bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lambeth Early Onset (LEO) and Outreach & Support in South London (OASIS) service
Authors: Power Paddy , McGuire Philip , Iacoponi Eduardo , Garety Philippa , Morris Eric , Valmaggia Lucia , Grafton David , Craig Tom 
Published: February 2007

AbstractAim:  To establish a comprehensive phase‐oriented early intervention service for young people with early psychosis in south London and to evaluate its effectiveness in delivering user friendly interventions and better outcomes.Methods:  The Lambeth Early Onset (LEO) and Outreach & Support in South London (OASIS) service has been developed incrementally over the last 6 years into 4 teams each addressing one of the phases of early psychosis: (i) prodrome/ultra‐high risk (ii) untreated psychosis (c) acute inpatient treatment and (d) recovery/ relapse prevention phases. Research and evaluation have been integral to each team’s development with three of the teams configured as Randomised Controlled Trials.Results:  During the first 6 years, 1255 young people in Lambeth were referred for assessment (963 to LEO and 292 to OASIS). Of them 578 were diagnosed as suffering from first episode psychosis (some before or after they presented to OASIS), 450 have been followed up in Lambeth by the LEO Community Team and 40% discharged back to GPs in remission at the end of their two years of follow‐up. Compared to standard service, patients’ delays in accessing treatment are less, and outcomes at 18 months are better.Conclusions:  The LEO and OASIS service now provide most of the mental health service requirements for young people with early psychosis in Lambeth. It represents good value for money and improved outcomes for clients. Further interventions are planned and ultimately it will be possible to evaluate the impact of each incremental step in the service’s development.
Randomized controlled multicentre trial of cognitive behaviour therapy in the early initial prodromal state: effects on social adjustment post treatment
Authors: Bechdolf Andreas , Wagner Michael , Veith Verena , Ruhrmann Stephan , Pukrop Ralf , Brockhaus‐Dumke Anke , Berning Julia , Stamm Elmar , Janssen Birgit , Decker Petra , Bottlender Ronald , Moller Hans‐Jurgen , Gaebel Wolfgang , Maier Wolfgang , Klosterkotter Joachim 
Published: February 2007

AbstractAim:  Improvement of social adjustment is a major aim of indicated prevention in young people at risk of developing psychosis. The present study explores the effect of specific cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) as compared with supportive counselling (SC) on social adjustment in people in a potential early initial prodromal state of psychosis (EIPS) primarily defined by self‐experienced cognitive thought and perception deficits (basic symptoms).Methods:  A total of 128 help‐seeking outpatients in the EIPS were randomized to receive either specific CBT or SC for 12 months. Social adjustment was assessed with the Social Adjustment Scale II (SAS II) at baseline, time of transition or post treatmentResults:  From 113 patients, who completed the SAS II at intake, 67 (59.3%) completed the SAS assessments at time of transition or post treatment. Both specific CBT and SC resulted in improvements in scales of SAS II, with no significant between‐group differences post treatment.Conclusions:  Although treatment in specially designed early detection and intervention centres improves functioning of people in the EIPS, specific CBT was not superior to SC. One could hypothesize that additional vocational rehabilitation, case management and involvement of multidisciplinary teams are needed to further improve short‐term outcome of specific interventions on this dimension.
Acquired Echinocandin Resistance in a
Candida krusei
Isolate Due to Modification of Glucan Synthase
Authors: Kahn Jennifer Nielsen , Garcia-Effron Guillermo , Hsu Ming-Jo , Park Steven , Marr Kieren A. , Perlin David S. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

A
Candida krusei
strain from a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia that displayed reduced susceptibility to echinocandin drugs contained a heterozygous mutation, T2080K, in
FKS1
. The resulting Phe655→Cys substitution altered the sensitivity of glucan synthase to echinocandin drugs, consistent with a common mechanism for echinocandin resistance in
Candida
spp.
ACandida albicansPetite Mutant Strain with Uncoupled Oxidative Phosphorylation OverexpressesMDR1and Has Diminished Susceptibility to Fluconazole and Voriconazole
Authors: Cheng Shaoji , Clancy Cornelius J. , Nguyen Katherine T. , Clapp William , Nguyen M. Hong 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACTWe showed that aCandida albicanspetite mutant in which oxidative phosphorylation is uncoupled was eightfold more resistant to fluconazole and voriconazole than SC5314 but equally susceptible to ketoconazole, itraconazole, and amphotericin B. Strain P5 significantly overexpressedMDR1, which likely accounts for the decreased drug susceptibility.
Expression and Purification of an Active Form of the
Mycobacterium leprae
DNA Gyrase and Its Inhibition by Quinolones
Authors: Matrat Stéphanie , Petrella Stéphanie , Cambau Emmanuelle , Sougakoff Wladimir , Jarlier Vincent , Aubry Alexandra 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

Mycobacterium leprae
, the causative agent of leprosy, is noncultivable in vitro; therefore, evaluation of antibiotic activity against
M. leprae
relies mainly upon the mouse footpad system, which requires at least 12 months before the results become available. We have developed an in vitro assay for studying the activities of quinolones against the DNA gyrase of
M. leprae
. We overexpressed in
Escherichia coli
the
M. leprae
GyrA and GyrB subunits separately as His-tagged proteins by using a pET plasmid carrying the
gyrA
and
gyrB
genes. The soluble 97.5-kDa GyrA and 74.5-kDa GyrB subunits were purified by nickel chelate chromatography and were reconstituted as an enzyme with DNA supercoiling activity. Based on the drug concentrations that inhibited DNA supercoiling by 50% or that induced DNA cleavage by 25%, the 13 quinolones tested clustered into three groups. Analysis of the quinolone structure-activity relationship demonstrates that the most active quinolones against
M. leprae
DNA gyrase share the following structural features: a substituted carbon at position 8, a cyclopropyl substituent at N-1, a fluorine at C-6, and a substituent ring at C-7. We conclude that the assays based on DNA supercoiling inhibition and drug-induced DNA cleavage on purified
M. leprae
DNA gyrase are rapid, efficient, and safe methods for the screening of quinolone derivatives with potential in vivo activities against
M. leprae
.
Randomized Controlled Trial of Fosmidomycin-Clindamycin versus Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine in the Treatment of
Plasmodium falciparum
Malaria
Authors: Oyakhirome Sunny , Issifou Saadou , Pongratz Peter , Barondi Fortune , Ramharter Michael , Kun Jürgen F. , Missinou Michel A. , Lell Bertrand , Kremsner Peter G. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT
Fosmidomycin-clindamycin therapy given every 12 h for 3 days was compared with a standard single oral dose of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. The two treatments showed comparably good tolerabilities and had an identical high degree of efficacy of 94% in a randomized trial carried out with 105 Gabonese children aged 3 to 14 years with uncomplicated malaria. These antimalarials merit further clinical exploration.
Importance of Collection Tube during Clinical Studies of Oseltamivir
Authors: Lindegardh Niklas , Davies Geraint R. , Hien Tran Tinh , Farrar Jeremy , Singhasivanon Pratap , Day Nicholas P. J. , White Nicholas J. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT
Ex vivo conversion of the anti-influenza drug oseltamivir to its active metabolite can be inhibited by the esterase inhibitor dichlorvos or by using commercial fluoride-oxalate tubes. Oseltamivir and its active metabolite remain intact in plasma samples during a proposed virus heat inactivation step: incubation at 60°C for 45 min.
Human Tear Fluid Protects against
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Keratitis in a Murine Experimental Model
Authors: Kwong Mary S. F. , Evans David J. , Ni Minjian , Cowell Brigitte A. , Fleiszig Suzanne M. J. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
keratitis is an acute sight-threatening infection. We previously reported that human tear fluid could protect individual human corneal epithelial cells in vitro against invasion by and cytotoxicity due to clinical and laboratory isolates of
P. aeruginosa
and that the protective mechanism was independent of bacteriostatic activity. In the present study, we examined the effects of human tear fluid in vivo. Tears were collected from healthy human volunteers and were studied in vivo in mice. The effects on the virulence of both invasive and cytotoxic clinical isolates of
P. aeruginosa
were examined. Tear fluid was found to reduce the severity of disease when corneas were challenged with cytotoxic bacteria immediately after scratch injury, and it completely protected against susceptibility to infection by a cytotoxic strain in a model in which corneas were infected during the healing process 6 h after scratching. Visible protection correlated with the inhibition of bacterial colonization 1, 4, and 48 h postinoculation. Tear fluid also significantly reduced the severity of infections caused by invasive
P. aeruginosa
in the 6-h-healing model. This result also coincided with significantly reduced bacterial colonization at 48 h. In vitro, human tear fluid significantly reduced the ability of invasive and cytotoxic bacteria to translocate across corneal epithelia and increased transepithelial resistance with or without bacterial inoculation. These data show that human tear fluid can protect against
P. aeruginosa
corneal infection in vivo and that the mechanism likely involves enhanced epithelial barrier function in addition to protection of individual epithelial cells against bacterial internalization and cytotoxicity.
The Serine 31 Residue of the B Subunit of Shiga Toxin 2 Is Essential for Secretion in Enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
Authors: Shimizu Takeshi , Kawakami Satomi , Sato Toshio , Sasaki Terumi , Higashide Masato , Hamabata Takashi , Ohta Toshiko , Noda Masatoshi 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

Shiga toxins produced by enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
(EHEC) include Shiga toxin 1 (Stx1) as well as Shiga toxin 2 (Stx2). Stx1 is cell associated, whereas Stx2 is localized to the culture supernatant. We have analyzed the secretion of Stx2 by generating histidine-tagged StxB (StxB-H). Although neither StxB1-H nor StxB2-H was secreted in StxB-H-overexpressed EHEC, StxB2-H-overexpressed EHEC showed inhibited Stx2 secretion. On the other hand, StxB1-H-overexpressed EHEC showed no alteration of Stx2 secretion. B-subunit chimeras of Stx1 and Stx2 were used to identify the specific residue of StxB2 that the Stx2 secretory system recognizes. Alteration of the serine 31 residue to an asparagine residue (S31N) in StxB2-H enabled the recovery of Stx2 secretion. On the other hand, alteration of the asparagine 32 residue to a serine residue (N32S) in StxB1-H caused the partial secretion of a point-mutated histidine-tagged B subunit in EHEC. Based on the evidence, it appeared possible that this residue might contain secretion-related information for Stx2 secretion. To investigate this hypothesis, we constructed an isogenic mutant EHEC (Stx1B subunit, N32S) strain and an isogenic mutant EHEC (Stx2B subunit, S31N) strain. Although the mutant Stx2 was cell associated in isogenic mutant EHEC, mutant Stx1 was not extracellular. However, when we used plasmids for the expression of the mutant holotoxins, the overexpressed mutant Stx1 was found in the supernatant fraction, and the overexpressed mutant Stx2 was found in the cell-associated fraction in mutant holotoxin gene-transformed EHEC. These results indicate that the serine 31 residue of the B subunit of Stx2 contains secretion-related information.
Murine Neonates Are Highly Resistant toYersinia enterocoliticafollowing Orogastric Exposure
Authors: Echeverry Andrea , Schesser Kurt , Adkins Becky 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACTNeonates are considered highly susceptible to gastrointestinal infections. This susceptibility has been attributed partially to immaturity in immune cell function. To study this phenomenon, we have developed a model system with murine neonates, using the natural orogastric route of transmission for the enteropathogenYersinia enterocolitica. The susceptibilities of 7-day-old and adult mice to orogastricY. enterocoliticainfection were assessed in 50% lethal dose experiments. Remarkably, neonatal mice of either the BALB/c or C57BL/6 mouse strain showed markedly enhanced survival after infection compared to adult mice. The resistance of neonates was not due to failure of the bacteria to colonize neonatal tissues;Y. enterocoliticawas readily detectable in the intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) for at least 1 week after infection. In adult mice,Y. enterocoliticarapidly disseminated to the spleen and liver. In striking contrast, bacterial invasion of the spleen and liver in neonates was limited. Using flow cytometry and histology, we found substantial increases in the percentages of neutrophils and macrophages in the neonatal MLN, while influx of these cells into the adult MLN was limited. Similar results were obtained using two different high-virulenceY. enterocoliticastrains. Importantly, depletion of neutrophils with a specific antibody led to increased translocation of the bacteria to the spleens and livers of neonates. Together, these experiments support the hypothesis that the neonatal intestinal immune system can rapidly mobilize innate phagocytes and thereby confine the bacterial infection to the gut, resulting in a high level of resistance.
CD4+CD25+Regulatory T Cells Suppress CD4+T-Cell Function and Inhibit the Development ofPlasmodium berghei-Specific TH1 Responses Involved in Cerebral Malaria Pathogenesis
Authors: Nie Catherine Q. , Bernard Nicholas J. , Schofield Louis , Hansen Diana S. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACTThe infection of mice withPlasmodium bergheiANKA constitutes the best available mouse model for humanPlasmodium falciparum-mediated cerebral malaria, a devastating neurological syndrome that kills nearly 2.5 million people every year. Experimental data suggest that cerebral disease results from the sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes within brain blood vessels, which is exacerbated by host proinflammatory responses mediated by cytokines and effector cells including T lymphocytes. Here, T cell responses toP. bergheiANKA were analyzed in cerebral malaria-resistant and -susceptible mouse strains. CD4+T-cell proliferation and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production in response to parasite-specific and polyclonal stimuli were strongly inhibited in cerebral malaria-resistant mice. In vitro and in vivo depletion of CD4+CD25+regulatory T (Treg) cells significantly reversed the inhibition of CD4+T-cell proliferation and IL-2 production, indicating that this cell population contributes to the suppression of T-cell function during malaria. Moreover, in vivo depletion of Tregcells prevented the development of parasite-specific TH1 cells involved in the induction of cerebral malaria during a secondary parasitic challenge, demonstrating a regulatory role for this cell population in the control of pathogenic responses leading to fatal disease.
ON THE BÊTA-ELLIPTIC MODEL FOR THE CONTROL OF THE HUMAN ARM MOVEMENT
Authors: BEZINE HALA , KEFI MEHDI , ALIMI ADEL M. 
Published: February 2007

This article describes a kinematic theory, called the Bêta-elliptic model, for generating handwriting movements. The model consists of a sequential controller producing a curvilinear velocity approximated by Bêta profiles. This earlier interacts with a trajectory generator to provide elliptic strokes. As an application to our model, we consider a redundant seven degrees of freedom manipulator having a kinematic structure similar to that of a human arm. We treat to demonstrate how the Bêta-elliptic theory enables a simple motor program to generate complex curvilinear movements that have many of the properties that humans exhibit when they produce cursive script. Bêta-elliptic properties enable a simple control strategy to generate complex handwritten script if the hand model contains redundant degrees of freedom. Here, we restrict our analysis to a total of seven degrees of freedom from the shoulder to the wrist. The proposed controller launches transient commands to independent hand synergies at times when the hand begins to move. The Bêta-elliptic model transforms these synergy commands into smooth curvilinear velocity fitted by Bêta profiles among temporally overlapping synergetic units of trajectory approximated by elliptic strokes. In experiments, and at first sight, good phenomenological agreement with natural movement trajectories is found.
ββ DECAY AND NUCLEAR STRUCTURE
Authors: CAURIER E. , NOWACKI F. , POVES A. 
Published: February 2007

The determination of accurate nuclear matrix elements for ββ decay processes is a challenge for nuclear theory and can have a strong impact in neutrino physics. Large Scale Shell Model (LSSM) calculations are among the best tools for such determination and recent developments have allowed to extend its application domains. In particular, systematic studies of nuclear matrix elements calculations have been now undertaken in this framework for most of the ββ emitters. These calculations are crucial in the determination of the most favorable emitters in the forthcoming generation of ββ experiments. The present paper focuses on the recent advances and remaining difficulties of shell model calculations for the neutrinoless mode. Stability and predictive power of the results will be discussed.
The Identification of (ETV6)/RUNX1-Regulated Genes in Lymphopoiesis Using Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors in ETV6/RUNX1-Positive Lymphoid Leukemic Cells
Authors: Starkova Julia , Madzo Jozef , Cario Gunnar , Kalina Tomas , Ford Anthony , Zaliova Marketa , Hrusak Ondrej , Trka Jan 
Published: February 2007

AbstractPurpose: Chimeric transcription factor ETV6/RUNX1 (TEL/AML1) is believed to cause pathologic block in lymphoid cell development via interaction with corepressor complex and histone deacetylase. We wanted to show the regulatory effect of ETV6/RUNX1 and its reversibility by histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), as well as to identify potential ETV6/RUNX1-regulated genes.Experimental Design: We used luciferase assay to show the interaction of ETV6/RUNX1 protein, ETV6/RUNX1-regulated gene, and HDACi. To identify ETV6/RUNX1-regulated genes, we used expression profiling and HDACi in lymphoid cells. Next, using the flow cytometry and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR, we measured differentiation changes in gene and protein expression after HDACi treatment.Results: Luciferase assay showed repression of granzyme B expression by ETV6/RUNX1 protein and the reversibility of this effect by HDACi. Proving this regulatory role of ETV6/RUNX1, we identified, using complex statistical analysis, 25 genes that are potentially regulated by ETV6/RUNX1 protein. In four selected genes with known role in the cell cycle regulation (JunD, ACK1, PDGFRB, and TCF4), we confirmed expression changes after HDACi by quantitative analysis. After HDACi treatment, ETV6/RUNX1-positive cells showed immunophenotype changes resembling differentiation process compared with other leukemic cells (BCR/ABL, ETV6/PDGFRB positive). Moreover, ETV6/RUNX1-positive leukemic cells accumulated in G1-G0 phase after HDACi whereas other B-lineage leukemic cell lines showed rather unspecific changes including induction of apoptosis and decreased proliferation.Conclusions: Presented data support the hypothesis that HDACi affect ETV6/RUNX1-positive cells via direct interaction with ETV6/RUNX1 protein and that treatment with HDACi may release aberrant transcription activity caused by ETV6/RUNX1 chimeric transcription factor.
A Novel Method for Quantifying Value in Spaceborne Soil Moisture Retrievals
Authors: Crow Wade T. 
Published: February 2007

Abstract
A novel methodology is introduced for quantifying the added value of remotely sensed soil moisture products for global land surface modeling applications. The approach is based on the assimilation of soil moisture retrievals into a simple surface water balance model driven by satellite-based precipitation products. Filter increments (i.e., discrete additions or subtractions of water suggested by the filter) are then compared to antecedent precipitation errors determined using higher-quality rain gauge observations. A synthetic twin experiment demonstrates that the correlation coefficient between antecedent precipitation errors and filter increments provides an effective proxy for the accuracy of the soil moisture retrievals themselves. Given the inherent difficulty of directly validating remotely sensed soil moisture products using ground-based observations, this assimilation-based proxy provides a valuable tool for efforts to improve soil moisture retrieval strategies and quantify the novel information content of remotely sensed soil moisture retrievals for land surface modeling applications. Using real spaceborne data, the approach is demonstrated for four different remotely sensed soil moisture datasets along two separate transects in the southern United States. Results suggest that the relative superiority of various retrieval strategies varies geographically.
Numerical Studies of Wet versus Dry Soil Regimes in the West African Sahel
Authors: Alonge Charles J. , Mohr Karen I. , Tao Wei-Kuo 
Published: February 2007

Abstract
The West African Sahel lies between the wet, humid equatorial zone of Africa to the south and the Sahara Desert to the north. This topography results in a strong north–south precipitation gradient. A coupled land–atmosphere (cloud resolving) model and observed data from the Hydrological Atmospheric Pilot Experiment in the Sahel were used to simulate both wet and dry soil moisture regimes. There are two case studies—one characterized by convective precipitation, the other by fair weather. In both of the case studies, evapotranspiration from the tiger bush land cover was noticeably larger in the wet soil moisture regime. The increase in latent heat flux was the key factor in creating a boundary layer that was more favorable to late-afternoon deep convection in the wet regime. Differences in boundary layer growth and development between the case studies suggested a more important role for the land surface in fair weather environments versus convective precipitation environments.