bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Accelerated vaccination schedule provides protective levels of antibody and complete herd immunity to equine influenza
Authors: EL‐HAGE C. M. , SAVAGE C. J. , MINKE J. M. , FICORILLI N. P. , WATSON J. , GILKERSON J. R. 
Published: September 2012

SummaryReasons for performing study:During the 2007 Australian equine influenza (EI) outbreak, an accelerated primary course 14 day intervaccination schedule was proposed, but not widely implemented. Expert opinion was divided as to the efficacy of such a schedule given the lack of published data. This study determined the level and duration of humoral immunity following administration of a recombinant canarypox‐vectored vaccine (ALVAC‐EIV) with a primary intervaccination interval of 14 days and booster at 105 days.Objectives:To examine whether protective levels of immunity of adequate duration were achieved following a primary course reduced from a minimum interval of 28 to 14 days. Antibody responses to 2 H3N8 American lineage virus strains (including A/equine/Sydney/6085/2007) were assessed and compared to previous challenge studies using ALVAC‐EIV at conventional intervaccination intervals.Methods:Fourteen Thoroughbred horses and 2 ponies from a rural racehorse training property in Victoria, Australia, were vaccinated with ALVAC‐EIV on Days 0, 14 and 105. Serial blood samples were collected over the next 32 weeks and tested with haemagglutination inhibition and single radial haemolysis (SRH) in full assays to evaluate the serological response.Results:All horses and ponies responded to the accelerated ALVAC‐EIV vaccination schedule. Mean SRH antibodies remained above those consistent with clinical protection for the duration of the study period. All vaccinates demonstrated high SRH antibodies 14 days following V2, thereby achieving 100% herd immunity to homologous viral challenge.Conclusions:An accelerated vaccination schedule conferred long‐lasting protective antibody levels despite a >50% reduction in the recommended V1–V2 interval.Potential relevance:High levels of rapidly acquired herd immunity are critical in containing an outbreak of such a highly contagious pathogen as EIV. In a strategic vaccination programme, it is important that horses remain protected for sufficient time to allow control programmes to succeed. An accelerated 14 day primary course intervaccination interval and booster at 105 days achieves both of these objectives.
The effect of collection and extension on tarsal flexion and fetlock extension at trot
Authors: WALKER V. A. , WALTERS J. M. , GRIFFITH L. , MURRAY R. C. 
Published: September 2012

SummaryA recent epidemiological study indicated that various factors may be related to injury in dressage horses, but the mechanism by which these injuries occur has yet to be determined. The suspensory ligament (SL) is a frequent site of injury, and it is assumed that greatest strain is placed on this structure in collected trot; this has yet to be proved conclusively. The study aimed to investigate the effect of collected and extended trot on the hindlimb movement pattern. Four dressage horses were fitted with markers and inertial motion sensors (IMS). High‐speed video was obtained for 2 strides on each rein in collected and extended trot on 3 different surfaces: waxed outdoor; sand/plastic granules; and waxed indoor. Maximal tarsal flexion during stance and distal metatarsal coronary band ratio (MTCR), representing fetlock extension, were determined. Inertial motion sensor data determined stride duration, speed and stride length. Data were compared between collection and extension within horses on each surface, and compared between surfaces. Collected trot had significantly lower speed and stride length but longer stride duration than extended trot on all surfaces. All horses had less tarsal flexion and fetlock extension in collected compared with extended trot (P<0.05), which is likely to increase SL loading. The study findings indicate that extended trot may increase SL strain, providing a possible explanation for the high incidence of SL injury in horses trained for extravagant movement. It is possible that substantial use of extended trot could be a risk factor for development of suspensory desmitis, which might be one contributory factor in the prevalence of suspensory desmitis in young horses repeatedly undertaking extravagant movement.
Comparison of prognosis of separated and non‐separated tooth autotransplantation
Authors: Yoshino K. , Kariya N. , Namura D. , Noji I. , Mitsuhashi K. , Kimura H. , Fukuda A. , Kikukawa I. , Hayashi T. , Yamazaki N. , Kimura M. , Tsukiyama K. , Yamamoto K. , Fukuyama A. , Hidaka D. , Shinoda J. , Mibu H. , Shimakura Y. , Saito A. , Ikumi S. , Umehara K. , Kamei F. , Fukuda H. , Toake T. , Takahashi Y. , Miyata Y. , Shioji S. , Toyoda M. , Hattori N. , Nishihara H. , Matsushima R. , Nishibori M. , Hokkedo O. , Nojima M. , Kimura T. , Fujiseki M. , Okudaira S. , Tanabe K. , Nakano M. , Ito K. , Kuroda M. , Matsukubo T. 
Published: September 2012

SummaryThe aim of this study was to compare the prognosis of separated and non‐separated tooth autotransplantation of the upper first and second molars with complete root formation undertaken at dental clinics. The participating dentists were requested to provide information on transplantations they had undertaken from 1 January 1990 to 31 December 2010. Data on a total of 708 teeth from 637 patients were collected. This study analysed 35 separated teeth and 22 non‐separated teeth of 47 participants ranging from 27 to 76 years of age (mean age: 55·0 years) after data screening and elimination. The cumulative post‐transplantation survival rate at 10 years was 77·1% for separated teeth and 63·6% for non‐separated teeth as calculated with the Kaplan–Meier method. There were no significant differences between separated teeth and non‐separated teeth in a log rank test (P = 0·687). Separated‐tooth autotransplantation can help fill narrow recipient sites and increase occlusal supporting zones, but the clinical success rate was only 48·6%. Although transplantation of teeth with complete root formation has limited prognosis, transplantation of upper first and second molars, whether separated or non‐separated, is a viable option to replace missing teeth.
The pharmacokinetics of cytarabine in dogs when administered via subcutaneous and continuous intravenous infusion routes
Authors: Crook K. I. , Early P. J. , Messenger K. M. , Muñana K. R. , Gallagher R. , Papich M. G. 
Published: September 2012

This crossover study compared the pharmacokinetics of cytarabine in six healthy dogs following intravenous constant rate infusion (CRI) and subcutaneous (SC) administrations, as these are two routes of administration commonly employed in the treatment of meningoencephalitis of unknown etiology. Each dog received aSCcytarabine injection of 50 mg/m2or an 8 hCRIof 25 mg/m2per hour, with a 7‐day washout before receiving the alternative treatment. Blood samples were collected for 16 h afterCRIinitiation and for 8 h afterSCinjection. Plasma concentrations were measured by high‐pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using the best‐fit compartmental analysis for bothCRIandSCroutes. Terminal half‐life (T½) of cytarabine was 1.35 ± 0.3 and 1.15 ± 0.13 h afterSCadministration andCRI, respectively. Mean peak concentration (Cmax) was 2.88 and 2.80 μg/mL forSCandCRIadministration, respectively. Volume of distribution was 0.66 ± 0.07 l/kg. The 8‐hCRIproduced steady‐state plasma concentrations as determined by consecutive measurement that did not decline until the end of the infusion. TheSCadministration did not achieve steady‐state concentrations because cytarabine administered by this route was rapidly absorbed and eliminated quickly. The steady state achieved with the cytarabineCRImay produce a more prolonged exposure of cytarabine at cytotoxic levels in plasma compared to the concentrations afterSCadministration.
Endocannabinoids mediate the glucocorticoid‐induced inhibition of excitatory synaptic transmission to dorsal raphe serotonin neurons
Authors: Wang Jue , Shen Roh‐Yu , Haj‐Dahmane Samir 
Published: September 2012

Key points
The modulation of the serotonin system by glucocorticoids plays a central role in the regulation of stress responses. However, the mechanisms by which glucocorticoids regulate the excitability of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons remain unknown.
In this study, we show that glucocorticoids rapidly inhibit glutamatergic synaptic transmission to serotonin neurons by reducing glutamate release.
The rapid inhibition of glutamate release is not signalled by classical intracellular glucocorticoid receptors, but rather by putative membrane‐located G‐protein‐coupled receptors.
Activation of the membrane‐located G‐protein‐coupled receptors increases endocannabinoid signalling, which in turn mediates the inhibition of glutamatergic transmission in the dorsal raphe.
In the dorsal raphe, glucocorticoids increase endocannabinoid tone by inhibiting cyclooxygenase‐2.
Abstract  Glucocorticoids play a critical role in the modulation of stress responses by controlling the function of the serotonin (5‐HT) system. However, the precise effects of glucocorticoids on the excitability of dorsal raphe (DR) 5‐HT neurons remain unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of glucocorticoids on excitatory synaptic transmission to putative DR 5‐HT neurons. We found that corticosterone or the synthetic glucocorticoid agonist dexamethasone rapidly suppressed glutamatergic synaptic transmission to DR 5‐HT neurons by inhibiting glutamate release in the DR. This inhibitory effect was mimicked by membrane‐impermeable glucocorticoids, indicating the involvement of membrane‐located corticosteroid receptors. The glucocorticoid‐induced inhibition of glutamatergic transmission was mediated by the activation of postsynaptic G‐protein‐coupled receptors and signalled by retrograde endocannabinoid (eCB) messengers. Examination of the downstream mechanisms revealed that glucocorticoids enhance eCB signalling via an inhibition of cyclooxygenase‐2. Together, these findings unravel a novel mechanism by which glucocorticoids control the excitability of DR 5‐HT neurons and provide new insight into the rapid effects of stress hormones on the function of the 5‐HT system.
Sprint interval and endurance training are equally effective in increasing muscle microvascular density and eNOS content in sedentary males
Authors: Cocks Matthew , Shaw Christopher S. , Shepherd Sam O. , Fisher James P. , Ranasinghe Aaron M. , Barker Thomas A. , Tipton Kevin D. , Wagenmakers Anton J. M. 
Published: September 2012

Key point
Optimal vascular function is critical for health, and endurance training (ET) has previously been shown to be an effective method of improving this.
Sprint interval training (SIT) has been proposed as a time efficient alternative to ET but its effect on skeletal muscle microvasculature has not been studied and no direct comparison with ET has been made.
ET and SIT in this study were equally effective at decreasing arterial stiffness and increasing skeletal muscle capillarisation and eNOS content.
The main results suggest that both training modes improve skeletal muscle microvascular and macrovascular function, with SIT being a time efficient alternative.
Abstract  Sprint interval training (SIT) has been proposed as a time efficient alternative to endurance training (ET) for increasing skeletal muscle oxidative capacity and improving certain cardiovascular functions. In this study we sought to make the first comparisons of the structural and endothelial enzymatic changes in skeletal muscle microvessels in response to ET and SIT. Sixteen young sedentary males (age 21 ± SEM 0.7 years, BMI 23.8 ± SEM 0.7 kg m−2) were randomly assigned to 6 weeks of ET (40–60 min cycling at ∼65%, 5 times per week) or SIT (4–6 Wingate tests, 3 times per week). Muscle biopsies were taken from the m. vastus lateralis before and following 60 min cycling at 65% to measure muscle microvascular endothelial eNOS content, eNOS serine1177 phosphorylation, NOX2 content and capillarisation using quantitative immunofluorescence microscopy. Whole body insulin sensitivity, arterial stiffness and blood pressure were also assessed. ET and SIT increased skeletal muscle microvascular eNOS content (ET 14%; P < 0.05, SIT 36%; P < 0.05), with a significantly greater increase observed following SIT (P < 0.05). Sixty minutes of moderate intensity exercise increased eNOS ser1177 phosphorylation in all instances (P < 0.05), but basal and post‐exercise eNOS ser1177 phosphorylation was lower following both training modes. All microscopy measures of skeletal muscle capillarisation (P < 0.05) were increased with SIT or ET, while neither endothelial nor sarcolemmal NOX2 was changed. Both training modes reduced aortic stiffness and increased whole body insulin sensitivity (P < 0.05). In conclusion, in sedentary males SIT and ET are effective in improving muscle microvascular density and eNOS protein content.
A novel conformity index for intensity modulated radiation therapy plan evaluation
Authors: Cheung Fion W. K. , Law Maria Y. Y. 
Published: September 2012

Purpose:Intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has gained popularity in the treatment of cancers. Manual evaluation of IMRT plans for head‐and‐neck cancers has been especially challenging necessitating efficient and objective assessment tools. In this work, the authors address this issue by developing a personalized conformity index (CI) for comparison of IMRT plans for head‐and‐neck cancers and evaluating its plan quality discerning power in comparison with other widely used CIs.Methods:A two‐dimensional CI with dose and distance incorporated (CIDD) was developed using the MATLAB program language, to quantify the planning target volume (PTV) coverage. Valuable information contained in the digital imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM) RT objects were harvested for computation of each of the CIDD components. Apart from the dose penalty factor, a distance‐based exponential function was employed by varying the penalty weight associated with the location of cold spots within the PTV. With the goal of deriving a customized penalty factor, the distances between individual pixel and its nearest PTV boundary was found. Using the exponential function, the impact of distance penalty was substantially larger for cold spots closer to the PTV centroid but petered out quickly wherever they were situated in the vicinity of PTV border. In order to evaluate the CIDD scoring system, three CT image data sets of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients were collected. Ten IMRT plans with degrading qualities were generated from each dataset and were ranked based on CIDD and other existing indices. The coefficient of variance was calculated for each dataset to compare the degree of variation.Results:The CIDD scoring system that considered spatial importance of each voxel within the PTV was successfully developed. The results demonstrated that the CIDD including four discrete factors could provide accurate rankings of plan quality by examining the relative importance of each cold spot within the PTVs. Apart from the dose penalty factor, a distance‐based exponential function was employed taking the specific tumor geometry into account. Compared with other commonly used CIs, the CIDD resulted in the largest coefficient of variance among the ten IMRT plans for each dataset, indicating that its discerning power was the best among the CIs being compared.Conclusions:The CIDD scoring system was successfully developed to incorporate patient‐specific spatial dose information and provide a geometry‐based physical index for comparison of IMRT plans for head‐and‐neck cancers. By taking individual tumor geometry into account, the superiority of CIDD in plan discerning power was demonstrated. The use of CIDD could provide an effective means of benchmarking performance, reducing treatment plan variability, and advancing the quality of current IMRT planning.
Random homomorphisms and random derivations in random normed algebras via fixed point method
Authors: Park Choonkil , Eshaghi Gordji Madjid , Saadati Reza 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Using the fixed point method, we prove the Hyers-Ulam stability of the Cauchy additive functional inequality and of the Cauchy-Jensen additive functional inequality in random normed spaces.

MSC:47H10, 39B52, 37H10, 60H25, 17B40, 39B72, 47B47, 54E70.
ReQON: a Bioconductor package for recalibrating quality scores from next-generation sequencing data
Authors: Cabanski Christopher R , Cavin Keary , Bizon Chris , Wilkerson Matthew D , Parker Joel S , Wilhelmsen Kirk C , Perou Charles M , Marron JS , Hayes D Neil 
Published: September 2012

AbstractBackgroundNext-generation sequencing technologies have become important tools for genome-wide studies. However, the quality scores that are assigned to each base have been shown to be inaccurate. If the quality scores are used in downstream analyses, these inaccuracies can have a significant impact on the results.ResultsHere we present ReQON, a tool that recalibrates the base quality scores from an input BAM file of aligned sequencing data using logistic regression. ReQON also generates diagnostic plots showing the effectiveness of the recalibration. We show that ReQON produces quality scores that are both more accurate, in the sense that they more closely correspond to the probability of a sequencing error, and do a better job of discriminating between sequencing errors and non-errors than the original quality scores. We also compare ReQON to other available recalibration tools and show that ReQON is less biased and performs favorably in terms of quality score accuracy.ConclusionReQON is an open source software package, written in R and available through Bioconductor, for recalibrating base quality scores for next-generation sequencing data. ReQON produces a new BAM file with more accurate quality scores, which can improve the results of downstream analysis, and produces several diagnostic plots showing the effectiveness of the recalibration.
Using BAC transgenesis in zebrafish to identify regulatory sequences of the amyloid precursor protein gene in humans
Authors: Shakes Leighcraft A , Du Hansen , Wolf Hope M , Hatcher Charles , Norford Derek C , Precht Patricia , Sen Ranjan , Chatterjee Pradeep K 
Published: September 2012

Abstract

Background
Non-coding DNA in and around the human Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) gene that is central to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) shares little sequence similarity with that of appb in zebrafish. Identifying DNA domains regulating expression of the gene in such situations becomes a challenge. Taking advantage of the zebrafish system that allows rapid functional analyses of gene regulatory sequences, we previously showed that two discontinuous DNA domains in zebrafish appb are important for expression of the gene in neurons: an enhancer in intron 1 and sequences 28–31 kb upstream of the gene. Here we identify the putative transcription factor binding sites responsible for this distal cis-acting regulation, and use that information to identify a regulatory region of the human APP gene.

Results
Functional analyses of intron 1 enhancer mutations in enhancer-trap BACs expressed as transgenes in zebrafish identified putative binding sites of two known transcription factor proteins, E4BP4/ NFIL3 and Forkhead, to be required for expression of appb. A cluster of three E4BP4 sites at −31 kb is also shown to be essential for neuron-specific expression, suggesting that the dependence of expression on upstream sequences is mediated by these E4BP4 sites. E4BP4/ NFIL3 and XFD1 sites in the intron enhancer and E4BP4/ NFIL3 sites at −31 kb specifically and efficiently bind the corresponding zebrafish proteins in vitro. These sites are statistically over-represented in both the zebrafish appb and the human APP genes, although their locations are different. Remarkably, a cluster of four E4BP4 sites in intron 4 of human APP exists in actively transcribing chromatin in a human neuroblastoma cell-line, SHSY5Y, expressing APP as shown using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) experiments. Thus although the two genes share little sequence conservation, they appear to share the same regulatory logic and are regulated by a similar set of transcription factors.

Conclusion
The results suggest that the clock-regulated and immune system modulator transcription factor E4BP4/ NFIL3 likely regulates the expression of both appb in zebrafish and APP in humans. It suggests potential human APP gene regulatory pathways, not on the basis of comparing DNA primary sequences with zebrafish appb but on the model of conservation of transcription factors.
Emergence of serogroup C meningococcal disease associated with a high mortality rate in Hefei, China
Authors: Xu Xi-Hai , Ye Ying , Hu Li-Fen , Jin Yu-Hui , Jiang Qin-Qin , Li Jia-Bin 
Published: September 2012

Abstract

Background

Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C has emerged as a cause of epidemic disease in Hefei. The establishment of serogroup C as the predominant cause of endemic disease has not been described.

Methods
We conducted national laboratory-based surveillance for invasive meningococcal disease during 2000–2010. Isolates were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing.

Results
A total of 845 cases of invasive meningococcal disease were reported. The incidence increased from 1.25 cases per 100,000 population in 2000 to 3.14 cases per 100,000 in 2003 (p < 0.001), and peaked at 8.43 cases per 100,000 in 2005. The increase was mainly the result of an increase in the incidence of serogroup C disease. Serogroup C disease increased from 2/23 (9%) meningococcal cases and 0.11 cases per 100,000 in 2000 to 33/58 (57%) cases and 1.76 cases per 100,000 in 2003 (p < 0.01). Patients infected with serogroup C had serious complications more frequently than those infected with other serogroups. Specifically, 161/493 (32.7%) cases infected with serogroup C had at least one complication. The case-fatality rate of serogroup C meningitis was 11.4%, significantly higher than for serogroup A meningitis (5.3%, p = 0.021). Among patients with meningococcal disease, factors associated with death in univariate analysis were age of 15–24 years, infection with serogroup C, and meningococcemia.

Conclusions
The incidence of meningococcal disease has substantially increased and serogroup C has become endemic in Hefei. The serogroup C strain has caused more severe disease than the previously predominant serogroup A strain.