bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Credit this: How the Banks Decide Your Credit Score
Authors: Edelman David 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
In February, internet bank Egg announced its decision to cancel the credit cards of 161 000 of its customers. Egg were “not comfortable with the level of risk” that these customers represented. Bank customers are judged by their credit scores. So what is credit scoring? How do lenders assess your creditworthiness? And how can you improve your credit score with them?David Edelman provides some answers.
School League Tables: What can they Really Tell Us?
Authors: Goldstein Harvey , Leckie George 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
School league tables are eagerly scanned by parents hoping to find the best school for their child, and by teachers hoping to see their school rise in the rankings. But do they tell parents what they need to know?Harvey Goldstein and George Leckie argue that league tables are not fit for that purpose, and say it is time that their publication should cease.
Acquisition, retention and dispersal of soilborne plant pathogenic fungi by fungus gnats and moth flies
Authors: El‐Hamalawi Z.A. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractAdult fungus gnats and moth flies were experimentally demonstrated to function as potential above‐ground vectors for three soilborne plant pathogens: Verticillium dahliae, Fusarium acuminatum and Thielaviopsis basicola. The adult insects externally acquired the conidia of the pathogens after exposure to the cultures as confirmed by scanning electron microscope photography. The intestinal contents and frass deposits of larvae exposed to fungal cultures contained viable fungal propagules. Internally infested larvae developed into internally infested pupae; however, the emerging adults were free of fungal structures. Because of the maintenance of a high level of inoculum on the external body surface and the ability of these adult insects to fly, they can be a significant factor in the dispersal of soilborne fungi in greenhouse agriculture. The rate of dispersal of T. basicola by adult fungus gnats was 1.78 cm2 h−1 per insect and by adult moth flies was 1.17 cm2 h−1 per insect. The area over which the pathogen was dispersed by the adult insects increased with the increase in exposure time. The study demonstrated that adult insects are efficient distributors of soilborne plant pathogenic fungal propagules.
The mixture of kresoxim‐methyl and boscalid, an excellent alternative controlling grey mould caused by Botrytis cinerea
Authors: Zhang C.‐Q. , Zhang Y. , Zhu G.N. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractGrey mould, caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea, is one of the most destructive diseases in greenhouses for which serious fungicide resistance has developed. Between 2003 and 2005, 213 isolates of B. cinerea from two geographical regions were characterised for baseline sensitivity to kresoxim‐methyl. In the absence of salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM), the mean 50% effective concentration (EC50) values were 6.67 ± 0.61 (mean ± SD) and 0.37 ± 0.10 mg L−1 during growth and germination, respectively. In the presence of 100 mg L−1 SHAM, baseline sensitivities were distributed as unimodal curves with mean EC50 values of 2.38 ± 0.21 and 0.28 ± 0.09 mg L−1 for inhibiting growth and inhibiting germination, respectively. The mixture of kresoxim‐methyl and boscalid showed good control efficacy against strawberry grey mould disease. After the mixture was extensively used on strawberry for 2 years, 50 isolates were collected and determined for their sensitivity to kresoxim‐methyl and boscalid, respectively. The mean EC50 of germination inhibition by boscalid was 0.39 ± 0.08 mg L−1. The mean EC50 of germination inhibition by kresoxim‐methyl was 0.26 ± 0.07 mg L−1 in the presence of 100 mg L−1 SHAM. Sensitivities of B. cinerea to both kresoxim‐methyl and boscalid did not show any significant decrease. These results suggest that their mixture is a satisfactory alternative candidate for management of grey mould disease in greenhouses.
Soul and Self: Comparing Chinese Philosophy and Greek Philosophy
Authors: Yu Jiyuan 
Published: May 2008

AbstractComparative philosophy has been interested in issues such as whether the familiar Western concepts of the soul and self can be applied in understanding Chinese philosophy about human selfhood and whether there are alternative Chinese modes of thinking about these concepts. I will outline a comparison of the main concerns of the Greeks and Chinese philosophers in their discussion about the soul and self, and examine some of the major comparative theories that are recently developed. The comparative discussion is significant in helping us understand each tradition's views of soul and self in its own terms, and in identifying alternatives to familiar modes of thinking. However, we should avoid looking for simplified uniformity in each tradition and overgeneralizing the contrasts between China and Greece.
Traumatic Rupture of the Bladder in the Dog — A Clinical Study of Nine Cases
Authors: MEYNARD J. A. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract— The author describes the clinical characteristics of traumatic rupture of the bladder from observations on 9 male dogs. The methods of treatment are described as well as the nature of the renal complications sometimes encountered. Eight cases out of the nine recovered in a satisfactory manner.Résumé— L'auteur décrit les caractéres cliniques de la rupture traumatique de la vessie tels qu'il les a notés chez 9 chiens ma&#x030c;les. Les modalités du traitement chirurgical sont envisagées ainsi que la nature des complications néphrkéiques parfois notées. Huit cas sur neuf se sont remis d'une façon satisfaisante.
The EEG as an Aid to Diagnosis of Nervous Diseases in the Dog and Cat
Authors: CROFT PHYLLIS G. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract— A simple technique for recording EEGs from out‐patient dogs and cats is described. The EEGs which are found in a variety of pathological conditions of the central nervous system are described, and their use in diagnosis, prognosis and treatment is discussed.Résumé— Une technique simple pour enregistrer l'E.E.G. chez le chien et le chat. Les E.E.G.s qui se rencontrent dans une variété de troubles du système nerveux central sont décrits et leur emploi dans le diagnostic, le pronostic et le traitement est discuté.Zusammenfassung— Es wird eine einfache Technik zur ambulanten Aufnahme des E.E.G. von Hunden und Katzen beschrieben. Es werden die E.E.G.s beschrieben, die bei einer Vielzahl von pathologischen Veränderungen des Z.N.S. gefunden wurden und ihr Wert für die Diagnose, Prognose und Therapie wird besprochen.
Has Minority Foreign Investment in China's Banks Improved Their Cost Efficiency?
Authors: Laurenceson James , Qin Fengming 
Published: May 2008

AbstractSince 2001, foreign investors have been permitted to acquire minority ownership stakes in China's banks. This paper assesses whether there is any evidence of a cost efficiency payoff in those banks that have taken on foreign investment. Data envelopment analysis is first used to generate measures of cost efficiency for China's banks over the period 2001—2006. A second stage regression is then performed to determine whether foreign investment has an impact on cost efficiency. The results indicate a positive relationship, although one that is not statistically significant. Policy implications are discussed.
Evidence for a Nonbase Stacking Effect for the Environment‐sensitive Fluorescent Base Pyrrolocytosine—Comparison with 2‐Aminopurine
Authors: Hardman Samantha J. O. , Botchway Stanley W. , Thompson Katherine C. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractPyrrolocytosine (PC), is a highly fluorescent analog of the natural nucleobase cytosine. The fluorescence of PC is quenched upon helix formation but the origin of the quenching is not known. We investigated the effects of base stacking in the aqueous phase by following the fluorescence of dinucleotides and trinucleotides containing PC. The quantum yields and lifetimes (ns) (in parenthesis) obtained at 25°C were: PC‐T, 0.026 (2.0), PC‐C, 0.033 (2.5), PC‐A, 0.032 (2.7), PC‐G, 0.021 (2.0), T‐PC‐T, 0.044 (3.0) and G‐PC‐G, 0.036 (0.65 and 2.6), compared with 0.038 (2.9) for PC and 0.028 (2.1) for the nucleoside triphosphate. The results show that base stacking does not, except in the case of guanine, quench the fluorescence of PC; indeed the increased solvent shielding can enhance the emitted fluorescence. In the case of G‐PC‐G the guanines do shield the fluorescent base from the solvent but a particular environment of PC between two guanines also appears to allow a rapid nonradiative pathway, suggested to be electron transfer to the excited PC, to depopulate the excited state leading to the shorter fluorescence lifetime.
Interaction Between N‐terminal Loop and β‐Scaffold of Photoactive Yellow Protein†,‡
Authors: Harigai Miki , Kataoka Mikio , Imamoto Yasushi 
Published: May 2008

AbstractDuring the photoreaction cycle of photoactive yellow protein (PYP), a physiologically active intermediate (PYPM) is formed as a consequence of global protein conformational change. Previous studies have demonstrated that the photocycle of PYP is regulated by the N‐terminal loop region, which is located across the central β‐sheet from the p‐coumaric acid chromophore. In this paper, the hydrophobic interaction between N‐terminal loop and β‐sheet was studied by characterizing PYP mutants of the hydrophobic residues. The rate constants and structural changes of the photocycle of L15A and L23A possibly participating in such an interaction were more similar to wild‐type than F6A, showing that the CH/π interaction between Phe6 and Lys123 is the most essential as reported previously. To better understand the interactions between N‐terminal tail and β‐sheet of PYP, Phe6 and Phe121 were replaced by Cys and linked by a disulfide bond. Since the photocycle kinetics, structural change and thermal stability of F6C/F121C were similar to F6A, the CH/π interaction between Phe6 and Lys123 is not substitutable. It is likely that the detachment of position 6 from position 123 substantially alters the nature of PYP.
G‐protein‐coupled receptors and melanoma
Authors: Lee Hwa Jin , Wall Brian , Chen Suzie 
Published: May 2008

SummaryG‐protein‐coupled receptors (GPCR) are the largest family of receptors with over 500 members. Evaluation of GPCR gene expression in primary human tumors identified over‐expression of GPCR in several tumor types. Analysis of cancer samples in different disease stages also suggests that some GPCR may be involved in early tumor progression and others may play a critical role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Currently, >50% of drug targets to various human diseases are based on GPCR. In this review, the relationships between several GPCR and melanoma development and/or progression will be discussed. Finally, the possibility of using one or more of these GPCR as therapeutic targets in melanoma will be summarized.
Will improvement of knowledge lead to improvement of compliance with glaucoma medication?
Authors: Hoevenaars Juliette G. M. M. , Schouten Jan S. A. G. , Van Den Borne Bart , Beckers Henny J. M. , Webers Carroll A. B. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract.Purpose:  To identify specific items on knowledge and need for information that could be used to improve compliance with glaucoma medication.Methods:  Forty‐four randomly selected ophthalmologists assigned 166 consecutive glaucoma patients to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed systematically based on focus group interviews, consultation of experts and a pilot test. Items included knowledge about glaucoma and its treatment, need for information and compliance with therapy.Results:  No statistically significant correlation was found between the total level of knowledge and compliance. Concerning knowledge of glaucoma, one out of 19 items had a statistically significant negative correlation with compliance. Concerning knowledge of glaucoma treatment, one out of 18 items had a statistically significant positive correlation with compliance.Regarding total need for information, no statistically significant correlation with compliance was found. Three out of 22 items had a statistically significant positive correlation with compliance.Conclusion:  Given the number of related items, their direction and limited strength of correlation and the difficulty of hypothesizing a causal relation for some items, it is unlikely that further improving knowledge will greatly improve compliance with glaucoma medication. Interventions focused on attitude and discipline may be of more benefit in improving compliance with therapy.
Development of an Immunofluorescence Assay Using Recombinant Proteins Expressed in Insect Cells To Screen and Confirm Presence of Human Herpesvirus 8-Specific Antibodies
Authors: Minhas Veenu , Crosby Lynsey N. , Crabtree Kay L. , Phiri Saul , M'soka Tendai J. , Kankasa Chipepo , Harrington William J. , Mitchell Charles D. , Wood Charles 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT
Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), or Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus, has been linked to all forms of KS. The results of most current serological assays for the detection of HHV-8-specific antibodies have low levels of concordance among themselves. To establish a sensitive and specific testing strategy that can be used to screen for HHV-8-specific antibodies, three HHV-8 proteins, ORF65, ORF73, and K8.1A, were expressed by using baculoviral vectors in insect cells and incorporated into a monoclonal antibody-enhanced immunofluorescence assay (mIFA) termed the Sf9 three-antigen mIFA. The results obtained by this mIFA were compared to those obtained by a standard mIFA with an HHV-8-infected B-cell line (BC3 mIFA). Test sera were obtained from patients diagnosed with KS, human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients at high risk for HHV-8 infection, and healthy controls from a local blood bank. The combined use of both assays had a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 96%. The performance of these two assays when they were used together indicates that they may be useful for the reliable detection of HHV-8-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies in a population.
Molecular Epidemiology of Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
Bloodstream Isolates in Urban Detroit
Authors: Chua Thea , Moore Carol L. , Perri Mary B. , Donabedian Susan M. , Masch William , Vager Dora , Davis Susan L. , Lulek Kaitlin , Zimnicki Benjamin , Zervos Marcus J. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

To gain a better understanding of epidemiology of resistance in
Staphylococcus aureus
, we describe the molecular epidemiology of methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
bloodstream isolates in urban Detroit. Bloodstream isolates from July 2005 to February 2007 were characterized. Two hundred ten bloodstream isolates from 201 patients were evaluated. Patient characteristics were as follows: median age, 54 years; 56% male; and 71% African-American. Seventy-six percent of infections were health care associated, with 55% being community-onset infections and 21% hospital acquired, and 24% were community associated. The most common sources were skin/wound (25%), central venous catheters (24%), unknown source (20%), and endocarditis (9%). Ninety percent and 5% of isolates had a MIC of vancomycin of ≤1.0 mg/liter, using automated dilution testing and E-test, respectively. Six percent of isolates showed heteroresistance to vancomycin, all occurring with isolates having a vancomycin E-test MIC of ≥1.5 mg/liter. Results of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed 17 strain types. The predominant strains were USA100 (104 isolates) and USA300 (74 isolates). Forty-nine percent of the isolates had staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
II, and 56% had
agr
II. All USA300 isolates were positive for the Panton-Valentine leukocidin toxin genes and
agr
I. Forty-seven percent of USA300 bloodstream infections were health care associated (35% community onset and 12% hospital onset). USA300 strains were more common in injection drug users with skin/wound as the predominant source of infection. Thirty percent of the USA100 strains were closely related to vancomycin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
isolates. The results of this study show that vancomycin MICs using automated dilution testing with Vitek-2 and E-test were highly discordant. Most methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
strains causing bacteremia are health care associated, commonly have MICs of vancomycin that are high within the susceptible range are not detected by routine automated dilution testing, and have significant diversity of molecular characteristics. USA100 strains that are closely related to vancomycin-resistant
S. aureus
(VRSA) isolates and USA300 strains are common as causes of both hospital and community-onset infection. Infection control measures should focus not only on prevention of the spread of community strains in the hospital but also prevention of the spread of hospital strains associated with VRSA into the community.
Identification of a Novel
Babesia
sp. from a Sable Antelope (
Hippotragus niger
Harris, 1838)
Authors: Oosthuizen Marinda C. , Zweygarth Erich , Collins Nicola E. , Troskie Milana , Penzhorn Banie L. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

Babesiosis in a sable antelope (
Hippotragus niger
Harris, 1838) was first reported in 1930; the parasite was named
Babesia irvinesmithi
. Recently, specimens from an adult sable that presented with a sudden onset of disease and that subsequently died during immobilization were submitted for molecular characterization. Microscopic examination of thin blood smears revealed the presence of small piroplasms. DNA was extracted from blood samples; the V4 variable region of the 18S rRNA gene was amplified and analyzed using the reverse line blot (RLB) assay. Amplicons did not hybridize with any of the
Babesia
or
Theileria
species-specific probes present on the blot and hybridized only with a
Babesia
or
Theileria
genus-specific probe, suggesting the presence of a novel species. The full-length 18S rRNA gene sequence was obtained and aligned with published sequences of related genera, and phylogenetic trees were constructed. Sequence similarity analyses indicated that a
Babesia
species, designated
Babesia
sp. (sable), was present. The sequence showed its highest similarity to
B. orientalis
and to an unnamed
Babesia
species previously detected in bovine samples. The latter was later established to be
Babesia occultans
. A
Babesia
sp. (sable)-specific RLB oligonucleotide probe was designed and used to screen 200 South African sable samples, but so far, no other sample has been found to be positive for the presence of
Babesia
sp. (sable) DNA. In summary, we identified a novel piroplasm parasite from a sable antelope that died from an unknown illness. While the parasite was observed in blood smears, there is no direct evidence that it was the cause of death.
Distribution, Organization, and Ecology of Bacteria in Chronic Wounds
Authors: Kirketerp-Møller Klaus , Jensen Peter Ø. , Fazli Mustafa , Madsen Kit G. , Pedersen Jette , Moser Claus , Tolker-Nielsen Tim , Høiby Niels , Givskov Michael , Bjarnsholt Thomas 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

Between 1 and 2% of the population in the developed world experiences a nonhealing or chronic wound characterized by an apparent arrest in a stage dominated by inflammatory processes. Lately, research groups have proposed that bacteria might be involved in and contribute to the lack of healing of these wounds. To investigate this, we collected and examined samples from chronic wounds obtained from 22 different patients, all selected because of suspicion of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
colonization. These wound samples were investigated by standard culturing methods and peptide nucleic acid-based fluorescence in situ hybridization (PNA FISH) for direct identification of bacteria. By means of the culturing methods,
Staphylococcus aureus
was detected in the majority of the wounds, whereas
P. aeruginosa
was observed less frequently. In contrast, using PNA FISH, we found that a large fraction of the wounds contained
P. aeruginosa
. Furthermore, PNA FISH revealed the structural organization of bacteria in the samples. It appeared that
P. aeruginosa
aggregated as microcolonies imbedded in the matrix component alginate, which is a characteristic hallmark of the biofilm mode of growth. The present investigation suggests that bacteria present within these wounds tend to be aggregated in microcolonies imbedded in a self-produced matrix, characteristic of the biofilm mode of growth. Additionally, we must conclude that there exists no good correlation between bacteria detected by standard culturing methods and those detected by direct detection methods such as PNA FISH. This strongly supports the development of new diagnostic and treatment strategies for chronic wounds.
Biological and Molecular Characteristics of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Clinical Isolates with Low-Level Resistance to Isoniazid in Japan
Authors: Abe Chiyoji , Kobayashi Ikuo , Mitarai Satoshi , Wada Masako , Kawabe Yoshiko , Takashima Tetsuya , Suzuki Katsuhiro , Sng Li-Hwei , Wang Suxing , Htay Hla Hla , Ogata Hideo 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT

We reevaluated the BACTEC MGIT 960 antimicrobial susceptibility testing system (MGIT 960 AST) by using 1,112 isolates of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. When the results of MGIT 960 AST were compared with that of the proportion method using Ogawa medium (Ogawa PM), discrepant results were obtained for 30 strains with isoniazid, all resistant by MGIT 960 AST but susceptible by Ogawa PM. For 93% of the strains that produced discrepant results, the MIC was 0.4 or 0.8 μg/ml, showing resistance by the proportion method using Middlebrook agar plates. Furthermore, it was also established by analyses of the
katG
and
inhA
genes that strains resistant only by MGIT 960 AST have a low level of isoniazid (INH) resistance, indicating that MGIT 960 AST is a reliable method. Ninety-six strains were resistant to 0.1 μg/ml INH by MGIT 960 AST. When they were divided into three groups, Low-S (susceptible at 0.2 μg/ml), Low-R (resistant at 0.2 μg/ml), and High-R (resistant at 1.0 μg/ml), by Ogawa PM, 43.3% of the Low-S strains had mutations in the promoter region of
inhA
and no mutations were detected in
katG
codon 315, while 61.7% of the High-R strains had
katG
codon 315 mutations or a gross deletion of
katG
. These results suggest that mutations in
inhA
are associated with low-level resistance to INH and
katG
codon 315 mutations are associated with high-level resistance to INH. In addition, the analyses demonstrated some relationship of mutations in the
inhA
gene with ethionamide resistance for the Low-S strains, but not for the High-R strains.
Molecular Characterization of Porcine Picobirnaviruses and Development of a Specific Reverse Transcription-PCR Assay
Authors: Carruyo Gabriela M. , Mateu Guaniri , Martínez Laura C. , Pujol Flor H. , Nates Silvia V. , Liprandi Ferdinando , Ludert Juan E. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACT
The molecular characterization of partial- length genomic segment 2 of porcine picobirnavirus (PBV) strains and the development of a specific reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assay for detection of virus in feces are reported. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that the studied porcine isolates were more closely related (>85% identity) to human PBV belonging to genogroup I than to the other porcine PBV described so far. Analysis by RT-PCR and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of fecal samples collected in Venezuela and Argentina showed that PBV circulate at high frequencies in piglets.
Genetic Diversity and Zoonotic Potential ofCryptosporidium parvumCausing Foal Diarrhea
Authors: Grinberg A. , Learmonth J. , Kwan E. , Pomroy W. , Lopez Villalobos N. , Gibson I. , Widmer G. 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTCryptosporidiumisolates from diarrheic foals in New Zealand (n= 9) were identified asC. parvum, subtyped at two polymorphic loci, and compared with human (n= 45) and bovine (n= 8) isolates. FoalC. parvumisolates were genetically diverse, markedly similar to human and bovine isolates, and carried GP60 IIaA18G3R1 alleles, indicating a zoonotic potential.