bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Outcome of capsulotomy in patients with low vision and posterior capsule opacification
Authors: Sundelin Karin , Lundström Mats 
Published: May 2010

Abstract.Purpose:  To investigate the functional outcome, as defined using the Catquest questionnaire, for patients with posterior capsule opacification (PCO) and low corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), after capsulotomy.Methods:  Thirty‐one patients with PCO and visual acuity ≥0.6 (logMAR, ≤0.25 decimal notation) in the PCO eye were examined before and 1 month after capsulotomy. An ophthalmic examination, procuring of a digital image of the posterior lens capsule and completion of Catquest were carried out.Results:  Mean CDVA (p < 0.001), disabilities in daily life (p = 0.004), activity (p = 0.012), symptoms of glare (p = 0.003) and satisfaction with vision (p < 0.001) all improved after capsulotomy. Sixty‐five per cent of patients had good or very good benefit and 23% questionable or no benefit. The group with moderate benefit was only 6%. Compared with patients with PCO and better visual acuity, the number of patients with good benefit was greater than the number with moderate benefit.Conclusions:  Most patients with PCO and low CDVA reported improved visual function in daily life as defined using Catquest, after capsulotomy. The group with moderate benefit was small, indicating that the improvement was either substantial or negligible.
One‐stage explant–implant procedure of exposed porous orbital implants
Authors: Toft Peter B. , Roed Rasmussen Marie L. , Prause Jan U. 
Published: May 2010

Abstract.Purpose:  To investigate the risks of implant exposure after a combined explant–implant procedure in patients with an exposed porous orbital implant.Methods:  Twenty‐four consecutive patients who had a combined explant–implant procedure of an exposed hydroxyapatite (21) or porous polyethylene (3) orbital implant from January 2000 to February 2009 were included. The patient records were reviewed; patients were interviewed by telephone and invited for a clinical examination. Histopathological examination was carried out on the removed implants. Main outcome measures were: presence of exposure of the new implant or not, patient graded satisfaction with the cosmetic result, and presence of poor motility.Results:  None of the new implants became exposed or infected in the follow‐up period of 25 [3–94] months (median [range]). The patients scored their satisfaction with the cosmetic result to a median score of 9 (range 5–10). Poor motility was present in six of 17 patients. Micro‐organisms were identified in three removed implants and signs of inflammation were present in 20 removed implants.Conclusions:  If a decision of implant removal has been made, it is safe to replace the implant at the same procedure in sockets without profound signs of infection. The procedure carries a possible risk of poor motility.
The effect of Kashin‐Beck disease‐affected feed and T‐2 toxin on the bone development of Wistar rats
Authors: YAN Denglu , KANG Pengde , YANG Jing , SHEN Bing , ZHOU Zongke , DUAN Lijun , DENG Jiayun , HUANG Hui , PEI Fu‐Xing 
Published: May 2010

AbstractObjective:  To investigate the effect of Kashin‐Beck disease (KBD)‐affected feed and T‐2 toxin on the bone development of Wistar rats.Methods:  Seventy‐eight ablactation Wistal rats (50% male and 50% female) weighing ≈ 65 g were obtained from Sichuan Medical Center (Chengdu, China), and were randomly assigned to three groups (Groups A, B and C). Group A had 24 rats and were fed with commercial rat feed (control); Group B had 30 rats and were fed with commercial rat feed and T2 toxin by intragastric administration; and Group C had 24 rats and were fed with the KBD‐affected feed. The histological sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and Masson dye.Results:  Weight gain was fastest Group A rats and Group C rats had the lowest weight gain (P < 0.05). There were no epiphyseal plate chondrocyte necroses in the control group at the first, second, and fourth weeks. In the T‐2 toxin group, two rats had chondrocyte‐focus necroses at the labrocyte cell zone at the second week. At the fourth week, six rats had chondrocyte‐focus or lamellar necroses at the labrocyte cell zone. Three rats had focus necrosis at the proliferation cell zone, and there were three rats with penetration necrosis. In the KBD‐affected group, one rat had chondrocyte‐focus necrosis at the labrocyte cell zone at the second week and seven rats had chondrocyte‐focus necrosis at the labrocyte cell zone at the fourth week. And at the same time, two rats had focus necrosis at the proliferation cell zone, three rats had lamellar necrosis at the labrocyte cell zone, four had focus necrosis at the labrocyte cell zone, and two rats had penetration necrosis. The epiphyseal plate Masson dye of the control group showed deep blue collogen coloration and in the KBD‐affected group and T‐2 toxin group, collogen showed a pale blue color, the drum dyeing was uneven, and the collogen was showed an absence of color in the region of the necrosis.Conclusions:  With KBD‐affected feed or T‐2 toxin intervention, rats had focus necrosis and lamellar necrosis at the epiphyseal plate. KBD‐affected feed rats had less weight gain than T‐2 toxin intervention rats, which means there were other etiological factors in KBD‐affected feed.
Evaluation of the Analytical Performance of the Xpert MTB/RIF Assay
Authors: Blakemore Robert , Story Elizabeth , Helb Danica , Kop JoAnn , Banada Padmapriya , Owens Michelle R. , Chakravorty Soumitesh , Jones Martin , Alland David 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

We performed the first studies of analytic sensitivity, analytic specificity, and dynamic range for the new Xpert MTB/RIF assay, a nucleic acid amplification-based diagnostic system that detects
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
and rifampin (RIF) resistance in under 2 h. The sensitivity of the assay was tested with 79 phylogenetically and geographically diverse
M. tuberculosis
isolates, including 42 drug-susceptible isolates and 37 RIF-resistant isolates containing 13 different
rpoB
mutations or mutation combinations. The specificity of the assay was tested with 89 nontuberculosis bacteria, fungi, and viruses. The Xpert MTB/RIF assay correctly identified all 79
M. tuberculosis
isolates and correctly excluded all 89 nontuberculosis isolates. RIF resistance was correctly identified in all 37 resistant isolates and in none of the 42 susceptible isolates. Dynamic range was assessed by adding 10
2
to 10
7
CFU of
M. tuberculosis
into
M. tuberculosis
-negative sputum samples. The assay showed a log-linear relationship between cycle threshold and input CFU over the entire concentration range. Resistance detection in the presence of different mixtures of RIF-resistant and RIF-susceptible DNA was assessed. Resistance detection was dependent on the particular mutation and required between 65% and 100% mutant DNA to be present in the sample for 95% certainty of resistance detection. Finally, we studied whether assay specificity could be affected by cross-contaminating amplicons generated by the GenoType MTBDRplus assay.
M. tuberculosis
was not detected until at least 10
8
copies of an MTBDRplus amplicon were spiked into 1 ml of sputum, suggesting that false-positive results would be unlikely to occur.
Rapid Multiple-Locus Variant-Repeat Assay (MLVA) for Genotyping of
Streptococcus agalactiae
Authors: Radtke Andreas , Lindstedt Bjørn-Arne , Afset Jan Egil , Bergh Kåre 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Several methods have been used for typing of
Streptococcus agalactiae
(group B streptococci [GBS]). Methods currently in use may provide inadequate resolution (e.g., typing of capsular polysaccharides and surface protein) or are labor-intensive and expensive (e.g., multilocus sequence typing [MLST] or pulsed-field gel electrophoresis). This work describes the construction and use of a multiple-locus variant-repeat assay (MLVA) on 126 well-characterized human GBS strains, consisting mostly of invasive Norwegian strains and international reference strains. Based on
in silico
whole-genomic analysis of the genomes of strains A909, NEM316, and 2603V/R, 18 candidate loci were selected and investigated by PCR. Eleven loci showed diversity, and the five most diverse loci were used for the construction of an MLVA, consisting of a multiplex PCR followed by fragment analysis with capillary electrophoresis. The assay generated clusters which corresponded well with those observed by other methods. However, it provided a considerably higher degree of diversity, with 70 different MLVA types compared to 36 types generated by MLST. Simpson's index of diversity for the 5-locus MLVA was 0.963, compared to 0.899 for the MLST in this strain collection. MLVA results will generally be available within 2 days, which is usually faster than MLST. In our hands, MLVA of GBS represents a rapid, easy, and comparably inexpensive method for high-resolution genotyping of GBS.
Streptococcus salivarius
Meningitis Case Strain Traced to Oral Flora of Anesthesiologist
Authors: Shewmaker Patricia L. , Gertz Robert E. , Kim Clara Y. , de Fijter Sietske , DiOrio Mary , Moore Matthew R. , Beall Bernard W. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Two women in labor received intrapartum spinal anesthesia from the same anesthesiologist approximately 1 h apart. Within 15 h, both patients developed
Streptococcus salivarius
meningitis and one patient died. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from both patients and tongue swab specimens from the anesthesiologist yielded isolates of an indistinguishable
S. salivarius
strain.
Characteristics of Meropenem Heteroresistance in
Klebsiella pneumoniae
Carbapenemase (KPC)-Producing Clinical Isolates of
K. pneumoniae
Authors: Pournaras Spyros , Kristo Ioulia , Vrioni Georgia , Ikonomidis Alexandros , Poulou Aggeliki , Petropoulou Dimitra , Tsakris Athanassios 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Meropenem heteroresistance was investigated in six apparently meropenem-susceptible,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
carbapenemase (KPC)-producing
K. pneumoniae
(KPC-KP) clinical isolates, compared with that in carbapenemase-negative, meropenem-susceptible controls. In population analyses, the KPC-KP isolates grew at meropenem concentrations of 64 to 256 μg/ml. Heteroresistant colonies had significantly elevated expression of the
bla
KPC
gene compared with the native populations but did not retain heteroresistance when subcultured in drug-free media. Time-kill assays indicated that meropenem alone was not bactericidal against KPC-KP but efficiently killed the control strains.
Establishment and Characterization of a Madin-Darby Canine Kidney Reporter Cell Line for Influenza A Virus Assays
Authors: Hossain M. Jaber , Perez Sandra , Guo Zhu , Chen Li-Mei , Donis Ruben O. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT
Influenza virus diagnosis has traditionally relied on virus isolation in chicken embryo or cell cultures. Many laboratories have adopted rapid molecular methods for detection of influenza viruses and discontinued routine utilization of the relatively slow viral culture methods. We describe an influenza A virus reporter cell line that contributes to more efficient viral detection in cell culture. Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells were engineered to constitutively produce an influenza virus genome-like luciferase reporter RNA driven by the canine RNA polymerase I promoter. Induction of a high level of luciferase activity was detected in the Luc9.1 cells upon infection with various strains of influenza A virus, including 2009 H1N1 pandemic and highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. In contrast, infection with influenza B virus or human adenovirus type 5 did not induce significant levels of reporter expression. The reporter Luc9.1 cells were evaluated in neutralizing antibody assays with convalescent H3N2 ferret serum, yielding a neutralization titer comparable to that obtained by the conventional microneutralization assay, suggesting that the use of the reporter cell line might simplify neutralization assays by facilitating the establishment of infectious virus endpoints. Luc9.1 cells were also used to determine the susceptibility of influenza A viruses to a model antiviral drug. The equivalence to conventional antiviral assay results indicated that the Luc9.1 cells could provide an alternative cell-based platform for high-throughput drug discovery screens. In summary, the MDCK-derived Luc9.1 reporter cell line is highly permissive for influenza A virus replication and provides a very specific and sensitive approach for simultaneous detection and isolation of influenza A viruses as well as functional evaluation of antibodies and antiviral molecules.
Human Cytomegalovirus pUL83 Stimulates Activity of the Viral Immediate-Early Promoter through Its Interaction with the Cellular IFI16 Protein
Authors: Cristea Ileana M. , Moorman Nathaniel J. , Terhune Scott S. , Cuevas Christian D. , O'Keefe Erin S. , Rout Michael P. , Chait Brian T. , Shenk Thomas 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT
The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) virion protein pUL83 (also termed pp65) inhibits the expression of interferon-inducible cellular genes. In this work we demonstrate that pUL83 is also important for efficient induction of transcription from the viral major immediate-early promoter. Infection with a mutant virus containing a premature translation termination codon in the UL83 open reading frame (ORF) (UL83Stop) resulted in decreased transcription from the major immediate-early promoter in a time- and multiplicity-dependent manner. Expression of pUL83 alone is capable of transactivating the promoter in a reporter assay, and pUL83 associates with the promoter in infected cells. To investigate the mechanism by which the protein regulates the major immediate-early promoter, we utilized a mutant virus expressing an epitope-tagged pUL83 from its own promoter to identify protein binding partners for pUL83 during infection. We identified and confirmed the interaction of pUL83 with cellular IFI16 family members throughout the course of HCMV infection. pUL83 recruits IFI16 to the major immediate-early promoter, and IFI16 binding at the promoter is dependent upon the presence of pUL83. Consistent with the results obtained with the UL83Stop virus, infection of IFI16 knockdown cells with wild-type virus resulted in decreased levels of immediate-early transcripts compared to those of control cells. These data identify a previously unknown role for pUL83 in the initiation of the human cytomegalovirus gene expression cascade.
Induction of Neutralizing Antibody Responses to Anthrax Protective Antigen by Using Influenza Virus Vectors: Implications for Disparate Immune System Priming Pathways
Authors: Langley William A. , Bradley Konrad C. , Li Zhu-Nan , Smith Mary Ellen , Schnell Matthias J. , Steinhauer David A. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT

Viral vectors based on influenza virus, rabies virus (RV), and vaccinia virus (VV) were used to express large polypeptide segments derived from the
Bacillus anthracis
protective antigen (PA). For the infectious influenza virus vector and recombinant VV constructs, the receptor binding domain (RBD or domain 4) or the lethal and edema factor binding domain (LEF or domain 1′) were engineered into functional chimeric hemagglutinin (HA) glycoproteins. In the case of the RV vector, the viral glycoprotein (G) was used as a carrier for RBD in an inactivated form of the vector. These constructs were examined by using multiple homologous and heterologous prime/boost immunization regimens in order to optimize the induction of α-PA antibody responses. Several immunization combinations were shown to induce high titers of antibody recognizing the anthrax RBD and LEF domains, as well as the full-length PA protein in mice. The heterologous prime/boost immunization regimens that involved an initial intranasal administration of a live influenza virus vector, followed by an intramuscular boost with either the killed RV vector or the VV vector, were particularly effective, inducing antigen-specific antibodies at levels severalfold higher than homologous or alternative heterologous protocols. Furthermore, sera from several groups of the immunized mice demonstrated neutralization activity in an
in vitro
anthrax toxin neutralization assay. In some cases, such toxin-neutralizing activity was notably high, indicating that the mechanisms by which immunity is primed by live influenza virus vectors may have beneficial properties.
The Cysteine Protease Domain of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Nonstructural Protein 2 Possesses Deubiquitinating and Interferon Antagonism Functions
Authors: Sun Zhi , Chen Zhenhai , Lawson Steven R. , Fang Ying 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus nonstructural protein 2 (nsp2) contains a cysteine protease domain at its N terminus, which belongs to the ovarian tumor (OTU) protease family. In this study, we demonstrated that the PRRSV nsp2 OTU domain antagonizes the type I interferon induction by interfering with the NF-κB signaling pathway. Further analysis revealed that the nsp2 OTU domain possesses ubiquitin-deconjugating activity. This domain has the ability to inhibit NF-κB activation by interfering with the polyubiquitination process of IκBα, which subsequently prevents IκBα degradation. To determine whether the nsp2 protein antagonist function can be ablated from the virus, we introduced point mutations into the OTU domain region by use of reverse genetics. The D458A, S462A, and D465A mutations targeting on a B-cell epitope in the OTU domain region generated the viable recombinant viruses, and the S462A and D465A mutants were attenuated for growth in cell culture. The OTU domain mutants were examined to determine whether mutations in the nsp2 OTU domain region altered virus ability to inhibit NF-κB activation. The result showed that certain mutations lethal to virus replication impaired the ability of nsp2 to inhibit NF-κB activation but that the viable recombinant viruses, vSD-S462A and vSD-D465A, were unable to inhibit NF-κB activation as effectively as the wild-type virus. This study represents a fundamental step in elucidating the role of nsp2 in PRRS pathogenesis and provides an important insight in future modified live-virus vaccine development.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Engineered To Express the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Corrects the Bioelectric Phenotype of Human Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelium
In Vitro
Authors: Kwilas Anna R. , Yednak Mark A. , Zhang Liqun , Liesman Rachael , Collins Peter L. , Pickles Raymond J. , Peeples Mark E. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common lethal recessive genetic disease in the Caucasian population. It is caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene that is normally expressed in ciliated airway epithelial cells and the submucosal glands of the lung. Since the CFTR gene was first characterized in 1989, a major goal has been to develop an effective gene therapy for CF lung disease, which has the potential to ameliorate morbidity and mortality. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) naturally infects the ciliated cells in the human airway epithelium. In addition, the immune response mounted against an RSV infection does not prevent subsequent infections, suggesting that an RSV-based vector might be effectively readministered. To test whether the large 4.5-kb CFTR gene could be expressed by a recombinant RSV and whether infectious virus could be used to deliver CFTR to ciliated airway epithelium derived from CF patients, we inserted the CFTR gene into four sites in a recombinant green fluorescent protein-expressing RSV (rgRSV) genome to generate virus expressing four different levels of CFTR protein. Two of these four rgRSV-CFTR vectors were capable of expressing CFTR with little effect on viral replication. rgRSV-CFTR infection of primary human airway epithelial cultures derived from CF patients resulted in expression of CFTR protein that was properly localized at the luminal surface and corrected the chloride ion channel defect in these cells.
Evaluation of Replication and Cross-Reactive Antibody Responses of H2 Subtype Influenza Viruses in Mice and Ferrets
Authors: Chen Grace L. , Lamirande Elaine W. , Yang Chin-Fen , Jin Hong , Kemble George , Subbarao Kanta 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACTH2 influenza viruses have not circulated in humans since 1968, and therefore a large segment of the population would likely be susceptible to infection should H2 influenza viruses reemerge. The development of an H2 pandemic influenza virus vaccine candidate should therefore be considered a priority in pandemic influenza preparedness planning. We selected a group of geographically and temporally diverse wild-type H2 influenza viruses and evaluated the kinetics of replication and compared the ability of these viruses to induce a broadly cross-reactive antibody response in mice and ferrets. In both mice and ferrets, A/Japan/305/1957 (H2N2), A/mallard/NY/1978 (H2N2), and A/swine/MO/2006 (H2N3) elicited the broadest cross-reactive antibody responses against heterologous H2 influenza viruses as measured by hemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization assays. These data suggested that these three viruses may be suitable candidates for development as live attenuated H2 pandemic influenza virus vaccines.
African Swine Fever Virus Protein p17 Is Essential for the Progression of Viral Membrane Precursors toward Icosahedral Intermediates
Authors: Suárez Cristina , Gutiérrez-Berzal Javier , Andrés Germán , Salas María L. , Rodríguez Javier M. 
Published: May 2010

ABSTRACT
The first morphological evidence of African swine fever virus (ASFV) assembly is the appearance of precursor viral membranes, thought to derive from the endoplasmic reticulum, within the assembly sites. We have shown previously that protein p54, a viral structural integral membrane protein, is essential for the generation of the viral precursor membranes. In this report, we study the role of protein p17, an abundant transmembrane protein localized at the viral internal envelope, in these processes. Using an inducible virus for this protein, we show that p17 is essential for virus viability and that its repression blocks the proteolytic processing of polyproteins pp220 and pp62. Electron microscopy analyses demonstrate that when the infection occurs under restrictive conditions, viral morphogenesis is blocked at an early stage, immediately posterior to the formation of the viral precursor membranes, indicating that protein p17 is required to allow their progression toward icosahedral particles. Thus, the absence of this protein leads to an accumulation of these precursors and to the delocalization of the major components of the capsid and core shell domains. The study of ultrathin serial sections from cells infected with BA71V or the inducible virus under permissive conditions revealed the presence of large helicoidal structures from which immature particles are produced, suggesting that these helicoidal structures represent a previously undetected viral intermediate.