bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antifungal activity of galanin‐ message‐ associated peptide and neuropeptide Y against different non‐albicansCandida strains
Authors: Rauch I. , Holzmeister S. , Hell M. , Sperl W. , Kofler B. 
Published: June 2008

Introduction:  Additional to C. albicans, in the last years several non‐albicansCandida strains evolved to be a serious clinical problem. A certain challenge is the frequent resistance of these strains to common antifungal agents. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) participate in the innate immune response by providing a rapid first line defence against infection, thereby showing different mechanisms of action than antibiotic agents already used in the clinic. The neuropeptides galanin‐ message associated peptide (GMAP) and neuropeptide Y (NPY) are expressed by neuronal and non‐neuronal tissues in various organs including the skin, which constitutes the first barrier against external stress. Both peptides have been shown to affect Candida albicans growth. Therefore, we tested whether GMAP and NPY exhibit a growth‐inhibiting effect also against clinical isolates of non‐albicansCandida strains.Methods:  A cell viability assay was used to examine microbial growth of C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, C. glabrata, C. tropicalis, C. lusitaniae and C. utilis.Results:  We could demonstrate that GMAP and NPY possess growth‐inhibiting activity against Candida strains tested. Interestingly there was a high variability, in some cases even between different isolates of the same strain. GMAP was effective against C. krusei and C. utilis. Antifungal activity against C. tropicalis, C. lusitaniae, C. glabrata and C. parapsilosis depended on the isolate. NPY inhibited growth of C. krusei, C. tropicalis and C. utilis and to some extend C. lusitaniae and C. parapsilosis.Conclusion:  We demonstrate here that GMAP and NPY are also effective against certain non‐albicansCandida strains. With growing numbers of resistant strains, these antimicrobial neuropeptides could be lead to new prophylactic and therapeutic strategies of Candida infections.Supported by grants of the Jubiläumsfonds (Nr. 11996) and the Paracelsus Private Medical University (Nr.05/01/003).
Variables that predict admission to hospital from an emergency department observation unit
Authors: Chan Trevor , Arendts Glenn , Stevens Mary 
Published: June 2008

AbstractObjective:  To determine factors predictive for patients requiring ongoing hospital admission from the emergency department observation unit (EDOU).Methods:  Prospective observational study on all patients admitted to the EDOU over 3 months. The primary outcome measure was patients requiring subsequent admission to hospital from the EDOU.Results:  Of 860 EDOU admissions occurring from 8337 ED presentations, 145 (16.9%) were subsequently admitted as inpatients. Of all analysed variables, four (inability to independently mobilize in the ED, requiring ongoing active treatment while in the EDOU, requiring referral to another subspecialty prior to transfer to the EDOU and requiring multidisciplinary allied health assessment while in the EDOU) were significantly associated with admission to hospital.Conclusions:  Variables exist that predict a ‘failed’ short stay admission. These might be used to identify patients less suitable for admission to the EDOU and better suited to admission directly under a hospital team.
Teaching paediatric resuscitation skills in a developing country: Introduction of the Advanced Paediatric Life Support course into Vietnam
Authors: Young Simon , Hutchinson Adrian , Nguyen Van Tu , Le Thanh Hai , Nguyen Dich Van , Vo Thi Kim Hue 
Published: June 2008

AbstractIn 2001, a nationwide study revealed deficiencies in the emergency care of seriously ill and injured children in Vietnam. In response, a project was initiated to conduct the Advanced Paediatric Life Support course in Vietnam and ascertain whether this course would provide a practical and sustainable method of improving the knowledge and skills of medical and nursing staff in this area. After approval to use the course was secured and funding obtained, the project commenced in 2003. Key Vietnamese personnel travelled to Australia to complete the course, undertake instructor training and gain organizational experience. Teaching materials were translated, reviewed and modified to account for local diseases and clinical practices while maintaining the fundamental principles of the parent course. Commencing in March 2004, 10 courses were conducted by Australian and Vietnamese instructors, training 239 doctors and nurses from a wide variety of clinical backgrounds. Additionally, three instructor courses were conducted, training 52 new instructors. As the skill and confidence of the Vietnamese instructors grew, the number and responsibilities of the international faculty reduced. The infrastructure now exists for the course to operate in a sustainable fashion within Vietnam. We believe that this project demonstrates that the course can be successfully modified to provide teaching in paediatric emergency care in a developing country.
Increasing cause of cough among adults
Authors: Boulouffe Caroline , Vanpee Dominique 
Published: June 2008

AbstractCough is a frequent reason for ED consultation. When one considers the epidemiological data, whooping cough must be considered in the differential of subacute cough. Clinical symptomatology is slightly different in the adult and unvaccinated child. An infection by Bordetella pertussis should be suspected when the history shows a persistent cough for more than 1 week in conjunction with other clinical elements. Several methods are available to establish a diagnosis: culture, PCR and bacterial serology. An early diagnosis will allow effective treatment, limit the transmission to unvaccinated infants, reduce complications and prevent extensive and expensive check‐ups for chronic cough.
Changes of Cerebral Current Source by Audiovisual Erotic Stimuli in Premature Ejaculation Patients
Authors: Hyun Jae-Seog , Kam Sung-Chul , Kwon Oh-Young 
Published: June 2008

Abstract

Introduction
Premature ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common forms of male sexual dysfunction. The mechanisms of PE remain poorly understood, despite its high prevalence.

Aim
To investigate the pathophysiology and casuses of PE in the central nervous system, we tried to observe the changes in brain current source distribution by audiovisual induction of sexual arousal.

Methods
Electroencephalograpies were recorded in patients with PE (45.0 ± 10.3 years old, N=18) and in controls (45.6 ± 9.8 years old, N=18) during four 10-minute segments of resting, watching a music video excerpt, resting, and watching an erotic video excerpt. Five artifact-free 5-second segments were used to obtain cross-spectral low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) images.

Main Outcome Measures
Statistical nonparametric maps (SnPM) were obtained to detect the current density changes of six frequency bands between the erotic video session and the music video session in each group. Comparisons were also made between the two groups in the erotic video session.

Results
In the SnPM of each spectrum in patients with PE, the current source density of the alpha band was significantly reduced in the right precentral gyrus, the right insula, and both superior parietal lobules (P &lt;0.01). Comparing the two groups in the erotic video session, the current densities of the beta-2 and -3 bands in the PE group were significantly decreased in the right parahippocampal gyrus and left middle temporal gyrus (P &lt;0.01).

Conclusions
Neuronal activity in the right precental gyrus, the right insula, both the superior parietal lobule, the right parahippocampal gyrus, and the left middle temporal gyrus may be decreased in PE patients upon sexual arousal. Further studies are needed to evaluate the meaning of decreased neuronal activities in PE patients.
Prevalence, Severity, and Risk Factors for Erectile Dysfunction in a Representative Sample of 3,548 Portuguese Men Aged 40 to 69 Years Attending Primary Healthcare Centers: Results of the Portuguese Erectile Dysfunction Study
Authors: Teles Alberto Galvão , Carreira Mário , Alarcão Violeta , Sociol. D. , Aragüés José Maria , Lopes Luís , Mascarenhas Mário , Costa Joaquim Garcia e 
Published: June 2008

Abstract

Introduction
Many studies of the prevalence of erectile dysfunction have been conducted in several countries. This is the first Portuguese study that provides current and comparative data on the prevalence of erectile dysfunction.

Aim
The main objective was to estimate the prevalence of erectile dysfunction in men aged 40 to 69 years and correlate erectile dysfunction to certain risk factors.

Main Outcome Measures
Evaluation of erectile dysfunction was achieved using the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), a 15-item questionnaire that has been developed and validated as a brief and reliable self-administered scale for accessing erectile function.

Methods
The Portuguese Erectile Dysfunction Study was based on a questionnaire that included socio-demographic variables, information on lifestyle and risk factors, and the IIEF. In total, 3,548 questionnaires were administered to men aged 40 to 69 years in 50 primary healthcare centers between July 2004 and January 2005 in a combination of both self-administration and interviews. Erectile dysfunction was defined as the inability to achieve and maintain an erection sufficient to permit satisfactory sexual intercourse.

Results
The response rate was 81.3%. The total prevalence of erectile dysfunction was 48.1% (age-adjusted). Prevalence increases with age: 29%, 50%, and 74% in men aged 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, and 60 to 69 years, respectively. Severity of erectile dysfunction also increases with age: 1%, 2%, and 10% of complete erectile dysfunction in men aged 40 to 49 years, 50 to 59 years, and 60 to 69 years, respectively.

Conclusions
The prevalence of erectile dysfunction is strongly related to age. There is also a correlation with the health status of participants.
Negative Impact of Metabolic Syndrome on the Responsiveness to Sildenafil in Japanese Men
Authors: Suetomi Takahiro , Kawai Koji , Hinotsu Shiro , Joraku Akira , Oikawa Takehiro , Sekido Noritoshi , Miyanaga Naoto , Shimazui Toru , Akaza Hideyuki 
Published: June 2008

Abstract

Introduction
Several recent studies suggested that the prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) was higher in men with metabolic syndrome (MS).

Aim
We analyzed the impact of MS on the responsiveness to sildenafil.

Methods
A total of 133 ED patients were evaluated for the prevalence of MS and graded on severity of ED. MS was diagnosed according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) definition. The severity of ED was evaluated by the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. Hormonal parameters were measured for all patients, and the IIEF questionnaire was conducted after administration of eight tablets of 50-mg doses of sildenafil. If the scores to questions 3 and 4 of the IIEF were 4 or higher after administration, the patients were defined as responders to sildenafil.

Main Outcome Measures
To clarify the negative impact of MS on the responsiveness to sildenafil.

Results
The mean age of the patients was 56.9 years, and 25 patients were diagnosed with MS. The IIEF-erectile function score and the response rate for sildenafil decreased as the number of MS components increased. Logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of MS along with severity of ED and history of pelvic surgery were significant independent risk factors of nonresponse for sildenafil. The hazard ratio for the presence of MS was 3.30 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17–9.73). No meaningful association was observed between total testosterone or free testosterone levels and MS in this population.

Conclusion
We demonstrated the negative impact of MS on the responsiveness to sildenafil. Erectile function and response rate for sildenafil decreased as the number of MS components increased.
Alternate-Day Tadalafil in the Management of Honeymoon Impotence
Authors: Ghanem Hussein , El-Dakhly Mohamed , Shamloul Rany 
Published: June 2008

Abstract

Introduction
Sildenafil has been used successfully in the treatment of honeymoon impotence. However, no study investigated the potential effect of tadalafil in the treatment of honeymoon impotence.

Aim
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of alternate-day tadalafil therapy in the management of unconsummated marriages.

Methods
This is a descriptive study comprised of a series of 45 patients. The time frame for the study was 2 years. Forty-five consecutive patients underwent a complete medical and sexual history as well as a focused physical examination. Education about the male and female genital anatomy and the sexual response cycle was carried out. Alternate-day tadalafil 10-mg therapy was administered for 2 weeks with the duration extended as needed.

Main Outcome Measures
Primary efficacy endpoints were successful vaginal intromission and change in the abridged version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5).

Results
Of 45 patients included in our study, 41 (91%) were able to achieve vaginal intromission and perform sexually. Thirty-four patients (76%) needed tadalafil for less than 1 month, five (11%) for up to 3 months, and two (4%) for more than 3 months. Four patients (9%) were unsuccessful. IIEF-5 improved significantly with alternate-day tadalafil treatment in this subgroup of patients (P &lt;0.001). Treatment failures were managed by intracavernous injection therapy, combined with psychosexual therapy, depending on the cause.

Conclusions
Tadalafil therapy was safe and effective in the short-term management of this selected group of honeymoon impotence patients. Controlled studies are needed to further confirm these findings.
X-ray flares, neutrino-cooled discs and the dynamics of late accretion in gamma-ray burst engines
Authors: Lazzati Davide , Perna Rosalba , Begelman Mitchell C. 
Published: June 2008

Abstract
We compute the average luminosity of X-ray flares as a function of time, for a sample of 10 long-duration gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows. The mean luminosity, averaged over a time-scale longer than the duration of the individual flares, declines as a power law in time with index approximately -1.5. We elaborate on the properties of the central engine that can produce such a decline. Assuming that the engine is an accreting compact object, and for a standard conversion factor between accretion rate and jet luminosity, the switch between a neutrino-cooled thin disc and a non-cooled thick disc takes place at the transition from the prompt to the flaring phase. We discuss the implications of this coincidence under different scenarios for the powering of the GRB outflow. We also show that the interaction of the outflow with the envelope of the progenitor star cannot produce flares out of a continuous relativistic flow, and conclude that it is the dynamics of the disc or the jet launching mechanism that generates an intrinsically unsteady outflow on time-scales much longer than the dynamical time-scale of the system. This is consistent with the fact that X-ray flares are observed in short-duration GRBs as well as in long-duration ones.
Slug Test Analysis to Evaluate Permeability of Compressible Materials
Authors: Choi Hangseok , Nguyen The‐Bao , Lee Chulho 
Published: June 2008

AbstractThe line‐fitting methods such as the Hvorslev method and the Bouwer and Rice method provide a rapid and simple means to analyze slug test data for estimating in situ hydraulic conductivity (k) of geologic materials. However, when analyzing a slug test in a relatively compressible geologic formation, these conventional methods may have difficulties fitting a straight line to the semilogarithmic plot of the test data. Data from relatively compressible geologic formations frequently show a concave‐upward curvature because of the effect of the compressibility or specific storage (Ss). To take into account the compressibility of geologic formations, a modified line‐fitting method is introduced, which expands on Chirlin’s (1989) approach to the case of a partially penetrating well with the basic‐time‐lag fitting method. A case study for a compressible till is made to verify the proposed method by comparing the results from the proposed methods with those obtained using a type‐curve method (Kansas Geological Survey method [Hyder et al. 1994]).
Basin‐Scale Transmissivity and Storativity Estimation Using Hydraulic Tomography
Authors: Kuhlman Kristopher L , Hinnell Andrew C. , Mishra Phoolendra K. , Yeh Tian‐Chyi Jim 
Published: June 2008

AbstractWhile tomographic inversion has been successfully applied to laboratory‐ and field‐scale tests, here we address the new issue of scale that arises when extending the method to a basin. Specifically, we apply the hydraulic tomography (HT) concept to jointly interpret four multiwell aquifer tests in a synthetic basin to illustrate the superiority of this approach to a more traditional Theis analysis of the same tests. Transmissivity and storativity are estimated for each element of a regional numerical model using the geostatistically based sequential successive linear estimator (SSLE) inverse solution method. We find that HT inversion is an effective strategy for incorporating data from potentially disparate aquifer tests into a basin‐wide aquifer property estimate. The robustness of the SSLE algorithm is investigated by considering the effects of noisy observations, changing the variance of the true aquifer parameters, and supplying incorrect initial and boundary conditions to the inverse model. Ground water flow velocities and total confined storage are used as metrics to compare true and estimated parameter fields; they quantify the effectiveness of HT and SSLE compared to a Theis solution methodology. We discuss alternative software that can be used for implementing tomography inversion.
Enantioselective and Nonlinear Intestinal Absorption of Eflornithine in the Rat
Authors: Jansson R. , Malm M. , Roth C. , Ashton M. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to investigate if the absorption of the human African trypanosomiasis agent eflornithine was stereospecific and dose dependent after oral administration. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered single doses of racemic eflornithine hydrochloride as an oral solution (750, 1,500, 2,000, or 3,000 mg/kg of body weight) or intravenously (375 or 1,000 mg/kg of body weight). Sparse blood samples were obtained for determination of eflornithine enantiomers by liquid chromatography with evaporative light-scattering detection (lower limit of quantification [LLOQ], 83 μM for 300 μl plasma). The full plasma concentration-time profile of racemic eflornithine following frequent sampling was determined for another group of rats, using a high-performance liquid chromatography-UV method (LLOQ, 5 μM for 50 μl plasma). Pharmacokinetic data were analyzed in NONMEM for the combined racemic and enantiomeric concentrations. Upon intravenous administration, the plasma concentration-time profile of eflornithine was biphasic, with marginal differences in enantiomer kinetics (mean clearances of 14.5 and 12.6 ml/min/kg forl- andd-eflornithine, respectively). The complex absorption kinetics were modeled with a number of transit compartments to account for delayed absorption, transferring the drug into an absorption compartment from which the rate of influx was saturable. The mean bioavailabilities forl- andd-eflornithine were 41% and 62%, respectively, in the dose range of 750 to 2,000 mg/kg of body weight, with suggested increases to 47% and 83%, respectively, after a dose of 3,000 mg/kg of body weight. Eflornithine exhibited enantioselective absorption, with the more potentl-isomer being less favored, a finding which may help to explain why clinical attempts to develop an oral treatment have hitherto failed. The mechanistic explanation for the stereoselective absorption remains unclear.
Discovery and Characterization of QPT-1, the Progenitor of a New Class of Bacterial Topoisomerase Inhibitors
Authors: Miller Alita A. , Bundy Gordon L. , Mott John E. , Skepner Jill E. , Boyle Timothy P. , Harris Douglas W. , Hromockyj Alexander E. , Marotti Keith R. , Zurenko Gary E. , Munzner Jennifer B. , Sweeney Michael T. , Bammert Gary F. , Hamel Judith C. , Ford Charles W. , Zhong Wei-Zhu , Graber David R. , Martin Gary E. , Han Fusen , Dolak Lester A. , Seest Eric P. , Ruble J. Craig , Kamilar Gregg M. , Palmer John R. , Banitt Lee S. , Hurd Alexander R. , Barbachyn Michael R. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACT
QPT-1 was discovered in a compound library by high-throughput screening and triage for substances with whole-cell antibacterial activity. This totally synthetic compound is an unusual barbituric acid derivative whose activity resides in the (−)-enantiomer. QPT-1 had activity against a broad spectrum of pathogenic, antibiotic-resistant bacteria, was nontoxic to eukaryotic cells, and showed oral efficacy in a murine infection model, all before any medicinal chemistry optimization. Biochemical and genetic characterization showed that the QPT-1 targets the β subunit of bacterial type II topoisomerases via a mechanism of inhibition distinct from the mechanisms of fluoroquinolones and novobiocin. Given these attributes, this compound represents a promising new class of antibacterial agents. The success of this reverse genomics effort demonstrates the utility of exploring strategies that are alternatives to target-based screens in antibacterial drug discovery.
Relationship between Various Definitions of Prior Antibiotic Exposure and Piperacillin-Tazobactam Resistance among Patients with Respiratory Tract Infections Caused by
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Patel Nimish , McNutt Louise-Anne , Lodise Thomas P. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACT

Contemporary literature lacks a definition of prior antibiotic exposure which captures all patients at risk of developing piperacillin-tazobactam-resistant
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
(PTR-PA). The results indicated that individual antibiotics that are associated with PTR-PA differ depending on the definition of prior antibiotic exposure utilized. When the specific antibiotic used was replaced by the number of prior exposures, the number of exposures was the only variable associated with an increased risk of antibiotic resistance at each time threshold.