bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alcohol Metabolism in Human Cells Causes DNA Damage and Activates the Fanconi Anemia–Breast Cancer Susceptibility (FA‐BRCA) DNA Damage Response Network
Authors: Abraham Jessy , Balbo Silvia , Crabb David , Brooks Phillip J. 
Published: September 2011

Background:  We recently reported that exposure of human cells in vitro to acetaldehyde resulted in the activation of the Fanconi anemia–breast cancer susceptibility (FA‐BRCA) DNA damage response network.Methods:  To determine whether intracellular generation of acetaldehyde from ethanol metabolism can cause DNA damage and activate the FA‐BRCA network, we engineered HeLa cells to metabolize alcohol by expression of human alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) 1B.Results:  Incubation of HeLa‐ADH1B cells with ethanol (20 mM) resulted in acetaldehyde accumulation in the media, which was prevented by co‐incubation with 4‐methyl pyrazole (4‐MP), a specific inhibitor of ADH. Ethanol treatment of HeLa‐ADH1B cells produced a 4‐fold increase in the acetaldehyde–DNA adduct and N2‐ethylidene‐dGuo and also resulted in the activation of the FA‐BRCA DNA damage response network, as indicated by a monoubiquitination of FANCD2 and phosphorylation of BRCA1. Ser 1524 was identified as 1 site of BRCA1 phosphorylation. The increased levels of DNA adducts, FANCD2 monoubiquitination, and BRCA1 phosphorylation were all blocked by 4‐MP, indicating that acetaldehyde, rather than ethanol itself, was responsible for all 3 responses. Importantly, the ethanol concentration we used is within the range that can be attained in the human body during social drinking.Conclusions:  Our results indicate that intracellular metabolism of ethanol to acetaldehyde results in DNA damage, which activates the FA‐BRCA DNA damage response network.
Using Technology to Encourage Critical Thinking and Optimal Decision Making in Risk Management Education
Authors: Garvey John , Buckley Patrick 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThis article draws a link between the risk management failures in the financial services industry and the educational philosophy and teaching constraints at business schools. An innovative application of prediction market technology within business education is proposed as a method that can be used to encourage students to think about risk in an open and flexible way. This article explains how prediction markets also provide students with the necessary experience to critically evaluate and stress‐test quantitative risk modeling techniques later in their academic and professional careers.
Foreign Ownership and Non‐Life Insurer Efficiency in the Japanese Marketplace
Authors: Huang Li‐Ying , Ma Yu‐Luen , Pope Nat 
Published: September 2011

AbstractTraditional shareholding patterns in Japan have experienced significant change beginning in the early 1990s. Since that time, foreign institutional shareholding has increased significantly largely at the expense of domestic financial institution ownership. This article examines whether these changes in ownership patterns share a relationship with insurer performance in the non‐life insurance market. Using data from 1992 to 2005, we assess performance in terms of efficiency measures using data envelopment analyses (DEA) techniques. Our results show that higher levels of domestic financial institution ownership in Japan are associated with insurer inefficiency. Relative to that relationship, the foreign ownership–insurer efficiency relationship is found to be positive. Additionally, we find that the disparity between those relationships has become more acute since 2001 when the Japanese non‐life insurance market experienced significant consolidation.
Improved Structure Stability and Multiferroic Characteristics in CaTiO3‐Modified BiFeO3 Ceramics
Authors: Wang Qing Qing , Wang Zhuo , Liu Xiao Qiang , Chen Xiang Ming 
Published: September 2011

BiFeO3 multiferroic ceramics were modified by introducing CaTiO3. The stability of perovskite BiFeO3 was increased by the present modification, and the single‐phase (Bi1 − xCax)(Fe1 − xTix)O3 solid solutions were obtained when x ≥ 0.15, where the symmetry changed from R3c (x ≤ 0.2) to Pbnm (x ≥ 0.3). The ferroelectric property of BiFeO3 was enhanced by introducing CaTiO3 because of the reduction of leakage current and the increase of resistivity. The increased dielectric constant, decreased dielectric loss, and enhanced remnant magnetization Mr were also obtained. The best combination of multiferroic characteristics were achieved at x = 0.2.
Cell‐mediated immune response to human papillomavirus 16 E7 peptide pools in patients with cervical neoplasia
Authors: LEE YONG SEOK , LEE CHUNG WON , SONG MIN JONG , HO EUN MI , KIM CHAN JOO , PARK TAE CHUL , KIM TAI GYU , PARK JONG SUP 
Published: September 2011

AbstractObjective. To identify characteristics of the cell‐mediated immune (CMI) response to human papillomavirus‐16 (HPV) E7 viral peptide pools to help the formulation of therapeutic vaccines. Design. Prospective study. Population. Korean women. Setting. University hospital. Methods. From December 2008 to August 2010, 33 HPV‐16‐positive patients, seven patients exhibiting a high‐risk HPV infection other than HPV‐16 with grade 2/3 cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CIN2/3), and nine healthy control donors were enrolled. Main Outcome Measures. CMI response to synthetic HPV‐16 E7 overlapping peptide pools using the IFN‐γ ELISPOT assay. Results. The E7 sequence comprising amino acids 16–55 was a major immunogenic region. The CMI response to HPV‐16 E7 is highly type‐specific. The follow‐up CMI response may last longer than expected after the lesion is resected. Conclusions. We found that the E7 sequence comprising amino acids 16–55 is a major immunogenic region that is critical for the T‐cell‐mediated immune response with CIN2/3 or cervical cancer. The identification of CMI responses to HPV‐16 E7 peptide pools may provide insight into therapeutic vaccine trials for the control of HPV‐associated diseases.
Assessing the oral health of an ageing population: methods, challenges and predictors of survey participation
Authors: Matthews Debora C. , Brillant Martha G. S. , Clovis Joanne B. , McNally Mary E. , Filiaggi Mark J. , Kotzer Robert D. , Lawrence Herenia P. 
Published: September 2011

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00540.xAssessing the oral health of an ageing population: methods, challenges and predictors of survey participationObjectives:  To examine predictors of participation and to describe the methodological considerations of conducting a two‐stage population‐based oral health survey.Methods:  An observational, cross‐sectional survey (telephone interview and clinical oral examination) of community‐dwelling adults aged 45–64 and ≥65 living in Nova Scotia, Canada was conducted.Results:  The survey response rate was 21% for the interview and 13.5% for the examination. A total of 1141 participants completed one or both components of the survey. Both age groups had higher levels of education than the target population; the age 45–64 sample also had a higher proportion of females and lower levels of employment than the target population. Completers (participants who completed interview and examination) were compared with partial completers (who completed only the interview), and stepwise logistic regression was performed to examine predictors of completion. Identified predictors were as follows: not working, post‐secondary education and frequent dental visits.Conclusion:  Recruitment, communications and logistics present challenges in conducting a province‐wide survey. Identification of employment, education and dental visit frequency as predictors of survey participation provide insight into possible non‐response bias and suggest potential for underestimation of oral disease prevalence in this and similar surveys. This potential must be considered in analysis and in future recruitment strategies.
Language and Music in the Musician Brain
Authors: Besson Mireille , Chobert Julie , Marie Céline 
Published: September 2011

AbstractResults of numerous experiments conducted over the past 15 years by using behavioural as well as brain imaging methods have shown that musical expertise influences brain anatomy, brain functions and behaviour. The musician’ brain is thus considered as a very good model of brain plasticity. Moreover, many results have demonstrated that musical expertise not only impacts on music processing but also on several aspects of speech processing including lexical pitch, sentence intonation and the metric structure of words. Conversely, recent results indicated that linguistic expertise with tone or quantity languages such as Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Finnish and Japanese, influences the processing of harmonic tones and musical intervals. We discuss possible interpretations of these findings in terms of common processing of the acoustic parameters involved in music and speech and in terms of bidirectional transfer of training effects between music and speech processing.
Ubiquitin is Associated with Early Truncation of Tau Protein at Aspartic Acid421 during the Maturation of Neurofibrillary Tangles in Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: García‐Sierra Francisco , Jarero‐Basulto Jose J. , Kristofikova Zdena , Majer Emerich , Binder Lester I. , Ripova Daniela 
Published: September 2011

AbstractPathological processing of tau protein during the formation and maturation of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) includes abnormal phosphorylation, conformational changes and truncation of the C‐terminus at aspartic‐acid421 (apoptotic product) and glutamic‐acid391 residues. Abnormal phosphorylation and misfolding may serve as recognition signals for ubiquitin‐targeting and proteosomal processing. For this reason, we sought to determine whether ubiquitin‐targeting of tau is associated with particular tau modifications that herald specific stages of NFTs maturation in the hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease cases. Using multiple tau antibodies, we found that 30% of the total load of NFTs is ubiquitin‐associated. As reported previously ubiquitin immunoreactivity was associated with markers of phosphorylated tau in certain NFTs; however, a strong association was also found between ubiquitin and the earliest known truncation event at aspartic‐acid421. These findings indicate that tau protein in the NFTs may be dually subjected to both apoptotic and proteosomal processing. By contrast ubiquitin immunoreactivity was poorly associated with truncation of tau at glutamic‐acid391, suggesting that this proteolytic event may be independent of proteosomal activity. It would appear, therefore, that ubiquitin targeting of tau protein occurs at NFTs in the early and intermediate stages of the maturation.
HOW DO THAI PATIENTS WITH END STAGE RENAL DISEASE ADAPT TO BEING DEPENDENT ON HAEMODIALYSIS? A PILOT STUDY
Authors: Yodchai Kantaporn , Dunning Trisha , Hutchinson Alison M. , Oumtanee Areewan , Savage Sally 
Published: September 2011

SUMMARYBackground: Researchers have explored the experiences of patients on haemodialysis (HD); however, most studies do not include Thai patients. Thus, the way Thai patients experience and adapt to HD is unknown.Aim: To conduct a pilot study to explore how HD affects Thai patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD) and understand HD patients’ perspectives about adapting to being dependant on HD.Methods: Data were collected using semi‐structured interviews that focused on problems, feelings, thoughts, attitudes and ways of adapting to HD. Grounded theory (GT) method was selected to guide data collection and analysis.Findings: Five patients (age range 24–66 years; mean 45.40 years; mode = 24) participated in the study. Four main coping processes emerged during data analysis: planning, adjustment and avoidance, belief in religion and superstition and living with hope. In addition, the patients reported a range of adverse effects of HD including fluid restriction, fatigue, effects on sexual activity, altered body image, fear of dying, stress and depression and suicide.Conclusion: Thai patients with ESRD felt treatment, including HD, adversely affected their lives and required physical, psychological and social changes to enable them to cope. They reported use of a range of strategies to deal with the adverse effects.
PREVALENCE OF HEPATITIS B IN HAEMODIALYSIS NURSING STAFF IN ATHENS
Authors: Topka Dimitra , Theodosopoulos Labros , Elefsiniotis Ioannis , Saroglou George , Brokalaki Hero 
Published: September 2011

SUMMARYBackground: Healthcare workers are at high risk of acquiring hepatitis B and particularly haemodialysis staff. The aim of the study was to examine the prevalence of hepatitis B markers in haemodialysis nurses and to explore the determinants of the infection.Patients and methods: Two hundred and sixteen haemodialysis nurses from 20 haemodialysis units in Athens completed an anonymous questionnaire, their blood samples were taken and tested for hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers.Results: The prevalence of positive HBsAg among nurses was 0.5%. Anti‐HBc positivity due to past exposure to HBV was 12.5%. A total of 87.5% of the participants had immunity to HBV. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that previous exposure to HBV was related positively with the age of the haemodialysis nursing staff [odd ratios (OR): 1.115, 95% CI: 1.014–1.226, P = 0.025].Conclusion: The prevalence of HBV in the haemodialysis nursing staff in Athens is low, the vaccination coverage and the immunity to HBV are high in comparison to previous reports.
Diagnostic accuracy of α‐fetoprotein and des‐γ‐carboxy prothrombin in screening for hepatocellular carcinoma in liver transplant candidates
Authors: Yamashiki Noriyo , Sugawara Yasuhiko , Tamura Sumihito , Kaneko Junichi , Yoshida Haruhiko , Aoki Taku , Hasegawa Kiyoshi , Akahane Masaaki , Ohtomo Kuni , Fukayama Masashi , Koike Kazuhiko , Kokudo Norihiro 
Published: September 2011

Aim:  Although hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)‐specific serum tumor markers, α‐fetoprotein (AFP) and des‐γ‐carboxy prothrombin (DCP), are used in the screening for HCC, their utility in pre‐transplantation evaluation is not well established. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of AFP and DCP measurement for the diagnosis of HCC in liver transplant candidates.Methods:  A total of 315 consecutive adult patients (174 men and 141 women, mean age 52 years), who were to receive liver transplantation for end‐stage liver diseases, were enrolled. The pre‐transplant levels of AFP and DCP were compared with the histopathology of explanted liver.Results:  Hepatocellular carcinoma was present in the explanted liver of 106 recipients (median number of nodules 2, mean diameter 2.5 cm). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve for the diagnosis of HCC was 0.83 (95% confidence interval, 0.78–0.88) for AFP and 0.47 (0.41–0.54) for DCP. With the cut‐off value of 100 mAU/mL, 20/106 (18.9%) patients with HCC and 54/194 (27.8%) patients without HCC were positive for DCP. DCP positivity was associated with vascular invasion, tumor differentiation and size among patients with HCC, which was associated with albumin level among patients without HCC. Vitamin K was administered prior to transplantation to 20 patients who were positive for DCP (two with and 18 without HCC), resulting in a decrease in DCP levels in 19 of them.Conclusions:  Serum DCP levels may be raised in end‐stage liver disease patients without HCC, and cannot be used as a reliable marker for HCC among liver transplant candidates.
Nine lessons and recommendations from the conduct of focus group research in chronic pain samples
Authors: McParland Joanna L. , Flowers Paul 
Published: September 2011

Purpose. The view of the patient is central to their care. Focus group methodology has been used in health psychology to capture patient views on health and illness. However, the process of conducting focus group research with patient groups has received scarce attention. The purpose of this paper was to highlight lessons learned from the conduct of focus groups in psychological research with chronic pain samples.Methods. Lessons were taken from three structured focus groups containing participants recruited from General Practice. Each group contained five, four, and six chronic pain sufferers from upper, middle and lower socioeconomic areas, respectively.Results. Nine lessons were learned about the conduct of focus group research in general, and also with chronic pain sufferers in particular. The lessons relate to (1) translating study interest into group attendance, (2) ensuring the environment maximizes the opportunity to learn from participants, (3) understanding participant motivations for attendance as well as (4) what participants take from the group, (5) ensuring adequate question specificity, accommodating the needs of particular groups in (6) moderation style and (7) discussion time scales, (8) considering the function of conflict in the group and (9) paying due attention to simultaneous dialogue. Recommendations for addressing the lessons are made.Conclusion. Patient groups have specific requirements and the conduct of focus groups should be driven by these needs to maximize inclusion and quality contributions in the group. Time, resources, and flexibility are needed to ensure the successful transition of these groups into focus group research.
DNA Vaccination Elicits Protective Immune Responses against Pandemic and Classic Swine Influenza Viruses in Pigs
Authors: Gorres J. Patrick , Lager Kelly M. , Kong Wing-Pui , Royals Michael , Todd John-Paul , Vincent Amy L. , Wei Chih-Jen , Loving Crystal L. , Zanella Eraldo L. , Janke Bruce , Kehrli Marcus E. , Nabel Gary J. , Rao Srinivas S. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTSwine influenza is a highly contagious viral infection in pigs that significantly impacts the pork industry due to weight loss and secondary infections. There is also the potential of a significant threat to public health, as was seen in 2009 when the pandemic H1N1 influenza virus strain emerged from reassortment events among avian, swine, and human influenza viruses within pigs. As classic and pandemic H1N1 strains now circulate in swine, an effective vaccine may be the best strategy to protect the pork industry and public health. Current inactivated-virus vaccines available for swine influenza protect only against viral strains closely related to the vaccine strain, and egg-based production of these vaccines is insufficient to respond to large outbreaks. DNA vaccines are a promising alternative since they can potentially induce broad-based protection with more efficient production methods. In this study we evaluated the potentials of monovalent and trivalent DNA vaccine constructs to (i) elicit both humoral and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) responses and (ii) protect pigs against viral shedding and lung disease after challenge with pandemic H1N1 or classic swine H1N1 influenza virus. We also compared the efficiency of a needle-free vaccine delivery method to that of a conventional needle/syringe injection. We report that DNA vaccination elicits robust serum antibody and cellular responses after three immunizations and confers significant protection against influenza virus challenge. Needle-free delivery elicited improved antibody responses with the same efficiency as conventional injection and should be considered for development as a practical alternative for vaccine administration.
National Prevalence Estimates for Cytomegalovirus IgM and IgG Avidity and Association between High IgM Antibody Titer and Low IgG Avidity
Authors: Dollard Sheila C. , Staras Stephanie A. S. , Amin Minal M. , Schmid D. Scott , Cannon Michael J. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACT
Primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection of the mother during pregnancy presents risk of CMV infection of the fetus with resulting permanent disability. CMV IgM antibody is generated following primary CMV infection but also can appear during nonprimary CMV infection and is thus of limited diagnostic use by itself. In contrast, the presence of low CMV IgG avidity has been shown to be a unique and reliable serologic indicator of primary CMV infection. We measured CMV IgG and IgM antibody levels and IgG avidity in sera from a population sample of 6,067 U.S. women aged 12 to 49 years from NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey). The CMV IgG prevalence was 58% overall and increased strongly with age. The CMV IgM prevalence was 3.0% overall and remained relatively flat across age groups. The prevalence of low IgG avidity was 2.0% overall, decreased sharply with age, and was seen mainly among IgM-positive sera. Fourteen to 18% of the CMV IgM-positive sera were low IgG avidity, presumably representing primary CMV infection. High CMV IgM antibody titer was a strong predictor of low IgG avidity. The ability to reliably identify primary CMV infection during pregnancy is important for management of the pregnancy, including possible treatment options for the fetus. Both IgM and IgG avidity measurements provide useful clinical information for evaluating primary CMV infection, although commercial tests for CMV IgG avidity are not yet widely available in the United States.
Use of Inactivated Escherichia coli Enterotoxins To Enhance Respiratory Mucosal Adjuvanticity during Vaccination in Swine
Authors: Barrette Roger W. , Szczepanek Steven M. , Rood Debra , Challa Sreerupa , Avery Naomi , Vajdy Michael , Kramer Ed , Rodriguez Luis , Silbart Lawrence K. 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACT

In order to augment responses to respiratory vaccines in swine, various adjuvants were intranasally coadministered with a foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) antigen to pigs. Detoxified
Escherichia coli
enterotoxins LTK63 and LTR72 enhanced antigen-specific mucosal and systemic immunity, demonstrating their efficacy as adjuvants for nonreplicating antigens upon intranasal immunization in swine.
Molecular and Epidemiological Evaluation of Strain Replacement in Patients Previously Harboring Gentamicin-Resistant MRSA
Authors: De Angelis Giulia , Francois Patrice , Lee Andie , Schrenzel Jacques , Renzi Gesuele , Girard Myriam , Pittet Didier , Harbarth Stephan 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACT

Gentamicin-susceptible methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(GS-MRSA) clones have gradually replaced gentamicin-resistant MRSA (GR-MRSA) clones in many European countries. We studied molecular and epidemiological aspects of MRSA strain replacement in individual patients. All patients from whom at least 2 MRSA strains showing different gentamicin susceptibility patterns were isolated between 1996 and 2008 were retrospectively identified. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
(SCC
mec
) type and clonality between isolates were determined using molecular methods. Risk factors for individual GR-MRSA SCC
mec
I (prevalent clone) strain replacement with GS-MRSA non-SCC
mec
I types were studied in a nested case-crossover study (
n
= 55 patients). MRSA strain replacement was observed in 127 patients, 85 (67%) of whom were initially colonized with GR-MRSA replaced subsequently by GS-MRSA. Most GS-MRSA replacement strains (50; 59%) possessed SCC
mec
IV. All MRSA isolate pairs from the same patient that consisted of different gentamicin susceptibility and SCC
mec
types were also genotypically different. Exposure to domiciliary nursing assistance (odds ratio [OR], 8.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2 to 53.7) and high Charlson scores (OR, 7.1; 95% CI, 1.1 to 46.8) were associated with individual strain replacement. In individual patients, exogenous acquisition of a different MRSA strain was responsible for strain replacement in most cases. Domiciliary nursing assistance could be a target for specific control measures to prevent transmission of GS-MRSA in our setting.