bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Collagenous colitis and eosinophilic gastritis in a 4‐year old girl: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Benchimol Eric I , Kirsch Richard , Viero Sandra , Griffiths Anne M 
Published: October 2007

AbstractCollagenous colitis (CC), a form of microscopic colitis, is characterized by a thick subepithelial collagen layer in the colon in the presence of chronic nonbloody watery diarrhoea and macroscopically normal‐appearing colonic mucosa. Typically affecting elderly adults, CC is rare in children with only 12 cases previously reported in the literature. We report the case of a 4‐year‐old girl with CC associated with eosinophilic gastritis, which was clinically responsive to treatment with ketotifen, a benzocycloheptathiophene derivative, and H1 class of antihistamine that stabilizes mast cells and potentially impairs eosinophil migration to target organs. We review the published cases of paediatric‐onset CC and summarize the links between eosinophils and CC in the clinical and basic science literature.Conclusion: CC is a rare cause of chronic diarrhoea in children and may relate to mast cell and eosinophil activity.
Effect of physical activity intervention on body composition in young children: influence of body mass index status and gender
Authors: Lazaar Nordine , Aucouturier Julien , Ratel Sébastien , Rance Mélanie , Meyer Martine , Duché Pascale 
Published: October 2007

AbstractAim: To fight overweight and obesity in childhood, this study proposes an additional physical activity (PA) in young children aged 6–10 years. The objective was to evaluate the effect of school‐based PA on the body composition according to body mass index (BMI) categories (nonobese vs. obese) and gender.Methods: This 6‐month study examined the effect of this intervention on body composition in 425 children in 14 primary schools (2 weekly PA sessions of 1 h each) compared to 5 control schools. Adiposity indices were evaluated or calculated: BMI, BMI z‐score, waist circumference, sum of skinfolds and fat‐free mass.Results: No difference in the prevalence of obesity and anthropometric characteristics was found between the intervention and control groups at baseline. In girls, PA intervention had significant effect on all anthropometric variables (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001), except on BMI. In contrast, in boys only BMI z‐score (p < 0.001) and fat‐free mass (p < 0.001) were affected.Conclusions: Six months of preventive PA intervention offer an effective means to improve body composition in obese children. The pattern of response related to PA was similar between girls and boys. In contrast, the pattern was different according to BMI category, with a higher response in obese than nonobese children.
Focus on infantile colic
Authors: Savino Francesco 
Published: October 2007

AbstractInfantile colic is a widespread clinical condition in the first 3 months of life, which is easily recognized, but incompletely understood and difficult to solve. The available evidence suggests that infantile colic might have several independent causes. The medical hypotheses include food hypersensitivity or allergy, immaturity of gut function and dysmotility, and the behavioural hypotheses include inadequate maternal–infant interaction, anxiety in the mother and difficult infant temperament. Other recent hypotheses, such as hormone alterations and maternal smoking, still need confirmation, whereas the new concept of alterations in the gut microflora, have been reported. A number of interventions, including pharmacological agents, are discussed, but it is probable that infants with colic require a graded strategy.Conclusion: Considering the favourable clinical course and the wide range of manifestations, a safe approach should be adopted, which is proportional to the intensity of the infantile colic. However, further research and guidelines are still needed.
Environmental risk factors for attention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Banerjee Tania Das , Middleton Frank , Faraone Stephen V. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractAttention‐deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common cognitive and behavioural disorder diagnosed among school children. It is characterized by deficient attention and problem solving, along with hyperactivity and difficulty withholding incorrect responses. This highly prevalent disorder is estimated to affect 5–10% of children and in many cases, persists into adulthood,leading to 4% prevalence among adults. Converging evidence from epidemiologic, neuropsychology, neuroimaging, genetic and treatment studies shows that ADHD is a valid medical disorder.The majority of studies performed to assess genetic risk factors in ADHD have supported a strong familial nature of this disorder. Family studies have identified a 2‐ to 8‐fold increase in the risk for ADHD in parents and siblings of children with ADHD. Various twin and adoption studies have also highlighted the highly genetic nature of ADHD. In fact the mean heritability of ADHD was shown to be 0.77, which is comparable to other neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.However, several biological and environmental factors have also been proposed as risk factors for ADHD, including food additives/diet, lead contamination, cigarette and alcohol exposure, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and low birth weight. Many recent studies have specifically examined the relationships between ADHD and these extraneous factors. This review describes some of these possible risk factors.Conclusion: Although a substantial fraction of the aetiology of ADHD is due to genes, the studies reviewed in this article show that many environmental risk factors and potential gene–environment interactions also increase the risk for the disorder.
A different view: there is value in grading intraventricular hemorrhage
Authors: Whitelaw Andrew 
Published: October 2007

AbstractThe traditional 1–4 grading system for intra‐ventricular haemorrhage (IVH) has been criticized on several points. Grade 1 IVH is not really intra‐ventricular at all but all neurosonographers have recognized this for many years. Grade 3 IVH is criticized as it includes ventricular dilatation but grade 3 IVH is a haemorrhage large enough to distend the ventricle with blood not cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The distinction between small and large IVH is valuable as the prognosis is very different. Grade 4 IVH is criticized as it is not an ‘extension’ but authors have described this as parenchymal haemorrhagic infarction for decades. Grade 4 IVH has different risk factors, prognosis and prophylaxis from periventricular leucomalacia. The shorthand category of ‘severe IVH’, meaning grades 3 and 4, is not adequate for individual patient assessment but is certainly useful for annual statistics, comparisons over time and between hospitals.Conclusion: Despite limitations, grading IVH has value.
Association of adiposity measures with blood lipids and blood pressure in children aged 8–11 years
Authors: Martínez Vizcaíno Vicente , Salcedo Aguilar Fernando , Solera Martínez Montserrat , Sánchez López Mairena , Franquelo Gutiérrez Ricardo , Rodríguez‐Artalejo Fernando 
Published: October 2007

AbstractAim: To examine the association of body mass index (BMI), triceps skinfold thickness (TST) and percentage body fat (%BF) from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) with blood lipids, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in children.Methods: Cross‐sectional study was conducted on 1280 schoolchildren aged 8–11 years from the Cuenca province (Spain). Data collection was conducted under standardized conditions, taking several measurements of each variable to enhance accuracy. Analyses were performed using age‐adjusted correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression adjusted for age, BMI, TST and %BF.Results: Correlations between %BF and apolipoprotein (apo) B, total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐c), total cholesterol/HDL‐c ratio and DBP were higher than those for BMI and TST. In contrast, the correlations between BMI, and apo A‐I and SBP were higher than those for %BF and TST. The results were similar across the sexes. The correlations between each of the three measures of body fatness, and blood lipids and blood pressure were highest in children with greatest BMI and %BF. When analyses were adjusted for the three body fatness measures, %BF showed stronger associations than did BMI or TST with blood lipids and blood pressure, with the exception of apo A‐I and SBP, which were more closely associated with BMI.Conclusion: %BF from BIA is more strongly associated than either BMI or TST with most of the blood lipid fractions in schoolchildren aged 8–11 years.
Improved vitamin A supplementation regimen for breastfed very low birth weight infants
Authors: Aurvåg Anne K , Henriksen Christine , Drevon Christian A , Iversen Per O , Nakstad Britt 
Published: October 2007

AbstractObjective: Preterm infants usually have low retinol status at birth and at discharge from hospital. We have evaluated a new protocol designed to improve plasma retinol in very low birth weight infants (VLBW, birth weight < 1500 g).Design: An open intervention trial was conducted in which vitamin A was given in a human milk fortifier. The daily dose of vitamin A varied according to bodyweight and was given mixed with human milk instead of as a bolus. Blood samples were collected at inclusion and at discharge from hospital. Plasma was analyzed for retinol using high‐performance liquid chromatography. The daily intake of vitamin A and plasma retinol concentration was compared with the vitamin protocol normally used in Norwegian hospitals.Results: Sixty VLBW infants were included and 53 completed the study. At discharge from hospital, the reference group had lower median plasma retinol concentrations compared to the modified group (0.30 μM vs. 0.49 μM, p = 0.008). Fewer infants in the modified group had plasma retinol levels below 0.35 μM (indicating reduced hepatic stores) compared to infants in the reference group (44% vs. 69%, p = 0.04).Conclusion: The modified protocol improved plasma retinol levels at discharge compared to the reference protocol.
Modeling and Control of a New Robotic Deburring System
Authors: Kim Changhoon , Chung Jae H. 
Published: October 2007

Abstract
This paper discusses the modeling and control of a robotic manipulator with a new deburring tool, which integrates two pneumatic actuators to take advantage of a double cutting action. A coordination control method was developed by decomposing the robotic deburring system into two subsystems: the arm and the deburring tool. A decentralized control approach was pursued in which suitable controllers were designed for the two subsystems in the coordination scheme. Robust feedback linearization was utilized to minimize the undesirable effect of external disturbances, such as static and Coulomb friction and nonlinear compliance of the pneumatic cylinder stemming from the compressibility of air. The developed coordination control method demonstrated its efficacy in terms of deburring accuracy and speed. Simulation results show that the developed robotic deburring system significantly improves the accuracy of the deburring operation.
Prediction of Fracture Stresses of High Pressure Gas Cylinders
Containing Cracklike Flaws
Authors: Rana Mahendra D. , Rawls George B. 
Published: October 2007

Abstract
Full scale tests were conducted on high pressure gas cylinders containing cracklike flaws. The cylinders were then pressurized to destruction, and the membrane hoop stress at failure in the cylinder wall was calculated from the failure pressure. Mechanical properties, including tensile and fracture data, were obtained on specimens representing the heats of the tested cylinders. Analyses were performed to predict the failure stresses using several methods available in the open literature. This paper presents the results of the predicted and measured fracture stresses.
Optimum Replacement Interval for Mechanical Components Based on Fatigue Reliability
Authors: Park Young H. , Tang Jun 
Published: October 2007

AbstractThis paper introduces a maintenance decision-making strategy in the general area of replacement and reliability of mechanical components. The decision-making strategy involves the optimization of replacement interval calculated from fatigue failure of mechanical components. The proposed approach is based on the cumulative damage distribution function for evaluating mean fatigue life. Using this approach, the analytical expressions for mean and variance of the cumulative damage distribution under both stationary narrow-band and stationary wide-band random process are provided. The mean value and variance of fatigue life distribution are then evaluated to determine the optimal replacement intervals under fatigue failure. A practical example is presented to demonstrate the application of the present method.
Significance of Fracture Toughness Test Results of Beam Welds in
Evaluation of Brittle Fracture Performance of Girth Welded Pipe
Joints
Authors: Ohata Mitsuru , Toyoda Masao , Ishikawa Nobuyuki , Shinmiya Toyohisa 
Published: October 2007

Abstract
High power beam welds, such as electron beam welds or laser welds, sometimes provide fracture path deviation (FPD) in standardized Charpy V-notch fracture toughness testing due to narrow bead profile together with higher overmatching in strength between weld metal and base metal. Moreover, it should be noted that these typical features of beam welds might result in a plastic constraint loss around both the notch and crack tip in fracture toughness test specimens. Even in the temperature range where FPD would not occur, the fracture toughness test results could not necessarily be an intrinsic value of such beam welds. These fracture properties make it difficult to evaluate fracture performance of girth welded pipe joints. In this paper, the estimation method of intrinsic fracture toughness of beam weld metal itself using standard toughness test specimens is proposed on the basis of “Weibull stress criterion.” The predicted intrinsic fracture toughness was found to be lower than the test results both in standard Charpy specimen and in three-point bend specimen with fatigue precrack. The assessment of brittle fracture performance of girth welded pipeline was conducted from the estimated intrinsic fracture toughness of girth welds by means of Weibull stress criterion. It was demonstrated that the low intrinsic fracture toughness of beam welds could not directly lead to the low fracture performance of a pipe joint under tensile loading. This is because of a lower plastic constraint compared to a three-point bend specimen due to difference in loading mode together with constraint loss in pipe joints and shielding effect of straining in weld metal due to highly overmatched narrow welds.
Artemisinin and a Series of Novel Endoperoxide Antimalarials Exert Early Effects on Digestive Vacuole Morphology
Authors: del Pilar Crespo Maria , Avery Thomas D. , Hanssen Eric , Fox Emma , Robinson Tony V. , Valente Peter , Taylor Dennis K. , Tilley Leann 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACT

Artermisinin and its derivatives are now the mainstays of antimalarial treatment; however, their mechanism of action is only poorly understood. We report on the synthesis of a novel series of epoxy-endoperoxides that can be prepared in high yields from simple starting materials. Endoperoxides that are disubstituted with alkyl or benzyl side chains show efficient inhibition of the growth of both chloroquine-sensitive and -resistant strains of
Plasmodium falciparum
. A
trans
-epoxide with respect to the peroxide linkage increases the activity compared to that of its
cis
-epoxy counterpart or the parent endoperoxide. The novel endoperoxides do not show a strong interaction with artemisinin. We have compared the mechanism of action of the novel endoperoxides with that of artemisinin. Electron microscopy reveals that the novel endoperoxides cause the early accumulation of endocytic vesicles, while artemisinin causes the disruption of the digestive vacuole membrane. At longer incubation times artemisinin causes extensive loss of organellar structures, while the novel endoperoxides cause myelin body formation as well as the accumulation of endocytic vesicles. An early event following endoperoxide treatment is the redistribution of the pH-sensitive probe LysoSensor Blue from the digestive vacuole to punctate structures. By contrast, neither artemisinin nor the novel endoperoxides caused alterations in the morphology of the endoplasmic reticulum nor showed antagonistic antimalarial activity when they were used with thapsigargin. Analysis of rhodamine 123 uptake by
P. falciparum
suggests that disruption of the mitochondrial membrane potential occurs as a downstream effect rather than as an initiator of parasite killing. The data suggest that the digestive vacuole is an important initial site of endoperoxide antimalarial activity.
Comparative In Vitro Pharmacodynamics of Caspofungin, Micafungin, and Anidulafungin against Germinated and Nongerminated
Aspergillus
Conidia
Authors: Antachopoulos Charalampos , Meletiadis Joseph , Sein Tin , Roilides Emmanuel , Walsh Thomas J. 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACT

The concentration-dependent effects of echinocandins on the metabolic activity of
Aspergillus
spp. were comparatively studied by using nongerminated and germinated conidia. The susceptibilities of 11
Aspergillus fumigatus
, 8
A. terreus
and 8
A. flavus
isolates to caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin were studied by a CLSI (formerly NCCLS) M38-A broth microdilution-based method. After 48 h of incubation the minimum effective concentration (MEC) was defined microscopically. Metabolic activity was assessed by the 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2
H
-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide assay and modeled by using the sigmoid (
E
max
) or “bell-shaped” model. The median MEC values of caspofungin (0.5 to 1 μg/ml), micafungin (0.06 to 0.12 μg/ml), and anidulafungin (0.03 μg/ml) against nongerminated conidia increased by 0 to 1, 1 to 2, and 2 to 3 twofold dilutions, respectively (depending on the species), over those against germinated conidia. A similar shift to the right was demonstrated for the corresponding curves of metabolic activity. There was a significant correlation between the degrees of maximal metabolic inhibition caused by different echinocandins at both the species level (greater inhibition for
A. flavus
) and the strain level (
r
= 0.84 to 0.93;
P
< 0.0001). Paradoxical increases in metabolism in the presence of higher concentrations of caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin were detected in 6, 2, and 5 of the
A. fumigatus
isolates, respectively; 5, 1, and 2 of the
A. terreus
isolates, respectively; and 1, 0, and 0 of the
A. flavus
isolates, respectively. Based on the model, 50% of the maximal paradoxical increase was detected with 4.2, 11.1, and 10.8 μg/ml of caspofungin, micafungin, and anidulafungin, respectively. All echinocandins therefore exerted comparable levels of maximal metabolic inhibition against
Aspergillus
spp. at concentrations that were differentially increased for germinated versus nongerminated conidia. The paradoxical increase in metabolism occurred more frequently and at lower concentrations with caspofungin than with micafungin and anidulafungin.
Phenotypic Characterization of Resistant Val36Variants of Hepatitis C Virus NS3-4A Serine Protease
Authors: Zhou Yi , Bartels Doug J. , Hanzelka Brian L. , Müh Ute , Wei Yunyi , Chu Hui-May , Tigges Ann M. , Brennan Debra L. , Rao B. Govinda , Swenson Lora , Kwong Ann D. , Lin Chao 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACTIn patients chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) strains of genotype 1, rapid and dramatic antiviral activity has been observed with telaprevir (VX-950), a highly selective and potent inhibitor of the HCV NS3-4A serine protease. HCV variants with substitutions in the NS3 protease domain were observed in some patients during telaprevir dosing. In this study, purified protease domain proteins and reconstituted HCV subgenomic replicons were used for phenotypic characterization of many of these substitutions. V36A/M or T54A substitutions conferred less than eightfold resistance to telaprevir. Variants with double substitutions at Val36plus Thr54had ∼20-fold resistance to telaprevir, and variants with double substitutions at Val36plus Arg155or Ala156had >40-fold resistance to telaprevir. An X-ray structure of the HCV strain H protease domain containing the V36M substitution in a cocomplex with an NS4A cofactor peptide was solved at a 2.4-Å resolution. Except for the side chain of Met36, the V36M variant structure is identical to that of the wild-type apoenzyme. The in vitro replication capacity of most variants was significantly lower than that of the wild-type replicon in cells, which is consistent with the impaired in vivo fitness estimated from telaprevir-dosed patients. Finally, the sensitivity of these replicon variants to alpha interferon or ribavirin remained unchanged compared to that of the wild-type.
Time of Incubation for Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of
Aspergillus fumigatus
: Can MIC Values Be Obtained at 24 Hours?
Authors: Rodriguez-Tudela Juan Luis , Alcazar-Fuoli Laura , Alastruey-Izquierdo Ana , Monzon Araceli , Mellado Emilia , Cuenca-Estrella Manuel 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACT

A collection of
Aspergillus fumigatus
isolates was used to check if MICs can be read at 24 h. At 24 h, the geometric mean MIC of itraconazole for resistant isolates was determined to be 5.11 mg/liter, but the MIC was read as 16 mg/liter at 48 h. At 24 h, MICs for 51.5% of resistant strains were determined to be ≤2 mg/liter. MICs must be obtained at 48 h.
In Vivo Validation of the Mutant Selection Window Hypothesis with Moxifloxacin in a Murine Model of Tuberculosis
Authors: Almeida Deepak , Nuermberger Eric , Tyagi Sandeep , Bishai William R. , Grosset Jacques 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACT

Combination therapy is the most effective strategy to prevent emergence of resistance during tuberculosis (TB) treatment. Another strategy, albeit theoretical, is to limit the time that drug concentrations fall in the “mutant selection window” (MSW) between the MIC and the mutant prevention concentration (MPC). Drug concentrations above the MPC prevent selective amplification of resistant mutants in vitro even with a single drug exposure. The MSW concept has been validated using fluoroquinolones against
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
in vitro but not in vivo. Using a mouse model in which serum moxifloxacin (MXF) concentrations were maintained above the MPC, we tested whether this strategy prevents selection of MXF-resistant mutants. Beginning 2 weeks after aerosol infection with
M. tuberculosis
, when the mean lung log
10
CFU count was 7.9 ± 0.2, mice received either no treatment or MXF in the diet at 0.25% to approximate the conventional human dose or 1.5% to maintain serum concentrations above the MPC (8 μg/ml). After 56 days of treatment, lung CFU counts were 3.5 ± 0.8 and 0.9 ± 0.6 in 0.25% and 1.5% of the MXF-treated mice, respectively. In mice given 0.25% MXF, MXF-resistant mutants were selected by day 28 and detected in 16% (3/19) of mice tested on day 56. No selection of MXF-resistant mutants was detected in mice given 1.5% MXF. We conclude that maintaining serum concentrations of MXF above the MPC prevents selection of MXF-resistant mutants. Although this target cannot be achieved clinically with MXF, it might be possible with new fluoroquinolones with more potent activity and/or improved pharmacokinetics.
First Occurrence of an IMP Metallo-β-Lactamase in
Aeromonas caviae
: IMP-19 in an Isolate from France
Authors: Neuwirth Catherine , Siebor Eliane , Robin Frederic , Bonnet Richard 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACT

We describe the first IMP metallo-β-lactamase in
Aeromonas caviae
: IMP-19, which differed from IMP-2 by a single amino acid change (Arg to Ala at position 38).
bla
IMP-19
was found within a class 1 integron located on a 35-kb plasmid. This is also the first description of an IMP producer in France.