bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Protocol and Pilot Data for Establishing the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry
Authors: Cadilhac Dominique A. , Lannin Natasha A. , Anderson Craig S. , Levi Christopher R. , Faux Steven , Price Chris , Middleton Sandy , Lim Joyce , Thrift Amanda G. , Donnan Geoffrey A. 
Published: May 2010

Background Disease registries assist with clinical practice improvement. The Australian Stroke Clinical Registry aims to provide national, prospective, systematic data on processes and outcomes for stroke. We describe the methods of establishment and initial experience of operation. Methods Australian Stroke Clinical Registry conforms to new national operating principles and technical standards for clinical quality registers. Features include: online data capture from acute public and private hospital sites; opt-out consent; expert consensus agreed core minimum dataset with standard definitions; outcomes assessed at 3 months post-stroke; formal governance oversight; and formative evaluations for improvements. Results Qualitative feedback from sites indicates that the web-tool is simple to use and the user manuals, data dictionary, and training are appropriate. However, sites desire automated data-entry methods for routine demography variables and the opt-out consent protocol has sometimes been problematic. Data from 204 patients (median age 71 years, 54% males, 60% Australian) were collected from four pilot hospitals from June to October 2009 (mean, 50 cases per month) including ischaemic stroke (in 72%), intracerebral haemorrhage (16%), transient ischaemic attack (9%), and undetermined (3%), with only one case opting out. Conclusion Australian Stroke Clinical Registry has been well established, but further refinements and broad roll-out are required before realising its potential of improving patient care through clinician feedback and allowance of local, national, and international comparative data.
The adaptive compensations in endocrine pancreas from glucocorticoid‐treated rats are reversible after the interruption of treatment
Authors: Rafacho A. , Quallio S. , Ribeiro D. L. , Taboga S. R. , Paula F. M. M. , Boschero A. C. , Bosqueiro J. R. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractAim:  Glucocorticoid administration induces insulin resistance (IR) and enhances islet mass and insulin secretion in rodents and humans. Here, we analysed whether these effects are still present after the interruption of dexamethasone treatment.Methods:  Adult Wistar rats were distributed into CTL (daily injection of saline for five consecutive days), DEX (daily injection of 1 mg kg−1 body wt of dexamethasone for five consecutive days) and DEX10 (5 days of dexamethasone treatment, followed by a period of 10 days without dexamethasone).Results:  In vivo experiments indicated that the marked hyperinsulinemia found in DEX rats during fasting and fed states was normalized in the DEX10 group. Furthermore, the IR and glucose intolerance observed in DEX were restored in DEX10 rats. Islets from DEX rats secreted more insulin in response to increasing concentrations of glucose and other metabolic and non‐metabolic stimuli, compared with that in the CTL group. The insulin secretion for the most compounds studied returned to CTL values in DEX10 islets. Increased insulin secretion correlated well with the augmentation in β‐cell proliferation and mass in DEX rats, and these morphological alterations were normalized in islets from DEX10 rats. In parallel, the increased levels of proteins involved in β‐cell proliferation such as Cd2 and Cdk4 observed in DEX islets were also normalized in DEX10 islets.Conclusion:  These data strongly support the view that almost all the morphophysiological alterations induced by dexamethasone in the endocrine pancreas are reverted after discontinuation of the treatment. This information is important, considering the frequent use of glucocorticoids in humans.
Determinants of Household Income Mobility in Rural China
Authors: Shi Xuehua , Liu Xiaoyun , Nuetah Alexander , Xin Xian 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThis article uses multivariate regression and decomposition analyses to assess household income mobility determinants and their contributions to income mobility in rural China from 1989 to 2006. The findings indicate that households with lower initial income level, higher share of wage income, higher educational level of household members, larger number of non‐agricultural employed household members and younger heads are more mobile. Moreover, besides initial income, change in the share of wage income, change in the share of non‐agricultural employed household members, and change in average year of education of household members are the most important factors that account for income mobility. These findings necessitate more emphasis on policies that promote non‐agricultural employment and education to enhance household income mobility in rural China.
Labor Mobility within China: Border Effects on Interregional Wage Differentials
Authors: Li Cheng 
Published: May 2010

AbstractLabor migration is institutionally restricted within China under the hukou system, China's registration system. However, what is the pecuniary impact of labor immobility on interregional wage inequality? To answer this question, we derive a simple wage gap equation including educational attainment, market potential and provincial border indicators. The regressions based on city and sector‐level data show that, other things being equal, the wage dispersions within Chinese provincial borders are significantly less pronounced than those among provinces. Such border effects on spatial wage differentials, which have been shown to pervasively exist in all sectors considered in the present paper, reflect the distortions generated by migration controls. Finally, we show that despite the recent hukou reforms aimed at relaxing the restrictions on population movement, border effects appear to persisted over the period 2003–2005.
Provincial Disparities in Post‐reform China
Authors: Villaverde José , Maza Adolfo , Ramasamy Bala 
Published: May 2010

AbstractUsing conventional and novel techniques, the present paper analyzes the main characteristics of Chinese provincial disparities during the reform period, specifically between 1978 and 2007. After dismissing the presence of spatial dependence, three main results are obtained: first, provincial inequalities have basically followed a “V” trend; second, grouping China into three large regions shows that inequality mainly lies within each region, particularly in coastal areas; and third, the analysis of intra‐distribution dynamics reveals that, although there was some significant mobility in provincial relative income, particularly until 1990, the whole period persistence in the ranking of income levels is a major feature. This might provoke some changes in the policy approach to dealing with spatial disparities.
Population Analysis and Epidemiological Features of Inhibitor-Resistant-TEM-β-Lactamase-Producing
Escherichia coli
Isolates from both Community and Hospital Settings in Madrid, Spain
Authors: Martín Oihane , Valverde Aránzazu , Morosini María I. , Rodríguez-Domínguez Mario , Rodríguez-Baños Mercedes , Coque Teresa M. , Cantón Rafael , del Campo Rosa 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Punctual mutations in the TEM-1 or TEM-2 gene may lead to inhibitor-resistant-TEM (IRT) β-lactamases with resistance to β-lactam-β-lactamase inhibitor combinations and susceptibility to cephalosporins. The aim of this work was to analyze the current epidemiology of IRT β-lactamases in contemporary clinical
Escherichia coli
. Isolates were prospectively collected in our hospital (2007 and 2008) from both outpatients (59.8%) and hospitalized patients (40.2%). The genetic relationships of the isolates were determined by XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing, and phylogenetic group analysis. IRT genes were sequenced and located by hybridization, and the incompatibility group of the plasmids was determined. From a total of 3,556
E. coli
isolates recovered during the study period, 152 (4.3%) showed reduced susceptibility to amoxicillin-clavulanate, with 18 of them producing IRT enzymes (0.5%). These were mostly recovered from urine (77.8%). A high degree of IRT diversity was detected (TEM-30, -32, -33, -34, -36, -37, -40, and -54), and the isolates were clonally unrelated but were mostly associated with phylogenetic group B2 (55.5%). In 12 out of 16 (75%) isolates, the
bla
IRT
gene was plasmid located and transferred by conjugation in 9 of them, whereas chromosomal localization was demonstrated in 4 isolates (25%). The sizes of the plasmids ranged from 40 kb (IncN) to 100 kb (IncFII, IncFI/FIIA), and they showed different restriction patterns by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Unlike extended-spectrum β-lactamase producers, the frequency of IRT producers remains low in both community and hospital settings, with most of them causing urinary tract infections. Although
bla
IRT
genes are mainly associated with plasmids, they can be also located in the chromosome. Despite this situation, clonal expansion and/or gene dispersion was not observed, denoting the independent emergence of these enzymes.
Group B Streptococcal Disease in Nonpregnant Patients: Emergence of Highly Resistant Strains of Serotype Ib in Taiwan in 2006 to 2008
Authors: Wang Ying-Hsiang , Su Lin-Hui , Hou Jiun-Nun , Yang Tsung-Han , Lin Tzou-Yien , Chu Chishih , Chiu Cheng-Hsun 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Among the 228 group B
Streptococcus
(GBS) isolates recovered in 2006 to 2008, higher resistance to erythromycin (58.3%) and clindamycin (57.9%) was found in isolates with certain resistance phenotypes. Serotype Ib isolates (24.6%) were the second most prevalent serotype, next to serotype V (29.4%), and showed the highest resistance rates to erythromycin (91.0%) and clindamycin (82.1%).
Escherichia coli
Isolates Causing Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Catheterized and Noncatheterized Individuals Possess Similar Virulence Properties
Authors: Watts Rebecca E. , Hancock Viktoria , Ong Cheryl-Lynn Y. , Vejborg Rebecca Munk , Mabbett Amanda N. , Totsika Makrina , Looke David F. , Nimmo Graeme R. , Klemm Per , Schembri Mark A. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are among the most common infectious diseases of humans, with
Escherichia coli
being responsible for >80% of all cases. Asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) occurs when bacteria colonize the urinary tract without causing clinical symptoms and can affect both catheterized patients (catheter-associated ABU [CA-ABU]) and noncatheterized patients. Here, we compared the virulence properties of a collection of ABU and CA-ABU nosocomial
E. coli
isolates in terms of antibiotic resistance, phylogenetic grouping, specific UTI-associated virulence genes, hemagglutination characteristics, and biofilm formation. CA-ABU isolates were similar to ABU isolates with regard to the majority of these characteristics; exceptions were that CA-ABU isolates had a higher prevalence of the polysaccharide capsule marker genes
kpsMT
II and
kpsMT
K1, while more ABU strains were capable of mannose-resistant hemagglutination. To examine biofilm growth in detail, we performed a global gene expression analysis with two CA-ABU strains that formed a strong biofilm and that possessed a limited adhesin repertoire. The gene expression profile of the CA-ABU strains during biofilm growth showed considerable overlap with that previously described for the prototype ABU
E. coli
strain, 83972. This is the first global gene expression analysis of
E. coli
CA-ABU strains. Overall, our data suggest that nosocomial ABU and CA-ABU
E. coli
isolates possess similar virulence profiles.
Proteomics of the
Autographa californica
Nucleopolyhedrovirus Budded Virions
Authors: Wang RanRan , Deng Fei , Hou Dianhai , Zhao Yong , Guo Lin , Wang Hualin , Hu Zhihong 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Baculoviruses produce two progeny phenotypes during their replication cycles. The occlusion-derived virus (ODV) is responsible for initiating primary infection in the larval midgut, and the budded virus (BV) phenotype is responsible for the secondary infection. The proteomics of several baculovirus ODVs have been revealed, but so far, no extensive analysis of BV-associated proteins has been conducted. In this study, the protein composition of the BV of
Autographa californica
nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV), the type species of baculoviruses, was analyzed by various mass spectrometry (MS) techniques, including liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole linear ion trap (LC-Qtrap), liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight (LC-Q-TOF), and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF). SDS-PAGE and MALDI-TOF analyses showed that the three most abundant proteins of the AcMNPV BV were GP64, VP39, and P6.9. A total of 34 viral proteins associated with the AcMNPV BV were identified by the indicated methods. Thirteen of these proteins, PP31, AC58/59, AC66, IAP-2, AC73, AC74, AC114, AC124, chitinase, polyhedron envelope protein (PEP), AC132, ODV-E18, and ODV-E56, were identified for the first time to be BV-associated proteins. Western blot analyses showed that ODV-E18 and ODV-E25, which were previously thought to be ODV-specific proteins, were also present in the envelop fraction of BV. In addition, 11 cellular proteins were found to be associated with the AcMNPV BV by both LC-Qtrap and LC-Q-TOF analyses. Interestingly, seven of these proteins were also identified in other enveloped viruses, suggesting that many enveloped viruses may commonly utilize certain conserved cellular pathways.
Adenovirus Late-Phase Infection Is Controlled by a Novel L4 Promoter
Authors: Morris Susan J. , Scott Gillian E. , Leppard Keith N. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT
During human adenovirus 5 infection, a temporal cascade of gene expression leads ultimately to the production of large amounts of the proteins needed to construct progeny virions. However, the mechanism for the activation of the major late gene that encodes these viral structural proteins has not been well understood. We show here that two key positive regulators of the major late gene, L4-22K and L4-33K, previously thought to be expressed under the control of the major late promoter itself, initially are expressed from a novel promoter that is embedded within the major late gene and dedicated to their expression. This L4 promoter is required for late gene expression and is activated by a combination of viral protein activators produced during the infection, including E1A, E4 Orf3, and the intermediate-phase protein IVa2, and also by viral genome replication. This new understanding redraws the long-established view of how adenoviral gene expression patterns are controlled and offers new ways to manipulate that gene expression cascade for adenovirus vector applications.
Intra- and Interhost Evolutionary Dynamics of Equine Influenza Virus
Authors: Murcia Pablo R. , Baillie Gregory J. , Daly Janet , Elton Debra , Jervis Carley , Mumford Jennifer A. , Newton Richard , Parrish Colin R. , Hoelzer Karin , Dougan Gordon , Parkhill Julian , Lennard Nicola , Ormond Doug , Moule Sharon , Whitwham Andrew , McCauley John W. , McKinley Trevelyan J. , Holmes Edward C. , Grenfell Bryan T. , Wood James L. N. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT
Determining the evolutionary basis of cross-species transmission and immune evasion is key to understanding the mechanisms that control the emergence of either new viruses or novel antigenic variants with pandemic potential. The hemagglutinin glycoprotein of influenza A viruses is a critical host range determinant and a major target of neutralizing antibodies. Equine influenza virus (EIV) is a significant pathogen of the horse that causes periodical outbreaks of disease even in populations with high vaccination coverage. EIV has also jumped the species barrier and emerged as a novel respiratory pathogen in dogs, canine influenza virus. We studied the dynamics of equine influenza virus evolution in horses at the intrahost level and how this evolutionary process is affected by interhost transmission in a natural setting. To this end, we performed clonal sequencing of the hemagglutinin 1 gene derived from individual animals at different times postinfection. Our results show that despite the population consensus sequence remaining invariant, genetically distinct subpopulations persist during the course of infection and are also transmitted, with some variants likely to change antigenicity. We also detected a natural case of mixed infection in an animal infected during an outbreak of equine influenza, raising the possibility of reassortment between different strains of virus. In sum, our data suggest that transmission bottlenecks may not be as narrow as originally perceived and that the genetic diversity required to adapt to new host species may be partially present in the donor host and potentially transmitted to the recipient host.
Murine Gammaherpesvirus 68 LANA Is Essential for Virus Reactivation from Splenocytes but Not Long-Term Carriage of Viral Genome
Authors: Paden Clinton R. , Forrest J. Craig , Moorman Nathaniel J. , Speck Samuel H. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

ORF73, which encodes the latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA), is a conserved gamma-2-herpesvirus gene. The murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) LANA (mLANA) is critical for efficient virus replication and the establishment of latent infection following intranasal inoculation. To test whether the initial host immune response limits the capacity of mLANA-null virus to traffic to and establish latency in the spleen, we infected type I interferon receptor knockout (IFN-α/βR
−/−
) mice via intranasal inoculation and observed the presence of viral genome-positive splenocytes at day 18 postinfection at approximately 10-fold-lower levels than in the genetically repaired marker rescue-infected mice. However, no mLANA-null virus reactivation from infected IFN-α/βR
−/−
splenocytes was observed. To more thoroughly define a role of mLANA in MHV68 infection, we evaluated the capacity of an mLANA-null virus to establish and maintain infection apart from restriction in the lungs of immunocompetent mice. At day 18 following intraperitoneal infection of C57BL/6 mice, the mLANA-null virus was able to establish a chronic infection in the spleen albeit at a 5-fold-reduced level. However, as in IFN-α/βR
−/−
mice, little or no virus reactivation could be detected from mLANA-null virus-infected splenocytes upon explant. An examination of peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) following intraperitoneal inoculation revealed nearly equivalent frequencies of PECs harboring the mLANA-null virus relative to the marker rescue virus. Furthermore, although significantly compromised, mLANA-null virus reactivation from PECs was detected upon explant. Notably, at later times postinfection, the frequency of mLANA-null genome-positive splenocytes was indistinguishable from that of marker rescue virus-infected animals. Analyses of viral genome-positive splenocytes revealed the absence of viral episomes in mLANA-null infected mice, suggesting that the viral genome is integrated or maintained in a linear state. Thus, these data provide the first evidence that a LANA homolog is directly involved in the formation and/or maintenance of an extrachromosomal viral episome
in vivo
, which is likely required for the reactivation of MHV68.
Functional and Genetic Studies of the Substrate Specificity of Coronavirus Infectious Bronchitis Virus 3C-Like Proteinase
Authors: Fang Shouguo , Shen Hongyuan , Wang Jibin , Tay Felicia P. L. , Liu Ding Xiang 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Coronavirus (CoV) 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro), located in nonstructural protein 5 (nsp5), processes the replicase polyproteins 1a and 1ab (pp1a and pp1ab) at 11 specific sites to produce 12 mature nonstructural proteins (nsp5 to nsp16). Structural and biochemical studies suggest that a conserved Gln residue at the P1 position is absolutely required for efficient cleavage. Here, we investigate the effects of amino acid substitution at the P1 position of 3CLpro cleavage sites of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) on the cleavage efficiency and viral replication by
in vitro
cleavage assays and reverse genetic approaches. Our results demonstrated that a P1-Asn substitution at the nsp4-5/Q2779, nsp5-6/Q3086, nsp7-8/Q3462, nsp8-9/Q3672, and nsp9-10/Q3783 sites, a P1-Glu substitution at the nsp8-9/Q3672 site, and a P1-His substitution at the nsp15-16/Q6327 site were tolerated and allowed recovery of infectious mutant viruses, albeit with variable degrees of growth defects. In contrast, a P1-Asn substitution at the nsp6-7/Q3379, nsp12-13/Q4868, nsp13-14/Q5468, and nsp14-15/Q5989 sites, as well as a P1-Pro substitution at the nsp15-16/Q6327 site, abolished 3CLpro-mediated cleavage at the corresponding position and blocked the recovery of infectious viruses. Analysis of the effects of these lethal mutations on RNA synthesis suggested that processing intermediates, such as the nsp6-7, nsp12-13, nsp13-14, nsp14-15, and nsp15-16 precursors, may function in negative-stranded genomic RNA replication, whereas mature proteins may be required for subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) transcription. More interestingly, a mutant 3CLpro with either a P166S or P166L mutation was selected when an IBV infectious cDNA clone carrying the Q6327N mutation at the nsp15-16 site was introduced into cells. Either of the two mutations was proved to enhance significantly the 3CLpro-mediated cleavage efficiency at the nsp15-16 site with a P1-Asn substitution and compensate for the detrimental effects on recovery of infectious virus.
Moral distress related to ethical dilemmas among Spanish podiatrists
Authors: Losa Iglesias Marta Elena , Becerro de Bengoa Vallejo Ricardo , Salvadores Fuentes Paloma 
Published: May 2010

ObjectivesTo describe the distress experienced by Spanish podiatrists related to ethical dilemmas, organisational matters, and lack of resources.DesignA 2008 email survey of a representative sample of 485 Spanish podiatrists presenting statements about different ethical dilemmas, values and goals at the workplace.ResultsThe response rate was 44.8%. Of all the respondents, 57% described sometimes having to act against their own conscience as distressing. Time constraints is the main cause of moral distress (67%) and 58% of respondents said that they found it distressing that patients have long waits for treatment. Distress related to inadequate treatment due to economical constraints or ineffectiveness was described by 60% of the podiatrists. Another 51% reported that time spent on administration and documentation is distressing. Female doctors experienced more distress than their male colleagues. Last, 36% of respondents reported that their workplace lacked strategies for dealing with ethical dilemmas.ConclusionThese study results identify moral distress among Spanish podiatrists mainly related to time constraints, patient demands and lack of resources. Moral distress varies with sex and age. Organisational strategies such as moral deliberation and responsive evaluation offer the potential to address moral distress.