-pooling vs savings
Authors: Robalino David A , Weber Michael 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Several middle income countries are considering reforms to their severance pay regulations to both increase flexibility for firms and better protect workers. Policy discussions then often revolve around whether to adopt an unemployment insurance (UI) scheme or unemployment individual savings accounts (UISAs). Proponents of the first emphasize its ability to pool risks and introduce an element of solidarity. Critics point to its potentially negative effects on labor supply as individuals could have fewer incentives to seek, take or keep jobs. In this paper, we show that UI and UISAs are, in fact, particular cases of a more general design and that the crucial policy choice is in terms of how redistribution - to cover benefits for those who could not save enough - is financed. We outline key features of this general design and identify trade-offs and possible solutions. We then discuss issues related to implementation and show how recent technological developments around biometric identification can facilitate the monitoring of conditionalities related to participation in job-search and training activities.

JEL codes

O15, J64, H55
Phase I trial of the oral PARP inhibitor olaparib in combination with paclitaxel for first- or second-line treatment of patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
Authors: Dent Rebecca A , Lindeman Geoffrey J , Clemons Mark , Wildiers Hans , Chan Arlene , McCarthy Nicole J , Singer Christian F , Lowe Elizabeth S , Watkins Claire L , Carmichael James 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Introduction
This Phase I study evaluated the safety, tolerability and efficacy of olaparib, a potent oral poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, in combination with paclitaxel in patients with metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC).

Methods
Eligible patients who had received ≤1 prior cytotoxic regimen for mTNBC were treated with olaparib 200 mg bid continuously plus weekly paclitaxel 90 mg/m2 for three weeks per four-week cycle. Dose modifications in a large proportion of patients due to neutropenia resulted in enrollment of a second cohort of patients who, if they experienced grade ≥2 neutropenia in cycle 1, received granulocyte-colony stimulating factor, which was continued prophylactically in subsequent cycles. All patients had measurable disease; tumor responses were evaluated according to RECIST (version 1.0).

Results
Nineteen patients (cohort 1, n = 9; cohort 2, n = 10) received treatment; 15 had received prior taxane chemotherapy. The most frequent adverse events were diarrhea (n = 12, 63%), nausea (n = 11, 58%) and neutropenia (n = 11, 58%). Seven neutropenia events were reported in cohort 1 (four grade ≥3) and four in cohort 2 (two grade ≥3, including one event of febrile neutropenia). The median (range) dose intensity of paclitaxel was 57% (26 to 100%) in cohort 1 and 73% (29 to 100%) in cohort 2. Seven patients (37%) had a confirmed partial response; one patient remains on olaparib monotherapy without progression.

Conclusions
The combination of olaparib and weekly paclitaxel was complicated by a significant clinical interaction, with higher-than-expected rates of neutropenia despite secondary prophylaxis. Given the encouraging response rate, alternative scheduling and dosing strategies should be considered (funded by AstraZeneca; ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00707707).