bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Renin–angiotensin system blockade in heart failure patients on long‐term haemodialysis in Taiwan
Authors: Tang Chao‐Hsiun , Chen Tso‐Hsiao , Wang Chia‐Chen , Hong Chuang‐Ye , Huang Kuan‐Chih , Sue Yuh‐Mou 
Published: May 2013

AimsHeart failure is among the most frequent complications of patients on long‐term haemodialysis. The benefits of renin–angiotensin system (RAS) blockade on the outcomes of these patients have yet to be determined.Methods and resultsWe conducted a nationwide observational study using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance claims database, between 1999 and 2010. We enrolled patients aged ≥35 years with new‐onset heart failure [diagnosed by International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, clinical modification (ICD‐9‐CM) codes] under treatment with medications. New users of a RAS blocker (RASB; i.e. an ACE inhibitor or an ARB used as monotherapy or dual therapy) were selected to compare with non‐RASB users. We used Cox proportional hazards regression with and without propensity score adjustment to compare the risk of 3‐year all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality. Stratified analyses and RASB therapy duration as a time‐dependent covariate were also performed. In all, 4771 were treated with an RASB (n = 3024) or without an RASB (n = 1747). RASB users had a higher prevalence of hypertension and diabetes, and a higher number of hospitalization. Among RASB users, 1148 deaths (38.0%) occurred during 5272 person‐years of follow‐up compared with 734 deaths (42.0%) among non‐RASB users during 2683 person‐years of follow‐up. Three‐year mortality rates were 45.4% and 49.1% for patients receiving and those not receiving an RASB, respectively (log‐rank test, P < 0.001). Adjusted hazard analysis revealed that RASB therapeutic effects remained significant on all‐cause [hazard ratio (HR) 0.8; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.72–0.89; P < 0.001] and cardiovascular mortality (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.64–0.90; P < 0.01).ConclusionsRASB therapy reduced all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality in heart failure patients on long‐term haemodialysis.
Arabis mosaic virus in Grapevines in New York State
Authors: Celebi-Toprak F. , Thompson J. R. , Perry K. L. , Fuchs M. 
Published: May 2013

In a limited survey of commercial vineyards and a germplasm repository in Ontario County, NY, 20 vines of Vitis sp. were tested in fall and spring 2010 to 2012 for viruses using a double-antibody sandwich (DAS)-ELISA and macroarray with oligonucleotide probes for grapevine viruses ((3) and unpublished). The plants selected for analysis included those showing atypical growth including leaf deformation, yellowing, cupping or spotting, vein clearing, shortening of internodes, and reduced vigor. Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV; genus Nepovirus, family Secoviridae) was detected in leaf tissue and wood scrapings in two vines using the DAS-ELISA with antibodies from Bioreba (Reinach, Switzerland). The ArMV positive vines were from Vitis hybrid cultivars Noah and Geisenheim 26. ArMV was also detected in these two vines using the macroarray, with hybridization observed to 24 of 32 oligonucleotide probes specific to this virus. To confirm the identification of the virus, total RNAs were extracted from leaf tissues, hybridized with random hexamers, and reverse-transcribed using MMLV reverse transcriptase (Life Technologies, Grand Island, NY). Complementary DNAs were amplified by PCR using an IQ supermix (BioRad, Hercules, CA), and two sets of generic primers for nepoviruses (1,4). Thermocycler conditions were 94°C 5 min (1×); 94°C 30 s, 50°C 30 s, and 69°C 2 min (35×), and 72°C for 5 min. The PCR products were sequenced directly. Sequences from the 340-bp products obtained from cultivars Geisenheim 26 (GenBank Accession No. HE984333) and Noah (HE984334) using the Wei et al. primers (4) had 76 to 84% sequence identity to ArMV RNA1 GenBank accessions GQ369528 and AY303786. Sequences from the 301-bp products obtained from cultivars Geisenheim 26 (HE984335) and Noah (HE984336) using the Digiaro et al. primers (1) had 87 to 91% sequence identity to ArMV RNA2 GenBank accessions AY017339 and X81814. ArMV was mechanically transmitted from Geisenheim 26 to Nicotiana tabacum cultivar Xanthi NN. Inoculation gave rise to necrotic local lesions on the inoculated leaves of five plants in each of two experiments (10 of 10 plants total). The presence of ArMV in tobacco was confirmed by DAS-ELISA. Thus, the presence of ArMV in New York grapevines has been confirmed by the detection of the coat protein antigen, virus specific oligonucleotide probes, and the sequencing of portions of both genomic RNAs. There are limited reports of ArMV in North America and in grapevine in particular (2), but with a wide host range and seed and nematode transmissibility, ArMV has the ability to become more widespread among grapevine and other crops. References: (1) M. Digiaro, et al. J. Virol. Methods 141:34, 2007. (2) B. N. Milkus et al. Am. J. Enol. Vitic. 50:56, 1999. (3) J. Thompson et al. J. Virol. Methods 183:161, 2012. (4) T. Wei et al. J. Virol. Methods 153:16, 2008.
Oxytocin Pretreatment Attenuates Oxytocin-induced Contractions in Human Myometrium In Vitro
Authors: Balki Mrinalini , Erik-Soussi Magda , Kingdom John , Carvalho Jose C. A. 
Published: May 2013

Abstract

Background:
Oxytocin receptor desensitization has been shown to occur in humans at biomolecular level and in isolated rat myometrium; however, its effect on human myometrial contractility has not been demonstrated. The objective of this in vitro study was to investigate the contractile response of human pregnant myometrium to oxytocin after pretreatment with different concentrations of oxytocin for variable durations.

Methods:
Myometrial samples were obtained from 62 women undergoing elective cesarean deliveries under regional anesthesia. The strips were pretreated with oxytocin 10−10, 10−8, 10−5
M, or physiological salt solution (control) for 2, 4, 6, or 12 h, followed by a dose–response testing with oxytocin 10−10 to 10−5
M. Amplitude and frequency of contractions, motility index, and area under the curve during the dose–response period were recorded, analyzed with linear regression models, and compared among groups.

Results:
Pretreatment with oxytocin 10−5 and 10−8
M significantly reduced motility index (estimate [standard error]: −0.771 [0.270] square root units, P = 0.005 and −0.697 [0.293], P = 0.02, respectively) and area under the curve (−3.947 [1.909], P = 0.04 and −4.241 [2.189], P = 0.05, respectively) compared with control group, whereas pretreatment with oxytocin 10−10
M did not significantly attenuate contractions. Increase in duration of oxytocin pretreatment from 2 to 12 h significantly decreased amplitude (type 3 generalized estimating equation analysis: chi-square = 14.0; df = 3; P = 0.003), motility index (chi-square = 9.3; df = 3; P = 0.03), and area under the curve (chi-square = 10.5; df = 3; P = 0.02), but not the frequency of oxytocin-induced contractions.

Conclusion:
Pretreatment with oxytocin decreases oxytocin-induced myometrial contractions in a concentration and time-dependent manner, likely as a function of the oxytocin receptor desensitization phenomenon.
Modern vitiligo genetics sheds new light on an ancient disease
Authors: Spritz Richard A. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractVitiligo is a complex disorder in which autoimmune destruction of melanocytes results in white patches of skin and overlying hair. Over the past several years, extensive genetic studies have outlined a biological framework of vitiligo pathobiology that underscores its relationship to other autoimmune diseases. This biological framework offers insight into both vitiligo pathogenesis and perhaps avenues towards more effective approaches to treatment and even disease prevention.
Albinism in Europe
Authors: Mártinez‐García Mónica , Montoliu Lluís 
Published: May 2013

AbstractAlbinism is a rare genetic condition associated with a variable hypopigmentation phenotype, which can affect the pigmentation of only the eyes or both the eyes and the skin/hair, resulting in ocular (OA) or oculocutaneous albinism (OCA), respectively. At least four forms of OCA and one of OA are known, associated with TYR (OCA1), OCA2 (OCA2), TYRP1 (OCA3), SLC45A2 (OCA4) and GPR143 (OA1) loci, respectively. Additionally, the rarest syndromic forms of albinism, affecting the normal function of other organs, can be grouped in Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome (HPS1–9) and the Chediak–Higashi syndrome (CHS1). In summary, a total of 15 genes are currently associated with various types of albinism. However, new genes have been recently described, associated with autosomal recessive oculocutaneous albinism with highly similar phenotypes but diverse molecular origin, indicating that there are likely to be more than 15 genes whose mutations will be associated with albinism. In this review, we will describe the different types of albinism and comment on its prevalence in European countries. Some preclinical attempts for innovative therapeutic approaches of different types of albinism will be also discussed.
Sequence and phylogenetic analyses of the water‐soluble glucan synthesizing‐glucosyltransferase genes of Streptococcus dentirousetti
Authors: Shinozaki‐Kuwahara Noriko , Saito Masanori , Hirasawa Masatomo , Takada Kazuko 
Published: May 2013

ABSTRACTTwo tandemly aligned glucosyltransferase (GTF) genes whose gene products are responsible for water‐soluble glucan synthesis were isolated from Streptococcus dentirousetti NUM1303 and sequenced. One of the GTF genes of S. dentirousetti consisted of a 4110 bp open reading frame (ORF) that encoded for a 1369 amino acid protein and was revealed to be a S. sobrinus gtfS homolog. The percent similarity of amino acid sequences of the GTF‐S from S. dentirousetti compared to those from S. sobrinus was 99%. In addition, a putative gtfT was found in tandem in the downstream region of the S. dentirousetti gtfS. The gtfT of S. dentirousetti consisted of a 4527 bp ORF encoding for 1508 amino acids. The similarity of amino acid sequences of the GTF‐T from S. dentirousetti and S. sobrinus was 94%. Phylogenetic analysis based on amino acid sequences from other related streptococcal GTFs suggested that both GTF‐S and GTF‐T of S. dentirousetti are closely related to S. sobrinus.
Results of delayed repair of posterior urethral disruption injuries in Maiduguri
Authors: Ibrahim Ahmed Gadam , Ali Nuhu , Aliyu Suleiman 
Published: May 2013

AimPosterior urethral disruption injuries (PUDI) are common and on the increase because of vehicular accidents and civil conflicts. The operative management of PUDI continues to pose a challenge to the urologist because of erectile dysfunction and incontinence from the injury or following repair. The aim of the present study was to review the outcome of delayed repair of PUDI.Patients and MethodsThe present study is a retrospective study of all male patients who underwent operation for PUDI at a urology unit between April 2008 and September 2010. The causes, presentation, diagnostic investigations, initial management, definitive operative management and complications were obtained from patients' clinical records.ResultsForty‐five male patients with PUDI were managed; their mean age was 37.38 ± 20.014 years (range 8–80 years). Most of the injuries were because of vehicular accidents (46.67 per cent) and missile injuries (15.56 per cent). The presenting features included inability to pass urine (100 per cent), bleeding from the urethra (60 per cent) and suprapubic swelling and pain (86.67 per cent). The initial management was a suprapubic cystostomy. Twenty‐nine (64.44 per cent) patients had associated pelvic fracture, 17 (37.78 per cent) long bone fractures and 13 (28.89 per cent) bladder injuries. Other associated injuries included the bowel, head, ribs and liver (31.12 per cent). The perineal approach in repair was effected in 37 (82.22 per cent) patients, and eight (17.78 per cent) had combined abdominal and perineal approaches. The urine flow rate was 15–20 mL/s in 36 (80 per cent) patients, and 10–15 mL/s in nine (20 per cent) patients. The main postoperative complications included wound infection, incontinence and erectile dysfunction.ConclusionPUDI are on the increase in north‐eastern Nigeria because of increases in road vehicular accidents and firearm injuries from civil strife. The main causes of PUDI in Maiduguri are road vehicular accidents, firearms and civil strife. The results of delayed repair are equally good, despite the absence of immediate endoscopic realignment.
Non‐cyanobacterial nifH phylotypes in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre detected by flow‐cytometry cell sorting
Authors: Bombar Deniz , Turk‐Kubo Kendra A. , Robidart Julie , Carter Brandon J. , Zehr Jonathan P. 
Published: May 2013

SummaryIn contrast to cyanobacteria, the significance of bacteria and archaea in oceanic N2 fixation remains unknown, apart from the knowledge that their nitrogenase (nifH) genes are diverse, present in all oceans and at least occasionally expressed. Non‐cyanobacterial nifH sequences often occur as contamination from reagents and other sources, complicating the detection and interpretation of environmental phylotypes. We amplified and sequenced partial nifH gene fragments directly from cell populations sorted by fluorescence activated cell sorting from water collected in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG). Sequences recovered (195 total) included presumed heterotrophic or photoheterotrophic non‐cyanobacterial nifH phylotypes previously unreported in the NPSG. A nifH sequence previously found in the South Pacific Gyre (HM210397) was exclusively recovered from sorted picoeukaryote populations, and was detected in water column samples using quantitative PCR (qPCR), with 60% of samples detected in the > 10 μm size fraction in addition to the 0.2–10 μm size fraction. A novel cluster 3‐like nifH sequence was also recovered from discrete cell sorts and detected by qPCR in environmental samples. This approach enables the detection of rare nifH phylotypes, identifies possible associations with larger cells or particles and offers a possible solution for distinguishing reagent contaminants from real microbial community components.
Multiple genetic pathways regulate replicative senescence in telomerase‐deficient yeast
Authors: Ballew Bari J. , Lundblad Victoria 
Published: May 2013

SummaryMost human tissues express low levels of telomerase and undergo telomere shortening and eventual senescence; the resulting limitation on tissue renewal can lead to a wide range of age‐dependent pathophysiologies. Increasing evidence indicates that the decline in cell division capacity in cells that lack telomerase can be influenced by numerous genetic factors. Here, we use telomerase‐defective strains of budding yeast to probe whether replicative senescence can be attenuated or accelerated by defects in factors previously implicated in handling of DNA termini. We show that the MRX (Mre11‐Rad50‐Xrs2) complex, as well as negative (Rif2) and positive (Tel1) regulators of this complex, comprise a single pathway that promotes replicative senescence, in a manner that recapitulates how these proteins modulate resection of DNA ends. In contrast, the Rad51 recombinase, which acts downstream of the MRX complex in double‐strand break (DSB) repair, regulates replicative senescence through a separate pathway operating in opposition to the MRX‐Tel1‐Rif2 pathway. Moreover, defects in several additional proteins implicated in DSB repair (Rif1 and Sae2) confer only transient effects during early or late stages of replicative senescence, respectively, further suggesting that a simple analogy between DSBs and eroding telomeres is incomplete. These results indicate that the replicative capacity of telomerase‐defective yeast is controlled by a network comprised of multiple pathways. It is likely that telomere shortening in telomerase‐depleted human cells is similarly under a complex pattern of genetic control; mechanistic understanding of this process should provide crucial information regarding how human tissues age in response to telomere erosion.
Validation of the San Francisco Syncope Rule in Two Hospital Emergency Departments in an Asian Population
Authors: Tan Camlyn , Sim Tiong Beng , Thng Shin Ying 
Published: May 2013

AbstractObjectivesThe objective was to externally validate the ability of the San Francisco Syncope Rule (SFSR) to accurately identify patients who will experience a 7‐day serious clinical event in an Asian population.MethodsThis was a prospective cohort study, with a sample of adult patients with syncope and near‐syncope enrolled. Patients 12 years old and below and patients with loss of consciousness after head trauma, a witnessed seizure, with known alcohol or illicit drug ingestion, and altered level of consciousness or persistent new neurologic deficits were excluded. The patients were evaluated for the presence of one or more of the five SFSR variables: shortness of breath, history of heart failure, hematocrit <30%, systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg, and abnormal electrocardiogram (ECG). The patients were followed up by medical record review or telephone interview. Seven‐day outcomes were death, arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, acute pulmonary edema, significant structural heart disease, pulmonary embolism, major cardiac procedure, stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, major bleeding, and anemia.ResultsA total of 1,250 patients from two centers were recruited. Fifty‐six patients were excluded from primary analysis because of incomplete data (n = 55) and/or they were noncontactable for follow‐up (n = 32). Of the 1,194 patients analyzed, 138 patients (11.6%) experienced adverse outcomes at 7 days. The rule performed with a sensitivity of 94.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 89.0% to 97.0%) and a specificity of 50.8% (95% CI = 47.7% to 53.8%).ConclusionsIn this study, SFSR rule had a sensitivity of 94.2%. This suggests caution on the strict application of the rule to all patients presenting with syncope. It should only be used as an aide in clinical decision‐making in this population.
Weekday Psychiatry Faculty Rounds on Emergency Department Psychiatric Patients Reduces Length of Stay
Authors: Blumstein Howard , Singleton Amy H. , Suttenfield Charles W. , Hiestand Brian C. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractObjectivesIn the face of increasing volume of emergency department (ED) patients with primary psychiatric illness and increasing length of stay (LOS), a department of psychiatry initiated a program whereby faculty members of the department of psychiatry from a hospital conducted rounds in the ED each weekday on these patients.MethodsA retrospective data review was performed to assess the effect of these rounds on the LOS and disposition of these patients. The LOS and dispositions of subjects before and after the initiation of psychiatry rounds were compared, with a 2‐month washout period between. Subjects had a primary psychiatric diagnosis with a LOS of 12 hours or greater. The LOS and disposition of each subject was queried from the hospital data system. Quantile regression analysis and Fisher's exact test were used as appropriate.ResultsThere were 355 subjects in the preimplementation period and 512 in the postimplementation period. The proportion of patients discharged remained unchanged (preimplementation 49.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 44.3 to 54.9; postimplementation 49.0%, 95% CI = 44.6 to 53.4), but more patients were admitted to the hospital (24.2%, 95% CI = 19.9 to 29.0 vs. 32.8, 95% CI = 28.8 to 37.1) and fewer were transferred to other psychiatric facilities (25.6%, 95% CI = 21.2 to 30.5 vs. 18.0% 95% CI = 14.7 to 21.6; p = 0.005 by Fisher's exact test). Quantile regression demonstrated that among subjects with the longest LOS, those in the postimplementation group experienced a reduction in their waiting times.ConclusionsWeekday rounds in the ED by psychiatry faculty are associated with a reduction in the LOS for psychiatric patients, mainly due to reduced LOS of those patients with the longest stays.
National Growth in Intensive Care Unit Admissions From Emergency Departments in the United States from 2002 to 2009
Authors: Mullins Peter M. , Goyal Munish , Pines Jesse M. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractObjectivesThe authors describe national trends in use, reasons for visit, most common diagnoses, and resource utilization in patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) from hospital‐based emergency departments (EDs) in the United States.MethodsThis was an observational study using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Care Survey, a nationally representative, weighted sample of U.S. hospital‐based EDs from 2002 through 2009. The sample comprised a total of 4,267 patients aged 18 years or older admitted to the ICU from the ED, which represent over 14.5 million ED encounters from 2002 through 2009.ResultsOver the study period, ICU admissions from EDs increased from 2.79 million in 2002/2003, to 4.14 million in 2008/2009, an absolute increase of 48.8% and a mean biennial increase of 14.2%. By comparison, overall ED visits increased a mean of 5.8% per biennial period. The three most common diagnoses for ICU admissions were unspecified chest pain, congestive heart failure, and pneumonia. Utilization rates of most tests and services delivered to patients admitted to the ICU from the ED increased, with the largest increase occurring in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which increased from 16.8% in 2002/2003 to 37.4% in 2008/2009, a 6.9% mean biennial increase. Across all years, mean ED length of stay (LOS) for ICU admissions was 304 minutes (95% confidence interval [CI] = 286 to 323 minutes), and mean hospital LOS was 6.6 days (95% CI = 6.2 to 7.0 days). There was no significant change in either mean ED or hospital LOS over the study period.ConclusionsIntensive care unit admissions from EDs are increasing at a greater rate than both population growth and overall ED visits. ED resource use, specifically advanced diagnostic imaging, has increased markedly among ICU admissions. While mean ED and hospital LOS have not changed significantly, the mean ICU admission spends over 5 hours in the ED prior to transfer to an ICU bed. A greater emphasis on the ED–ICU interface and critical care delivered in the ED may be warranted.