bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development and performance of a quantitative PCR for the enumeration of Bdellovibrionaceae
Authors: Van Essche M. , Sliepen I. , Loozen G. , Van Eldere J. , Quirynen M. , Davidov Y. , Jurkevitch E. , Boon N. , Teughels W. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryQuantification of Bdellovibrio‐and‐like organisms (BALOs) by microbial culturing has a number of substantial drawbacks. Therefore a quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was designed for the culture‐independent enumeration of the Bdellovibrionaceae. After optimization, the dynamic range of the qPCR assay was assessed, the specificity was evaluated and a comparison with quantitative microbial culturing was made. To evaluate the suitability of the qPCR assay for analysing environmental samples, fresh water samples were investigated by microbial culturing and by the qPCR assay. The results revealed a substantial difference between the two techniques and indicate that most Bdellovibrionaceae cells are left undetected in environmental samples when only current microbial culturing techniques are used. The application of this new technique is therefore likely to confirm the hitherto underestimated sizes and roles of predatory bacterial populations in nature.
The effect of vibration on pain during local anaesthesia injections
Authors: Nanitsos E , Vartuli R , Forte A , Dennison PJ , Peck CC 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground:  The “gate control” theory suggests pain can be reduced by simultaneous activation of nerve fibres that conduct non‐noxious stimuli. This study investigated the effects of vibration stimuli on pain experienced during local anaesthetic injections.Methods:  In a preliminary study, subjects were asked to rate anticipated and actual pain from regional anaesthetic injections in the oral cavity. A second study compared, within subjects, pain from injections with and without a simultaneous vibration stimulus. Both infiltration and block anaesthetic injection techniques were assessed. In each subject, two similar injections were given and with one, a vibration stimulus was randomly allocated. Injection pain was assessed by visual analogue scale and McGill pain descriptors.Results:  Both infiltration and block injections were painful (mean anticipated intensity: 31.25, actual: 17.82 mm on 100 mm scale). Pain intensity with and without vibration was 12.9 mm (range 0–67) and 22.2 mm (range 0–83) respectively (p = 0.00005, paired T‐test), and this effect was seen with both infiltration (p = 0.032) and block anaesthetic (p = 0.0001) injection subgroups. Furthermore, compared to no vibration‐stimulus injections, injections with vibration resulted in less pain descriptors chosen (p = 0.004), and the descriptors had a lower pain rating (p = 0.001).Conclusions:  The results suggest that vibration can be used to decrease pain during dental local anaesthetic administration.
The effect of casein phosphopeptide‐amorphous calcium phosphate on erosive dentine wear
Authors: Ranjitkar S , Narayana T , Kaidonis JA , Hughes TE , Richards LC , Townsend GC 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground:  Erosive tooth wear is a growing concern in clinical dentistry. Our aims were to assess the effect of Tooth Mousse (TM) in managing erosive dentine wear in vitro.Methods:  Opposing enamel and dentine specimens from 36 third molar teeth were worn under a load of 100 N for 75 000 cycles in electromechanical tooth wear machines. In experiment 1, TM was applied continuously at the wear interface and the mean dentine wear rate was compared with those of specimens subjected to continuous application of hydrochloric acid (HCl, pH 3.0) and deionized water (DW, pH 6.1) as lubricants. In experiment 2, specimens were subjected to TM application every 1600 cycles at both pH 3.0 and 6.1, and the mean dentine wear rates were compared with those of specimens worn with continuous application of HCl and DW lubricants.Results:  Dentine wear was reduced significantly with continuous application of TM compared with HCl and DW lubricants. Specimens prepared with continuous TM application displayed smooth wear facets, whereas more pronounced microwear details were observed with HCl and DW lubricants.Conclusions:  Both remineralization and lubrication seem to contribute to reduction in dentine wear associated with TM application, although lubrication appears to have a more pronounced effect.
Light activated disinfection: an alternative endodontic disinfection strategy
Authors: Lim Z , Cheng JL , Lim TW , Teo EG , Wong J , George S , Kishen A 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground:  An improved light activated disinfection technique utilizing a specific photosensitizer formulation, liquid optical‐conduit, oxygen‐carrier and light energy of appropriate wavelength has been introduced recently. This study tested the efficacy of this improved light activated disinfection on ex vivo biofilms of Enterococcus faecalis at two different stages of maturation.Methods:  Eighty‐five tooth sections were prepared and endodontic biofilm of E. faecalis were grown within the root canal. In stage 1, conventional light activated disinfection (LAD), chemical disinfectant (sodium hypochlorite) and improved LAD were tested on four‐day‐old (immature) biofilms. In stage 2, conventional LAD, improved LAD and chemomechanical disinfection (alone and in combination with improved LAD) were tested on four‐week‐old (mature) biofilms.Results:  Sodium hypochlorite and improved LAD showed the ability to significantly inactivate bacteria in four‐day‐old biofilms when compared to the control and LAD (p < 0.05). Inactivation of bacteria from deeper dentine was higher in improved LAD than sodium hypochlorite. In four‐week‐old biofilms, a combination of chemomechanical disinfection and improved LAD produced significant bacterial killing compared to either chemomechanical disinfection or improved LAD alone.Conclusions:  This study highlighted the potential of improved LAD to kill bacteria within dentinal tubules. In combination with chemomechanical preparation, the improved LAD significantly inactivated four‐week‐old biofilm bacteria.
A retrospective analysis of 1000 consecutively placed implants in private practice
Authors: Nixon KC , Chen ST , Ivanovski S 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground:  There have been numerous reports evaluating clinical outcomes of implants placed in institutional settings, but there are few studies relating to implants placed in private practice. The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the clinical outcomes of 1000 consecutively placed Straumann implants in private specialist periodontal practice.Methods:  A hand‐search of patient records was undertaken to identify 1000 consecutively placed implants. Data extracted included patient demographics, details of implants placed, implant sites, timing of placement after extraction, hard and soft tissue augmentation procedures, loading protocols, type of prostheses and treatment outcomes (implant survival, implant success and complications).Results:  The majority of implants (71.5 per cent) placed in patients aged 40 to 69, and the majority of patients (88.6 per cent) received 1 or 2 implants. During the period of the study, 9 implants were lost and 45 presented with complications requiring chairside intervention. A life table analysis showed 5 and 10‐year cumulative survival rates of 99.2 per cent and 98.4 per cent respectively, and 5 and 10‐year cumulative success rates of 93.1 per cent and 90.9 per cent respectively.Conclusions:  With careful treatment planning and adherence to recommended surgical and prosthetic protocols, high implant survival and success rates can be achieved in a private practice setting.
Three‐year clinical evaluation of endodontically treated anterior teeth restored with a polyethylene fibre‐reinforced composite
Authors: Ayna B , Çelenk S , Atakul F , Uysal E 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground:  Polyethylene fibre‐reinforced composites (FRCs) have been under development for some time. However, there is a lack of data on the clinical performance of these restorations. The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate the clinical performance of endodontically treated anterior teeth restored using polyethylene FRCs.Methods:  Eighty‐seven endodontically treated anterior teeth in 65 patients were restored with polyethylene FRCs. The restorations were placed by three operators. The patients were recalled for examinations every year for up to three years. The restorations were evaluated using modified Ryge and USPHS criteria.Results:  A statistical analysis showed no significant difference in marginal irregularity, marginal discolouration, surface texture, wear/anatomic form, fracture and retention, radiographic appearance, or debonding between the baseline and three‐year results.Conclusions:  Based on our three‐year examination results, polyethylene FRC restorations appear to be clinically successful.
An in vitro study of the antimicrobial activity of some endodontic medicaments and their bases using an agar well diffusion assay
Authors: Athanassiadis B , Abbott PV , George N , Walsh LJ 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTBackground:  The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro antimicrobial activities of various endodontic medicaments and their bases against selected organisms using an agar diffusion assay.Methods:  An agar well diffusion assay was used to test the antimicrobial action of some commonly used endodontic medicaments (Ledermix paste, Pulpdent paste, Ultracal paste, and a 50:50 mix of Ledermix and Pulpdent pastes) and their bases. Three bacterial species (E. faecalis, P. micros, P. intermedia) and one yeast (C. albicans) were selected. The diameters of growth inhibition zones and pH were assessed.Results:  P. micros demonstrated the highest level of in vitro resistance. Pulpdent and Ultracal pastes had the highest pH (12.64 and 12.53, respectively). The addition of Pulpdent to Ledermix did not increase the zone sizes significantly.Conclusions:  All the commercial products showed some in vitro antimicrobial activity. Ledermix paste and the 50:50 Ledermix/Pulpdent mixture being the most effective in this model. The known anti‐inflammatory/analgesic properties of Ledermix and the results from this agar model suggest that the 50:50 Ledermix/Pulpdent combination would be the preferred medicament for clinical use in symptomatic cases, even though the addition of calcium hydroxide to Ledermix did not appear to be synergistic in terms of enhancing the antimicrobial action.
Comparison of adult oral health in Australia, the USA, Germany and the UK
Authors: Crocombe LA , Mejia GC , Koster CR , Slade GD 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground:  Australian adults reportedly have poor oral health when compared to 28 other OECD countries. The Australian ranking was based on edentulism and caries experience data from selected age groups that apparently were collected in 1987–88. The objective of this study was to compare the oral health of Australian adults with that of three other western countries that have comprehensive oral health survey data.Methods:  Published data were obtained from the NHANES 2003–2004, the Fourth German Oral Health Study 2005 and the UK Adult Dental Health Survey 1998. Data from the Australian NSAOH 2004–06 were analysed to generate comparable age‐specific estimates using nine dental clinical indicators, two measures of oral hygiene behaviour and two of dental attendance.Results:  Australia had the best oral health based on two clinical indicators, was equal first on three indicators and ranked second in the remaining clinical indicators. Australia ranked first or second based on dental flossing, use of mouthwash and frequency of dental attendance.Conclusions:  The oral health of the Australian adult population was among the best of the four nations studied.
Kinetics and Longevity of Antibody Response to Influenza A H5N1 Virus Infection in Humans
Authors: Kitphati Rungrueng , Pooruk Phisanu , Lerdsamran Hatairat , Poosuwan Siriwan , Louisirirotchanakul Suda , Auewarakul Prasert , Chokphaibulkit Kulkanya , Noisumdaeng Pirom , Sawanpanyalert Pathom , Puthavathana Pilaipan 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT
Anti-H5N1 antibody was determined by microneutralization, hemagglutination inhibition, and Western blotting assays in serial blood samples collected from eight Thai patients, including four fatal cases and four survivors. The antibody was detected as early as 5 days and, typically, with an increase in titer in paired blood at about 15 days after disease onset. The anti-H5 antibody response was long-lasting, for almost 5 years in cases which can be followed that far. In addition, cross-neutralizing activity to related clade 1 viruses was observed.
Evaluation of Chimeric Japanese Encephalitis and Dengue Viruses for Use in Diagnostic Plaque Reduction Neutralization Tests
Authors: Johnson Barbara W. , Kosoy Olga , Hunsperger Elizabeth , Beltran Manuela , Delorey Mark , Guirakhoo Farshad , Monath Thomas 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTThe plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) is a specific serological test used to identify and confirm arbovirus infection in diagnostic laboratories and monitor immunological protection in vaccine recipients. Wild-type (wt) viruses used in the PRNT may be difficult to grow and plaque titrate, such as the dengue viruses (DENV), and/or may require biosafety level 3 (BSL3) containment, such as West Nile virus (WNV), St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV), and Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). These requirements preclude their use in diagnostic laboratories with only BSL2 capacity. In addition, wt JEV falls under the jurisdiction of the select-agent program and can be used only in approved laboratories. The chimeric vaccine viruses ChimeriVax-WNV and -SLEV have previously been shown to elicit antibody reactivity comparable to that of parental wt WNV and SLEV. ChimeriVax viruses provide advantages for PRNT, as follows: they grow more rapidly than most wt flaviviruses, produce large plaques, require BSL2 conditions, and are not under select-agent restrictions. We evaluated the ChimeriVax-DENV serotype 1 (DENV1), -DENV2, -DENV3, -DENV4, and -JEV for use in PRNT on sera from DENV- and JEV-infected patients and from JEV vaccine recipients. Serostatus agreement was 100% between the ChimeriVax-DENV serotypes and wt prototype DENV and 97% overall with ChimeriVax-JEV compared to prototype Nakayama JEV, 92% in a subgroup of JEV vaccine recipients, and 100% in serum from encephalitis patients naturally infected with JEV. ChimeriVax-DENV and -JEV plaque phenotype and BSL2 requirements, combined with sensitive and specific reactivity, make them good substitutes for wt DENV and JEV in PRNT in public health diagnostic laboratories.
Development of a Disk Diffusion Method for Testing
Moraxella catarrhalis
Susceptibility Using Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute Methods: a SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program Report
Authors: Bell Jan M. , Turnidge John D. , Jones Ronald N. 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

Currently, there is no Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) disk diffusion method for testing
Moraxella catarrhalis
susceptibility. We examined 318 clinical strains of
M. catarrhalis
obtained as part of the SENTRY (Asia-Pacific) Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, plus two ATCC strains. MICs were determined by the CLSI standard broth microdilution method, and zone diameters were determined on Mueller-Hinton agar incubated in 5% CO
2
. All strains were examined for the presence of BRO-1 and BRO-2 β-lactamases by using molecular techniques. Tentative zone diameter interpretive criteria were successfully developed for 19 antimicrobial agents, including nine β-lactams, using current MIC interpretive criteria where available or wild-type cutoff values where no prior criteria were available. The proposed interpretive criteria were highly accurate, with ≤0.7% very major (falsely susceptible) and ≤1.0% major (falsely resistant) errors, respectively.
Clonal Complexes and Diversity of Exotoxin Gene Profiles in Methicillin-Resistant and Methicillin-Susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
Isolates from Patients in a Spanish Hospital
Authors: Argudín M. A. , Mendoza M. C. , Méndez F. J. , Martín M. C. , Guerra B. , Rodicio M. R. 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

Molecular epidemiology studies have allowed the identification of the methicillin (meticillin)-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) clonal complexes (CCs) and clones of
Staphylococcus aureus
circulating in a Spanish hospital recently. Of 81 isolates tested, 32.1% were MRSA. Most of them carried staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
(SCC
mec
) IVc (88.5%) and belonged to CC5 (88.5%; multilocus sequence typing types ST125 [mainly associated with
spa
type t067], ST5, and ST228). A higher diversity was found among MSSA isolates (67.9%). Eighty percent shared the genetic background of major MRSA lineages (CC5 [38.2%; ST125 and ST5], CC30 [25.5%; ST30], CC45 [14.5%; ST45 and ST47], and CC8 [1.8%; ST8]), but CC12, CC15, CC51, and CC59 were also detected. Many exotoxin genes were present in each of the 81 isolates, independent of whether they were involved in sepsis (11 to 22) or other types of infections (13 to 21), and they appeared in 73 combinations. The relevant data are that (i) all isolates were positive for hemolysin and leukotoxin genes (98.8% for
lukED
and 25.9% for
lukPV
); (ii) all contained an enterotoxin gene cluster (
egc
with or without
seu
), frequently with one or more genes encoding classical enterotoxins; (iii) about half were positive for
tst
and 95% were positive for exfoliatin-encoding genes (
eta
,
etb
, and/or
etd
); and (iv) the four
agr
groups were detected, with
agrII
(55.6%) and
agrIII
(23.5%) being the most frequent. Taken together, results of the present study suggest a frequent acquisition and/or loss of exotoxin genes, which may be mediated by efficient intralineage transfer of mobile genetic elements and exotoxin genes therein and by eventual breakage of interlineage barriers.
Partial
atlE
Sequencing of
Staphylococcus epidermidis
Strains from Prosthetic Joint Infections
Authors: Sivadon V. , Rottman M. , Quincampoix J.-C. , Prunier E. , Le Moal M. , de Mazancourt P. , Hoffmeyer P. , Lortat-Jacob A. , Piriou P. , Judet T. , Bernard L. , Gaillard J.-L. 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

Partial
atlE
sequencing (
atlE
nucleotides 2782 to 3114 [
atlE
2782-3114
]) was performed in 41
Staphylococcus epidermidis
isolates from prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) and 44 isolates from skin as controls. The
atlE
2782-3114
allele 1 (type strain sequence) was significantly more frequent in PJI strains (38/41 versus 29/44 in controls;
P
= 0.0023). Most PJI strains were positive for
mecA
,
icaA
/
icaD
, and IS
256
, and most belonged to the sequence type 27 subgroup, suggesting the involvement of few related clones.
Restriction of Equine Infectious Anemia Virus by Equine APOBEC3 Cytidine Deaminases
Authors: Zielonka Jörg , Bravo Ignacio G. , Marino Daniela , Conrad Elea , Perković Mario , Battenberg Marion , Cichutek Klaus , Münk Carsten 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACT

The mammalian APOBEC3 (A3) proteins comprise a multigene family of cytidine deaminases that act as potent inhibitors of retroviruses and retrotransposons. The A3 locus on the chromosome 28 of the horse genome contains multiple A3 genes: two copies of A3Z1, five copies of A3Z2, and a single copy of A3Z3, indicating a complex evolution of multiple gene duplications. We have cloned and analyzed for expression the different equine A3 genes and examined as well the subcellular distribution of the corresponding proteins. Additionally, we have tested the functional antiretroviral activity of the equine and of several of the human and nonprimate A3 proteins against the
Equine infectious anemia virus
(EIAV), the
Simian immunodeficiency virus
(SIV), and the
Adeno-associated virus type 2
(AAV-2). Hematopoietic cells of horses express at least five different A3s: A3Z1b, A3Z2a-Z2b, A3Z2c-Z2d, A3Z2e, and A3Z3, whereas circulating macrophages, the natural target of EIAV, express only part of the A3 repertoire. The five A3Z2 tandem copies arose after three consecutive, recent duplication events in the horse lineage, after the split between Equidae and Carnivora. The duplicated genes show different antiviral activities against different viruses: equine A3Z3 and A3Z2c-Z2d are potent inhibitors of EIAV while equine A3Z1b, A3Z2a-Z2b, A3Z2e showed only weak anti-EIAV activity. Equine A3Z1b and A3Z3 restricted AAV and all equine A3s, except A3Z1b, inhibited SIV. We hypothesize that the horse A3 genes are undergoing a process of subfunctionalization in their respective viral specificities, which might provide the evolutionary advantage for keeping five copies of the original gene.
Formation of Syncytia Is Repressed by Tetraspanins in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Producing Cells
Authors: Weng Jia , Krementsov Dimitry N. , Khurana Sandhya , Roy Nathan H. , Thali Markus 
Published: May 2009

ABSTRACTIn vitro propagation studies have established that human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is most efficiently transmitted at the virological synapse that forms between producer and target cells. Despite the presence of the viral envelope glycoprotein (Env) and CD4 and chemokine receptors at the respective surfaces, producer and target cells usually do not fuse with each other but disengage after the viral particles have been delivered, consistent with the idea that syncytia, at least in vitro, are not required for HIV-1 spread. Here, we tested whether tetraspanins, which are well known regulators of cellular membrane fusion processes that are enriched at HIV-1 exit sites, regulate syncytium formation. We found that overexpression of tetraspanins in producer cells leads to reduced syncytium formation, while downregulation has the opposite effect. Further, we document that repression of Env-induced cell-cell fusion by tetraspanins depends on the presence of viral Gag, and we demonstrate that fusion repression requires the recruitment of Env by Gag to tetraspanin-enriched microdomains (TEMs). However, sensitivity to fusion repression by tetraspanins varied for different viral strains, despite comparable recruitment of their Envs to TEMs. Overall, these data establish tetraspanins as negative regulators of HIV-1-induced cell-cell fusion, and they start delineating the requirements for this regulation.