bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adjuvant Effect of CpG‐Oligodeoxynucleotide in Anti‐Fungal Chemotherapy against Fatal Infection with Cryptococcus neoformans in Mice
Authors: Kinjo Takeshi , Miyagi Kazuya , Nakamura Kiwamu , Higa Futoshi , Gang Xiao , Miyazato Akiko , Kaku Mitsuo , Fujita Jiro , Kawakami Kazuyoshi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractCryptococcal meningoencephalitis is a life‐threatening infectious disease in immunocompromised patients. Unmethylated CpG‐oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG‐ODN) protects hosts in a mouse model. In the present study, we tested the adjuvant effect of CpG‐ODN in anti‐fungal chemotherapy. Administration of either fluconazole (FLCZ) or CpG‐ODN was effective in extending survival, accelerating clearance of fungi and preventing disseminated infection. Combination of both agents provided more beneficial effect than either agent alone. Cytokine balance in the infected lungs was biased to Th1‐type response by CpG‐ODN, while FLCZ did not further promote. These results suggest that CpG‐ODN is a promising adjuvant in chemotherapy against this infection.
Photoactivated Ethidium Monoazide Directly Cleaves Bacterial DNA and Is Applied to PCR for Discrimination of Live and Dead Bacteria
Authors: Soejima Takashi , Iida Ken‐ichiro , Qin Tian , Taniai Hiroaki , Seki Masanori , Takade Akemi , Yoshida Shin‐ichi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractEthidium monoazide (EMA) is a DNA intercalating agent and a eukaryotic topoisomerase II poison. We found that EMA treatment and subsequent visible light irradiation (photoactivation or photolysis) shows a bactericidal effect, hence the mechanism was analyzed. When bacterial cells were treated with more than 10 μg/ml of EMA for 1 hr plus photoactivation for 20 min, cleavage of bacterial DNA was confirmed by agarose gel electrophoresis and electron microscopic studies. The cleavage of chromosomal DNA was seen when it was treated in vitro with EMA and photolysis, which showed that the cleavage directly took place without the assistance of DNA gyrase/topoisomerase IV and the DNA repair enzymes of bacteria. It was also verified, by using negatively supercoiled pBR322 DNA, that medium/high concentrations of EMA (1 to 100 μg/ml) led to breaks of double‐stranded DNA and that low concentrations of EMA (10 to 100 ng/ml) generated a single‐stranded break. EMA is known to easily penetrate dead but not live bacteria. After treatment of 10 μg/ml of EMA for 30 min and photoactivation for 5 min, EMA cleaved the DNA of dead but not live Klebsiella oxytoca. When the cleaved DNA was used for templates in PCR targeting 16S rDNA, PCR product from the dead bacteria was completely suppressed. We demonstrated that EMA and photolysis directly cleaved bacterial DNA and are effective tools for discriminating live from dead bacteria by PCR.
Molecular Epidemiology of Rabies in Vietnam
Authors: Yamagata Junpei , Ahmed Kamruddin , Khawplod Pakamatz , Mannen Kazuaki , Xuyen Dinh Kim , Loi Huynh Huu , Van Dung Nguyen , Nishizono Akira 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThe present study was done to determine the molecular epidemiology of rabies virus (RV) in Vietnam. The nucleoprotein (N) and glycoprotein (G) genes of RVs were amplified from the brains of ten rabid dogs of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The nucleotide sequences of these genes were compared with those of other Asian strains to find the possible relationship among them. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Asian N gene segregated into three main branches, namely South‐East Asia 1 (SEA 1), South‐East Asia 2 (SEA 2) and Indian subcontinent (ISC) genotypes. The SEA 1 genotype comprised RVs from Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. The SEA 2 genotype contained strains from the Philippines, and the ISC genotype comprised strains from Sri Lanka and India. Phylogenetically G genes of RVs from Vietnam and Thailand were clustered together. Our study suggests that Vietnamese and Thai RVs are closely related and might have originated from a common ancestor.
Physicochemical Properties of the Ljungan Virus Prototype Virion in Different Environments: Inactivated by Heat but Resistant to Acidic pH, Detergents and Non‐Physiological Environments Such as Virkon®‐Containing Solutions
Authors: Ekström Jens‐Ola , Tolf Conny , Edman Kjell‐A. , Lindberg A. Michael 
Published: November 2013

AbstractIt is of great importance to know how a virus particle is affected by environmental conditions. Physicochemical properties of the virion will affect the virus viability in different environments, viral transmission between hosts, and will also be important for safe handling of the virus. The physicochemical properties of the Ljungan virus (LV) prototype, 87–012, adapted to grow in cell culture were evaluated using both LV in crude cell extracts and purified virions. Replication of LV was completely inhibited by heat. Titers of LV were unaffected by acidic pH, reduced but not completely abolished by alkaline pH, and unaffected by exposure to the detergents Triton® X‐100 and SDS. Surprisingly, viable LV was still detected after incubation in the acidic, oxidising and detergent‐containing environment produced by the commonly used disinfectant Virkon®. In conclusion, LV is resilient to extreme pH, detergents and also to oxidising environments, but is sensitive to heat treatment.
Immunological Actions of Sophy β‐Glucan (β‐1,3‐1,6 Glucan), Currently Available Commercially as a Health Food Supplement
Authors: Ikewaki Nobunao , Fujii Noboru , Onaka Takashi , Ikewaki Shinichiro , Inoko Hidetoshi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractWe examined the immunological actions of Sophy β‐glucan (Ikewaki N., et al. United States Patent 6956120 and Japan Patent 2004‐329077), a type of β‐1,3–1,6 glucan produced by the black yeast Aureobasidium pullulans (A. pullulans) strain AFO‐202, currently available commercially as a health food supplement, using different human in vitro experimental systems. Sophy β‐glucan significantly (P<0.01) stimulated the 3H‐thymidine incorporation rates (marker of DNA synthesis) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from normal adult donors, in vitro. Enzyme‐linked immunoassays (EIAs) revealed that Sophy β‐glucan stimulated the production of interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) or soluble Fas (sFas), but not that of IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐6, IL‐12 (p70+40), interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) or soluble Fas ligand (sFasL), in either cultured PBMCs or cells of the human monocyte‐like cell line, U937. The induction by Sophy β‐glucan of DNA synthesis in PBMCs was completely blocked by the addition of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to CD11a, CD54, human leukocyte antigen‐class II (HLA‐class II), Toll‐like receptor‐2 (TLR‐2), and Toll‐like receptor‐4 (TLR‐4). In these blocking experiments using the mAbs, the main differences in the results between PBMCs and U937 cells were that the mAbs against TLR‐2 and TLR‐4 did not block the Sophy β‐glucan ‐induced production of IL‐8 in the U937 cells. Furthermore, a mAb to the β‐glucan receptor, Dectin‐1, significantly (P<0.05) blocked the Sophy β‐glucan‐induced DNA synthesis in the PBMCs, and Sophy β‐glucan ‐induced production of IL‐8 in the U937 cells. The Sophy β‐glucan‐induced production of IL‐8 in the U937 cells was significantly (P<0.01) blocked by the conventional protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor Go6976, the novel PKC inhibitor Rottlerin, the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H‐89, and the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor herbimycin A. Among these, the blocking effect of the novel PKC (PKC delta isoenzyme) inhibitor Rottlerin was the most pronounced. Studies employing reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) showed that Sophy β‐glucan stimulated the expression of IL‐8 mRNA in the U937 cells, and that this induction was inhibited by Rottlerin. Sophy β‐glucan also blocked the stimulator cell induction of DNA synthesis and IFN‐γ production in the responder cells in a one‐way mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) using allogenic PBMCs. Interestingly, immunoglobulin G (IgG), but not IgM to Sophy β‐glucan was detected in the sera derived from normal adult donors and from the umbilical cord blood of neonates. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that the Sophy β‐glucan may have unique immune regulatory or enhancing properties that could be exploited by the health food, medical and pharmaceutical industries.
Applicability of Current Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Diagnostic Procedures for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
Authors: Masujin Kentaro , Shimada Kimi , Kimura Kumiko M. , Imamura Morikazu , Yoshida Ayumu , Iwamaru Yoshifumi , Mohri Shirou , Yokoyama Takashi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractChronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids is one of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies; however, its risk to humans is still obscure. An increase in number of diseased deer in North America has raised concerns regarding the CWD risk to humans. We demonstrated that the confirmatory procedures and the commercial diagnostic kits for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) can be adopted for the diagnosis of CWD. No CWD case was confirmed in the surveillance of 558 cervids that were examined between 2003 and 2006 in Japan.
Generation of Recombinant Adenovirus Expressing siRNA against the L mRNA of Measles Virus and Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis Virus
Authors: Otaki Momoko , Jiang Da‐Peng , Sasayama Mikiko , Nagano‐Fujii Motoko , Hotta Hak 
Published: November 2013

AbstractSubacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by prolonged persistent infection of the central nervous system with a measles virus (MV) mutant called SSPE virus. At present, there is no effective treatment to completely cure SSPE and development of a new therapeutic measure(s) against this fatal slow virus infection is needed. We previously reported that replication of MV and SSPE virus was effectively inhibited by small interfering RNA (siRNA), either chemically synthetic or plasmid‐driven ones, that were targeted against different sequences of the mRNA for the L protein of MV. In this study, we have generated recombinant adenovirus expressing the siRNAs (rAd‐siRNA‐MV‐L2, ‐L4 and ‐L5) and demonstrated that these rAd‐siRNAs efficiently inhibited replication of MV and SSPE virus in a dose‐dependent manner. Due to their high capacity for gene delivery to nerve cells and the potential to inhibit SSPE virus replication, the rAd‐siRNAs could be a good candidate for a novel therapeutic measure against SSPE.
Peptide Mimotopes of Complex Carbohydrates in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Which React with Both Carbohydrate‐Specific Monoclonal Antibody and Polyclonal Sera from Typhoid Patients
Authors: Thong Kwai‐Lin , Tang Swee‐Seong , Tan Wen‐Siang , Devi Shamala 
Published: November 2013

AbstractPolyclonal sera from typhoid patients and a monoclonal antibody, mAb ATVi, which recognizes the capsular polysaccharide Vi antigen (ViCPS), were used to select for peptides that mimic the ViCPS by using a phage‐displayed random 12‐mer peptide library. Two major common mimotopes selected from the library carried the amino acid sequences TSHHDSHGLHRV and ENHSPVNIAHKL. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) showed that these peptides carry mimotopes to ViCPS. Phage clones that contained the 12‐mer peptides were also tested against pooled/individual typhoid patients' sera and found to have 3 to 5 times higher binding compared to normal sera. By using Phage‐ELISA assays, the derived synthetic peptides, TSHHDSHGLHRV and ENHSPVNIAHKL, were tested against a monoclonal antibody mAb ATVi and over 2‐fold difference in binding was found between these peptides and a control unrelated peptide, CTLTTKLYC. Inhibition of the mAb's binding to ViCPS indicated that the synthetic peptides successfully competed with the capsular polysaccharide for antibody binding.
T‐Helper (Th) 1/ Th2 Imbalance in the Peripheral Blood of Dogs with Malignant Tumor
Authors: Horiuchi Yutaka , Hanazawa Asami , Nakajima Yuko , Nariai Yoko , Asanuma Hideki , Kuwabara Masato , Yukawa Masayoshi , Ito Hiroshi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractT helper type 1 cell (Th1)/Th2 imbalance has been observed in a variety of pathological conditions, including malignant diseases. We evaluated the Th1/Th2 in peripheral blood Th cells by means of intracytoplasmic cytokine analysis in 11 dogs with advanced malignant tumor; four of them showed metastatic tumor. The percentage of Th1 was significantly lower and the percentage of Th2 was significantly higher in diseased dogs compared to healthy dogs. The percentage of Th1 in three patients with metastatic tumor was significantly lower than that in the patients with non‐metastatic tumor. We conclude that the Th1/Th2 balance was polarized to Th2 in dogs with cancer.
First Molecular Detection of Borrelia afzelii in Clinical Samples in Korea
Authors: Choi Yeon‐Joo , Han Seung‐Hoon , Park Jin‐Mi , Lee Kyung‐Min , Lee Eun‐Mi , Lee Seung‐Hyun , Song Hyeon‐Je , Koh Young‐Sang , Lee Keun‐Wha , Jang Won‐Jong , Park Kyung‐Hee 
Published: November 2013

AbstractBorrelia afzelii nucleic acids were detected in the sera of febrile disease patients by a nested PCR that targeted the rrf (5S)‐rrl (23S) spacer of B. burgdorferi sensu lato. The B. afzelii‐specific DNA fragment was detected in 8 out of 283 sera which were proven to have immunoglobulin G or M antibodies against B. burgdorferi antigens through IFA. The results were further confirmed through restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing analysis of the DNA fragments. The results indicated for the first time that Lyme borreliosis is prevalent in Korea.
Comparative Role of Antibiotic and Proton Pump Inhibitor in Experimental Clostridium difficile Infection in Mice
Authors: Kaur Sukhminderjit , Vaishnavi Chetana , Prasad Kaushal Kishore , Ray Pallab , Kochhar Rakesh 
Published: November 2013

AbstractClostridium difficile inoculated BALB/c mice were investigated to assess the comparative role of antibiotic and proton pump inhibitor. They were examined for colonization and toxin production by C. difficile as well as myeloperoxidase activity and histopathological changes in the intestinal tract. The C. difficile count, toxin A and B titres and myeloperoxidase activity were significantly higher (P>0.05) in ampicillin and lansoprazole receiving groups as compared to the control and the C. difficile receiving groups. Similarly they showed significant difference (P>0.05) for epithelial damage, oedema and neutrophilic infiltrate in colons. In addition to antibiotic, PPI also acts as an independent risk factor for C. difficile infection in experimental studies.
Paediatric nurses’ adherence to the double‐checking process during medication administration in a children's hospital: an observational study
Authors: Alsulami Zayed , Choonara Imti , Conroy Sharon 
Published: November 2013

AbstractAimTo evaluate how closely double‐checking policies are followed by nurses in paediatric areas and also to identify the types, frequency and rates of medication administration errors that occur despite the double‐checking process.BackgroundDouble‐checking by two nurses is an intervention used in many UK hospitals to prevent or reduce medication administration errors. There is, however, insufficient evidence to either support or refute the practice of double‐checking in terms of medication error risk reduction.DesignProspective observational study.MethodsThis was a prospective observational study of paediatric nurses’ adherence to the double‐checking process for medication administration from April–July 2012.ResultsDrug dose administration events (n = 2000) were observed. Independent drug dose calculation, rate of administering intravenous bolus drugs and labelling of flush syringes were the steps with lowest adherence rates. Drug dose calculation was only double‐checked independently in 591 (30%) drug administrations. There was a statistically significant difference in nurses’ adherence rate to the double‐checking steps between weekdays and weekends in nine of the 15 evaluated steps. Medication administration errors (n = 191) or deviations from policy were observed, at a rate of 9·6% of drug administrations. These included 64 drug doses, which were left for parents to administer without nurse observation.ConclusionThere was variation between paediatric nurses’ adherence to double‐checking steps during medication administration. The most frequent type of administration errors or deviation from policy involved the medicine being given to the parents to administer to the child when the nurse was not present.
Constructing identities in the media: newspaper coverage analysis of a majorUKClostridium difficileoutbreak
Authors: Burnett Emma , Johnston Bridget , Corlett Joanne , Kearney Nora 
Published: November 2013

AbstractAimTo examine how a majorClostridium difficileoutbreak in theUKwas represented in the media.BackgroundClostridium difficileis a serious health care‐associated infection with significant global prevalence. As major outbreaks have continued to occur worldwide over the last few decades, it has also resulted in increasing media coverage. Newspaper journalists are, however, frequently criticized for sensationalized and inaccurate reporting and alarming the public. Despite such criticisms, nothing is known about how the media frameClostridium difficilerelated coverage.DesignQualitative interpretive descriptive study.MethodAn interpretive analysis of newspaper articles from the national press that reported about the outbreak from the first day of coverage over 3 weeks (12 June–3 July 2008).FindingsTwenty‐eight newspaper articles were included in the study from tabloids, broadsheets, a regional and a Sunday newspaper. Monster and war metaphors were frequently adopted to portray the severity ofClostridium difficileand the impact it can have on patient safety. In addition, the positioning of the affected patients, their families, healthcare professionals and the Government produced representations of victims, villains and heroes. This subsequently evoked notions of vulnerability, blame and conflict.ConclusionThe media are and will remain critical convectors of public information and, as such, are hugely influential in risk perceptions and responses. Rather than simply dismissing media coverage, further understanding around how such stories in specific contexts are constructed and represented is needed so that it can help inform future communication and management strategies.
Unipolar Voltage Abnormality is Associated with Greater Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: ALDHOON BASHAR , FRANKEL DAVID S. , HUTCHINSON MATHEW D. , CALLANS DAVID J. , EPSTEIN ANDREW E. , DIXIT SANJAY , RILEY MICHAEL P. , LIN DAVID , GARCIA FERMIN C. , SUPPLE GREGORY E. , COOPER JOSHUA M. , BALA RUPA , DEO RAJAT , ZADO ERICA S. , MARCHLINSKI FRANCIS E. 
Published: November 2013

Unipolar Voltage Mapping in ICMIntroductionFollowing myocardial infarction (MI), left ventricular function is determined by cardiac remodeling occurring in both infarcted and noninfarcted myocardium (NIM). Unipolar voltage mapping may detect remodeling changes in NIM that are associated with the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We aimed to identify (1) unipolar voltage characteristics in patients with chronic MI, and (2) association of voltage abnormalities with degree of left ventricular dysfunction (LVD).Methods and ResultsTwo groups of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) who underwent LV endocardial mapping during catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) between January 2010 and December 2012 were studied. The first group (19 males) had mild to moderate LVD (M‐LVD, LVEF >35%) and was matched for age, sex, infarction size, and infarction location with 10 males who had severe LVD (S‐LVD, LVEF <35%). Both bipolar and unipolar endocardial abnormal voltage areas were measured and compared between groups. Abnormal bipolar area was comparable in both groups (30 ± 8% in the S‐LVD group vs 28 ± 8% in the M‐LVD group; P = 0.5). Total abnormal unipolar voltage area was significantly larger in the S‐LVD group (57 ± 14% vs 43 ± 13%; P = 0.02). The abnormal unipolar voltage area within the normal bipolar voltage area was greater in the S‐LVD group (26 ± 11% vs 15 ± 16%; P = 0.03). In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, an 18.0% cut‐off value for abnormal unipolar area within NIM identified severe LVD, with 90% sensitivity and 79% specificity (area under the curve 0.821).ConclusionsPatients with ICM and severe LVD have larger areas of unipolar voltage abnormality in the noninfarcted tissue than patients with M‐LVD.
The role of enhanced multi‐detector‐row computed tomography before urgent endoscopy in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding
Authors: Miyaoka Youichi , Amano Yuji , Ueno Sayaka , Izumi Daisuke , Mikami Hironobu , Yazaki Tomotaka , Okimoto Eiko , Sonoyama Takayuki , Ito Satoko , Fujishiro Hirofumi , Kohge Naruaki , Imaoka Tomonori 
Published: November 2013

AbstractBackground and AimMulti‐detector‐row computed tomography (MDCT) has been reported to be a potentially useful modality for detection of the bleeding origin in patients with acute upper massive gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of MDCT as a routine method for detecting the origin of acute upper GI bleeding prior to urgent endoscopy.MethodsFive hundred seventy‐seven patients with acute upper GI bleeding (514 nonvariceal patients, 63 variceal patients) who underwent urgent upper GI endoscopy were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups: enhanced MDCT, unenhanced MDCT, and no MDCT before endoscopy. The diagnostic accuracy of MDCT for detection of the bleeding origin was evaluated, and the average procedure times needed to endoscopically identify the bleeding origin were compared between groups.ResultsDiagnostic accuracy among endoscopists was 55.3% and 14.7% for the enhanced MDCT and unenhanced MDCT groups, respectively. Among nonvariceal patients, accuracy was 50.2% in the enhanced MDCT group, which was significantly better than that in the unenhanced MDCT group (16.5%). In variceal patients, accuracy was significantly better in the enhanced MDCT group (96.4%) than in the unenhanced MDCT group (0.0%). These accuracies were similar to those achieved by expert radiologists. The average procedure time to endoscopic detection of the bleeding origin in the enhanced MDCT group was significantly faster than that in the unenhanced MDCT and no‐MDCT groups.ConclusionsEnhanced MDCT preceding urgent endoscopy may be an effective modality for the detection of bleeding origin in patients with acute upper GI bleeding.