bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Long‐pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser improves hypertrophic port‐wine stains
Authors: van Drooge A.M. , Bosveld B. , van der Veen J.P.W. , de Rie M.A. , Wolkerstorfer A. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractBackground  Hypertrophic port‐wine stains (PWS) usually respond poorly to pulsed dye laser treatment. The long‐pulsed 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser can target deeper situated vessels and may therefore be more effective.Objective  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of hypertrophic PWS.Methods  In a retrospective cohort study, all hypertrophic PWS patients treated with the Nd:YAG laser between 2005 and 2011 were invited for follow‐up. Clinical improvement was assessed using Physician Global Assessment (PhGA) and Patient Global Assessment (PGA).Results  Assessment was obtained in 32 of 44 eligible patients (mean age 51.4 years), after a mean of 2.8 (SD ± 2.1) Nd:YAG laser treatments. Good or excellent improvement of hypertrophy was found in a majority of patients, both by PhGA (91%) and PGA (93%). Good or excellent improvement of colour was found in 63% of patients by PhGA, and in 87% by PGA. Recurrence of hypertrophy was seen in three patients. All but two patients would recommend Nd:YAG treatment to other patients. Mild to moderate scars were seen in seven patients, hypopigmentation in 14 patients.Conclusion  The 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser is highly effective in the treatment of hypertrophic PWS with only a few treatments needed. Mostly mild side effects were seen in half of all patients. Hypertrophy seems to respond better than colour. To further improve colour, a combination with pulsed dye laser treatment is advisory. Observation of immediate clinical endpoints is important when using the Nd:YAG laser, to optimize outcomes and reduce side effects.
Quantifying the uncertainty in the Soil Conservation Service flood hydrographs: a case study in the Azores Islands
Authors: Leandro J. , Leitão J.P. , de Lima J.L.M.P. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractFlash flooding is characterised by a rapid flooding phenomenon caused by intense rainfall. Despite being an extreme event with high uncertainty, the rainfall‐run‐off process is often regarded as deterministic (rather than stochastic). In this paper, the Soil Conservation Service (SCS) flood hydrograph uncertainty is quantified based on the Total Error Framework (TEF), and introduced into the model by applying perturbation in the input data and model parameters. The random perturbation component is stochastically modelled. A sensitivity analysis was carried out on the stochastic model parameters, using a real case study in the Azores (Portugal). The results showed that the flood hydrograph uncertainty varies over time, with its largest deviations occurring at the beginning of the flooding because of the uncertainty associated with the SCS method curve number parameter (correlation coefficient R2 of 0.86). Rainfall uncertainty was responsible for the uncertainty in the hydrograph peaks' magnitude (R2 = 0.93) while uncertainty in the propagation velocity was responsible for the uncertainty in the peaks' time (R2 = 0.97).
Risk stratification for hepatitis B virus related hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Lin Chih‐Lin , Kao Jia‐Horng 
Published: October 2012

AbstractHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide, especially in the Asia–Pacific region. Several hepatitis B viral factors predictive of clinical outcomes in HBV carriers have been identified. The Risk Evaluation of Viral Load Elevation and Associated Liver Disease/Cancer‐HBV (REVEAL‐HBV) study from Taiwan illustrated the strong association between HBV‐DNA level at study entry and risk of HCC over time. In this community‐based cohort study, male gender, older age, high serum alanine aminotransferase level, positive hepatitis B e antigen, higher HBV‐DNA level, HBV genotype C infection, and core promoter mutation are independently associated with a higher risk of HCC. Another large hospital‐based Elucidation of Risk Factors for Disease Control or Advancement in Taiwanese Hepatitis B Carriers cohort of Taiwanese patients further validated the findings of REVEAL‐HBV. The risk of HCC started to increase when HBV‐DNA level was higher than 2000 IU/mL. Both HBV‐DNA and HBsAg levels were shown to be associated with HCC development. While HBV‐DNA level had better predictive accuracy than HBsAg level, when investigating the overall cohort in patients with HBV‐DNA level < 2000 IU/mL, HBsAg level ≥ 1000 IU/mL was identified as a new independent risk factor for HCC. With the results from REVEAL‐HBV, a risk calculation for predicting HCC in non‐cirrhotic patients has been developed and validated by independent cohorts (Risk Estimation for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chronic Hepatitis B).Taken together, ample evidence indicates that HBsAg level can complement HBV‐DNA level in predicting HCC development, especially in HBV carriers with low viral load. In conclusion, HBV treatment guidelines should include the risk stratification of HCC to individualize the management of HBV carriers with different levels of HCC risk.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in Asia: A story of growth
Authors: Wong Vincent Wai‐Sun 
Published: October 2012

AbstractTen years ago, few if any researchers in Asia showed interest in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Today, NAFLD is increasingly recognized as a major chronic liver disease not only in Western countries but also in Asia. Its importance is exemplified by its high prevalence, disease progression, and association with major medical disorders. In Asia, 15–30% of the general adult population suffers from NAFLD. In patients with diabetes and metabolic syndrome, the reported prevalence is typically over 50%. Patients with the active form of NAFLD, namely steatohepatitis (NASH), may have fibrosis progression and eventually develop cirrhosis. Patients with NASH‐related cirrhosis have similar mortality to those with other causes of cirrhosis, and they have a high risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma up to 2–3% per year. In addition, NAFLD patients have a high prevalence of cardiovascular disease and colorectal neoplasm. One major challenge for practicing clinicians is how to identify patients with significant liver disease among many who are found to have NAFLD. While liver biopsy is traditionally considered the gold standard for disease staging, it is invasive and unpleasant, and is an impractical tool for a disease that affects a quarter of the general population. To this end, new developments in transient elastography and biomarkers such as cytokeratin‐18 fragments can help exclude significant liver fibrosis and NASH, respectively. This article summarizes a young researcher's journey through this exciting area of research and what he has learned from amazing people all around the world.
Behavioral and monoamine changes following severe vitamin C deficiency
Authors: Ward Margaret S. , Lamb Jonathan , May James M. , Harrison Fiona E. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractSevere vitamin C deficiency (ascorbic acid; AA) was induced in gulo−/− mice incapable of synthesizing their own AA. A number of behavioral measures were studied before and during the deprivation period, including a scorbutic period, during which weight loss was observed in the mice. Mice were then resuscitated with AA supplements. During the scorbutic period, gulo−/− mice showed decreased voluntary locomotor activity, diminished physical strength, and increased preference for a highly palatable sucrose reward. These behaviors all returned to control levels following resuscitation. Altered trial times in subordinate mice in the tube test for social dominance in the AA‐deprived mice persisted following resuscitation and may signify a depressive‐like behavior in these mice. Biochemical analyses were undertaken following a second deprivation period. AA deficiency was accompanied by decreased blood glucose levels, oxidative damage to lipids and proteins in the cortex, and decreases in dopamine and serotonin metabolites in both the cortex and striatum. Given the reasonably high proportions of the population that do not consume sufficient AA in the diet, these data have important implications for physical and psychological function in the general population.
Effect of different advancement positions on the maximum retrusive force of the mandible
Authors: Al‐kalaly A. A. , Dyson J. E. , Wong R. W. K. , Schätzle M. , Cheung L. K. , Rabie A. B. M. 
Published: October 2012

Al‐kalaly A. A., Dyson J. E., Wong R. W. K., Schätzle M., Cheung L. K, Rabie A. B. M. Effect of different advancement positions on the maximum retrusive force of the mandible  Orthod Craniofac Res 2013; 16:56–64. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/SStructured AbstractIntroduction –  Functional appliances lead, in different degrees, to loss of anchorage in the lower arch. By anchoring them to the mandibular bone, any dental side effects may be avoided and the skeletal effect enhanced. Stability of bone‐borne fixation would be affected by forces created by the pull of the masticatory muscles. We aimed to identify mean maximum forces produced by mandibular retrusive muscles, at different degrees of advancement.Subjects and methods –  Eighteen healthy adult volunteers participated in the study. Maximum retrusive force was measured using a splint/load cell system. Readings of the maximum forces of retrusion were taken from five mandibular positions: unstrained retruded position, and 4, 5, 6, and 7 mm anterior to the unstrained position. Data were presented as means ± SD and anova was performed to examine statistical significant differences between means of the maximum retrusion force.Results –  Mean maximum retrusion force ranged between 63.3 and 198.2 newtons at the unstrained and 7 mm positions, respectively. It increased as the distance of advancement increased, being statistically significantly (p < 0.05) less at unstrained position compared with all advancement distances, 4 mm of advancement than 6 and 7 mm advancement, 5 mm of advancement than at 7 mm advancement.Conclusion –  Magnitude of the forces exerted by muscles during voluntary maximum retrusion movement from different advancement positions increased proportionately as the retrusion distance increased up to 7 mm. Such range of high forces might be important to consider when designing a bone‐borne functional appliance.
Ultrasound Imaging of Embedded Shrapnel Facilitates Diagnosis and Management of Myofascial Pain Syndrome
Authors: Shankar Hariharan , Cummings Craig 
Published: October 2012

AbstractTrigger points can result from a variety of inciting events including muscle overuse, trauma, mechanical overload, and psychological stress. When the myofascial trigger points occur in cervical musculature, they have been known to cause headaches. Ultrasound imaging is being increasingly used for the diagnosis and interventional management of various painful conditions.A veteran was referred to the pain clinic for management of his severe headache following a gunshot wound to the neck with shrapnel embedded in the neck muscles a few years prior to presentation. He had no other comorbid conditions. Physical examination revealed a taut band in the neck. An ultrasound imaging of the neck over the taut band revealed the deformed shrapnel located within the levator scapulae muscle along with an associated trigger point in the same muscle. Ultrasound guided trigger point injection, followed by physical therapy resolved his symptoms.This is a unique report of embedded shrapnel and coexisting myofascial pain syndrome revealed by ultrasound imaging. The association between shrapnel and myofascial pain syndrome requires further investigation.
Pharmacokinetics of anti‐tuberculosis drugs in Venezuelan children younger than 16 years of age: supportive evidence for the implementation of revised WHO dosing recommendations
Authors: Verhagen L. M. , López D. , Hermans P. W. M. , Warris A. , de Groot R. , García J. F. , de Waard J. H. , Aarnoutse R. E. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractObjectives  The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued revised first‐line antituberculosis (anti‐TB) drug dose recommendations for children, with dose increases proposed for each drug. No pharmacokinetic data are available from South American children. We examined the need for implementation of these revised guidelines in Venezuela.Methods  Plasma isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol concentrations were assessed prior to and at 2, 4 and 8 h after intake of TB drugs by 30 TB patients aged 1–15 years. The effects of dose in mg/kg, age, sex, body weight, malnutrition and acetylator phenotype on maximum plasma drug concentrations (Cmax) and exposure (AUC0‐24) were determined.Results  25 patients (83%) had an isoniazid Cmax below 3 mg/l and 23 patients (77%) had a rifampicin Cmax below 8 mg/l. One patient (3%) had a pyrazinamide Cmax below 20 mg/l. The low number of patients on ethambutol (n = 5) precluded firm conclusions. Cmax and AUC0‐24 of all four drugs were significantly and positively correlated with age and body weight. Patients aged 1–4 years had significantly lower Cmax and AUC0‐24 values for isoniazid and rifampicin and a trend to lower values for pyrazinamide compared to those aged 5–15 years. The geometric mean AUC0‐24 for isoniazid was much lower in fast acetylators than in slow acetylators (5.2 vs. 12.0, P < 0.01).Conclusion  We provide supportive evidence for the implementation of the revised WHO pediatric TB drug dose recommendations in Venezuela. Follow‐up studies are needed to describe the corresponding plasma levels that are achieved by the recommended increased doses of TB drugs.
Screen for Agents That Induce Autolysis in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Lacriola Christopher J. , Falk Shaun P. , Weisblum Bernard 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

The growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant infections underscores the need to discover new antibiotics and to use them with maximum effectiveness. In response to these needs, we describe a screening protocol for the discovery of autolysis-inducing agents that uses two
Bacillus subtilis
reporter strains, SH-536 and BAU-102. To screen chemical libraries, autolysis-inducing agents were first identified with a BAU-102-based screen and then subdivided with SH-536 into two major groups: those that induce autolysis by their direct action on the cell membrane and those that induce autolysis secondary to inhibition of cell wall synthesis. SH-536 distinguishes between the two groups of autolysis-inducing agents by synthesizing and then releasing β-galactosidase (β-Gal) in late stationary phase at a time that cells have nearly stopped growing and are therefore tolerant of cell wall synthesis inhibitors. Four hits, named compound 2, compound 3, compound 5, and compound 24, obtained previously as inducers of autolysis by screening a 10,080-compound discovery library with BAU-102, were probed with SH-536 and found to release β-Gal, indicating that their mode of action was to permeabilize the
B. subtilis
cell membrane. The four primary hits inhibited growth in
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Enterococcus faecium
,
Bacillus subtilis
, and
Bacillus anthracis
, with MICs in the 12.5- to 25-μg/ml (20 to 60 μM) range. The four primary hits were further used to probe
B. subtilis
, and their action was partially characterized with respect to the dependence of induced autolysis on specific autolysins.
Variations of Subunit ε of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis F
1
F
o
ATP Synthase and a Novel Model for Mechanism of Action of the Tuberculosis Drug TMC207
Authors: Biuković Goran , Basak Sandip , Manimekalai Malathy Sony Subramanian , Rishikesan Sankaranarayanan , Roessle Manfred , Dick Thomas , Rao Srinivasa P. S. , Hunke Cornelia , Grüber Gerhard 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

The subunit ε of bacterial F
1
F
O
ATP synthases plays an important regulatory role in coupling and catalysis via conformational transitions of its C-terminal domain. Here we present the first low-resolution solution structure of ε of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
(
Mt
ε) F
1
F
O
ATP synthase and the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) structure of its C-terminal segment (
Mt
ε
103–120
).
Mt
ε is significantly shorter (61.6 Å) than forms of the subunit in other bacteria, reflecting a shorter C-terminal sequence, proposed to be important in coupling processes via the catalytic β subunit. The C-terminal segment displays an α-helical structure and a highly positive surface charge due to the presence of arginine residues. Using NMR spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and mutagenesis, we demonstrate that the new tuberculosis (TB) drug candidate TMC207, proposed to bind to the proton translocating
c
-ring, also binds to
Mt
ε. A model for the interaction of TMC207 with both ε and the
c
-ring is presented, suggesting that TMC207 forms a wedge between the two rotating subunits by interacting with the residues W15 and F50 of ε and the
c
-ring, respectively. T19 and R37 of ε provide the necessary polar interactions with the drug molecule. This new model of the mechanism of TMC207 provides the basis for the design of new drugs targeting the F
1
F
O
ATP synthase in
M. tuberculosis
.
Fosfomycin-Daptomycin and Other Fosfomycin Combinations as Alternative Therapies in Experimental Foreign-Body Infection by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Garrigós C. , Murillo O. , Lora-Tamayo J. , Verdaguer R. , Tubau F. , Cabellos C. , Cabo J. , Ariza J. 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

The efficacy of daptomycin, imipenem, or rifampin with fosfomycin was evaluated and compared with that of daptomycin-rifampin in a tissue cage model infection caused by methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA). Strain HUSA 304 was used. The study yielded the following results for MICs (in μg/ml): fosfomycin, 4; daptomycin, 1; imipenem, 0.25; and rifampin, 0.03. The study yielded the following results for minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) (in μg/ml): fosfomycin, 8; daptomycin, 4; imipenem, 32; and rifampin, 0.5. Daptomycin-rifampin was confirmed as the most effective therapy against MRSA foreign-body infections. Fosfomycin combinations with high doses of daptomycin and rifampin were efficacious alternative therapies in this setting. Fosfomycin-imipenem was relatively ineffective and did not protect against resistance.
Two Hits Are Better than One: Membrane-Active and DNA Binding-Related Double-Action Mechanism of NK-18, a Novel Antimicrobial Peptide Derived from Mammalian NK-Lysin
Authors: Yan Jiexi , Wang Kairong , Dang Wen , Chen Ru , Xie Junqiu , Zhang Bangzhi , Song Jingjing , Wang Rui 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

The extensive use and misuse of antibiotics in medicine result in the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria, creating an urgent need for the development of new chemotherapeutic agents. Nowadays, antimicrobial peptides are widely recognized as a class of promising candidates with activity against multidrug-resistant bacteria. NK-18 is a truncated peptide derived from NK-Lysin, an effector of cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells. In this study, we studied the antibacterial mechanism of action of NK-18. The results revealed that NK-18 has potent antibacterial activity against
Escherichia coli
and
Staphylococcus aureus
. According to our findings, NK-18 is membrane active and its target of action is not only the bacterial membrane but also the DNA in the cytoplasm. The double targets of NK-18 make it difficult for bacteria to generate resistance, which may present a new strategy to defend against multidrug-resistant bacteria and provide a new lead in the design of potent antimicrobial peptides with therapeutic application in the presence of increasing resistance to conventional antibiotics.
Complete Nucleotide Sequence of the First KPC-2- and SHV-12-Encoding IncX Plasmid, pKpS90, from Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Kassis-Chikhani Najiby , Frangeul Lionel , Drieux Laurence , Sengelin Christian , Jarlier Vincent , Brisse Sylvain , Arlet Guillaume , Decré Dominique 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

We report the complete nucleotide sequence of the pKpS90 plasmid, carrying the
bla
KPC-2
and
bla
SHV-12
genes. This plasmid was isolated from a sequence type 258 (ST258)
Klebsiella pneumoniae
strain responsible for an outbreak in a French university hospital in 2009. pKpS90 is a 53,286-bp plasmid that belongs to the IncX incompatibility group. pKpS90 consists of a backbone from IncX plasmids, in which the KPC-2-encoding Tn
4401
transposon and a
bla
SHV-12
-encoding region have been inserted.
Genome Update of Botrytis cinerea Strains B05.10 and T4
Authors: Staats Martijn , van Kan Jan A. L. 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

We report here an update of the
Botrytis cinerea
strains B05.10 and T4 genomes, as well as an automated preliminary gene structure annotation. High-coverage
de novo
assemblies and reference-based alignments led to a correction of wrong base calls, elimination of sequence gaps, and improved joining of contigs. The new assemblies have substantially lower numbers of scaffolds and a concomitant increase in the
N
50
.The list of protein-coding genes was generated using the evidence-driven gene predictor Augustus, with expressed sequence tag evidence and RNA-Seq data as input.
Identification of Burkholderia cenocepacia Strain H111 Virulence Factors Using Nonmammalian Infection Hosts
Authors: Schwager Stephan , Agnoli Kirsty , Köthe Manuela , Feldmann Friederike , Givskov Michael , Carlier Aurelien , Eberl Leo 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

Burkholderia cenocepacia
H111, a strain isolated from a cystic fibrosis patient, has been shown to effectively kill the nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans
. We used the
C. elegans
model of infection to screen a mini-Tn
5
mutant library of
B. cenocepacia
H111 for attenuated virulence. Of the approximately 5,500
B. cenocepacia
H111 random mini-Tn
5
insertion mutants that were screened, 22 showed attenuated virulence in
C. elegans
. Except for the quorum-sensing regulator
cepR
, none of the mutated genes coded for the biosynthesis of classical virulence factors such as extracellular proteases or siderophores. Instead, the mutants contained insertions in metabolic and regulatory genes. Mutants attenuated in virulence in the
C. elegans
infection model were also tested in the
Drosophila melanogaster
pricking model, and those also attenuated in this model were further tested in
Galleria mellonella
. Six of the 22 mutants were attenuated in
D. melanogaster
, and five of these were less pathogenic in the
G. mellonella
model. We show that genes encoding enzymes of the purine, pyrimidine, and shikimate biosynthesis pathways are critical for virulence in multiple host models of infection.
Genome Sequences of Three Helicobacter pylori Strains Isolated from Atrophic Gastritis and Gastric Ulcer Patients in China
Authors: You Yuanhai , Liu Lin , Zhang Maojun , Han Xifang , He Lihua , Zhu Yuanfang , Ni Peixiang , Zhang Jianzhong 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

Helicobacter pylori
is a bacterial pathogen which can lead to several human gastric diseases. Here we describe the genome sequences of three strains isolated from atrophic gastritis and gastric ulcers patients in China. The data will permit genomic characterization of traits that may contribute to various gastric diseases.
Whole-Genome Sequence of the Hypervirulent Clinical Strain Mycobacterium intracellulare M.i.198
Authors: Tateishi Yoshitaka , Kitada Seigo , Miki Keisuke , Maekura Ryoji , Ogura Yoshitoshi , Ozeki Yuriko , Nishiuchi Yukiko , Niki Mamiko , Hayashi Tetsuya , Hirata Kazuto , Kobayashi Kazuo , Matsumoto Sohkichi 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

We report herein the draft genome sequence of
Mycobacterium intracellulare
clinical strain M.i.198, which consistently exhibits hypervirulence in human patients, human macrophages
in vitro
, and immunocompetent mice.