bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
New radiological typing system for rhinosinusitis and comparison with existing system: Initial finding
Authors: Rustogi R , Coucher JR , Malan JF 
Published: July 2007

SummaryThe objective of this study was to determine whether the proposed Malan radiological sinusitis typing (RST) system facilitated a level of agreement and ease of use comparable with the Lund–Mackay (LM) system for chronic rhinosinusitis. Ten observers (one otolaryngologist and nine radiologists), in two separate centres (regional and tertiary), blinded to all clinical data, used these two systems to independently and randomly score and type 15 sets of scans, recording the time to score each film. Using unweighted kappa scores, both methods facilitated a moderate level of agreement, slightly better with the LM system. The Malan system is more time efficient. Preliminarily, this study shows that the Malan RST system is easy to apply with a comparable level of agreement. The Malan RST system is a focused attempt at classifying disease extent radiologically and correlating it to a surgical approach. It emphasizes that scoring systems are vulnerable and proves to be superior to the LM system as a surgical planning tool. To score sinus disease, a Quality‐of‐Life questionnaire in association with this typing method is more appropriate.
Alveolar hydatid disease of the liver: Brief review and spectrum of adjacent organ invasion
Authors: Demir MK , Kilicoğlu G , Akinci O 
Published: July 2007

SummaryThe purpose of this study is to show the spectrum of adjacent organ invasion and to make a brief review of hepatic alveolar hydatid disease (AHD), using CT and MR imaging. We retrospectively reviewed CT and MR images of three patients with various adjacent organ invasions surgically and histologically proven to be AHD. Local invasion to right kidney and adrenal, right hemidiaphragm and lung were detected in one patient, right adrenal in another patient and gall bladder, duodenum, gastric wall and pancreas invasion in the other. AHD may rarely extend to the gall bladder, stomach, duodenum, pancreas, right adrenal and kidney, diaphragm, pleura and lung. The extension of the disease outside the liver is usually encountered in patients with large, peripherally located masses in the advanced stage of the disease.
Fluoroscopic‐guided balloon dilatation and stenting in tracheal stenosis with metallic self‐expandable stents and long‐term follow‐up results
Authors: Bodhey NK , Gupta AK , Neelakandhan KS , Neema PK , Kapilamoorthy TR , Purkayastha S , Thomas B , Krishnamoorthy T , Kesavadas C 
Published: July 2007

SummaryThe purpose of this study was to assess the safety and long‐term efficacy of self‐expandable stents in the treatment of benign tracheal stenosis. Nine patients (seven men) with tracheal stenosis (including one with fistula) of varied cause were treated by fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatation and stenting with self‐expandable metallic stents. The procedure was carried out under topical spray in eight patients and under general anaesthesia in one patient. The patients were followed up for a period ranging between 13 and 60 months. In eight of the nine patients, satisfactory positioning of the stent was achieved at the first instance, with immediate relief of dyspnoea. One patient with innominate artery aneurysm died 16 days after the procedure because of renal failure. At 1 month of follow up, six out of eight (75%) of our live patients were without any respiratory embarrassment. This dyspnoea‐free result reached almost 90% by the end of 1 year especially so in the fibrous strictures. Four out of the eight live patients (50%) had cough for 2 months and two (25%) had mild blood‐tinged sputum treated by inhalation and mucolytic agents. Secondary intervention was required in one patient at 1 month because of recurrent symptoms. The patient with tracheo‐oesophageal fistula required surgical intervention because of fracture of the stent. Fluoroscopically guided balloon dilatation and stenting of the tracheal stenosis is an effective non‐surgical therapy resulting in cure of fibrous strictures and palliation in cases of malignancy.
Is rural radiation oncology practice quality as good as the big smoke? Results of the Australian radiotherapy single machine unit trial
Authors: Shakespeare TP , Turner M , Chapman A 
Published: July 2007

SummaryRadiotherapy utilization rates in rural Australia are suboptimal, with one solution being the building of single machine units (SMUs). One concern raised with such an approach is the quality of care delivered in SMUs. The Australian and Victorian governments have established two SMUs in the state of Victoria, with each SMU operated as a satellite service of a major ‘hub’ site. We report on the planned evaluation of practice quality. Radiation oncologist (RO) clinical practice was externally audited using the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists Peer Review Audit instrument. This tool splits RO clinical practice into documentation/quality assurance (QA) criteria and decision‐making criteria. Over the four sites, 130 patients were randomly selected for audit. At hub sites, 79.6% of all criteria audited were adequate, compared with 84.4% of criteria audited at SMUs (P = 0.0002). This difference was largely because of better adherence to documentation/QA criteria at the SMU sites. RO decision‐making and protocol adherence were routinely very high and consistent with other clinical practice audits. There were no significant differences between hubs and SMUs for adherence to decision‐making criteria; however, the few potential deficiencies in patient care identified occurred only at the hub sites. In at least one of these cases, potential suboptimal management was as a direct result of inadequate documentation. This audit found that SMUs provide as high a standard of radiotherapeutic care as larger hub departments. The findings also emphasize the need for all departments to target clinical documentation.
Prospective controlled study on mycophenolate mofetil and prednisolone in the treatment of membranous nephropathy with nephrotic syndrome
Authors: CHAN TAK MAO , LIN AI WU , TANG SYDNEY CW , QIAN JIA QI , LAM MAN FAI , HO YIU WING , TSE KAI CHUNG , CHAN KWOK WAH , LAI KAR NENG , TANG COLIN SO 
Published: July 2007

SUMMARY:Background:  Retrospective and anecdotal data suggest that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) might be effective when given as rescue therapy for membranous nephropathy (MN). Prospective controlled data on MMF and prednisolone as primary therapy are lacking.Methods:  A prospective, randomized, controlled, open‐label study was performed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of MMF and prednisolone as primary treatment in MN with nephrotic syndrome. MMF and prednisolone given for 6 months was compared against a modified Ponticelli regimen in 20 patients, with follow up of 15 months.Results:  MMF with prednisolone and the comparative immunosuppressive regimen showed similar efficacy in proteinuria reduction, despite a lower cumulative prednisolone dose in the MMF group (3.80 ± 0.28 vs 9.93 ± 0.25 g, P < 0.001). Remission (composite of ‘complete’ and ‘partial’) rates were 63.6% and 66.7% in the MMF group and control group, respectively (P = 1.000). Serum creatinine and creatinine clearance remained stable during follow up. Cumulative relapse rate was 23.1% at 2 years. Chlorambucil resulted in more leucopenia compared with MMF.Conclusion:  Data from this pilot study indicate that more than 60% of patients with MN and nephrotic syndrome respond to combined MMF and prednisolone treatment, and suggest potential benefits of MMF as being steroid‐sparing and having less adverse effects compared with other commonly used cytotoxic agents.
Chinese herbal formula Qilong‐Lishui granule improves puromycin aminonucleoside‐induced renal injury through regulation of bone morphogenetic proteins
Authors: LI PING , YAN JING , SUN YU , BURCZYNSKI FRANK J , GONG YUEWEN 
Published: July 2007

SUMMARY:Background:  The Chinese herbal formula Qilong‐Lishui granule (QLG) is an effective natural product for treatment of renal disorder. It was composed of six Chinese herbs according to our clinical practice in the treatment of patients with kidney disease. However, molecular and cellular mechanisms of QLG are still unclear. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms of QLG in puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN)‐induced nephrotic syndrome.Method:  Wistar rats were divided into six groups of sham operation, PAN model, PAN model with high‐dosage QLG (QLG‐H), PAN model with median‐dosage QLG (QLG‐M), PAN model with low‐dosage QLG (QLG‐L), and PAN model with fosinopril (FP). The PAN model was induced by jugular vein injection of PAN at a dose of 5 mg/100 g body weight. Quantities of 24 h urinary protein excretion were examined on days 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30. All rats were sacrificed on day 31 for blood biochemistry, kidney histology and reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction analysis.Results:  PAN‐induced nephrotic syndrome was successfully produced in rats. Treatment of QLG significantly reduced protein excretion and blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. QLG and FP treatments also improved protein content in blood, and reduced total cholesterol and triglyceride in blood. Moreover, QLG and FP improved the damage of interstitial induced by PAN. Furthermore, CYP and FP were able to reverse BMPRII and Smad1 mRNAs abundance caused by PAN.Conclusion:  QLG attenuates PAN‐induced kidney injury possibly through the bone morphogenetic protein signal transduction pathway.
Exposure to predation generates personality in threespined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus)
Authors: Bell Alison M. , Sih Andrew 
Published: July 2007

AbstractA perplexing new question that has emerged from the recent surge of interest in behavioural syndromes or animal personalities is – why do individual animals behave consistently when behavioural flexibility is advantageous? If individuals have a tendency to be generally aggressive, then a relatively aggressive individual might be overly aggressive towards offspring, mates or even predators. Despite these costs, studies in several taxa have shown that individuals that are more aggressive are also relatively bold. However, the behavioural correlation is not universal; even within a species, population comparisons have shown that boldness and aggressiveness are correlated in populations of sticklebacks that are under strong predation pressure, but not in low predation populations. Here, we provide the first demonstration that an environmental factor can induce a correlation between boldness and aggressiveness. Boldness under predation risk and aggressiveness towards a conspecific were measured before and after sticklebacks were exposed to predation by trout, which predated half the sticklebacks. Exposure to predation generated the boldness–aggressiveness behavioural correlation. The behavioural correlation was produced by both selection by predators and behavioural plasticity. These results support the hypothesis that certain correlations between behaviours might be adaptive in some environments.
Collection of fungi samples from nails: comparative study of curettage and drilling techniques
Authors: Shemer A , Trau H , Davidovici B , Grunwald MH , Amichai B 
Published: July 2007

AbstractBackground  Onychomycosis is a common problem. Obtaining a positive laboratory test before treatment is important in clinical practice because the treatment of onychomycosis requires expensive oral antifungal therapy with potentially serious side‐effects.Objective  The purpose of this study was to compare curettage and subungual drilling techniques of nail sampling in the diagnosis of onychomycosis.Methods  We evaluated 194 patients suffering from distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis and lateral subungual onychomycosis using curettage and subungual drilling sampling techniques. Nail samples were obtained in each case from proximal, medial and distal parts of the nail. KOH examination and fungal culture were used for detection and identification of fungal infection.Results  With each technique, the culture sensitivity improved as the location of the sample was more proximal (drilling proximal vs. distal, χ2 = 5.15, P = 0.023; curettage proximal vs. distal, χ2 = 4.2, P = 0.041). In each sample location, the drilling technique has a better culture sensitivity (drilling vs. curettage proximal, χ2 = 11.9, P = 0.001; drill vs. curettage distal, χ2 = 13.7, P < 0.0001). Trichophyton rubrum was by far the most common pathogen detected by both techniques from all sampling sites.Conclusion  The drilling technique was found to be statistically better than curettage at each site of sampling. With each technique, we found that the culture sensitivity improved as the location of the sample was more proximal. More types of pathogens were detected in samples taken by both methods from proximal parts of the affected nails.
Testing of FourLeishmaniaVaccine Candidates in a Mouse Model of Infection withLeishmania(Viannia)braziliensis, the Main Causative Agent of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the New World
Authors: Salay G. , Dorta M. L. , Santos N. M. , Mortara R. A. , Brodskyn C. , Oliveira C. I. , Barbiéri C. L. , Rodrigues M. M. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTWe evaluated whether four recombinant antigens previously used for vaccination against experimental infection withLeishmania(Leishmania)majorcould also induce protective immunity against a challenge withLeishmania(Viannia)braziliensis, the species responsible for 90% of the 28,712 annual cases of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis recorded in Brazil during the year of 2004. Initially, we isolated the homolog genes encoding fourL. (V.)braziliensisantigens: (i) homologue of receptor for activated C kinase, (ii) thiol-specific antioxidant, (iii)Leishmaniaelongation and initiation factor, and (iv)L. (L.)majorstress-inducible protein 1. At the deduced amino acid level, all four open reading frames had a high degree of identity with the previously described genes ofL. (L.)majorbeing expressed on promastigotes and amastigotes ofL. (V.)braziliensis. These genes were inserted into the vector pcDNA3 or expressed as bacterial recombinant proteins. After immunization with recombinant plasmids or proteins, BALB/c mice generated specific antibody or cell-mediated immune responses (gamma interferon production). After an intradermal challenge withL. (V.)braziliensisinfective promastigotes, no significant reduction on the lesions was detected. We conclude that the protective immunity afforded by these four vaccine candidates against experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis caused byL. (L.)majorcould not be reproduced against a challenge withL. (V.)braziliensis. Although negative, we consider our results important since they suggest that studies aimed at the development of an effective vaccine againstL. (V.)braziliensis, the main causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the New World, should be redirected toward distinct antigens or different vaccination strategies.
Changes in the Clonal Nature and Antibiotic Resistance Profiles of Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
Isolates Associated with Spread of the EMRSA-15 Clone in a Tertiary Care Portuguese Hospital
Authors: Amorim M. L. , Faria N. A. , Oliveira D. C. , Vasconcelos C. , Cabeda J. C. , Mendes A. C. , Calado E. , Castro A. P. , Ramos M. H. , Amorim J. M. , de Lencastre H. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

Two hundred eighty methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) clinical isolates recovered from a tertiary care hospital in Oporto, Portugal, between 2003 and 2005 were studied by a combination of molecular typing techniques in order to investigate the genetic backgrounds associated with the changes in the resistance phenotypes observed since 2001 and compare them to those previously found in the hospital. All MRSA isolates were grouped into resistance profiles for a panel of seven antibiotics and characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and SCC
mec
(
s
taphylococcal
c
assette
c
hromosome
mec
) typing. Representative isolates of PFGE types were further studied by
spa
typing and multilocus sequence typing. Our findings clearly document that the increasing isolation of nonmultiresistant MRSA strains was associated with the decline (from 69% in 1996 to 2000 to 12% in 2003 to 2005) and massive replacement of the multiresistant Brazilian clone (ST239-IIIA) by the epidemic EMRSA-15 clone (ST22-IV), in which resistance to antibiotics other than β-lactams is very rare, as the major clone (80% of isolates). The Iberian clone (ST247-IA), a major clone in 1992 to 1993, was represented in the present study by just one isolate. Two other pandemic MRSA clones were detected, as sporadic isolates, for the first time in our hospital: the New York/Japan (ST5-II) and the EMRSA-16 (ST36-II) clones. Furthermore, the pattern of susceptibility of MRSA isolates both to gentamicin and to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole was shown to be an excellent phenotypic marker for the discrimination of the EMRSA-15 clone from other nonmultiresistant MRSA clones present in our hospital.
Performance of the BD GeneOhm Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
Test before and during High-Volume Clinical Use
Authors: Paule Suzanne M. , Hacek Donna M. , Kufner Bridget , Truchon Karine , Thomson Richard B. , Kaul Karen L. , Robicsek Ari , Peterson Lance R. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the use of the BD GeneOhm MRSA real-time PCR assay (BD Diagnostics, San Diego, CA) for the detection of nasal colonization with methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA). The initial evaluation consisted of 403 paired nasal swabs and was done using the specimen preparation provided with the kit and an in-house lysis method that was specifically developed to accommodate large-volume testing using a minimal amount of personnel time. One swab was placed in an achromopeptidase (ACP) lysis solution, and the other was first used for culture and then prepared according to the kit protocol. PCR was performed on both lysates, and results were compared to those for culture. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the PCR assay were 98%, 96%, 77%, and 99.7% with the kit lysate and 98%, 95%, 75%, and 99.7% with the ACP lysate (
P
, not significant), respectively. The second evaluation was done after implementation of all-admission surveillance using PCR with ACP lysis and a sampling of 1,107 PCR-negative samples and 215 PCR-positive samples that were confirmed by culture. The results of this sampling showed an NPV of 99.9% and a PPV of 73.5% (prevalence, 6%), consistent with our initial findings. The BD GeneOhm MRSA assay is an accurate and rapid way to detect MRSA nasal colonization. When one is dealing with large specimen numbers, the ACP lysis method offers easier processing without negatively affecting the sensitivity or specificity of the PCR assay.
Deletion of the MeningococcalfetAGene Used for Antigen Sequence Typing of Invasive and Commensal Isolates from Germany: Frequencies and Mechanisms
Authors: Claus Heike , Elias Johannes , Meinhardt Christine , Frosch Matthias , Vogel Ulrich 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTAntigen sequence typing (ST) of FetA is part of the molecular typing scheme ofNeisseria meningitidis. Among invasive meningococcal isolates from 2,201 patients in Germany, we identified 11 strains lacking thefetAgene because of deletions mediated by repeat arrays flanking the gene, i.e., Correia elements, repeat sequence 13 (RS13), and duplicated RS3. Geographic mapping and multilocus ST of invasive isolates revealed thatfetAdeletion was a sporadic event without genetic fixation. Among 821 carrier strains, 12 strains lackedfetA, suggesting thatfetAis maintained during asymptomatic carriage. Interestingly, most of these isolates belonged to the multilocus ST-35 clonal complex (cc). ST-35 cc strains and the recently published ST-192 strains from Burkina Faso may benefit from loss offetA, but their infrequent occurrence among invasive isolates currently does not affectfetAantigen ST.
Diversity of Mutations in the
atpC
Gene Coding for the
c
Subunit of F
0
F
1
ATPase in Clinical Isolates of Optochin-Resistant
Streptococcus pneumoniae
from Brazil
Authors: Dias Cícero A. , Agnes Grasiela , Frazzon Ana Paula G. , Kruger Filipe D. , d'Azevedo Pedro A. , Carvalho Maria da Glória S. , Facklam Richard R. , Teixeira Lúcia M. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

We report the characteristics of four optochin-resistant (Opt
r
)
Streptococcus pneumoniae
isolates from Brazil. All four Opt
r
isolates presented mutations in the nucleotide sequence coding for the
c
subunit of F
0
F
1
ATPase. Two isolates showed mutations in codons 23 (leading to the deduced amino acid substitution isoleucine instead of alanine) and 49 (serine instead of alanine, a novel type of mutation detected at this position), respectively. Two additional novel mutations, both located in codon 45, were detected in the other two isolates, corresponding to leucine or valine (instead of phenylalanine). The data indicate that three previously unrecognized alterations were detected in the
atpC
gene of
S. pneumoniae
and that Opt resistance among Brazilian pneumococcal isolates is not related to a specific pneumococcal serotype, antimicrobial-resistance profile, or clonal group.
Dengue Virus (DV) Replication in Monocyte-Derived Macrophages Is Not Affected by Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNF-α), and DV Infection Induces Altered Responsiveness to TNF-α Stimulation
Authors: Wati Satiya , Li Peng , Burrell Christopher J. , Carr Jillian M. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTTumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) is believed to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of dengue virus (DV) infection, with elevated levels of TNF-α in the sera of DV-infected patients paralleling the severity of disease and TNF-α release being coincident with the peak of DV production from infected monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) in vitro. Since macrophages are a primary cell target in vivo for DV infection, we investigated the potential antiviral role of TNF-α in regulating DV replication in MDM. While pretreatment of MDM with TNF-α had a minor inhibitory effect, addition of TNF-α to MDM with established DV infection had no effect on DV replication as measured by DV RNA levels or progeny virus production. Blocking endogenous TNF-α using short interfering RNA or inhibitory TNF-α antibodies also had no effect on infectious DV production or viral RNA synthesis. Together, these results demonstrate that DV replication in MDM is not affected by TNF-α. Additionally, normal cellular TNF-α signaling, measured by quantitation of TNF-α-induced stimulation of transcription from an NF-κB-responsive reporter plasmid or NF-κB protein nuclear translocation, was blocked in DV-infected MDM and Huh7 cells. Thus, DV replication in MDM is not affected by TNF-α, and infected cells do not respond normally to TNF-α stimulation. It is therefore unlikely that the increased production of TNF-α seen in DV infection directly effects DV clearance by reducing DV replication, and the ability of DV to alter TNF-α responsiveness highlights another example of viral subversion of cellular functions.