bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Monitoring the HTLV‐1 proviral load in the peripheral blood of asymptomatic carriers and patients with HTLV‐associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis from a Brazilian cohort: ROC curve analysis to establish the threshold for risk disease
Authors: Furtado Marina dos Santos Brito Silva , Andrade Rafaela Gomes , Romanelli Luiz Cláudio Ferreira , Ribeiro Maisa Aparecida , Ribas João Gabriel , Torres Elídio Barbosa , Barbosa‐Stancioli Edel Figueiredo , Proietti Anna Bárbara de Freitas Carneiro , Martins Marina Lobato 
Published: February 2012

AbstractHuman T‐lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV‐1) infection is associated with HTLV‐associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), which affects approximately 5% of carriers. High proviral load is a risk marker for HAM/TSP, although there is an overlap of proviral load levels in peripheral blood between asymptomatic carriers and HAM/TSP patients. In this study, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to define a set point of HTLV‐1 proviral load that better indicates an increased risk for HAM/TSP. Proviral load was quantified in 75 asymptomatic carriers and 78 HAM/TSP patients in a Brazilian cohort. The cut‐off of proviral load was defined as 114 copies/104 cells, with 78.2% sensitivity to identify true HAM/TSP patients. The mean proviral load levels were not significantly different between males and females with the same clinical status, and there was no significant correlation between proviral load and age at blood sampling, age at the onset of illness, or duration of disease. In HAM/TSP patients, proviral load was significantly higher in wheelchair‐bound patients than in individuals able to walk without support and in those with the worst spinal cord injuries. Follow‐up of HTLV‐1‐infected individuals showed that proviral load was more stable in asymptomatic carriers than in HAM/TSP patients. In a cohort study, periodically quantifying proviral load in asymptomatic carriers is necessary to identify those at risk for developing neurological disease, and it is necessary for HAM/TSP patients to monitor spinal injury and progression to walking disability. The measure of proviral load in clinical practice implicates the definition of the cut‐off of proviral load and its validation during follow‐up. J. Med. Virol. 84:664–671, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparative analysis of hepatitis B virus genotype a molecular evolution in patients infected with HBV and in patients co‐infected with HBV and HIV
Authors: Cassino L. , Torres C. , Mbayed V. , Laufer N. , Campos R.H. , Quarleri J. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractHIV infection has a significant impact on the natural progression of liver disease caused by infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), but its role in the molecular evolution of HBV is unknown. It is difficult to study the molecular evolution of HBV longitudinally considering its genomic complexity, which implies the analysis of paired samples. This study aimed to analyze the difference in the evolutionary dynamics of HBV among patients with HIV and uninfected individuals. In this study, 17 patients infected chronically with HBV were recruited, 9 of them were co‐infected with HIV. Patients were HBe antigen‐positive and infected with HBV genotype A. Paired plasma samples were collected from each patient 3 years apart, and they were compared subsequently to each other. The HBV phylogenetic inference among isolates from patients infected with HBV and co‐infected with HBV and HIV tends to cluster separately. Likewise, when comparing the HBV evolutionary rate and genetic distances, values were higher in the former in both preC/C and S genomic regions. Intra‐host analyses of HBV isolates revealed high diversity and complexity of quasispecies among patients infected with HBV exhibiting high numbers of viral variants and genetic distance. In summary, after studying the HBV molecular evolution among isolates ascribed to genotype A at inter‐ and intra‐host levels, HBV exhibited low quasispecies complexity and diversity as well as low evolutionary rates in the presence of HIV co‐infection, suggesting that the co‐infection may have an impact on the HBV molecular evolution most likely from the weakened cellular immune response. J. Med. Virol. 84:562–569, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A clustering phenomenon among HCV‐1a strains among patients coinfected with HIV from Buenos Aires, Argentina
Authors: Bolcic Federico , Laufer Natalia , Trinchero Juan , Jones Leandro R. , Quarleri Jorge 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThe human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) share the same transmission routes which lead to high coinfection rates. Among HIV‐infected individuals such rates reached 21% in Argentina, being HCV‐1a the most predominant subtype. In this work, 25 HCV subtype 1a (HCV‐1a) strains from Argentinean patients coinfected with HIV were studied based on E2 and NS5A sequences. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that 12 strains were highly related to each other, constituting a highly supported (posterior probability = 0.95) monophyletic group that we called “M.” The remaining HCV strains (group dispersed or “D”) were interspersed along the phylogenetic trees. When comparing both groups of HCV‐1a, 10 amino acid differences were located in functional domains of E2 and NS5A proteins that appeared to affect eventually the peptides binding to MHC‐I molecules thus favoring immune escape and contributing to the divergence of HCV genotypes. Bayesian coalescent analyses for HCV‐1a cluster M isolates indicated that the time to the most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) overlaps with the age estimated recently for the HIV‐BF epidemic in Argentina. Furthermore, the genomic characterization based on pol gene analysis from HIV viremic patients showed that most HIV isolates from patients coinfected with HCV‐1a cluster M were BF recombinants with identical recombination patterns. In conclusion, these results suggest the presence of an HCV‐1a monophyletic cluster with a potential HIV co‐transmission by phylogenetic analyses. J. Med. Virol. 84:570–581, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of putative Japanese encephalitis virus receptor molecules on microglial cells
Authors: Thongtan Thananya , Wikan Nitwara , Wintachai Phitchayapak , Rattanarungsan Chutima , Srisomsap Chantragan , Cheepsunthorn Poonlarp , Smith Duncan R. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractJapanese encephalitis virus (JEV) a mosquito‐borne flavivirus is a major cause of viral encephalitis in Asia. While the principle target cells for JEV in the central nervous system are believed to be neurons, microglia are activated in response to JEV and have been proposed to act as a long lasting virus reservoir. Viral attachment to a host cell is the first step of the viral entry process and is a critical mediator of tissue tropism. This study sought to identify molecules associated with JEV entry to microglial cells. Virus overlay protein‐binding assay (VOPBA) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) identified the 37/67 kDa high‐affinity laminin receptor protein and nucleolin as a potential JEV‐binding proteins. These proteins were subsequently investigated for a contribution to JEV entry to mouse microglial BV‐2 cells together with other possible candidate receptor molecules including Hsp70, Hsp90, GRP78, CD14, and CD4. In antibody mediated inhibition of infection experiments, both anti‐laminin receptor and anti‐CD4 antibodies significantly reduced virus entry while anti‐Hsp70 and 90 antibodies produced a slight reduction. Significant inhibition of virus entry (up to 80%) was observed in the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) which resulted in a complete down‐regulation of CD4 and moderate down‐regulation of CD14. These results suggest that multiple receptor proteins may mediate the entry of JEV to microglial cells, with CD4 playing a major role. J. Med. Virol. 84:615–623, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Amine‐surface‐modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles interfere with differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Chang You‐Kang , Liu Yu‐Peng , Ho Jennifer H. , Hsu Shu‐Ching , Lee Oscar K. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractSuperparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) nanoparticles have been widely used for stem cell labeling and tracking. Surface modification has been known to improve biocompatibility, biodistribution, and labeling efficiency of SPIO nanoparticles. However, the effects of amine (NH)‐surface‐modified SPIO nanoparticles on proliferation and differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to investigate how amine‐surface‐modified SPIO nanoparticles affected hMSCs. In this study, intracellular uptake and the contiguous presence of amine‐surface‐modified SPIO nanoparticles in hMSCs were demonstrated by Prussian blue staining, transmission electron microscopy and magnetic resonance imaging. Moreover, accelerated cell proliferation was found to be associated with cellular internalization of amine‐surface‐modified SPIO nanoparticles. The osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation potentials of hMSCs were impaired after treating with SPIO, while adipogenic potential was relatively unaffected. Altered cytokine production profile in hMSCs caused by amine‐surface‐modified SPIO nanoparticles may account for the increased proliferation and impaired differentiation potentials; concentrations of the growth factors in the SPIO‐labeled condition medium including amphiregulin, glial cell‐derived neurotrophic factor, heparin‐binding EGF‐like growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor, as well as soluble form of macrophage colony‐stimulating factor receptor and SCF receptor, were higher than in the unlabeled‐condition medium. In summary, although amine‐surface‐modified SPIO labeling is effective for cell tracking, properties of hMSCs may alter as a consequence and this needs to be taken into account when evaluating therapeutic efficacies of SPIO‐labeled stem cells in vivo. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:1499–1506, 2012
Reproduction in a population of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) subjected to lethal control
Authors: Ditchkoff Stephen S. , Jolley D. Buck , Sparklin Bill D. , Hanson Laura B. , Mitchell Michael S. , Grand James B. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThe continued range expansion of wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in North America is an increasing cause for concern because of the numerous negative impacts that wild pigs have on ecosystem structure and function. Once populations are established, wild pigs have proven to be extremely difficult to control, and close to impossible to eradicate. If effective control and removal techniques are to be developed, we must determine if wild pig populations respond to reductions in density by increasing reproductive output. This study was designed to examine if reproductive parameters of female wild pigs display a density‐dependent response following a concentrated removal effort. We compared reproductive parameters and condition of adult sows that were collected between a control area and a treatment area where lethal removal occurred. From August 2004 to May 2006, we focused a concentrated removal effort within the treatment area. Although the population density was more than 65% greater in the control area than the treatment area during the study, we did not detect differences between areas for condition, litter size, ovarian mass, corpus luteum mass, or corpora lutea number. Several years of heavy mast production during the study may have negated any effect on condition and subsequent reproduction between the 2 study areas. These data suggest that reproductive parameters of wild pigs do not exhibit density‐dependence during periods when pig populations are in good condition. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.
Functional Polymers Bearing Reactive Azetidinium Groups: Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Chattopadhyay Subrata , Keul Helmut , Moeller Martin 
Published: February 2012

AbstractFunctional polymers with azetidinium groups in the backbone are synthesized via the reaction of aminotelechelic polymers, containing primary and secondary amino groups, with epichlorohydrin. During the reaction, the secondary amino groups are transformed into azetidinium groups and the primary amino groups are transformed into amino‐chlorohydrin, amino‐epoxide, and azetidinium groups. The formation of desired functional groups in the polymer is controlled by tuning the reaction conditions. To understand the influence of reaction conditions generating the desired functional groups, model reactions of primary and secondary amines with epichlorohydrin are studied in detail, including the influence of the mole ratio of the starting materials, effect of solvent, effect of pH, and reaction kinetics.
Computation of H ∞  controllers for infinite dimensional plants using numerical linear algebra
Authors: Özbay H. 
Published: February 2012

SUMMARYThe mixed sensitivity minimization problem is revisited for a class of single‐input‐single‐output unstable infinite dimensional plants with low order weights. It is shown that H ∞  controllers can be computed from the singularity conditions of a parameterized matrix whose dimension is the same as the order of the sensitivity weight. The result is applied to the design of H ∞  controllers with integral action. Connections with the so‐called Hamiltonian approach are also established. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mode superposition with submodeling
Authors: Jakobsson Håkan , Larson Mats G. 
Published: February 2012

SUMMARYWe investigate a new approach for local enhancement of mode superpositions, which builds on the concept of submodeling. To this end, we impose a multiscale split on the reduced solution into a global part defined by the mode superposition method and a local part defined by a patch problem solved in a subspace of the finite element space associated with a subdomain around some region of interest. The patch problem yields a local correction on the modal approximation. We describe the basics of this approach and evaluate the accuracy of the approximation in elastostatic numerical examples. We also demonstrate how the submodeling technique may be applied as a post‐processing operation on a set of reduced solutions, for example, from dynamics simulation, to enhance accuracy in some domain of interest. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Self‐medication with antibiotics in the Republic of Srpska community pharmacies: pharmacy staff behavior
Authors: Marković‐Peković Vanda , Grubiša Nataša 
Published: February 2012

ABSTRACTPurposeSelf‐medication with antibiotics adds to the global risk of increased spread of bacterial resistance. Attitudes and behavior of health professionals also may reinforce self‐medication with antibiotics. The aim of this study was to determine whether self‐medication with antibiotics is possible in our community pharmacies and to what extent, and to evaluate the behavior and service of pharmacy health professionals regarding non‐prescription antibiotic dispensation.MethodsAn observational, cross‐section study was conducted, and pseudo‐patient methodology was used to establish the kind of professional service provided in case of patient's explicit demand to buy an antibiotic for treatment of self‐diagnosed upper respiratory tract infection.ResultsOf the total 318 community pharmacies, 131 (41%) were visited and included in the study. Non‐prescription antibiotics were dispensed in 76 (58%) pharmacies. Counseling and symptomatic therapy was offered in 88 (67%) pharmacies. In 25% of pharmacies, no symptomatic therapy was offered; instead, only an antibiotic was sold. Amoxicillin was sold in 85% of cases and, mostly, the one of 1.30 Euro per pack. Both oral and written use instructions were given in 78% cases, whereas none was given in 3% of cases.ConclusionsSelf‐medication with antibiotics occurs in our community pharmacies, despite being illegal. Pharmacy staff behavior can be a factor that puts patients at risk for self‐medication with antibiotics. Community pharmacies are failing their tasks in enhancing rational use of antibiotics. Such a practice may be a consequence of weak enforcement and control over the legislation and professional standards. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Volume‐Dependent Self‐Ignition Temperatures for Explosive Materials
Authors: Krause Gerhard 
Published: February 2012

AbstractIn this paper the differential equation of thermal explosion in the steady‐state approximation is established and solved. This solution is based on Fourier’s heat equation along with the Arrhenius heat source. The theory allows to draw conclusions on the thermal behaviour of any substance. The critical ambient temperature appears as a function of the apparent activation energy, Arrhenius temperature rate, temperature diffusivity, and the volume. The thermal stability of a chemically reactive material may be determined by means of these dependencies. Different volumes of five explosive materials were exposed to hot storage tests. These experiments generate appropriate kinetic parameters for these materials that are compared with known values from literature. Once these parameters are known, self‐ignition temperatures can be calculated for any arbitrary volume and boundary conditions. This is of major importance in the safe transportation and storage of explosives, munitions, and weapons.
Influence of an Electric Field on the Burning Behavior of Solid Fuels and Propellants
Authors: Young Gregory , Koeck Jeremy J. , Conlin Nathaniel T. , Sell Jordan L. , Risha Grant A. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAn experimental study on the effects of an applied external electric field on the combustion behavior of solid fuels and solid propellants has been conducted. In an opposed flow burning configuration, application of an electric field was shown to extinguish a paraffin fuel and gaseous oxygen flame over a broad range of operating conditions. When subjected to the electric field, burning paraffin fuel strands were found to extinguish at various axial locations relative to the exit of the oxidizer gas jet. Extinguishment location was found to be a function of field strength as well as electrode surface area, while changes in polarity did not significantly alter the results. In addition, the combustion behaviors of two composite solid rocket propellants were studied while subjected to an external electric field. Both propellants were based on HTPB/AP combinations, with one propellant containing aluminum and the other being non‐aluminized. Application of an electric field to the composite solid rocket propellant strands demonstrated decreases in propellant burning rate under all operating conditions for both propellants including changes in polarity. The flame structure of the aluminized propellant was examined closely as the luminosity, flame length, and flame width varied significantly with field strength and burning location of the strand relative to the electrodes.
Lethal doses of ozone for control of all stages of internal and external feeders in stored products
Authors: Hansen Lise S , Hansen Peer , Jensen Karl‐Martin V 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND: Gaseous ozone (O3) has potential for control of insects in stored grain. Previous studies have focused on freely exposed insects. Immatures of internal pests (e.g. Sitophilus spp. and most stages of Rhyzopertha dominica F.) are protected within kernels and probably require higher doses and/or longer treatment times for full control. A laboratory study determined the doses of ozone necessary for full control of freely exposed and internal stages of eleven stored‐product pest species. Test insects were three species of Sitophilus, R. dominica, Tribolium confusum Jacquelin du Val, T. castaneum Herbst, Plodia interpunctella Hübner, Sitotroga cerealella Olivier, Oryzaephilus surinamensis L., Ephestia kuehniella Zeller and Stegobium paniceum L. Insects were exposed to continuous flows of ozone in doses of 10–135 ppm and exposure times of 5–8 days. Dose‐mortality bioassays were conducted on three species of Sitophilus and P. interpunctella.RESULTS: Freely exposed stages (with a few exceptions) were controlled with 35 ppm of ozone for 6 days. Full mortality of internal stages within kernels required exposure to 135 ppm for 8 days.CONCLUSION: This study confirms that higher doses and/or longer treatment times are necessary for control of internal stages of stored‐product pests. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Vkorc1 variation in house mice during warfarin and difenacoum field trials
Authors: Endepols Stefan , Klemann Nicole , Song Ying , Kohn Michael H 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND: Field studies guided by genetic monitoring of Vkorc1 need to be done to implicate mutations conclusively with rodent control problems due to the presence of animals resistant to anticoagulant rodenticides. Rodent control success in relation to Vkorc1 genotypes in house mice (Mus musculus domesticus) was studied on two farms (I and II) in Germany. Tests were carried out to determine whether certain resistance profiles and Vkorc1 genotypes displayed dynamics over the course of sequential treatments with warfarin and difenacoum that were consistent with single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Vkorc1 as indicators of resistance.RESULTS: On farms I and II, respectively, three (A to C) and two (A and B) types of control problem with anticoagulants (i.e. proxies for resistance) were encountered in spatially segregated subunits: A = none; B = control problems with warfarin but not with difenacoum; C = control problems with both anticoagulants. Unexpectedly, resistance was encountered in a population where only Vkorc1 wild‐type mice were detected. In addition, the Arg58Gly Vkorc1 variant was found not to correlate with observed control failures.CONCLUSION: Control problems were encountered that cannot be explained by Vkorc1 coding or intronic SNPs, and therefore are likely due to non‐coding Vkorc1 SNPs or due to other genetic or non‐genetic factors. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
GaN/InGaN heterojunction bipolar transistors with ultra‐high d.c. power density (>3 MW/cm2)
Authors: Lee Yi‐Che , Zhang Yun , Lochner Zachary M. , Kim Hee‐Jin , Ryou Jae‐Hyun , Dupuis Russell D. , Shen Shyh‐Chiang 
Published: February 2012

AbstractWe report ultra‐high‐power performance on npn GaN/InGaN double heterojunction bipolar transistors (DHBTs) that is directly grown on a free‐standing (FS) GaN substrate. Measured common‐emitter current gain (hfe) reaches 80. A quasi‐static I–V measurement shows that JC > 141 kA/cm2 and a power density of 3.05 MW/cm2 can be achieved for DHBTs grown on an FS‐GaN substrate. When the temperature is increased to 250 °C, a GaN/InGaN DHBT shows hfe = 43 and the offset voltage is reduced from 0.8 V at the room temperature to 0.3 V. Similarly, the knee voltage is reduced from 5.2 V at room temperature to 2.75 V at 250 °C. In this particular device, breakdown voltage (BVCEO) increases from 90 V at room temperature to 157 V at 250 °C.
Greatly enhanced performance of InGaN/GaN nanorod light emitting diodes
Authors: Bai J. , Wang Q. , Wang T. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractFor the first time we demonstrate InGaN/GaN‐based nanorod light emitting diodes (LEDs) with both very good current–voltage (I–V) characteristics and significantly enhanced emission. Our LED nanorods are fabricated based on InGaN/GaN LED epiwafers commercially available using self‐organised Ni nano‐mask and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching. In comparison with the conventional LED fabricated on the same wafer, our nanorod LEDs exhibit a great emission enhancement with a factor of 1.8. An extra novel step for device fabrication has been implemented, leading to significantly improved I–V characteristics with a forward‐bias voltage of 3.26 V at an injection current of 20 mA, while the forward‐bias voltage reported so far is typically 5–7 V for current nanorod LEDs. It is worth highlighting that our III‐nitride nanorod LEDs can be truly employed for practical applications.