bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Loss of hepatitis B surface antigen in a real‐life clinical cohort of patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection
Authors: Habersetzer François , Moenne‐Loccoz Rémy , Meyer Nicolas , Schvoerer Evelyne , Simo‐Noumbissie Pauline , Dritsas Stavros , Baumert Thomas F. , Doffoël Michel 
Published: August 2014

AbstractBackground & AimsHepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) clearance is the main indicator of viral cure in patients infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). We sought to identify the parameters associated with HBsAg loss in a well‐characterized real‐life clinical cohort of chronically HBV‐infected patients.MethodsPatients with chronic HBV infection were prospectively included, classified according to the disease stage, and followed up to determine parameters associated with HBsAg clearance.ResultsIn total, 315 patients were followed up for a mean of almost 6 years. At study entry, 109 (34.6%) were inactive HBsAg carriers, 204 (64.8%) had chronic active hepatitis (CAH), and two (0.6%) were immune‐tolerant carriers. During follow‐up, 128 (62.7%) of the 204 patients with CAH received antiviral therapy. Sixty‐nine had HBeAg‐positive CAH: 55 (79.7%) were treated and 14 (20.3%) untreated. One hundred thirty‐five had HBeAg‐negative CAH: 73 (54.1%) were treated and 62 (45.9%) untreated. Inactive carriers showed an annual HBsAg clearance incidence rate of 23.4 cases per 1000 persons‐years, which was higher than that of CAH groups. The clearance incidence rates (in cases per 1000 persons‐years) of CAH groups were: treated HBeAg‐positive (20.7), untreated HBeAg‐positive (19.1), treated HBeAg‐negative (10.1), and untreated HBeAg‐negative (8.1). Older age (P = 0.001) and inactive carrier status (P = 0.019) were independent predictors of HBsAg clearance.ConclusionIn a well‐characterized real‐life clinical cohort of chronically HBV‐infected patients in various disease phases, older age, and inactive HBsAg carrier status were the only predictors of HBsAg clearance, whereas anti‐HBV therapy only marginally increased annual incidence of HBsAg loss.
Disparity in sexual behaviour between wild and mass‐reared Mexican fruit flies
Authors: Meza José S. , Arredondo José , Orozco Dina , Pérez‐Staples Diana 
Published: August 2014

AbstractThe sterile insect technique (SIT) is currently used to control Mexican fruit fly Anastrepha ludens Loew (Diptera: Tephritidae). However, mass‐rearing can alter the quality of released males. If males that are mass‐reared have behaviours different from those of their wild counterparts, then this may diminish the effectiveness of SIT. Questions remain as to whether wild females may be able to detect the male condition before, during and/or after copulation with a mass‐reared male. In the present study, copula duration, female remating, female fecundity and fertility of both mass‐reared and wild A. ludens are evaluated. Marked differences are found between mass‐reared and wild females. Specifically, mating latency is longer and copula duration is shorter for wild females compared with mass‐reared females. Importantly, there are no significant differences in mating latency, copula duration or remating probability between wild females paired with either mass‐reared or wild males. All mass‐reared females remate, whereas only approximately half of the wild females remate after first mating with either a wild or mass‐reared male. Fecundity of wild females mated to either wild or mass‐reared males is approximately one‐third lower than that of mass‐reared females, confirming that mass‐reared females may have been selected for high fecundity and are adapted to laboratory conditions. Fertility of females that mate with a wild male for only 10 min is not significantly different from that achieved via a full‐length copulation. By contrast, females mating with mass‐reared males need copulation durations of at least 40 min to achieve fertility comparable with that achieved via a full‐length copulation. The findings of the present study have important implications for A. ludens controlled through SIT and broaden our understanding on the copulatory and post‐copulatory behaviours between wild females and mass‐reared males.
The impact of subjective memory complaints on quality of life in community‐dwelling older adults
Authors: Maki Yohko , Yamaguchi Tomoharu , Yamagami Tetsuya , Murai Tatsuhiko , Hachisuka Kenji , Miyamae Fumiko , Ito Kae , Awata Shuichi , Ura Chiaki , Takahashi Ryutaro , Yamaguchi Haruyasu 
Published: August 2014

AbstractPurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of memory complaints on quality of life (QOL) in elderly community dwellers with or without mild cognitive impairment (MCI).MethodsParticipants included 120 normal controls (NC) and 37 with MCI aged 65 and over. QOL was measured using the Japanese version of Satisfaction in Daily Life, and memory complaints were measured using a questionnaire consisting of four items. The relevance of QOL was evaluated with psychological factors of personality traits, sense of self‐efficacy, depressive mood, self‐evaluation of daily functioning, range of social activities (Life‐Space Assessment), social network size, and cognitive functions including memory. The predictors of QOL were analyzed by multiple linear regression analysis.ResultsQOL was not significantly different between the NC and MCI groups. In both groups, QOL was positively correlated with self‐efficacy, daily functioning, social network size, Life‐Space Assessment, and the personality traits of extraversion and agreeableness; QOL was negatively correlated with memory complaints, depressive mood, and the personality trait of neuroticism. In regression analysis, memory complaints were a negative predictor of QOL in the MCI group, but not in the NC group. The partial correlation coefficient between QOL and memory complaints was −0.623 (P < 0.05), after scores of depressive mood and self‐efficacy were controlled. Depressive mood was a common negative predictor in both groups. Positive predictors were Life‐Space Assessment in the NC group and sense of self‐efficacy in the MCI group.ConclusionsMemory complaints exerted a negative impact on self‐rated QOL in the MCI group, whereas a negative correlation was weak in the NC group. Memory training has been widely practised in individuals with MCI to prevent the development of dementia. However, such approaches inevitably identify their memory deficits and could aggravate their awareness of memory decline. Thus, it is critical to give sufficient consideration not to reduce QOL in the intervention for those with MCI.
Spatial Extent Models for Natural Language Phrases Involving Directional Containment
Authors: Singh Gaurav , de By Rolf A. 
Published: August 2014

AbstractWe study the problem of assigning a spatial extent to a text phrase such as ‘central northernCalifornia’, with the objective of allowing spatial interpretations of natural language, and consistency testing of complex utterances that involve multiple phrases from which spatial extent can be derived. The work presented addresses alternative spatial extent assignations, and the evaluation of those alternatives to decide on the best performing ones. Three important classes of these phrases are identified and we call themfull direction phrases,half‐direction phrases, andextreme direction phrases, respectively. Examples of these are: ‘north‐westernCalifornia’, ‘central northernCalifornia’, and ‘extreme south‐easternCalifornia’. Such descriptions vaguely delineate a spatial extent, and we attempt to derive a region‐representation for them. Our approach is to identify a number of extent assignation parameters, which are used to derive a variety of spatial extent models, each of which we evaluate against a large gazetteer corpus. Three example assignation parameters used are: choice of center, choice of shape of central sector, and choice of shape of outer sectors. The corpus used for the evaluation is the two‐volumeOrnithologicalGazetteer ofBrazil (Paynter andTraylor 1991a, b). It allows us to compare the spatial extent assignations and derive recommendations for such assignations for future use.
Altered expression of Aurora kinases in Arabidopsis results in aneu‐ and polyploidization
Authors: Demidov Dmitri , Lermontova Inna , Weiss Oda , Fuchs Joerg , Rutten Twan , Kumke Katrin , Sharbel Timothy F. , Van Damme Daniel , De Storme Nico , Geelen Danny , Houben Andreas 
Published: August 2014

SummaryAurora is an evolutionary conserved protein kinase family involved in monitoring of chromosome segregation via phosphorylation of different substrates. In plants, however, the involvement of Aurora proteins in meiosis and in sensing microtubule attachment remains to be proven, although the downstream components leading to the targeting of spindle assembly checkpoint signals to anaphase‐promoting complex have been described. To analyze the three members of Aurora family (AtAurora1, ‐2, and ‐3) of Arabidopsis we employed different combinations of T‐DNA insertion mutants and/or RNAi transformants. Meiotic defects and the formation of unreduced pollen were revealed including plants with an increased ploidy level. The effect of reduced expression of Aurora was mimicked by application of the ATP‐competitive Aurora inhibitor II. In addition, strong overexpression of any member of the AtAurora family is not possible. Only tagged or truncated forms of Aurora kinases can be overexpressed. Expression of truncated AtAurora1 resulted in a high number of aneuploids in Arabidopsis, while expression of AtAurora1‐TAPi construct in tobacco resulted in 4C (possible tetraploid) progeny. In conclusion, our data demonstrate an essential role of Aurora kinases in the monitoring of meiosis in plants.
Mobilization characteristics and strategies to improve hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization and collection in patients with chronic granulomatous disease and severe combined immunodeficiency
Authors: Panch Sandhya R. , Yau Yu Ying , Kang Elizabeth M. , De Ravin Suk See , Malech Harry L. , Leitman Susan F. 
Published: August 2014

BackgroundGranulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF)‐mobilized autologous hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) may be collected by apheresis of patients with chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) and severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) for use in gene therapy trials. CD34+ cell mobilization has not been well characterized in such patients.Study Design and MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated CD34+ cell mobilization and collection in 73 consecutive CGD and SCID patients and in 99 age‐, weight‐, and G‐CSF dose–matched healthy allogeneic controls.ResultsIn subjects aged not more than 20 years, Day 5 preapheresis circulating CD34+ counts were significantly lower in CGD and SCID patients than in controls; mean peak CD34+ cell counts were 58 × 106, 64 × 106, and 87 × 106/L, respectively (p = 0.01). The SCIDs had lower CD34+ collection efficiency than CGDs and controls; mean efficiencies were 40, 63, and 57%, respectively (p = 0.003). In subjects aged more than 20 years, the CGDs had significantly lower CD34+ cell mobilization than controls; mean peak CD34+ cell counts were 41 × 106 and 113 × 106/L, respectively (p < 0.0001). In a multivariate analysis, lower erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) at mobilization was significantly correlated with better CD34+ cell mobilization (p = 0.007). In SCIDs, CD34 collection efficiency was positively correlated with higher red blood cell (RBC) indices (mean RBC volume, R2 = 0.77; mean corpuscular hemoglobin [Hb], R2 = 0.94; mean corpuscular Hb concentration, R2 = 0.7; p < 0.007) but not Hb.ConclusionsCGD and SCID populations are characterized by significantly less robust CD34+ HPC mobilization than healthy controls. The presence of active inflammation or infection as suggested by an elevated ESR may negatively impact mobilization. Among SCIDs, markedly reduced CD34 collection efficiencies were related to iron deficiency, wherein decreased RBC size and density may impair apheresis cell separation mechanics.
Influence of Prior Knowledge of Exercise Duration on Pacing Strategies During Game-Based Activities
Authors: Gabbett Tim J. , Walker Ben , Walker Shane 
Published: August 2014

Purpose:To investigate the influence of prior knowledge of exercise duration on the pacing strategies employed during gamebased activities.Methods:Twelve semiprofessional team-sport athletes (mean ± SD age 22.8 ± 2.1 y) participated in this study. Players performed 3 small-sided games in random order. In one condition (Control), players were informed that they would play the small-sided game for 12 min and then completed the 12-min game. In a 2nd condition (Deception), players were told that they would play the small-sided game for 6 minutes, but after completing the 6-min game, they were asked to complete another 6 min. In a 3rd condition (Unknown), players were not told how long they would be required to play the small-sided game, but the activity was terminated after 12 min. Movement was recorded using a GPS unit sampling at 10 Hz. Post hoc inspection of video footage was undertaken to count the number of possessions and the number and quality of disposals.Results:Higher initial intensities were observed in the Deception (130.6 ± 3.3 m/min) and Unknown (129.3 ± 2.4 m/min) conditions than the Control condition (123.3 ± 3.4 m/min). Greater amounts of high-speed running occurred during the initial phases of the Deception condition, and more low-speed activity occurred during the Unknown condition. A moderately greater number of total skill involvements occurred in the Unknown condition than the Control condition.Conclusions:These findings suggest that during game-based activities, players alter their pacing strategy based on the anticipated endpoint of the exercise bout.
Comparison of Five Chromogenic Media for Recovery of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci from Fecal Samples
Authors: Suwantarat Nuntra , Roberts Ava , Prestridge Jamie , Seeley Renee , Speser Sharon , Harmon Christopher , Zhang Chi , Henciak Susan , Stamper Paul D. , Ross Tracy , Carroll Karen C. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT
Five chromogenic agars, evaluated using 400 stool specimens, were found to be superior in sensitivity (range, 89.9 to 93.9%) to bile esculin azide agar with vancomycin (BEAV) agar (84.8%) for detecting vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), and the results were available 24 to 48 h sooner. The time to detection, need for supplemental testing, color distinction, and breakthrough of non-VRE organisms vary among the chromogenic media tested and may factor into the decision to use a particular medium.
Phenotypic and Genotypic Changes over Time and across Facilities of Serial Colonizing and Infecting Escherichia coli Isolates Recovered from Injured Service Members
Authors: Mende Katrin , Beckius Miriam L. , Zera Wendy C. , Yu Xin , Cheatle Kristelle A. , Aggarwal Deepak , Li Ping , Lloyd Bradley A. , Tribble David R. , Weintrob Amy C. , Murray Clinton K. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT

Escherichia coli
is the most common colonizing and infecting organism isolated from U.S. service members injured during deployment. Our objective was to evaluate the phenotypic and genotypic changes of infecting and colonizing
E. coli
organisms over time and across facilities to better understand their transmission patterns.
E. coli
isolates were collected via surveillance cultures and infection workups from U.S. military personnel injured during deployment (June 2009 to May 2011). The isolates underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and multiplex PCR for phylotyping to determine their resistance profiles and clonality. A total of 343 colonizing and 136 infecting
E. coli
isolates were analyzed, of which 197 (57%) and 109 (80%) isolates, respectively, produced extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBL). Phylogroup A was predominant among both colonizing (38%) and infecting isolates (43%). Although 188 unique pulsed-field types (PFTs) were identified from the colonizing isolates, and 54 PFTs were identified from the infecting isolates, there was a lack of PFT overlap between study years, combat zones, and military treatment facilities. On a per-subject basis, 26% and 32% of the patients with serial colonizing isolates and 10% and 21% with serial infecting isolates acquired changes in their phylogroup and PFT profiles, respectively, over time. The production of ESBL remained high over time and across facilities, with no substantial changes in antimicrobial susceptibilities. Overall, our results demonstrated an array of genotypic and phenotypic differences for the isolates without large clonal clusters; however, the same PFTs were occasionally observed in the colonizing and infecting isolates, suggesting that the source of infections may be endogenous host organisms.
Major Intercontinentally Distributed Sequence Types of Kingella kingae and Development of a Rapid Molecular Typing Tool
Authors: Basmaci Romain , Bidet Philippe , Yagupsky Pablo , Muñoz-Almagro Carmen , Balashova Nataliya V. , Doit Catherine , Bonacorsi Stéphane 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT

Although
Kingella kingae
is the most common etiology of osteoarticular infections in young children, is a frequent cause of bacteremia in those younger than 4 years, and has been involved in clusters of invasive infections among daycare center attendees, the population structure of the species has not been systematically studied. Using multilocus sequence typing, we investigated the genetic diversity of the largest intercontinental collection of
K. kingae
strains to date. To facilitate typing of bacterial isolates, we developed a novel genotyping tool that targets the DNA uptake sequence (DUS). Among 324 strains isolated from asymptomatic carriers and patients from Israel, Europe, North America, and Australia with various invasive forms of the disease from 1960 to 2013, we identified 64 sequence types (STs) and 12 ST complexes (STcs). Five predominant STcs, comprising 72.2% of all strains, were distributed intercontinentally. ST-6 was the most frequent, showing a worldwide distribution, and appeared genotypically isolated by exhibiting few neighboring STs, suggesting an optimal fitness. ST-14 and ST-23 appeared to be the oldest groups of bacteria, while ST-25 probably emerged more recently from the highly evolutive ST-23. Using the DUS typing method, randomly chosen isolates were correctly classified to one of the major STcs. The comprehensive description of
K. kingae
evolution would help to detect new emerging clones and decipher virulence and fitness mechanisms. The rapid and reproducible DUS typing method may serve in the initial investigation of
K. kingae
outbreaks.
Highly Sensitive Detection of Small Ruminant Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy within Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy Mixes by Serial Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification
Authors: Gough Kevin C. , Bishop Keith , Maddison Ben C. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT

It is assumed that sheep and goats consumed the same bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE)-contaminated meat and bone meal that was fed to cattle and precipitated the BSE epidemic in the United Kingdom that peaked more than 20 years ago. Despite intensive surveillance for cases of BSE within the small ruminant populations of the United Kingdom and European Union, no instances of BSE have been detected in sheep, and in only two instances has BSE been discovered in goats. If BSE is present within the small ruminant populations, it may be at subclinical levels, may manifest as scrapie, or may be masked by coinfection with scrapie. To determine whether BSE is potentially circulating at low levels within the European small ruminant populations, highly sensitive assays that can specifically detect BSE, even within the presence of scrapie prion protein, are required. Here, we present a novel assay based on the specific amplification of BSE PrP
Sc
using the serial protein misfolding cyclic amplification assay (sPMCA), which specifically amplified small amounts of ovine and caprine BSE agent which had been mixed into a range of scrapie-positive brain homogenates. We detected the BSE prion protein within a large excess of classical, atypical, and CH1641 scrapie isolates. In a blind trial, this sPMCA-based assay specifically amplified BSE PrP
Sc
within brain mixes with 100% specificity and 97% sensitivity when BSE agent was diluted into scrapie-infected brain homogenates at 1% (vol/vol).
Molecular Typing of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Isolates from Swedish Cattle and Human Cases: Population Dynamics and Virulence
Authors: Söderlund R. , Jernberg C. , Ivarsson S. , Hedenström I. , Eriksson E. , Bongcam-Rudloff E. , Aspán A. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT

While all verotoxin-producing
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 bacteria are considered potential pathogens, their genetic subtypes appear to differ in their levels of virulence. The aim of this study was to compare the distribution of subtypes of
E. coli
O157:H7 in the cattle reservoir and in human cases with and without severe complications in order to gain clues about the relationship between subtype and relative virulence. A lineage-specific polymorphism assay (LSPA-6), multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA), and a novel real-time PCR assay to identify clade 8 were applied to a large and representative set of isolates from cattle from 1996 to 2009 (
n
= 381) and human cases from 2008 to 2011 (
n
= 197) in Sweden. Draft genome sequences were produced for four selected isolates. The
E. coli
O157:H7 isolates in Swedish cattle generally belonged to four groups with the LSPA-6 profiles 211111 (clade 8/non-clade 8), 213111, and 223323. The subtype composition of the cattle isolates changed dramatically during the study period with the introduction and rapid spread of the low-virulence 223323 subtype. The human cases presumed to have been infected within the country predominantly carried isolates with the profiles 211111 (clade 8) and 213111. Cases progressing to hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS) were mostly caused by clade 8, with MLVA profiles consistent with Swedish cattle as the source. In contrast, infections contracted abroad were caused by diverse subtypes, some of which were associated with a particular region. The work presented here confirms the high risk posed by the clade 8 variant of
E. coli
O157:H7. It also highlights the dynamic nature of the
E. coli
O157:H7 subtype composition in animal reservoirs and the importance of this composition for the human burden of disease.