bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Recurrent visceral leishmaniasis in an immunocompetent patient: a case report
Authors: Lagadinou Maria , Dimitropoulou Dimitra , Assimakopoulos Stelios F , Davoulos George , Marangos Markos 
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Introduction
Current treatment options for visceral leishmaniasis (pentavalent antimony, amphotericin B, liposomal amphotericin B and mitelfosine) achieve long-term clinical cure in the majority of immunocompetent patients. Disease relapse is usually provoked by T-cell number or function impairment (corticosteroid or cytotoxic therapy, transplant recipients, advanced human immunodeficiency virus disease).

Case presentation
We report a case of visceral leishmaniasis with multiple relapses in a 75-year-old Greek immunocompetent man. Visceral leishmaniasis relapses occurred despite appropriate treatment with liposomal amphotericin B 3mg/kg/day on days one to five, 14 and 21 (for the first episode and the first relapse) and mitelfosine 150mg/day for 28 days (for the second relapse). The third relapse was treated with high-dose liposomal amphotericin B (10mg/kg for two consecutive days), followed by a secondary prophylaxis of 3mg/kg once per month, which prevented disease reappearance during one year of follow-up.

Conclusion
An unusual case of recurrent visceral leishmaniasis in an older immunocompetent patient was treated with high-dose liposomal amphotericin B and a monthly prophylaxis with no evidence of a relapse after one year of follow-up.
Postoperative neurological aggravation after anesthesia with sevoflurane in a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum: a case report
Authors: Fjouji Salaheddine , Bensghir Mustapha , Yafat Bahija , Bouhabba Najib , Boutayeb Elhoucine , Azendour Hicham , Kamili Nordine Drissi 
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Introduction
Xeroderma pigmentosum is a rare autosomal recessive disease that causes changes in skin pigmentation, precancerous lesions and neurological abnormalities. It is a defect in the nucleotide excision repair mechanism. It has been reported that volatile anesthetics has a possible genotoxic side effect and deranged nucleotide excision repair in cells obtained from a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum.
We report an unusual case of postoperative neurological aggravation in a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum anesthetized with sevoflurane.

Case presentation
A 24-year-old African woman, who has had xeroderma pigmentosum since childhood, was admitted to our hospital for a femoral neck fracture. A preoperative physical examination revealed that she had a resting tremor with ataxia. She had cutaneous lesions such as keratosis and hyperpigmentation on her face and both hands. There was no major alteration of cognitive function, muscular strength was maintained and her osteotendinous reflexes were preserved. Surgical fixation was performed under general anesthesia after the failure of spinal anesthesia. All parameters were stable during surgery. When she woke up four hours later, the patient presented with confusion and psychomotor agitation, sharpened reflexes and the Babinski reflex was present. Her postoperative test results and a magnetic resonance imaging scan were unremarkable. It was suggested that sevoflurane had had a probable deleterious effect on the neurological status of this patient.

Conclusion
The anesthetizing of a patient with xeroderma pigmentosum is associated with a risk of worsening neurological disorders. At present, there are no clear recommendations to avoid the use of volatile agents in the anesthetic management of patients with xeroderma pigmentosum. More clinical and experimental research is needed to confirm the sensitivity of patients with xeroderma pigmentosum to sevoflurane and other halogenated anesthetics.
Recombinant Arthrobacter β-1, 3-glucanase as a potential effector molecule for paratransgenic control of Chagas disease
Authors: Jose Christo , Klein Nicole , Wyss Sarah , Fieck Annabeth , Hurwitz Ivy , Durvasula Ravi 
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Background
Chagas disease is most often transmitted to humans by Trypanosoma cruzi infected triatomine bugs, and remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in Central and South America. Control of Chagas disease has relied mainly on vector eradication. However, development of insect resistance has prompted us to develop a paratransgenic strategy to control vectorial transmission of T. cruzi. Here, the potential role of recombinant endoglucanases as anti-trypanosomal agents for paratransgenic application is examined. The surface of T. cruzi is covered by a thick coat of mucin-like glycoproteins that have been proposed to play a role in the binding of T. cruzi to the membrane surface of the vector gut. We hypothesize that disruption of these glycoconjugates could arrest parasite development in the vector and abort the transmission cycle. In this work, we examine the effects of recombinant Arthrobacter luteus β-1, 3-glucanase expressed via Rhodococcus rhodnii on T. cruzi Sylvio II strain.

Methods and results
The coding sequence for β-1, 3-glucanase was cloned in-frame to a heterologous promoter/signal sequence from the Mycobacterium kansasii alpha antigen gene resident in an E. coli/R. rhodnii shuttle vector. The resulting construct was confirmed by sequencing, and electroporated into R. rhodnii. Expression products from positive clones were purified from log phase cultures followed by dialysis into physiological buffers. Lysates and media were quantitated by ELISA against rabbit antibody specific to β-1,3-glucanase. Glucanase-positive samples were applied to live T. cruzi parasites in culture and viability accessed by spectrophotometric and fluorescent microscopic measurements. R. rhodnii-expressed β-1,3-glucanase exhibited toxicity against T. cruzi compared to controls when applied at 5 and 10% of the total culture volume. The decrease in cell viability ranged from a maximum of 50% for the media treatments to 80% for the filtered lysates.

Conclusions
These results suggest that recombinant β-glucanase could be a powerful addition to the arsenal of effector molecules for paratransgenic control of Chagas disease. In future studies, the ability of β-glucanase to function in combination with other effector molecules will be explored. Dual targeting of T. cruzi should not only slow resistance but also permit synergistic or additive lethal effects on T. cruzi.
Intimate Partner Violence and Anal Intercourse In Young Adult Heterosexual Relationships
Authors: Hess Kristen L. , Javanbakht Marjan , Brown Joelle M. , Weiss Robert E. , Hsu Paul , Gorbach Pamina M. 
Published: March 2013

ContextAlthough intimate partner violence and anal intercourse are common in young adult relationships, few studies have examined whether these behaviors are associated with each other.MethodsData from 6,280 women aged 18–28 who took part in Wave 3 of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were used to examine the association between physical and sexual intimate partner violence and anal intercourse in 10,462 relationships. Multivariate hierarchical random effects models were used to adjust for the clustered survey design and for the multiple relationships reported per participant.ResultsPhysical violence occurred in 29% of relationships, sexual violence in 11% and anal intercourse in 14%. The odds that a couple had had anal intercourse were greater among relationships that included physical violence perpetrated by both partners or only by the woman than among nonviolent relationships (odds ratios, 1.7 and 1.9, respectively). The odds of anal intercourse were also elevated among sexually abusive relationships, although only if the woman was the sole victim or the sole perpetrator (1.3 and 2.0, respectively). In relationships that included anal intercourse, the odds of condom use were lower if the woman was a victim of physical violence than if no violence occurred (0.2). Sexual violence was not associated with condom use.ConclusionWomen in physically violent relationships may be at increased risk for STDs because of their elevated exposure to unprotected anal intercourse. More information on the context surrounding anal intercourse and intimate partner violence is needed to understand the nuances of this association.
Antigen Microarrays for the Study of Autoimmune Diseases
Authors: Yeste Ada , Quintana Francisco J 
Published: March 2013

BACKGROUNDThe immune response involves the activation of heterogeneous populations of T cells and B cells that show different degrees of affinity and specificity for target antigens. Although several techniques have been developed to study the molecular pathways that control immunity, there is a need for high-throughput assays to monitor the specificity of the immune response.CONTENTAntigen microarrays provide a new tool to study the immune response. We reviewed the literature on antigen microarrays and their advantages and limitations, and we evaluated their use for the study of autoimmune diseases. Antigen arrays have been successfully used for several purposes in the investigation of autoimmune disorders: for disease diagnosis, to monitor disease progression and response to therapy, to discover mechanisms of pathogenesis, and to tailor antigen-specific therapies to the autoimmune response of individual patients. In this review we discuss the use of antigen microarrays for the study of 4 common autoimmune diseases and their animal models: type 1 diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.CONCLUSIONSAntigen microarrays constitute a new tool for the investigation of the immune response in autoimmune disorders and also in other conditions such as tumors and allergies. Once current limitations are overcome, antigen microarrays have the potential to revolutionize the investigation and management of autoimmune diseases.
An enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of the human haptoglobin phenotype
Authors: Levy Nina S. , Vardi Moshe , Blum Shany , Miller-Lotan Rachel , Afinbinder Yefim , Cleary Patricia A. , Paterson Andrew D. , Bharaj Bhupinder , Snell-Bergeon Janet K. , Rewers Marian J. , Lache Orit , Levy Andrew P. 
Published: March 2013

Abstract

Background: Haptoglobin (Hp) is an abundant serum protein which binds extracorpuscular hemoglobin (Hb). Two alleles exist in humans for the Hp gene, denoted 1 and 2. Diabetic individuals with the Hp 2-2 genotype are at increased risk of developing vascular complications including heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. Recent evidence shows that treatment with vitamin E can reduce the risk of diabetic vascular complications by as much as 50% in Hp 2-2 individuals. We sought to develop a rapid and accurate test for Hp phenotype (which is 100% concordant with the three major Hp genotypes) to facilitate widespread diagnostic testing as well as prospective clinical trials.

Methods: A monoclonal antibody raised against human Hp was shown to distinguish between the three Hp phenotypes in an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hp phenotypes obtained in over 8000 patient samples using this ELISA method were compared with those obtained by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis or the TaqMan PCR method.

Results: Our analysis showed that the sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA test for Hp 2-2 phenotype is 99.0% and 98.1%, respectively. The positive predictive value and the negative predictive value for Hp 2-2 phenotype is 97.5% and 99.3%, respectively. Similar results were obtained for Hp 2-1 and Hp 1-1 phenotypes. In addition, the ELISA was determined to be more sensitive and specific than the TaqMan method.

Conclusions: The Hp ELISA represents a user-friendly, rapid and highly accurate diagnostic tool for determining Hp phenotypes. This test will greatly facilitate the typing of thousands of samples in ongoing clinical studies.
Efficient oxidative cyclization of N-acylhydrazones for the synthesis of 2,5-disubstituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles using t-BuOI under neutral conditions
Authors: Gao Peng , Wei Yunyang 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
An efficient procedure for the oxidative cyclization of N-acylhydrazones was developed utilizing tert-butyl hypoiodite (t-BuOI), which is generated in situ from t-BuOCl and NaI. A variety of 2,5-disubstituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles were synthesized in high yields within short reaction time. The method is also suitable for cyclization of N-acylhydrazones derived from heterocyclic aldehydes and aliphatic aldehydes. Mild reaction conditions and simple workup operations make the procedure a good alternative for the synthesis of 2,5-disubstituted 1,3,4-oxadiazoles.
Characterization of fiber development in high- and low-consistency refining of primary mechanical pulp
Authors: Fernando Dinesh , Gorski Dmitri , Sabourin Marc , Daniel Geoffrey 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
Primary refined softwood was subjected to high-consistency (HC) or low-consistency (LC) secondary refining, and the nature of the development of the internal and external fiber microstructure and ultrastructure has been compared. The primary refining of mixed softwood as a raw material was performed in pilot scale by the advanced thermomechanical pulp process. The study was aiming at the comparative characterization of LC and HC pulps at the fiber level when produced with similar and well-characterized handsheet properties. The formerly described Simons’ staining method was applied. A significant degree of fiber wall delamination/internal fibrillation (D/IF) was observed during both LC and HC refining. Both the energy input and the refining consistency had a significant impact on elevating the degree of fiber wall D/IF. The statistical evaluation of internal fiber development indicated that the fiber populations in LC- and HC-refined pulps had a similar degree of fiber wall D/IF despite having a large difference in refining energy input (420 kW h odt-1), confirming that D/IF was promoted more energy-efficiently in LC than in HC refining. The characteristic of the external fiber development from HC and LC refining was very different. Secondary LC refining promoted fiber surfaces with ribbons of thin hairlike threads arising from the inner secondary S2 layer that occasionally developed along the whole fiber length. Broad sheet- and lamellae-type external fibrillation from the S2 was typical for HC refining, and these characteristics were rarely observed in the LC pulps. The mechanisms for LC and HC fiber development are proposed. The cell wall characteristics (internal and external) of the pulp fibers appear to govern most of the physical and optical properties in handsheets.
Mechanical performance of yew (Taxus baccata L.) from a longbow perspective
Authors: Bjurhager Ingela , Gamstedt E. Kristofer , Keunecke Daniel , Niemz Peter , Berglund Lars A. 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
Yew (Taxus baccata L.) longbow was the preferred weapon in the Middle Ages until the emergence of guns. In this study, the tensile, compression, and bending properties of yew were investigated. The advantage of yew over the other species in the study was also confirmed by a simple beam model. The superior toughness of yew has the effect that a yew longbow has a higher range compared with bows made from other species. Unexpectedly, the mechanical performance of a bow made from yew is influenced by the juvenile-to-mature wood ratio rather than by the heartwood-to-sapwood ratio. A yew bow is predicted to have maximized performance at a juvenile wood content of 30–50%, and located at the concave side (the compressive side facing the bowyer). Here, the stiffness and yield stress in compression should be as high as possible.
Hormone replacement therapy: evolution of body mass index, bone mineral density, and lipid profile
Authors: Cortés-Prieto Joaquín , Vicente-Hernanz Maria Lina , Cortés-García Ana , Keller Jerry , del Rio Rosario Cintas , Segoviano José Luis Brita-Paja 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
One hundred and eighty-five female never-hormone users with a mean age of 50.71 (SD=5.58) years upon initiation of treatment were studied before instauration and during treatment. The profile of patients subjected to the study included body mass index (BMI), bone mineral density (BMD), and lipid profile (LP). In our population, pretreatment values were within the normal range, which is why a hormone replacement therapy (HRT), conjugated equine estrogen plus medroxyprogesterone acetate, was administered to a healthy population of women for 9.82±5.42 years and follow-up comprised 1815.84 woman-years. To study the effects of treatment on the investigated clinical subjects, we resorted to comparative analyses of pretreatment and posttreatment mean values: descriptive and comparative hypothesis, followed by a repeated measurements design to investigate the evolution on three levels according to age groups just before the initiation of the treatment and on the other three levels during the treatment with a minimum follow-up of 9 years. On the basis of the numerical results, we were able to conclude that BMD decreased significantly (p=0.00) well above the values found on curves corresponding to these age groups. The total cholesterol decreased significantly at 2–3 years interval (p=0.04). The rest of the LP factors remained within a safe margin. Therefore, long-term HRT may be considered initially as a beneficial alternative in the treated study population.
Effects of lipotoxicity on a novel insulin-secreting human pancreatic β-cell line, 1.1B4
Authors: Vasu Srividya , McClenaghan Neville H. , McCluskey Jane T. , Flatt Peter R. 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
The novel insulin-secreting human pancreatic β-cell line, 1.1B4, demonstrates stability in culture and many of the secretory functional attributes of human pancreatic β-cells. This study investigated the cellular responses of 1.1B4 cells to lipotoxicity. Chronic 18-h exposure of 1.1B4 cells to 0.5 mm palmitate resulted in decreased cell viability and insulin content. Secretory responses to classical insulinotropic agents and cellular Ca2+ handling were also impaired. Palmitate decreased glucokinase activity and mRNA expression of genes involved in secretory function but up-regulated mRNA expression of HSPA5, EIF2A, and EIF2AK3, implicating activation of the endoplasmic reticulum stress response. Palmitate also induced DNA damage and apoptosis of 1.1B4 cells. These responses were accompanied by increased gene expression of the antioxidant enzymes SOD1, SOD2, CAT and GPX1. This study details molecular mechanisms underlying lipotoxicity in 1.1B4 cells and indicates the potential value of the novel β-cell line for future research.
Figurative language and ELF: idiomaticity in cross-cultural interaction in university settings
Authors: Franceschi Valeria 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
The academic community has relied on English as its working language in official settings such as international conferences and publications for a long time. University internationalization has thus fostered the use of English as a language of international communication among students and staff, particularly in face-to-face interaction. This paper explores spoken multiparty interaction among non-native speaker students and teachers engaging in academic discourse (i.e., seminars, group work), and aims at investigating the role of idiomatic language in such settings by examining data drawn from the ELFA (English as a Lingua Franca in Academic Settings) and SELF (Studying in English as a Lingua Franca) corpora, compiled in Helsinki (Mauranen 2003, 2006a, 2006b, 2010; Mauranen et al. 2010). Data analysis focuses on the identification of potential ELF-distinctive patterns involving idiomatic language. The research attempts to determine whether idiomatic items appear as the pivotal elements in problemsolving sequences and to identify other idiom-related communication strategies, as well as describe the social functions they fulfill in cross-cultural academic interactions. Attention is also paid to the issues of idiomatic variation and creativity (Pitzl 2009) as well as unilateral idiomaticity (Seidlhofer 2009), that is, how figurative language may challenge the successful achievement of cross-cultural communicative acts.
Express-ability in ELF communication
Authors: Albl-Mikasa Michaela 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
In ELF research, ample evidence has been collected to show that communication in (dialogic) ELF interactions works and that it does so in intriguingly creative ways. In a questionnaire survey and an in-depth interview study, simultaneous conference interpreters present a less optimistic view with regard to (monologic) mediated multilingual settings, which are increasingly shaped by a growing number of non-native English-speaking participants. Moreover, the interpreters put the adverse effects of ELF speaker output on their cognitive processing down to the speakers' restricted power of expression. This is paralleled by empirical evidence from ELF speakers in TELF (the Tübingen English as a Lingua Franca corpus and database), who put into perspective their general feeling that they can cope in ELF interactions (which is in line with the ELF study findings mentioned above) by voicing dissatisfaction with their restricted capacity of expressing what they want to convey with the required or desired degree of precision.
In a theoretical discussion, the Express-ability Principle is introduced to capture the nature of the human effort for expression (complementary to Bartlett's effort after meaning). In the subsequent presentation, sociocultural and psycholinguistic research sheds light on express-ability in the context of ELF by applying Slobin's Thinking for Speaking (TFS) hypothesis to second-language contexts. It reveals the interface between verbal (L1) thinking and externalized (L2) speech and explains expression-related problems in terms of transfer effects in connection with age of acquisition and linguistic environment. This directs further ELF research into the nature of express-ability towards an examination of production processes, developmental and procedural aspects in early and late bilingual ELF speakers, a shared languages benefit to compensate for cross-linguistic transfer and the (relative) effectiveness of unmediated and mediated ELF communication.
ELF and academic writing: a perspective from the Expanding Circle
Authors: Ingvarsdóttir Hafdís , Arnbjörnsdóttir Birna 
Published: March 2013

Abstract
Scant attention has been paid to written academic ELF and international scholars' perceptions of coping with writing academic papers in English. Available studies seem to have an ENL stance with a few exceptions. This article describes the views of Icelandic academics on using English in their scientific pursuits. The findings are based on a survey administered to faculty members at the University of Iceland where English has historically had a high profile as a utility language. The survey was followed up with interviews with ten academics. The findings indicate that even though respondents claim that their general English is good, the majority confess to an added workload and needing assistance with their academic English. Despite pressure from the university to increase international publication where ENL writing standards seem to be the only accepted norm, no official writing support is offered. It is not clear whether writing in English increases competitiveness when the writing does not meet ENL norms. The results call for more discussion on the appropriateness of adhering to ENL standards by journals to which non-native users of English contribute. The results also highlight the need for more emphasis in ELF research on the nature of written ELF academic discourse.