bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Congenital Ulcer of the Buttock
Authors: Torrelo Antonio , Soriano María Isabel , Hernández‐Martín Angela , Colmenero Isabel 
Published: March 2013

AbstractWe present the case of a congenital, deep ulcer of the buttock in an otherwise healthy newborn girl. Histopathology excluded any specific cause of ulceration. The ulcer healed spontaneously at 4 weeks of age, leaving a scar. Because the patient also had symmetrical pits on her knees and because the ulcer was located in an area typically affected by dimples, we interpret this unique manifestation as a congenital defect in the spectrum of congenital dimples.
Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Detection in a Patient with Familial Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis
Authors: Kwon Eun‐Kyung M. , Halvorson Christian R. , Rady Peter , Tyring Stephen , Nguyen Harrison P. , Kao Grace F. , Gaspari Anthony A. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractWe report a case of Merkel cell polyomavirus detection in the skin of a patient with epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EDV) and a family history remarkable for an unusual inheritance pattern for EDV.
Photoinactivation of Bacteria Attached to Glass and Acrylic Surfaces by 405 nm Light: Potential Application for Biofilm Decontamination
Authors: McKenzie Karen , Maclean Michelle , Timoshkin Igor V. , Endarko Endarko , MacGregor Scott J. , Anderson John G. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractAttachment of bacteria to surfaces and subsequent biofilm formation remains a major cause of cross‐contamination capable of inducing both food‐related illness and nosocomial infections. Resistance to many current disinfection technologies means facilitating their removal is often difficult. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of 405 nm light for inactivation of bacterial attached as biofilms to glass and acrylic. Escherichia coli biofilms (103–108 CFU mL−1) were generated on glass and acrylic surfaces and exposed for increasing times to 405 nm light (5–60 min) at ca 140 mW cm−2. Successful inactivation of biofilms has been demonstrated, with results highlighting complete/near‐complete inactivation (up to 5 log10 reduction on acrylic and 7 log10 on glass). Results also highlight that inactivation of bacterial biofilms could be achieved whether the biofilm was on the upper “directly exposed” surface or “indirectly exposed” underside surface. Statistically significant inactivation was also shown with a range of other microorganisms associated with biofilm formation (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Listeria monocytogenes). Results from this study have demonstrated significant inactivation of bacteria ranging from monolayers to densely populated biofilms using 405 nm light, highlighting that with further development this technology may have potential applications for biofilm decontamination in food and clinical settings.
Stretch‐shortening cycle muscle power in women and men aged 18–81 years: Influence of age and gender
Authors: Edwén C. E. , Thorlund J. B. , Magnusson S. P. , Slinde F. , Svantesson U. , Hulthén L. , Aagaard P. 
Published: March 2013

This study explored the age‐related deterioration in stretch‐shortening cycle (SSC) muscle power and concurrent force–velocity properties in women and men across the adult life span.A total of 315 participants (women: n = 188; men: n = 127) aged 18–81 years performed maximal countermovement jumps on an instrumented force plate.Maximal SSC leg extension power expressed per kg body mass (Ppeak) was greater in men than in women across the adult age span (P < 0.001); however, this gender difference was progressively reduced with increasing age, because men showed an ∼50% faster rate of decline in SSC power than women (P < 0.001). Velocity at peak power (VPpeak) was greater in men than in women (P < 0.001) but declined at a greater rate in men than in women (P = 0.002). Vertical ground reaction force at peak power (FPpeak) was higher in men than in women in younger adults only (P < 0.001) and the age‐related decline was steeper in men than in women (P < 0.001).Men demonstrated a steeper rate of decline in Ppeak than women with progressive aging. This novel finding emerged as a result of greater age‐related losses in men for both force and velocity. Consequently, maximal SSC power production was observed to converge between genders when approaching old age.
The relationship between the Young's modulus of the stratum corneum and age: a pilot study
Authors: Hara Yusuke , Masuda Yuji , Hirao Tetsuji , Yoshikawa Nobuhiro 
Published: March 2013

Background/purposeThe mechanical properties of the stratum corneum play an important role in protecting the body from external physical stimuli and excessive sensitivity. However, it is difficult to analyze these mechanical properties in vivo. To resolve this problem, we carried out a numerical analysis to calculate the Young's modulus of the stratum corneum. We then investigated the relationship between the Young's modulus of the stratum corneum and age.MethodsWe used a Cutometer® and a Dermal Torque Meter® for measuring skin mechanical parameters, and optical coherence tomography and an ultrasonic imaging system for measuring skin thickness. Based on these non‐invasive results, liner elastic analysis was performed by the finite element method, and the Young's moduli of the stratum corneum and the dermis were calculated by solving an inverse problem. Using these techniques, we analyzed the correlation between the Young's modulus of the stratum corneum for the cheeks of seventy‐eight Japanese women aged from 20 to 68 years.ResultsIn the group study, the mean Young's moduli of the stratum corneum and dermis were calculated 1.993 MPa and 0.066 MPa, respectively. While carrying out individual analyses, there was a weak relationship between the Young's modulus of the stratum corneum and age (r = 0.337).ConclusionWe calculated the Young's modulus of the stratum corneum in vivo, with commercially available systems, and found that it is a weak correlation with age in this group of subjects. Future developments of our method would be beneficial in the characterization of facial skin aging and the validation of cosmetic and medical applications.
Intra‐ and inter‐rater reliability of digital image analysis for skin color measurement
Authors: Sommers Marilyn , Beacham Barbara , Baker Rachel , Fargo Jamison 
Published: March 2013

BackgroundWe determined the intra‐ and inter‐rater reliability of data from digital image color analysis between an expert and novice analyst.MethodsFollowing training, the expert and novice independently analyzed 210 randomly ordered images. Both analysts used Adobe® Photoshop lasso or color sampler tools based on the type of image file. After color correction with Pictocolor® in camera software, they recorded L*a*b* (L*=light/dark; a*=red/green; b*=yellow/blue) color values for all skin sites. We computed intra‐rater and inter‐rater agreement within anatomical region, color value (L*, a*, b*), and technique (lasso, color sampler) using a series of one‐way intra‐class correlation coefficients (ICCs).ResultsResults of ICCs for intra‐rater agreement showed high levels of internal consistency reliability within each rater for the lasso technique (ICC ≥ 0.99) and somewhat lower, yet acceptable, level of agreement for the color sampler technique (ICC = 0.91 for expert, ICC = 0.81 for novice). Skin L*, skin b*, and labia L* values reached the highest level of agreement (ICC ≥ 0.92) and skin a*, labia b*, and vaginal wall b* were the lowest (ICC ≥ 0.64).ConclusionData from novice analysts can achieve high levels of agreement with data from expert analysts with training and the use of a detailed, standard protocol.
The effect of rainfall on spatio‐temporal variability in cropping systems and duration of crop cover in the Northern Ethiopian Highlands
Authors: Frankl A. , Jacob M. , Haile M. , Poesen J. , Deckers J. , Nyssen J. 
Published: March 2013

SummaryIn the Northern Ethiopian Highlands, ca. 33% of the land is cropland, which is mainly cultivated by smallholders who based on indigenous knowledge plan their cropping system on the basis of spatio‐temporal variability in rainfall. To understand the relationships between rainfall variability and cropping systems, a field campaign was undertaken in the rainy season of 2009 when 118 farmers were interviewed at different locations with different environmental characteristics. Five cropping systems were identified, each having a distinct cropping season length and crop association. Cropping systems with shorter cropping seasons were generally on the valleysides, whereas longer cycles occurred in the valley bottoms. The length of cropping season also increased from north–northeast to south–southwest. Crop associations within cropping systems also varied with altitude. Cropping systems changed in response to variation in annual rainfall. This resulted in shifts of cropping systems at catchment and regional scales, with cropping systems having longer cropping seasons where there was greater annual precipitation. The results were scaled up to the whole region by modelling the spatial distribution of cropping systems at a 8 × 8 km² resolution over the period 1996–2009. The results indicate that indigenous knowledge is important when assessing the impact of climatic variability on agricultural production and that large inter‐annual variability in the duration of crop cover in Northern Ethiopia might be an important, although generally overlooked, explanatory factor for explaining previous land degradation cycles.
How mechanical stress controls microtubule behavior and morphogenesis in plants: history, experiments and revisited theories
Authors: Landrein Benoît , Hamant Olivier 
Published: March 2013

SummaryMicrotubules have a key role in plant morphogenesis, as they control the oriented deposition of cellulose in the cell wall, and thus growth anisotropy. The idea that mechanical stress could be one of the main determinants behind the orientation of microtubules in plant cells emerged very soon after their discovery. The cause of mechanical stress in plant cells is turgor pressure, which can build up to 1 MPa and is restrained by cell wall stiffness. On the tissue scale, this can lead to regional patterns of tension, in particular in the epidermis of aerial organs, which resist the stress generated by cells in internal tissues. Here we summarize more than 50 years of work on the contribution of mechanical stress in guiding microtubule behavior, and the resulting impact on growth anisotropy and growth heterogeneity. We propose a conceptual model on microtubule dynamics and their ability to self‐organize in bundles parallel to the direction of maximal stress, as well as a synthetic representation of the putative mechanotransducers at play.
The evolution and diversification of plant microtubule‐associated proteins
Authors: Gardiner John 
Published: March 2013

SummaryPlant evolution is marked by major advances in structural characteristics that facilitated the highly successful colonization of dry land. Underlying these advances is the evolution of genes encoding specialized proteins that form novel microtubular arrays of the cytoskeleton. This review investigates the evolution of plant families of microtubule‐associated proteins (MAPs) through the recently sequenced genomes of Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, Selaginella moellendorffii, Physcomitrella patens, Volvox carteri and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The families of MAPs examined are AIR9, CLASP, CRIPT, MAP18, MOR1, TON, EB1, AtMAP70, SPR2, SPR1, WVD2 and MAP65 families (abbreviations are defined in the footnote to Table 1). Conjectures are made regarding the evolution of MAPs in plants in relation to the evolution of multicellularity, oriented cell division and vasculature. Angiosperms in particular have high numbers of proteins that are involved in promotion of helical growth or its suppression, and novel plant microtubular structures may have acted as a catalyst for the development of novel plant MAPs. Comparisons of plant MAP gene families with those of animals show that animals may have more flexibility in the structure of their microtubule cytoskeletons than plants, but with both plants and animals possessing many MAP splice variants.
Response evaluation criteria for solid tumours in dogs (v1.0): a Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group (VCOG) consensus document
Authors: Nguyen S. M. , Thamm D. H. , Vail D. M. , London C. A. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractIn veterinary medical oncology, there is currently no standardized protocol for assessing response to therapy in solid tumours. The lack of such a formalized guideline makes it challenging to critically compare outcome measures across various treatment protocols. The Veterinary Cooperative Oncology Group (VCOG) membership consensus document presented here is based on the recommendations of a subcommittee of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) board‐certified veterinary oncologists. This consensus paper has used the human response evaluation criteria in solid tumours (RECIST v1.1) as a framework to establish standard procedures for response assessment in canine solid tumours that is meant to be easy to use, repeatable and applicable across a variety of clinical trial structures in veterinary oncology. It is hoped that this new canine RECIST (cRECIST v1.0) will be adopted within the veterinary oncology community and thereby facilitate the comparison of current and future treatment protocols used for companion animals with cancer.
Implementing the Supportive Supervision Intervention for Registered Nurses in a Long‐Term Care Home: A Feasibility Study
Authors: McGilton Katherine S. , Profetto‐McGrath Joanne , Robinson Angela 
Published: March 2013

ABSTRACTBackgroundThis pilot study was conducted in response to the call in 2009 by the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics to focus on effective leadership structures in nursing homes and to develop leadership capacity. Few researchers have evaluated interventions aimed at enhancing the leadership ability of registered nurses in long‐term care.AimThe aim of the pilot study was to test the feasibility of a three‐part supportive supervisory intervention to improve supervisory skills of registered nurses in long‐term care.MethodsA repeated measures group design was used. Quantitative data were collected from healthcare aides, licensed practical nurses (i.e., supervised staff), and registered nurses (i.e., supervisors). Focus groups with care managers and supervisors examined perceptions of the intervention.ResultsThere were nonsignificant changes in both the registered nurse supervisors’ job satisfaction and the supervised staff's perception of their supervisors’ support. Supervised staff scores indicated an increase in the use of research utilization but did not reflect an increase in job satisfaction. Focus group discussions revealed that the supervisors and care managers perceived the workshop to be valuable; however, the weekly self‐reflection, coaching, and mentoring components of the intervention were rare and inconsistent.ConclusionsWhile the primary outcomes were not influenced by the Supportive Supervision Intervention, further effort is required to understand how best to enhance the supportive supervisory skills of RNs. Examples of how to improve the possibility of a successful intervention are advanced.ImplicationsEffective supervisory skills among registered nurses are crucial for improving the quality of care in long‐term care homes. Registered nurses are receptive to interventions that will enhance their roles as supervisors.
Surprisingly Low Seroprevalence of Burkholderia pseudomallei in Exposed Healthy Adults in the Darwin Region of Tropical Australia Where Melioidosis Is Highly Endemic
Authors: James Gemma L. , Delaney Ben , Ward Linda , Freeman Kevin , Mayo Mark , Currie Bart J. 
Published: March 2013

ABSTRACTIn the Darwin region of Australia where melioidosis is highly endemic, only 11/354 (3%) healthy residents were seropositive by indirect hemagglutination assay, despite extensive exposure toBurkholderia pseudomallei. None developed melioidosis, but some described a prior self-limiting illness. This seropositivity rate is much lower than that seen in northeast Thailand, where melioidosis is similarly highly endemic, potentially reflecting important differences between these two locations in the epidemiology of melioidosis.
Use of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry To Resolve Complex Clinical Cases of Patients with Recurrent Bacteremias
Authors: Nori Priya , Ostrowsky Belinda , Dorokhova Olena , Gialanella Philip , Moy Morgan , Muggia Victoria , Grossberg Robert , Kornblum John , Lin Ying , Levi Michael H. 
Published: March 2013

ABSTRACTMatrix-assisted laser desorption–ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) is a rapid and accurate method of identifying microorganisms. Throughout Europe, it is already in routine use but has not yet been widely implemented in the United States, pending FDA approval. Here, we describe two medically complex patients at a large tertiary-care academic medical center with recurring bacteremias caused by distinct but related species. Bacterial identifications were initially obtained using the Vitek-2 system with the GPI card forEnterococcusand the API system for staphylococci. Initial results misled clinicians as to the source and proper management of these patients. Retrospective investigation with MALDI-TOF MS clarified the diagnosis by identifying a single microorganism as the pathogen in each case. To our knowledge, this is one of the first reports in the United States demonstrating the use of MALDI-TOF MS to facilitate the clinical diagnosis in patients with recurrent bacteremias of unclear source.
A Novel PCR Assay for Quantification of HIV-1 RNA
Authors: Shan Liang , Rabi S. Alireza , Laird Gregory M. , Eisele Evelyn E. , Zhang Hao , Margolick Joseph B. , Siliciano Robert F. 
Published: March 2013

ABSTRACT
Current assays for quantification of HIV-1 virions rely on real-time reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR detection of conserved regions of HIV-1 RNA and can be limited by detection of contaminating viral or plasmid DNA. We developed a novel RT-PCR assay using a reverse primer that hybridizes with the poly(A) tail of HIV-1 mRNAs, anchored by conserved viral nucleotides at the most distal region of the transcript. This assay can detect and quantify HIV-1 RNA with high specificity and sensitivity.
The Transcriptome of the Baculovirus Autographa californica Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus in Trichoplusia ni Cells
Authors: Chen Yun-Ru , Zhong Silin , Fei Zhangjun , Hashimoto Yoshifumi , Xiang Jenny Z. , Zhang Shiying , Blissard Gary W. 
Published: March 2013

ABSTRACTBaculoviruses are important insect pathogens that have been developed as protein expression vectors in insect cells and as transduction vectors for mammalian cells. They have large double-stranded DNA genomes containing approximately 156 tightly spaced genes, and they present significant challenges for transcriptome analysis. In this study, we report the first comprehensive analysis of AcMNPV transcription over the course of infection inTrichoplusia nicells, by a combination of strand-specific RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and deep sequencing of 5′ capped transcription start sites and 3′ polyadenylation sites. We identified four clusters of genes associated with distinctive patterns of mRNA accumulation through the AcMNPV infection cycle. A total of 218 transcription start sites (TSS) and 120 polyadenylation sites (PAS) were mapped. Only 29 TSS were associated with a canonical TATA box, and 14 initiated within or near the previously identified CAGT initiator motif. The majority of viral transcripts (126) initiated within the baculovirus late promoter motif (TAAG), and late transcripts initiated precisely at the second position of the motif. Analysis of 3′ ends showed that 92 (77%) of the 3′ PAS were located within 30 nucleotides (nt) downstream of a consensus termination signal (AAUAAA or AUUAAA). A conserved U-rich region was found approximately 2 to 10 nt downstream of the PAS for 58 transcripts. Twelve splicing events and an unexpectedly large number of antisense RNAs were identified, revealing new details of possible regulatory mechanisms controlling AcMNPV gene expression. Combined, these data provide an emerging global picture of the organization and regulation of AcMNPV transcription through the infection cycle.
Regulation of Hepatitis B Virus Infection by Rab5, Rab7, and the Endolysosomal Compartment
Authors: Macovei Alina , Petrareanu Catalina , Lazar Catalin , Florian Paula , Branza-Nichita Norica 
Published: March 2013

ABSTRACTDespite important progress toward deciphering human hepatitis B virus (HBV) entry into host cells, many aspects of the early steps of the life cycle remained completely obscure. Following endocytosis, HBV must travel through the complex network of the endocytic pathway to reach the cell nucleus and initiate replication. In addition to guiding the viral particles to the replication site, the endosomal vesicles may play a crucial role in infection, providing the appropriate environment for virus uncoating and nucleocapsid release. In this work, we investigated the trafficking of HBV particles internalized in permissive cells. Expression of key Rab proteins, involved in specific pathways leading to different intracellular locations, was modulated in HepaRG cells, using a stable and inducible short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression system. The trafficking properties of the newly developed cells were demonstrated by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry using specific markers. The results showed that HBV infection strongly depends on Rab5 and Rab7 expression, indicating that HBV transport from early to mature endosomes is required for a step in the viral life cycle. This may involve reduction of disulfide bond-linked envelope proteins, as alteration of the redox potential of the endocytic pathway resulted in inhibition of infection. Subcellular fractionation of HBV-infected cells showed that viral particles are further transported to lysosomes. Intriguingly, infection was not dependent on the lysosomal activity, suggesting that trafficking to this compartment is a “dead-end” route. Together, these data add to our understanding of the HBV-host cell interactions controlling the early stages of infection.
CD4+T Cells Develop Antiretroviral Cytotoxic Activity in the Absence of Regulatory T Cells and CD8+T Cells
Authors: Manzke Nora , Akhmetzyanova Ilseyar , Hasenkrug Kim J. , Trilling Mirko , Zelinskyy Gennadiy , Dittmer Ulf 
Published: March 2013

ABSTRACTConventional CD4+T cells play an important role in viral immunity. In most virus infections, they provide essential help for antiviral B and T cell responses. In chronic infections, including HIV infection, an expansion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been demonstrated, which can suppress virus-specific CD4+T cell responsesin vitro. However, the suppressive activity of Tregs on effector CD4+T cells in retroviral infection is less well documentedin vivo. We took advantage of a transgenic mouse in which Tregs can be selectively depleted to determine the influence of such cells on retrovirus-specific CD4+T cell responses during an ongoing infection. Mice were infected with Friend retrovirus (FV), and Tregs were depleted during the acute phase of the infection. In nondepleted mice, activated CD4+T cells produced Th1-type cytokines but did not exhibit any antiviral cytotoxicity as determined in a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-restrictedin vivocytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) assay. Depletion of Tregs significantly increased the numbers of virus-specific CD4+T cells and improved their cytokine production, whereas it induced only very little CD4+T cell cytotoxicity. However, after dual depletion of Tregs and CD8+T cells, conventional CD4+T cells developed significant cytotoxic activity against FV epitope-labeled target cellsin vivoand contributed to the control of virus replication. Thus, both Tregs and CD8+T cells influence the cytotoxic activity of conventional CD4+T cells during an acute retroviral infection.