bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of Varicella Vaccine on Varicella-Zoster Virus Dynamics
Authors: Schmid D. Scott , Jumaan Aisha O. 
Published: January 2010

SUMMARY
The licensure and recommendation of varicella vaccine in the mid-1990s in the United States have led to dramatic declines in varicella incidence and varicella-related deaths and hospitalizations. Varicella outbreaks remain common and occur increasingly in highly vaccinated populations. Breakthrough varicella in vaccinated individuals is characteristically mild, typically with fewer lesions that frequently do not progress to a vesicular stage. As such, the laboratory diagnosis of varicella has grown increasingly important, particularly in outbreak settings. In this review the impact of varicella vaccine on varicella-zoster virus (VZV) disease, arising complications in the effective diagnosis and monitoring of VZV transmission, and the relative strengths and limitations of currently available laboratory diagnostic techniques are all addressed. Since disease symptoms often resolve in outbreak settings before suitable test specimens can be obtained, the need to develop new diagnostic approaches that rely on alternative patient samples is also discussed.
Respiratory Viral Infections in Infants: Causes, Clinical Symptoms, Virology, and Immunology
Authors: Tregoning John S. , Schwarze Jürgen 
Published: January 2010

SUMMARYIn global terms, respiratory viral infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Infancy, in particular, is a time of increased disease susceptibility and severity. Early-life viral infection causes acute illness and can be associated with the development of wheezing and asthma in later life. The most commonly detected viruses are respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rhinovirus (RV), and influenza virus. In this review we explore the complete picture from epidemiology and virology to clinical impact and immunology. Three striking aspects emerge. The first is the degree of similarity: although the infecting viruses are all different, the clinical outcome, viral evasion strategies, immune response, and long-term sequelae share many common features. The second is the interplay between the infant immune system and viral infection: the immaturity of the infant immune system alters the outcome of viral infection, but at the same time, viral infection shapes the development of the infant immune system and its future responses. Finally, both the virus and the immune response contribute to damage to the lungs and subsequent disease, and therefore, any prevention or treatment needs to address both of these factors.
The Era of Molecular and Other Non-Culture-Based Methods in Diagnosis of Sepsis
Authors: Mancini Nicasio , Carletti Silvia , Ghidoli Nadia , Cichero Paola , Burioni Roberto , Clementi Massimo 
Published: January 2010

SUMMARYSepsis, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world, is a clinical syndrome with signs and symptoms relating to an infectious event and the consequent important inflammatory response. From a clinical point of view, sepsis is a continuous process ranging from systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) to multiple-organ-dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Blood cultures are the current “gold standard” for diagnosis, and they are based on the detection of viable microorganisms present in blood. However, on some occasions, blood cultures have intrinsic limitations in terms of sensitivity and rapidity, and it is not expected that these drawbacks will be overcome by significant improvements in the near future. For these principal reasons, other approaches are therefore needed in association with blood culture to improve the overall diagnostic yield for septic patients. These considerations have represented the rationale for the development of highly sensitive and fast laboratory methods. This review addresses non-culture-based techniques for the diagnosis of sepsis, including molecular and other non-culture-based methods. In particular, the potential clinical role for the sensitive and rapid detection of bacterial and fungal DNA in the development of new diagnostic algorithms is discussed.
Fungal Sex and Pathogenesis
Authors: Butler Geraldine 
Published: January 2010

SUMMARY

Human fungal pathogens are associated with diseases ranging from dandruff and skin colonization to invasive bloodstream infections. The major human pathogens belong to the
Candida
,
Aspergillus
, and
Cryptococcus
clades, and infections have high and increasing morbidity and mortality. Many human fungal pathogens were originally assumed to be asexual. However, recent advances in genome sequencing, which revealed that many species have retained the genes required for the sexual machinery, have dramatically influenced our understanding of the biology of these organisms. Predictions of a rare or cryptic sexual cycle have been supported experimentally for some species. Here, I examine the evidence that human pathogens reproduce sexually. The evolution of the mating-type locus in ascomycetes (including
Candida
and
Aspergillus
species) and basidiomycetes (
Malassezia
and
Cryptococcus
) is discussed. I provide an overview of how sex is suppressed in different species and discuss the potential associations with pathogenesis.
Mucin AgC10 fromTrypanosoma cruziInterferes with L-Selectin-Mediated Monocyte Adhesion
Authors: Alcaide Pilar , Lim Yaw Chin , Luscinskas Francis W. , Fresno Manuel 
Published: January 2010

ABSTRACTThe protozoan parasiteTrypanosoma cruzihas evolved sophisticated systems to evade the immune response. An important requirement for a productive immune response is recruitment of the appropriate immune cells from the bloodstream to the sites of infection. Here, we show that a mucin expressed and secreted by the metacyclic infective form ofT. cruzi, AgC10, is able to interfere with L-selectin-mediated monocyte adhesion. Thus, incubation of U937 monocytic cells stably expressing L-selectin (U937LAM) with AgC10 strongly reduced their adhesion on P-selectin under flow, which is dependent on L-selectin. This treatment also results in a significant inhibition by AgC10 of U937LAM and human primary monocyte adhesion to activated vascular endothelium. This effect was specific for L-selectin, because vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1)-mediated adhesion was not affected by AgC10 pretreatment. This effect of AgC10 is likely due to its ability to induce L-selectin shedding from the monocyte membrane, since pharmacologic blocking of this shedding prevents AgC10 activity. This is the first description of a mechanism that prevents leukocyte adhesion to the endothelium by a parasite and represents a new potential countermeasure to evade the generation of a correct immune response.
Modulation of Paired Immunoglobulin-Like Type 2 Receptor Signaling Alters the Host Response toStaphylococcus aureus-Induced Pneumonia
Authors: Banerjee Antara , Stevenaert Frederik , Pande Kalyan , Haghjoo Erik , Antonenko Svetlana , Gorman Dan M. , Sathe Manjiri , McClanahan Terrill K. , Pierce Robert , Turner Scott P. , Bigler Michael E. , Phillips Joseph H. , Heyworth Paul G. 
Published: January 2010

ABSTRACTPaired immunoglobulin-like type 2 receptors (PILRs) inhibitory PILRα and activating PILRβ are predominantly expressed on myeloid cells. Their functions in host defense and inflammation are largely unknown, and in this study, we evaluated their roles in an acuteStaphylococcus aureuspneumonia model. Compared to their respective controls,Pilrb−/−mice or mice in which PILRα was activated with an agonistic antibody showed improved clearance of pulmonary staphylococci and improved survival. These mice had reduced serum or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and IL-6 and elevated levels of gamma interferon (IFN-γ), IL-12, and IL-10. In contrast, mice in which PILRβ was activated had increased lung bacterial burdens and higher mortality coupled with an intense proinflammatory response with highly elevated levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6. Treatment groups with reduced bacterial burdens had higher levels of Keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC), macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2), and MIP-1α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and an increased influx of neutrophils and macrophages to the lungs. Consistent with ourin vivofindings, bone marrow-derived macrophages fromPilrb−/−mice released significantly less IL-1β and TNF-α and more IFN-γ and IL-12 than did the wild-type macrophages when directly stimulated with heat-killedS. aureus. To our knowledge, this is the first evidence thatS. aureusdirectly interacts with PILRβ. It provides a mechanism by which manipulating the balance in favor of an inhibitory PILR signal, by activation of PILRα or deletion of PILRβ, helps to control acuteS. aureus-mediated pneumonia and attenuate the inflammatory response. These results highlight the importance of PILRs in innate immunity and the control of inflammation.
Polymerase chain reaction based human leucocyte antigen genotyping for the investigation of suspected gastrointestinal biopsy contamination
Authors: Bateman A C , Turner S J , Theaker J M , Warren B F , Howell W M 
Published: January 2010

BACKGROUNDMislabelling or contamination of surgical specimens may lead to diagnostic inaccuracy, particularly within gastrointestinal pathology when multiple small mucosal biopsy specimens are commonly taken, and where a tiny fragment of foreign tissue may be indistinguishable from true biopsy material using histological assessment alone.AIMSTo assess the utility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based human leucocyte antigen (HLA) genotyping techniques for the investigation of potentially mislabelled or contaminated gastrointestinal biopsy specimens.PATIENTSTen cases (28 samples) in which mislabelling or contamination was suspected, comprising four upper gastrointestinal tract biopsies and six colonoscopic biopsy series.METHODSDirect and nested PCR-sequence specific primer (SSP) based HLA class II genotyping was performed on DNA extracted from formalin fixed and paraffin wax embedded tissue (23 samples) or peripheral blood leucocytes (five samples).RESULTSA full HLA-DRB1 genotype was determined in all 28 samples. In seven cases the HLA-DRB1 genotype of the putative contaminant was different to that of the corresponding reference tissue, confirming different individual origins for the contaminant and reference material. In one case the contaminant tissue was shown to possess the same HLA-DRB1 alleles as a second patient (probable source). In the remaining three cases the same HLA-DRB1 alleles were detected within the potential contaminant and reference tissues.CONCLUSIONSPCR based HLA class II genotyping is a valuable tool for investigating potential contamination or mislabelling within gastrointestinal biopsy specimens and this report has confirmed contamination in seven of ten cases studied.
Smoking cessation: the potential role of risk assessment tools as motivational triggers
Authors: Young Robert P , Hopkins Raewyn J , Smith Melinda , Hogarth D Kyle 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Smoking is the most important and preventable cause of morbidity and premature mortality in developed and developing countries. To date, efforts to reduce the burden of smoking have focused on non-personalised strategies. Anxiety about ill health, especially lung cancer and emphysema, is the foremost concern for smokers and a major reason for quitting. Recent efforts in cessation management focus on behaviour change and pharmacotherapy. The ‘3 Ts’ (tension, trigger, treatment) model of behaviour change proposes that at any one time a smoker experiences varying degrees of motivational tension, which in the presence of a trigger may initiate or enhance quitting. Smokers' optimistic bias (ie, denial of one’s own vulnerability) sustains continued smoking, while increasing motivational tension (eg, illness) favours quitting. The 1 year quit rates achieved when smokers encounter a life threatening event, such as a heart attack or lung cancer, are as much as 50–60%. Utilising tests of lung function and/or genetic susceptibility personalises the risk and have been reported to achieve 1 year quit rates of 25%. This is comparable to quit rates achieved among healthy motivated smokers using smoking cessation drug therapy. In this paper we review existing evidence and propose that identifying those smokers at increased risk of an adverse smoking related disease may be a useful motivational tool, and enhance existing public health strategies directed at smoking cessation.
Necrotizing soft tissue infections
Authors: Urschel John D 
Published: January 2010

Summary
Necrotizing soft tissue infections are a group of highly lethal infections that typically occur after trauma or surgery. Many individual infectious entities have been described, but they all have similar pathophysiologies, clinical features, and treatment approaches. The essentials of successful treatment include early diagnosis, aggressive surgical debridement, antibiotics, and supportive intensive treatment unit care. The two commonest pitfalls in management are failure of early diagnosis and inadequate surgical debridement. These life-threatening infections are often mistaken for cellulitis or innocent wound infections, and this is responsible for diagnostic delay. Tissue gas is not a universal finding in necrotizing soft tissue infections. This misconception also contributes to diagnostic errors. Incision and drainage is an inappropriate surgical strategy for necrotizing soft tissue infections; excisional debridement is needed. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be useful, but it is not as important as aggressive surgical therapy. Despite advances in antibiotic therapy and intensive treatment unit medicine, the mortality of necrotizing soft tissue infections is still high. This article emphasizes common treatment principles for all of these infections, and reviews some of the more important individual necrotizing soft tissue infectious entities.
Overdiagnosis and overtreatment of Lyme neuroborreliosis are preventable
Authors: Prasad Avinash , Sankar Douglas 
Published: January 2010

SummaryThe problems of diagnosis and treatment of Lyme neuroborreliosis can be minimised by strictly following the clinical diagnostic criteria, and understanding the pitfalls of laboratory tests. The diagnosis is based solely on objective clinical findings, with serologic test results used only to confirm the diagnosis. It must be underscored that serologic testing, when ordered without regard for clinical presentation (ie, used as a screen), may be misleading due to its extremely low positive predictive value. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay should always be confirmed by Western blot. The cerebrospinal fluid Borrelia burgdorferi antibody index is more meaningful than simple titres of specific antibody. Polymerase chain reaction is still a research tool and should not be utilised without clinical correlation. All serologic tests and polymerase chain reaction may remain positive long after successful treatment. Overdiagnosis and overtreatment can be minimised by following these guidelines.
Analysis of blood tests in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital
Authors: Rehmani Rifat , Amanullah Siraj 
Published: January 2010

Summary
There is ample evidence that many investigations sent from the accident and emergency department are inappropriate, thus affecting the quality of patient care. A study was designed to address this issue in the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital of a large city. A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out during the 3-month period 1 December 1996 to 28 February 1997. A set of guidelines was used to assess the appropriateness of different blood tests for the initial assessment of the patients presenting with common clinical conditions, although any investigation could be done if considered important for patient management. All other blood tests were considered inappropriate. A total of 6401 patients were seen in the emergency department and 14 300 blood tests were done on 3529 patients with diagnoses covered by the guidelines. Of these 62.2% were found to be inappropriate. Of the total 22 655 investigations done on all the 6401 patients seen, only 3.8% influenced the diagnosis, 3.0% influenced patient care in the emergency department, and 4.0% influenced the decision to admit or not. Amylase and arterial blood gases were found to be the most appropriate investigations. Analysis of reasons for unnecessary use of emergency tests suggested that improving supervision, decreasing the utilization of the emergency department as a phlebotomy service for the hospital, and abolition of routine blood tests would help to improve patient care.
Ciguatera fish poisoning
Authors: Crump John A , McLay Colin L , Chambers Stephen T 
Published: January 2010

SummaryCiguatera fish poisoning is one of a variety of non-bacterial forms of human seafood poisoning. Consuming large predatory fish from tropical reef ecosystems may be hazardous. We describe a case that is typical of the disease, and illustrates the persistence of neurological symptoms that occur in some patients.
Tobacco related bar promotions: insights from tobacco industry documents
Authors: Katz S K , Lavack A M 
Published: January 2010

Objectives: To examine the tobacco industry's use of bar promotions, including their target groups, objectives, strategies, techniques, and results.Design: Over 2000 tobacco industry documents available as a result of the Master Settlement Agreement were reviewed on the internet at several key web sites using keyword searches that included “bar”, “night”, “pub”, “party”, and “club”. The majority of the documents deal with the US market, with a minor emphasis on Canadian and overseas markets.Results: The documents indicate that bar promotions are important for creating and maintaining brand image, and are generally targeted at a young adult audience. Several measures of the success of these promotions are used, including number of individuals exposed to the promotion, number of promotional items given away, and increased sales of a particular brand during and after the promotion.Conclusion: Bar promotions position cigarettes as being part of a glamorous lifestyle that includes attendance at nightclubs and bars, and appear to be highly successful in increasing sales of particular brands.
Reading the Bible in Africa: on strategies and ownership
Authors: Punt J. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractWithin the continuing search for or development of an adequate African hermeneutic for the Bible, the adequacy of certain generalising claims concerning the interpretation of the Bible in Africa is investigated: the continuity between the biblical and African worlds, and the discarding of the text's historical context in favour of the contemporary readers' setting. These generalised claims, however, introduce an important issue which seems to be in dire need of discussion: the status and role of the biblical texts in their canonical shape. The question of canon cannot be seen in isolation from, but indeed rests on, certain ideological concerns.
Polarimetric Radar Rain Estimation through Retrieval of Drop Size Distribution Using a Bayesian Approach
Authors: Cao Qing , Zhang Guifu , Brandes Edward A. , Schuur Terry J. 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
This study proposes a Bayesian approach to retrieve raindrop size distributions (DSDs) and to estimate rainfall rates from radar reflectivity in horizontal polarization ZH and differential reflectivity ZDR. With this approach, the authors apply a constrained-gamma model with an updated constraining relation to retrieve DSD parameters. Long-term DSD measurements made in central Oklahoma by the two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD) are first used to construct a prior probability density function (PDF) of DSD parameters, which are estimated using truncated gamma fits to the second, fourth, and sixth moments of the distributions. The forward models of ZH and ZDR are then developed based on a T-matrix calculation of raindrop backscattering amplitude with the assumption of drop shape. The conditional PDF of ZH and ZDR is assumed to be a bivariate normal function with appropriate standard deviations. The Bayesian algorithm has a good performance according to the evaluation with simulated ZH and ZDR. The algorithm is also tested on S-band radar data for a mesoscale convective system that passed over central Oklahoma on 13 May 2005. Retrievals of rainfall rates and 1-h rain accumulations are compared with in situ measurements from one 2DVD and six Oklahoma Mesonet rain gauges, located at distances of 28–54 km from Norman, Oklahoma. Results show that the rain estimates from the retrieval agree well with the in situ measurements, demonstrating the validity of the Bayesian retrieval algorithm.
The Dimensional Characteristics of Ice Crystal Aggregates from Fractal Geometry
Authors: Schmitt C. G. , Heymsfield A. J. 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Ice crystal aggregates imaged by aircraft particle imaging probes often appear to be fractal in nature. As such, their dimensional properties, mass, and projected area can be related using fractal geometry. In cloud microphysics, power-law mass (m)– and area (A)–dimensional (D) relationships (e.g., m = aDb) incorporate different manifestations of the fractal dimension as the exponent (b). In this study a self-consistent technique is derived for determining the mass and projected area properties of ice particles from fractal geometry. A computer program was developed to simulate the crystal aggregation process. The fractal dimension of the simulated aggregates was estimated using the box counting method in three dimensions as well as for two-dimensional projected images of the aggregates. The two- and three-dimensional fractal dimension values were found to be simply related. This relationship enabled the development of mass–dimensional relationships analytically from cloud particle images. This technique was applied to data collected during two field projects. The exponent in the mass–dimensional relationship, the fractal dimension, was found to be between 2.0 and 2.3 with a dependence on temperature noted for both datasets. The coefficient a in the mass–dimensional relationships was derived in a self-consistent manner. Temperature-dependent mass–dimensional relationships have been developed. Cloud ice water content estimated using the temperature-dependent relationship and particle size distributions agreed well with directly measured ice water content values. The results are appropriate for characterizing cloud particle properties in clouds with high concentrations of ice crystal aggregates.
A Parameterization of the Microphysical Processes Forming Many Types of Winter Precipitation
Authors: Thériault Julie M. , Stewart Ronald E. 
Published: January 2010

Abstract
Several types of precipitation, such as freezing rain, ice pellets, and wet snow, are commonly observed during winter storms. The objective of this study is to better understand the formation of these winter precipitation types. To address this issue, detailed melting and refreezing of precipitation was added onto an existing bulk microphysics scheme. These modifications allow the formation of mixed-phase particles and these particles in turn lead to, or affect, the formation of many of the other types of precipitation. The precipitation type characteristics, such as the mass content, liquid fraction, and threshold diameters formed during a storm over St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada, are studied and compared with observations. Many of these features were reproduced by the model. Sensitivity experiments with the model were carried out to examine the dependence of precipitation characteristics in this event on thresholds of particle evolution in the new parameterization.