bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multiplexed Serologic Assay for Nine Anogenital Human Papillomavirus Types
Authors: Opalka David , Matys Katie , Bojczuk Paul , Green Tina , Gesser Richard , Saah Alfred , Haupt Richard , Dutko Frank , Esser Mark T. 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT
A multiplexed human papillomavirus (HPV) immunoassay has been developed for the detection of human IgG antibodies to HPV type 6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58 virus-like particle (VLP) types in serum following natural infection or immunization with VLP-based vaccines. The VLP antigens were covalently conjugated to carboxyl Luminex microspheres (MS) using a carbodiimide chemistry. Antibody (Ab) titers were determined in a direct binding format, in which an IgG1- to -4-specific, phycoerythrin (PE)-labeled monoclonal antibody (MAb) (HP6043) binds to human serum IgG antibodies. Pooled serum samples from rhesus macaques immunized with a 9-valent VLP-based vaccine served as the reference standard. The overall specificity of the assay was >99%, and the linearity (parallelism) of the assay was <7% per 10-fold dilution. Total assay precision was <19% across 3 different VLP-microsphere lots, 2 secondary antibody lots, and 2 different operators over a period of 3 weeks. Three different methods were used to evaluate serostatus cutoffs (SCO): (i) a clinical sensitivity/specificity analysis based on “likely negative” and “likely positive” samples from nonvaccinees, (ii) stringent upper tolerance limits on samples from “likely negatives,” and (iii) stringent upper tolerance limits from the same “likely negative” sample set after VLP adsorption. Depending on the method to set the serostatus cutoff, the percentage of seropositive samples at the month 48 time point following vaccination with the HPV 6/11/16/18 quadrivalent vaccine ranged from 70% to 100%. This assay has proven useful for measuring the levels of serum antibody to the nine HPV VLPs following natural infection or administration of VLP-based vaccines.
Identification of Immunodominant B- and T-Cell Combined Epitopes in Outer Membrane Lipoproteins LipL32 and LipL21 of
Leptospira interrogans
Authors: Lin Xu'ai , Zhao Jinfang , Qian Jing , Mao Yafei , Pan Jianping , Li Liwei , Peng Huiqin , Luo Yihui , Yan Jie 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

Leptospirosis is a serious infectious disease caused by pathogenic
Leptospira
. B- and T-cell-mediated immune responses contribute to the mechanisms of
Leptospira interrogans
infection and immune intervention. LipL32 and LipL21 are the conserved outer membrane lipoproteins of
L. interrogans
and are considered vaccine candidates. In this study, we identified B- and T-cell combined epitopes within LipL32 and LipL21 to further develop a novel vaccine. By using a computer prediction algorithm, two B- and T-cell combined epitopes of LipL21 and four of LipL32 were predicted. All of the predicted epitopes were expressed in a phage display system. Four epitopes, LipL21 residues 97 to 112 and 176 to 184 (LipL21
97-112
and LipL21
176-184
, respectively) and LipL32
133-160
and LipL32
221-247
of LipL32 were selected as antigens by Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. These selected epitopes were also recognized by CD4
+
T lymphocytes derived from LipL21- or LipL32-immunized BALB/c (H-2
d
) mice and mainly polarized the immune response toward a Th1 phenotype. The identification of epitopes that have both B- and T-cell immune reactivities is of value for studying the immune mechanisms in response to leptospiral infection and for designing an effective vaccine for leptospirosis.
Consequences of Interference of Milk with Chemoattractants for Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Quantifications
Authors: Rainard P. 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACTConcentrations of the chemoattractants CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL3, CXCL8, and C5a in milk were reduced by the preparation of milk whey by high-speed centrifugation or with rennet. About half of the chemoattractants (35 to 65%) were associated with the casein micelle sediment, except when whey was prepared by acidification. Consequently, quantification of chemoattractants should be carried out preferentially with skimmed milk samples or, whenever whey is needed, with acidic whey samples. The interference of milk or milk whey with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) used to quantify the chemoattractants was moderate, as long as tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), not ABTS [2,2′-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-sulfonate)], was used as the substrate of peroxidase. These considerations will help to assess more precisely a component of the immune response of the mammary gland to infection.
Should Blood Cultures Be Performed for Patients with Acute Prostatitis?
Authors: Etienne Manuel , Pestel-Caron Martine , Chapuzet Claire , Bourgeois Ingrid , Chavanet Pascal , Caron François 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT
The diagnostic and prognostic values of blood cultures (BC) for 347 acute prostatitis inpatients were evaluated. BC were positive for 21% of patients and contributed to the microbiological diagnosis for 5%. Fever duration, length of hospitalization, use of an antibiotic combination, duration of antibiotic use, and urine bacterial titers increased when BC were positive.
Comparative Evaluation of an Automated Repetitive-Sequence-Based PCR Instrument versus Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis in the Setting of a
Serratia marcescens
Nosocomial Infection Outbreak
Authors: Ligozzi Marco , Fontana Roberta , Aldegheri Marco , Scalet Giovanna , Lo Cascio Giuliana 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

A semiautomated, repetitive-sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) instrument (DiversiLab system) was evaluated in comparison with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) to investigate an outbreak of
Serratia marcescens
infections in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). A selection of 36 epidemiologically related and 8 epidemiologically unrelated isolates was analyzed. Among the epidemiologically related isolates, PFGE identified five genetically unrelated patterns. Thirty-two isolates from patients and wet nurses showed the same PFGE profile (pattern A). Genetically unrelated PFGE patterns were found in one patient (pattern B), in two wet nurses (patterns C and D), and in an environmental isolate from the NICU (pattern G). Rep-PCR identified seven different patterns, three of which included the 32 isolates of PFGE type A. One or two band differences in isolates of these three types allowed isolates to be categorized as similar and included in a unique cluster. Isolates of different PFGE types were also of unrelated rep-PCR types. All of the epidemiologically unrelated isolates were of different PFGE and rep-PCR types. The level of discrimination exhibited by rep-PCR with the DiversiLab system allowed us to conclude that this method was able to identify genetic similarity in a spatio-temporal cluster of
S. marcescens
isolates.
Phages Harboring Specific Peptides That Recognize the N Protein of the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Distinguish the Virus from Other Viruses
Authors: Ren Xiaofeng , Wang Mingcui , Yin Jiechao , Li Guangxing 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT
The aim of the current study was to develop a novel diagnostic test for detecting porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) using phage display technology. The N gene of PRRSV isolate HH08 was cloned following reverse transcription-PCR. Sequence comparison indicated that the N gene shared 96.4% homology to that of North American PRRSV (isolate VR2332) and 35.5% with that of European PRRSV (isolate LV), indicating that the PRRSV isolate was related to the North American PRRSV genotype. The bacterially expressed N protein was used as a target in a biopanning process using a phage display random peptide library. Seven phages expressing different peptides had a specific binding activity with the N protein. The putative binding motifs were identified by DNA sequencing. More importantly, the selected phages harboring specific peptides that recognize the N protein of PRRSV were able to efficiently distinguish PRRSV from other viruses in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.
Use of ChromID Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase Medium for Detecting Carbapenemase-Producing
Enterobacteriaceae
Authors: Carrër Amélie , Fortineau Nicolas , Nordmann Patrice 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

ChromID extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) culture medium is routinely used for screening ESBL producers. This medium was tested for detecting carbapenemase-producing
Enterobacteriaceae
isolates from a collection of reference strains and compared to the CHROMagar KPC culture medium previously evaluated for detecting KPC-producing isolates. Producers of IMP-, VIM-, and KPC-type carbapenemases with high levels of resistance to cephalosporins and to carbapenems were detected at 1 × 10
1
CFU/ml. The OXA-48 producers were not detected on ChromID ESBL medium unless coexpressing ESBLs, whereas carbapenemase-producing isolates with MICs of <4 μg/ml were not detected on CHROMagar KPC medium.
Mutations within a Conserved Region of the Hepatitis C Virus E2 Glycoprotein That Influence Virus-Receptor Interactions and Sensitivity to Neutralizing Antibodies
Authors: Dhillon Simrat , Witteveldt Jeroen , Gatherer Derek , Owsianka Ania M. , Zeisel Mirjam B. , Zahid Muhammad N. , Rychłowska Małgorzata , Foung Steven K. H. , Baumert Thomas F. , Angus Allan G. N. , Patel Arvind H. 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

Cell culture-adaptive mutations within the hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 glycoprotein have been widely reported. We identify here a single mutation (N415D) in E2 that arose during long-term passaging of HCV strain JFH1-infected cells. This mutation was located within E2 residues 412 to 423, a highly conserved region that is recognized by several broadly neutralizing antibodies, including the mouse monoclonal antibody (MAb) AP33. Introduction of N415D into the wild-type (WT) JFH1 genome increased the affinity of E2 to the CD81 receptor and made the virus less sensitive to neutralization by an antiserum to another essential entry factor, SR-BI. Unlike JFH1
WT
, the JFH1
N415D
was not neutralized by AP33. In contrast, it was highly sensitive to neutralization by patient-derived antibodies, suggesting an increased availability of other neutralizing epitopes on the virus particle. We included in this analysis viruses carrying four other single mutations located within this conserved E2 region: T416A, N417S, and I422L were cell culture-adaptive mutations reported previously, while G418D was generated here by growing JFH1
WT
under MAb AP33 selective pressure. MAb AP33 neutralized JFH1
T416A
and JFH1
I422L
more efficiently than the WT virus, while neutralization of JFH1
N417S
and JFH1
G418D
was abrogated. The properties of all of these viruses in terms of receptor reactivity and neutralization by human antibodies were similar to JFH1
N415D
, highlighting the importance of the E2 412-423 region in virus entry.
Evaluating the Substrate-Envelope Hypothesis: Structural Analysis of Novel HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors Designed To Be Robust against Drug Resistance
Authors: Nalam Madhavi N. L. , Ali Akbar , Altman Michael D. , Reddy G. S. Kiran Kumar , Chellappan Sripriya , Kairys Visvaldas , Özen Ayşegül , Cao Hong , Gilson Michael K. , Tidor Bruce , Rana Tariq M. , Schiffer Celia A. 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT
Drug resistance mutations in HIV-1 protease selectively alter inhibitor binding without significantly affecting substrate recognition and cleavage. This alteration in molecular recognition led us to develop the substrate-envelope hypothesis which predicts that HIV-1 protease inhibitors that fit within the overlapping consensus volume of the substrates are less likely to be susceptible to drug-resistant mutations, as a mutation impacting such inhibitors would simultaneously impact the processing of substrates. To evaluate this hypothesis, over 130 HIV-1 protease inhibitors were designed and synthesized using three different approaches with and without substrate-envelope constraints. A subset of 16 representative inhibitors with binding affinities to wild-type protease ranging from 58 nM to 0.8 pM was chosen for crystallographic analysis. The inhibitor-protease complexes revealed that tightly binding inhibitors (at the picomolar level of affinity) appear to “lock” into the protease active site by forming hydrogen bonds to particular active-site residues. Both this hydrogen bonding pattern and subtle variations in protein-ligand van der Waals interactions distinguish nanomolar from picomolar inhibitors. In general, inhibitors that fit within the substrate envelope, regardless of whether they are picomolar or nanomolar, have flatter profiles with respect to drug-resistant protease variants than inhibitors that protrude beyond the substrate envelope; this provides a strong rationale for incorporating substrate-envelope constraints into structure-based design strategies to develop new HIV-1 protease inhibitors.
Mortality in ulcerative colitis—what should we tell our patients? Three year mortality following admission for the treatment of ulcerative colitis: a 6 year retrospective case review
Authors: Falvey J , Greenwood R , Creed T J , Smithson J , Sylvester P , Fraser A , Probert C S 
Published: March 2010

ObjectivesTo determine the 3 year mortality of patients admitted to hospital for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC).DesignRetrospective case note review of all patients admitted to hospital for treatment of active UC over a 6 year period from 1 January 2000.SettingTeaching hospital with a tertiary referral practice for the management of infiammatory bowel disease.Patients106 patients (134 admissions) met the inclusion criteria.InterventionsElective and emergency colectomy was undertaken in 16 and 26 patients, respectively.Main outcome measuresMortality at 3 years.ResultsThere were six deaths after 3 years. Case fatality at 30 days, 1, 2 and 3 years was 1.0% (95% CI 0.2 to 5.1), 1.9% (95% CI 0.2 to 6.6), 2.9% (95% CI 5.9 to 8.0) and 5.7% (95% CI 2.1 to 11.9), respectively. There were no deaths in either surgical group. One patient (89 years, female) died while awaiting emergency colectomy. Patients who died were significantly older at the time of admission (79 years (95% CI 71 to 88 years) vs 41.2 years (95% CI 38 to 45 years)) and were more likely to have comorbid illness (p<0.001). Severity of disease, prior immunosuppressive use, first presentation and smoking status were not associated with increased mortality.ConclusionsThree year mortality following admission for treatment of UC was 5.7% (95% CI 2.1 to 11.9), significantly lower than that reported previously. Mortality was significantly associated with increasing age and the presence of comorbid disease. Disease specific factors such as severity, extent and first presentation were associated with emergency colectomy but not mortality.
Best Proximity Points of Cyclic "Equation missing" -Contractions on Reflexive Banach Spaces
Authors: Rezapour Sh , Derafshpour M , Shahzad N 
Published: March 2010

AbstractWe provide a positive answer to a question raised by Al-Thagafi and Shahzad (Nonlinear Analysis, 70 (2009), 3665-3671) about best proximity points of cyclic "Equation missing"-contractions on reflexive Banach spaces.
Holy Praiseco: Negotiating Sacred and Popular Music and Dance in African Pentecostalism
Authors: Kalu Ogbu U. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractIn post-colonial Africa, Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity has slowly emerged as an influential shaper of culture and identity through its use of music, media, and dance. This article gives an overview of the transitions that have occurred in African politics, identity awareness, and culture, especially as it relates to the indigenous village public and it’s interface with the external Western public, and how the emergent cultural public has become the most influential player in shaping the African moral universe. Pentecostal-Charismatic Christianity has navigated the shift from a missionary-driven avoidance of indigenous music and dance to the incorporation of indigenous elements, leading in turn to the popularization of Pentecostal music and dance that blends indigenous forms and concepts, Christian symbolism, and popular cultural expressions. The resulting forms have not only shaped Christianity, but also the surrounding culture and its political environment.
Adolescence in the Atlantic: Charity Boys as Seamen in the Spanish Maritime World
Authors: Tikoff Valentina K. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis article examines life at a maritime orphanage and at sea for wards of the Royal School of San Telmo in Seville, which operated between 1681 and 1847. At its heart is a microhistorical analysis of Francisco de Cáceres Martínez, a ward whose life is traced from the time he entered the orphanage as a twelve-year-old in 1788 until he became an assistant pilot in 1802. This examination of the lives of Cáceres and other adolescent wards of the San Telmo orphanage sheds light on the experiences of young sailors and charity wards dispatched to sea, both of which were common in early modern maritime fleets but about whom details are often scarce. It also shows connections between their lives on land and at sea. The case of Cáceres and other San Telmo wards illuminates interactions among these youths, orphanage administrators, and Spanish naval officials, especially in the late eighteenth century. These interactions reveal that the same society and culture that tapped orphaned boys to meet Spanish maritime demands also afforded a measure of maneuverability to at least some of them, as wards used the language and institutions of a patriarchal system to navigate the eighteenth-century maritime world.
Education and Development: Why are Koreans Obsessed with Learning?
Authors: Oh Ingyu 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe Korean learning pattern during the developmental period is typified by high levels of individual educational achievements despite extreme poverty in society. At the moment, the Korean proportion of private educational spending to GDP is the largest among OECD countries. I argue that the ongoing Korean educational frenzy is a result of a traditional subculture that emphasizes social success through education and individual educational choices, made by parents on behalf of their children based on psychological mechanisms of fear and han (or emotional enmity). The benefit of education in terms of economic development and political democracy continues to reinforce parents to be obsessive about children’s education even during the post-developmental stage. Yet, it is now obvious to Korean policymakers and parents alike that educational obsession is hampering both democracy and economic development.
Activism Gone Shopping: An Empirical Exploration of Individual-Level Determinants of Political Consumerism and Donating
Authors: Sandovici Maria Elena , Davis Terri 
Published: March 2010

AbstractUsing data collected from the European Social Survey (made available by the Norwegian Social Science Data Services), we compare the political acts of buycotting, boycotting, and direct monetary donation and examine the different individual-level attributes that determine people to engage in these political acts. Specifically, we examine the individual attributes that best indicate an individual’s propensity to engage in these activities. Our main findings are that women and young people participate in political consumerism more than men and older people. We also find that donors differ substantially from buycotters and boycotters, which leads us to conclude that donating is a different, more traditional type of participation than is political consumerism. This sets the stage for studying nontraditional realms of political expression and in particular indicates a need for future studies on political actors most likely to engage in political consumerism.
Standards of Good Practice in Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) and Fuzzy-Sets
Authors: Schneider Carsten Q. , Wagemann Claudius 
Published: March 2010

AbstractAs a relatively new methodological tool, QCA is still a work in progress. Standards of good practice are needed in order to enhance the quality of its applications. We present a list from A to Z of twenty-six proposals regarding what a “good” QCA-based research entails, both with regard to QCA as a research approach and as an analytical technique. Our suggestions are subdivided into three categories: criteria referring to the research stages before, during, and after the analytical moment of data analysis. This listing can be read as a guideline for authors, reviewers, and readers of QCA.
Overcoming the Nagorno-Karabakh Stalemate
Authors: Hopmann P. Terrence , Zartman I. William 
Published: March 2010

AbstractSix authors of the younger generation ‐ three from Armenia and three from Azerbaijan ‐ examine the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh in a joint effort to overcome their heritage of stereotypes and hostility. While their proposals vary, there is some creative overlap, and all of them recognize the obstacles as four standard characteristics of intractable conflicts: no salient solution, no ripeness, profitability, and no Zone of Possible Agreement (ZOPA). From these obstacles stem some ideas for creative progress, if not immediate solutions.
Mountainous Karabakh: New Paradigms for Peace and Development in the 21st Century
Authors: Huseynov Tabib 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis article analyzes the Karabakh conflict’s peace process and suggests a set of approaches to guide future progress. Proceeding from an interest-based framework, the research examines ways to reconcile the power, rights and interests of the conflicting parties. It is argued that a serious shift in the approaches and policies of both the conflicting parties and also the mediators is needed to achieve a breakthrough in the talks. In broader and long-term perspective, stable and sustainable conflict resolution requires the establishment of a power-sharing arrangement that would be based on equal and horizontal relationships between Armenians and Azeris at both sub-national (Mountainous Karabakh), and national (Azerbaijan) levels, and combines this power-sharing arrangement with regional integration.
Empowering and Engaging Civil Society in Conflict Resolution: The Case of Nagorno-Karabakh
Authors: Ghaplanyan Irina 
Published: March 2010

AbstractCivil societies in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh have become alienated from the actual process of conflict resolution and need to be engaged in the political bargaining of the issue. This article addresses the importance of engaging civil society more deeply in this process. Only by empowering citizens through greater awareness and engaging civil society will the political elites from all sides of the conflict be forced to act more responsibly and participate in a more sincere and significant dialogue based on compromise rather than threats. To break the current deadlock, a new citizen-based initiative is needed based on a willingness to humanize the alleged enemy, consider options other than war, realize that the lives of immediate family members are at stake, learn about the benefits of compromise, and engage in reconciliation processes.