bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transient Hypertransaminasemia in Paediatric Patients With Crohn Disease Undergoing Initial Treatment With Enteral Nutrition
Authors: Schatorjé Ellen , Hoekstra Hans 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACTObjectives:Total enteral nutrition (TEN) is frequently used as monotherapy in children with Crohn disease to prevent steroid toxicity. Liver disease is a known complication in inflammatory bowel disease, and liver enzymes are regularly obtained in these patients.Patients and Methods:Prospective follow‐up of liver enzymes was performed in 11 new consecutive patients ages 7.6 to 17.1 years who were primarily treated with TEN for 6 weeks. Liver enzymes were measured before starting TEN and after 3, 6, and 12 weeks.Results:At the beginning of TEN, the mean aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT) was 18.4 U/L and the mean alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) 17.1 U/L. The mean ASAT and ALAT were 202.0 U/L and 269.0 U/L after 3 weeks and 109.6 U/L and 180.9 U/L at 6 weeks. After 12 weeks values decreased to 22.8 U/L (ASAT) and 20.9 U/L (ALAT). Overall, 9 of 11 patients had transient elevated ASAT and 10 patients showed elevated ALAT. Gamma‐glutamyl transpeptidase was slightly elevated in 3 patients during therapy, but alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin showed no changes. None of the patients developed liver disease during follow‐up, and prolonged clinical remission was achieved in 9 patients.Conclusions:This study shows that TEN can be associated with transient hypertransaminasemia without evidence of liver disease. We hypothesise that insulin resistance in patients with Crohn disease in combination with standard TEN formulae can result in transient hepatic steatosis causing the hypertransaminasemia. For the clinician it is important to be aware of this benign TEN‐associated condition to prevent unnecessary investigations.
Effects of Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 and Prebiotic Oligosaccharide Added to Milk on Iron Status, Anemia, and Growth Among Children 1 to 4 Years Old
Authors: Sazawal Sunil , Dhingra Usha , Hiremath Girish , Sarkar Archana , Dhingra Pratibha , Dutta Arup , Menon Venugopal P , Black Robert E 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACTObjective:To evaluate the effect of Bifidobacterium lactis HN019 and prebiotic‐fortified milk on iron status, anemia, and growth among 1‐ to 4‐year‐old children.Patients and Methods:In a community‐based double‐masked, controlled trial in a periurban population, 624 children were enrolled and randomly allocated to receive either milk fortified with additional probiotic and prebiotic (n = 312) or control milk (n = 312) for 1 year. Probiotic and prebiotic milk contained an additional 1.9 × 107 colony‐forming units per day of probiotic B lactis HN019 and 2.4 g/day of prebiotic oligosaccharides milk. Hematological parameters were estimated at baseline and at the end of the study. Height and weight measurements were recorded at baseline, mid study, and the end of the study. Difference of means and multivariate regression models was used to examine the effect of intervention.Results:Both study groups were similar at baseline. Compliance was high (>85%) and did not vary by intervention groups. As compared with non‐fortified milk, consumption of probiotic‐ and prebiotic‐fortified milk for a period of 1 year reduced the risk of being anemic and iron deficient by 45% (95% CI 11%, 66%; P = 0.01) and increased weight gain by 0.13 kg/year (95% CI 0.03, 0.23; P = 0.02).Conclusions:Preschoolers are usually fed milk, which has good acceptance and can be easily fortified for delivery of probiotics. Consumption of B lactis HN019 and prebiotic‐fortified milk resulted in a smaller number of iron‐deficient preschoolers and increased weight gain.
Neonatal Anthropometric Charts: The Italian Neonatal Study Compared With Other European Studies
Authors: Bertino Enrico , Spada Elena , Occhi Luciana , Coscia Alessandra , Giuliani Francesca , Gagliardi Luigi , Gilli Giulio , Bona Gianni , Fabris Claudio , De Curtis Mario , Milani Silvano 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACTBackground and Objective:This was a nationwide prospective study carried out in Italy between 2005 and 2007, involving 34 centers with a neonatal intensive care unit. The study reports the Italian Neonatal Study charts for weight, length, and head circumference of singletons born between 23 and 42 gestational weeks, comparing them with previous Italian data and with the most recent data from European countries.Patients and Methods:Single live born babies with ultrasound assessment of gestational age within the first trimester, and with both parents of Italian origin. Only fetal hydrops and major congenital anomalies diagnosed at birth were excluded. The reference set consists of 22,087 girls and 23,375 boys.Results:At each gestational age, boys are heavier than girls by about 4%. Later‐born neonates are heavier than firstborn neonates by about 3%. The effects of sex and birth order on length and head circumference are milder. No differences were observed between babies born in central‐north Italy and southern Italy. A large variability emerged among European neonatal charts, resulting in huge differences in the percentage of Italian Neonatal Study neonates below the 10th centile, which is traditionally used to define small‐for‐gestational‐age babies. In the last 2 decades prominent changes in the distribution of birth weight emerged in Italy and in the rest of Europe, in both term and preterm neonates.Conclusions:The existing European neonatal charts, based on more or less recent data, were found to be inappropriate for Italy. Until an international standard is developed, the use of national updated reference charts is recommended.
Guidelines for the Use of RNA Purification Kits
Authors: Rio Donald C. , Ares Manuel , Hannon Gregory J. , Nilsen Timothy W. 
Published: July 2010

INTRODUCTIONWith the proliferation of researchers investigating various aspects of RNA biology has come a corresponding proliferation of commercially available kits for RNA purification. Some of these kits have specialized uses and applications, and it is not always possible to simply mix and match the different protocols. Although the instructions are often written with a minimum of specifics concerning the chemical basis for the separation characteristics that the kits use, the competent researcher will want to understand these important features. Unfortunately, commercial sources work hard to hide the specifics of their methods. Fortunately, patent documents are publicly available, and the government mandates material safety data disclosures of the composition of at least those components that represent a threat to environmental health and safety. Thus, it is possible to infer many aspects of such “proprietary” materials, which in most cases are only slightly and unimportantly modified from published techniques. We do not describe in detail the specific steps involved in the use of particular kits; they are detailed in the literature that comes with each kit and their components (e.g., proprietary buffers). Instead, we detail some advantages and disadvantages of using RNA purification kits.
Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) of Plant Tissues
Authors: Hülskamp Martin , Schwab Birgit , Grini Paul , Schwarz Heinz 
Published: July 2010

INTRODUCTIONTransmission electron microscopy (TEM) requires extensive preparation of plant tissues to achieve optimal results. Samples must be fixed to preserve ultrastructure, dehydrated to withstand the high vacuum of an electron microscope, and embedded in a suitable resin to permit very thin sections to be produced. This protocol provides details for fixation, dehydration with ethanol, and embedding in Spurr’s, an epoxide resin with low viscosity that is well-suited for plant tissues.
Immunofluorescent Staining of Drosophila Larval Brain Tissue
Authors: Daul Aric L. , Komori Hideyuki , Lee Cheng-Yu 
Published: July 2010

INTRODUCTIONThe Drosophila larval brain is a well-established model for investigating the role of stem cells in development. Neuroblasts (neural stem cells) must be competent to generate many thousands of differentiated neurons through asymmetric divisions during normal development. Studies in fly neuroblasts have been instrumental in identifying how the establishment and maintenance of cell polarity influence cell fate, and they have produced a wide array of molecular cell-polarity markers. Moreover, neuroblasts and their progeny can be positively identified using a variety of cell-fate markers. This article describes procedures for the collection and processing of Drosophila larval brains for examination by immunolocalization of cell-fate and cell-polarity markers. The protocol can be used for dissecting, fixing, and staining brains from larvae at any developmental stage. The number of brains processed using this method is limited only by how many brains can be dissected in 20 min, which is the maximum amount of time dissected tissues should remain in buffer before fixation. This protocol can be used for simultaneous costaining of multiple proteins.
Multicolor Fluorescence RNA In Situ Hybridization of Drosophila Brain Tissue
Authors: Daul Aric L. , Komori Hideyuki , Lee Cheng-Yu 
Published: July 2010

INTRODUCTIONRNA in situ hybridization is a useful method for determining the transcriptional expression pattern of a gene when antibodies are not available. Using this technique, it is possible to assay the expression of multiple RNA species using distinct labels on RNA probes, or simultaneously examine RNA and protein localization within larval tissues. This protocol describes RNA in situ hybridization of Drosophila brain tissue. It utilizes a fluorophore-conjugated tyramide that is easily made in the laboratory for a fraction of the cost of the commercially produced product.
Targeting the Zebrafish Optic Tectum Using In Vivo Electroporation
Authors: Hoegler Kenric J. , Horne John H. 
Published: July 2010

INTRODUCTIONIn vivo electroporation is a method for delivery of plasmids and other oligonucleotide reagents that offers precise temporal control. In zebrafish, in vivo electroporation is particularly well-suited to delivering green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression vectors to the developing central nervous system. This protocol describes a modification of in vivo electroporation that can be used to specifically target the developing optic tectum of zebrafish embryos beginning at 24 h post-fertilization (hpf). The electroporation electrodes required for this approach can be constructed easily from relatively inexpensive materials. Microinjection of plasmid DNA to the midbrain ventricle followed by precise positioning of the electroporation electrodes allows for the targeting of developing neurons in only one hemisphere of the optic tectum. Using this protocol, the optic tectum can be effectively targeted in a high percentage (79%) of expressing embryos. This method can also be used to simultaneously deliver expression vectors and loss-of-function reagents, which can provide precise temporal control of the knockdown of gene function.
Imaging Cell Wall Architecture in Single Zinnia elegans Tracheary Elements
Authors: Lacayo Catherine I. , Malkin Alexander J. , Holman Hoi-Ying N. , Chen Liang , Ding Shi-You , Hwang Mona S. , Thelen Michael P. 
Published: July 2010

Abstract
The chemical and structural organization of the plant cell wall was examined in Zinnia elegans tracheary elements (TEs), which specialize by developing prominent secondary wall thickenings underlying the primary wall during xylogenesis in vitro. Three imaging platforms were used in conjunction with chemical extraction of wall components to investigate the composition and structure of single Zinnia TEs. Using fluorescence microscopy with a green fluorescent protein-tagged Clostridium thermocellum family 3 carbohydrate-binding module specific for crystalline cellulose, we found that cellulose accessibility and binding in TEs increased significantly following an acidified chlorite treatment. Examination of chemical composition by synchrotron radiation-based Fourier-transform infrared spectromicroscopy indicated a loss of lignin and a modest loss of other polysaccharides in treated TEs. Atomic force microscopy was used to extensively characterize the topography of cell wall surfaces in TEs, revealing an outer granular matrix covering the underlying meshwork of cellulose fibrils. The internal organization of TEs was determined using secondary wall fragments generated by sonication. Atomic force microscopy revealed that the resulting rings, spirals, and reticulate structures were composed of fibrils arranged in parallel. Based on these combined results, we generated an architectural model of Zinnia TEs composed of three layers: an outermost granular layer, a middle primary wall composed of a meshwork of cellulose fibrils, and inner secondary wall thickenings containing parallel cellulose fibrils. In addition to insights in plant biology, studies using Zinnia TEs could prove especially productive in assessing cell wall responses to enzymatic and microbial degradation, thus aiding current efforts in lignocellulosic biofuel production.
When have we looked hard enough? A novel method for setting minimum survey effort protocols for flora surveys
Authors: GARRARD GEORGIA E. , BEKESSY SARAH A. , McCARTHY MICHAEL A. , WINTLE BRENDAN A. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractThere is now a substantial body of literature documenting the detectability of plants and animals under standard survey conditions. Despite the evidence that many flora and fauna species have detection probabilities of less than one, it is still the default assumption of most environmental impact assessment processes that if a species is present, it will be detected. Here we briefly review a number of existing studies that have estimated the survey effort necessary to detect animal species, based on what is known about their detection rates in standard surveys. We then propose a novel method, based on failure‐time analysis, for quantifying the detectability of and determining appropriate survey effort for plant species during flora surveys. We provide computer code for implementing the method in the Bayesian freeware WinBUGS. Methods for estimating detectability can be used to inform minimum survey requirements and have important applications in environmental impact assessment and monitoring.
Susceptibility to gut leakiness: a possible mechanism for endotoxaemia in non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis
Authors: Farhadi Ashkan , Gundlapalli Sushama , Shaikh Maliha , Frantzides Constantine , Harrell Laura , Kwasny Mary M. , Keshavarzian Ali 
Published: July 2010

AbstractIntroduction: One of the proposed second hit mechanisms in the pathophysiology of non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is hepatic oxidative stress triggered by elevated levels of endotoxin. We investigated one possible mechanism for the endotoxaemia – disruption of intestinal barrier integrity.Methods: We enrolled 16 subjects with fatty liver (10 NASH; 6 steatosis) and 12 healthy subjects. Steatosis and NASH were diagnosed by liver biopsy using the Brunt criteria. Gastrointestinal permeability was measured using urinary excretion of 5‐h lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio and 24‐h sucralose. Permeability testing was repeated after aspirin challenge.Results: Groups had similar baseline urinary 0–5 h L/M ratio (small bowel permeability) and 0–24 h sucralose (whole‐gut permeability). Aspirin increased 0–5 h urinary L/M in most subjects. In contrast, aspirin significantly increased whole‐gut permeability only in NASH subjects. In fact, the major increase in the urinary sucralose occurred in the 6–24 h samples, which points towards the colon as the major site responsible for aspirin‐induced leakiness in NASH patients. Serum endotoxin levels were significantly higher in NASH subjects.Discussion: Our findings suggest that aspirin acts on the colon to unmask a susceptibility to gut leakiness in patients with NASH. This effect may be the underlying mechanism for increased serum endotoxin, which is the second hit (after altered lipid metabolism) that is required to initiate a necroinflammatory cascade in hepatocytes which are already primed with obesity‐induced abnormal lipid homoeostasis.
Unanalyzed evidence in law‐enforcement agencies
Authors: Strom Kevin J. , Hickman Matthew J. 
Published: July 2010

Research Summary This study investigated forensic evidence processing in a nationally representative sample of state and local law‐enforcement agencies (n = 3,153). For a 5‐year period, agencies reported that 14% of all unsolved homicides (an estimated 3,975 cases) and 18% of all unsolved rapes (an estimated 27,595 cases) contained forensic evidence that had not been submitted to a forensic crime laboratory for analysis. Approximately 40% of these unanalyzed homicide and rape cases were reported to have contained DNA evidence. The lack of a suspect in the case was the most frequently cited reason for not submitting forensic evidence for analysis. Policy Implications Despite an increased diffusion of knowledge regarding the value of forensic evidence in the prosecution and defense of criminal cases, the investigative capabilities of forensic science are not being realized by law enforcement. Additional training for law enforcement on the use of forensic science to develop investigative leads is critical, as is the creation of departmental policies that prioritize and streamline the analysis of forensic evidence for homicide and rape cases—even in “no‐suspect” cases. Ensuring adequate resources and information sharing for forensic processing especially of violent crimes, is also critical.
Evaluation of One- and Two-Color Gene Expression Arrays for Microbial Comparative Genome Hybridization Analyses in Routine Applications
Authors: Schwarz Roland , Joseph Biju , Gerlach Gabriele , Schramm-Glück Anja , Engelhard Kathrin , Frosch Matthias , Müller Tobias , Schoen Christoph 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACT
DNA microarray technology has already revolutionized basic research in infectious diseases, and whole-genome sequencing efforts have allowed for the fabrication of tailor-made spotted microarrays for an increasing number of bacterial pathogens. However, the application of microarrays in diagnostic microbiology is currently hampered by the high costs associated with microarray experiments and the specialized equipment needed. Here, we show that a thorough bioinformatic postprocessing of the microarray design to reduce the amount of unspecific noise also allows the reliable use of spotted gene expression microarrays for gene content analyses. We further demonstrate that the use of only single-color labeling to halve the costs for dye-labeled nucleotides results in only a moderate decrease in overall specificity and sensitivity. Therefore, gene expression microarrays using only single-color labeling can also reliably be used for gene content analyses, thus reducing the costs for potential routine applications such as genome-based pathogen detection or strain typing.
Development of a Skin Test for Bovine Tuberculosis for Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals
Authors: Whelan Adam O. , Clifford Derek , Upadhyay Bhagwati , Breadon Eleanor L. , McNair James , Hewinson Glyn R. , Vordermeier Martin H. 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACTThe tuberculin skin test has been used for the diagnosis of bovine and human tuberculosis (TB) for over a hundred years. However, the specificity of the test is compromised by vaccination with theMycobacterium bovis-derived vaccine strain bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG). Since current promising vaccines against bovine TB are based on heterologous prime-boost combinations that include BCG, there is a need for diagnostic tests for differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA). The application of antigens such as ESAT-6 and CFP-10 for DIVA has so far been realized largely through their application in the blood-based gamma interferon release assay. In the current study, we have reassessed the potential of such antigens as skin test reagents for DIVA in cattle. A cocktail of theMycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex recombinant protein antigens ESAT-6, CFP-10, MPB70, and MPB83 elicited delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin test responses in 78% of naturally infected tuberculin-positive cattle. Importantly, this cocktail induced no skin responses in BCG-vaccinated cattle despite them being sensitized for strong tuberculin responses. Further optimization of skin test antigen combinations identified that the inclusion of Rv3615c (Mb3645c) enhanced skin test sensitivity in naturally infected cattle without compromising specificity. In addition, we demonstrate for the first time the utility of synthetic peptides as promising skin test antigens for bovine TB for DIVA. Our data provide a promising basis for the future development of skin tests for DIVA with practical relevance for TB diagnosis in both veterinary and clinical settings.
Wild-Type MIC Distributions and Epidemiological Cutoff Values for the Triazoles and Six
Aspergillus
spp. for the CLSI Broth Microdilution Method (M38-A2 Document)
Authors: Espinel-Ingroff A. , Diekema D. J. , Fothergill A. , Johnson E. , Pelaez T. , Pfaller M. A. , Rinaldi M. G. , Canton E. , Turnidge J. 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACT

Clinical breakpoints have not been established for mold testing. Wild-type (WT) MIC distributions (organisms in a species/drug combination with no detectable acquired resistance mechanisms) were defined in order to establish epidemiologic cutoff values (ECVs) for five
Aspergillus
spp. and itraconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole. Also, we have expanded prior ECV data for
Aspergillus fumigatus.
The number of available isolates varied according to the species/triazole combination as follows: 1,684 to 2,815 for
A. fumigatus
, 323 to 592 for
A. flavus
, 131 to 143 for
A. nidulans
, 366 to 520 for
A. niger
, 330 to 462 for
A. terreus
, and 45 to 84 for
A. versicolor
. CLSI broth microdilution MIC data gathered in five independent laboratories in Europe and the United States were aggregated for the analyses. ECVs expressed in μg/ml were as follows (percentages of isolates for which MICs were equal to or less than the ECV are in parentheses):
A. fumigatus
, itraconazole, 1 (98.8%); posaconazole, 0.5 (99.2%); voriconazole, 1 (97.7%);
A. flavus
, itraconazole, 1 (99.6%); posaconazole, 0.25 (95%); voriconazole, 1 (98.1%);
A. nidulans
, itraconazole, 1 (95%); posaconazole, 1 (97.7%); voriconazole, 2 (99.3%);
A. niger
, itraconazole, 2 (100%); posaconazole, 0.5 (96.9%); voriconazole, 2 (99.4%);
A. terreus
, itraconazole, 1 (100%); posaconazole, 0.5 (99.7%); voriconazole, 1 (99.1%);
A. versicolor
, itraconazole, 2 (100%); posaconazole, 1 (not applicable); voriconazole, 2 (97.5%). Although ECVs do not predict therapy outcome as clinical breakpoints do, they may aid in detection of azole resistance (non-WT MIC) due to
cyp51A
mutations, a resistance mechanism in some
Aspergillus
spp. These ECVs should be considered for inclusion in the future CLSI M38-A2 document revision.
Incidence, Characteristics, and Outcomes of
Staphylococcus lugdunensis
Bacteremia
Authors: Choi Seong-Ho , Chung Jin-Won , Lee Eun Jung , Kim Tae Hyong , Lee Mi Suk , Kang Jae Myung , Song Eun Hee , Jun Jae-Bum , Kim Mi-Na , Kim Yang Soo , Woo Jun Hee , Choi Sang-Ho 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACT

Of 63 patients with
Staphylococcus lugdunensis
bacteremia, 15 (23.8%) had clinically significant bacteremia, with an incidence of 1.3 cases per 100,000 admissions. Of the five patients with community-acquired
S. lugdunensis
bacteremia, three had endocarditis. Catheters were the most common portal of entry for health-care-associated or hospital-acquired bacteremia. Only one patient died of bacteremia-related causes.