bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Underutilization of Dental Care When It Is Freely Available: A Prospective Study of the New England Children's Amalgam Trial
Authors: Maserejian Nancy Nairi , Trachtenberg Felicia , Link Carol , Tavares Mary 
Published: January 2008

Abstract
Objective: This study aims to prospectively examine the trends and reasons for the underutilization of free semiannual preventive dental care provided to children with unmet dental needs who participated in the 5‐year New England Children's Amalgam Trial. Methods: Children aged 6 to 10 at baseline (1997‐99) with ≥2 posterior carious teeth were recruited from rural Maine (n = 232) and urban Boston (n = 266). Interviewer‐administered questionnaires assessed demographic and personal characteristics. Reasons for missed appointments were recorded during follow‐up and are descriptively presented. We used an ordinal logistic regression to analyze the utilization of semiannual dental visits. Results: On average, urban children utilized 69 percent of the visits and rural children utilized 82 percent of the visits. For both sites, utilization steadily decreased until the end of the 5‐year trial. Significant predictors of underutilization in the multivariate model for urban children were non‐White race, household welfare use, deep debt, and distance to dental clinic. Among the relatively less‐diverse rural children, caregiver education level and a greater number of decayed tooth surfaces at baseline (i.e., need for care) were significantly associated with underutilization. Among all children, the common reasons for missed visits included guardian scheduling and transportation difficulties; reasons among urban participants also indicated a low priority for dental care. Conclusions: Among these children with unmet dental needs, the provision of free preventive dental care was insufficient to remove the disparities in utilization and did not consistently result in high utilization through follow‐up. Differences between educational levels, ethnicities, and rural/urban location suggest that public health programs need to target the social settings in which financial burdens exist.
Overview and Quality Assurance for the Oral Health Component of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2003‐04
Authors: Dye B. A. , Nowjack‐Raymer R. , Barker L. K. , Nunn J. H. , Steele J. G. , Tan S. , Lewis B. G. , Beltran‐Aguilar E. D. 
Published: January 2008

Abstract The 2003‐04 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) was a collaborative effort involving 28 federal funding partners with the National Center for Health Statistics. The collaborators for the 2003‐04 NHANES oral health component included the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research and the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Oral Health. Oral health data are available on 8,272 persons aged 2 years or older. This report provides an overview of the 2003‐04 oral health component including content descriptions and procedures for oral health assessments conducted for the first time in a national survey in the United States. These assessments include posterior functional contacts, tooth wear, and oral health‐related quality of life. This report also provides evaluations of data quality in terms of examiner reliability statistics (percent agreements, kappas, and correlation coefficients) for various NHANES 2003‐04 oral health examination components and analytical recommendations for producing 6‐year estimates using the previous two NHANES data collection components (1999‐2000 and 2001‐02).
Target Peptide Sequence within Infectious Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Does Not Ensure Envelope-Specific T-Helper Cell Reactivation: Influences of Cysteine Protease and Gamma Interferon-Induced Thiol Reductase Activities
Authors: Sealy Robert , Chaka Wendy , Surman Sherri , Brown Scott A. , Cresswell Peter , Hurwitz Julia L. 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACTRecent clinical trials have shown that the presence of a robust human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific T-cell response may not be sufficient to prevent or control HIV-1 infection. Studies of antigen processing in the context of infectious HIV-1 are therefore warranted. Envelope-specific, major histocompatibility complex class II-restricted murine T-cell hybridomas were tested for responsiveness to splenic antigen-presenting cells exposed to HIV-1-infected GHOST cells. Interleukin-2 assays showed that the presence of a peptide within HIV-1 did not ensure the reactivation of peptide-specific T cells. Further experiments defined the impact of gamma interferon-induced thiol reductase and cysteine proteases on the processing of HIV-1 peptides. The results highlight potential influences of peptide context on T-cell reactivation by HIV-1 and encourage the continued study of antigen processing as support for improved vaccine design.
Coencapsulation of CpG Oligodeoxynucleotides with RecombinantLeishmania majorStress-Inducible Protein 1 in Liposome Enhances Immune Response and Protection against Leishmaniasis in Immunized BALB/c Mice
Authors: Badiee Ali , Jaafari Mahmoud R. , Samiei Afshin , Soroush Dina , Khamesipour Ali 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACTCpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) have been shown to have potent adjuvant activity for a wide range of antigens. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential benefit of using liposomes as a delivery vehicle to enhance the adjuvant activity of CpG ODN withLeishmania majorstress-inducible protein 1 (LmSTI1) antigen in induction of the Th1 response in a murine model of leishmaniasis. BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously three times in 3-week intervals with liposomal recombinant LmSTI1 (Lip-rLmSTI1), rLmSTI1 coencapsulated with CpG ODN in a liposome (Lip-rLmSTI1-CpG ODN), rLmSTI1 plus CpG ODN in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), rLmSTI1 plus non-CpG ODN in PBS, rLmSTI1 in PBS, empty liposome, or PBS. The intensity of infection induced byL. majorpromastigote challenge was measured by footpad swelling. A significant (P< 0.001) inhibition of infection in mice immunized with Lip-rLmSTI1-CpG ODN was shown compared to the other groups, and no parasite was detected in the spleens of this group 14 weeks after challenge. The highest immunoglobulin G2a (IgG2a) titer and the highest IgG2a/IgG1 ratio were also shown in the sera of mice immunized with Lip-rLmSTI1-CpG ODN before and 14 weeks after challenge. The results indicated the superiority of CpG ODN in its liposomal form over its soluble form to induce the Th1 response when used in association with rLmSTI1 antigen. It seems that using a liposome delivery system carrying CpG ODN as an adjuvant coencapsulated withLeishmaniaantigen plays an important role in vaccine development strategies against leishmaniasis.
Use of Recombinant gp43 Isoforms Expressed in
Pichia pastoris
for Diagnosis of Paracoccidioidomycosis
Authors: Carvalho K. C. , Vallejo M. C. , Camargo Z. P. , Puccia R. 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

gp43 is the main diagnostic antigen for paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM). In vitro, gp43 expression in supernatant fluids of
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis
cultures can be unstable, and its regulation is poorly understood. We have been able to express soluble recombinant gp43 (gp43r) isoforms as N-mannosylated proteins secreted in the supernatants of
Pichia pastoris
cultures induced with methanol. They were secreted as major components from day 2 of induction and could be purified with affinity columns containing anti-gp43 monoclonal antibodies. We have expressed
P. brasiliensis GP43
(Pb
GP43
) sequences from genotypes A, D, and E, and the correspondent gp43r isoforms (gp43r A, -B, and -C, respectively; 200 ng) were compared to native gp43 in immunodiffusion (ID) and dot blot assays. Among 90 PCM patient sera showing ID-positive reactions with purified native gp43, 100% were positive with gp43rD and gp43rE and 98% reacted with gp43rA. Of these sera, 78 were tested in dot blot assays at a 1:1,000 dilution, and 100% reacted with all recombinant isoforms. In ID assays, the specificity was 100%, since 40 sera from patients with related mycoses and 30 sera from healthy individuals did not react with any of the antigens. In dot blot assays, 100% specificity for PCM occurred when cross-reactive mannose epitopes were neutralized with 10 mM metaperiodate or eliminated through deglycosylation. However, a 1:1,000 serum dilution was already discriminatory for most sera. We suggest that
P. pastoris
recombinant gp43, especially isoforms D and E, may replace the native antigen in ID and dot blot assays for diagnosis and prognosis of PCM. Regulated expression of large amounts of antigen in nonpathogenic yeast would justify its preferred use.
Successive Emergence of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase-Producing and Carbapenemase-Producing
Enterobacter aerogenes
Isolates in a University Hospital
Authors: Biendo M. , Canarelli B. , Thomas D. , Rousseau F. , Hamdad F. , Adjide C. , Laurans G. , Eb F. 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

Sixty-two clinical isolates of
Enterobacter aerogenes
resistant to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins were collected between July 2003 and May 2005. Among these isolates, 23 (37.1%) were imipenem (IPM) susceptible, and 39 (62.9%) were IPM insusceptible, of which 89.7% (35/39) were resistant and 10.3% (4/39) were intermediate. Isolate genotypes were compared by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Of 62 isolates, 48 belonged to epidemic pulsotype A (77.4%). This pulsotype included 37.5% and 58.4% of β-lactam phenotypes b and a, respectively. Nine isolates (14.5%) belonged to pulsotype E, which included 22.3% and 77.7% of phenotypes b and a, respectively. The β-lactamases with pIs of 5.4, 6.5, 8.2, and 8.2 corresponded to extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) TEM-20, TEM-24, SHV-5, and SHV-12, respectively. Of 39 IPM-insusceptible
E. aerogenes
isolates, 26 (66.6%) were determined to be metallo-β-lactamase producers, by using a phenotypic method. Of these isolates, 24 harbored a
bla
IMP-1
gene encoding a protein with a pI of >9.5, and two carried the
bla
VIM-2
gene encoding a protein with a pI of 5.3, corresponding to β-lactamases IMP-1 and VIM-2, respectively. The remaining 13 (33.4%) isolates were negative for the
bla
IMP-1
and
bla
VIM-2
genes but showed an alteration of their outer membrane proteins (OMPs). Ten of these isolates produced the two possible OMPs (32 and 42 kDa), with IPM MICs between 8 and 32 μg/ml, and three others produced only a 32-kDa OMP with IPM MICs >32 μg/ml. This work demonstrates that, in addition to resistance to expanded-spectrum cephalosporins, IPM resistance can occur in ESBL-producing
E. aerogenes
isolates by carbapenemase production or by the loss of porin in the outer membrane.
Suppression-Subtractive Hybridization as a Strategy To Identify Taxon-Specific Sequences within the
Mycoplasma mycoides
Cluster: Design and Validation of an
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
-Specific PCR Assay
Authors: Maigre Laure , Citti Christine , Marenda Marc , Poumarat François , Tardy Florence 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

The phylogenetically related
Mycoplasma capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and
M. mycoides
subsp.
mycoides
biotype Large Colony are two small-ruminant pathogens involved in contagious agalactia. Their respective contributions to clinical outbreaks are not well documented, because they are difficult to differentiate with the current diagnostic techniques. In order to identify DNA sequences specific to one taxon or the other, a suppression-subtractive hybridization approach was developed. DNA fragments resulting from the reciprocal subtraction of the type strains were used as probes on a panel of
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and
M. mycoides
subsp.
mycoides
biotype Large Colony strains to assess their intrataxon specificity. Due to a high intrataxon polymorphism and important cross-reactions between taxa, a single DNA fragment was shown to be specific for
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and to be present in all
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
field isolates tested in this study. A PCR assay targeting the corresponding gene (
simp
A51) was designed that resulted in a 560-bp amplification only in
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and in
M. capricolum
subsp.
capripneumoniae
(the etiological agent of contagious caprine pleuropneumonia).
simp
A51 was further improved to generate a multiplex PCR (
mult
A51) that allows the differentiation of
M. capricolum
subsp.
capripneumoniae
from
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
. Both the
simp
A51 and
mult
A51 assays accurately identify
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
among other mycoplasmas, including all members of the
M. mycoides
cluster.
simp
A51 and
mult
A51 PCRs are proposed as sensitive and robust tools for the specific identification of
M. capricolum
subsp.
capricolum
and
M. capricolum
subsp.
capripneumoniae
.
Assessment of Rapid Tests for Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Specific Antibodies in Recently Infected Individuals
Authors: Louie Brian , Wong Ernest , Klausner Jeffrey D. , Liska Sally , Hecht Frederick , Dowling Terri , Obeso Martha , Phillips Susan S. , Pandori Mark W. 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT
We have evaluated four current Food and Drug Administration-cleared rapid tests for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific antibodies with a panel of specimens from recently infected individuals. Recent infection was detected by RNA-based screening coupled with enzyme immunoassay-based testing. We found that the sensitivities of the various rapid tests vary greatly with regard to their ability to detect HIV-specific antibodies in recently infected individuals.
Three-Year Population-Based Evaluation of Standardized Mycobacterial Interspersed Repetitive-Unit-Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Typing ofMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Allix-Béguec Caroline , Fauville-Dufaux Maryse , Supply Philip 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACTStandardized mycobacterial interspersed repetitive-unit-variable-number tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing based on 15 and 24 loci recently has been proposed forMycobacterium tuberculosisgenotyping. So far, this optimized system has been assessed in a single, 1-year population-based study performed in Germany (M. C. Oelemann, R. Diel, V. Vatin, W. Haas, S. Rusch-Gerdes, C. Locht, S. Niemann, and P. Supply, J. Clin. Microbiol.45:691-697, 2007). Here, we evaluated these optimized formats in a much larger population-based study conducted during 39 months in the Brussels capital region of Belgium. Isolates from 807 patients were genotyped. The resolution power, cluster, and lineage identification by the standardized MIRU-VNTR sets were compared to those obtained using standardized IS6110-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), spoligotyping, and a previous 12-MIRU-VNTR-locus set. On a subset representing 77% of the cases during a 16-month period, a high concordance was observed between unique isolates or strain clusters as defined by standardized MIRU-VNTR and IS6110-RFLP (i.e., more than five IS6110bands). When extended to the entire population-based collection, the discriminatory subset of 15 loci decreased the strain-clustering rate by almost twofold compared to that of the old 12-locus set. The addition of the nine ancillary MIRU-VNTR loci and/or spoligotyping only slightly further decreased this strain-clustering rate. Familial, social, and/or geographic proximity links were found in 48% of the clusters identified, and well-known risk factors for tuberculosis transmission were identified. Finally, an excellent correspondence was determined between our MIRU-VNTR-spoligotyping strain identifications and external reference strain lineages included in the MIRU-VNTRplusdatabase and identified by, e.g., large sequence polymorphisms. Our results reinforce the proposal of standardized MIRU-VNTR typing as a new reference genotyping method for the epidemiological and phylogenetic screening ofM. tuberculosisstrains.
Diagnostic Approach to Acute Diarrheal Illness in a Military Population on Training Exercises in Thailand, a Region of
Campylobacter
Hyperendemicity
Authors: Tribble David R. , Baqar Shahida , Pang Lorrin W. , Mason Carl , Houng Huo-Shu H. , Pitarangsi Chittima , Lebron Carlos , Armstrong Adam , Sethabutr Orntipa , Sanders John W. 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

High rates of
Campylobacter
fluoroquinolone resistance highlight the need to evaluate diagnostic strategies that can be used to assist with clinical management. Diagnostic tests were evaluated with U.S. soldiers presenting with acute diarrhea during deployment in Thailand. The results of bedside and field laboratory diagnostic tests were compared to stool microbiology findings for 182 enrolled patients.
Campylobacter jejuni
was isolated from 62% of the cases. Clinical and laboratory findings at the time of presentation were evaluated to determine their impact on the posttest probability, defined as the likelihood of a diagnosis of
Campylobacter
infection. Clinical findings, the results of tests for inflammation (stool occult blood testing [Hemoccult], fecal leukocytes, fecal lactoferrin, plasma C-reactive protein), and the numbers of
Campylobacter
-specific antibody-secreting cells in peripheral blood failed to increase the posttest probability above 90% in this setting of
Campylobacter
hyperendemicity when these findings were present. Positive results by a
Campylobacter
-specific commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and, less so, a research PCR were strong positive predictors. The negative predictive value for ruling out
Campylobacter
infection, defined as a posttest probability of less than 10%, was similarly observed with these
Campylobacter
-specific stool-based tests as well the fecal leukocyte test. Compared to the other tests evaluated, the
Campylobacter
EIA is a sensitive and specific rapid diagnostic test that may assist with diagnostic evaluation, with consideration of the epidemiological setting, logistics, and cost.
Rapid Identification and Differentiation of
Trichophyton
Species, Based on Sequence Polymorphisms of the Ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacer Regions, by Rolling-Circle Amplification
Authors: Kong Fanrong , Tong Zhongsheng , Chen Xiaoyou , Sorrell Tania , Wang Bin , Wu Qixuan , Ellis David , Chen Sharon 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

DNA sequencing analyses have demonstrated relatively limited polymorphisms within the fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions among
Trichophyton
spp. We sequenced the ITS region (ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2) for 42 dermatophytes belonging to seven species (
Trichophyton rubrum
,
T. mentagrophytes
,
T. soudanense
,
T. tonsurans
,
Epidermophyton floccosum
,
Microsporum canis
, and
M. gypseum
) and developed a novel padlock probe and rolling-circle amplification (RCA)-based method for identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that could be exploited to differentiate between
Trichophyton
spp. Sequencing results demonstrated intraspecies genetic variation for
T. tonsurans
,
T. mentagrophytes
, and
T. soudanense
but not
T. rubrum
. Signature sets of SNPs between
T. rubrum
and
T. soudanense
(4-bp difference) and
T. violaceum
and
T. soudanense
(3-bp difference) were identified. The RCA assay correctly identified five
Trichophyton
species. Although the use of two “group-specific” probes targeting both the ITS1 and the ITS2 regions were required to identify
T. soudanense
, the other species were identified by single ITS1- or ITS2-targeted species-specific probes. There was good agreement between ITS sequencing and the RCA assay. Despite limited genetic variation between
Trichophyton
spp., the sensitive, specific RCA-based SNP detection assay showed potential as a simple, reproducible method for the rapid (2-h) identification of
Trichophyton
spp.
Rapid Detection of the Pandemic Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
Clone ST 239, a Dominant Strain in Asian Hospitals
Authors: Feil Edward J. , Nickerson Emma K. , Chantratita Narisara , Wuthiekanun Vanaporn , Srisomang Pramot , Cousins Richard , Pan WuBin , Zhang Ge , Xu BangLao , Day Nicholas P. J. , Peacock Sharon J. 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

We describe and validate a novel PCR assay to detect the pandemic hospital-acquired methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(HA-MRSA) lineage ST 239. Results based on previously uncharacterized isolates from a hospital in northeast Thailand support the view that at least 90% of HA-MRSA isolates in mainland Asia correspond to ST 239 or close relatives.
Optimal Method of Collection of First-Void Urine for Diagnosis of
Chlamydia trachomatis
Infection in Men
Authors: Wisniewski Craig A. , White John A. , Michel Claude-Edouard C. , Mahilum-Tapay Lourdes , Magbanua Jose Paolo V. , Nadala Elpidio Cesar B. , Barber Penelope J. , Goh Beng T. , Lee Helen H. 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

First-void urine (FVU) is the preferred specimen for the diagnosis of urogenital
Chlamydia trachomatis
infection in men. We have developed FirstBurst, a urine collection device that collects the first 4 to 5 ml of FVU and yields a specimen with a sixfold higher
C. trachomatis
organism load than the regular urine cup by quantitative PCR (32,533 versus 5,271 plasmids/ml;
P
< 0.0001). Consequently, the use of FirstBurst to collect a urine sample improved the sensitivity of a rapid test for
Chlamydia
over testing of samples collected with a urine cup (82 versus 47% sensitivity using PCR as a reference;
P
< 0.0015).
New Diagnostic Real-Time PCR for Specific Detection of
Parachlamydia acanthamoebae
DNA in Clinical Samples
Authors: Casson Nicola , Posfay-Barbe Klara M. , Gervaix Alain , Greub Gilbert 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

Given the low sensitivity of amoebal coculture, we developed a specific real-time PCR for the detection of
Parachlamydia
. The analytical sensitivity was high, and the inter- and intrarun variabilities were low. When the PCR was applied to nasopharyngeal aspirates, it was positive for six patients with bronchiolitis. Future studies should assess the role of
Parachlamydia
in bronchiolitis.
Septic Pulmonary Emboli and Bacteremia Associated with Deep Tissue Infections Caused by Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Lin Michael Y. , Rezai Katayoun , Schwartz David N. 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

We report four adult patients who presented with septic pulmonary emboli and community-acquired methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
bacteremia associated with deep tissue infections, such as pyomyositis, osteomyelitis, and prostatic abscess. The patients lacked evidence of right-sided endocarditis or thrombophlebitis. This association, previously described in children, may also be important in adults.
The Tight Junction Proteins Claudin-1, -6, and -9 Are Entry Cofactors for Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Meertens Laurent , Bertaux Claire , Cukierman Lisa , Cormier Emmanuel , Lavillette Dimitri , Cosset François-Loïc , Dragic Tatjana 
Published: January 2008

ABSTRACT

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of liver disease in humans. The CD81 tetraspanin is necessary but not sufficient for HCV penetration into hepatocytes, and it was recently reported that the tight junction protein claudin-1 is a critical HCV entry cofactor. Here, we confirm the role of claudin-1 in HCV entry. In addition, we show that claudin-6 and claudin-9 expressed in CD81
+
cells also enable the entry of HCV pseudoparticles derived from six of the major genotypes. Whereas claudin-1, -6, and -9 function equally well as entry cofactors in endothelial cells, claudin-1 is more efficient in hepatoma cells. This suggests that additional cellular factors modulate the ability of claudins to function as HCV entry cofactors. Our work has generated novel and essential means to investigate the mechanism of HCV penetration into hepatocytes and the role of the claudin protein family in HCV dissemination, replication, and pathogenesis.