bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
IgG4‐Related Prostatitis Impairs Objective Urinary Function as with Benign Prostate Hyperplasia: A Case Report Successfully Treated with Transurethral Resection
Authors: KAGAWA Makoto , TAKESHITA Hideki , MORIYAMA Shingo , ADACHI Akiko , CHIBA Koji , NORO Akira 
Published: April 2014

CaseWe report a case of IgG4‐related prostatitis successfully treated with transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR‐P). A 47‐year‐old man with a history of autoimmune pancreatitis and sclerosing cholangitis presented with lower urinary tract symptoms. Because ultrasonography revealed a mildly enlarged prostate and uroflowmetry showed a severely diminished flow curve, benign prostatic hyperplasia was diagnosed. Despite the administration of α1‐blockers, the patient's condition did not improve, and TUR‐P was performed in accordance with his wish.OutcomePathological examination showed dense lymphoplasmacytic inflammation with no evidence of synchronous malignancy. On immunohistochemical staining, a large number (>40/high‐power field) of IgG4‐positive cells were observed in the lesions showing the inflammation, confirming the diagnosis of IgG4‐related prostatitis. The patient's urinary function dramatically improved postoperatively, and good urinary function has been maintained for 3 years without additional treatment.ConclusionRecognition of the impact of IgG4‐related prostatitis on objective urinary function will help in appropriately treating patients with this condition.
Unique genome replication mechanism of the archaeal virus AFV1
Authors: Pina Mery , Basta Tamara , Quax Tessa E. F. , Joubert Alexandra , Baconnais Sonia , Cortez Diego , Lambert Sarah , Le Cam Eric , Bell Stephen D. , Forterre Patrick , Prangishvili David 
Published: April 2014

SummaryThe exceptional genomic content and genome organization of the Acidianus filamentous virus 1 (AFV1) that infects the hyperthermophilic archaeon Acidianus hospitalis suggest that this virus might exploit an unusual mechanism of genome replication. An analysis of replicative intermediates of the viral genome by two‐dimensional (2D) agarose gel electrophoresis revealed that viral genome replication starts by the formation of a D‐loop and proceeds via strand displacement replication. Characterization of replicative intermediates using dark‐field electron microscopy, in combination with the 2D agarose gel electrophoresis data, suggests that recombination plays a key role in the termination of AFV1 genome replication through the formation of terminal loops. A terminal protein was found to be attached to the ends of the viral genome. The results allow us to postulate a model of genome replication that relies on recombination events for initiation and termination.
Species identification and likely catch time period of whale bones from South Georgia
Authors: Sremba Angela L. , Martin Anthony R. , Scott Baker C. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractSkeletal remains of baleen whales killed during the onset of 20th century commercial whaling lie scattered across the shores and abandoned whaling stations of the subantarctic island of South Georgia. Here we report on genetic species identification of whale bones collected from South Georgia using standard historical DNA protocols. We amplified and sequenced short fragments of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region from 281 available bone samples. Of these, 231 provided mtDNA sequences of sufficient quality and length (174–194 bp) for species identification: 158 bones were identified as humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), 51 bones were identified as fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), 18 bones were identified as blue whale (B. musculus), two bones were identified as sei whale (B. borealis), one bone was identified as a southern right whale (Eubalaena australis), and one bone was identified as a southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina). The prominence of humpback, fin, and blue whale bones in the sample collection corresponds to the catch record of the early years of whaling on the island of South Georgia (pre‐1915), prior to the depletion of these populations.
Systematic review of health‐related quality of life in older people following percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Soo Hoo Soon Yeng , Gallagher Robyn , Elliott Doug 
Published: April 2014

AbstractPeople aged over 60 years represent an increasingly high proportion of the population undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. While risks are greater for older people in terms of major adverse cardiovascular events and higher mortality for this treatment, it is unclear if the benefits of health‐related quality of life outcomes may outweigh risks. A search of the PubMed, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Excerpta Medica, and Cochrane databases was conducted for the period from January 1999 to June 2012 using key words “percutaneous coronary intervention”/“angioplasty,” “older,” “elderly,” and “quality of life”/“health‐related quality of life.” Using a systematic review approach, data from 18 studies were extracted for description and synthesis. Findings revealed that everyone regardless of age reported better health‐related quality of life, primarily from the relief of angina and improved physical and mental function. Age itself did not have an independent predictive effect when other factors such as comorbid conditions were taken into account. Assessment of older peoples’ health status following percutaneous coronary intervention by nurses and other health professionals is therefore important for the provision of quality care.
Marker‐assisted introgression of lpa2 locus responsible for low‐phytic acid trait into an elite tropical maize inbred (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Sureshkumar S. , Tamilkumar Paramasivam , Thangavelu Arumugam U. , Senthil Natesan , Nagarajan Pothiraj , Vellaikumar Sampthrajan , Ganesan Kalipatty N. , Balagopal Ramachandran , Raveendran Muthurajan 
Published: April 2014

AbstractMaize is an important food and feed crop worldwide. Phytic acid (PA), in maize kernel, is an antinutritional factor. PA chelates mineral cations and causes mineral deficiency in humans and phosphorous deficiency in animals. The undigested PA excreted by monogastric animals causes phosphorous eutrophication. Therefore, development of low‐phytate maize is indispensable. The low‐phytate locus (lpa2 allele) has been transferred from low‐phytate mutant line ‘EC 659418’ into an elite inbred UMI 395 through marker‐assisted backcross breeding (MABB). The MABB involved three backcrosses followed by two selfing steps, including ‘foreground selection’, that is, selecting lines with lpa2 allele with the help of a codominant SSR marker ‘umc2230’ and ‘background selection’, that is, selecting plants having genetic background similar to that of the recurrent parent using 50 codominant SSR markers. Two low‐phytate lpa2 lines with genome similar (>90% similarity) to that of recurrent parent have been identified. These lines can be used as parent in future hybridization programmes for obtaining low‐phytate high‐yielding maize hybrids.
Mechanisms of pathogenesis in allergic asthma: Role of interleukin‐23
Authors: Li Yanchun , Hua Shucheng 
Published: April 2014

AbstractAsthma is a chronic airway inflammatory disease characterized by intense leukocyte and eosinophilic infiltration accompanied by mucus hypersecretion and tissue hyperresponsiveness. Recent evidence suggests that T‐helper (Th)2 cells and their cytokine products orchestrate the pathology of asthma. In addition, Th17 cells are implicated in the pathogenesis of antigen‐induced airway inflammation. The Th17 related cytokine interleukin (IL)‐23 plays important roles in many immunological diseases, such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease. Several reports describe the role of IL‐23 in the pathogenesis of allergic asthma in both human and mice. IL‐23 leads to neutrophil infiltration in the airway of asthmatic mice, which is characteristic of severe asthma resulting from Th17 development and subsequently IL‐17 secretion. IL‐23 can also promote eosinophil infiltration in the airway, which is a hallmark of allergic asthma. These studies suggest that IL‐23 could be a promoting factor in the development of allergic asthma and likewise would be a target for asthma therapy. In support of this view, trials of anti‐IL‐23 therapy have been attempted in human and mouse asthma models with encouraging outcomes. This review presents the role of IL‐23 in asthma according to recent clinical trials and animal model studies. The proposed mechanisms of IL‐23‐induced airway inflammation and the agents currently being tested that target IL‐23 related pathways are discussed.
Bayesian Inference for Transportation Origin–Destination Matrices: the Poisson–Inverse Gaussian and Other Poisson Mixtures
Authors: Perrakis Konstantinos , Karlis Dimitris , Cools Mario , Janssens Davy 
Published: April 2014

SummaryTransportation origin–destination analysis is investigated through the use of Poisson mixtures by introducing covariate-based models which incorporate different transport modelling phases and also allow for direct probabilistic inference on link traffic based on Bayesian predictions. Emphasis is placed on the Poisson–inverse Gaussian model as an alternative to the commonly used Poisson–gamma and Poisson–log-normal models. We present a first full Bayesian formulation and demonstrate that the Poisson–inverse Gaussian model is particularly suited for origin–destination analysis because of its desirable marginal and hierarchical properties. In addition, the integrated nested Laplace approximation is considered as an alternative to Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling and the two methodologies are compared under specific modelling assumptions. The case-study is based on 2001 Belgian census data and focuses on a large, sparsely distributed origin–destination matrix containing trip information for 308 Flemish municipalities.
Is the Carli Index Flawed?: Assessing the Case for the New Retail Price Index RPIJ
Authors: Levell Peter 
Published: April 2014

SummaryThe paper discusses the recent decision of the UK’s Office for National Statistics to replace the controversial Carli index with the Jevons index in a new version of the retail price index—RPIJ. In doing so we make three contributions to the way that price indices should be selected for measures of consumer price inflation when quantity information is not available (i.e. at the ‘elementary’ level). Firstly, we introduce a new price bouncing test under the test approach for choosing index numbers. Secondly, we provide empirical evidence on the performance of the Carli and Jevons indices in different contexts under the statistical approach. Thirdly, applying something analogous to the principle of insufficient reason, we argue contrary to received wisdom in the literature, that the economic approach can be used to choose indices at the elementary level, and moreover that it favours the use of the Jevons index. Overall, we conclude that there is a case against the Carli index and that the Jevons index is to be preferred.
Analysis of Income Inequality Measures on Human Immunodeficiency Virus Mortality: a Spatiotemporal Bayesian Perspective
Authors: Aktekin Tevfik , Musal Muzaffer 
Published: April 2014

SummarySocial, economic, environmental and behavioural factors impacting health are well recognized in the literature. We consider the use of various income inequality measures in addition to a poverty measure and investigate their effects on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) mortality. In doing so, we make use of models that can capture zero inflation and spatiotemporal effects. The research is motivated by the lack of studies from an inference and modelling perspectives in explaining HIV mortality by using measures that take into account socio-economic status as well as time and location. Such a study can help policy makers to identify cases of environmental injustice and areas of outstanding health risk to assist in resource allocation problems. In our numerical example, we make use of mortality data obtained for the state of New York, estimate model parameters from a Bayesian inference perspective and discuss the implications and interpretations of various income inequality measures. The methodological novelty of our study is the introduction of a zero-inflated Poisson model that can account for both spatial and temporal effects across 5 years (2000–2004). The practical novelty of our study is its attempt to find inequality measures which can improve our understanding of HIV mortality risk. Our results indicate that, for the data at hand, if inequality is calculated on the basis of county-specific income shares rather than the whole state, HIV mortality can be better explained. In addition, accounting for temporal and spatial effects was found to contribute to our understanding of HIV mortality risk.
The phylogeny and revised classification ofMachaerotidae, the tube‐making spittlebugs (Hemiptera:Auchenorrhyncha:Cercopoidea)
Authors: BELL ADAM J. , SVENSON GAVIN J. , CRYAN JASON R. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractMachaerotidae (Hemiptera:Auchenorrhyncha:Cercopoidea) is a taxonomically small but morphologically diverse family of spittlebugs with approximately 115 described species in 31 genera and an exclusivelyPalaeotropical distribution. Results are presented of the first molecular phylogenetic investigation ofMachaerotidae, examining relationships among the currently recognized subfamilies and tribes, as well as determining the phylogenetic placement of the generaEnderleiniaSchmidt,NeuromachaerotaSchmidt,LabramachaerotaBell &Cryan, andKyphomachaerotaBell &Cryan.DNAnucleotide sequence data from eight loci (12srDNA,16srDNA,18SrDNA,28SrDNA,histone2A,histone 3,winglessandNADH Dehydrogenase subunit 4) were analysed to reconstruct the phylogeny. The evidence generated in this study supports the following systematic conclusions: (i)Machaerotidae is a monophyletic family; (ii)Machaerotini,Hindoloidini (with the new inclusion ofKyphomachaerota), andEnderleiniini (excludingKyphomachaerotaandApomachaerotaSchmidt) are monophyletic tribes; (iii) the genusApomachaerotawas recovered as the most anciently diverged lineage of extantMachaerotidae, and a new subfamily (Apomachaerotinaesubfam.n.), is proposed on the basis of its phylogenetic placement as sister lineage to all other extantMachaerotidae.
Two samples for blood transfusion: single centre experience
Authors: Thomas W. , Davies J. , Asamoah A. , Scott‐Molloy C. , Sansom V. , Kerr J. 
Published: April 2014

SUMMARYObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate the introduction of two‐sample policy for transfusion at our hospital and reduction of the risk of ABO incompatible transfusion.BackgroundABO incompatible transfusion can be a fatal but avoidable event. Wrong blood in tube is a cause of ABO incompatible transfusion and there are various strategies available to try and expunge this event.MethodsSurvey of policy/practice before and after the introduction of a two‐sample policy.ResultsStaff training is inadequate in reducing the risk of ABO incompatible transfusion. A two‐sample policy was introduced and does not significantly increase workload or use of group O blood and does not compromise patient safety by causing delay in blood provision. Post hoc analysis confirms good understanding of the policy by medical staff. Observation of medical staff taking transfusion samples demonstrated consistent deviation from policy, enforcing the need for confirmatory samples.ConclusionA two‐sample policy adds an extra layer of safety to transfusion practice and can be introduced without creating new problems.
Determination of Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction Parameters for Quercus infectoria Galls and the Effects on Extraction Yield and Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Md Salleh Liza , Mohd Nasir Hasmida , Yaakob Harisun , Che Yunus Mohd Azizi 
Published: April 2014

Currently, finding alternative ways of extracting medicinal plant gain more interest from the researchers. Quercus infectoria, a medicinal plant, is rich with bioactive compound being extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction which helps to maintain the quality of the product as well as green environment. CO2 is widely used as solvent due to moderate critical conditions, nontoxic and easily removed from the products. This work was performed to determine the optimum extraction parameters of SC-CO2 extraction and their effects on the total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of Q.infectoria extract. Hence, two different parameters have been investigated which were extraction time and CO2 flow rate (2, 3, 4 ml/min) while pressure (P) and temperature (T) were fixed at highest density (P = 30 MPa, T = 40oC). The results obtained from this study show that the solvent flow rate of 2 ml/min gives the highest percentage of yield (0.3652%) and the complete extraction of the sample was achieved at 80 minutes. Better quality of the extract was shown at 2 ml/min as resulted in high amount of phenolic compound in the extract presented as gallic acid equivalent (GAE) (2.04×102 mg GAE/g sample). The extracts were screened for possible antioxidant activity by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assays. In this study, the best result obtained for antioxidant activity was at flow rate of 3 ml/min with inhibition percentage of 96.97%.
Influence of Multiwall Carbon Nanotube on Polyethersulfone/ Polyvinyl Alcohol Blend Membranes
Authors: Mohd Khairuddin Nur Farahah , Idris Ani , Ahmed Iqbal , Mohd Yusof Noordin 
Published: April 2014

This paper investigates the influence of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) on the morphology and properties of polyethersulfone (PES) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blend membranes. Several membranes were prepared by blending 0.5 wt% MWCNT , 18%wt PES and 1.5wt% PVA of various molecular weights (60, 145 and 200 kDa) in dimethyl acetate (DMAC) solvent. The membranes were then evaluated in terms of its morphology, contact angle, water flux rate and porosity. The results revealed that MWCNT nanoparticles have decreased the contact angle and increased the flux rate of PES/PVA blend membranes. The presence of MWCNT in the PES/PVA membranes have promoted the formation of fingerlike pores in the membranes structure and thus increased the porosity of the membranes. Besides that, the use of higher molecular weight PVA helped to reduce the contact angle of the membranes reflecting to their hydrophilic nature. However, the use of lower molecular weight PVA was found to enhance the increased of flux rate and porosity of the membrane.
Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Used-Frying Oil Using Candida rugosa Lipase
Authors: Rashid Roslina , Zaharudin Nor Athirah , Idris Ani 
Published: April 2014

Hydrolysis of used-frying oil had been carried out by using an immobilized lipase from Candida rugosa in solvent-free system. Used-frying oil was considered as the substrate in this study due to abundance amount of used-frying oil present in Malaysia as its disposal problem has become a very serious environmental issue. The high free fatty acids (FFA) content in used-frying oil has raised the interest for the utilization of this waste into valuable products. Even though used-frying oil is not suitable for human consumption and being extensively used for the biodiesel production, FFA from used-frying oil could be utilized to produce various types of non-edible products. Effects of enzyme loading, water content, reaction temperature, buffer pH and agitation speeds on the hydrolysis process were investigated. The experiments were conducted at constant reaction time of 3 hours. It was found that the effect of variables were very significant on the hydrolysis process. The hydrolysis process achieved the highest yield of fatty acids at enzyme concentration of 1.5% (w/v), buffer volume to oil volume ratio of 3:1, temperature of 40˚C, pH of 7, and agitation speed of 220 rpm. Under these described conditions, it was found that nearly 97.15±1.31% of hydrolysis degree was achieved with 2533.33±26.67 µmol/ml of fatty acids was produced.
Multivariable PID Using Singularly Perturbed System
Authors: Che Razali Mashitah , Abdul Wahab Norhaliza , Samsudin Sharatul Izah 
Published: April 2014

The paper investigates the possibilities of using the singularly perturbation method in a multivariable proportional-integral-derivative (MPID) controller design. The MPID methods of Davison, Penttinen-Koivo and Maciejowski are implemented and the effective of each method is tested on wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Basically, this work involves modeling and control. In the modeling part, the original full order system of the WWTP was decomposed to a singularly perturbed system. Approximated slow and fast models of the system were realized based on eigenvalue of the identified system. The estimated models are then used for controller design. Mostly, the conventional MPID considered static inverse matrix, but this singularly perturbed MPID considers dynamic matrix inverse. The stability of the singularly perturbed system is established by using Bode analysis, whereby the bode plot of the model system is compared to the original system. The simulation results showed that the singularly perturbed method can be applied into MPID. The three methods of MPID have been compared and the Maciejowski shows the best closed loop performance.
Polymicrobial Infection and Bacterium-Mediated Epigenetic Modification of DNA Tumor Viruses Contribute to Pathogenesis
Authors: Doolittle J. M. , Webster-Cyriaque J. 
Published: April 2014

ABSTRACT

The human body plays host to a wide variety of microbes, commensal and pathogenic. In addition to interacting with their host, different microbes, such as bacteria and viruses, interact with each other, sometimes in ways that exacerbate disease. In particular, gene expression of a number of viruses, including Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is known to be regulated by epigenetic modifications induced by bacteria. These viruses establish latent infection in their host cells and can be reactivated by bacterial products. Viral reactivation has been suggested to contribute to periodontal disease and AIDS. In addition, bacterium-virus interactions may play a role in cancers, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma, gastric cancer, and head and neck cancer. It is important to consider the effects of coexisting bacterial infections when studying viral diseases
in vivo
.