bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of hair removal by Nd:YAG laser on the recurrence of pilonidal sinus
Authors: Badawy EA , Kanawati MN 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBackground  Pilonidal sinus (PNS) is chronic inflammatory process of the skin in the natal cleft. Management of PNS is mainly surgical. Although different types of surgery have been performed, the recurrence rate is still high.Objective  To evaluate the effectiveness of laser hair removal (LHR) in the natal cleft area on the recurrence rate of PNS as an adjuvant therapy after surgical treatment.Methods  Twenty five patients with PNS were included in this study. Fifteen patients underwent LHR treatment using Nd:YAG laser after surgical excision of PNS (Patients group) while ten subjects with PNS did not do LHR and served as a control group.Results  All of the patients were male patients. Their age ranged from 17 to 29 years with a mean of 21.60 ± 3.13 years. They had Fitzpatrick skin type III, IV and V. The patients have got 3 to 8 sessions of LHR (mean 4.87 ± 1.64). Follow up period lasted between 12 to 23 months. None of the patients, who underwent LHR, has required further surgical treatment to date. Seven patients out of ten in the control group have developed recurrent PNS. Pain was the most frequent side effect and it was seen in 6 patients (40%).Conclusion  LHR can prevent the recurrence of PNS. LHR should be advised as an essential adjuvant treatment after surgical excision of PNS. In non‐complicated recurrent PNS, LHR is strongly advocated to be started before and continued after doing surgical treatment.
Trapper profiles and strategies: insights into sustainability from hunter behaviour
Authors: Kümpel N. F. , Rowcliffe J. M. , Cowlishaw G. , Milner‐Gulland E. J. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractHunters are the critical link between demand and supply of bushmeat. An understanding of the incentives that drive hunter behaviour might thus help to predict the impacts of hunting and inform management of bushmeat hunting systems. However, hunter behaviour has been generally under‐represented in studies of exploitation, in particular trapper behaviour, despite the fact that trapping is the most common form of hunting in central Africa. We collected data on hunter profiles and measures of catch and effort over 15 months in the Monte Mitra area of continental Equatorial Guinea, through interviews, hunter follows and an offtake survey. Younger trappers, and those not born in the village, were found to expend the greatest trapping effort. Trappers operated under three distinct strategies, reflecting different levels of effort and impact: low‐impact village trappers, medium‐impact forest trappers and high‐impact forest trappers. Among different measures of effort, time expended and distance travelled were found to be less important in predicting trapping success than the number of effective traps, a measure that incorporates trap age. Regular checking of traps was found to be important in reducing wastage and therefore increases trapping success. Trapping is currently the main hunting method in Monte Mitra, due to lower barriers to entry and higher profits compared with gun hunting, but increasing affordability and availability of guns and cartridges warns of a possible future switch to gun hunting in the area, which is likely to have adverse impacts on vulnerable species, particularly arboreal primates. An understanding of the influence of a hunter's profile on hunting effort and success enables a prediction of the impacts of socioeconomic changes on wildlife populations and management actions to improve hunting sustainability.
Environmental enrichment alters dentate granule cell morphology in oldest‐old rat
Authors: Darmopil Sanja , Petanjek Zdravko , Mohammed Abdul H. , Bogdanović Nenad 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe hippocampus of aged rats shows marked age‐related morphological changes that could cause memory deficits. Experimental evidence has established that environmental enrichment attenuates memory deficits in aged rats. We therefore studied whether environmental enrichment produces morphological changes on the dentate granule cells of aged rats. Fifteen male Sprague‐Dawley rats, 24 months of age, were randomly distributed in two groups that were housed under standard (n= 7) or enriched (n= 8) environmental conditions for 26 days. Quantitative data of dendritic morphology from dentate gyrus granule cells were obtained on Golgi–Cox stained sections. Environmental enrichment significantly increased the complexity and size of dendritic tree (total number of segments increased by 61% and length by 116%), and spine density (88% increase). There were large interindividual differences within the enriched group, indicating differential individual responses to environmental stimulation. Previous studies in young animals have shown changes produced by environmental enrichment in the morphology of dentate gyrus granule cells. The results of the present study show that environmental enrichment can also produce changes in dentate granule cell morphology in the senescent brain. In conclusion, the hippocampus retains its neuroplastic capacity during aging, and enriched environmental housing conditions can attenuate age‐related dendritic regression and synaptic loss, thus preserving memory functions.
Renal tubular expression of Toll‐like receptor 4 in cyclosporine nephrotoxicity
Authors: LIM BEOM JIN , HONG SOON WON , JEONG HYEON JOO 
Published: July 2009

Lim BJ, Hong SW, Jeong HJ. Renal tubular expression of Toll‐like receptor 4 in cyclosporine nephrotoxicity. APMIS 2009; 117: 583–91.Exploring the expression of Toll‐like receptor (TLR) in cyclosporine (CsA)‐induced renal injury in humans, we evaluated the expression of TLR4 in both biopsied renal tissue and cultured tubular cells. Immunohistochemical stains for TLR4, heat shock protein (HSP) 47, and HSP70 were performed in both pre‐ and post‐treatment biopsies obtained from 18 patients of minimal change nephrotic syndrome or IgA nephropathy treated with CsA, and the percentage of positive tubules was compared in each case. For in vitro experiments, HK‐2 cells were treated with CsA (2, 5, and 10 μg/ml) for 24, 48, and 72 h. TLR4 mRNA and protein were measured using real‐time RT‐PCR and Western blot. In addition, hypoxic effect was added by GasPak System. The tubular expressions of TLR4 (2.2 ± 1.2% vs 4.4 ± 2.0%, p < 0.001) and HSP70 (2.6 ± 2.8% vs 6.1 ± 4.2%, p = 0.002) were increased after CsA treatment. TLR4 mRNA and protein expression were also increased in a dose‐dependent manner. Hypoxia enormously increased TLR4 expression. In summary, CsA increased tubular expression of TLR4 and its ligand HSP70. As hypoxia was shown to be a strong stimulus for TLR4 expression, it can be said that TLR4 is influenced by both direct toxicity and impediment of renal microcirculation in human CsA nephrotoxicity.
FGFR3 is expressed and is important for survival in INA‐6, a human myeloma cell line without a t(4;14)
Authors: Våtsveen Thea K. , Brenne Anne‐Tove , Dai Hong Y. , Waage Anders , Sundan Anders , Børset Magne 
Published: July 2009

AbstractObjectives:  Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is a proto‐oncogene that is often dysregulated together with multiple myeloma SET‐domain (MMSET) by the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IGH) gene in t(4;14)pos multiple myeloma (MM) cells, and which is usually not expressed in MM cells without this translocation. Whether FGFR3 may play a role in MM cells without t(4;14) and the IGH‐MMSET fusion protein is unclear and is the focus of this report.Methods:  FGFR3 expression was explored in cell lines with and without t(4;14) by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), RT‐PCR and Western Blot. FGFR3 inhibitors SU5402 and PD173074 were used to explore the role of FGFR3 in these cells.Results:  We discovered an amplification of the FGFR3 locus in INA‐6, a human MM cell line. We also demonstrated expression of FGFR3 mRNA and protein in the cells, probably caused by the extra copy of the gene. INA‐6 cells did not have t(4;14) and neither was there any involvement of the other IG loci in translocations with the FGFR3 gene. The FGFR3 inhibitors decreased the proliferation of INA‐6.Conclusion:  The decreased viability and proliferation in INA‐6, following inhibition with FGFR3 inhibitors, indicates that FGFR3 may play a role also in cells without t(4;14) – and hence without high expression of MMSET, the ubiquitous oncoprotein in MM cells with t(4;14). This gives further credibility to the notion that FGFR3 expression is not just an epiphenomenon in t(4;14) MM, but an important part of the malignant phenotype.
Perceptions of Japanese and Canadian dental hygiene students towards their profession
Authors: Saito A , Tomita C , Sato Y , Cathcart G 
Published: July 2009

Abstract:  Objectives:  The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions towards the profession and level of self‐esteem of Japanese and Canadian dental hygiene students.Methods:  Third year dental hygiene students enrolled in a Japanese and a Canadian dental hygiene programme were asked to participate in a survey study. An instrument was developed to obtain students’ opinions about the profession. The present study also explored dental hygiene students’ levels of self‐esteem, and the relationship with perceptions towards profession.Results:  Scores for dimensions including ‘Motivation’, ‘Expectation’ and ‘Environment’ were significantly higher among the Canadian students over Japanese students. The level of explicit self‐esteem of the Canadian students was significantly higher than that of the Japanese students, and it was positively correlated with their expectations of the profession.Conclusions:  There were significant differences in perceptions between Japanese and Canadian dental hygiene students. It is suggested that educational strategies should be planned to positively influence the students’ perceptions toward the profession and improve the level of self‐esteem.
Determining the important environmental variables controlling plant species community composition in mesotrophic grasslands in Great Britain
Authors: Kalusová Veronika , Le Duc Michael G. , Gilbert Joanne C. , Lawson Clare S. , Gowing David J.G. , Marrs Rob H. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractQuestion: What is the relative importance of local site effects and selected important environmental variables in determining plant species composition? How do species respond to these environmental variables?Location: Ten mesotrophic grassland sites of high conservation value in southern England.Methods: Species cover was assessed in between 10 and 25 randomly selected 1‐m2 quadrats at each site. At each quadrat degree of waterlogging (W), soil Olsen extractable phosphorus (P) and soil pH were measured. Variation partitioning was used to separate site and soil effects, and HOF (Huisman, Olff & Fresco) modelling was used to produce response curves for the major species on soil gradients, based on coenoclines derived from partial canonical correspondence analysis (pCCA).Results: Variation partitioning identified Site as the most important environmental variable (34.6%). Only 18.7% was accounted for by the three soil variables together; W (degree of waterlogging), P and pH accounted for 11.1%, 5.7% and 4.3%, respectively in raw form with 2.4% shared. However, when Site and the other soil variables were removed the variation explained reduced to 2.3% for W, 1.1% for P and 1.0% for pH. The species responses to each of these soil environmental factors could be separated into four types on each gradient. Most species were abundant at low W, low soil P and intermediate pH.Conclusions: Site‐based factors were more important than the three soil variables, which were assumed to be directly or indirectly associated with productivity. This implies that each site has unique properties that are more important than the soil variables. The three soil factors were, however, significant and the groups of the most common species, based on significant response curves, can be used as a first approximation of indicators of environmental conditions in British mesotrophic grasslands for conservation. However, W accounted for most variation, and the current reliance on soil available P and soil pH for assessing conservation/restoration potential should be viewed with caution.
Does flooding of rice fields after cultivation contribute to wetland plant conservation in southern Brazil?
Authors: Rolon Ana S. , Maltchik Leonardo 
Published: July 2009

AbstractQuestion: Does flooding of rice fields after cultivation contribute to wetland plant conservation in southern Brazil?Location: Rice fields in the coastal plain of southern Brazil.Methods: Six rice fields with different management practices were randomly selected (three dry rice fields and three flooded rice fields). Six collections were carried out over the rice cultivation cycle. Richness and biomass were measured using the quadrat method.Results: A total of 88 macrophyte species was recorded. There was no statistical interaction between management practices and rice cultivation phases for macrophyte richness and biomass. Macrophyte species richness and biomass changed over time, but were similar between flooded and dry rice fields. The first three axes generated by detrended correspondence analysis explained 29% of the variation in species composition and the multivariate analysis of variance showed that there was a statistical interaction between management practices and agricultural periods.Conclusions: Rice fields may help to conserve an important fraction of the aquatic macrophyte diversity of wetlands of southern Brazil by providing the setting up of a greater number of species within the agricultural landscape. However, rice fields must not be viewed as surrogate systems for natural wetlands. The difference in species composition between flooded and dry rice fields is interesting in terms of biodiversity conservation. If rice producers could keep part of their agricultural land flooded during the fallow phase, this management practice could be an important strategy for the conservation of biodiversity in areas where natural wetlands have been converted to rice fields.
A miniaturized assay for influenza neuraminidase‐inhibiting antibodies utilizing reverse genetics‐derived antigens
Authors: Sandbulte Matthew R. , Gao Jin , Straight Timothy M. , Eichelberger Maryna C. 
Published: July 2009

Background  Antibodies to neuraminidase (NA) contribute to protection during influenza virus infection, but NA inhibition (NI) titers are not routinely analyzed in vaccine trials. One reason is the cumbersome nature of the conventional thiobarbituric acid (TBA) NI assay, which uses chemical methods to quantify free sialic acid following incubation of NA with substrate in the presence of serum. In addition, the assay is complicated by the need to use virus of a hemagglutinin (HA) subtype novel to the host to detect NA‐specific antibodies only.Objectives  Our primary objectives were to miniaturize the colorimetric NI assay to a format suitable for quantitative analysis of large numbers of samples, and validate the specificity and sensitivity of the miniaturized format with ferret and human sera. An additional aim was to use reverse genetics to construct HA‐mismatched viral reagents bearing NA of recent influenza A vaccine strains and H6 HA.Results  Analysis of ferret antisera by the miniaturized assay demonstrated sensitivity and specificity comparable with the conventional assay. Similar increases in the NI titers in sera from vaccinated human volunteers were measured in miniaturized and conventional assays. Inactivated and live‐attenuated vaccines increased NI titers against a given subtype at approximately the same rate.Conclusions  The reagents and miniaturized format of the TBA method described here provide a platform for practical serological monitoring of functional antibodies against NA.
Fifteen microsatellite loci for the jungle perch, Kuhlia rupestris
Authors: PETERS MAUREEN B. , OVENDEN JENNIFER R. , BRODERICK DAMIEN , LANCE STACEY L. , HAGEN CRIS , GLENN TRAVIS C. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractWe developed and optimized 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci in the jungle perch, Kuhlia rupestris. Loci were screened in a single population (n = 24) from Fraser Island, Queensland, Australia. Number of alleles per locus ranged from 3 to 19 and observed heterozygosity from 0.25 to 1. No significant linkage disequilibrium was detected between any pair of loci. Genotype proportions for these loci in the population sampled were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium.
Association between Contaminated Faucets and Colonization or Infection by Nonfermenting Gram-Negative Bacteria in Intensive Care Units in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Jiun-Ling , Chen Mei-Ling , Lin Yusen Eason , Chang Shan-Chwen , Chen Yee-Chun 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACT

This study was designed to determine the strength of the association between the isolation of nonfermentative gram-negative bacilli (NFGNB) from tap water faucet aerators and the prevalence of colonization or infection of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Surveillance cultures were obtained during a 4-month period from 162 faucet aerators located in seven different ICUs. The prevalence of colonization or infection of ICU patients with NFGNB was determined by prospective surveillance during the same period. Fifty four (33%) of the faucet aerators contained NFGNB. Among the 66 NFGNB isolated from faucet aerators, the most frequently encountered ones were
Sphingomonas paucimobili
(26 isolates),
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
(14 isolates),
Chryseobacterium meningosepticum
(13 isolates),
Achromobacter xylosoxidans
(6 isolates),
Burkholderia cepacia
(4 isolates), and
Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
(3 isolates).
Acinetobacter baumannii
was not recovered. The most common NFGNB isolated from ICU patients were
P
.
aeruginosa
and
A
.
baumannii
. There was a significant correlation between the overall prevalence of NFGNB in faucet aerators and their prevalence in exposed ICU patients (Spearman
r
= 0.821,
P
= 0.02). There was also a significant correlation between the prevalence of
C
.
meningosepticum
in faucet aerators and its prevalence among ICU patients (Spearman
r
= 0.847,
P
= 0.016). The electrokaryotypes of four clinical isolates of
C
.
meningosepticum
were similar to those of faucet isolates. Measures directed at making the water supply safe may prevent infection by
C
.
meningosepticum
and other waterborne pathogens.
Field Performance of a Rapid Diagnostic Test for Influenza in an Ambulatory Setting
Authors: Rouleau Isabelle , Charest Hugues , Douville-Fradet Monique , Skowronski Danuta M. , De Serres Gaston 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACT
Provided test characteristics are adequate, point-of-care rapid antigen detection tests for influenza could improve the timeliness and appropriateness of clinical decisions. Our objective was to estimate the field sensitivity and specificity of the Quidel QuickVue Influenza A+B test in an ambulatory setting. The sensitivity and specificity of the Quidel QuickVue test was evaluated against reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) on nasopharyngeal specimens collected over two consecutive influenza seasons from ambulatory patients consulting for influenza-like illness (ILI) within 7 days of ILI onset. A total of 491 patients with ILI (180 in 2006 to 2007 and 311 in 2007 to 2008) provided specimens that were tested both by PCR and by the Quidel QuickVue test. Among the 267 patients positive by PCR (55%), 52 were also positive by the QuickVue test, for an overall sensitivity of 19.5% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 14.7% to 24.2%). Among the 221 PCR-negative patients, 2 were positive for influenza B virus by the rapid test (<1%), for an overall specificity of 99.1% (95% CI, 97.9 to 100%). The field sensitivity of the test varied little with the age or gender of the patient, immunization status, delay since the onset of symptoms, or influenza season. The sensitivity of the test was slightly but nonsignificantly higher for influenza B virus (23%) than for influenza A virus (18%). Despite its high specificity, the low sensitivity of the Quidel QuickVue Influenza A+B test is too poor to direct clinical decisions for ambulatory patients with ILI. Negative results cannot rule out the diagnosis of influenza, and in that context, this test is of questionable utility for routine application in the clinical setting.
Negative Immune Regulator Tim-3 Is Overexpressed on T Cells in Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Its Blockade Rescues Dysfunctional CD4
+
and CD8
+
T Cells
Authors: Golden-Mason Lucy , Palmer Brent E. , Kassam Nasim , Townshend-Bulson Lisa , Livingston Stephen , McMahon Brian J. , Castelblanco Nicole , Kuchroo Vijay , Gretch David R. , Rosen Hugo R. 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACT

A number of emerging molecules and pathways have been implicated in mediating the T-cell exhaustion characteristic of chronic viral infection. Not all dysfunctional T cells express PD-1, nor are they all rescued by blockade of the PD-1/PD-1 ligand pathway. In this study, we characterize the expression of T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) in chronic hepatitis C infection. For the first time, we found that Tim-3 expression is increased on CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cells in chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The proportion of dually PD-1/Tim-3-expressing cells is greatest in liver-resident T cells, significantly more so in HCV-specific than in cytomegalovirus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Tim-3 expression correlates with a dysfunctional and senescent phenotype (CD127
low
CD57
high
), a central rather than effector memory profile (CD45RA
negative
CCR7
high
), and reduced Th1/Tc1 cytokine production. We also demonstrate the ability to enhance T-cell proliferation and gamma interferon production in response to HCV-specific antigens by blocking the Tim-3-Tim-3 ligand interaction. These findings have implications for the development of novel immunotherapeutic approaches to this common viral infection.
Host Shutoff Is a Conserved Phenotype of Gammaherpesvirus Infection and Is Orchestrated Exclusively from the Cytoplasm
Authors: Covarrubias Sergio , Richner Justin M. , Clyde Karen , Lee Yeon J. , Glaunsinger Britt A. 
Published: July 2009

ABSTRACT
Lytic infection with the two human gammaherpesviruses, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), leads to significant depletion of the cellular transcriptome. This host shutoff phenotype is driven by the conserved herpesviral alkaline exonuclease, termed SOX in KSHV and BGLF5 in EBV, which in gammaherpesviruses has evolved the genetically separable ability to target cellular mRNA. We now show that host shutoff is also a prominent consequence of murine gammaherpesvirus 68 (MHV68) infection, which is widely used as a model system to study pathogenesis of these viruses in vivo. The effector of MHV68-induced host shutoff is its SOX homolog, here termed muSOX. There is remarkable functional conservation of muSOX host shutoff activities with those of KSHV SOX, including the recently described ability of SOX to induce mRNA hyperadenylation in the nucleus as well as cause nuclear relocalization of the poly(A) binding protein. SOX and muSOX localize to both the nucleus and cytoplasm of infected cells. Using spatially restricted variants of these proteins, we go on to demonstrate that all known host shutoff-related activities of SOX and muSOX are orchestrated exclusively from the cytoplasm. These results have important mechanistic implications for how SOX and muSOX target nascent cellular transcripts in the nucleus. Furthermore, our findings establish MHV68 as a new, genetically tractable model to study host shutoff.