bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical reliability of non‐organoleptic oral malodour measurements
Authors: Vandekerckhove Betty , Van den Velde Sandra , De Smit Menke , Dadamio Jesica , Teughels Wim , Van Tornout Marie , Quirynen Marc 
Published: October 2009

AbstractAim: Measurement of volatile sulphur compounds (VSC) by portable sulphur monitors (Halimeter®, OralChroma™) is a common practice for diagnosis of oral malodour. In this study, the clinical value of these devices was examined.Materials and Methods: Two hundred and eighty patients with bad breath complaints attending a halitosis consultation were enrolled. Organoleptic scores were given by a trained and calibrated judge, before measurement of the VSC levels (Halimeter®, OralChroma™), to avoid any bias.Results: Significant correlations were found between the organoleptic assessment, the Halimeter®, and the OralChroma™ (R=0.74 for organoleptic versus Halimeter®; 0.66 for organoleptic versus OralChroma™; 0.63 for Halimeter®versus OralChroma™). The sensitivity and specificity (with regard to the organoleptic score) to detect patients with/without oral malodour for the Halimeter® were 63% and 98%, respectively, and for the OralChroma™ 69% and 100% when using the cutoffs suggested by the manufacturer. By lowering these values, sensitivity could be improved without a significant decrease in specificity (both devices).Conclusions: We concluded that the measurement of the VSC levels can be used as an adjunct to the organoleptic assessment. Thresholds should be revisited in order to improve their clinical utility. These devices can prove the absence of malodour in case of pseudo‐halitosis.
Early‐onset lichenoid graft‐vs.‐host disease: a unique variant of acute graft‐vs.‐host disease occurring in peripheral blood stem cell transplant recipients
Authors: Magro Cynthia M. , Kerns Mary Jo , Votava Henry , Vasil Katherine E. , Dyrsen Molly E. , Morrison Carl D. 
Published: October 2009

Background: A complication of stem cell transplantation is chronic graft‐vs.‐host disease (GvHD), developing months to years after transplant; the two commonest manifestations are lichenoid GvHD and scleroderma. The purpose of this study was to characterize early‐onset lichenoid GvHD. Methods: A retrospective study identified patients diagnosed with early‐onset lichenoid GvHD. This diagnosis was correlated with type of transplant and concurrent or prior episodes of acute GvHD. Results: Patients in whom a sex mismatch was present between donor and recipient were included, representing a study population of 17. All received an allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT). All patients had biopsy proven lichenoid GvHD within 60 days or less following transplantation. All had concurrent gastrointestinal symptoms which was biopsy proven GvHD in thirteen of the cases. FISH XY studies revealed that the infiltrating lymphocytes were of donor origin in 12 of the cases, mixed in three and of host origin in two cases. Conclusions: Early‐onset lichenoid GvHD is exclusive to the PBSCT setting and appears to be mediated by donor lymphocytes, reflecting the higher numbers of donor T cells encountered in PBSCT. We consider this reaction pattern a distinctive subtype of acute GvHD.Magro CM, Kerns MJ, Votava H, Vasil KE, Dyrsen ME, Morrison CD. Early‐onset lichenoid graft‐vs.‐host disease: a unique variant of acute graft‐vs.‐host disease occurring in peripheral blood stem cell transplant recipients.
Fibrofolliculoma with ancient/pseudosarcomatous features
Authors: Cesinaro Anna Maria , Rusev Borislav Chavdarov , Kutzner Heinz 
Published: October 2009

Fibrofolliculoma is a benign skin lesion that, when multiple, can be part of the Birt‐Hogg‐Dube syndrome. We report on a case of solitary fibrofolliculoma arisen on the nose of a 63‐year‐old woman, with peculiar histological and immunohistochemical features. The lesion was characterized by the presence of bizarre multinucleated perifollicular stromal cells, positive for factor XIIIa, in a background of CD34‐positive cells, and by a peripheral population of CD34‐positive spindle cells organized in fascicles haphazardly infiltrating the deep dermis, and surrounded by scattered factor XIIIa‐positive dendrocytes. We consider the bizarre perifollicular cellular component as an ‘ancient’ feature of fibrofolliculoma, hypothesis corroborated by the co‐expression of CD34 and factor XIIIa, whereas the peripheral spindle cell fascicles represent a pseudosarcomatous proliferation of CD34‐positive cells, normally surrounding adnexal structures, stimulated by factor XIIIa‐positive dendrocytes.Cesinaro AM, Rusev BC, Kutzner H. Fibrofolliculoma with ancient/pseudosarcomatous features.
Helicobacter pylori infection in children: population‐based age‐specific prevalence and risk factors in a developing country
Authors: Jafri W , Yakoob J , Abid S , Siddiqui S , Awan S , Nizami SQ 
Published: October 2009

AbstractAim:  We estimated the prevalence, age of acquisition and risk factors for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) seroprevalence in children aged 1–15 years.Methods:  Exposure was assessed using ELISA. Parents responded to a questionnaire regarding number of individuals sharing house, rooms, water source, latrines, housing and assessment of socioeconomic status (SES) by Hollingshead Index.Results:  Serum of 1976 children was tested. Helicobacter pylori seropositivity in children aged 11–15 years was 53.5% (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.58–2.5). It increased with moderate crowding index (CRI) of 2–4 to 45.9% (OR: 1.23, 95% CI: 0.92–1.63) and to 51.2% with CRI >4 (OR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.12–2.06). In middle SES, seropositivity was 50.5% (331/655) (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.29–2.35), whereas in lower SES, it was 47.1% (500/1062) (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1–2.0). Multivariate analysis showed that Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence was high in children aged 6–10 and 11–15 years (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2–1.9 and OR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.56–2.47 respectively), in lower‐middle SES (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2–2.1 and OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.10–2.0 respectively) and in uneducated fathers (OR: 1.58, 95% CI: 1.27–1.95).Conclusion:  Helicobacter pylori seropositivity increases with age, in low‐middle SES and is related to father’s educational status. Reducing H. pylori seroprevalence will require improvement in sanitary conditions and educational status of the population.
Land Market Interactions between Heterogeneous Agents in a Heterogeneous Landscape—Tracing the Macro‐Scale Effects of Individual Trade‐Offs between Environmental Amenities and Disamenities
Authors: Filatova Tatiana , Van Der Veen Anne , Parker Dawn C. 
Published: October 2009

Heterogeneity in both the spatial environment and economic agents is a crucial driver of land market dynamics. We present an agent‐based land market model where land from agriculture use is transferred into urban. The model combines the microeconomic demand, supply, and bidding foundations of spatial economics models with the spatial heterogeneity of spatial econometric models in a single methodological platform. Heterogeneous agents exchange heterogeneous spatial goods via simulated bilateral market interactions. We model a coastal city where both coastal amenities and flooding or erosion disamenities drive land market outcomes, facilitating separate analysis of the effects of each driver on land rents and land development patterns. We also analyze the implications of homogeneous versus heterogeneous but unbiased flood risk perceptions. Since buyers with low risk perceptions drive market outcomes, spatial development under heterogeneous risk perceptions differs qualitatively, with more expansion into risky areas. Our results highlight the shortcomings of policy models based on representative agent assumptions and the importance of including agent‐level data in empirical modeling. L'hétérogénéité de l'environnement spatial et des agents économiques constitue un élément moteur crucial de la dynamique du marché foncier. Nous présentons un modèle multi‐agent du marché foncier dans lequel des terres agricoles ont été transférées pour des fins urbaines. Le modèle combine les fondements microéconomiques de la demande, de l'offre et des enchères de modèles de l'économie spatiale avec l'hétérogénéité spatiale des modèles de l'économétrie spatiale dans une plateforme méthodologique unique. Les agents hétérogènes échangent des biens hétérogènes par le biais du jeu des forces du marché bilatéral simulé. Nous avons modélisé une ville côtière où les agréments côtiers et les désagréments causés par les inondations ou l'érosion influent sur le marché foncier, facilitant l'analyse individuelle des effets de chaque élément moteur sur les loyers fonciers et les modèles d'aménagement de terrain. Nous avons également analysé les répercussions des perceptions homogènes et hétérogènes mais non biaisées à l'égard du risque d'inondation. Étant donné que les acquéreurs qui ont de faibles perceptions du risque motivent les effets du marché, le développement spatial selon des perceptions hétérogènes à l'égard du risque varie qualitativement, avec plus d'expansion dans les zones à risque. Nos résultats ont mis en lumière les lacunes des modèles de politiques fondés sur les hypothèses d'un agent représentatif et l'importance d'inclure des données sur l'hétérogénéité des agents dans la modélisation empirique.
The Diffusion of Greenhouse Agriculture in Northern Thailand: Combining Econometrics and Agent‐Based Modeling
Authors: Schreinemachers Pepijn , Berger Thomas , Sirijinda Aer , Praneetvatakul Suwanna 
Published: October 2009

This paper studies the diffusion of greenhouse agriculture in a watershed in the northern uplands of Thailand by applying econometrics and agent‐based modeling in combination. Adoption has been rapid by farmers in the central valley of the watershed, while farmers at higher altitudes, lacking transferable land titles that could serve as mortgage collateral, have been unable to obtain loans for greenhouse investment. The objectives of the paper are both methodological and empirical. On the methodological side, it shows that econometrically estimated models of farm household behavior are useful to design and to parameterize an agent‐based model. On the empirical side, simulation results show that if mortgage collateral would not be required, then adoption in the upper part of the watershed could reach nearly 77% of farm households by 2020, as compared to about 36% under current conditions. Furthermore results suggest a significant increase in incomes related to the innovation and a substantially greater irrigation water use, especially in the central part. As bell pepper under greenhouses has replaced pesticide‐intensive chrysanthemum, it has declined average levels of pesticide use. Nevertheless, pesticide use is high and farmers are struggling to control pests, which raises questions about the long‐term sustainability of the innovation. Dans le présent article, nous avons analysé, à l'aide d'un modèle économétrique et d'un modèle multi‐agent, l'expansion de la culture en serre dans un bassin versant des hautes terres du Nord de la Thaïlande. Les agriculteurs de la vallée centrale du bassin versant ont adopté rapidement cette forme d'agriculture, tandis que les agriculteurs installés dans les hautes altitudes n’ont pu, faute de titres fonciers transférables pouvant servir de garantie, obtenir de prêts pour construire des serres. Les objectifs du présent article étaient à la fois méthodologiques et empiriques. Sur le plan méthodologique, notre étude a montré que les modèles de comportement des ménages agricoles estimés économétriquement sont utiles pour concevoir et paramétrer un modèle multi‐agent. Sur le plan empirique, les résultats de simulation ont montré que, si des garanties de prêt n’étaient pas exigées, 77 p. 100 des ménages agricoles adopteraient la culture en serre dans les hautes terres du bassin versant d'ici 2020, comparativement à environ 36 p. 100 dans les conditions actuelles. De nouveaux résultats ont indiqué que cette innovation ainsi qu’un usage accru de l'eau pour l'irrigation, particulièrement dans la partie centrale, pourraient générer une hausse substantielle des revenus. Depuis que la culture en serre du poivron vert a remplacé la culture du chrysanthème exigeante en pesticides, l'usage des pesticides a beaucoup diminué, mais demeure tout de même élevé. Les agriculteurs ont de la difficultéà lutter contre les ravageurs, ce qui soulève des questions sur la viabilitéà long terme de l'innovation.
An Agent‐Based Simulation Model of Structural Change in Canadian Prairie Agriculture, 1960–2000
Authors: Freeman Tyler , Nolan James , Schoney Richard 
Published: October 2009

Agent‐based simulation modeling (or ABM) is used to examine the evolution of farm size and financial structure in Canadian prairie agriculture over the period 1960–2000. Individual farm agent interaction and dynamics in this model occur through land ownership and leasing markets. A base scenario is developed and the model is validated against actual data from a typical Saskatchewan farm region. Subsequently, we simulate counterfactual policy scenarios applicable to farms in this region. Overall, we view the contribution of this paper as twofold—first, it represents a “proof of concept” of ABM's ability to simulate farming on a medium to large scale. Second, the model allows us to examine the contributions of entrepreneurship, factor endowment, and historical government agricultural support payments on the evolution of Canadian prairie farm structure. Dans le présent article, nous avons utilisé un modèle multi‐agent pour analyser l'évolution de la taille et de la structure financière de fermes dans les Prairies canadiennes, de 1960 à 2000. Dans ce modèle, les agents interagissent dans le temps par le biais des marchés de la propriété foncière et du bail foncier. Nous avons élaboré un scénario de référence et nous avons validé le modèle à partir de données réelles tirées d'une région agricole typique de la Saskatchewan. Ensuite, nous avons simulé des scénarios contrefactuels de politiques applicables à des fermes de cette région. Le présent article poursuivait un double objectif. Le présent article est à double volet. Premièrement, il comprend une démonstration de faisabilité de la capacité du modèle multiagent à simuler l'agriculture de moyenne à grande échelle. Deuxièmement, le modèle a permis d'examiner l'apport de l'entrepreneuriat, de la dotation en facteurs de production et des paiements de soutien agricole sur l'évolution de la structure des fermes dans les Prairies canadiennes.
Orbital eccentricity as a probe of thick disc formation scenarios
Authors: Sales Laura V. , Helmi Amina , Abadi Mario G. , Brook Chris B. , Gómez Facundo A. , Roškar Rok , Debattista Victor P. , House Elisa , Steinmetz Matthias , Villalobos Álvaro 
Published: October 2009

Abstract
We study the orbital properties of stars in four (published) simulations of thick discs formed by (i) accretion from disrupted satellites, (ii) heating of a pre-existing thin disc by a minor merger, (iii) radial migration and (iv) gas-rich mergers. We find that the distribution of orbital eccentricities is predicted to be different for each model: a prominent peak at low eccentricity is expected for the heating, migration and gas-rich merging scenarios, while the eccentricity distribution is broader and shifted towards higher values for the accretion model. These differences can be traced back to whether the bulk of the stars in each case is formed in situ or is accreted, and is robust to the peculiarities of each model. A simple test based on the eccentricity distribution of nearby thick-disc stars may thus help elucidate the dominant formation mechanism of the Galactic thick disc.
Ribose utilization by the human commensal Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003
Authors: Pokusaeva Karina , Neves Ana Rute , Zomer Aldert , O'Connell‐Motherway Mary , MacSharry John , Curley Peter , Fitzgerald Gerald F. , Van Sinderen Douwe 
Published: October 2009

SummaryGrowth of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003 on ribose leads to the transcriptional induction of the rbsACBDK gene cluster. Generation and phenotypic analysis of an rbsA insertion mutant established that the rbs gene cluster is essential for ribose utilization, and that its transcription is likely regulated by a LacI‐type regulator encoded by rbsR, located immediately upstream of rbsA. Gel mobility shift assays using purified RbsRHis indicate that the promoter upstream of rbsABCDK is negatively controlled by RbsRHis binding to an 18 bp inverted repeat and that RbsRHis binding activity is modulated by d‐ribose. The rbsK gene of the rbs operon of B. breve UCC2003 was shown to specify a ribokinase (EC 2.7.1.15), which specifically directs its phosphorylating activity towards d‐ribose, converting this pentose sugar to ribose‐5‐phosphate.
Cost‐effectiveness of clean air administered to the breathing zone in allergic asthma
Authors: Brodtkorb Thor‐Henrik , Zetterström Olle , Tinghög Gustav 
Published: October 2009

AbstractIntroduction: Airsonett Airshower (AA) is a novel non‐pharmaceutical treatment for patients with perennial allergic asthma that uses a laminar airflow directed to the breathing zone of patients during sleep. It has been shown that AA treatment in addition to optimized standard therapy significantly increases asthma‐related quality of life among adolescent asthmatics. However, the cost‐effectiveness of AA treatment has not yet been assessed. As reimbursement decisions are increasingly guided by results from the cost‐effectiveness analysis, such information is valuable for health‐care policy‐makers.Objective: The objective of this study was to estimate the cost‐effectiveness of adding AA treatment with allergen‐free air during night sleep to optimized standard therapy for adolescents with perennial allergic asthma compared with placebo.Materials and Methods: A probabilistic Markov model was developed to estimate costs and health outcomes over a 5‐year period. Costs and effects are presented from a Swedish health‐care perspective (QALYs). The main outcome of interest was cost per QALY gained.Results: The Airshower strategy resulted in a mean gain of 0.25 QALYs per patient, thus yielding a cost per QALY gained of under €35 000 as long as the cost of Airshower is below €8200.Conclusions: Adding AA treatment to optimized standard therapy for adolescents with perennial allergic asthma compared with placebo is generating additional QALYs at a reasonable cost. However, further studies taking more detailed resource use and events such as exacerbations into account would be needed to fully evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of AA treatment.Please cite this paper as: Brodtkorb T‐H, Zetterström O and Tinghög G. Cost‐effectiveness of clean air administered to the breathing zone in allergic asthma.The Clinical Respiratory Journal2010; 4: 104–110.
Unique distribution of deep groundwater bacteria constrained by geological setting
Authors: Kato Kenji , Nagaosa Kazuyo , Kimura Hiroyuki , Katsuyama Chie , Hama Katsuhiro , Kunimaru Takanori , Tsunogai Urumu , Aoki Kazuhiro 
Published: October 2009

SummaryWe collected groundwater samples at depths of up to 482 m from three boreholes drilled into sedimentary rock within two formations in Hokkaido, Japan. The prokaryotic community in each subsurface groundwater sample was analysed by microscopic counts and cloning–sequencing the 16S rRNA genes. On total direct counts, there were between 4.61 × 104 and 5.06 × 106 prokaryote cells ml−1 in the samples, which is similar to the numbers observed at the marine subsurface. However, the vertical distribution of the prokaryotes did not show a simple decrease in abundance with increasing depth. A high abundance of cells with significant amounts of RNA was identified in the domain Bacteria using fluorescence in situ hybridization, with a high frequency of dividing cells at the transition zone between the two sedimentary rock formations. Cloning–sequencing analysis showed the predominance of γ‐Proteobacteria at this transition zone at 281–312 m. The horizontal heterogeneity of the microbial distribution in the subsurface environment was also demonstrated by a relatively high density of members of the domain Archaea in borehole HDB‐4, drilled only 1.5 km northeast of HDB‐6 and in the same formation.
Fine‐scale spatial and temporal genetic differentiation of water bloom‐forming cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa: revealed by multilocus sequence typing
Authors: Tanabe Yuuhiko , Kasai Fumie , Watanabe Makoto M. 
Published: October 2009

SummaryAccumulating evidence suggests that physical isolation can potentially make a significant contribution to microbial population structure and incipient speciation. However, the effect of geographic factors on population structure has not been explicitly studied for ubiquitous cyanobacteria such as a water bloom‐forming Microcystis aeruginosa. To investigate whether a fine‐scale geographic structure is developed within M. aeruginosa, 96 isolates from five Japanese lakes separated by < 55 km were analysed using multilocus sequence typing. The results of multilocus sequence typing analyses indicated that M. aeruginosa was not phylogeographically structured, although a high level of genetic differentiation was observed among locations (FST = 0.372). Most surprisingly, the highest levels of genetic differentiation were observed between populations at the same location at different times of the same year, and between those separated by only 3 km on the same day. The isolation‐by‐distance pattern was not supported, but not completely ruled out. Taken together, our results suggest that geographic factors, if present, have far less impact on the fine‐scale spatial genetic diversity of M. aeruginosa than local genetic drift or, possibly, selection.
Prevalence of Human Papillomavirus 16 and 18 Neutralizing Antibodies in Prenatal Women in British Columbia
Authors: Krajden Mel , Karunakaran Karuna , So Stacy , Palefsky Joel M. , Sharma Rachna , Cook Darrel , Yu Amanda , Chow Ron , Dobson Simon , Ogilvie Gina S. , Petric Martin 
Published: October 2009

ABSTRACT
Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 and 18 neutralizing antibody (NAb) titers were measured in 1,020 prenatal women in British Columbia aged 15 to 39. HPV 16 and 18 NAbs were detected in 183/1,020 (17.9%) and 97/1,020 (9.5%), respectively, and 39 (3.8%) had NAbs to both types. Titers were similar across age strata.