bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Staphylococcus aureus small colony variants are susceptible to light activated antimicrobial agents
Authors: Tubby Sarah , Wilson Michael , Wright John A , Zhang Ping , Nair Sean P 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
Antibiotic therapy can select for small colony variants of Staphylococcus aureus that are more resistant to antibiotics and can result in persistent infections, necessitating the development of more effective antimicrobial strategies to combat small colony variant infections. Photodynamic therapy is an alternative treatment approach which utilises light in combination with a light-activated antimicrobial agent to kill bacteria via a non-specific mechanism of action. In this study, we investigated whether the combination of 665 nm laser light and the light-activated antimicrobial agent methylene blue was able to successfully kill S. aureus small colony variants. S. aureus and isogenic stable small colony variant were exposed to varying doses (1.93 to 9.65 J/cm2) of 665 nm laser light in the presence of varying concentrations (1 to 20 μM) of methylene blue.

Results
The combination of 665 nm laser light and methylene blue was found to be an effective strategy for the killing of small colony variants. At the highest light dose (9.65 J/cm2) and methylene blue concentration (20 μM) tested, the number of viable bacteria decreased by approximately 6.9 log10 for the wild type and approximately 5 log10 for the small colony variant.

Conclusions
These results suggest that photodynamic therapy has potential for use in the treatment of superficial infections caused by small colony variants of S. aureus and supports further research in this field.
Quantification of serum hepatitis B surface antigen in predicting the response of pegylated interferon alfa-2a in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B with prior lamivudine exposure
Authors: Weng Min , Zeng Wei-Zheng , Wu Xiao-Ling , Zhang Yong , Jiang Ming-De , Wang Zhao , Zhou De-Jiang , He Xuan 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Aims
Majority of previous studies of pegylated interferon α-2a (PegIFNα-2a) forced on naïve chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, and the data of PegIFNα-2a in therapy of patients with prior exposure to nucleos(t)ide analogues is rare. This study aimed to investigate the predictive role of serum quantitative hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) in predicting sustained response of PegIFNα-2a in HBeAg-positive CHB patients with prior lamivudine exposure.

Methods
Forty-six patients with prior lamivudine exposure received PegIFNα-2a for 12 months and followed-up for 6 months. The clinical features of responders and non-responders were compared, and the predictive role of quantitative HBsAg in predicting responders at the end of follow-up was evaluated. Responders were defined as an ALT normalization, HBeAg seroconversion and sustained virological response at the end of follow-up.

Results
In this cohort, only 26.1% (12/46) patients were responders. The baseline characteristics of the responders and non-responders were similar; however, the rates of ALT normalization, HBV DNA undetectability and HBeAg seroconversion were all significantly higher in responders than that in non-responders. During the treatment and follow-up, the HBsAg levels were all significantly lower in responders than that in non-responders. In predicting reponders, the serum HBsAg cutoff of 6000 IU/mL at months 6 had a positive predictive value of 73.3 and a negative predictive value of 96.8%, and with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.869.

Conclusion
The responders toward PegIFNα-2a in CHB patients with prior lamivudine exposure is not high, and serum HBsAg <6000 IU/Ml at months 6 of on-treatment had a high value to predict long-term outcomes of treatment.
Glial scaffold required for cerebellar granule cell migration is dependent on dystroglycan function as a receptor for basement membrane proteins
Authors: Nguyen Huy , Ostendorf Adam P , Satz Jakob S , Westra Steve , Ross-Barta Susan E , Campbell Kevin P , Moore Steven A 
Published: September 2013

Abstract

Background
Cobblestone lissencephaly is a severe neuronal migration disorder associated with congenital muscular dystrophies (CMD) such as Walker-Warburg syndrome, muscle-eye-brain disease, and Fukuyama-type CMD. In these severe forms of dystroglycanopathy, the muscular dystrophy and other tissue pathology is caused by mutations in genes involved in O-linked glycosylation of alpha-dystroglycan. While cerebellar dysplasia is a common feature of dystroglycanopathy, its pathogenesis has not been thoroughly investigated.

Results
Here we evaluate the role of dystroglycan during cerebellar development. Brain-selective deletion of dystroglycan does not affect overall cerebellar growth, yet causes malformations associated with glia limitans disruptions and granule cell heterotopia that recapitulate phenotypes found in dystroglycanopathy patients. Cerebellar pathology in these mice is not evident until birth even though dystroglycan is lost during the second week of embryogenesis. The severity and spatial distribution of glia limitans disruption, Bergmann glia disorganization, and heterotopia exacerbate during postnatal development. Astrogliosis becomes prominent at these same sites by the time cerebellar development is complete. Interestingly, there is spatial heterogeneity in the glia limitans and granule neuron migration defects that spares the tips of lobules IV-V and VI.

Conclusions
The full spectrum of developmental pathology is caused by loss of dystroglycan from Bergmann glia, as neither granule cell- nor Purkinje cell-specific deletion of dystroglycan results in similar pathology. These data illustrate the importance of dystroglycan function in radial/Bergmann glia, not neurons, for normal cerebellar histogenesis. The spatial heterogeneity of pathology suggests that the dependence on dystroglycan is not uniform.
Accumulation of M1-like macrophages in type 2 diabetic islets is followed by a systemic shift in macrophage polarization
Authors: Cucak Helena , Grunnet Lars Groth , Rosendahl Alexander 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTHuman T2D is characterized by a low-grade systemic inflammation, loss of β-cells, and diminished insulin production. Local islet immunity is still poorly understood, and hence, we evaluated macrophage subpopulations in pancreatic islets in the well-established murine model of T2D, the db/db mouse. Already at 8 weeks of disease, on average, 12 macrophages were observed in the diabetic islets, whereas only two were recorded in the nondiabetic littermates. On a detailed level, the islet resident macrophages increased fourfold compared with nondiabetic littermates, whereas a pronounced recruitment (eightfold) of a novel subset of macrophages (CD68+F4/80−) was observed. The majority of the CD68+F4/80+ but only 40% of the CD68+F4/80− islet macrophages expressed CD11b. Both islet-derived macrophage subsets expressed moderate MHC-II, high galectin-3, and low CD80/CD86 levels, suggesting the cells to be macrophages rather than DCs. On a functional level, the vast majority of the macrophages in the diabetic islets was of the proinflammatory, M1-like phenotype. The systemic immunity in diabetic animals was characterized by a low-grade inflammation with elevated cytokine levels and increase of splenic cytokine, producing CD68+F4/80− macrophages. In late-stage diabetes, the cytokine signature changed toward a TGF-β-dominated profile, coinciding with a significant increase of galectin-3-positive macrophages in the spleen. In summary, our results show that proinflammatory M1-like galectin-3+ CD80/CD86low macrophages invade diabetic islets. Moreover, the innate immunity matures in a diabetes-dependent manner from an initial proinflammatory toward a profibrotic phenotype, supporting the concept that T2D is an inflammatory disease.
An essential role for platelet-activating factor in activating mast cell migration following ultraviolet irradiation
Authors: Chacón-Salinas Rommel , Chen Limo , Chávez-Blanco Alma D , Limón-Flores Alberto Y , Ma Ying , Ullrich Stephen E 
Published: September 2013

ABSTRACTThe UVB (290–320 nm) radiation in sunlight is responsible for inducing skin cancer. Exposure to UV radiation is also immunosuppressive, and the systemic immune suppression induced by UV is a well-recognized risk factor for cancer induction. As UVB radiation is absorbed within the upper layers of the skin, indirect mechanisms must play a role in activating systemic immune suppression. One prominent example is mast cell migration, which from the skin to the draining LN is an essential step in the cascade of events leading to immune suppression. What triggers mast cell migration is not entirely clear. Here, we tested the hypothesis that PAF, a lipid mediator of inflammation produced by the skin in response to UV exposure, is involved. Mast cell-deficient mice (KitW-sh/W-sh) are resistant to the suppressive effect of UV radiation, and reconstituting mast cell-deficient mice with normal bone marrow-derived mast cells restores susceptibility to immunosuppression. However, when mast cells from PAFR−/− mice were used, the reconstituted mice were not susceptible to the suppressive effects of UV. Furthermore, PAFR−/− mice showed impaired UV-induced mast cell migration when compared with WT mice. Finally, injecting PAF into WT mice mimicked the effect of UV irradiation and induced mast cell migration but not in PAFR−/− mice. Our findings indicate that PAFR binding induces mast cells to migrate from the skin to the LNs, where they mediate immune suppression.
A mouse model for inducible overexpression of Prdm14 results in rapid-onset and highly penetrant T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL)
Authors: Carofino Brandi L. , Ayanga Bernard , Justice Monica J. 
Published: September 2013

Summary
PRDM14 functions in embryonic stem cell (ESC) maintenance to promote the expression of pluripotency-associated genes while suppressing differentiation genes. Expression of PRDM14 is tightly regulated and typically limited to ESCs and primordial germ cells; however, aberrant expression is associated with tumor initiation in a wide variety of human cancers, including breast cancer and leukemia. Here, we describe the generation of a Cre-recombinase-inducible mouse model for the spatial and temporal control of Prdm14 misexpression [ROSA26 floxed-stop Prdm14 (R26PR)]. When R26PR is mated to either of two Cre lines, Mx1-cre or MMTV-cre, mice develop early-onset T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) with median overall survival of 41 and 64 days for R26PR;Mx1-cre and R26PR;MMTV-cre, respectively. T-ALL is characterized by the accumulation of immature single-positive CD8 cells and their widespread infiltration. Leukemia is preceded by a dramatic expansion of cells resembling hematopoietic stem cells and lymphoid-committed progenitors prior to disease onset, accompanied by a blockage in B-cell differentiation at the early pro-B stage. Rapid-onset PRDM14-induced T-ALL requires factors that are present in stem and progenitor cells: R26PR;dLck-cre animals, which express Prdm14 starting at the double-positive stage of thymocyte development, do not develop disease. PRDM14-induced leukemic cells contain high levels of activated NOTCH1 and downstream NOTCH1 targets, including MYC and HES1, and are sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of NOTCH1 with the γ-secretase inhibitor DAPT. Greater than 50% of human T-ALLs harbor activating mutations in NOTCH1; thus, our model carries clinically relevant molecular aberrations. The penetrance, short latency and involvement of the NOTCH1 pathway will make this hematopoietic R26PR mouse model ideal for future studies on disease initiation, relapse and novel therapeutic drug combinations. Furthermore, breeding R26PR to additional Cre lines will allow for the continued development of novel cancer models.
Effect of Structure-Directing Agents on FAU–CHA Interzeolite Conversion and Preparation of High Pervaporation Performance CHA Zeolite Membranes for the Dehydration of Acetic Acid Solution
Authors: Yamanaka Naoki , Itakura Masaya , Kiyozumi Yoshimichi , Sadakane Masahiro , Sano Tsuneji 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
FAU–CHA interzeolite conversions were investigated in the presence of benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (BTMAOH) and 1-adamantyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (AdaTMOH) as organic structure-directing agents (OSDAs). AdaTMOH was well able to both decompose/dissolve the starting FAU-type zeolites into locally ordered aluminosilicate species (nanoparts) and transform them into CHA-type zeolites. In contrast, although BTMAOH did not show such high performance in the decomposition and transformation as compared to AdaTMOH, the obtained CHA-type zeolites exhibited higher acid stability. Next, the application of the highly acid-resistant CHA-type zeolites to membranes was investigated. The CHA zeolite membrane prepared on the outer surface of a porous α-alumina tube by FAU–CHA interzeolite conversion demonstrated excellent pervaporation performance in the dehydration of acetic acid aqueous solution. A high permeate flux of ca. 8 kg m−2 h−1 with a high separation factor of ca. 2500 was maintained during long-term (1700 h) testing.
Spectroscopic Analysis of the Interaction of Human Serum Albumin with Tricationic Phosphorus Porphyrins Bearing Axial Pyridinio Groups
Authors: Matsumoto Jin , Kubo Tomoya , Shinbara Tomohiko , Matsuda Naomi , Shiragami Tsutomu , Fujitsuka Mamoru , Majima Tetsuro , Yasuda Masahide 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
Much attention has been paid to water-soluble porphyrins and metalloporphyrins as potential sensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT). Thus, water-soluble tricationic phosphorus porphyrin complexes were prepared via the introduction of an N-alkylpyridinio group on the axial ligands of phosphorus porphyrins. The resulting tricationic phosphorus porphyrins readily dissolve in aqueous solutions without the formation of aggregates, even at high concentration. Moreover, the affinity of the porphyrins to human serum albumin (HSA) is a key factor in their application to PDT since HSA plays an important role in the transport of drug molecules to a target cell. Interactions between the tricationic phosphorus porphyrins and HSA were examined on the basis of changes in the Soret bands of the absorption and fluorescence spectra of phosphorus porphyrin solutions in the presence of HSA and the fluorescence quenching of HSA by the tricationic phosphorus porphyrins. Tricationic phosphorus porphyrins with moderately long alkyl chains on the pyridinio group were strongly adsorbed on the HSA at a position near the tryptophan residue of HSA. This result suggests that tricationic phosphorus porphyrins containing alkyl groups are good candidates as PDT reagents because of their high water solubility and high affinity for HSA.
Computer-based system to capture, collect, process and analyze data in psychomotor tests
Authors: Faron Paweł , Lasoń Wojciech , Walecki Piotr , Kunc Marek , Gorzelańczyk Edward Jacek 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
The article explains the principles and goals in creating a computer-based system for the measurement of psychomotor functioning, its functionality, and user interface. To illustrate the capabilities of the system, the results of analysis of the selected psychomotor tests performed in different groups of patients are presented. The usefulness of the presented tool in the quantitative study of psychomotor functioning is assessed.
The homology of simplicial complements and the cohomology of polyhedral products
Authors: Wang Xiangjun , Zheng Qibing 
Published: September 2013

Abstract
In this paper, we define a simplicial complement

ℙ
=
{

σ
1

,

σ
2

,
...
,

σ
s

}

${\mathbb {P}=\lbrace \sigma _1, \sigma _2,\ldots , \sigma _s\rbrace }$

to be a sequence
of subsets of

[
m
]

${[m]}$

and prove that the simplicial complement ℙ corresponds to
an unique simplicial complex

K
ℙ

${K_\mathbb {P}}$

with vertices in [m]. Then, we define
the homology algebra of a simplicial complement

H

i
,
σ

(

Λ

*
,
*

[
ℙ
]

,
d
)

${H_{i,\sigma }(\Lambda ^{*,*}[\mathbb {P}], d)}$

over a principal ideal domain
𝐤 and prove that

H

*
,
*

(
Λ

[
ℙ
]

,
d
)

${H_{*,*}(\Lambda [\mathbb {P}], d)}$

is isomorphic to
the Tor-algebra of the corresponding face ring

𝐤
(

K
ℙ

)

${\mathbf {k}(K_\mathbb {P})}$

by the Taylor resolution.
This gives an algorithm for the cohomology algebraic structure of the moment-angle complex
by the isomorphism

H
*

(

𝒵

K
ℙ

,
𝐤
)

≅

Tor

*
,
*

𝐤
[
𝐱
]

(
𝐤

(

K
ℙ

)

,
𝐤
)

${H^*(\mathcal {Z}_{K_\mathbb {P}}, \mathbf {k}) \cong {\rm Tor}_{*,*}^{\mathbf {k}[\mathbf {x}]}(\mathbf {k}(K_\mathbb {P}), \mathbf {k})}$

. As applications of the simplicial complement, we
also give methods to compute the cohomology of the moment-angle complex
corresponding to a
link and star

link

K
ℙ

σ

${\operatorname{link}_{K_\mathbb {P}}\sigma }$

,

star

K
ℙ

σ

${\operatorname{star}_{K_\mathbb {P}}\sigma }$

and the cohomology modules of the polyhedral
products as well.
Addison's disease: a survey on 633 patients in Padova
Authors: Betterle Corrado , Scarpa Riccardo , Garelli Silvia , Morlin Luca , Lazzarotto Francesca , Presotto Fabio , Coco Graziella , Masiero Stefano , Parolo Anna , Albergoni Maria Paola , Favero Roberta , Barollo Susi , Salvà Monica , Basso Daniela , Chen Shu , Rees Smith Bernard , Furmaniak Jadwiga , Mantero Franco 
Published: September 2013

ObjectiveAddison's disease (AD) is a rare endocrine condition.DesignWe aimed to evaluate clinical, immunologic, adrenal imaging, and genetic features in 633 Italian patients with AD followed up since 1967.MethodsAdrenal cortex autoantibodies, presence of other autoimmune and nonautoimmune diseases, nonadrenal autoantibodies, adrenal imaging, and genetic profile for HLA-DRB1 and AIRE were analyzed.ResultsA total of 492 (77.7%) patients were found to be affected by autoimmune AD (A-AD), 57 (9%) tuberculous AD, 29 (4.6%) genetic-associated AD, 10 (1.6%) adrenal cancer, six (0.94%) post-surgical AD, four (0.6%) vascular disorder-related AD, three (0.5%) post-infectious AD, and 32 (5.1%) were defined as idiopathic. Adrenal cortex antibodies were detected in the vast majority (88–100%) of patients with recent onset A-AD, but in none of those with nonautoimmune AD. Adrenal imaging revealed normal/atrophic glands in all A-AD patients: 88% of patients with A-AD had other clinical or subclinical autoimmune diseases or were positive for nonadrenal autoantibodies.Based on the coexistence of other autoimmune disorders, 65.6% of patients with A-AD were found to have type 2 autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome (APS2), 14.4% have APS1, and 8.5% have APS4. Class II HLA alleles DRB1*03 and DRB1*04 were increased, and DRB1*01, DRB1*07, DRB1*013 were reduced in APS2 patients when compared with controls. Of the patients with APS1, 96% were revealed to have AIRE gene mutations.ConclusionsA-AD is the most prevalent form of adrenal insufficiency in Italy, and ∼90% of the patients are adrenal autoantibody-positive at the onset. Assessment of patients with A-AD for the presence of other autoimmune diseases should be helpful in monitoring and diagnosing APS types 1, 2, or 4 and improving patients' care.
Cervical Vertebral Maturation of Female Children with Orofacial Clefts
Authors: Sun Ling , Li Wei Ran 
Published: September 2013

Objective To evaluate the skeletal maturation of girls with orofacial clefts using the cervical vertebral maturation method. Design Case-control study. Setting The School of Stomatology, Peking University. Patients A total of 173 girls with cleft lip and/or palate from 8 to 16 years old were compared with 1038 age-matched girls without clefts. Results In the 8- to 9-year-olds, most of the girls from both groups were in cervical stage 1. In the 14- to 15-year-olds and 15- to 16-year-olds, almost all the girls from both groups were in cervical stages 5 and 6, and most of the 15- to 16-year-old girls were in cervical stage 6. Differences existed in each year for 9- to 14-year-olds, which was confirmed by statistical analysis. After ordinal logistical regression of data from girls 9 to 14 years of age, girls of the same age in the non–cleft lip and/or palate group were associated with 1.559 times the odds of having achieved higher cervical stages than those in the cleft lip and/or palate group. Most girls without cleft lip and/or palate were in cervical stages 3 and 4 in the 11- to 12-year-olds; whereas, it was not so obvious in the girls with cleft lip and/or palate. By the age of 12, girls with cleft lip and/or palate had 2.667 times the risk of delayed cervical stage 3, and the 95% confidence interval for the odds ratio was 1.013 to 7.019. Conclusions Girls with cleft lip and/or palate are at a higher risk of delayed pubertal growth.
Maxillary Protraction in Patients with Cleft Lip and Palate in Mixed Dentition: Cephalometric Evaluation after Completion of Growth
Authors: Susami Takafumi , Okayasu Mari , Inokuchi Takato , Ohkubo Kazumi , Uchino Natsuko , Uwatoko Kiwako , Takahashi-Ichikawa Naoko , Nagahama Kouhei , Takato Tsuyoshi 
Published: September 2013

Objective To clarify the short- and long-term effects of maxillary protraction (MP) in mixed dentition in patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP). Design Retrospective study. Setting University of Tokyo Hospital. Patients and Intervention Eleven Japanese patients with UCLP in mixed dentition were treated with MP and followed up until the completion of growth. Multibracket treatment had been performed after MP treatment in all patients. Main Outcome Measure Lateral cephalograms taken before and after MP and after completion of growth were used. Posterior and anterior vertical reference lines (PV, AV) were used to measure the horizontal movements of point A, pogonion, and maxillary first molar (U6). SNA, SNB, ANB, maxillary and mandibular length, mandibular plane angle, Wits value, upper incisor inclination, overjet, and overbite were also measured. Results Large variation was found in the effects of MP, and five patients eventually required orthognathic surgery. In average change with MP, the maxilla showed favorable forward growth. Point A had moved forward from PV but not AV. The mandible rotated backward. However, ANB and the Wits value did not improve. U6 moved forward, and the overjet improved. After MP, the skeletal Class III relationship became severe. Conclusions MP was effective as an early treatment for UCLP patients. However, its effects showed large variation and were in conflict with facial growth. Conscientious explanation of the expected effects and associated problems should be given to the patients/parents before its application.