bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interlaboratory variation in heparin monitoring: Lessons from the Quality Management Program of Ontario coagulation surveys
Authors: Raby Anne , Moffat Karen , Flynn Greg , Crowther Mark , Cuker Adam 
Published: July 2010

SummaryUnfractionated heparin (UFH) monitoring is subject to substantial inter-laboratory variation. We analysed results of annual coagulation surveys administered by the Quality Management Program – Laboratory Services (Toronto, ON, Canada) from 2003 to 2007 to evaluate variation in UFH monitoring across Ontario. Participating laboratories performed an activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) utilising their local methodology on lyophilised human plasma spiked with UFH. In the 2006 and 2007 surveys, laboratories licensed to perform anti-Xa assays also reported anti-Xa activity results. The APTT differed significantly between heparin-sensitive and heparin-insensitive methods (p<0.0005). Within-method variation was observed and increased with increasing heparin concentration. Among laboratories performing an APTT and anti-Xa, the coefficient of variation was greater in the anti-Xa than in the APTT for both the 2006 (64.0% vs. 10.5%) and 2007 (15.0% vs. 11.6%) surveys. Substantial interlaboratory variation in UFH monitoring, both between and within APTT methods, was observed and was not reduced by use of an anti-Xa assay.
Endothelial-derived microparticles: Biological conveyors at the crossroad of inflammation, thrombosis and angiogenesis
Authors: Leroyer Aurélie , Anfosso Francine , Lacroix Romaric , Sabatier Florence , Simoncini Stéphanie , Njock Sébastien , Jourde Noémie , Brunet Philippe , Camoin-Jau Laurence , Sampol José , Dignat-George Françoise 
Published: July 2010

SummaryEndothelial microparticles (EMP) are complex vesicular structures that can be shed by activated or apoptotic endothelial cells. EMP are composed of a phospholipid bilayer that exposes transmembrane proteins and receptors and encloses cytosolic components such as enzymes, transcription factors and mRNA derived from their parent cells. Thus, EMP behave as biological conveyors playing a key role in the tuning of vascular homeostasis. This review focuses on the multifaceted roles of EMP, notably in coagulation, inflammation and angiogenesis and also on the mechanisms that trigger their formation. In this context, EMP could compromise vascular homeostasis and then represent key players in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory and thrombotic diseases. Consequently, elucidating their role and their mechanisms of formation will bring new insights into the understanding of endothelial-associated diseases. Moreover, in the future, it can open novel therapeutic perspectives based on the inhibition of EMP release.
Dyssynchrony Indices To Predict Response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Authors: Miyazaki Chinami , Redfield Margaret M. , Powell Brian D. , Lin Grace M. , Herges Regina M. , Hodge David O. , Olson Lyle J. , Hayes David L. , Espinosa Raul E. , Rea Robert F. , Bruce Charles J. , Nelson Susan M. , Miller Fletcher A. , Oh Jae K. 
Published: July 2010

Background—
Whether mechanical dyssynchrony indices predict reverse remodeling (RR) or clinical response to cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) remains controversial. This prospective study evaluated whether echocardiographic dyssynchrony indices predict RR or clinical response after CRT.

Methods and Results—

Of 184 patients with heart failure with anticipated CRT who were prospectively enrolled, 131 with wide QRS and left ventricular ejection fraction <35% had 6-month follow-up after CRT implantation. Fourteen dyssynchrony indices (feasibility) by M-mode (94%), tissue velocity (96%), tissue Doppler strain (92%), 2D speckle strain (65% to 86%), 3D echocardiography (79%), and timing intervals (98%) were evaluated. RR (end-systolic volume reduction ≥15%) occurred in 55% and more frequently in patients without (71%) than in patients with (42%) ischemic cardiomyopathy (
P
=0.002). Overall, only M-mode, tissue Doppler strain, and total isovolumic time had a receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (AUC) greater than the line of no information, but none of these were strongly predictive of RR (AUC, 0.63 to 0.71). In nonischemic cardiomyopathy, no dyssynchrony index predicted RR. In ischemic cardiomyopathy, M-mode (AUC, 0.67), tissue Doppler strain (AUC, 0.79), and isovolumic time (AUC, 0.76) -derived indices predicted RR (
P
<0.05 for all), although the incremental value was modest. No indices predicted clinical response assessed by Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire, 6-minute walk distance, and peak oxygen consumption.

Conclusions—
These findings are consistent with the Predictors of Response to CRT study and do not support use of these dyssynchrony indices to guide use of CRT.
Clinical and Angiographic Predictors of Short- and Long-Term Ischemic Events in Acute Coronary Syndromes
Authors: Lansky Alexandra J. , Goto Kenji , Cristea Ecaterina , Fahy Martin , Parise Helen , Feit Frederick , Ohman E. Magnus , White Harvey D. , Alexander Karen P. , Bertrand Michel E. , Desmet Walter , Hamon Martial , Mehran Roxana , Moses Jeffrey , Leon Martin , Stone Gregg W. 
Published: July 2010

Background—
Contemporary adjunctive pharmacology and revascularization strategies have improved the prognosis of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACSs). We sought to identify the clinical and angiographic predictors of cardiac ischemic events in patients with ACSs treated with an early invasive strategy.

Methods and Results—
Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the relation between baseline characteristics and 30-day and 1-year composite ischemia (death, myocardial infarction, or unplanned revascularization) among the 6921 ACS patients included in the prespecified angiographic substudy of the Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage strategY (ACUITY) trial. Of the 6921 patients, 3826 (55.3%) were treated with percutaneous coronary intervention, 755 (10.9%) with coronary artery bypass grafting, and 2340 (33.8%) with medical therapy. Composite ischemia occurred in 595 (8.6%) patients at 30 days and in 1153 (17.4%) at 1 year. Renal insufficiency, biomarker elevation, ST-segment deviation, nonuse of aspirin or thienopyridine, insulin-treated diabetes, older age, baseline lower hemoglobin value, history of percutaneous coronary intervention, and current smoking were independently associated with 30-day or 1-year ischemic events. Angiographic characteristics predicting ischemic events included number of diseased vessels, moderate/severe calcification, worst percent diameter stenosis, jeopardy score, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, lesion eccentricity, and thrombus. With use of receiver operating characteristic methodology, the c statistic improved for the predictive model by adding angiographic to clinical parameters for the 30-day composite ischemia (from 0.62 to 0.68) and myocardial infarction (from 0.64 to 0.71) and 1-year composite ischemia (from 0.61 to 0.65) and myocardial infarction (from 0.63 to 0.69) end points.

Conclusions—
Among ACS patients managed with an early invasive strategy, baseline angiographic markers of disease burden, calcification, lesion severity, lower left ventricular ejection fraction, and morphological characteristics provided important added independent predictive value for 30-day and 1-year ischemic outcomes, beyond the well-recognized clinical risk factors. These findings emphasize the prognostic importance of the diagnostic angiogram in the risk stratification of patients presenting with ACSs.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT00093158.
Confusional migraine is an adult as well as a childhood disease
Authors: Gantenbein Andreas R , Riederer Franz , Mathys Jan , Biethahn Silke , Gossrau Gudrun , Waldvogel Daniel , Sándor Peter S 
Published: July 2010

Background: Acute confusional migraine (ACM) is considered a rare migraine variant primarily seen in children and adolescents. Patients and Methods: We present a series of eight adults and two adolescents suffering from migraine attacks associated with transient confusional states. Results: Eight patients reported two or more such attacks. One of them reported mild head trauma in the past. One patient reported mild head trauma as a possible trigger. Further investigations were unremarkable in all patients and did not suggest underlying structural abnormalities, epilepsy or cerebrovascular disease. In none of these patients did we find another cause to explain the observed phenomenon. Conclusions: Based on this series of patients, we suggest expanding the concept of confusional migraine from the paediatric population to adults. The temporal course of the confusion as well as the association with visual and other aura symptoms suggest cortical spreading depression as the underlying pathophysiology.
Inducible expression of human β-defensin 2 by Chlamydophila pneumoniae in brain capillary endothelial cells
Authors: Tiszlavicz Zoltán , Endrész Valéria , Németh Balázs , Megyeri Klára , Orosz László , Seprényi György , Mándi Yvette 
Published: July 2010

Defensins are an important family of natural antimicrobial peptides. Chlamydophila pneumoniae, a common cause of acute respiratory infection, has a tendency to cause persistent inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis, which may lead to cardiovascular disease or stroke. As endothelial cells are related to the physiopathology of stroke, the effects of in vitro C. pneumoniae infection on the expression of human β-defensin 2 (HBD-2) in brain capillary endothelial cells (BB19) was investigated. A time-dependent increase in HBD-2 mRNA was observed by means of real-time reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) in BB19 cells following C. pneumoniae infection, with a maximum increase at 24 h. A gradual induction of HBD-2 protein in the C. pneumoniae-infected endothelial cells was detected by immunoblotting. Immunofluorescence revealed the staining of HBD-2 in the cytoplasm of endothelial cells following C. pneumoniae infection. The secretion of HBD-2 (confirmed by ELISA) was significantly elevated 24 h after C. pneumoniae infection. These novel results indicate that HBD-2 is expressed and produced in the human brain capillary endothelial cells upon infection with C. pneumoniae, and provide evidence that HBD-2 plays a role in the early immune responses to C. pneumoniae and probably in the immunopathogenesis of atherosclerosis.
PDF analysis of ferrihydrite and the violation of Pauling's Principia
Authors: Manceau A. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThe risk of overfitting pair distribution function (PDF) data for highly defective material (Farrow et al., 2007) is illuminated with the example of the nanocrystalline hydrous ferric oxyhydroxide, ferrihydrite. Two structural models have been published by Michel et al. (2007, 2010) using this method, both of which contradict the standard ‘ferrihydrits’ model established by X-ray diffraction (Drits et al., 1993), and confirmed by single-crystal electron nanodiffraction (Janney et al., 2001) and neutron diffraction (Jansen et al., 2002). Although PDF data are reproduced equally well with the two regression models, neither model is realistic: the first (fhyd6) violates Pauling's 2nd rule, and the second (ferrifh), Pauling's 3rd rule.
Mineralogical and physicochemical characterization of selected Portuguese Mesozoic-Cenozoic muddy/clayey raw materials to be potentially used as healing clays
Authors: Rebelo M. , Rocha F. , Ferreira Da Silva E. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThe use of pelitic geological materials for the treatment of muscle-bone-skin pathologies, by application of a cataplasm made of clay and mineral water mixture, is currently receiving attention and interest from the general public and scientific community. In Portugal there are several natural occurrences of clays/muds which are used for pelotherapy and/or geotherapy. These are carried out either indoors (thalassotherapy and thermal centres) or outdoors, in natural sites generally located near the seaside. The aim of this study is to assess the mineralogical and physicochemical properties of Portuguese raw materials for therapeutic purposes. These materials were collected from different Portuguese Mesozoic-Cenozoic geological formations located in the neighbourhood of thermal centres or at beaches known from their empirical applications. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM-EDS) were used to assess the mineralogical composition of these clays. Physicochemical properties, such as specific surface area, cation exchange capacity, plasticity/abrasiveness indices and heat diffusiveness were also determined. Having distinct geological ages and genesis, the materials examined are mainly illitic. Less abundant kaolinite and smectite are also present. With respect to their physicochemical properties, all samples have good thermal properties which make them potentially suitable for therapeutic or aesthetic purposes.
The synthesis and solubility of the copper hydroxyl nitrates: gerhardtite, rouaite and likasite
Authors: Yoder C. H. , Bushong E. , Liu X. , Weidner V. , McWilliams P. , Martin K. , Lorgunpai J. , Haller J. , Schaeffer R. W. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractSyntheses for the three members of the copper hydroxyl nitrate family – the polymorphs rouaite and gerhardtite, and likasite – are presented along with powder diffraction data and unit-cell parameters. The solubilities, determined in 0.05 M KNO3 solution after equilibration at 25°C for 10 days were used to calculate activity-based solubility product constants. The Gibbs energies of formation, obtained from the solubility products, are –653.2±0.7 kJ/mol, –655.1±1.2 kJ/mol and –1506.4±1.1 kJ/mol, for rouaite, gerhardtite, and likasite (Cu3NO3(OH)5·2H2O), respectively. The values for the polymorphs rouaite and gerhardtite validate the observations of Oswald that gerhardtite is the most stable polymorph at room temperature and that the preparation of predominantly rouaite in syntheses carried out at room temperature must be due to the metastability and low rate of conversion to the more stable gerhardtite.
Electron backscatter diffraction analysis and orientation mapping of monazite
Authors: Reddy S. M. , Clark C. , Timms N. E. , Eglington B. M. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractElectron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis of monazite requires a comparison of empirically collected electron backscatter patterns (EBSPs) with theoretical diffraction data, or ‘match units’, derived from known crystallographic parameters. Published crystallographic data derived from compositionally varying natural and synthetic monazite are used to calculate ten different match units for monazite. These match units are used to systematically index EBSPs obtained from four natural monazite samples with different compositions. Analyses of EBSD data, derived from the indexing of five and six diffraction bands using each of the ten match units for 10,000 EBSPs from each of the four samples, indicate a large variation in the ability of the different match units to correctly index the different natural samples. However, the use of match units derived from either synthetic Gd or Eu monazite crystallographic data yield good results for three of the four analysed monazites. Comparison of sample composition with published monazite compositions indicates that these match units are likely to yield good results for the EBSD analysis of metamorphic monazite. The results provide a clear strategy for optimizing the acquisition and analysis of EBSD data from monazite but also indicate the need for the collection of new crystallographic structure data and the subsequent generation of more appropriate match units for natural monazite.
Requirement of the human T-cell leukemia virus p12 and p30 products for infectivity of human dendritic cells and macaques but not rabbits
Authors: Valeri Valerio W. , Hryniewicz Anna , Andresen Vibeke , Jones Kathy , Fenizia Claudio , Bialuk Izabela , Chung Hye Kyung , Fukumoto Risaku , Parks Robyn Washington , Ferrari Maria Grazia , Nicot Christophe , Cecchinato Valentina , Ruscetti Frank , Franchini Genoveffa 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThe identification of the genes necessary for human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-1) persistence in humans may provide targets for therapeutic approaches. We demonstrate that ablation of the HTLV-1 genes encoding p12, p30, or the HBZ protein, does not affect viral infectivity in rabbits and in this species, only the absence of HBZ is associated with a consistent reduction in virus levels. We observed reversion of the HTLV-1 mutants to the HTLV-1 wild-type genotype in none of the inoculated rabbits. In contrast, in macaques, the absence of HBZ was associated with reversion of the mutant virus to the wild-type genotype in 3 of the 4 animals within weeks from infection. Similarly, reversion to the wild type was observed in 2 of the 4 macaque inoculated with the p30 mutant. The 4 macaques exposed to the p12 knock remained seronegative, and only 2 animals were positive at a single time point for viral DNA in tissues. Interestingly, we found that the p12 and the p30 mutants were also severely impaired in their ability to replicate in human dendritic cells. These data suggest that infection of dendritic cells may be required for the establishment and maintenance of HTLV-1 infection in primate species.
hnRNP A1 interacts with the genomic and subgenomic RNA promoters of Sindbis virus and is required for the synthesis of G and SG RNA
Authors: Gui Hongxing , Lu Chi-Wei , Adams Sandra , Stollar Victor , Li Mei-Ling 
Published: July 2010

Abstract

Background
Sindbis virus (SV) is the prototype of alphaviruses which are a group of widely distributed human and animal pathogens. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (hnRNP) A1 is an RNA-binding protein that shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. Our recent studies found that hnRNP A1 relocates from nucleus to cytoplasm in Sindbis virus (SV)-infected cells. hnRNP A1 binds to the 5' UTR of SV RNA and facilitates the viral RNA replication and translation.

Methods
Making use of standard molecular techniques, virology methods and an in vitro system developed by our lab to assess the role of hnRNP A1 in SV positive strand RNA synthesis.

Results
hnRNP A1 interacted with the genomic (G) and subgenomic (SG) RNA promoters. Knockdown of hnRNP A1 resulted in markedly decrease in the synthesis of G and SG RNA both in infected cells and in vitro.

Conclusions
Our study provides the first direct evidence that hnRNP A1 actively participates in viral RNA replication and is required for the synthesis of G and SG RNA.
Maged1, a new regulator of skeletal myogenic differentiation and muscle regeneration
Authors: Nguyen Tuan HN , Bertrand Mathieu JM , Sterpin Christiane , Achouri Younes , De Backer Olivier RY 
Published: July 2010

Abstract

Background
In normal adult skeletal muscle, cell turnover is very slow. However, after an acute lesion or in chronic pathological conditions, such as primary myopathies, muscle stem cells, called satellite cells, are induced to proliferate, then withdraw definitively from the cell cycle and fuse to reconstitute functional myofibers.

Results
We show that Maged1 is expressed at very low levels in normal adult muscle but is strongly induced after injury, during the early phase of myoblast differentiation. By comparing in vitro differentiation of myoblasts derived from wild-type or Maged1 knockout mice, we observed that Maged1 deficiency results in reduced levels of p21CIP1/WAF1, defective cell cycle exit and impaired myotube maturation. In vivo, this defect results in delayed regeneration of injured muscle.

Conclusions
These data demonstrate for the first time that Maged1 is an important factor required for proper skeletal myoblast differentiation and muscle healing.
Genetic variation, population structure and linkage disequilibrium in peach commercial varieties
Authors: Aranzana Maria José , Abbassi El-Kadri , Howad Werner , Arús Pere 
Published: July 2010

AbstractBackgroundPeach [Prunus persica(L.) Batsch] is one of the most economically important fruit crops that, due to its genetic and biological characteristics (small genome size, taxonomic proximity to other important species and short juvenile period), has become a model plant in genomic studies of fruit trees. Our aim was an in-depth study of the extent, distribution and structure of peach genetic variation in North American and European commercial varieties as well as old Spanish varieties and several founders used in the early USA peach breeding programmes. For this we genotyped 224 peach cultivars using 50 SSRs evenly distributed along the 8 linkage groups of thePrunusreference map.ResultsGenetic distance analysis based on SSRs divided the peach cultivars in three main groups based mainly on their fruit characteristics: melting flesh peaches, melting flesh nectarines and non-melting varieties. Whereas non-melting flesh peaches had a higher number of alleles than melting peaches and nectarines, they were more homozygous. With some exceptions ('Admiral Dewey', 'Early Crawford' and 'Chinese Cling'), the founder US cultivars clustered together with the commercial melting peaches, indicating that their germplasm is well represented in modern cultivars. Population structure analysis showed a similar subdivision of the sample into subpopulations. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis in three unstructured, or barely structured, subpopulations revealed a high level of LD conservation in peach extending up to 13-15 cM.ConclusionsUsing a much larger set of SSRs, our results confirm previous observations on peach variability and population structure and provide additional tools for breeding and breeders' rights enforcement. SSR data are also used for the estimation of marker mutation rates and allow pedigree inferences, particularly with founder genotypes of the currently grown cultivars, which are useful to understand the evolution of peach as a crop. Results on LD conservation can be explained by the self-pollinating nature of peach cultivated germplasm and by a bottleneck that occurred at the beginning of modern breeding practices. High LD suggests that the development of whole-genome scanning approaches is suitable for genetic studies of agronomically important traits in peach.
Comparison of koala LPCoLN and human strains of Chlamydia pneumoniae highlights extended genetic diversity in the species
Authors: Mitchell Candice M , Hovis Kelley M , Bavoil Patrik M , Myers Garry SA , Carrasco Jose A , Timms Peter 
Published: July 2010

Abstract

Background

Chlamydia pneumoniae is a widespread pathogen causing upper and lower respiratory tract infections in addition to a range of other diseases in humans and animals. Previous whole genome analyses have focused on four essentially clonal (> 99% identity) C. pneumoniae human genomes (AR39, CWL029, J138 and TW183), providing relatively little insight into strain diversity and evolution of this species.

Results
We performed individual gene-by-gene comparisons of the recently sequenced C. pneumoniae koala genome and four C. pneumoniae human genomes to identify species-specific genes, and more importantly, to gain an insight into the genetic diversity and evolution of the species. We selected genes dispersed throughout the chromosome, representing genes that were specific to C. pneumoniae, genes with a demonstrated role in chlamydial biology and/or pathogenicity (n = 49), genes encoding nucleotide salvage or amino acid biosynthesis proteins (n = 6), and extrachromosomal elements (9 plasmid and 2 bacteriophage genes).

Conclusions
We have identified strain-specific differences and targets for detection of C. pneumoniae isolates from both human and animal origin. Such characterisation is necessary for an improved understanding of disease transmission and intervention.