bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Use of AlbuMAX II® as a Blood or Serum Alternative for the Culture of Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Hutton Melanie L. , Kaparakis‐Liaskos Maria , Ferrero Richard L. 
Published: January 2012

AbstractBackground:  Growth of Helicobacter pyloriin vitro depends on supplementation of the medium with blood or serum. However, these supplements often require frozen storage and can show batch‐to‐batch variation, resulting in differences in bacterial growth. In this study, we introduce the use of a commercially available, lipid‐rich supplement called AlbuMAX II® (Gibco BRL, Grand Island, NY, USA) for use as a serum/blood replacement for H. pylori culture.Materials and Methods:  The growth of H. pylori on solid and liquid media was examined by comparing growth after supplementation with horse blood, fetal calf serum, β‐cyclodextrin or AlbuMAX II® (Gibco BRL). Human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cellular responses to H. pylori were measured by NF‐κB luciferase assays and IL‐8 ELISA.Results:  We show that the growth of H. pylori on both solid and liquid media containing AlbuMAX II® (Gibco BRL) were comparable to levels obtained on blood agar or liquid media supplemented with serum. Growth was consistently higher in media supplemented with AlbuMAX II® (Gibco BRL) than media containing β‐cyclodextrin. Furthermore, bacteria grown in AlbuMAX II® (Gibco BRL) induced proinflammatory responses in AGS cells.Conclusions:  AlbuMAX II® (Gibco BRL) can be used as a serum/blood replacement for the cultivation of H. pylori in solid and liquid media. This medium could be useful for an improved understanding of H. pylori metabolism or for antigen production. Furthermore, AlbuMAX II® (Gibco BRL) may be suitable for use in remote locations, particularly in areas where frozen storage of serum may be a problem.
Shorting Restrictions: Revisiting the 1930s
Authors: Jones Charles M. 
Published: January 2012

AbstractSeveral events in the 1930s made shorting more difficult or impossible in the United States. In 1931, the NYSE banned shorting for two days and later prohibited shorting on a downtick. In 1932, brokers needed written authorization before lending a customer's shares, and the U.S. Senate released a list of the biggest short sellers. In 1938, the tick test was tightened. Short interest and securities lending data indicate that each event made shorting more difficult. Average returns associated with the events are significantly positive, consistent with disagreement models. Liquidity is also affected. Recent U.S. regulatory changes echo these earlier restrictions.
Sovereign CDS Spreads, Volatility, and Liquidity: Evidence from 2010 German Short Sale Ban
Authors: Pu Xiaoling , Zhang Jianing 
Published: January 2012

AbstractThe paper examines global impact of 2010 German short sale ban on sovereign credit default swap (CDS) spreads, volatility, and liquidity across 54 countries. We find that CDS spreads continue rising after the ban in the debt crisis region, which suggests that the short selling ban is incapable of suppressing soaring borrowing costs in these countries. However, we find that the ban helps stabilize the CDS market by reducing CDS volatility. The reduction in CDS volatility is greater in the eurozone than that in the non‐eurozone. Furthermore, we find that the CDS market liquidity has been impaired during the ban for the PIIGS (Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, and Spain) countries. In contrast, there are no dramatic changes in the market liquidity for non‐PIIGS eurozone and non‐eurozone samples. The findings suggest that the short sale ban is ineffective to reduce sovereign borrowing costs in the debt crisis region if the underlying economy has not been significantly improved.
Dilated cardiomyopathy in a spider monkey (Ateles paniscus)
Authors: Koenhemsi Lora , Gönül Remzi , Erdoğan Özge , Sennazli Gülbin , Uysal Abdulkadir 
Published: January 2012

AbstractBackground  A spider monkey with severe dyspnea was referred to our clinic.Methods and Results  Radiographs revealed an enlarged cardiac silhouette. Ventricular tachycardia and ST segment depression were also diagnosed after an ECG. These findings coupled with the postmortem examination confirmed dilatative cardiomyopathy.Conclusions  This case is worthy of presentation since dilatative cardiomyopathy has been rarely encountered in spider monkeys.
Subgingival microbiota in adult Down syndrome periodontitis
Authors: Khocht A. , Yaskell T. , Janal M. , Turner B. F. , Rams T. E. , Haffajee A. D. , Socransky S. S. 
Published: January 2012

Khocht A, Yaskell T, Janal M, Turner BF, Rams TE, Haffajee AD, Socransky SS. Subgingival microbiota in adult Down syndrome periodontitis. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 500–507. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/SBackground and Objective:  The subgingival microbiota in Down syndrome and non‐Down syndrome adults receiving periodic dental care was examined for 40 bacterial species using checkerboard DNA–DNA hybridization and the results were related to clinical periodontal attachment loss.Material and Methods:  A total of 44 Down syndrome, 66 non‐Down syndrome mentally retarded and 83 mentally normal adults were clinically evaluated. This involved, for each subject, the removal of subgingival specimens from three interproximal sites on different teeth; all subgingival samples per subject were then pooled and assessed for the presence and levels of 40 bacterial species using species‐specific whole‐genomic DNA probes and checkerboard DNA–DNA hybridization. Significant group differences in species proportions averaged across subjects were evaluated using the Kruskal–Wallis test, and associations between subgingival species and mean subject attachment loss within Down syndrome and non‐Down syndrome subject groups were quantified using Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analysis.Results:  Down syndrome subjects exhibited greater attachment loss than non‐Down syndrome subjects (p = 0.05). Most microbial species were present in Down syndrome subjects at levels similar to non‐Down syndrome subjects, except for higher proportions of Selenomonas noxia, Propionibacterium acnes, Streptococcus gordonii, Streptococcus mitis and Streptococcus oralis in Down syndrome subjects compared with non‐Down syndrome study subjects, higher proportions of Treponema socranskii in Down syndrome subjects compared with non‐Down syndrome mentally retarded subjects, and higher proportions of Streptococcus constellatus in Down syndrome subjects compared with mentally normal subjects. Down syndrome adults classified with periodontitis revealed higher subgingival levels of T. socranskii than Down syndrome subjects with no periodontitis (p = 0.02). Higher subgingival proportions of S. constellatus, Fusobacterium nucleatum ssp. nucleatum, S. noxia and Prevotella nigrescens showed significant positive correlations (r = 0.35–0.42) and higher proportions of Actinomyces naeslundii II and Actinomyces odontolyticus showed negative correlations (r = −0.36 to −0.40), with increasing mean subject attachment loss in Down syndrome adults.Conclusion:  Individuals with Down syndrome show higher levels of some subgingival bacterial species and specific associations between certain subgingival bacterial species and loss of periodontal attachment. These findings are consistent with the notion that certain subgingival bacteria may contribute to the increased level of periodontal disease seen in Down syndrome individuals and raise the question as to the reason for increased colonization in Down syndrome.
Surgical Management of Ischemic Priapism
Authors: Burnett Arthur L. 
Published: January 2012

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Surgery is a mainstay in the management of ischemic priapism. The surgical armamentarium for this condition has recently been expanded with the introduction of several innovative procedures.

Aim
To review surgical procedures offered in the treatment of ischemic priapism and present a rational framework for their use.

Methods
Medline searches through July 2010 were conducted using the terms priapism, surgery, shunt, and prosthesis.

Main Outcome Measure
Expert opinion was based on review of the medical literature related to this subject matter.

Results
A host of surgical procedures exist to address the genital complications of both acute presentations of ischemic priapism and its non-acute pathologic sequelae, which include penile deformities and erectile dysfunction. For the former, the intervention is used principally in an emergent context with the intention to relieve the acute pathologic effects of the condition and preserve erectile function. For the latter, the intervention is aimed generally toward restoring anatomic normalcy and the functional ability to perform sexual intercourse. A rational framework for surgical management, based on the circumstances of the clinical presentation, is described.

Conclusions
The surgical management for ischemic priapism has evolved with the application of a host of surgical procedures. These procedures address acute and non-acute genital complications of the condition and are intended to retain or restore sexual ability effectively and safely. They can be applied using a rational clinical management framework.
Green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate enhances 5‐fluorouracil‐induced cell growth inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma cells
Authors: Yang Xue‐Wei , Wang Xiao‐Li , Cao Liang‐Qi , Jiang Xiao‐Feng , Peng He‐Ping , Lin Shao‐Mang , Xue Ping , Chen De 
Published: January 2012

Aim:  5‐Fluorouracil (5‐FU) is one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic drugs. Resistance to 5‐FU is a major cause of chemotherapy failure in advanced‐stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Green tea polyphenol Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG) plays a critical role in growth inhibition and apoptotic induction in HCC cell lines. The aim of this study is to investigate whether EGCG can enhance 5‐FU‐induced cell growth inhibition and to explore its potential mechanisms.Methods:  3‐(4,5‐Dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used to evaluate cell growth. Western blotting analysis was performed to detect the proteins expression in Hep3B cells. Small interfering RNA was used to suppress cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) expression. Furthermore, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to test the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in cell cultures.Results:  Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate augmented the anti‐tumor effect of 5‐FU in Hep3B cells. Significant difference was observed between the treated groups and the control group (P < 0.05). EGCG (its concentrations at over 5 µmol/L) combined with 5‐FU presented a synergic effect. Furthermore, the combination of EGCG and 5‐FU abrogated the COX‐2 overexpression and PGE2 secretion induced by 5‐FU. The upregulation of COX‐2 expression decreased the phosphorylation of Akt (Thr308) expression. These appeared to be followed by the AMPK hyperactivation.Conclusion:  Epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate sensitizes HCC cells to 5‐FU antitumor activity, and the combination of EGCG and 5‐FU exhibits synergism in chemo‐resistant cancer cells. The results suggest potential novel therapies for the treatment of advanced‐stage liver cancer.
Possible role of EMID2 on nasal polyps pathogenesis in Korean asthma patients
Authors: Pasaje Charisse Flerida Arnejo , Bae Joon Seol , Park Byung-Lae , Cheong Hyun Sub , Kim Jeong-Hyun , Jang An-Soo , Uh Soo-Taek , Park Choon-Sik , Shin Hyoung Doo 
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Background
Since subepithelial fibrosis and protruded extracellular matrix are among the histological characteristics of polyps, the emilin/multimerin domain-containing protein 2 (EMID2) gene is speculated to be involved in the presence of nasal polyps in asthma and aspirin-hypersensitive patients.

Methods
To investigate the association between EMID2 and nasal polyposis, 49 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were genotyped in 467 asthmatics of Korean ancestry who were stratified further into 114 aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) and 353 aspirin-tolerant asthma (ATA) subgroups. From pairwise comparison of the genotyped polymorphisms, 14 major haplotypes (frequency > 0.05) were inferred and selected for association analysis. Differences in the frequency distribution of EMID2 variations between polyp-positive cases and polyp-negative controls were determined using logistic analyses.

Results
Initially, 13 EMID2 variants were significantly associated with the presence of nasal polyps in the overall asthma group (P = 0.0008-0.05, OR = 0.54-1.32 using various modes of genetic inheritance). Although association signals from 12 variants disappeared after multiple testing corrections, the relationship between EMID2_BL1_ht2 and nasal polyposis remained significant via a codominant mechanism (P

corr
= 0.03). On the other hand, the nominal associations observed between the genetic variants tested for the presence of nasal polyps in AERD (P = 0.003-0.05, OR = 0.25-1.82) and ATA (P = 0.01-0.04, OR = 0.46-10.96) subgroups disappeared after multiple comparisons, suggesting lack of associations.

Conclusions
These preliminary findings suggest that EMID2_BL1_ht2 may be a susceptibility marker of inflammation of the nasal passages among Korean asthma patients.
Active living neighborhoods: is neighborhood walkability a key element for Belgian adolescents?
Authors: De Meester Femke , Van Dyck Delfien , De Bourdeaudhuij Ilse , Deforche Benedicte , Sallis James F , Cardon Greet 
Published: January 2012

Abstract

Background
In adult research, neighborhood walkability has been acknowledged as an important construct among the built environmental correlates of physical activity. Research into this association has only recently been extended to adolescents and the current empirical evidence is not consistent. This study investigated whether neighborhood walkability and neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with physical activity among Belgian adolescents and whether the association between neighborhood walkability and physical activity is moderated by neighborhood SES and gender.

Methods
In Ghent (Belgium), 32 neighborhoods were selected based on GIS-based walkability and SES derived from census data. In total, 637 adolescents (aged 13-15 year, 49.6% male) participated in the study. Physical activity was assessed using accelerometers and the Flemish Physical Activity Questionnaire. To analyze the associations between neighborhood walkability, neighborhood SES and individual physical activity, multivariate multi-level regression analyses were conducted.

Results
Only in low-SES neighborhoods, neighborhood walkability was positively associated with accelerometer-based moderate to vigorous physical activity and the average activity level expressed in counts/minute. For active transport to and from school, cycling for transport during leisure time and sport during leisure time no association with neighborhood walkability nor, with neighborhood SES was found. For walking for transport during leisure time a negative association with neighborhood SES was found. Gender did not moderate the associations of neighborhood walkability and SES with adolescent physical activity.

Conclusions
Neighborhood walkability was related to accelerometer-based physical activity only among adolescent boys and girls living in low-SES neighborhoods. The relation of built environment to adolescent physical activity may depend on the context.
Rician nonlocal means denoising for MR images using nonparametric principal component analysis
Authors: Kim Dong Wook , Kim Chansoo , Kim Dong Hee , Lim Dong Hoon 
Published: January 2012

Abstract
Denoising is always a challenging problem in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and is important for clinical diagnosis and computerized analysis, such as tissue classification and segmentation. The noise in MRI has a Rician distribution. Unlike additive Gaussian noise, Rician noise is signal dependent, and separating the signal from the noise is a difficult task. In this paper, we propose a useful alternative of the nonlocal mean (NLM) filter that uses nonparametric principal component analysis (NPCA) for Rician noise reduction in MR images. This alternative is called the NPCA-NLM filter, and it results in improved accuracy and computational performance. We present an applicable method for estimating smoothing kernel width parameters for a much larger set of images and demonstrate that the number of principal components for NPCA is robust to variations in the noise as well as in images. Finally, we investigate the performance of the proposed filter with the standard NLM filter and the PCA-NLM filter on MR images corrupted with various levels of Rician noise. The experimental results indicate that the NPCA-NLM filter is the most robust to variations in images, and shows good performance at all noise levels tested.
The Effects of Deleterious Mutations on Evolution at Linked Sites
Authors: Charlesworth Brian 
Published: January 2012

AbstractThe process of evolution at a given site in the genome can be influenced by the action of selection at other sites, especially when these are closely linked to it. Such selection reduces the effective population size experienced by the site in question (the Hill–Robertson effect), reducing the level of variability and the efficacy of selection. In particular, deleterious variants are continually being produced by mutation and then eliminated by selection at sites throughout the genome. The resulting reduction in variability at linked neutral or nearly neutral sites can be predicted from the theory of background selection, which assumes that deleterious mutations have such large effects that their behavior in the population is effectively deterministic. More weakly selected mutations can accumulate by Muller’s ratchet after a shutdown of recombination, as in an evolving Y chromosome. Many functionally significant sites are probably so weakly selected that Hill–Robertson interference undermines the effective strength of selection upon them, when recombination is rare or absent. This leads to large departures from deterministic equilibrium and smaller effects on linked neutral sites than under background selection or Muller’s ratchet. Evidence is discussed that is consistent with the action of these processes in shaping genome-wide patterns of variation and evolution.
Drinking Frequency as a Brief Screen for Adolescent Alcohol Problems
Authors: Chung Tammy , Smith Gregory T. , Donovan John E. , Windle Michael , Faden Vivian B. , Chen Chiung M. , Martin Christopher S. 
Published: January 2012

OBJECTIVE:
Routine alcohol screening of adolescents in pediatric settings is recommended, and could be facilitated by a very brief empirically validated alcohol screen based on alcohol consumption. This study used national sample data to test the screening performance of 3 alcohol consumption items (ie, frequency of use in the past year, quantity per occasion, frequency of heavy episodic drinking) in identifying youth with alcohol-related problems.

METHODS:
Data were from youth aged 12 to 18 participating in the annual National Survey on Drug Use and Health from 2000 to 2007. The screening performance of 3 alcohol consumption items was tested, by age and gender, against 2 outcomes: any Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition alcohol use disorder symptom (“moderate”-risk outcome), and a diagnosis of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition alcohol dependence (“high”-risk outcome).

RESULTS:
Prevalence of the 2 outcomes increased with age: any alcohol use disorder symptom ranged from 1.4% to 29.2%; alcohol dependence ranged from 0.2% to 5.3%. Frequency of drinking had higher sensitivity and specificity in identifying both outcomes, compared with quantity per occasion and heavy episodic drinking frequency. For both outcomes, results indicate the utility of similar cut points for drinking frequency for males and females at each age. Age-specific frequency cut points, however, are recommended for both moderate- and high-risk outcomes to maximize screening performance.

CONCLUSIONS:
Drinking frequency provides an empirically supported brief screen to efficiently identify youth with alcohol-related problems.
Species Diversity of Carp, Cyprinus Carpio (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), Parasites in Some Cultivation Regions
Authors: Davydov O. , Lysenko V. , Kurovskaya L. 
Published: January 2012

Species Diversity of Carp, Cyprinus Carpio (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), Parasites in Some Cultivation Regions
Zoogeographical comparison for species diversity of carp parasites in different cultivation regions including aquatic ecosystems of Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Russia, and Vietnam was carried out. Totally, 160 parasitic species were recorded in carp within these regions. Parasitic species with direct and complex life cycles important in epizootic, veterinary, and health areas were registered.
Cancer statistics, 2012
Authors: Siegel Rebecca , Naishadham Deepa , Jemal Ahmedin 
Published: January 2012

AbstractEach year, the American Cancer Society estimates the numbers of new cancer cases and deaths expected in the United States in the current year and compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival based on incidence data from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. A total of 1,638,910 new cancer cases and 577,190 deaths from cancer are projected to occur in the United States in 2012. During the most recent 5 years for which there are data (2004‐2008), overall cancer incidence rates declined slightly in men (by 0.6% per year) and were stable in women, while cancer death rates decreased by 1.8% per year in men and by 1.6% per year in women. Over the past 10 years of available data (1999‐2008), cancer death rates have declined by more than 1% per year in men and women of every racial/ethnic group with the exception of American Indians/Alaska Natives, among whom rates have remained stable. The most rapid declines in death rates occurred among African American and Hispanic men (2.4% and 2.3% per year, respectively). Death rates continue to decline for all 4 major cancer sites (lung, colorectum, breast, and prostate), with lung cancer accounting for almost 40% of the total decline in men and breast cancer accounting for 34% of the total decline in women. The reduction in overall cancer death rates since 1990 in men and 1991 in women translates to the avoidance of about 1,024,400 deaths from cancer. Further progress can be accelerated by applying existing cancer control knowledge across all segments of the population, with an emphasis on those groups in the lowest socioeconomic bracket. CA Cancer J Clin 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.