bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessment of disseminated adenovirus infections using quantitative plasma PCR in adult allogeneic stem cell transplant recipients receiving reduced intensity or myeloablative conditioning
Authors: Kalpoe Jayant S. , Van Der Heiden Pim L. J. , Barge Renee M. Y. , Houtzager Sabine , Lankester Arjan C. , Van Tol Maarten J. D. , Kroes Aloys C. M. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractObjectives:  Disseminated adenovirus (AdV) infections following allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo‐SCT) are increasingly recognised, particularly in children. This study evaluated the clinical relevance of disseminated AdV infections in adult allo‐SCT recipients, after different conditioning regimens.Methods:  In a cohort of 107 adult allo‐SCT recipients, receiving either reduced intensity conditioning (RIC, n = 48) or myeloablative conditioning (MAC, n = 59), AdV DNA levels in plasma were determined retrospectively at 1, 3 and 6 months following transplantation. Results of this screening regimen were compared with a cohort of 58 paediatric allo‐SCT recipients, in whom AdV DNA load was monitored prospectively, as part of a pre‐emptive treatment strategy. In positive cases, the course of AdV DNA load and clinical outcome were assessed.Results:  AdV DNA levels ≥1000 copies/mL were detected in five adults (4.7%) and eight children (13.8%). Screening for AdV viraemia at 1, 3 and 6 months would have detected seven of eight paediatric patients. One adult, receiving MAC, died with disseminated AdV disease and in four (three RIC and one MAC) AdV viraemia was transient without clinical symptoms specifically attributable to AdV. Seven paediatric patients with AdV viraemia were pre‐emptively treated with ribavirin or cidofovir and in three of them disseminated AdV infection was related to a fatal outcome.Conclusions:  Disseminated AdV infections following allo‐SCT was a rare event in the adults and cause morbidity in a minority of these patients. In four of five adult patients, spontaneous clearance of AdV viraemia occurred. Results did not differ between the conditioning regimens that were applied in the adult cohort.
Optimization of multidrug resistance 1 gene transfer confers chemoprotection to human hematopoietic cells engrafted in immunodeficient mice
Authors: Zhang Hualing , Wen Zeqing , Tan Shougang , Li Changzhong , Lan Shoumin , Li Jianfeng 
Published: February 2007

AbstractObjective:  To investigate whether an optimization of MDR1 gene transfer protocol would result in stable hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engraftment and myeloprotection in non‐obese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice after paclitaxel chemotherapy.Methods:  We transplanted freshly isolated CD34+ cells or MDR1‐transduced CD34+ cells derived from human umbilical cord blood (UCB) into sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice. Twenty‐eight days after transplantation, mice received paclitaxel chemotherapy and peripheral blood (PB) was collected for analysis of WBC, RBC and PLT counts once every week.Results:  We found that MDR1‐transduced human hematopoietic cells could facilitate hematopoietic recovery and completely reconstitute hematopoiesis in mice as well as freshly isolated CD34+ cells. Mice transplanted with MDR1‐transduced human hematopoietic cells were protected from paclitaxel chemotherapy with higher survival rate and higher level of WBC counts and RBC counts compared with mice transplanted with untransduced HSCs. We also demonstrated that hematopoietic cells transduced with MDR1 gene were enriched in vivo after paclitaxel chemotherapy determined by the higher percentage of human Rh‐123dull CD45+ cells in bone marrow of mice.Conclusion:  Our results demonstrated successful chemoprotection against myelosuppression in mice by MDR1‐transduced repopulating human hematopoietic cells with an optimized transduction protocol.
Fatal hemophagocytic syndrome related to active human herpesvirus‐8/Kaposi sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus infection in human immunodeficiency virus‐negative, non‐transplant patients without related malignancies
Authors: Re A. , Facchetti F. , Borlenghi E. , Cattaneo C. , Capucci M. A. , Ungari M. , Barozzi P. , Vallerini D. , Potenza L. , Torelli G. , Rossi G. , Luppi M. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractHemophagocytic syndrome (HS) may occur as a consequence of herpes viral infections. Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8)/Kaposi sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus has so far been recognized as a trigger of HS only in immunosuppressed subjects or in patients with Kaposi sarcoma and/or HHV‐8‐related lymphoproliferative diseases. We report two Italian human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐negative elderly men who developed an HS with a rapidly fatal course, following treatment with corticosteroids for autoimmune hemolytic anemia. An overwhelming active infection with HHV‐8 was unequivocally documented by molecular and immunohistochemical methods, in the absence of HHV‐8‐related tumors. The occurrence of HHV‐8‐associated HS, although rare, may be considered, even out of the HIV or the transplantation settings, at least in areas endemic for HHV‐8 infection.
Treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura: the patients’ perspective
Authors: Matzdorff Axel , Arnold Gabriele 
Published: February 2007

AbstractBackground:  The 1996 ASH guidelines recommend glucocorticoids and splenectomy as standard treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). We sought to find out how many German ITP‐patients were treated according to these guidelines and whether high‐cost treatments were offered to the patients.Methods:  We handed out a questionnaire at two self‐help group meetings in 2004 and 2005 and to all patients who contacted the ITP self‐help group until the end of 2005.Results:  Eighty‐five questionnaires were evaluated. Age (median 34 yr) and gender distribution (38% male, 62% female) were similar to other surveys. Median duration of disease was 5.2 yr. Seventy‐five percent had platelets <20 000/μL at the time of diagnosis. Twenty‐four percent still had <20 000 platelets/μL at the time of this survey. Forty‐two percent had oropharyngeal mucosal bleeds, 28% gastrointestinal or urological bleeds, 11% bleedings in the eye with visual impairment or intracerebral bleeds. 96% had received a trial of glucocorticoid therapy. Seventy‐five percent of the patients treated with glucocorticoids perceived this treatment as particularly bothersome. Seventy‐five percent of the patients with low platelet count still had their spleen. Complementary and alternative medical treatments had been used by 46% of the patients. Only 33% of the patients had ever heard of rituximab.Conclusion:  Despite literature suggesting that patients wish to be well informed this survey shows that chronic ITP patients know little about their disease and the various treatment modalities. This and the frequent use of complementary and alternative medicines reflects inadequate communication between doctors and ITP patients.
Seasonal differences in the adaptability of herbage species to environmental variations in a long‐term grazing experiment
Authors: Yiruhan  , Shiyomi Masae , Takahashi Shigeo , Okubo Tadakatsu , Akiyama Tsuyoshi , Koyama Nobuaki , Tsuiki Mikinori 
Published: February 2007

AbstractMixtures of orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, redtop, Kentucky bluegrass, and white clover were sown in autumn 1973. Two 8‐year grazing experiments were conducted at the National Grassland Research Institute (Nasushiobara, Japan) to determine the effects of grazing intensity and nitrogen levels on pasture ecosystems. These experiments involved two different grazing intensities (1974–1981) and two different nitrogen levels (1982–1989). Large spatiotemporal variations in phytomass due to environmental variations were observed in both experiments. Finlay–Wilkinson analysis was applied to clarify seasonal (monthly) differences in the adaptability of the herbage species, as measured by phytomass, to environmental variations by year and treatments in the two experiments. Seasonality in the adaptability to environments differed greatly among species. In this paper, we examined from livestock farmers’ standpoint whether seasonality in adaptability of herbage species in the grazing pasture could be satisfied. A significantly high adaptability was shown for: orchardgrass from May to July and November; tall fescue in April, June and July, and November; redtop and Kentucky bluegrass in April; and Zoysia japonica in September and October. In contrast, perennial ryegrass and white clover exhibited very low adaptability in any season. Z. japonica and weeds such as Pennisetum alopecuroides, Eragrostis ferruginea and Digitaria adscendens, which had invaded from surrounding areas, showed low adaptability, except in autumn, when they showed moderate adaptability.
Fermentation quality and nutritive value of green soybean stover silage
Authors: Horiguchi Ken‐ichi , Takahashi Toshiyoshi 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe aim of this study was to examine the effect of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB) on fermentation quality and nutritive value of green soybean stover silage. Green soybean stover was cut and packed in drum silos without or with 5% (volume/weight) FJLB. Four sheep were fed a basal diet of 40% reed canarygrass hay and 60% commercial concentrate (dry matter basis) and assigned to two treatments: green soybean stover silage preserved without FJLB or with FJLB. Crude protein and neutral detergent fiber contents of green soybean stover silage (dry matter basis) were 16.4% and 45.2% for the silage without FJLB, and 15.8% and 47.1% for the silage with FJLB, respectively. Lactic acid content of the fresh green soybean stover silage was 1.41% for the silage without FJLB and 1.63% for the silage with FJLB. The butyric acid content of the fresh green soybean stover silage with FJLB was substantially lower than that of the silage without FJLB. There was no effect of FJLB added for silage making on the nutrient content, nitrogen retention or ruminal fermentation of the diets. It was estimated that total digestible nutrients content and digestible crude protein content of green soybean stover silage were 64.2% and 11.2% of dry matter, respectively.
Assessment of forage biomass and quality parameters of bermudagrass using proximal sensing of pasture canopy reflectance
Authors: Zhao Duli , Starks Patrick J. , Brown Michael A. , Phillips William A. , Coleman Samuel W. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractAssessments of forage productivity and quality during the growing season can help livestock managers make decisions for adjusting stocking rate and managing pastures. Traditional laboratory methods of forage quality determination are usually time consuming and costly. Remote sensing may provide a rapid and inexpensive means of estimating forage biomass and quality variables. Canopy reflectance measurements were made, using a spectroradiometer, in five warm season grass pastures during the 2002 and 2003 growing seasons to develop and validate algorithms to predict above‐ground biomass, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and crude protein (CP) concentrations and CP availability (i.e. CP concentration × biomass yield) of the pastures. Forage biomass correlated (r2 = 0.36, P < 0.0001) with a ratio of reflectance at 1145 and 1205 nm wavebands (R1145/R1205). Crude protein concentration and CP availability correlated linearly with R1695/R605 and R875/R735 (r2 = 0.61 and 0.47, P < 0.0001), respectively. Although NDF and ADF correlated significantly (P < 0.0001) with the reflectance ratios, the best reflectance ratios only explained 13–35% of ADF and NDF variations. Multiple regression (MAXR) models with a total of 10‐waveband entrances improved the relationships between forage quality and canopy reflectance values (r2 = 0.27 − 0.74, P < 0.0001). Validation of developed equations indicated that forage biomass, CP concentration, and CP availability could be predicted using either the reflectances at 10 wavebands or the two‐band reflectance ratios. Pasture NDF could also be predicted using the 10‐band MAXR equation (r2 = 0.58). Our results suggest that biomass and major quality parameters of warm season grass pastures can be rapidly and nondestructively predicted using canopy reflectance data.
Pumping‐Induced Drawdown and Stream Depletion in a Leaky Aquifer System
Authors: Butler James J. , Zhan Xiaoyong , Zlotnik Vitaly A. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe impact of ground water pumping on nearby streams is often estimated using analytic models of the interconnected stream‐aquifer system. A common assumption of these models is that the pumped aquifer is underlain by an impermeable formation. A new semianalytic solution for drawdown and stream depletion has been developed that does not require this assumption. This solution shows that pumping‐induced flow (leakage) through an underlying aquitard can be an important recharge mechanism in many stream‐aquifer systems. The relative importance of this source of recharge increases with the distance between the pumping well and the stream. The distance at which leakage becomes the primary component of the pumping‐induced recharge depends on the specific properties of the aquifer, aquitard, and streambed. Even when the aquitard is orders of magnitude less transmissive than the aquifer, leakage can be an important recharge mechanism because of the large surface area over which it occurs. Failure to consider aquitard leakage can lead to large overestimations of both the drawdown produced by pumping and the contribution of stream depletion to the pumping‐induced recharge. The ramifications for water resources management and water rights adjudication can be significant. A hypothetical example helps illustrate these points and demonstrates that more attention should be given to estimating the properties of aquitards underlying stream‐aquifer systems. The solution presented here should serve as a relatively simple but versatile tool for practical assessments of pumping‐induced stream‐aquifer interactions. However, this solution should not be used for such assessments without site‐specific data that indicate pumping has induced leakage through the aquitard.
Early intervention for post‐traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Bryant Richard A. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractAims:  The potentially debilitating effect of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has created much interest in early intervention strategies that can reduce PTSD. This review critiques the evidence for psychological debriefing approaches and alternate early intervention strategies.Methods:  The review critiques the randomized controlled trials of psychological debriefing, and early provision of cognitive behavior therapy. The latter approach involves therapy attention on acutely traumatized individuals who are high risk for PTSD development, and particularly in people with acute stress disorder (ASD).Results:  Psychological debriefing does not prevent PTSD. Cognitive behaviour therapy strategies have proven efficacy in reducing subsequent PTSD in ASD populations.Conclusions:  Despite the promising evidence for early provision of CBT, many people do not benefit from CBT. This review concludes with consideration of major challenges facing early intervention approaches in the context of terrorist attacks and mass disasters.
Substance abuse and first‐episode schizophrenia‐spectrum disorders. The Danish OPUS trial
Authors: Petersen Lone , Jeppesen Pia , Thorup Anne , Øhlenschlæger Johan , Krarup Gertrud , Østergård Torben , Jørgensen Per , Nordentoft Merete 
Published: February 2007

AbstractAim:  To evaluate whether integrated treatment (given by OPUS), in comparison with standard treatment, significantly reduced the number of patients with substance abuse and improved clinical and social outcome in the group of substance abusers after 2 years.Methods:  A total of 547 patients with first‐episode schizophrenia‐spectrum disorders were included in the study, 275 randomly assigned to OPUS treatment and 272 to standard treatment. OPUS treatment consisted of assertive community treatment with family involvement and social skills training. Standard treatment offered contact with a community mental health centre. Main outcome measure was reduction in comorbid substance abuse.Results:  At 2‐year follow up, 42 (17.3%) patients from OPUS and 40 (20.7%) patients from standard treatment met criteria for substance abuse (odds ratio=0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.3–1.0). OPUS treatment compared with standard treatment significantly reduced negative and disorganized symptoms in the substance abuser group. Patients with substance abuse in the OPUS treatment spent significantly fewer days in hospital during the 2‐year period than patients given standard treatment (109 days vs. 167 days) and adhered to treatment significantly more often.Conclusions:  Results from this trial indicate that integrated treatment given by OPUS reduced substance abuse and improved clinical outcome in the substance abuser group. Supplementing the OPUS treatment with therapeutic programmes for patients with a comorbid substance abuse would probably further improve outcome.
Activities of Amodiaquine, Artesunate, and Artesunate-Amodiaquine against Asexual- and Sexual-Stage Parasites in Falciparum Malaria in Children
Authors: Sowunmi Akintunde , Balogun Tunde , Gbotosho Grace O. , Happi Christian T. , Adedeji Ahmed A. , Fehintola Fatai A. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT

The activities of amodiaquine, artesunate, and artesunate-amodiaquine against asexual- and sexual-stage parasites were evaluated in 360 Nigerian children with uncomplicated
Plasmodium falciparum
malaria randomized to the standard dose regimens of the three drugs/combination. Clinical recovery from illness occurred in all children. There were no significant differences in fever clearance times. Patients treated with artesunate or artesunate-amodiaquine had significantly shorter parasite clearance times (1.4 ± 0.5 days or 1.4 ± 0.6 days versus 3.2 ± 2.3 days,
P
= 0.0001) and lower gametocyte carriage rates (3.3 or 1.7% versus 11.7%,
P
= 0.001) than those treated with amodiaquine alone. Gametocytemia was detected in 62 patients (11.7% before treatment and 5.6% after treatment). The pretreatment gametocyte sex ratio, which was female biased, increased significantly during the course of treatment with amodiaquine but not with artesunate and artesunate-amodiaquine. These results suggest that artesunate and artesunate-amodiaquine reduce gametocyte carriage and may reduce transmissibility in
P. falciparum
malaria by accelerating asexual clearance and influencing gametocyte sex ratio.
Selective Phosphorylation of Antiviral Drugs by Vaccinia Virus Thymidine Kinase
Authors: Prichard Mark N. , Keith Kathy A. , Johnson Mary P. , Harden Emma A. , McBrayer Alexis , Luo Ming , Qiu Shihong , Chattopadhyay Debasish , Fan Xuesen , Torrence Paul F. , Kern Earl R. 
Published: February 2007

ABSTRACT
The antiviral activity of a new series of thymidine analogs was determined against vaccinia virus (VV), cowpox virus (CV), herpes simplex virus, and varicella-zoster virus. Several compounds were identified that had good activity against each of the viruses, including a set of novel 5-substituted deoxyuridine analogs. To investigate the possibility that these drugs might be phosphorylated preferentially by the viral thymidine kinase (TK) homologs, the antiviral activities of these compounds were also assessed using TK-deficient strains of some of these viruses. Some of these compounds were shown to be much less effective in the absence of a functional TK gene in CV, which was unexpected given the high degree of amino acid identity between this enzyme and its cellular homolog. This unanticipated result suggested that the CV TK was important in the mechanism of action of these compounds and also that it might phosphorylate a wider variety of substrates than other type II enzymes. To confirm these data, we expressed the VV TK and human TK1 in bacteria and isolated the purified enzymes. Enzymatic assays demonstrated that the viral TK could efficiently phosphorylate many of these compounds, whereas most of the compounds were very poor substrates for the cellular kinase, TK1. Thus, the specific phosphorylation of these compounds by the viral kinase may be sufficient to explain the TK dependence. This unexpected result suggests that selective phosphorylation by the viral kinase may be a promising new approach in the discovery of highly selective inhibitors of orthopoxvirus replication.
Kinetics of the Human Antibody Response against
Salmonella enterica
Serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium Determined by Lipopolysaccharide Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Authors: Strid Mette A. , Dalby Tine , Mølbak Kåre , Krogfelt Karen A. 
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACT

Two indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were employed to measure levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA antibodies against
Salmonella
in sera from 303 Danish patients diagnosed by fecal culture with either
Salmonella enterica
serovar Enteritidis or
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium infections. The ELISAs were based on serovar Enteritidis lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and serovar Typhimurium LPS. The antibody levels were assessed approximately 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after the onset of salmonellosis. Sera from 164 healthy blood donors were analyzed to establish cutoff values for each analysis. One month after the onset of symptoms, the sensitivities of the assays were 95% for patients recovering from a serovar Enteritidis infection and 89% for patients recovering from a serovar Typhimurium infection. Three months after the onset of symptoms, these values had decreased to 85% and 55%. At 6 months they were 62% and 40%, and at 12 months they were 40% and 16%, respectively. The specificities of the assays were 97% for the serovar Enteritidis LPS ELISA and 94% for the serovar Typhimurium LPS ELISA. The high values for both sensitivity and specificity make these two ELISAs useful for serodiagnoses of
Salmonella
infection shortly after the acute phase of the infection and of
Salmonella
-associated reactive arthritis, as well as for seroepidemiological studies. A mixed ELISA consisting of both antigens, i.e., serovar Enteritidis and serovar Typhimurium LPS, was developed as a diagnostic tool with very high values for both specificity and sensitivity.
Preclinical Evaluation of Microneedle Technology for Intradermal Delivery of Influenza Vaccines
Authors: Alarcon Jason B. , Hartley Andrea Waterston , Harvey Noel G. , Mikszta John A. 
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACTRecent clinical studies have suggested that, for certain strains of influenza virus, intradermal (i.d.) delivery may enable protective immune responses using a lower dose of vaccine than required by intramuscular (i.m.) injection. Here, we describe the first preclinical use of microneedle technology for i.d. administration of three different types of influenza vaccines: (i) a whole inactivated influenza virus, (ii) a trivalent split-virion human vaccine, and (iii) a plasmid DNA encoding the influenza virus hemagglutinin. In a rat model, i.d. delivery of the whole inactivated virus provided up to 100-fold dose sparing compared to i.m. injection. In addition, i.d. delivery of the trivalent human vaccine enabled at least 10-fold dose sparing for the H1N1 strain and elicited levels of response across the dose range similar to those of i.m. injection for the H3N2 and B strains. Furthermore, at least fivefold dose sparing from i.d. delivery was evident in animals treated with multiple doses of DNA plasmid vaccine, although such effects were not apparent after the first immunization. Altogether, the results demonstrate that microneedle-based i.d. delivery elicits antibody responses that are at least as strong as via i.m. injection and that, in many cases, dose sparing can be achieved by this new immunization method.