bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lending Booms and Lending Standards
Authors: DELL'ARICCIA GIOVANNI , MARQUEZ ROBERT 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACTWe examine how the informational structure of loan markets interacts with banks' strategic behavior in determining lending standards, lending volume, and the aggregate allocation of credit. We show that, as banks obtain private information about borrowers and information asymmetries across banks decrease, banks may loosen their lending standards, leading to an equilibrium with deteriorated bank portfolios, lower profits, and expanded aggregate credit. These lower standards are associated with greater aggregate surplus and greater risk of financial instability. We therefore provide an explanation for the sequence of financial liberalization, lending booms, and banking crises observed in many emerging markets.
A Pilot Study Examining the Performance of Polynomial‐Modeled Ventricular Shock Electrograms for Rhythm Discrimination in Implantable Devices
Authors: WILLIAMS JEFFREY L. , SHUSTERMAN VLADIMIR , SABA SAMIR 
Published: September 2006

Background: Inappropriate shocks continue to be a problem for patients with implantable defibrillators (ICD). We evaluated the performance of polynomial‐modeled ventricular electrograms (EGM) to discriminate between supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and ventricular tachycardia (VT).
Methods: Seven sets of EGM from patients having both SVT and VT documented during a single ICD interrogation were included. The cardiac cycle was analyzed off‐line in two parts, QR and RQ segments, which were modeled separately using third‐order and sixth‐order polynomial equations, respectively. These segments were then analyzed to determine which polynomial coefficients were most significant for rhythm discrimination.
Results: When analyzing the QR segment during arrhythmia, there were statistically significant (P < 0.05) correlations in 4 of 4 (100%) of the QR coefficients when comparing normal sinus rhythm (NSR) to SVT and 2 of 4 (50%) when comparing NSR to VT or SVT to VT. When analyzing the RQ segment during arrhythmia, there were statistically significant (P < 0.05) correlations in 4 of 7 (57%) of the RQ coefficients when comparing NSR to SVT, 5 of 7 (71%) when comparing NSR to VT, and 3 of 7 (43%) when comparing SVT to VT. Using a cutoff value of 50% change from NSR, the ratio of first‐order to zero‐order QR coefficient was able to completely separate VT from SVT (P = 0.03) in this series of patients.
Conclusion: Our data demonstrate the feasibility of simple polynomial equations that reproduce the depolarization and repolarization phases of human ventricular shock EGM. The ratio of first‐order to zero‐order QR coefficient was able to reliably discriminate between SVT and VT while reducing the polynomial model to a first‐order system. The results of this pilot trial may serve as the basis for a larger prospective trial implementing a discrimination algorithm for use in low computational power implantable devices.
Belief in transforming another person into a wolf: could it be a variant of lycanthropy?
Authors: Nejad A. G. 
Published: September 2006

Objective:  Lycanthropy is a rare psychiatric condition in which the patient believes in being transformed into an animal. Belief in the transformation of another person into an animal has not been reported, so far. Here, a patient with an impression of bipolar mood disorder (mixed type) and such delusion is reported.Method:  A single case is reported.Results:  A young male patient in his first psychiatric episode, developed delusional conviction of his mother's transformation into a wolf. He did not have any delusions regarding the transformation of himself into an animal, although he reported drooling for months before developing a delusional belief regarding his mother.Conclusion:  Belief in the transformation of another person into an animal may have similar roots as lycanthropy and could be considered as a variant of this syndrome.
Effects of metronidazole plus amoxicillin as the only therapy on the microbiological and clinical parameters of untreated chronic periodontitis
Authors: López Néstor J. , Socransky Sigmund S. , Da Silva Isabel , Japlit Michele R. , Haffajee Anne D. 
Published: September 2006

Abstract:Aim: To determine the effect of metronidazole plus amoxicillin (M+A) as the sole therapy, on the subgingival microbiota of chronic periodontitis.Material and Methods: Twenty‐two patients with untreated chronic periodontitis were randomly assigned to a group that received M+A for 7 days, or to a group receiving scaling and root planing (SRP) and two placebos. Clinical measurements including sites with plaque, bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) and attachment level (AL) were made at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. Subgingival plaque samples were taken from all teeth at baseline 3, 6, 9 and 12 months for the counts of 40 subgingival species using checkerboard DNA–DNA hybridization.Results: Mean PD was reduced from 2.80±0.45 at baseline to 1.95±0.05 at 12 months (P<0.001) and from 2.39±0.41 to 1.95±0.10 (P<0.001) in the M+A‐ and SRP‐treated patients, respectively. Corresponding values for relative mean AL were 10.07±1.30–9.77±0.34 (P<0.001) and 9.94±0.28–9.77±0.26 (P<0.001). Percentage of sites exhibiting BOP were 40.6±18.3‐14.0±1.4 (P<0.001), and 38.5±5.1–19.0±2.8 (P<0.001) in the M+A and SRP groups, respectively. Mean total DNA probe counts and counts of the majority of the 40 test species were significantly reduced over time in both groups, with no significant differences detected at any time point between groups. At 12 months many of the species were still present at significantly lowered levels compared with their baseline counts in both groups.Conclusions: Changes in clinical and microbiological parameters were similar after receiving systemically administered M+A as the sole therapy or after receiving SRP only.
Antibody response after single‐visit full‐mouth ultrasonic debridement versus quadrant‐wise therapy
Authors: Wang Dongqing , Koshy Geena , Nagasawa Toshiyuki , Kawashima Yoko , Kiji Makoto , Nitta Hiroshi , Oda Shigeru , Ishikawa Isao 
Published: September 2006

AbstractIntroduction: The aim of this study was to compare serum antibody responses to periodontal pathogens after single‐visit full‐mouth ultrasonic debridement and quadrant‐wise therapy.Material and Methods: Thirty‐six subjects with chronic periodontitis were randomized into three groups: quadrant‐wise debridement in four visits, one‐visit full‐mouth debridement with water and with povidone iodine. Blood samples were collected before and immediately after treatment and 1, 3 and 6 months post‐therapy. Serum antibody titres and avidity to Porphyromonas gingivalis, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia and Treponema denticola were determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and thiocyanate ELISA, respectively.Results: IgG titres to P. gingivalis significantly decreased at 1, 3 and 6 months in full‐mouth debridement with water group, while significant reductions were seen only at 3 and 6 months after quadrant‐wise debridement. Both full‐mouth groups showed significant reduction in IgG titres to A. actinomycetemcomitans at 3 and 6 months. Significant increases in antibody avidity to P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans were noted 3 months following full‐mouth debridement with povidone.Conclusion: Both full‐mouth and quadrant treatments generally resulted in a decrease in antibody titres and increase in antibody avidity. Full‐mouth debridement induced an earlier reduction of IgG titre to P. gingivalis and A. actinomycetemcomitans, than quadrant‐wise therapy.
The efficacy of three different surgical techniques in the management of drug‐induced gingival overgrowth
Authors: Mavrogiannis M. , Ellis J. S. , Seymour R. A. , Thomason J. M. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractObjectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of three different surgical techniques in both the management and effect upon rate of overgrowth recurrence of drug‐induced gingival overgrowth (DIGO).Materials and methods: Two cohorts of patients who required surgical correction of their DIGO participated in the study. After baseline periodontal measures (plaque index, gingival inflammation and probing pocket depths), the patients underwent surgery. A split‐mouth, crossover design was used to compare conventional gingivectomy with flap surgery (n=27), and conventional gingivectomy with laser excision (n=23). The main outcome variable was the rate of recurrence of DIGO following surgery.Results: At 6 months, there was significantly less recurrence (p=0.05) in patients treated with laser excision, compared with those treated by conventional gingivectomy. The differences in rate of recurrence of DIGO were also reflected in changes in several periodontal parameters. Flap surgery offered no advantage over conventional gingivectomy with respect to the rate of recurrence.Conclusions: DIGO can be managed by a variety of techniques. Laser excision results in a reduced rate of recurrence.
A two‐year prospective study of coronally positioned flap with or without acellular dermal matrix graft
Authors: De Queiroz Côrtes Antonieta , Sallum Antonio Wilson , Casati Marcio Z. , Nociti Francisco H. , Sallum Enilson A. 
Published: September 2006

AbstractAim: Evaluation of the treatment of gingival recessions with coronally positioned flap with or without acellular dermal matrix allograft (ADM) after a period of 24 months.Methods: Thirteen patients with bilateral gingival recessions were included. The defects were randomly assigned to one of the treatments: coronally positioned flap plus ADM or coronally positioned flap alone. The clinical measurements were taken before the surgeries and after 6, 12 and 24 months.Results: At baseline, the mean values for recession height were 3.46 and 3.58 mm for the defects treated with and without the graft, respectively (p>0.05). No significant differences between the groups were observed after 6 and 12 months in this parameter. However, after 24 months, the group treated with coronally positioned flap alone showed a greater recession height when compared with the group treated with ADM (1.62 and 1.15 mm, respectively –p<0.05). A significant increase in the thickness of keratinized tissue was observed in the group treated with ADM as compared with coronally positioned flap alone (p<0.05).Conclusions: ADM may reduce the residual gingival recession observed after 24 months in defects treated with coronally positioned flap. In addition, a greater gingival thickness may be achieved when the graft is used.
Cascading effects of introduced Nile perch (Lates niloticus) on the foraging ecology of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Bwanika G. N. , Chapman L. J. , Kizito Y. , Balirwa J. 
Published: September 2006

Abstract –  Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) is the dominant of the introduced tilapiines in many East African lakes and has flourished in the presence of introduced Nile perch (Lates niloticus L.). We explored the hypothesis that O. niloticus exhibits increased omnivory in response to a decline in abundance of haplochromine cichlids. First, we quantified variation in habitat use and diet of O. niloticus in Lake Nabugabo, Uganda. Second, we compared the diet of O. niloticus in lakes with (Nabugabo, Victoria) and without (Mburo, Wamala, Nyamusingiri, Kyasanduka) introduced Nile perch. In Lake Nabugabo, a higher level of phytoplanktivory was observed in small juveniles than in larger fish and in wetland ecotone areas where haplochromines were most abundant. An omnivorous diet dominated by detritus and invertebrates was recorded for O. niloticus in lakes Nabugabo and Victoria, while a predominantly herbivorous diet was characteristic of O. niloticus in lakes without Nile perch. Availability of a broad food base in lakes where inshore insectivores have been reduced may explain the increased omnivory recorded in lakes Nabugabo and Victoria.
Aberrant Uterine Natural Killer (NK)‐Cell Expression and Altered Placental and Serum Levels of the NK‐Cell Promoting Cytokine Interleukin‐12 in Pre‐Eclampsia
Authors: Bachmayer Nora , Rafik Hamad Rangeen , Liszka Lucie , Bremme Katarina , Sverremark‐Ekström Eva 
Published: September 2006

Problem  Natural killer (NK) cells are the most abundant lymphocyte population at the maternal–fetal interface. They are suggested to be important during placentation by controlling trophoblast invasion. If placentation is suboptimal, pre‐eclampsia can occur.Method of study  Decidual NK (dNK) cells were examined at delivery in 46 women, 22 pre‐eclamptic women and 24 healthy controls, by staining for CD56 and CD94 with immunohistochemistry (IHC). Furthermore, we investigated the placental expression and the serum levels of the NK‐cell activating cytokines interleukin(IL)‐12, IL‐15, IL‐18 and the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 by IHC and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively.Results  Pre‐eclamptic women had higher number of CD56+ and CD94+ cells in the decidua, indicating an altered receptor expression of dNK cells. We also demonstrate for the first time that the villous trophoblasts show strong immunostaining for IL‐12 in placentae from healthy controls, while women suffering from pre‐eclampsia have significantly less IL‐12. However, pre‐eclamptic women had significantly elevated IL‐12 and IL‐15 levels in serum.Conclusion  Results show increased numbers and altered phenotype of dNK cells in pre‐eclampsia, supporting the importance of these cells for a healthy pregnancy. The altered receptor expression of dNK cells together with diminished placental IL‐12 expression could implicate an altered NK cell‐regulation in pre‐eclampsia.
Energetics of East African Pycnonotids1
Authors: Seavy Nathaniel E. , McNab Brian K. 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACTRate of oxygen consumption was measured in five bulbuls (Family Pycnonotidae) from western Uganda to evaluate whether this group is indeed characterized by the very low basal rates of metabolism previously reported. For three of these species, body temperature and rate of metabolism were measured as a function of ambient temperature from 10°C to 35°C. In these species body temperature was highly variable, and declined with ambient temperature in Andropadus virens. Such variation, in conjunction with behavioral adjustments, may reduce heat loss at low ambient temperatures. Body mass accounted for 98 percent of the variation in the basal rates of metabolism presented here. Basal rates in these species ranged from 81 to 90 percent of values predicted by the Aschoff–Pohl relationship for passerines, whereas previous measurements ranged from 56 to 72 percent of predicted values. This difference may reflect differences in species or measurement techniques, which, if the latter, suggests that the reduction in metabolic rate in this family may be less than originally thought. These data underline the importance of continued data collection on the metabolism of tropical birds, few of which have been measured to date.
Reconstitution of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 Nuclear Capsid Egress In Vitro
Authors: Rémillard-Labrosse Gaudeline , Guay Ginette , Lippé Roger 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACT

Newly assembled herpesvirus capsids travel from the nucleus to the plasma
membrane by a mechanism that is poorly understood. Furthermore, the
contribution of cellular proteins to this egress has yet to be
clarified. To address these issues, an in vitro nuclear egress assay
that reproduces the exit of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) capsids
from nuclei isolated from infected cells was established. As expected,
the assay has all the hallmarks of intracellular transport assays,
namely, a dependence on time, energy, and temperature. Surprisingly, it
is also dependent on cytosol and was slightly enhanced by infected
cytosol, suggesting an implication of both host and viral proteins in
the process. The capsids escaped these nuclei by budding through the
inner nuclear membrane, accumulated as enveloped capsids between the
two nuclear membranes, and were released in cytosol exclusively as
naked capsids, exactly as in intact cells. This is most consistent with
the view that the virus escapes by crossing the two nuclear membranes
rather than through nuclear pores. Unexpectedly, nuclei isolated at the
nonpermissive temperature from cells infected with a U
L
26
thermosensitive protease mutant (V701) supported capsid egress.
Although electron microscopy, biochemical, and PCR analyses hinted at a
likely reconstitution of capsid maturation, DNA encapsidation could not
be confirmed by a traditional SQ test. This assay should prove very
useful for identification of the molecular players involved in HSV-1
nuclear
egress.
Cryptic Properties of a Cluster of Dominant Flavivirus Cross-Reactive Antigenic Sites
Authors: Stiasny Karin , Kiermayr Stefan , Holzmann Heidemarie , Heinz Franz X. 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACTA number of flaviviruses are important human pathogens, including yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, Japanese encephalitis, and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) viruses. Infection with or immunization against any of these viruses induces a subset of antibodies that are broadly flavivirus cross-reactive but do not exhibit significant cross-neutralization. Nevertheless, these antibodies can efficiently bind to the major envelope protein (E), which is the main target of neutralizing and protective antibodies because of its receptor-binding and membrane fusion functions. The structural basis for this phenomenon is still unclear. In our studies with TBE virus, we have provided evidence that such cross-reactive antibodies are specific for a cluster of epitopes that are partially occluded in the cage-like assembly of E proteins at the surfaces of infectious virions and involve—but are not restricted to—amino acids of the highly conserved internal fusion peptide loop. Virus disintegration leads to increased accessibility of these epitopes, allowing the cross-reactive antibodies to bind with strongly increased avidity. The cryptic properties of these sites in the context of infectious virions can thus provide an explanation for the observed lack of efficient neutralizing activity of broadly cross-reactive antibodies, despite their specificity for a functionally important structural element in the E protein.
Receptor-Triggered but Alkylation-Arrested Env of Murine Leukemia Virus Reveals the Transmembrane Subunit in a Prehairpin Conformation
Authors: Wallin Michael , Ekström Maria , Garoff Henrik 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACT
A central feature of the prevailing model for retrovirus fusion is conversion of the transmembrane (TM) subunit from a prehairpin to a hairpin-like structure. The fusion inhibition of many retroviruses, except murine leukemia virus (MLV), with peptides corresponding to interacting regions in the hairpin supports the model. MLV fusion is controlled by isomerization of the intersubunit disulfide in Env. We show here that TM peptides bind to MLV Env that has been arrested at an intermediate stage of activation by alkylation of the isomerization-active thiol in the surface subunit. This inhibits fusion rescue by dithiothreitol-mediated reduction of the surface protein-TM disulfide.
Rapid Viral Decay in Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Macaques Receiving Quadruple Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Brandin Eleonor , Thorstensson Rigmor , Bonhoeffer Sebastian , Albert Jan 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACT

The viral dynamics in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection have been studied extensively using mathematical modeling, but data from other primate lentivirus systems are scarce. This study was initiated to increase the understanding of the differences and similarities between the different primate lentiviruses. Four cynomolgus macaques were infected with SIV
mac251.
Six months after infection the monkeys received a 7-day course of subcutaneous, quadruple antiretroviral therapy with zidovudine, lamivudine, tenofovir, and ritonavir-boosted lopinavir. Plasma virus levels were determined before therapy, daily during the first 10 days of therapy, and after 14 days using a sensitive commercial reverse transcriptase assay. All four monkeys showed a rapid and uniform decline in plasma virus load between day 1 and day 4 of treatment (first-phase decay). Two mathematical models, a piecewise linear regression analysis and a nonlinear model, were used to estimate the rate of viral decay in plasma and gave similar results. The mean half-life for plasma virus was 0.47 days (range, 0.37 to 0.50) and reflects the underlying decline of virus-producing CD4
+
lymphocytes. This is the fastest primate lentivirus decay described hitherto. The rapid decay may be due to the high antiviral potency of the therapy or to intrinsic differences between simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) infection in macaques and HIV-1 infection in humans.
Epstein-Barr Virus BNRF1 Protein Allows Efficient Transfer from the Endosomal Compartment to the Nucleus of Primary B Lymphocytes
Authors: Feederle R. , Neuhierl B. , Baldwin G. , Bannert H. , Hub B. , Mautner J. , Behrends U. , Delecluse H. J. 
Published: September 2006

ABSTRACT

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a tumor virus with marked B lymphotropism. After crossing the B-cell membrane, the virus enters cytoplasmic vesicles, where decapsidation takes place to allow transfer of the viral DNA to the cell nucleus. BNRF1 has been characterized as the EBV major tegument protein, but its precise function is unknown. We have constructed a viral mutant that lacks the BNRF1 gene and report here its in vitro phenotype. A recombinant virus devoid of BNRF1 (ΔBNRF1) showed efficient DNA replication and production of mature viral particles. B cells infected with the ΔBNRF1 mutant presented viral lytic antigens as efficiently as B cells infected with wild-type or BNRF1
trans
-complemented ΔBNRF1 viruses. Antigen presentation in B cells infected with either wild-type (EBV-wt) or ΔBNRF1 virus was blocked by leupeptin addition, showing that both viruses reach the endosome/lysosome compartment. These data were confirmed by direct observation of the mutant virus in endosomes of infected B cells by electron microscopy. However, we observed a 20-fold reduction in the number of B cells expressing the nuclear protein EBNA2 after infection with a ΔBNRF1 virus compared to wild-type infection. Likewise, ΔBNRF1 viruses transformed primary B cells much less efficiently than EBV-wt or BNRF1
trans
-complemented viruses. We conclude from these findings that BNRF1 plays an important role in viral transport from the endosomes to the nucleus.