bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Healthcare Costs and Utilization of Vulnerable Elderly People Reported to Adult Protective Services for Self‐Neglect
Authors: Franzini Luisa , Dyer Carmel Bitondo 
Published: February 2008

OBJECTIVES:To assess differences between diagnoses, healthcare utilization, and healthcare costs of vulnerable elderly people reported to Adult Protective Services for self‐neglect and those of matched controls.DESIGN:A case‐control study of 131 self‐neglect cases and 131 matched controls.SETTING:All participants were patients in a public hospital geriatrics program.PARTICIPANTS:Adult Protection Services referred the self‐neglect cases to an interdisciplinary geriatric medicine team. The controls were patients who used the same source of geriatric medical services and were matched on race or ethnicity, sex, and age.MEASUREMENTS:Diagnoses, healthcare utilization, and Medicare reimbursable costs were compared in cases and controls for 1 year before and 1 year after the case medical referral.RESULTS:Mental disorders were diagnosed more frequently in the self‐neglect group than in the control group. Self‐neglecters had lower healthcare utilization and medical costs than controls in the year before the medical referral, but utilization and costs were similar in the two groups in the year after the referral.CONCLUSION:This study provides evidence that, once self‐neglecters are brought into the healthcare system, they are no more expensive than other similar patients. This result has important public policy implications and fills an important gap, because there is no published literature describing the financial effect of self‐neglect on the healthcare system.
PED is overexpressed and mediates TRAIL resistance in human non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zanca Ciro , Garofalo Michela , Quintavalle Cristina , Romano Giulia , Acunzo Mario , Ragno Pia , Montuori Nunzia , Incoronato Mariarosaria , Tornillo Luigi , Baumhoer Daniel , Briguori Carlo , Terracciano Luigi , Condorelli Gerolama 
Published: February 2008

AbstractPED (phosphoprotein enriched in diabetes) is a death‐effector domain (DED) family member with a broad anti‐apoptotic action. PED inhibits the assembly of the death‐inducing signalling complex (DISC) of death receptors following stimulation. Recently, we reported that the expression of PED is increased in breast cancer cells and determines the refractoriness of these cells to anticancer therapy. In the present study, we focused on the role of PED in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a tumour frequently characterized by evasion of apoptosis and drug resistance. Immunohistochemical analysis of a tissue microarray, containing 160 lung cancer samples, indicated that PED was strongly expressed in different lung tumour types. Western blotting performed with specimens from NSCLC‐affected patients showed that PED was strongly up‐regulated (>6 fold) in the areas of tumour compared to adjacent normal tissue. Furthermore, PED expression levels in NSCLC cell lines correlated with their resistance to tumour necrosis factor related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL)‐induced cell death. The involvement of PED in the refractoriness to TRAIL‐induced cell death was investigated by silencing PED expression in TRAIL‐resistant NSCLC cells with small interfering (si) RNAs: transfection with PED siRNA, but not with cFLIP siRNA, sensitized cells to TRAIL‐induced cell death. In conclusion, PED is specifically overexpressed in lung tumour tissue and contributes to TRAIL resistance.
A simplified caries risk test in stimulated saliva from elderly patients
Authors: Sánchez‐García Sergio , Gutiérrez‐Venegas Gloria , Juárez‐Cedillo Teresa , Reyes‐Morales Hortensia , Solórzano‐Santos Fortino , García‐Peña Carmen 
Published: February 2008

Objectives:  To evaluate and compare lactobacilli species (LB) and mutans streptococci (MS) caries risk identification by means of a Caries Risk Test Bacteria (CRT Bacteria test), with a conventional laboratory test (CLT), as well as their correlation with the dental caries experience [(decayed‐missing‐filled teeth (DMFT index)] in subjects 60 years of age and older.Design:  Cross‐sectional study.Setting:  Epidemiologic and Health Service Research Unit, Aging Area. XXI Century National Medical Center; Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS).Subjects:  A total of 696 elderly subjects residing in southwestern Mexico City.Methods:  The DMFT index was determined in 696 subjects and saliva collected by stimulation. This was processed with a CRT Bacteria test and a CLT (the gold standard) test. Subjects with high [≥105 colony forming units (CFU)/ml] and low caries risk (<105 CFU/ml) were assessed.Results:  The CRT Bacteria test sensitivity (Sen) and specificity (Spe) were 0.97 and 0.86 for LB, respectively, with positive and negative predictor values of 0.92 and 0.95 respectively. For MS, Sen and Spe was 0.92 and 0.90, and 0.96 and 0.81 respectively. The receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (ROC area) in LB and MS was 0.94 and 0.89, respectively; thus, a correlation existed between the caries experience and the LB and MS caries risk, similar to that present with the CLT test.Conclusion:  The CRT Bacteria test shows similar results to those of the CLT test in subjects 60 years of age and over.
Arabic version of the geriatric oral health assessment Index
Authors: Atieh Momen A. 
Published: February 2008

Objectives:  The purpose of this study was to translate the original English version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) into an Arabic version, and to test the validity and reliability of the translated instrument (GOHAI‐Ar) for use among the elderly in Saudi Arabia.Methods:  The 12‐item GOHAI was translated into Arabic using the back‐translation technique and performing a preliminary test to determine the comprehensibility and readability of the Arabic language version. A total of 156 elderly patients answered the questionnaire, and underwent a clinical examination by one calibrated dentist. Information on subjects’ socio‐demographic background and oral health conditions was collected. Convergent validity was evaluated by identifying the associations between perceived oral health status, general health status, perceived need for dental care and GOHAI‐Ar scores. Discriminant validity was examined by comparing the GOHAI‐Ar scores and six oral health parameters. Internal consistency was measured by Cronbach’s alpha. Test–retest reliability was assessed by intra‐class correlation coefficient (ICC) and weighted kappa. Factor structure of GOHAI‐Ar was evaluated using principal component factor analysis.Results:  The mean GOHAI‐Ar was 32.1 (SD 12.2; range 11–59). Mean GOHAI‐Ar scores were higher for the elderly who rated their oral and general health as good. Subjects with perceived dental treatment needs had a lower mean GOHAI‐Ar score than those without any such needs. The caries experience, number of missing teeth, OHI‐S score, number of pathologically mobile teeth and number of oral lesions were negatively correlated with the GOHAI‐Ar score. The Cronbach’s alpha (0.93) indicated a high degree of internal consistency and homogeneity between items. The ICC for GOHAI‐Ar was 0.95, the weighted kappa coefficient for individual items varied between 0.42 and 0.71, and the correlation coefficients for the 12 items were above 0.70. Factor analysis didn’t support the expected dimensions of the index, and only one factor was found at eigenvalue greater than 1.Conclusions:  The findings suggest an excellent reliability and validity of GOHAI‐Ar. Further research is needed to assess the value of this instrument in oral health‐related quality of life studies in Arabic elderly population.
Transgender and Transsexual Studies: Sociology's Influence and Future Steps
Authors: Vidal‐Ortiz Salvador 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis article provides a general sense of transgender studies in sociology. It does so by looking at the definitions and relationship between the terms transgender and transsexual, the history of transsexual studies, sociology's place in this development, and the active production (by trans people) of transsexual and transgender studies. This review primarily focuses on US sociological writing, including ethnomethodology, labeling, feminist, and symbolic interactionist frameworks, while incorporating critical theory, queer theory, and other interdisciplinary influences. The article explores various movements in the recent history of this scholarship: for instance, while transsexual studies were mostly developed with a male‐to‐female transsexual perspective, recent scholarship place female‐to‐male transsexual and transgender identity centrally. I present current trends and future steps of sociological inquiry in the area of transgender studies as a way of closing the discussion of sociology's potential contributions in the near future.
Characterization of the Archaeal Community in a Minerotrophic Fen and Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism-Directed Isolation of a Novel Hydrogenotrophic Methanogen
Authors: Cadillo-Quiroz Hinsby , Yashiro Erica , Yavitt Joseph B. , Zinder Stephen H. 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

Minerotrophic fen peatlands are widely distributed in northern latitudes and, because of their rapid turnover of organic matter, are potentially larger sources of atmospheric methane than bog peatlands per unit area. However, studies of the archaeal community composition in fens are scarce particularly in minerotrophic sites. Several 16S rRNA-based primer sets were used to obtain a broad characterization of the archaeal community in a minerotrophic fen in central New York State. A wide archaeal diversity was observed in the site: 11 euryarchaeal and 2 crenarchaeal groups, most of which were uncultured. The E1 group, a novel cluster in the order
Methanomicrobiales
, and
Methanosaetaceae
were the codominant groups in all libraries and results of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis. Given its abundance and potential hydrogenotrophic methane contribution, the E1 group was targeted for culture attempts with a low-ionic-strength medium (PM1). Initial attempts yielded
Methanospirillum
-dominated cultures. However, by incorporating a T-RFLP analysis as a quick selection tool for treatments and replicates, we were able to select an enrichment dominated by E1. Further dilutions to 10
−9
and tracking with T-RFLP yielded a strain named E1-9c. E1-9c is a novel coccoid hydrogenotrophic, mesophilic, slightly acidophilic methanogen and is highly sensitive to Na
2
S concentrations (requires <0.12 mM for growth). We propose E1-9c as the first representative of a novel genus in the
Methanomicrobiales
order.
Development of a Strain-Specific Molecular Method for Quantitating Individual
Campylobacter
Strains in Mixed Populations
Authors: Elvers Karen T. , Helps Christopher R. , Wassenaar Trudy M. , Allen Vivien M. , Newell Diane G. 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

The identification of sites resulting in cross-contamination of poultry flocks in the abattoir and determination of the survival and persistence of campylobacters at these sites are essential for the development of intervention strategies aimed at reducing the microbial burden on poultry at retail. A novel molecule-based method, using strain- and genus-specific oligonucleotide probes, was developed to detect and enumerate specific campylobacter strains in mixed populations. Strain-specific oligonucleotide probes were designed for the short variable regions (SVR) of the
flaA
gene in individual
Campylobacter jejuni
strains. A 16S rRNA
Campylobacter
genus-specific probe was also used. Both types of probes were used to investigate populations of campylobacters by colony lift hybridization. The specificity and proof of principle of the method were tested using strains with closely related SVR sequences and mixtures of these strains. Colony lifts of campylobacters were hybridized sequentially with up to two labeled strain-specific probes, followed by the generic 16S rRNA probe. SVR probes were highly specific, differentiating down to 1 nucleotide in the target sequence, and were sufficiently sensitive to detect colonies of a single strain in a mixed population. The 16S rRNA probe detected all
Campylobacter
spp. tested but not closely related species, such as
Arcobacter skirrowi
and
Helicobacter pullorum
. Preliminary field studies demonstrated the application of this technique to target strains isolated from poultry transport crate wash tank water. This method is quantitative, sensitive, and highly specific and allows the identification and enumeration of selected strains among all of the campylobacters in environmental samples.
Interactions of
Cryptosporidium parvum
,
Giardia lamblia
, Vaccinal Poliovirus Type 1, and Bacteriophages φX174 and MS2 with a Drinking Water Biofilm and a Wastewater Biofilm
Authors: Helmi Karim , Skraber Sylvain , Gantzer Christophe , Willame Raphaël , Hoffmann Lucien , Cauchie Henry-Michel 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

Biofilms colonizing surfaces inside drinking water distribution networks may provide a habitat and shelter to pathogenic viruses and parasites. If released from biofilms, these pathogens may disseminate in the water distribution system and cause waterborne diseases. Our study aimed to investigate the interactions of protozoan parasites (
Cryptosporidium parvum
and
Giardia lamblia
[oo]cysts) and viruses (vaccinal poliovirus type 1, φX174, and MS2) with two contrasting biofilms. First, attachment, persistence, and detachment of the protozoan parasites and the viruses were assessed with a drinking water biofilm. This biofilm was allowed to develop inside a rotating annular reactor fed with tap water for 7 months prior to the inoculation. Our results show that viable parasites and infectious viruses attached to the drinking water biofilm within 1 h and persisted within the biofilm. Indeed, infectious viruses were detected in the drinking water biofilm up to 6 days after the inoculation, while viral genome and viable parasites were still detected at day 34, corresponding to the last day of the monitoring period. Since viral genome was detected much longer than infectious particles, our results raise the question of the significance of detecting viral genomes in biofilms. A transfer of viable parasites and viruses from the biofilm to the water phase was observed after the flow velocity was increased but also with a constant laminar flow rate. Similar results regarding parasite and virus attachment and detachment were obtained using a treated wastewater biofilm, suggesting that our observations might be extrapolated to a wide range of environmental biofilms and confirming that biofilms can be considered a potential secondary source of contamination.
Evolution of the
iss
Gene in
Escherichia coli
Authors: Johnson Timothy J. , Wannemuehler Yvonne M. , Nolan Lisa K. 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

The increased serum survival gene
iss
has long been recognized for its role in extraintestinal pathogenic
Escherichia coli
(ExPEC) virulence.
iss
has been identified as a distinguishing trait of avian ExPEC but not of human ExPEC. This gene has been localized to large virulence plasmids and shares strong similarities with the
bor
gene from bacteriophage λ. Here, we demonstrate that three alleles of
iss
occur among
E. coli
isolates that appear to have evolved from a common λ
bor
precursor. In addition to the occurrence of
iss
on the ColV/BM virulence plasmids, at least two
iss
alleles occur within the
E. coli
chromosome. One of these alleles (designated type 3) was found to occur in the genomes of all currently sequenced ExPEC strains on a similar prophage element that also harbors the Sit iron and manganese transport system. When the prevalence of the three
iss
types was examined among 487
E. coli
isolates, the
iss
type 3 gene was found to occur at a high frequency among ExPEC isolates, irrespective of the host source. The plasmid-borne
iss
allele (designated type 1) was highly prevalent among avian pathogenic
E. coli
and neonatal meningitis-associated
E. coli
isolates but not among uropathogenic
E. coli
isolates. This study demonstrates the evolution of
iss
in
E. coli
and provides an additional tool for discriminating among
E. coli
pathotypes through the differentiation of the three
iss
allele types and
bor
.
Carnitine-Dependent Transport of Acetyl Coenzyme A in
Candida albicans
Is Essential for Growth on Nonfermentable Carbon Sources and Contributes to Biofilm Formation
Authors: Strijbis Karin , van Roermund Carlo W. T. , Visser Wouter F. , Mol Els C. , van den Burg Janny , MacCallum Donna M. , Odds Frank C. , Paramonova Ekaterina , Krom Bastiaan P. , Distel Ben 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

In eukaryotes, acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) produced during peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation needs to be transported to mitochondria for further metabolism. Two parallel pathways for acetyl-CoA transport have been identified in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
; one is dependent on peroxisomal citrate synthase (Cit), while the other requires peroxisomal and mitochondrial carnitine acetyltransferase (Cat) activities. Here we show that the human fungal pathogen
Candida albicans
lacks peroxisomal Cit, relying exclusively on Cat activity for transport of acetyl units. Deletion of the
CAT2
gene encoding the major Cat enzyme in
C. albicans
resulted in a strain that had lost both peroxisomal and mitochondrion-associated Cat activities, could not grow on fatty acids or C
2
carbon sources (acetate or ethanol), accumulated intracellular acetyl-CoA, and showed greatly reduced fatty acid β-oxidation activity. The
cat2
null mutant was, however, not attenuated in virulence in a mouse model of systemic candidiasis. These observations support our previous results showing that peroxisomal fatty acid β-oxidation activity is not essential for
C. albicans
virulence. Biofilm formation by the
cat2
mutant on glucose was slightly reduced compared to that by the wild type, although both strains grew at the same rate on this carbon source. Our data show that
C. albicans
has diverged considerably from
S. cerevisiae
with respect to the mechanism of intracellular acetyl-CoA transport and imply that carnitine dependence may be an important trait of this human fungal pathogen.
Aspergillus calidoustus
sp. nov., Causative Agent of Human Infections Previously Assigned to
Aspergillus ustus
Authors: Varga János , Houbraken Jos , Van Der Lee Henrich A. L. , Verweij Paul E. , Samson Robert A. 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

Aspergillus ustus
is a relatively rare human pathogen causing invasive infections in immunocompromised hosts. In this study isolates originating from clinical and other sources have been examined using molecular, morphological, and physiological approaches to clarify their species assignment. Phylogenetic analysis of partial β-tubulin, calmodulin, actin, and intergenic transcribed spacer sequences indicated that none of the clinical isolates recognized previously as
A. ustus
belongs to this species. All but two of these isolates formed a well-defined clade related to
A. pseudodeflectus
based on sequence analysis of protein-coding regions. Morphological and physiological examination of these isolates indicated that they are able to grow above 37°C, in contrast with
A. ustus
isolates, and give a positive Ehrlich reaction, in contrast with related species including
A. granulosus, A. ustus
, and
A. pseudodeflectus
. These isolates are proposed as a new species,
A. calidoustus
. Antifungal susceptibility testing showed that this species has decreased susceptibilities to several antifungal drugs. The triazoles are inactive in vitro, including the new azole posaconazole.
Late-Stage Polyribitol Phosphate Wall Teichoic Acid Biosynthesis in
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Meredith Timothy C. , Swoboda Jonathan G. , Walker Suzanne 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

Wall teichoic acids are cell wall polymers that maintain the integrity of the cellular envelope and contribute to the virulence of
Staphylococcus aureus
. Despite the central role of wall teichoic acid in
S. aureus
virulence, details concerning the biosynthetic pathway of the predominant wall teichoic acid polymer are lacking, and workers have relied on a presumed similarity to the putative polyribitol phosphate wall teichoic acid pathway in
Bacillus subtilis
. Using high-resolution polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis for analysis of wall teichoic acid extracted from gene deletion mutants, a revised assembly pathway for the late-stage ribitol phosphate-utilizing enzymes is proposed. Complementation studies show that a putative ribitol phosphate polymerase, TarL, catalyzes both the addition of the priming ribitol phosphate onto the linkage unit and the subsequent polymerization of the polyribitol chain. It is known that the putative ribitol primase, TarK, is also a bifunctional enzyme that catalyzes both ribitol phosphate priming and polymerization. TarK directs the synthesis of a second, electrophoretically distinct polyribitol-containing teichoic acid that we designate K-WTA. The biosynthesis of K-WTA in
S. aureus
strain NCTC8325 is repressed by the accessory gene regulator (
agr
) system. The demonstration of regulated wall teichoic acid biosynthesis has implications for cell envelope remodeling in relation to
S. aureus
adhesion and pathogenesis.
Sinorhizobium melilotiMutants Lacking Phosphotransferase System Enzyme HPr or EIIA Are Altered in Diverse Processes, Including Carbon Metabolism, Cobalt Requirements, and Succinoglycan Production
Authors: Pinedo Catalina Arango , Bringhurst Ryan M. , Gage Daniel J. 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACTSinorhizobium melilotiis a member of theAlphaproteobacteriathat fixes nitrogen when it is in a symbiotic relationship. Genes for an incomplete phosphotransferase system (PTS) have been found in the genome ofS. meliloti. The genes present code for Hpr and ManX (an EIIAMan-type enzyme). HPr and EIIA regulate carbon utilization in other bacteria.hprandmanXin-frame deletion mutants exhibited altered carbon metabolism and other phenotypes. Loss of HPr resulted in partial relief of succinate-mediated catabolite repression, extreme sensitivity to cobalt limitation, rapid die-off during stationary phase, and altered succinoglycan production. Loss of ManX decreased expression ofmelA-agpandlac, the operons needed for utilization of α- and β-galactosides, slowed growth on diverse carbon sources, and enhanced accumulation of high-molecular-weight succinoglycan. A strain with bothhprandmanXdeletions exhibited phenotypes similar to those of the strain with a singlehprdeletion. Despite these strong phenotypes, deletion mutants exhibited wild-type nodulation and nitrogen fixation when they were inoculated ontoMedicago sativa. The results show that HPr and ManX (EIIAMan) are involved in more than carbon regulation inS. melilotiand suggest that the phenotypes observed occur due to activity of HPr or one of its phosphorylated forms.