bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clinical utility of serum fucosylated hemopexin in Japanese patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Kobayashi Sayo , Nouso Kazuhiro , Kinugasa Hideaki , Takeuchi Yasuto , Tomoda Takeshi , Miyahara Koji , Hagihara Hiroaki , Kuwaki Kenji , Onishi Hideki , Nakamura Shinichiro , Ikeda Fusao , Miyake Yasuhiro , Shiraha Hidenori , Takaki Akinobu , Yamamoto Kazuhide 
Published: May 2012

Aim:  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common clinical problem all over the world. Fucosylated hemopexin (Fuc‐Hpx) is a newly reported glycoprotein for the diagnosis of HCC, however, its clinical implications are unclear. The aim of this study was to elucidate the clinical utility of Fuc‐Hpx in Japanese patients with HCC.Methods:  The sera from 331 HCC patients, 45 with liver cirrhosis (LC), 85 with chronic hepatitis (CH) and 22 healthy people were examined for the expression of Fuc‐Hpx; the level was compared with clinical parameters as well as hemopexin (Hpx) expression. The expressions of Fuc‐Hpx in 12 HCC tissues and corresponding adjacent non‐cancerous liver tissues were also examined.Results:  No correlation was observed between Hpx and Fuc‐Hpx level. The median Fuc‐Hpx levels in healthy people and CH, LC and HCC patients were 3.8, 3.7, 6.1 and 7.6 AU/mL, respectively (CH vs LC, P = 0.002; CH vs HCC, P < 0.001; LC vs HCC, P = 0.02). Multivariate analysis revealed that low albumin, low prothrombin time and the presence of HCC were significantly correlated with high Fuc‐Hpx (P = 0.013, =0.001 and <0.001, respectively). Among the HCC patients, albumin was correlated with high Fuc‐Hpx; however, none of the tumor factors, such as tumor size, tumor number and tumor stage, was correlated with Fuc‐Hpx level. The expression of Fuc‐Hpx in cancer tissue was not different from that in non‐cancerous tissue.Conclusion:  Fuc‐Hpx is a valuable biomarker for HCC but it might be a marker for hypercarcinogenic liver rather than a marker for tumor‐bearing liver.
Changes in sequences of core region, interferon sensitivity‐determining region and interferon and ribavirin resistance‐determining region of hepatitis C virus genotype 1 during interferon‐alpha and ribavirin therapy, and efficacy of retreatment
Authors: Kozuka Ritsuzo , Enomoto Masaru , Hai Hoang , Ogawa Tomohiro , Nakaya Mika , Hagihara Atsushi , Fujii Hideki , Kobayashi Sawako , Iwai Shuji , Morikawa Hiroyasu , Tamori Akihiro , Kawada Norifumi 
Published: May 2012

Aim:  Some regions associated with sensitivity to interferon‐α and ribavirin have been identified in the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome, including amino acid 70 in the core region (core a.a. 70), a.a. 2209–2248 (interferon sensitivity‐determining region, ISDR) and a.a. 2334–2379 (interferon and ribavirin resistance‐determining region, IRRDR).Methods:  We examined changes in the sequences of these regions in 25 patients with chronic HCV genotype 1 infection who had not had sustained virological response (SVR) to interferon‐α and ribavirin for 24–48 weeks and subsequently received retreatment for 48–72 weeks.Results:  At baseline, the core a.a. 70 was mutant (resistant) type in seven patients. At the start of retreatment, the core a.a. 70 had changed from sensitive to resistant type in 2 patients, and SVR was not achieved by retreatment. The ISDR variations were resistant type (0–1 mutations) in 17 patients at baseline. After 2 weeks of treatment, amino acid change was found in two patients; in one, the substitutions returned to baseline status after treatment, and in the other, the substitution persisted. At the start of retreatment, ISDR sequences had changed from resistant to sensitive type in two patients and SVR was achieved and from sensitive to resistant type in three patients and SVR was not achieved. The IRRDR variations were resistant type (<6 mutations) in 19 patients at baseline and at the start of retreatment.Conclusion:  Sequences of the core region and ISDR sometimes change during anti‐HCV therapy, potentially affecting the outcomes of retreatment.
Cytologically atypical anal sac adenocarcinoma in a dog
Authors: Sakai Hiroki , Murakami Mami , Mishima Hiroyuki , Hoshino Yuki , Mori Takashi , Maruo Kohji , Yanai Tokuma 
Published: May 2012

AbstractA 10‐year‐old intact female Shetland Sheepdog with tenesmus had a subcutaneous mass at the left ventral aspect of the anus. On cytologic examination, 2 types of cells were observed. Most of the cells were oval to polygonal and had elliptical or elongate nuclei and a moderate amount of pale to basophilic cytoplasm. The remaining cells had round to oval nuclei and pale to basophilic cytoplasm. Cells of both types were loosely adhered to each other and were arranged in rosette‐like structures. Both neoplastic cell types had fine homogenous chromatin and either a small indistinct nucleolus or no visible nucleolus. Mild anisokaryosis and anisocytosis were observed. Histologically, the mass consists of glandular structures formed by cuboidal cells admixed with bundles of spindle cells. Eosinophilic PAS‐ and Alcian blue‐positive secretory material was found in the center of some glandular structures. Both neoplastic cell types had positive staining with paradoxical concanavalin A and expressed cytokeratin, but not vimentin, S‐100, α‐smooth muscle actin, or desmin. Based on location and histologic and immunohistochemical features, the final diagnosis was adenocarconoma of the apocrine gland of the anal sac, which should be included as a cytologic differential diagnosis when spindle cells and typical epithelial cells are observed in masses in the region of the anal sac of dogs.
The Evolution of Trade and Scientific Collaboration Networks in the Global Wine Sector: A Longitudinal Study Using Network Analysis
Authors: Cassi Lorenzo , Morrison Andrea , Ter Wal Anne L.J. 
Published: May 2012

abstractThroughout the past three decades, the global pattern of wine production has undergone fundamental changes, most notably the emergence of New World producers. This article presents a detailed account of the sector's changing global organization from 1974 to 2004 by applying network analysis methods to the evolution of international trade and scientific collaboration networks. We argue that there is a strong mutual interdependence of trade and scientific knowledge production, as a result of which we expect the geographic configuration of global knowledge and trade networks to coevolve. Our results show that, over time, only a few New World wine producers developed trade and scientific collaboration networks that resemble those of traditional Old World producers. They also show that structures of trade and scientific collaboration networks are more alike for Old World than for New World producers, which suggests that, contrary to our expectations, it is particularly Old World producers who may have mainly benefited from participation in international scientific collaboration.
Encouraging Students to Engage With Native Speakers During Study Abroad
Authors: Cadd Marc 
Published: May 2012

AbstractStudents, their parents, and educators trust that a study‐abroad experience is the best way to increase linguistic proficiency. The professional literature, however, shows a much more complex picture. Gains in linguistic proficiency appear to depend on variables such as whether the students experience a homestay or dormitory, the length of time studying abroad, their previous knowledge of the language, etc. Interaction with native speakers also seems to vary widely. The present article examines whether requiring students abroad to interact with native speakers improves students’ self‐assessed self‐confidence in using the language, their willingness to use the language, and their perceived gains in speaking ability.
Cultural Engineering Under Authoritarian Regimes: Islamization of Universities in Postrevolutionary Iran
Authors: Golkar Saeid 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThe purpose of this article is to analyze the efforts that have been made to Islamize Iranian universities, specifically since the emergence of hardliners in 2005. After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, the Islamic regime relentlessly intensified its efforts to Islamize universities to train a new generation of ideologically driven students. In the three decades following the Revolution, three major periods of university Islamization have been implemented. The Cultural Revolution, which started in 1980, was the first step in the Islamization of Iran's universities: to cleanse the higher education systems from students and professors who criticized the new established Islamic regime. By increasing the number of students and the development of universities throughout Iran in the Rafasanjai era, the second wave of the Islamization of the university was triggered by Ayatollah Khamenei in 1994. During the reform era, the Islamization of universities slowed because of the many confrontations between the Supreme Leader and the reformist administrations. With the victory of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the 2005 presidential election, the Islamization of universities intensified. While there are a few publications about the Islamization of universities, they mainly focused on the first and second decades following the 1979 Revolution. Focusing on the third period, this article will investigate the different strategies and tactics for the Islamization of universities, as well as reasons for its failures.
Social‐Civilian Apparatuses of Hamas, Hizballah, and Other Activist Islamic Organizations
Authors: Pascovich Eyal 
Published: May 2012

AbstractThe aim of this article is to examine the social‐civilian activities of activist Islamic organizations in general, and of the Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hizballah in particular. As opposed to the common approach in academic and semiacademic publications, some of them aiming to promote political and propagandist goals, this article claims that the connection between the organizations' social‐civilian activities and their military and political apparatuses is not so close, although it does exist indirectly, and that these activities come first and foremost to answer religious commandments and social needs. This conclusion arises from examining the religious and historical roots of Hamas's and Hizballah's social‐civilian apparatuses and from comparing them with those of parallel organizations that are nonviolent.
Biodegradable donepezil lipospheres for depot injection: optimization and in-vivo evaluation
Authors: Yehia Soad A , Elshafeey Ahmed H , Elsayed Ibrahim 
Published: May 2012

Abstract

Objectives
The purpose of this study was to develop an injectable depot liposphere delivery system with high loading capacity for controlled delivery of donepezil to decrease dosing frequency and increase patient compliance.

Methods
A 32 full factorial design was employed to study the effect of lipid type and drug-to-lipid ratio on the yield, encapsulation efficiency, mean diameter and the time required for 50% drug release (t50%). The pharmacokinetic behaviour of the lipospheres in rabbits was studied using tandem mass spectrometry.

Key findings
The yields of preparations were in the range of 66.22–90.90%, with high encapsulation efficiencies (89.68–97.55%) and mean particle size of 20.68–35.94 µm. Both lipid type and drug-to-lipid ratio significantly affected t50% (P &lt; 0.0001), where the lipids can be arranged: glyceryl tripalmitate &gt; compritol &gt; cetyl alcohol, and the drug-to-lipid ratios can be arranged: 1 : 40 &gt; 1 : 20 &gt; 1 : 10. The flow time of lipospheres through 19-gauge syringe needle was less than 6 s indicating good syringeability. The mean residence time of the subcutaneous and intramuscular lipospheres was significantly higher than the solution (almost 20 fold increase), with values of 11.04, 11.34 and 0.53 days, respectively (P &lt; 0.01).

Conclusion
Subcutaneous and intramuscular delivery of donepezil glyceryl tripalmitate lipospheres achieves depot release, allowing less frequent dosing.
Management of long-term hypothyroidism: a potential marker of quality of medicines reconciliation in the intensive care unit†
Authors: Barrett Nicholas A , Jones Andrew , Whiteley Craig , Yassin Sarah , McKenzie Cathrine A 
Published: May 2012

Abstract

Objective
Significant errors can be made during medication prescribing, dispensing and administration. One source of error and potential for harm is unintentional omission. Medicines reconciliation seeks to reduce the impact of this between transfer of care. In long-term hypothyroidism, patients are dependent upon levothyroxine and there are few contraindications to its prescription. We considered levothyroxine prescription in long-term hypothyroidism as a marker of medicines reconciliation on admission and during stay in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods
A retrospective chart review was undertaken in a tertiary referral university ICU with all patients who were receiving long-term levothyroxine therapy identified. Notes were reviewed for the presence of thyroid-replacement prescription and for thyroid function tests, in addition to demographic, length of stay and mortality data.

Key findings
Thyroid-replacement therapy was not prescribed for more than 7 days in 23/133 (17.3%) patients and omitted entirely in three patients. A further 28/133 (21.1%) patients were intolerant of enteral feeding for more than 7 days and were thus unable to have oral levothyroxine administered. None of these patients received parenteral therapy. Thyroid function tests were performed in 104/133 (78.2%) patients.

Conclusions
Prescription of chronic therapy, in this case thyroid-replacement therapy, was inadequate. This highlights the need for a progressive medicines-reconciliation process embedded within the daily ICU programme.
Structures de Hodge–Pink pour les φ/𝔖-modules de Breuil et Kisin
Authors: Genestier Alain , Lafforgue Vincent 
Published: May 2012

AbstractIn this article, we apply the methods of our work on Fontaine’s theory in equal characteristics to the φ/𝔖-modules of Breuil and Kisin. Thanks to a previous article of Kisin, this yields a new and rather elementary proof of the theorem ‘weakly admissible implies admissible’ of Colmez and Fontaine.
Barometric Compensation of a Pendulum
Authors: Drumheller Douglas S. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractFor centuries, accurate pendulum clocks were of strategic scientific and military importance. Environmental factors such as temperature and pressure affect the rate of a pendulum. Without temperature compensation, accuracy is limited to about 10 s per day. With it, however, a secondper month is possible. Barometric compensation is required for additional improvement. Indeed, highly accurate pendulum clocks, such as Shortt-Synchronome Pendulums, are placed in controlled partial vacuums to avoid this unsolved problem. We model the pendulum as a Duffing oscillator to account for the effects of circular deviation, buoyancy, virtual mass, and aerodynamic drag. The application of routine perturbation methods reveals a simple and elegant solution to the problem of barometric compensation, an arc of motion where a balance is achieved. The results are confirmed by comparison to experiment.
Improvement of Detection of Bacterial Pathogens in Normally Sterile Body Sites with a Focus on Orthopedic Samples by Use of a Commercial 16S rRNA Broad-Range PCR and Sequence Analysis
Authors: Grif K. , Heller I. , Prodinger W. M. , Lechleitner K. , Lass-Flörl C. , Orth D. 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT
A new commercially available universal 16S and 18S rRNA gene PCR test, which is followed by sequence analysis of amplicons (SepsiTest), was evaluated for rapid identification of pathogens in the diagnosis of bone and joint infections. Eighty-three orthopedic samples and 21 specimens from other normally sterile body sites collected from 84 patients were analyzed in parallel by culture and PCR for detection of bacteria and fungi. Compared to culture, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of PCR were 88.5% and 83.5%, respectively. The detection rate of PCR (34.6%) was higher than that of bacterial culture (25.0%) as a consequence of the presence of fastidious and noncultivable species in samples and antibiotic treatment of patients. Thirteen culture-negative infections were identified by PCR, and PCR was able to detect culture-proven polymicrobial infections. On the other hand, three samples were culture positive but PCR negative. SepsiTest was demonstrated to be a valuable supplemental tool in the rapid detection of bacteria, especially for fastidious and noncultivable organisms, allowing earlier initiation of pathogen-adapted therapy in patients with bone and joint infections.
Molecular Identification and Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Clinical Isolates of the Candida rugosa Species Complex and Proposal of the New Species Candida neorugosa
Authors: Paredes Katihuska , Sutton Deanna A. , Cano Josep , Fothergill Annette W. , Lawhon Sara D. , Zhang Sean , Watkins Jeffrey P. , Guarro Josep 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

Candida rugosa
is a poorly known fungal species occasionally involved in human infections. A molecular analysis of the sequences of the D1/D2 domains and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal genes of 24 clinical isolates phenotypically identified as
C. rugosa
demonstrated that only 10 (41.6%) isolates belonged to that species. The other isolates were identified as
Candida pararugosa
(41.6%) and
Candida pseudorugosa
(8.3%). The remaining two isolates, from human and equine infections, respectively, were clearly different from the others and represent a new species proposed here as
Candida neorugosa
. The closest species by D1/D2 sequences was the type strain of
C. rugosa
, with only 92.3% similarity.
C. neorugosa
can also be differentiated from all other species of the
C. rugosa
complex by phenotypic features. The eight antifungal drugs tested showed high
in vitro
activity against the 24 isolates included in the study.
Can a Simple Flotation Method Lower the Limit of Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Extrapulmonary Samples Analyzed by the GeneXpert MTB/RIF Assay?
Authors: Taylor Nathan , Gaur Rajiv L. , Baron Ellen J. , Banaei Niaz 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

The rapid and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in children and extrapulmonary TB in adults continues to be a challenge. In this study, we determined the lower limit of detection (LOD) of the GeneXpert MTB/RIF assay with nonrespiratory specimens and investigated the utility of flotation procedures for concentrating the bacilli. Clinical specimens (9 cerebrospinal fluid [CSF], 13 gastric aspirate, 8 tissue, and 17 stool) were spiked with single-celled
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, and the LOD of the GeneXpert assay was determined. Flotation studies were conducted with sucrose and NaCl, and the cycle thresholds of the MTB/RIF assay were compared between treated and untreated samples. There was no significant difference between the LODs of the GeneXpert assay with saline solution (median, 33 CFU/ml) and CSF (median, 25 CFU/ml) (
P
> 0.05) or gastric aspirate samples (median, 58 CFU/ml) (
P
> 0.05). The LOD with spiked tissue (median, 1,525 CFU/ml) and stool samples (median, 6,800 CFU/ml) was significantly elevated compared to that determined with saline solution (
P
≤ 0.05 and ≤ 0.0005, respectively). Flotation studies with sucrose or NaCl did not consistently result in lowered cycle thresholds in stool or gastric aspirates, but a cycle reduction of >10 was achieved in two of the three pooled CSF samples. Unlike the results seen with tissue and stool samples, there was no significant PCR inhibition in the MTB/RIF assay with CSF and gastric aspirates. Although preconcentration of CSF samples with sucrose and NaCl may enhance detection of
M. tuberculosis
by PCR, further advances are needed to concentrate the bacilli and eliminate PCR inhibitors in paucibacillary nonrespiratory samples.
Sequetyping: Serotyping Streptococcus pneumoniae by a Single PCR Sequencing Strategy
Authors: Leung Marcus H. , Bryson Kevin , Freystatter Kathrin , Pichon Bruno , Edwards Giles , Charalambous Bambos M. , Gillespie Stephen H. 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACTThe introduction of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines necessitates continued monitoring of circulating strains to assess vaccine efficacy and replacement serotypes. Conventional serological methods are costly, labor-intensive, and prone to misidentification, while current DNA-based methods have limited serotype coverage requiring multiple PCR primers. In this study, a computer algorithm was developed to interrogate the capsulation locus (cps) of vaccine serotypes to locate primer pairs in conserved regions that border variable regions and could differentiate between serotypes.In silicoanalysis ofcpsfrom 92 serotypes indicated that a primer pair spanning the regulatory genecpsBcould putatively amplify 84 serotypes and differentiate 46. This primer set was specific toStreptococcus pneumoniae, with no amplification observed for other species, includingS. mitis,S. oralis, andS. pseudopneumoniae. One hundred thirty-eight pneumococcal strains covering 48 serotypes were tested. Of 23 vaccine serotypes included in the study, most (19/22, 86%) were identified correctly at least to the serogroup level, including all of the 13-valent conjugate vaccine and other replacement serotypes. Reproducibility was demonstrated by the correct sequetyping of different strains of a serotype. This novel sequence-based method employing a single PCR primer pair is cost-effective and simple. Furthermore, it has the potential to identify new serotypes that may evolve in the future.
High-Risk Human Papillomavirus (hrHPV) E6/E7 mRNA Testing by PreTect HPV-Proofer for Detection of Cervical High-Grade Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Cancer among hrHPV DNA-Positive Women with Normal Cytology
Authors: Rijkaart D. C. , Heideman D. A. M. , Coupe V. M. H. , Brink A. A. T. P. , Verheijen R. H. M. , Skomedal H. , Karlsen F. , Morland E. , Snijders P. J. F. , Meijer C. J. L. M. 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

Our aim was to investigate whether high-risk HPV (hrHPV) mRNA detection by PreTect HPV-Proofer can be used to stratify hrHPV DNA-positive women of different cytology classes for risk of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia or worse (cervical precancer or cancer, i.e., cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or higher [≥CIN2]). A total of 375 women participating in population-based screening, with a GP5+/6+-PCR hrHPV DNA-positive cervical scrape with normal cytology (
n
= 202), borderline or mild dyskaryosis (BMD) (
n
= 88), or moderate dyskaryosis or worse (>BMD) (
n
= 85), were enrolled. Cervical scrapes were additionally subjected to HPV16/18/31/33/45 E6/E7 mRNA analysis by PreTect HPV-Proofer (mRNA test). Referral and follow-up policies were based on cytology, hrHPV DNA, and mRNA testing. The primary study endpoint was the number of ≥CIN2 detected within 3 years of follow-up. The mRNA positivity increased with the severity of cytological abnormality, ranging from 32% (64/202) in hrHPV DNA-positive women with normal cytology to 47% (41/88) in BMD and 68% (58/85) in >BMD groups (
P
< 0.01). Women with ≥CIN2 were more likely to test positive by mRNA test (63%) than women without evidence of ≥CIN2 (32%;
P
< 0.01). A positive mRNA test result conferred an increased ≥CIN2 risk in hrHPV DNA-positive women with normal cytology, i.e., 0.55 (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.34 to 0.76) in mRNA-positive versus 0.20 (95% CI, 0.07 to 0.33) in mRNA-negative women. In hrHPV DNA-positive women with BMD or >BMD, the result of the mRNA test did not influence the ≥CIN2 risk. In conclusion, mRNA testing by PreTect HPV-Proofer might be of value to select hrHPV DNA-positive women with normal cytology in need of immediate referral for colposcopy.