bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Major breed distribution of canine patients enucleated or eviscerated due to glaucoma following routine cataract surgery as well as common histopathologic findings within enucleated globes
Authors: Scott Erin M. , Esson Douglas W. , Fritz Kevin J. , Dubielzig Richard R. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractPurposeTo identify the most significantly represented breeds that were enucleated or eviscerated due to intractable glaucoma following elective cataract surgery and to describe the major histopathologic features of enucleated globes.MethodsA retrospective review of theComparativeOcularPathology Laboratory ofWisconsin database revealed 153 canine evisceration or enucleation submissions that met inclusion criteria. The most commonly represented breeds were identified, and enucleated globes of these breeds were further evaluated histologically (n = 69). Following standard hematoxylin & eosin staining, globes were evaluated for the presence of; corneal pathology, goniodysgenesis, pigment dispersion, pre‐iridal fibrovascular membranes (PIFVMs), peripheral anterior, and/or posterior synechiation, inflammatory infiltrates, lens pathology, retinal pathology, and/or endophthalmitis.ResultsThe most significantly represented breeds were the Cocker Spaniel (11.7%),BostonTerrier (10.5%),LabradorRetriever (6.5%),BichonFrise (6.5%),ShihTzu (5.8%), andJackRussellTerrier (5.8%). Common histopathologic findings included inflammatory keratitis, the presence ofPIFVMs, and lymphoplasmacytic uveal infiltrates.ConclusionsTheCockerSpaniel,BostonTerrier,LabradorRetriever,BichonFrise,ShihTzu, andJackRussellTerrier may be at increased risk of the development of glaucoma following elective cataract surgery. These findings have potential clinical implications.
Size‐related assessment on viability and insulin secretion of caprine islets in vitro
Authors: Vakhshiteh Faezeh , Allaudin Zeenathul Nazariah , Mohd Lila Mohd Azmi B. , Hani Homayoun 
Published: February 2013

AbstractBackgroundThe successful isolation, purification, and culture of caprine islets has recently been reported. The present study shows arange of size distribution in caprine islet diameter from 50 to 250 μm, in which 80% of the total islet yield was comprised of small islets.MethodsCaprine islets were isolated and purified. Islets were handpicked and the diameter of the islets was recorded using light microscopy. Viablility of the islets was analyzed by confocal microscopy. Insulin secretion assay was carried out and analyzed by ELISA.ResultsWhen tested at 48 h after isolation, these small islets were 29.3% more viable compared to the large‐sized islets. Large islets showed a high ratio (P < 0.01) of central core necrosis (29.5% ± 1.92) whilst no significant core death was observed in small islets (2.33% ± 0.59). The annexin assay demonstrated 5.21% ± 0.97 and 7.34% ± 0.78 apoptotic death for small and large islets, respectively. During static incubation, small islets released 2.89‐fold (1.39 ± 0.2 ng/IE) higher insulin level under low glucose induction (3.3 mm) and simultaneously 2.92‐fold (2.95 ± 0.33 ng/IE) more insulin under high glucose condition (16.7 mm) in comparison to large islets at the same islet equivalents (P < 0.05).ConclusionThe present findings evidenced the superior quality of smaller caprine islets compared to larger ones under an optimized basal maintenance condition. As it is equally important to preserve the quality of larger caprine islets, this work warrants further investigation on special culture conditions to support these islets.
Risk of Infectious Gastroenteritis in Young Children Living in Québec Rural Areas with Intensive Animal Farming: Results of a Case–Control Study (2004–2007)
Authors: Levallois P. , Chevalier P. , Gingras S. , Déry P. , Payment P. , Michel P. , Rodriguez M. 
Published: February 2013

SummaryThis study was designed to evaluate the epidemiology of severe gastroenteritis in children living in Québec rural areas with intensive livestock activities. From September 2005 through June 2007, 165 cases of gastroenteritis in children aged from 6 months to 5 years, hospitalized or notified to the public health department were enrolled, and 326 eligible controls participated. The parents of cases and controls were asked questions about different gastroenteritis risk factors. The quality of the drinking water used by the participants was investigated for microbial indicators as well as for four zoonotic bacterial pathogens (Campylobacter spp, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp and Yersinia spp) and two enteric parasites (Cryptosporidium spp and Giardia spp). From 134 stool specimen analysed, viruses were detected in 82 cases (61%), while 28 (21%) were found with at least one of the bacteria investigated, and five cases were infected by parasites. Campylobacteriosis was the main bacterial infection (n = 15), followed by Salmonella sp (n = 7) and E. coli O157:H7 (n = 5) among cases with bacterial gastroenteritis. No significant difference was found between cases and controls regarding the quality of water consumed; the frequency of faecal contamination of private wells was also similar between cases and controls. Considering the total cases (including those with a virus), no link was found between severe gastroenteritis and either being in contact with animals or living in a municipality with the highest animal density (4th quartile). However, when considering only cases with a bacterial or parasite infection (n = 32), there was a weak association with pig density that was not statistically significant after adjusting for potential confounders. Contact with domestic, zoo or farm animals were the only environmental factor associated with the disease.
The André–Oort conjecture for Drinfeld modular varieties
Authors: Hubschmid Patrik 
Published: February 2013

AbstractWe consider the analogue of the André–Oort conjecture for Drinfeld modular varieties which was formulated by Breuer. We prove this analogue for special points with separable reflex field over the base field by adapting methods which were used by Klingler and Yafaev to prove the André–Oort conjecture under the generalized Riemann hypothesis in the classical case. Our result extends results of Breuer showing the correctness of the analogue for special points lying in a curve and for special points having a certain behaviour at a fixed set of primes.
Computing zeta functions of nondegenerate hypersurfaces with few monomials
Authors: Sperber Steven , Voight John 
Published: February 2013

AbstractUsing the cohomology theory of Dwork, as developed by Adolphson and Sperber, we exhibit a deterministic algorithm to compute the zeta function of a nondegenerate hypersurface defined over a finite field. This algorithm is particularly well suited to work with polynomials in small characteristic that have few monomials (relative to their dimension). Our method covers toric, affine, and projective hypersurfaces, and also can be used to compute the L-function of an exponential sum.
A comprehensive perturbation theorem for estimating magnitudes of roots of polynomials
Authors: Pakdemirli M. , Sarı G. 
Published: February 2013

AbstractA comprehensive new perturbation theorem is posed and proven to estimate the magnitudes of roots of polynomials. The theorem successfully determines the magnitudes of roots for arbitrary degree of polynomial equations with no restrictions on the coefficients. In the previous papers ‘Pakdemirli and Elmas, Appl. Math. Comput. 216 (2010) 1645–1651’ and ‘Pakdemirli and Yurtsever, Appl. Math. Comput. 188 (2007) 2025–2028’, the given theorems were valid only for some restricted coefficients. The given theorem in this work is a generalization and unification of the past theorems and valid for arbitrary coefficients. Numerical applications of the theorem are presented as examples. It is shown that the theorem produces good estimates for the magnitudes of roots of polynomial equations of arbitrary order and unrestricted coefficients.
Tight‐frame based iterative image reconstruction for spectral breast CT
Authors: Zhao Bo , Gao Hao , Ding Huanjun , Molloi Sabee 
Published: February 2013

Purpose:To investigate tight‐frame based iterative reconstruction (TFIR) technique for spectral breast computed tomography (CT) using fewer projections while achieving greater image quality.Methods:The experimental data were acquired with a fan‐beam breast CT system based on a cadmium zinc telluride photon‐counting detector. The images were reconstructed with a varying number of projections using the TFIR and filtered backprojection (FBP) techniques. The image quality between these two techniques was evaluated. The image's spatial resolution was evaluated using a high‐resolution phantom, and the contrast to noise ratio (CNR) was evaluated using a postmortem breast sample. The postmortem breast samples were decomposed into water, lipid, and protein contents based on images reconstructed from TFIR with 204 projections and FBP with 614 projections. The volumetric fractions of water, lipid, and protein from the image‐based measurements in both TFIR and FBP were compared to the chemical analysis.Results:The spatial resolution and CNR were comparable for the images reconstructed by TFIR with 204 projections and FBP with 614 projections. Both reconstruction techniques provided accurate quantification of water, lipid, and protein composition of the breast tissue when compared with data from the reference standard chemical analysis.Conclusions:Accurate breast tissue decomposition can be done with three fold fewer projection images by the TFIR technique without any reduction in image spatial resolution and CNR. This can result in a two‐third reduction of the patient dose in a multislit and multislice spiral CT system in addition to the reduced scanning time in this system.
Novel Aspects of the Z and R3 Antigens of Streptococcus agalactiae Revealed by Immunological Testing
Authors: Maeland Johan A. , Radtke Andreas , Lyng Randi V. , Mavenyengwa Rooyen T. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT
Group B streptococci (GBS) are important human and bovine pathogens which can be classified by a variety of phenotype- and gene-based techniques. The capsular polysaccharide and strain-variable, surface-anchored proteins are particularly important phenotypic markers. In an earlier study, a previously unrecognized protein antigen called Z was described. It was expressed by 27.2% of GBS strains from Zimbabwe, usually in combination with R3 protein expression. In this study, a putative Z-specific antiserum actually contained antibodies against two different antigens named Z1 and Z2; Z1 was >250 kDa in molecular mass. Z1, Z2, and R3 generated multiple stained bands on Western blots and showed similar chromatographic characteristics with respect to molecular mass, aggregate formation, and charge. Of 28 reference and prototype GBS strains examined, 8/28 (28.5%) isolates expressed one, two, or all three of the Z1, Z2, and R3 antigens; 4/28 expressed all three antigens; 2/28 expressed Z2 and R3; 1/28 expressed Z1 only; and 1/28 expressed R3 only. Twenty (71.5%) of the 28 isolates expressed none of the three antigens. Expression of one or more of these antigens was shown by isolates of the capsular polysaccharide types Ia, Ib, V, and IX and NT strains and occurred in combination with expression of various other strain-variable and surface-localized protein antigens. When used as serosubtype markers, Z1, Z2, and R3 affected existing GBS serotype designations for some of the isolates. For instance, the R3 reference strain Prague 10/84 (ATCC 49447) changed serotype markers from V/R3 to V/R3, Z1, and Z2. Other isolates may change correspondingly, implying consequences for GBS serotyping and research.
Adjuvanticity of a Recombinant Calreticulin Fragment in Assisting Anti-β-Glucan IgG Responses in T Cell-Deficient Mice
Authors: Li Wei-Ji , Long Kai , Dong Hong-Liang , Gao Xiao-Ming 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT

Polysaccharide-encapsulated fungi are the chief source of diseases in immunocompromised hosts such as those infected with human immunodeficiency virus or neutropenia patients. Currently available polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccines are mainly T cell dependent and are usually ineffective in weakened immune systems. In this study, laminarin, a well-characterized β-1,3-glucan, was conjugated with a prokaryotically expressed recombinant fragment (amino acids [aa] 39 to 272) of calreticulin (rCRT/39–272), which exhibits extraordinarily potent immunogenicity and adjuvanticity in experimental animals. The resultant conjugate reserves the immunostimulatory effect of rCRT/39–272 on naïve murine B cells and is capable of eliciting anti-β-glucan IgG (mostly IgG1) responses in not only BALB/c mice but also athymic nude mice. Laminarin-CRT-induced mouse antibodies (Abs) are able to bind with
Candida albicans
and inhibit its growth
in vitro
. In addition, vaccination with laminarin-CRT partially protects mice from lethal
C. albicans
challenge. These results imply that rCRT/39–272 could be used as an ideal carrier or adjuvant for carbohydrate vaccines aimed at inducing or boosting IgG responses to fungal infections in immunodeficient hosts.
Hemin-Binding Proteins as Potent Markers for Serological Diagnosis of Infections with Bartonella quintana
Authors: Matsuoka Mayumi , Sasaki Toshinori , Seki Naomi , Kobayashi Mutsuo , Sawabe Kyoko , Sasaki Yuko , Shibayama Keigo , Sasaki Tsuguo , Arakawa Yoshichika 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACTIt is difficult to distinguish infections with differentBartonellaspecies using commercially available immunofluorescence (indirect immunofluorescent antibody [IFA]) assay kits. To identify appropriate proteins for serodiagnosis ofBartonella quintanainfections, we investigated the antigenicity ofB. quintanaproteins using sera from homeless people with highB. quintanaIgG titers in IFA assay. These sera reacted strongly to an outer membrane protein, hemin-binding protein D (HbpD). Further, serum from an endocarditis patient infected withB. quintanareacted to HbpB and HbpD. To locate the antigenic sites within the proteins, we generated deletion mutants of HbpB and HbpD. Amino acid residues 89 to 220 of HbpB and 151 to 200 of HbpD were identified as the minimum regions required for recognition by these sera. Several oligopeptides comprising parts of the minimum regions of HbpB and HbpD were synthesized, and their immunoreactivity with the above-mentioned sera was tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Serum from the endocarditis patient reacted similarly to synthetic peptides HbpB2 (amino acid residues 144 to 173 of HbpB) and HbpD3 (151 to 200 residues of HbpD), while sera from the other subjects reacted to HbpD3. These results indicate that synthetic peptides HbpB2 and HbpD3 might be suitable for developing serological tools for differential diagnosis ofB. quintanainfections from otherBartonellainfections.
Molecular Characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype 12F Isolates Associated with Rural Community Outbreaks in Alaska
Authors: Zulz Tammy , Wenger Jay D. , Rudolph Karen , Robinson D. Ashley , Rakov Alexey V. , Bruden Dana , Singleton Rosalyn J. , Bruce Michael G. , Hennessy Thomas W. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT

Outbreaks of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) caused by
Streptococcus pneumoniae
serotype 12F were observed in two neighboring regions of rural Alaska in 2003 to 2006 and 2006 to 2008. IPD surveillance data from 1986 to 2009 and carriage survey data from 1998 to 2004 and 2008 to 2009 were reviewed to identify patterns of serotype 12F transmission. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed on all available isolates, and selected isolates were characterized by additional genetic subtyping methods. Serotype 12F IPD occurred in two waves in Alaska between 1986 and 2008. While cases of disease occurred nearly every year in Anchorage, in rural regions, 12F IPD occurred with rates 10- to 20-fold higher than those in Anchorage, often with many years between disease peaks and generally caused by a single predominant genetic clone. Carriage occurred predominantly in adults, except early in the rural outbreaks, when most carriage was in persons <18 years old. In rural regions, carriage of 12F disappeared completely after outbreaks. Different 12F clones appear to have been introduced episodically into rural populations, spread widely in young, immunologically naïve populations (leading to outbreaks of IPD lasting 1 to 3 years), and then disappeared rapidly from the population. Larger population centers might have been the reservoir for these clones. This epidemiologic pattern is consistent with a highly virulent, but immunogenic, form of pneumococcus.
“Candidatus Mycoplasma haemomacaque” and Bartonella quintana Bacteremia in Cynomolgus Monkeys
Authors: Maggi Ricardo G. , Mascarelli Patricia E. , Balakrishnan Nandhakumar , Rohde Cynthia M. , Kelly Catherine M. , Ramaiah Lila , Leach Michael W. , Breitschwerdt Edward B. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT

Here, we report latent infections with
Bartonella quintana
and a hemotropic
Mycoplasma
sp. in a research colony of cynomolgus monkeys (
Macaca fascicularis
). Sequence alignments, evolutionary analysis, and signature nucleotide sequence motifs of the hemotropic
Mycoplasma
16S rRNA and RNase P genes indicate the presence of a novel organism.
Development of a Pseudotyped-Lentiviral-Vector-Based Neutralization Assay for Chikungunya Virus Infection
Authors: Kishishita Natsuko , Takeda Naokazu , Anuegoonpipat Atchareeya , Anantapreecha Surapee 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACTChikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that causes chikungunya fever in Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Because the mosquito vectorAedes albopictusis present in habitats across Europe, North America, and East Asia, CHIKV has become a serious worldwide public health concern. Infection with CHIKV typically causes fever, rash, myalgia, and arthralgia. One of the important questions yet to be answered is how the host immune system is involved in the development of this disease. In this study, we prepared a CHIKV-pseudotyped lentiviral vector for use in a safe and convenient neutralization (NT) assay and analyzed its efficacy. The CHIKV-pseudotyped lentiviral vector was prepared by cotransfection with plasmids encoding the CHIKV glycoproteins E3, E2, 6k, and E1, packaging elements, and a luciferase reporter. This alternative to native CHIKV can be safely handled in a biosafety level 2 facility. The NT assay was optimized using sera from CHIKV-immunized mice and then applied to human patient sera. The majority of the serum samples from patients with chikungunya in Thailand showed robust neutralization activities, with titers that were tightly correlated with those determined by a conventional NT assay. Moreover, there was a strong correlation with the CHIKV antibody titers as determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Thus, the CHIKV-pseudotyped-lentiviral-vector-based NT assay system is a powerful tool for examining the neutralization activity of patient sera, which will lead to a better understanding of the immune responses involved in CHIKV infection.
Outbreak Investigation Using High-Throughput Genome Sequencing within a Diagnostic Microbiology Laboratory
Authors: Sherry Norelle L. , Porter Jessica L. , Seemann Torsten , Watkins Andrew , Stinear Timothy P. , Howden Benjamin P. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of bacterial genomes has recently become more accessible and is now available to the routine diagnostic microbiology laboratory. However, questions remain regarding its feasibility, particularly with respect to data analysis in nonspecialist centers. To test the applicability of NGS to outbreak investigations, Ion Torrent sequencing was used to investigate a putative multidrug-resistant
Escherichia coli
outbreak in the neonatal unit of the Mercy Hospital for Women, Melbourne, Australia. Four suspected outbreak strains and a comparator strain were sequenced. Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis demonstrated that the four neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) strains were identical and easily differentiated from the comparator strain. Genome sequence data also determined that the NICU strains belonged to multilocus sequence type 131 and carried the
bla
CTX-M-15
extended-spectrum beta-lactamase. Comparison of the outbreak strains to all publicly available complete
E. coli
genome sequences showed that they clustered with neonatal meningitis and uropathogenic isolates. The turnaround time from a positive culture to the completion of sequencing (prior to data analysis) was 5 days, and the cost was approximately $300 per strain (for the reagents only). The main obstacles to a mainstream adoption of NGS technologies in diagnostic microbiology laboratories are currently cost (although this is decreasing), a paucity of user-friendly and clinically focused bioinformatics platforms, and a lack of genomics expertise outside the research environment. Despite these hurdles, NGS technologies provide unparalleled high-resolution genotyping in a short time frame and are likely to be widely implemented in the field of diagnostic microbiology in the next few years, particularly for epidemiological investigations (replacing current typing methods) and the characterization of resistance determinants. Clinical microbiologists need to familiarize themselves with these technologies and their applications.
An RNA Element in Human Interleukin 6 Confers Escape from Degradation by the Gammaherpesvirus SOX Protein
Authors: Hutin Stephanie , Lee Yeon , Glaunsinger Britt A. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACT

Several viruses express factors to silence host gene expression via widespread mRNA degradation. This phenotype is the result of the coordinated activity of the viral endonuclease SOX and the cellular RNA degradation enzyme Xrn1 during lytic Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infection. While most cellular transcripts are highly downregulated, a subset of host mRNA escapes turnover via unknown mechanisms. One of the most prominent escapees is the interleukin 6 (IL-6) mRNA, which accumulates robustly during KSHV lytic infection and is not subjected to SOX-induced degradation. Here we reveal that the IL-6 mRNA contains a dominant,
cis
-acting ∼100-nucleotide element within its 3′ untranslated region (UTR) that renders it directly refractory to cleavage by SOX. This element specifically interacts with a cellular protein complex both in SOX-transfected cells and in KSHV-infected B cells. Using a directed RNA pulldown approach, we identified two components of this complex to be the AU-rich element (ARE) binding proteins AUF1 and HuR. Depletion of these proteins significantly reduced the protective capacity of the IL-6 RNA element in SOX-expressing cells. These findings suggest that SOX activity may be directly counteracted by select RNA regulatory complexes and reveal a novel mechanism contributing to the robust expression of IL-6 during KSHV replication.
Antibody-Dependent, FcγRI-Mediated Neutralization of HIV-1 in TZM-bl Cells Occurs Independently of Phagocytosis
Authors: Perez Lautaro G. , Zolla-Pazner Susan , Montefiori David C. 
Published: February 2013

ABSTRACTWe previously showed that expression of human FcγRI on TZM-bl cells potentiates neutralization by gp41 membrane-proximal external region (MPER)-specific antibodies. Here we show that lysosomotropic reagents known to block phagocytosis do not diminish this effect. We also show that FcγRI occasionally potentiates neutralization by antibodies against the V3 loop of gp120 and cluster I of gp41. We conclude that FcγRI provides a kinetic advantage for neutralizing antibodies against partially cryptic epitopes independent of phagocytosis.