bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Usefulness of culture test and direct examination for the diagnosis of oral atrophic candidiasis
Authors: Terai Haruhiko , Shimahara Masashi 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground  Culture test and direct microscopy, which are currently used in the diagnosis of oral candidiasis, can yield false‐negative results.Methods  Forty patients with atrophic candidiasis of the tongue were evaluated. The diagnosis was confirmed by a favorable outcome consisting of tongue pain improvement and regeneration of filiform papilla after antifungal treatment in all patients. Specimens were examined by fungal culture and direct microscopy following rapid staining; the usefulness of these procedures for diagnosis was reevaluated retrospectively after treatment.Results  In the culture test, 30 patients (75.0%) were positive for candidal species, most of which were confirmed to be Candida albicans. Twenty‐three (57.5%) were positive for pseudohyphae of fungi on direct examination. Twenty‐two (55.0%) were positive and nine (22.5%) were negative for both. With regard to the diagnosis of oral atrophic candidiasis, these examinations revealed false‐negative results of 25% in the culture examination and 42.5% in the direct examination.Conclusion  Careful clinical observation of the patient for signs, such as prolonged disease duration, pain on eating, and no benefit from topical steroid treatment, and cytologic examination are important in the diagnosis of this disease.
Effects of tacrolimus ointment on the expression of substance P, nerve growth factor, and neurotrophin‐3 in atopic dermatitis
Authors: Kim Hye‐One , Lee Cheol‐Heon , Ahn Hye‐Kyung , Park Chun‐Wook 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground  There is increasing evidence that neuropeptides may be involved in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD).Objectives  To investigate the effects of tacrolimus on the neuropeptides substance P (SP), nerve growth factor (NGF), and neurotrophin‐3 (NT‐3) in the skin, and SP and NGF in the serum, of patients with AD.Methods  Lesional skin specimens were obtained from eight AD patients and eight normal controls. For 8 weeks, AD patients applied 0.03% tacrolimus ointment to all affected areas twice daily. Blood samples and skin biopsies were then repeated. The participants’ serum SP and NGF levels, as well as the SP, NGF, and NT‐3 immunoreactive cell counts, were evaluated in the epidermal, dermal, and perivascular areas of lesional skin before and after treatment.Results  The immunoreactive cell counts of SP, NGF, and NT‐3 in skin were higher in AD patients than in normal controls. Most cell counts decreased significantly after treatment; however, the change in serum SP and NGF was not statistically significant.Conclusions  We demonstrated semiquantitative differences in neuropeptides in the skin of AD patients. In addition, topical tacrolimus reduced the levels of neuropeptides in the tissues of AD patients.
Lipoprotein (a) in patients with psoriasis: associations with lipid profiles and disease severity
Authors: Pietrzak Aldona , Kądzielewski Jacek , Janowski Konrad , Roliński Jacek , Krasowska Dorota , Chodorowska Grażyna , Paszkowski Tomasz , Kapeć Ewa , Jastrzębska Iwona , Tabarkiewicz Jacek , Lotti Torello 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground  Lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] is a genetically determined molecule whose role has been implied in cardiovascular pathology, and whose levels have been reported to be elevated in patients with psoriasis.Aim  To assess the serum levels of Lp(a) in patients with psoriasis, and to investigate the associations of Lp(a) with other lipids and with psoriasis severity.Methods  Thirty‐four patients with psoriasis and 26 healthy control subjects took part in the study. Serum levels of Lp(a) and total, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol fractions were measured in all participants. The levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol were measured using enzymatic colorimetric tests; HDL and LDL cholesterol concentrations were determined by precipitation methods; the VLDL concentration was calculated according to the formula: VLDL cholesterol = triglycerides/5.Results  Patients with psoriasis showed significantly higher serum levels of Lp(a) relative to controls. Even when controlling for normolipidemic vs. hyperlipidemic status, abnormal levels of Lp(a) (> 30 mg/dL) were observed significantly more often in patients than in controls. In both patients and controls, Lp(a) levels correlated positively with total and HDL cholesterol levels. In patients, Lp(a) levels correlated positively with psoriasis severity.Conclusions  Lp(a) may be a factor contributing to an increased cardiovascular risk in patients with psoriasis. A pathogenetic link may exist between this lipoprotein and psoriatic pathophysiology.
Patients’ perceptions and experiences of transitions in diabetes care: a longitudinal qualitative study
Authors: Lawton Julia , Rankin David , Peel Elizabeth , Douglas Margaret 
Published: March 2009

AbstractObjective  To examine patients’ perceptions and experiences over time of the devolvement of diabetes care/reviews from secondary to primary health‐care settings.Design  Repeat in‐depth interviews with 20 patients over 4 years.Participants and setting  Twenty type 2 diabetes patients recruited from primary‐ and secondary‐care settings across Lothian, Scotland.Results  Patients’ views about their current diabetes care were informed by their previous service contact. The devolvement of diabetes care/reviews to general practice was presented as a ‘mixed blessing’. Patients gained reassurance from their perception that receiving practice‐based care/reviews signified that their diabetes was well‐controlled. However, they also expressed resentment that, by achieving good control, they received what they saw as inferior care and/or less‐frequent reviews to others with poorer control. While patients tended to regard GPs as having adequate expertise to conduct their practice‐based reviews, they were more ambivalent about nurses taking on this role. Opportunities to receive holistic care in general practice were not always realized due to patients seeing health‐care professionals for diabetes management to whom they would not normally present for other health issues.Conclusions  It is important to educate patients about their care pathways, and to reassure them that frequency of reviews depends more on clinical need than location of care and that similar care guidelines are followed in hospital clinics and general practice. A patients’ history of service contact may need to be taken into account in future studies of service satisfaction.
Machine vision algorithm for whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) scouting under greenhouse environment
Authors: Solis‐Sánchez L. O. , García‐Escalante J. J. , Castañeda‐Miranda R. , Torres‐Pacheco I. , Guevara‐González R. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractOne of the main problems in greenhouse crop production is the presence of pests. Detection and classification of insects are priorities in integrated pest management (IPM). This document describes a machine vision system able to detect whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Genn.) in a greenhouse by sensing their presence using hunting traps. The extracted features corresponding to the eccentricity and area of the whiteflies projections allow to establish differences among pests and other insects on both the trap surfaces and dust generated artefacts. Because of whiteflies geometrical characteristics, it was possible to design an efficient (related to manual counting) machine vision algorithm to scout and count units of this pest within a greenhouse environment. These algorithm results show high correlation indexes for both, sticky screens (R2 = 0.97) and plant leaf situations (R2 = 1.0). The machine vision algorithm reduces the scouting time and the associated human error for IPM‐related activities.
Cloning and expression of heat shock protein genes in two whitefly species in response to thermal stress
Authors: Yu H. , Wan F.‐H. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractTwo whitefly species,Trialeurodes vaporariorumandBemisia tabacibiotype B were shown to have different temperature tolerance and seasonal dynamics. To determine whether this variation in thermal tolerance is related to different expression patterns of heat shock protein (hsp) genes during temperature stress, we obtained complete cDNA sequences for hsp90, hsp70 and hsp20, and analysed their expression profiles across temperature gradients by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Six full‐length cDNAs were cloned and sequenced from these two species. The full‐length cDNAs of hsp90s contain 2166 and 2157 bp open‐reading frames (ORF) which encode proteins with calculated molecular weights of 83 013 and 82 857 Da inT. vaporariorumandB. tabaci, respectively. The 1947 and 1959 bp ORFs of whitefly hsp70s comprise 649 and 653 amino acids with the calculated masses of 70 885 and 71 008 Da inT. vaporariorumandB. tabaci, respectively. Both complete cDNAs of hsp20 ofT. vaporariorumandB. tabacicontain 585 bp ORFs and deduced amino acid sequences had molecular weights of 21 559 and 21 539 Da, respectively. The hsp expression profile results showed that temperatures for onset (Ton) or maximal (Tmax) induction of hsp expression inT. vaporariorumwere generally 2–6°C lower than those inB. tabaci. These results suggest that theTon(orTmax) of hsps can represent the differences in temperature tolerance of these two whitefly species, and may be used to determine their natural geographical distribution and natural population seasonal dynamics. Significant upregulation of most hsps were observed when temperature stress was lifted, except that hsp70 and hsp20 ofB. tabacidid not respond to the cold stress, indicating that response to heat and cold stress may have a different genetic and physiological basis in two whitefly species. These results highlight the importance of understanding the complexity of the heat shock response across multiple isoforms while attempting to link them to whole‐organism traits such as thermal tolerance.
Molecular Identification of Phytophthora spp. Affecting some Economically Important Crops in Eastern India through ITS‐RFLP and Sequencing of the ITS Region
Authors: Guha Roy Sanjoy , Bhattacharyya Somnath , Mukherjee Samir Kumar , Khatua Dinesh Chandra 
Published: March 2009

AbstractMolecular identification of the Phytophthora spp. affecting betelvine (Piper betel), brinjal (Solanum melongena), guava (Psidium guajava), roselle (Hibiscus subdariffa), black pepper (Piper nigrum), sesame (Sesamum indicum), taro (Colocasia esculenta), chilli (Capsicum annuum), pointed gourd (Trichosanthes dioica), papaya (Carica papaya) was performed through rDNA ITS‐RFLP and also additionally by sequencing the Internal Transcriber spacer (ITS) ITS1 and ITS2 regions. Phytophthora nicotianae, Phytophthora capsici, Phytophthora colocasiae, Phytophthora melonis and Phytophthora palmivora isolates from these 10 different crops were accessioned and the ITS sequences were deposited in Genbank. ITS sequences for Phytophthora isolates from most of these crops are being reported here for the first time. In this study, a review of all earlier Indian reports based on morphology from the above crops and their molecular corroboration has been attempted. This study revealed that not only is P. nicotianae the most prevalent species but also there is the presence of both P. nicotianae and P. capsici, but not P. palmivora on betelvine; as well as possible first reports of P. nicotianae on pepper, P. capsici on chilli and P. palmivora on papaya from this vegetable growing Eastern region of the country. Mating type assays and RAPD markers were used to assess the genotypic diversity of the population. This detection of diversity is a first and critical step for helping to devise and adopt strategies for control and quarantine of these pathogens in this region.
Correlation of attention deficit, rapid eye movement latency and slow wave sleep in schizophrenia patients
Authors: Chang Yu‐San , Hsu Chung‐Yao , Tang Shu‐Hui , Lin Ching‐Yu , Chen Ming‐Chao 
Published: March 2009

Aim:  Schizophrenia patients present both reduced slow wave sleep (SWS) and shortened rapid eye movement latency (REML) in polysomnographic (PSG) profiles, which have been linked to dopaminergic and muscarinic impairment, respectively. Two main selective attentional systems involve different anatomical structures. The first system is the parietal cortical areas and thalamic areas, which are linked to cholinergic neurotransmission. This is responsible for automatic attention response. The second system is the frontal regions, which are linked to dopaminergic neurotransmission. This is responsible for voluntary control of attentional resources. It was hypothesized that low attentional performance in schizophrenia patients is associated with shortened REML and reduced SWS.Methods:  The PSG profile was correlated with the continuous performance test (CPT) in 15 schizophrenia inpatients under treatment with risperidone. Schizophrenia was diagnosed according to DSM‐IV criteria, and clinical symptoms were evaluated on the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.Results:  REML was negatively correlated with errors of omission (P < 0.05), reaction time (RT; P < 0.05) and positively correlated with hit rate (HR; P < 0.05). No association was found between SWS and CPT performance.Conclusions:  The significant indicators of CPT represent different attention processes. Errors of omission, which are linked to the problems with automatic attention processing, RT, which represent the speed of automatic processing, and HR, are involved in the integration of autonomic and voluntary attention control. The present results suggest that REML is associated with thalamus‐related automatic attention response. Due to study limitations, however, confirmation of these findings in a large‐scale controlled study of drug‐naïve patients is needed.
Reliability and validity of the Thai version of the WHO‐Five Well‐Being Index in primary care patients
Authors: Saipanish Ratana , Lotrakul Manote , Sumrithe Sutida 
Published: March 2009

Aims:  Because of the high patient load in Thailand, we need a practical measurement to help primary physicians detect depression. This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Thai version of the World Health Organization‐Five Well‐Being Index (WHO‐5‐T), which is short and easy to use as a screening tool for major depression in primary care patients.Methods:  The English version of the WHO‐Five Well‐Being Index was translated into Thai. Back‐translations, cross‐cultural adaptation and field testing of the pre‐final version with final adjustments were performed accordingly. The WHO‐5‐T was administered randomly to 300 patients in our primary care clinic. Then the patients were further assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression as the gold standard of diagnosis and symptom severity, respectively.Results:  Completed data were obtained from 274 respondents. Their mean age was 44.6 years [standard deviation (SD) = 14.7] and 73.7% of them were female. The mean WHO‐5‐T score was 14.32 (SD = 5.26). The WHO‐5‐T had a satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.87) and showed moderate convergent validity with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (r = −0.54; P < 0.001). The optimal cut‐off score of the WHO‐5‐T <12 revealed a sensitivity of 0.89 and a specificity of 0.71 in detecting depression. The area under the curve in this study was 0.86 (SD = 0.03, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 0.89).Conclusions:  The Thai version of the WHO‐Five Well‐Being Index was found to be a reliable and valid self‐assessment to screen for major depression in primary care setting at a cut‐off point of <12.
The association between harmful alcohol use and Internet addiction among college students: Comparison of personality
Authors: Yen Ju‐Yu , Ko Chih‐Hung , Yen Cheng‐Fang , Chen Cheng‐Sheng , Chen Cheng‐Chung 
Published: March 2009

Aims:  This study aimed to (i) evaluate the association between Internet addiction and harmful alcohol use, and (ii) evaluate the associated personality characteristics of Internet addiction as well as harmful alcohol use.Methods:  A total of 2453 college students were invited to complete the Chen Internet Addiction Scale, Behavior Inhibition System and Behavior Approach System Scale(BIS/BAS scale), and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test from May 2005 to May 2006.Results:  The results demonstrated Internet addiction was associated with harmful alcohol use among college students. College students with Internet addiction had higher scores on the BIS and BAS fun‐seeking subscales. However, college students with harmful alcohol use had higher scores on the BAS drive and fun‐seeking subscales, and lower scores on the BIS subscale.Conclusions:  Internet addiction is associated with harmful alcohol use. Furthermore, fun seeking was the shared characteristic of these two problem behaviors and might contribute to the association. However, further studies are necessary to evaluate the underlying mechanisms accounting for the association between Internet addiction and harmful alcohol use.
Relationship between expression of Pad1 homologue and multidrug resistance of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome
Authors: Ma Zuxiang , Gao Xiaojie , Zhao Weiling , Li Yongbai , Li Changgang , Li Chengrong 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground:  Multidrug resistance is an occasionally seen phenomenon in children with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS), but the mechanism of multidrug resistance is not clear as yet. The purpose of the present study was to investigated whether expression of Pad1 homologue (POH1) plays a role in the onset of multidrug resistance of INS.Methods:  Comparison was done of the mRNA level of POH1 on real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells among children with multidrug‐resistant INS, children with steroid‐sensitive INS and healthy controls.Results:  The POH1 mRNA level of the onset INS group (5852.3 ± 2676.4 copies/µg) was significantly lower than that of the control group (10 877.1 ± 2386.6 copies/µg; P < 0.05). The POH1 mRNA level of the onset INS group with multidrug resistance was not significantly higher than that of the onset INS group without multidrug‐resistance before treatment (6977.1 ± 6312.3 copies/µg vs 5281.3 ± 1926.7 copies/µg; P > 0.05), but significantly higher than that of the onset INS group without multidrug resistance after treatment (436 579.6 ± 99 727.4 copies/µg vs 38 438.2 ± 16 772.5 copies/µg; P < 0.001). The POH1 mRNA level of non‐onset multidrug‐resistant INS group (337 446.4 ± 107 423.5 copies/µg) after treatment was not significantly higher than that of the onset INS group with multidrug resistance after treatment (436 579.6 ± 99 727.4 copies/µg; P > 0.05), but was significantly higher than that of the onset INS group without multidrug resistance after treatment (38 438.2 ± 16 772.5 copies/µg; P < 0.001).Conclusions:  Disorder of POH1 expression is involved in the onset of INS, and confers multidrug resistance in children with INS.
Association between serum adipocytokine and cholesterol levels in cord blood
Authors: Nakano Yuya , Itabashi Kazuo , Maruyama Takeshi 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground:  Serum leptin and adiponectin levels are strongly associated with lipid metabolism in adults. These adipocytokines play a role in intrauterine and postnatal growth but the association between cord blood levels of these adipocytokines and cholesterol at birth remains unclear.Methods:  The study involved 52 appropriate‐for‐gestational‐age (AGA) infants (25 male, 27 female, 37–41 weeks of gestational age) born at Keiai Hospital without any maternal complications. Cord blood concentrations of leptin, total adiponectin, total cholesterol (TC), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), other neonatal characteristics, and maternal factors were assessed to investigate the association between cord blood leptin or adiponectin levels and cholesterol levels.Results:  Cord blood leptin levels were significantly higher in girls. Simple regression analysis indicated that cord blood leptin levels were significantly associated with birthweight, gestational age, birthweight SD score, body mass index (BMI), ponderal index, LDL‐C, and TC; but total adiponectin levels were not significantly associated with any neonatal characteristics or maternal factors. A multiple regression analysis indicated that cord leptin levels were significantly associated with BMI (β= 0.407, P= 0.001), LDL‐C (β=−0.345, P= 0.004), and infant's gender (β=−0.332, P= 0.006); adiponectin levels were significantly associated with only gestational age (β= 0.279, P= 0.047).Conclusion:  Cord leptin level is significantly associated with cord cholesterol level at birth, anthropometry, and infant gender. The present study suggests that cord blood leptin may be a key hormone for controlling fetal lipid metabolism.
Protein–energy malnutrition as the first manifestation of cystic fibrosis in infancy
Authors: Fustik Stojka , Jacovska Tanja , Spirevska Lidija , Koceva Svetlana 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground:  The protein–energy malnutrition (PEM) that is characterized by hypoproteinemia, edema, and anemia has been reported in 5–13% of infants with cystic fibrosis (CF). Due to the surprising higher incidence of PEM as the first presenting manifestation of CF in Macedonia, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the possible risk factors in its development.Methods:  Clinical and laboratory profiles (hemoglobin, red blood cell count, total serum protein, serum albumin and liver enzyme levels) and genotype data were analyzed in 115 newly diagnosed infants with CF, during the period 1990–2006.Results:  PEM manifested in 39 CF infants (33%), usually within the first 5 months of life and in breast‐fed infants. Mean hemoglobin, red blood cell count, total serum protein and serum albumin values in the PEM subgroup were, respectively, 76.0 g/L, 2.4 × 1012/L, 38.0 g/L and 16.6 g/L. Clinically significant liver involvement was found in 22 patients (56.4%) with PEM. Concerning the molecular basis of CF in these patients, PEM was always associated with ▵F508, G542X, N1303K and other severe mutations.Conclusion:  PEM is a common manifestation of CF in infancy. Early infant age, breast‐feeding, impaired liver function and the presence of severe cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator mutations are predisposing factors for the development of PEM.
Fourteen months of seed rain in three Australian semi‐arid communities
Authors: PAGE M. J. , HARRINGTON R. A. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe abundance and composition of seed rain was measured over 14 months (February 2004 to March 2005) in Currawinya National Park, western Queensland. The experimental design included four measurement periods, three vegetation communities and two grazing regimes. A total of 12 586 seeds from 104 species were captured. There were significantly more seeds and species captured during the measurement period with the least rainfall, although no significant correlation was found between the amount of rainfall and the number of seeds or species captured. More seeds and species were captured where native and feral grazing pressure was removed, but this was only significant for the number of species. The above‐ground vegetation showed no significant difference between grazing treatments over the study period and exhibited far fewer species than the seed rain. However, the majority of species found in the above‐ground vegetation were represented in the seed rain. Hypotheses are explored as an attempt to understand the apparent lack of a relationship between seed rain and rainfall. The effects of grazing and seed movement and storage are also discussed.