bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of lauric acid on physical, chemical and microbial characteristics in the rumen of steers on a high grain diet
Authors: YABUUCHI Yuki , TANI Masahide , MATSUSHITA Yoji , OTSUKA Hiroshi , KOBAYASHI Yasuo 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThe effects of being fed lauric acid on rumen characteristics were evaluated in a double 3 × 3 Latin square design using six Holstein steers with ruminal cannulas on a high grain diet. The steers were fed commercial concentrate (8.7 kg/day/steer) with one of three levels of lauric acid (0, 25 or 50 g/day/steer) and timothy hay (1.8 kg/day/steer). The feed intake and digestibility were determined. Ruminal fluid was collected at 3 h after feeding to determine chemical, physical and microbial parameters. An in vitro pure culture study was performed to determine the effects of lauric acid on Streptococcus bovis, a potent bloat‐ and acidosis‐promoting rumen bacterium. There were no differences in feed intake and digestibility among the treatments. The proportion of butyrate and the viscosity of the rumen fluid tended to be lowered (P < 0.08 and P < 0.09, respectively) and the stable ingesta volume increase was significantly decreased (P < 0.01) by the lauric acid feed. The abundance of protozoa and bacteria did not differ among the treatments. In the in vitro study, the growth of S. bovis was inhibited by the lauric acid (100 nmol/L) but it showed an adaptive growth to lauric acid in long‐term subculturing. The S. bovis that had adapted to lauric acid showed decreased viscosity and lactate production (P < 0.01) in culture with sucrose. These results indicate that supplemental lauric acid added to a high grain diet improves physical properties, possibly by altering the metabolic activity of S. bovis, and it may prevent the occurrence of feedlot bloat and acidosis in beef cattle.
Effect of organic acids on the microbial quality of Taiwanese‐style sausages
Authors: WAN Tien‐Chun , LIN Liang‐Chuan , SAKATA Ryoichi 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThe effects of organic acids on the microbial quality of Taiwanese‐style sausages were studied. Pork meat from a Taiwan retail market was decontaminated with various organic acids (citric, lactic and tartaric acid), then, the raw meat was used to make Taiwanese‐style sausages and stored from 0 to 40 days at 4°C. The total plate counts, lactic acid bacteria, Micrococcus, Listeria monocytogenes, Hunter‐L and Hunter‐a values were determined. The total plate counts of the control group were initially greater than those of the treated groups. Higher incidence rates of L. monocytogenes in the products were obtained from the control group, but were not detected in the treated groups during storage. Lactic acid bacteria counts following the lactic acid treatment were lower than those of the other groups. Micrococcus counts of the controls increased by 0.6–1.2 log10 colony‐forming unit (CFU)/g greater than those of treated groups throughout storage at 4°C. The light color (L‐value) of the control group gradually decreased during storage. Pork meat dipped in various organic acids was found to be suitable to extend the shelf‐life and improve the microbiological quality of Taiwanese‐style sausages.
Evaluating environmental impacts of the Japanese beef cow–calf system by the life cycle assessment method
Authors: OGINO Akifumi , ORITO Hideki , SHIMADA Kazuhiro , HIROOKA Hiroyuki 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThe objectives of this study were to evaluate the environmental impacts of a beef cow–calf system using a life cycle assessment (LCA) method and to investigate the effects of scenarios to reduce environmental impacts on the LCA results. The functional unit was defined as one marketed beef calf, and the processes associated with the cow–calf life cycle, such as feed production, feed transport, animal management, the biological activity of the animal and the treatment of cattle waste were included in the system boundary. The present results showed that the total contributions of one beef calf throughout its life cycle to global warming, acidification, eutrophication and energy consumption were 4550 kg of CO2 equivalents, 40.1 kg of SO2 equivalents, 7.0 kg of phosphate (PO4) equivalents and 16.1 GJ, respectively. The contribution of each process to the total environmental impact in each environmental impact category showed a similar tendency to the contribution of each process in each environmental category reported in the case of the beef fattening system as a whole. The results from this analysis showed that shortening calving intervals by 1 month reduced environmental impacts by 5.7–5.8% in all the environmental impact categories examined in the current study, and increasing the number of calves per cow also reduced environmental impacts in all the categories, although the effects were smaller.
Prediction of yield of retail cuts for native and crossbred Chinese Yellow cattle
Authors: CHEN Yinji , LI Chunbao , LIU Li , ZHOU Guanghong , XU Xinglian , GAO Feng 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTSeven hundred and three native and crossbred Chinese Yellow cattle (mean live weight: 523 ± 38 kg) were slaughtered, chilled and segmented. The hot carcass weight (HCW, kg), fat thickness (FT, cm) and rib eye area (REA, cm2) were measured to predict weights and percentages of beef cattle retail cuts. A correlation analysis showed that the HCW and REA were positively correlated with the weights of the total retail cuts (TRC, kg), top grade retail cuts, prime retail cuts and percentage of total carcass weight. A regression analysis indicated that HCW and REA were the best predictors for the weight of total retail cuts (Y = −16.71 + 0.382 HCW + 0.593 REA), and the HCW explained more of the variation than REA. Meanwhile, HCW and REA accounted for 62% of the variation of percentage of total retail cuts (Y = 43.24 − 0.025 HCW + 0.170 REA), whereas the REA was more valuable than the HCW. The FT contributed little in estimating weight or percentage of retail cuts.
Three‐dimensional reconstruction of intramuscular collagen networks of bovine muscle: A demonstration by an immunohistochemical/confocal laser‐scanning microscopic method
Authors: NAKAMURA Yoshi‐Nori , IWAMOTO Hisao , YAMAGUCHI Takahiro , ONO Yoshitaka , NAKANISHI Yoshitaka , TABATA Shoji , NISHIMURA Shotaro , GOTOH Takafumi 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTWe undertook a three‐dimensional reconstruction of intramuscular collagen networks of bovine muscle using an immunohistochemical/confocal laser‐scanning microscopic method. By immunohistochemical staining, type I and III collagens were observed mainly in the perimysium, while type IV collagen was observed in the endomysium. On the other hand, type V and VI collagens were observed in both the perimysium and endomysium. By confocal laser‐scanning microscopy, the collagen observed in the perimysium was three‐dimensionally reconstructed as plate‐shaped layers whereas the collagen observed in the endomysium surrounded myofibers. The three‐dimensionally reconstructed observations using immunohistochemical/confocal laser‐scanning microscopic method is useful for investigating collagen networks in muscle.
The Impact of Body Awareness on Sexual Arousal in Women with Sexual Dysfunction
Authors: Seal Brooke N. , Meston Cindy M. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

Introduction
The impact of self-awareness during sexual activity has been widely discussed. However, research has been largely focused on the effects of performance anxiety in male erectile functioning. It has been suggested that physical appearance concerns may have a similar influence on sexual function in women as does men's self-awareness about erectile function. However, the role that physical appearance or awareness of one's body may play in female sexual response has received little empiric attention.

Aim
To examine the effects of body awareness and self-report levels of body esteem on sexual response in 21 sexually dysfunctional women.

Methods
Body awareness was induced in one of two counterbalanced sessions. A full-length mirror was placed in front of participants throughout the experimental session, and participants were instructed to use the mirror to place 10 electrodes on each side of their bodies to prepare for a possible electrocardiogram. This methodology was used to ensure that women looked at themselves in the mirror and became more aware of their bodies during the experimental session.

Main Outcome Measures
Self-reported mental arousal, perceptions of physical arousal, physiological sexual arousal, affect, anxiety, and cognitive distraction responses to erotica.

Results
Results showed that subjective mental sexual arousal and perceptions of physical sexual arousal increased in response to erotica in the Body Awareness condition compared to in the No Body Awareness condition. These results were not accounted for by level of body esteem. There were no changes in physiological sexual arousal, affect, anxiety, or level of cognitive distraction across the two conditions.

Conclusions
Findings suggest that awareness of one's body is related to increased subjective sexual response in conditions where cognitive distraction does not occur. It is particularly noteworthy that the current sample was made up of sexually dysfunctional women, all of whom had relatively low body image.
NCEP-ATPIII-Defined Metabolic Syndrome, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, and Prevalence of Hypogonadism in Male Patients with Sexual Dysfunction
Authors: Corona Giovanni , Mannucci Edoardo , Petrone Luisa , Balercia Giancarlo , Paggi Francesca , Fisher Alessandra D. , Lotti Francesco , Chiarini Valerio , Fedele Domenico , Forti Gianni , Maggi Mario 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) are characterized by insulin resistance and often associated with male hypogonadism.

Aim
To discriminate the specific contribution of T2DM and MetS to male hypogonadism.

Methods
A consecutive series of 1,134 (mean age 52.1 ± 13 years) male patients with sexual dysfunction was studied.

Main Outcome Measures
Several hormonal and biochemical parameters were studied along with ANDROTEST, a 12-item validated structured interview, specifically designed for the screening of hypogonadism (total testosterone [TT] &lt;10.4 nmol/L or free testosterone [FT] &lt;37 pmol/L) in a male population with sexual dysfunction.

Results
Irrespective of the criteria used to define hypogonadism, MetS was associated with a significantly higher prevalence of the condition, both in subjects with and without T2DM (41% and 29% vs. 13.2% and 77.1% and 58% vs. 40.6%, respectively, for TT and FT in patients with MetS and with or without T2DM, when compared with subjects without MetS and T2DM; both P  &lt; 0.0001). Conversely, T2DM was associated with a higher prevalence of hypogonadism in subjects with MetS but not in those without MetS. Patients with MetS, with or without T2DM, also showed a higher ANDROTEST score when compared with patients without MetS. Logistic multivariate regression analysis, incorporating the five components of MetS, identified a significant association of elevated waist circumference and hypertriglyceridemia with hypogonadism both in patients, with or without T2DM.

Conclusions
Our study demonstrated that MetS, and in particular visceral adiposity (as assessed by increased waistline and hypertriglyceridemia), is specifically associated with hypogonadism in subjects consulting for sexual dysfunction.
Integrated Sildenafil and Cognitive-Behavior Sex Therapy for Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction: A Pilot Study
Authors: Banner Linda L. , Anderson Rodney U. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction (ED) present a challenge to physicians. Treatment with pharmacological agents alone does not address the complexities of the causative or resulting psychological issues.

Aim
To evaluate the effectiveness of an integrative treatment protocol (ITP) with sildenafil and cognitive-behavior sex therapy (CBST) compared with sildenafil alone for men with psychogenic ED.

Main Outcome Measures
Change from baseline on the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) in the domains of erectile function and sexual satisfaction to demonstrate improved sexual functioning and confidence.

Methods
Men with psychogenic ED and female partners were randomized to receive either sildenafil alone or an ITP with sildenafil and CBST for the first 4 weeks. In the last 4 weeks, couples in the sildenafil group added CBST sessions to their regimen; patients in the ITP group continued the combined therapy. The IIEF questionnaire was used to compare erectile function and overall satisfaction serially at pretreatment, 4, and 8 weeks. Couples who met the success criteria in both domains after the first 4 weeks received no further treatment.

Results
Fifty-three couples constituted the study population. After the first 4 weeks of sildenafil and ITP, 48% of men met criteria for success on erectile function and 65.5% for satisfaction compared to men on sildenafil alone with 29% and 37.5% success rates, respectively. After the last 4 weeks, integration of CBST with sildenafil resulted in a 58% success rate for erectile function which was comparable to the 66% rate for the initial drug/ITP group; satisfaction rates for men were 45% and 75%, respectively.

Conclusions
CBST was shown to have a positive influence when used throughout the entire 8 weeks of the ITP or added to the sildenafil in the last 4 weeks. Although patients in both treatment regimens had significant improvements in the IIEF domain scores confirming efficacy of sildenafil, those in the CBST and drug regimen achieved higher rates of clinical success within the first 4 weeks of therapy.
Interferon and lamivudine monotherapy on chronic hepatitis B in Japan
Authors: Suzuki Fumitaka , Kumada Hiromitsu 
Published: July 2007

Aim:  We show data of interferon (IFN) and lamivudine monotherapy on chronic hepatitis B in Japan.Methods:  Data collected from sixty‐six chronic hepatitis B (CHB) Japanese patients who were treated with IFN for 6 months were analyzed. The efficacy of long‐term IFN therapy in 52 patients with e‐antigen positive CHB, and data from 290 chronically HBV‐infected patients who were treated with lamivudine for more than 3 years, were analyzed.Results:  Six‐month IFN therapy: among 45 patients with HBeAg at commencement of IFN therapy, nine (20%) were responders. Young patients especially those with high serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were much more likely to respond to IFN therapy. Twelve‐month IFN therapy: theresponse rate was 31% among 52 patients with HBeAg. Long‐term lamivudine therapy: YMDD motif mutation was detected in 167 of 290 patients (58%) during lamivudine treatment. Breakthrough hepatitis from lamivudine resistant virus was detected in 93 of 290 patients (32%). Finally, 813 patients were treated by lamivudine between September 1995 and February 2006. Fifteen patients lost HBsAg during and after lamivudine therapy.Conclusion:  Long‐term interferon therapy has a better response than short‐term interferon therapy. Some patients lost HBsAg during and after lamivudine therapy.
Combination therapy with lamivudine and HB vaccine on chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Ishikawa Tetsuya , Kakumu Shinichi 
Published: July 2007

Background and aim:  Lamivudine (LAM) has problems of breakthrough hepatitis (BTH) and post‐treatment relapse despite its significant effect for suppressing hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication. In order to find solutions for the problems, the efficacy of combination therapy of LAM plus hepatitis B (HB) vaccine in patients with chronic HBV infection was assessed.Patients and methods:  Fifty‐three patients with chronic hepatitis B, 33 hepatitis B e‐antigen positive (HBeAg+), and 20 HBeAg negative (HBeAg–) patients, were enrolled in the study, and randomized to receive either LAM monotherapy or combination therapy of LAM and HB vaccine. In the combination therapy group, 100 mg/day of LAM was administered as a baseline therapy, and 10 μg of HB vaccine was injected subcutaneously every month starting at 2 months after LAM administration, six times in total.Results:  HBeAg negative patients responded well to LAM therapy, and there were no significant differences in short‐term effects between the two therapy groups. With regard to the ratio of developing BTH, there was no difference betweenthe two groups. In HBeAg+ patients, HBV replication was suppressed more efficiently in the combination therapy group than in the monotherapy group. The ratio of developing BTH was significantly lower in the combination therapy group than in the monotherapy group. Regardless of HBeAg serologic status or therapy protocols, post‐treatment relapse was seen in most patients when the administrations of LAM were discontinued. No adverse effect with the use of HB vaccine was observed in all the patients treated with the combination therapy.Conclusion:  Combination therapy of LAM and HB vaccine is a safe and effective way to control HBV replication and prevent the development of BTH especially in patients with high viral load. However, further study is required in order to achieve the continuous suppression of HBV replication even after cessation of LAM.
In Vitro Suppression of K65R Reverse Transcriptase-Mediated Tenofovir- and Adefovir-5′-Diphosphate Resistance Conferred by the Boranophosphonate Derivatives
Authors: Frangeul Antoine , Barral Karine , Alvarez Karine , Canard Bruno 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT9-[2-(Boranophosphonomethoxy)ethyl]adenine diphosphate (BH3-PMEApp) and (R)-9-[2-(boranophosphonomethoxy)propyl]adenine diphosphate (BH3-PMPApp), described here, represent the first nucleoside phosphonates modified on their α-phosphates that act as efficient substrates for the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT). These analogues were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro activity against wild-type (WT), K65R, and R72A RTs. BH3-PMEApp and BH3-PMPApp exhibit the same inhibition properties as their nonborane analogues on WT RT. However, K65R RT was found hypersensitive to BH3-PMEApp and as sensitive as WT RT to BH3-PMPApp. Moreover, the presence of the borane group restores incorporation of the analogue by R72A HIV RT, the latter being nearly inactive with regular nucleotides. The BH3-mediated suppression of HIV-1 RT resistance, formerly described with nucleoside 5′-(α-p-borano)-triphosphate analogues, is thus also conserved at the phosphonate level. The present results show that an α-phosphate modification is also possible and interesting for phosphonate analogues, a result that might find application in the search for a means to control HIV RT-mediated drug resistance.
Histatin-Derived Monomeric and Dimeric Synthetic Peptides Show Strong Bactericidal Activity towards Multidrug-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
In Vivo
Authors: Welling Mick M. , Brouwer Carlo P. J. M. , van ′t Hof Wim , Veerman Enno C. I. , Amerongen Arie V. Nieuw 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

Homodimerization of histatin-derived peptides generally led to improved bactericidal activity against
Staphylococcus aureus
in vitro. In vivo, monomers and dimers were equally active in killing bacteria in mice with a soft tissue infection. Altogether, these peptides are promising compounds for the development of novel therapeutics against infections with drug-resistant bacteria.
Haemophilus ducreyi
Is Resistant to Human Antimicrobial Peptides
Authors: Mount Kristy L. B. , Townsend Carisa A. , Bauer Margaret E. 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

We examined the susceptibility of
Haemophilus ducreyi
to antimicrobial peptides likely to be encountered in vivo during human infection.
H. ducreyi
was significantly more resistant than
Escherichia coli
to the bactericidal effects of all peptides tested. Class I and II
H. ducreyi
strains exhibited similar levels of resistance to antimicrobial peptides.
Azithromycin Blocks Quorum Sensing and Alginate Polymer Formation and Increases the Sensitivity to Serum and Stationary-Growth-Phase Killing ofPseudomonas aeruginosaand Attenuates ChronicP. aeruginosaLung Infection inCftr−/−Mice
Authors: Hoffmann Nadine , Lee Baoleri , Hentzer Morten , Rasmussen Thomas Bovbjerg , Song Zhijun , Johansen Helle Krogh , Givskov Michael , Høiby Niels 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThe consequences of O-acetylated alginate-producingPseudomonas aeruginosabiofilms in the lungs of chronically infected cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are tolerance to both antibiotic treatments and effects on the innate and the adaptive defense mechanisms. In clinical trials, azithromycin (AZM) has been shown to improve the lung function of CF patients. The present study was conducted in accordance with previous in vitro studies suggesting that the effect of AZM may be the inhibition of alginate production, blockage of quorum sensing (QS), and increased sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide and the complement system. Moreover, we show that AZM may affect the polymerization ofP. aeruginosaalginate by the incomplete precipitation of polymerized alginate and high levels of readily dialyzable uronic acids. In addition, we find that mucoid bacteria in the stationary growth phase became sensitive to AZM, whereas cells in the exponential phase did not. Interestingly, AZM-treatedP. aeruginosa lasImutants appeared to be particularly resistant to serum, whereas bacteria with a functional QS system did not. We show in a CF mouse model of chronicP. aeruginosalung infection that AZM treatment results in the suppression of QS-regulated virulence factors, significantly improves the clearance ofP. aeruginosaalginate biofilms, and reduces the severity of the lung pathology compared to that in control mice. We conclude that AZM attenuates the virulence ofP. aeruginosa, impairs its ability to form fully polymerized alginate biofilms, and increases its sensitivity to complement and stationary-phase killing, which may explain the clinical efficacy of AZM.
Enterococcal Leucine-Rich Repeat-Containing Protein Involved in Virulence and Host Inflammatory Response
Authors: Brinster Sophie , Posteraro Brunella , Bierne Hélène , Alberti Adriana , Makhzami Samira , Sanguinetti Maurizio , Serror Pascale 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACT

Enterococcus faecalis
is an important nosocomial pathogen associated with high morbidity and mortality for patients who are immunocompromised or who have severe underlying diseases. The
E. faecalis
genome encodes numerous surface-exposed proteins that may be involved in virulence. This work describes the characterization of the first internalin-like protein in
E. faecalis
, ElrA, belonging to the recently identified WxL family of surface proteins. ElrA contains an N-terminal signal peptide for export, a leucine-rich repeat domain that may interact with host cells, and a C-terminal WxL domain that interacts with the peptidoglycan. Disruption of the
elrA
gene significantly attenuates bacterial virulence in a mouse peritonitis model. The
elrA
deletion mutant also displays a defect in infection of host macrophages and a decreased interleukin-6 response in vivo. Finally,
elrA
expression is induced in vivo. Altogether, these results demonstrate a role for ElrA in the
E. faecalis
infectious process in vivo and suggest that this surface protein may contribute to
E. faecalis
virulence by stimulating the host inflammatory response.