bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Drooling of saliva in children with cerebral palsy—etiology, prevalence, and relationship to salivary flow rate in an Indian population
Authors: Hegde Amitha M. , Pani Sharat Chandra 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTThe prevalence of drooling, the impact of various etiological factors on its severity, and its relationship to salivary flow rate were assessed in 113 individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). In this study, there were 74 males and 39 females with an age range of 6–18 years who were attending a special school in Chennai, India. The severity of drooling was assessed by visual examination; demographics and data regarding severity and control of drooling were collected via a questionnaire. Data regarding the type of CP and drugs taken by the children were obtained from the medical records maintained by the school. The unstimulated salivary flow rate of these children was determined through a passive method. The overall incidence of drooling was 48.7%, with 17.7% having severe drooling. Individuals with athetosis had the least severe amount of drooling. There was a significant relationship between ability to close the mouth and the severity of drooling. The severity of drooling was reduced with age. There was no significant difference in the mean salivary flow rate of those children who drooled and those who did not.
Knowledge and practices of dentists in preventing infective endocarditis in children
Authors: Coutinho Ana Claudia , Castro Gloria Fernanda , Maia Lucianne Cople 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTThis preliminary study assessed the knowledge and practices of dentists in the prevention of infective endocarditis (IE). The study included 21 dentists working at two public hospitals in Brazil who cared for children with special needs who also have cardiac conditions. The data from a semistructured interview were processed for qualitative and quantitative analysis. All subjects defined IE correctly. Most subjects (81%) said they had treated patients with a previous history of IE and 7 (33%) stated that many guardians seemed to be afraid to mention that their child had a previous history of IE. The main risk of infectivity was the oral cavity according to 16 subjects (76%). Nine subjects (43%) considered a dental procedure involving any amount of bleeding as being a risk, and periodontal/endodontic treatments were mentioned by 5 (24%) as procedures that needed antibiotic prophylaxis. As for prophylactic treatment, only 7 subjects (33%) said they followed the American Heart Association guidelines. The authors concluded that the subjects’ knowledge and practices in preventing IE were inadequate.
Assessment of loci for DNA barcoding in the genus Thrips (Thysanoptera:Thripidae)
Authors: GLOVER R. H. , COLLINS D. W. , WALSH K. , BOONHAM N. 
Published: June 2009

AbstractIdentification of the juveniles of economically important thrips species on imports by morphology alone can be challenging and culturing is usually required. In the case of EU quarantine species such as Thrips palmi, rapid and accurate identification is essential. DNA barcoding using the Cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene has become a popular technique for species identification; however, in some invertebrate genera COI has been shown to provide insufficient variability for species discrimination. This study presents a comparison of five different loci to investigate their ability to discriminate a small number of Thrips species. All five loci discriminated the species by neighbour‐joining tree and varying degrees of discrimination were determined upon further investigation of the intraspecific and interspecific distances. Two distinct COI clades were observed for T. Palmi and judged to be COI haplotypes when data from the other four additional loci and geographical collection data were taken into consideration. COI was shown to provide sufficient variation to be used in future DNA barcoding efforts within the genus Thrips.
Acute phase proteins in the diagnosis of bovine subclinical mastitis
Authors: Safi Shahabeddin , Khoshvaghti Ameneh , Jafarzadeh Seyed Reza , Bolourchi Mahmoud , Nowrouzian Iradj 
Published: June 2009

Background:The California mastitis test (CMT) and somatic cell count (SCC) are commonly used for diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in cattle. Acute phase proteins (APPs), as alternative biomarkers of mastitis, may increase in concentration in the absence of macroscopic changes in the milk, or may precede the onset of clinical signs.Objective:The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of APPs measured in milk and in serum with bacterial culture for the diagnosis of bovine subclinical mastitis.Methods:One hundred and seventy‐five Holstein cows were randomly selected from 7 dairy farms. Quarter milk and serum samples were taken from all cows. Milk samples were analyzed using a CMT and SCC, and for haptoglobin (MHp) and amyloid A (MAA) concentrations, and were also submitted for bacterial culture. Serum samples obtained concurrently were analyzed for haptoglobin (SHp) and amyloid A (SAA). Two‐sample Wilcoxon (Mann–Whitney) test was used to compare SCC, MAA, MHp, SAA, and SHp concentrations between culture‐positive and culture‐negative animals. Receiver‐operating characteristic analysis was used to assess the performance of each test using bacterial culture as the reference method.Results:MAA concentration was the most accurate of the 5 tests, with a sensitivity of 90.6% and specificity of 98.3% at concentrations >16.4 mg/L. MAA and MHp had significantly larger areas under the curve than the respective serum proteins, SAA and SHp.Conclusions:The results suggest that measuring haptoglobin and amyloid A in milk is more accurate than serum analysis for the diagnosis of subclinical mastitis in Holstein cows.
Thrombelastography in dogs admitted to an intensive care unit
Authors: Wagg Catherine R. , Boysen Søren R. , Bédard Christian 
Published: June 2009

Background: Underlying conditions in dogs admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) can cause hemostatic dysfunction. Thrombelastography (TEG) may be useful in detecting hemostatic alterations as compared with standard coagulation tests.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare TEG results and those of standard coagulation tests in identifying hemostatic dysfunction in dogs admitted to an ICU and to investigate associations among the variables measured.Methods: Tissue factor‐activated TEG analysis, d‐dimer and fibrinogen concentrations, antithrombin (AT) activity, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), and platelet count were measured using standard techniques on 27 dogs admitted to ICU with a disease known to be associated with hemostatic dysfunction and in 31 clinically healthy control dogs. Results were compared between groups using nonparametric tests and κ analysis; principal component analysis (PCA) and Spearman rank correlation were used to measure associations among variables.Results: Fourteen of 27 ICU dogs had abnormal TEG tracings, which were used to classify the dogs as hypercoagulable (n=11), hypocoagulable (n=3), or normocoagulable (n=13). Hypercoagulable dogs had significantly increased d‐dimer (P=.03) and fibrinogen (P=.01) concentrations compared with normocoagulable dogs. In ICU dogs, positive associations were identified between maximum amplitude (MA), α‐angle, fibrinogen concentration, and platelet count, and between PT, aPTT, and reaction time (R). Significant correlations were found between MA and fibrinogen (rs=.76, P<.001) and between reaction time (R) and PT (rs=.51, P=.003).Conclusions: TEG was useful in detecting hemostatic dysfunction in dogs in an ICU. Positive associations among variables may provide insight as to how overall coagulation status reflects alterations in clot strength and coagulation time. Dogs with TEG tracings indicative of hypercoagulability are likely in procoagulant states. Future studies of the incidence of thrombotic complications in dogs with hypercoagulable TEG tracings are warranted.
Fully Lagrangian Modeling of Dynamics of MEMS With Thin Beams—Part I: Undamped Vibrations
Authors: Ghosh Ranajay , Mukherjee Subrata 
Published: June 2009

AbstractMicro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMSs) often use beam or plate shaped conductors that can be very thin—with h/L≈O(10–2–10–3) (in terms of the thickness h and length L of the beam or side of a square plate). Such MEMS devices find applications in microsensors, micro-actuators, microjets, microspeakers, and other systems where the conducting beams or plates oscillate at very high frequencies. Conventional boundary element method analysis of the electric field in a region exterior to such thin conductors can become difficult to carry out accurately and efficiently—especially since MEMS analysis requires computation of charge densities (and then surface traction) separately on the top and bottom surfaces of such beams. A new boundary integral equation has been proposed to handle the computation of charge densities for such high aspect ratio geometries. In the current work, this has been coupled with the finite element method to obtain the response behavior of devices made of such high aspect ratio structural members. This coupling of electrical and mechanical problems is carried out using a Newton scheme based on a Lagrangian description of the electrical and mechanical domains. The numerical results are presented in this paper for the dynamic behavior of the coupled MEMS without damping. The effect of gap between a beam and the ground, on mechanical response of a beam subjected to increasing electric potential, is studied carefully. Damping is considered in the companion paper (Ghosh and Mukherjee, 2009, “Fully Lagrangian Modeling of Dynamics of MEMS With Thin Beams—Part II: Damped Vibrations,” ASME J. Appl. Mech. 76, p. 051008).
Short-Term Reproducibility of a Commercial Interferon Gamma Release Assay
Authors: Detjen A. K. , Loebenberg L. , Grewal H. M. S. , Stanley K. , Gutschmidt A. , Kruger C. , Du Plessis N. , Kidd M. , Beyers N. , Walzl G. , Hesseling A. C. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

Interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) have been shown to be sensitive and highly specific for the detection of immune memory against
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. Little is known about the reproducibility and within-person variability of these assays. Various aspects of short-term reproducibility of a commercial IGRA, the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-IT) assay, were assessed. The QFT-IT assay was performed twice within 3 days in 27 health care workers in Cape Town, South Africa. Two sets of tests were performed by different operators on day 1, and one set was performed on day 3. Aspects such as interoperator, intraoperator, day-to-day variability, and test-retest variability as well as different the storage methods of plasma were investigated. Seventeen of 27 (63%) of participants had at least one positive QFT-IT text; six had discordant results. The agreement of all aspects studied was high, with kappa values between 0.82 and 1.00 for dichotomous measures, and interclass correlations (ICC) of 0.809 to 0.965 were observed for continuous gamma interferon (IFN-γ) measures. The variability of the magnitude of response was highest comparing measures obtained from individuals on different days (ICC of 0.809). The magnitude of the IFN-γ responses between assays performed for individual participants was variable, with ranges from 0.03 to 11 IU/ml, resulting is discordant results for five participants. The results indicate that the QFT-IT assay is a robust and highly reproducible assay. Considerable intraindividual variability occurs in the magnitude of IFN-γ responses, which may influence the interpretation of serial measures.
Consensus Amplification and Novel Multiplex Sequencing Method for S Segment Species Identification of 47 Viruses of the
Orthobunyavirus
,
Phlebovirus
, and
Nairovirus
Genera of the Family
Bunyaviridae
Authors: Lambert Amy J. , Lanciotti Robert S. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

A reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assay was designed, according to previously determined and newly derived genetic data, to target S genomic segments of 47 viruses, including 29 arthropod-borne human pathogens, of the family
Bunyaviridae
. The analytical sensitivity of the presented assay was evaluated through its application to RNAs extracted from quantitated dilutions of bunyaviruses of interest. Additionally, the assay's analytical specificity was determined through the evaluation of RNAs extracted from selected bunyaviruses and other representative arthropod-borne viruses isolated from a diverse group of host species and temporal and geographic origins. After RT-PCR amplification, DNAs amplified from bunyaviruses of interest were subjected to a novel multiplex sequencing method to confirm bunyavirus positivity and provide preliminary, species-level S segment identification. It is our goal that this assay will be used as a tool for identification and characterization of emergent arthropod-borne bunyavirus isolates of medical import as well as related viruses of the family
Bunyaviridae
that have not been associated with human illness.
Multiple-Locus Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis of
Salmonella enterica
Serovar Typhi
Authors: Octavia Sophie , Lan Ruiting 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

Multilocus variable-number tandem repeats (VNTRs) are widely used as molecular markers to differentiate isolates of homogenous pathogenic clones. We explored the genomes of
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhi strains CT18 and Ty2 for potential VNTRs. Among the 43 potential VNTRs screened, 2 were found to be polymorphic. Together with seven polymorphic VNTRs from previous studies, they were used to type 73 global serovar Typhi isolates. A total of 70 multilocus VNTR analysis (MLVA) profiles were found, distinguishing all except three pairs of isolates into individual profiles. The discriminatory power was 0.999. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the MLVA profiles can be divided into seven clusters. However, except for the closely related isolates, the relationships derived were in conflict with those inferred from single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing using 38 SNPs done previously. We concluded that MLVA can resolve the relationships only among closely related isolates. A combination of SNP typing and MLVA typing offers the best approach for local and global epidemiology and the evolutionary analysis of serovar Typhi. We suggest that seven of the nine most polymorphic VNTRs be used as a standardized typing scheme for epidemiological typing.
Reliable Means of Diagnosis and Serovar Determination of Blood-Borne
Salmonella
Strains: Quick PCR Amplification of Unique Genomic Loci by Novel Primer Sets
Authors: Nagarajan Arvindhan Govindasamy , Karnam Guruswamy , Lahiri Amit , Allam Uday Sankar , Chakravortty Dipshikha 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

Typhoid fever is becoming an ever increasing threat in the developing countries. We have improved considerably upon the existing PCR-based diagnosis method by designing primers against a region that is unique to
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serovar Typhi and
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serovar Paratyphi A, corresponding to the STY0312 gene in
S
. Typhi and its homolog SPA2476 in
S
. Paratyphi A. An additional set of primers amplify another region in
S
. Typhi CT18 and
S
. Typhi Ty2 corresponding to the region between genes STY0313 to STY0316 but which is absent in
S
. Paratyphi A. The possibility of a false-negative result arising due to mutation in hypervariable genes has been reduced by targeting a gene unique to typhoidal
Salmonella
serovars as a diagnostic marker. The amplified region has been tested for genomic stability by amplifying the region from clinical isolates of patients from various geographical locations in India, thereby showing that this region is potentially stable. These set of primers can also differentiate between
S
. Typhi CT18,
S
. Typhi Ty2, and
S
. Paratyphi A, which have stable deletions in this specific locus. The PCR assay designed in this study has a sensitivity of 95% compared to the Widal test which has a sensitivity of only 63%. As observed, in certain cases, the PCR assay was more sensitive than the blood culture test was, as the PCR-based detection could also detect dead bacteria.
Performance of Human Papillomavirus DNA and mRNA Testing Strategies for Women with and without Cervical Neoplasia
Authors: Tropé Ameli , Sjøborg Katrine , Eskild Anne , Cuschieri Kate , Eriksen Tormod , Thoresen Steinar , Steinbakk Martin , Laurak Vigdis , Jonassen Christine M. , Westerhagen Unni , Jacobsen Morten B. , Lie Agnes Kathrine 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

In the present study we investigated the cross-sectional positivity for DNA and E6/E7 mRNA from high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) types in 643 women with high-grade cervical neoplasia (135 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 [CIN2], 495 cases of CIN3/adenocarcinoma in situ [ACIS], and 13 cases of invasive carcinoma) and in 736 women with normal cytology by using the Amplicor and PreTect HPV-Proofer assays. In addition, genotyping was performed using Linear Array for women with normal cytology and a positive HPV test and in all women with histologically confirmed CIN2+. In women with normal cytology, 8.3% (61/736) were Amplicor positive and 3.3% (24/736) were PreTect HPV-Proofer positive (
P
< 0.001). Concordant results between the Amplicor and PreTect HPV-Proofer tests were present in 90.3% (665/736). In women with CIN2+ lesions 96.4% (620/643) were positive by Amplicor, 98.4% (633/643) by linear array, and 64.1% (412/643) by PreTect HPV-Proofer. Concordant results for the three HPV assays were present in 63.8%. The genotype profile detected by linear array and PreTect HPV-Proofer showed substantial agreement for HPV types 16, 18, 33, and 45. HPV type 16 and/or 18 was detected in 58.8% (378/643) of the women with high-grade neoplasia. Detection of E6/E7 mRNA by PreTect HPV-Proofer increased with severity of the cervical lesion. Detection of HPV DNA, however, was not associated with histology grade. In conclusion, the detection of HPV varied according to the assay used, and the concordance between the tests was poor. Our results indicate that mRNA testing may be a biomarker for progression of cervical neoplasia, but the optimal genotype mix remains to be determined.
Rescue of Bacteriophage T7 DNA Polymerase of Low Processivity by Suppressor Mutations Affecting Gene 3 Endonuclease
Authors: Lee Seung-Joo , Chowdhury Kajal , Tabor Stanley , Richardson Charles C. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

The DNA polymerase encoded by gene 5 (gp5) of bacteriophage T7 has low processivity, dissociating after the incorporation of a few nucleotides. Upon binding to its processivity factor,
Escherichia coli
thioredoxin (Trx), the processivity is increased to approximately 800 nucleotides per binding event. Several interactions between gp5/Trx and DNA are required for processive DNA synthesis. A basic region in T7 DNA polymerase (residues K587, K589, R590, and R591) is located in proximity to the 5′ overhang of the template strand. Replacement of these residues with asparagines results in a threefold reduction of the polymerization activity on primed M13 single-stranded DNA. The altered gp5/Trx exhibits a 10-fold reduction in its ability to support growth of T7 phage lacking gene 5. However, T7 phages that grow at a similar rate provided with either wild-type or altered polymerase emerge. Most of the suppressor phages contain genetic changes in or around the coding region for gene 3, an endonuclease. Altered gene 3 proteins derived from suppressor strains show reduced catalytic activity and are inefficient in complementing growth of T7 phage lacking gene 3. Results from this study reveal that defects in processivity of DNA polymerase can be suppressed by reducing endonuclease activity.
Liver Sinusoidal Endothelial Cells Are a Site of Murine Cytomegalovirus Latency and Reactivation
Authors: Seckert Christof K. , Renzaho Angélique , Tervo Hanna-Mari , Krause Claudia , Deegen Petra , Kühnapfel Birgit , Reddehase Matthias J. , Grzimek Natascha K. A. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACT

Latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) is frequently transmitted by organ transplantation, and its reactivation under conditions of immunosuppressive prophylaxis against graft rejection by host-versus-graft disease bears a risk of graft failure due to viral pathogenesis. CMV is the most common cause of infection following liver transplantation. Although hematopoietic cells of the myeloid lineage are a recognized source of latent CMV, the cellular sites of latency in the liver are not comprehensively typed. Here we have used the BALB/c mouse model of murine CMV infection to identify latently infected hepatic cell types. We performed sex-mismatched bone marrow transplantation with male donors and female recipients to generate latently infected sex chromosome chimeras, allowing us to distinguish between Y-chromosome (gene
sry
or
tdy
)-positive donor-derived hematopoietic descendants and Y-chromosome-negative cells of recipients' tissues. The viral genome was found to localize primarily to
sry
-negative CD11b
−
CD11c
−
CD31
+
CD146
+
cells lacking major histocompatibility complex class II antigen (MHC-II) but expressing murine L-SIGN. This cell surface phenotype is typical of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs). Notably,
sry
-positive CD146
+
cells were distinguished by the expression of MHC-II and did not harbor latent viral DNA. In this model, the frequency of latently infected cells was found to be 1 to 2 per 10
4
LSECs, with an average copy number of 9 (range, 4 to 17) viral genomes. Ex vivo-isolated, latently infected LSECs expressed the viral genes
m123/ie1
and
M122/ie3
but not
M11
2
-
M
1
13/e1
,
M55/gB
, or
M86/MCP
. Importantly, in an LSEC transfer model, infectious virus reactivated from recipients' tissue explants with an incidence of one reactivation per 1,000 viral-genome-carrying LSECs. These findings identified LSECs as the main cellular site of murine CMV latency and reactivation in the liver.