bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Parental stress and dyadic consensus in early parenthood among mothers and fathers in Sweden
Authors: Widarsson Margareta , Engström Gabriella , Berglund Anders , Tydén Tanja , Lundberg Pranee 
Published: November 2013

BackgroundParental stress can negatively affect the parent–child relationship and reduce the well‐being of the whole family. Family disagreement is associated with parental divorce and with psychological problems in children.AimsThe aim was to examine perceived parental stress and draw comparisons among mothers and among fathers, in relation to educational level, parental experience, existence of a parental role model and sense of coherence. The aim was also to examine perceived dyadic consensus and its association with perceived parental stress within couples.MethodsQuestionnaires were completed by 320 mothers and 315 fathers at 1 week and 18 months post‐partum. The Swedish Parenthood Stress Questionnaire, the Sense of Coherence Scale and the Dyadic Consensus Subscale were used.ResultsLow education, lack of a role model and poor sense of coherence promoted stress in mothers in the subareassocial isolationandspouse relationship problems, while lack of a role model and poor sense of coherence promoted stress in fathers in the subareasocial isolation. Furthermore, parental experiences promoted stress among mothers in the subareaincompetencewhile this was not seen among fathers. Mothers perceived a higher level of dyadic consensus than fathers in the itemsrecreational activities, friends, aims and life goals, time spent together,anddecisions regarding career and personal development.Household taskswas the only item where fathers perceived a higher level of dyadic consensus than mothers. Additionally, there were associations between perceived parental stress and dyadic consensus in several items and in the total score.ConclusionsTo promote parents' health and family stability, health professionals should consider factors affecting stress and stress reactions, and take gender roles into account.
Smoking association with influenza infection in renal transplant recipients
Authors: Sparks J.A. , Brennan D.C. , Lawrence S.J. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractWe identified 22 cases of influenza infection among renal transplant recipients and matched them with 66 controls by influenza season to explore risk factors for influenza infection. Active cigarette smoking was associated with influenza infection in this population (adjusted odds ratio 13.1; 95% confidence interval 2.3–76; P = 0.004).
Image‐based assessment of microvascular function and structure in collagen XV‐ and XVIII‐deficient mice
Authors: Rygh C. B. , Løkka G. , Heljasvaara R. , Taxt T. , Pavlin T. , Sormunen R. , Pihlajaniemi T. , Curry F. R. , Tenstad O. , Reed R. K. 
Published: November 2013

Key points
Collagen XV and XVIII occur in muscle and connective tissue capillaries and are needed for maintaining a normal circulatory phenotype.
Lack of collagen XV in mice leads to increased vascular permeability, increased extraction fraction, and increased extravascular extracellular space in striated muscle.
Lack of collagen XVIII in mice leads to increased blood flow, permeability, permeability–surface area product and blood–tissue transvascular transfer in striated muscle tissue.
Our results show that functional imaging with MRI and subsequent data analysis provide reliable and robust data and are valuable tools for assessing detailed physiological information non‐invasively.
AbstractCollagen XV and XVIII are ubiquitous constituents of basement membranes. We aimed to study the physiological roles of these two components of the permeability barrier non‐invasively in striated muscle in mice deficient in collagen XV or XVIII by dynamic contrast‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE‐MRI). Structural information was obtained with transmission electron microscopy (TEM). MR data were analysed by two different analysis methods to quantify tissue perfusion and microcirculatory exchange parameters to rule out data analysis method‐dependent results. Control mice (C57BL/6J Ola/Hsd strain) or mice lacking either collagen XV (Col15a1−/−) or XVIII (Col18a1−/−) were included in the study. MR images were acquired using a preclinical system using gadodiamide (Gd‐DTPA‐BMA, molecular weight 0.58 kDa) as a tracer. Exchange capacity (permeability (P)–surface area (S) product relative to blood flow (FB)) was increased in test mice compared to controls, but the contributions from P, S, and FB were different in these two phenotypes. FB was significantly increased in Col18a1−/−, but slightly decreased in Col15a1−/−. PS was significantly increased only in Col18a1−/− even though P was increased in both phenotypes suggesting S might also be reduced in Col15a1−/− mice. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy demonstrated alterations in capillary density and morphology in both knockout mouse strains in comparison to the control mice. Both collagen XV and XVIII are important for maintaining normal capillary permeability in the striated muscle. DCE‐MRI and the perfusion analyses successfully determined microvascular haemodynamic parameters of genetically modified mice and gave results consistent with more invasive methods.
Kv3.3 channels harbouring a mutation of spinocerebellar ataxia type 13 alter excitability and induce cell death in cultured cerebellar Purkinje cells
Authors: Irie Tomohiko , Matsuzaki Yasunori , Sekino Yuko , Hirai Hirokazu 
Published: November 2013

Key points
The cerebellum plays crucial roles in controlling sensorimotor functions, and patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 13 exhibit cerebellar atrophy and cerebellar symptoms.
The disease is an autosomal dominant disorder caused by missense mutations in the voltage‐gated K+ channel Kv3.3, which is expressed intensely in the cerebellar Purkinje cells, the sole output neurons from the cerebellar cortex.
Here, we examined how these mutations cause the cerebellar disease by lentiviral expression of the mutant Kv3.3 in mouse cultured Purkinje cells.
Expression of the mutant Kv3.3 suppressed outward currents, broadened action potentials and elevated basal intracellular calcium concentration in Purkinje cells. Moreover, the mutant‐expressing Purkinje cells showed impaired dendrites and extensive cell death, both of which were significantly rescued by blockade of P/Q‐type Ca2+ channels.
These results suggest that Purkinje cells in the patients also exhibit similar abnormalities, which may account for the pathology of the disease.
Abstract  The cerebellum plays crucial roles in controlling sensorimotor functions. The neural output from the cerebellar cortex is transmitted solely by Purkinje cells (PCs), whose impairment causes cerebellar ataxia. Spinocerebellar ataxia type 13 (SCA13) is an autosomal dominant disease, and SCA13 patients exhibit cerebellar atrophy and cerebellar symptoms. Recent studies have shown that missense mutations in the voltage‐gated K+ channel Kv3.3 are responsible for SCA13. In the rodent brain, Kv3.3 mRNAs are expressed most strongly in PCs, suggesting that the mutations severely affect PCs in SCA13 patients. Nevertheless, how these mutations affect the function of Kv3.3 in PCs and, consequently, the morphology and neuronal excitability of PCs remains unclear. To address these questions, we used lentiviral vectors to express mutant mouse Kv3.3 (mKv3.3) channels harbouring an R424H missense mutation, which corresponds to the R423H mutation in the Kv3.3 channels of SCA13 patients, in mouse cerebellar cultures. The R424H mutant‐expressing PCs showed decreased outward current density, broadened action potentials and elevated basal [Ca2+]i compared with PCs expressing wild‐type mKv3.3 subunits or those expressing green fluorescent protein alone. Moreover, expression of R424H mutant subunits induced impaired dendrite development and cell death selectively in PCs, both of which were rescued by blocking P/Q‐type Ca2+ channels in the culture conditions. We therefore concluded that expression of R424H mutant subunits in PCs markedly affects the function of endogenous Kv3 channels, neuronal excitability and, eventually, basal [Ca2+]i, leading to cell death. These results suggest that PCs in SCA13 patients also exhibit similar defects in PC excitability and induced cell death, which may explain the pathology of SCA13.
Improving spot‐scanning proton therapy patient specific quality assurance with HPlusQA, a second‐check dose calculation engine
Authors: Mackin Dennis , Li Yupeng , Taylor Michael B. , Kerr Matthew , Holmes Charles , Sahoo Narayan , Poenisch Falk , Li Heng , Lii Jim , Amos Richard , Wu Richard , Suzuki Kazumichi , Gillin Michael T. , Zhu X. Ronald , Zhang Xiaodong 
Published: November 2013

Purpose:The purpose of this study was to validate the use of HPlusQA, spot‐scanning proton therapy (SSPT) dose calculation software developed at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, as second‐check dose calculation software for patient‐specific quality assurance (PSQA). The authors also showed how HPlusQA can be used within the current PSQA framework.Methods:The authors compared the dose calculations of HPlusQA and the Eclipse treatment planning system with 106 planar dose measurements made as part of PSQA. To determine the relative performance and the degree of correlation between HPlusQA and Eclipse, the authors compared calculated with measured point doses. Then, to determine how well HPlusQA can predict when the comparisons between Eclipse calculations and the measured dose will exceed tolerance levels, the authors compared gamma index scores for HPlusQA versus Eclipse with those of measured doses versus Eclipse. The authors introduce theαβγ transformation as a way to more easily compare gamma scores.Results:The authors compared measured and calculated dose planes using the relative depth, z/R × 100%, where z is the depth of the measurement and R is the proton beam range. For relative depths than less than 80%, both Eclipse and HPlusQA calculations were within 2 cGy of dose measurements on average. When the relative depth was greater than 80%, the agreement between the calculations and measurements fell to 4 cGy. For relative depths less than 10%, the Eclipse and HPlusQA dose discrepancies showed a negative correlation, −0.21. Otherwise, the correlation between the dose discrepancies was positive and as large as 0.6. For the dose planes in this study, HPlusQA correctly predicted when Eclipse had and had not calculated the dose to within tolerance 92% and 79% of the time, respectively. In 4 of 106 cases, HPlusQA failed to predict when the comparison between measurement and Eclipseˈs calculation had exceeded the tolerance levels of 3% for dose and 3 mm for distance‐to‐agreement.Conclusions:The authors found HPlusQA to be reasonably effective (79% ± 10%) in determining when the comparison between measured dose planes and the dose planes calculated by the Eclipse treatment planning system had exceeded the acceptable tolerance levels. When used as described in this study, HPlusQA can reduce the need for patient specific quality assurance measurements by 64%. The authors believe that the use of HPlusQA as a dose calculation second check can increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the QA process.
An elastography method based on the scanning contact resonance of a piezoelectric cantilever
Authors: Fu Ji , Li Faxin 
Published: November 2013

Purpose:Most tissues may become significantly stiffer than their normal states when there are lesions inside. The tissueˈs modulus can then act as an identification parameter for clinic diagnosis of tumors or fibrosis, which leads to elastography. This study introduces a novel elastography method that can be used for modulus imaging of superficial organs.Methods:This method is based on the scanning contact‐resonance of a unimorph piezoelectric cantilever. The cantilever vibrates in its bending mode with the tip pressed tightly on the sample. The contact resonance frequency of the cantilever‐sample system is tracked at each scanning point, from which the sampleˈs modulus can be derived based on a beam dynamic model and a contact mechanics model. Scanning is performed by a three‐dimensional motorized stage and the whole system is controlled by a homemade software program based on LabVIEW.Results:Testing onin vitro beef tissues indicates that the fat and the muscle can be easily distinguished using this system, and the accuracy of the modulus measurement can be comparable with that of nanoindentation. Imaging on homemade gelatin phantoms shows that the depth information of the abnormalities can be qualitatively obtained by varying the pressing force. The detection limit of this elastography method is specially examined both experimentally and numerically. Results show that it can detect the typical lesions in superficial organs with the depth of several centimeters. The lateral resolution of this elastography method/system is better than 0.5 mm, and could be further enhanced by using more scanning points.Conclusions:The proposed elastography system can be regarded as a sensitive palpation robot, which may be very promising in early diagnosis of tumors in superficial organs such as breast and thyroid.
O
2
-Dependent Efficacy of Novel Piperidine- and Piperazine-Based Chalcones against the Human Parasite Giardia intestinalis
Authors: Bahadur Vijay , Mastronicola Daniela , Tiwari Hemandra Kumar , Kumar Yogesh , Falabella Micol , Pucillo Leopoldo Paolo , Sarti Paolo , Giuffrè Alessandro , Singh Brajendra Kumar 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

Giardia intestinalis
is the most frequent protozoan agent of intestinal diseases worldwide. Though commonly regarded as an anaerobic pathogen, it preferentially colonizes the fairly oxygen-rich mucosa of the proximal small intestine. Therefore, when testing new potential antigiardial drugs, O
2
should be taken into account, since it also reduces the efficacy of metronidazole, the gold standard drug against giardiasis. In this study, 46 novel chalcones were synthesized by microwave-assisted Claisen-Schmidt condensation, purified, characterized by high-resolution mass spectrometry,
1
H and
13
C nuclear magnetic resonance, and infrared spectroscopy, and tested for their toxicity against
G. intestinalis
under standard anaerobic conditions. As a novel approach, compounds showing antigiardial activity under anaerobiosis were also assayed under microaerobic conditions, and their selectivity against parasitic cells was assessed in a counterscreen on human epithelial colorectal adenocarcinoma cells. Among the tested compounds, three [30(a), 31(e), and 33] were more effective in the presence of O
2
than under anaerobic conditions and killed the parasite 2 to 4 times more efficiently than metronidazole under anaerobiosis. Two of them [30(a) and 31(e)] proved to be selective against parasitic cells, thus representing potential candidates for the design of novel antigiardial drugs. This study highlights the importance of testing new potential antigiardial agents not only under anaerobic conditions but also at low, more physiological O
2
concentrations.
In Vitro
Study of Sequential Fluconazole and Caspofungin Treatment against Candida albicans Biofilms
Authors: Sarkar Semanti , Uppuluri Priya , Pierce Christopher G. , Lopez-Ribot Jose L. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

Candida albicans
biofilms are generally considered to be resistant to azole antifungal agents but susceptible to echinocandins. We demonstrate that in a sequential therapy regimen, treatment with fluconazole first followed by caspofungin leads to a significant decrease of the efficacy of this echinocandin. Cellular stress responses induced by high fluconazole concentrations and mediated by Hsp90 and calcineurin play an important role in this phenomenon.
Baseline Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) NS3 Polymorphisms and Their Impact on Treatment Response in Clinical Studies of the HCV NS3 Protease Inhibitor Faldaprevir
Authors: Berger Kristi L. , Triki Ibtissem , Cartier Mireille , Marquis Martin , Massariol Marie-Josée , Böcher Wulf O. , Datsenko Yakov , Steinmann Gerhard , Scherer Joseph , Stern Jerry O. , Kukolj George 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACTA challenge to the treatment of chronic hepatitis C with direct-acting antivirals is the emergence of drug-resistant hepatitis C virus (HCV) variants. HCV with preexisting polymorphisms that are associated with resistance to NS3/4A protease inhibitors have been detected in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We performed a comprehensive pooled analysis from phase 1b and phase 2 clinical studies of the HCV protease inhibitor faldaprevir to assess the population frequency of baseline protease inhibitor resistance-associated NS3 polymorphisms and their impact on response to faldaprevir treatment. A total of 980 baseline NS3 sequences were obtained (543 genotype 1b and 437 genotype 1a sequences). Substitutions associated with faldaprevir resistance (at amino acid positions 155 and 168) were rare (<1% of sequences) and did not compromise treatment response: in a phase 2 study in treatment-naive patients, six patients had faldaprevir resistance-associated polymorphisms at baseline, of whom five completed faldaprevir-based treatment and all five achieved a sustained virologic response 24 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR24). Among 13 clinically relevant amino acid positions associated with HCV protease resistance, the greatest heterogeneity was seen at NS3 codons 132 and 170 in genotype 1b, and the most common baseline substitution in genotype 1a was Q80K (99/437 [23%]). The presence of the Q80K variant did not reduce response rates to faldaprevir-based treatment. Across the three phase 2 studies, there was no significant difference in SVR24 rates between patients with genotype 1a Q80K HCV and those without Q80K HCV, whether treatment experienced (17% compared to 26%;P= 0.47) or treatment naive (62% compared to 66%;P= 0.72).
Evaluation of PD 404,182 as an Anti-HIV and Anti-Herpes Simplex Virus Microbicide
Authors: Chamoun-Emanuelli Ana M. , Bobardt Michael , Moncla Bernard , Mankowski Marie K. , Ptak Roger G. , Gallay Philippe , Chen Zhilei 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

PD 404,182 (PD) is a synthetic compound that was found to compromise HIV integrity via interaction with a nonenvelope protein viral structural component (A. M. Chamoun et al., Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 56:672–681, 2012). The present study evaluates the potential of PD as an anti-HIV microbicide and establishes PD's virucidal activity toward another pathogen, herpes simplex virus (HSV). We show that the anti-HIV-1 50% inhibitory concentration (IC
50
) of PD, when diluted in seminal plasma, is ∼1 μM, similar to the IC
50
determined in cell culture growth medium, and that PD retains full anti-HIV-1 activity after incubation in cervical fluid at 37°C for at least 24 h. In addition, PD is nontoxic toward vaginal commensal
Lactobacillus
species (50% cytotoxic concentration [CC
50
], >300 μM), freshly activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (CC
50
, ∼200 μM), and primary CD4
+
T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells (CC
50
, >300 μM). PD also exhibited high stability in pH-adjusted Dulbecco's phosphate-buffered saline with little to no activity loss after 8 weeks at pH 4 and 42°C, indicating suitability for formulation for transportation and storage in developing countries. Finally, for the first time, we show that PD inactivates herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and HSV-2 at submicromolar concentrations. Due to the prevalence of HSV infection, the ability of PD to inactivate HSV may provide an additional incentive for use as a microbicide. The ability of PD to inactivate both HIV-1 and HSV, combined with its low toxicity and high stability, warrants additional studies for the evaluation of PD's microbicidal candidacy in animals and humans.
Internalization and Trafficking of Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae in Human Respiratory Epithelial Cells and Roles of IgA1 Proteases for Optimal Invasion and Persistence
Authors: Clementi Cara F. , Håkansson Anders P. , Murphy Timothy F. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

Nontypeable
Haemophilus influenzae
(NTHI) is a leading cause of opportunistic infections of the respiratory tract in children and adults. Although considered an extracellular pathogen, NTHI has been observed repeatedly within and between cells of the human respiratory tract, and these observations have been correlated to symptomatic infection. These findings are intriguing in light of the knowledge that NTHI persists in the respiratory tract despite antibiotic therapy and the development of bactericidal antibodies. We hypothesized that intracellular NTHI avoids, escapes, or neutralizes the endolysosomal pathway and persists within human respiratory epithelial cells and that human IgA1 proteases are required for optimal internalization and persistence of NTHI. Virtually all strains encode a human IgA1 protease gene,
igaA
, and we previously characterized a novel human IgA1 protease gene,
igaB
, that is associated with disease-causing strains and is homologous to the IgA1 protease that is unique to pathogenic
Neisseria
spp. Here, we show that NTHI invades human bronchial epithelial cells
in vitro
in a lipid raft-independent manner, is subsequently trafficked via the endolysosomal pathway, and is killed in lysosomes after variable durations of persistence. IgaA is required for optimal invasion. IgaB appears to play little or no role in adherence or invasion but is required for optimal intracellular persistence of NTHI. IgaB cleaves lysosome-associated membrane protein 1 (LAMP1) at pHs characteristic of the plasma membrane, early endosome, late endosome, and lysosome. However, neither IgA1 protease inhibits acidification of intracellular vesicles containing NTHI. NTHI IgA1 proteases play important but different roles in NTHI invasion and trafficking in respiratory epithelial cells.
EatA, an Immunogenic Protective Antigen of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli, Degrades Intestinal Mucin
Authors: Kumar Pardeep , Luo Qingwei , Vickers Tim J. , Sheikh Alaullah , Lewis Warren G. , Fleckenstein James M. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

Enterotoxigenic
Escherichia coli
(ETEC) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality due to infectious diarrhea in developing countries for which there is presently no effective vaccine. A central challenge in ETEC vaccinology has been the identification of conserved surface antigens to formulate a broadly protective vaccine. Here, we demonstrate that EatA, an immunogenic secreted serine protease of ETEC, contributes to virulence by degrading MUC2, the major protein present in the small intestinal mucous layer, and that removal of this barrier
in vitro
accelerates toxin access to the enterocyte surface. In addition, we demonstrate that vaccination with the recombinant secreted passenger domain of EatA (rEatA
p
) elicits high titers of antibody and is protective against intestinal infection with ETEC. These findings may have significant implications for development of both subunit and live-attenuated vaccines against ETEC and other enteric pathogens, including
Shigella flexneri
, that express similar proteins.