bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Myocardial and aortal involvement in a case of disseminated infection with Fusarium solani after allogeneic stem cell transplantation: report of a case
Authors: Busemann Christoph , Krüger William , Schwesinger Günther , Kallinich Bianca , Schröder Gudrun , Abel Peter , Kiefer Thomas , Neumann Thomas , Dölken Gottfried 
Published: January 2009

SummaryWe describe a 57‐year‐old woman suffering from acute erythroblastic leukaemia. After the first course of high‐dose Ara‐C containing consolidation therapy, the patient developed multiple skin lesions on the left foot. A skin biopsy revealed a Fusarium infection. The lesions regressed under therapy with caspofungin and voriconazole. Leukaemia relapsed after 1 year and an allogeneic stem cell transplantation was performed for consolidation of leukaemia in second remission. Again, the patient developed macular skin lesions located on the trunk and the extremities with central pallor. Clinical examination showed fever, tachyarrhythmia and a systolic murmur. Fusarium spp. was cultured from blood samples. An antimycotic therapy with amphotericin B, voriconazole and posaconazole failed completely. The patient died in a septic shock with consecutive multiple organ failure. The autopsy (SN 1/06, Institute of Pathology, University of Greifswald) revealed a disseminated infiltration with Fusarium solani including myocardial, endocardial and aortal infection. The involvement of the cardiovascular system is uncommon in fusariosis and has not been described so far. This case confirms other reports describing the high mortality of fusariosis after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. A rapid diagnosis and antimycotics with higher activity against Fusarium spp. are necessary for successful therapy of this severe mould infection in the immunocompromised host.
Prevalence and identification of alcohol use disorders among severe mental illness inpatients in Taiwan
Authors: Huang Ming‐Chyi , Yu Chuan‐Hsun , Chen Chun‐Tse , Chen Chiao‐Chicy , Shen Winston W. , Chen Chun‐Hsin 
Published: January 2009

Aims:  A higher prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUD) among psychiatric patients has been reported previously and the identification rate is relatively low. This study was designed to investigate the prevalence and identification of AUD among acute psychiatric inpatients with severe mental illness in a psychiatric hospital in Taiwan.Methods:  In a two‐phase case identification strategy, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used as the first phase screening tool and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV‐TR as the second phase diagnostic interview. The definition of identification was diagnosis of AUD on medical record at discharge.Results:  Of 400 respondents, 42 screened positive and 358 screened negative. All screen‐positive respondents and 35 screen‐negative respondents entered the second phase interview. The weighted lifetime prevalence of alcohol dependence was 8.3% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.6–11.9%); alcohol abuse, 1.5% (95%CI: 0.2–2.8%); and AUD, 9.8% (95%CI: 5.7–13.8%). The overall identification rate of AUD by medical staff was 28.2% (0% for alcohol abuse and 33.3% for alcohol dependence). Patients with mood disorders were prone to being undetected as having AUD.Conclusion:  AUD comorbidity was common among inpatients with severe mental illness in Taiwan and was easily neglected by medical staff. It is necessary to use a validated screening questionnaire, such as AUDIT, to detect high‐risk patients and then give appropriate interventions to enhance treatment outcome.
Pedunculopontine and laterodorsal tegmental nuclei contain distinct populations of cholinergic, glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons in the rat
Authors: Wang Hui‐Ling , Morales Marisela 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThe pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) and laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDTg) provide cholinergic afferents to several brain areas. This cholinergic complex has been suggested to play a role in sleep, waking, motor function, learning and reward. To have a better understanding of the neurochemical organization of the PPTg/LDTg we characterized the phenotype of PPTg/LDTg neurons by determining in these cells the expression of transcripts encoding choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) or the vesicular glutamate transporters (vGluT1, vGluT2 and vGluT3). Within the PPTg/LDTg complex we found neurons expressing ChAT, vGluT2 or GAD transcripts, these neuronal phenotypes were intermingled, but not homogeneously distributed within the PPTg or LDTg. Previous studies suggested the presence of either glutamate or γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) immunolabeling in a large number of PPTg/LDTg cholinergic neurons, leading to the widespread notion that PPTg/LDTg cholinergic neurons co‐release acetylcholine together with either glutamate or GABA. To assess the glutamatergic or GABAergic nature of the PPTg/LDTg cholinergic neurons, we combined in situ hybridization (to detect vGluT2 or GAD transcripts) and immunohistochemistry (to detect ChAT), and found that over 95% of all PPTg/LDTg cholinergic neurons lack transcripts encoding either vGluT2 mRNA or GAD mRNA. As the vast majority of PPTg/LDTg cholinergic neurons lack transcripts encoding essential proteins for the vesicular transport of glutamate or for the synthesis of GABA, co‐release of acetylcholine with either glutamate or GABA is unlikely to be a major factor in the interactions between acetylcholine, glutamate and GABA at the postsynaptic site.
Visual response properties of neurons in cortical areas MT and MST projecting to the dorsolateral pontine nucleus or the nucleus of the optic tract in macaque monkeys
Authors: Hoffmann K.‐P. , Bremmer F. , Distler C. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractNeurons in cortical medial temporal area (MT) and medial superior temporal area (MST) projecting to the dorsolateral pontine nucleus (DLPN) and/or to the nucleus of the optic tract and dorsal terminal nucleus (NOT‐DTN) were identified by antidromic electrical stimulation in five macaque monkeys. Neurons projecting to either target were located in close proximity to each other, and in all subregions of MT and MST sampled. Only a small percentage of the antidromically identified projection neurons (4.4%) sent branches to both the NOT‐DTN and the DLPN. Antidromic latencies of neurons projecting to the NOT‐DTN (0.9–6 ms, median 2.1 ms) and to the DLPN (0.8–5 ms, median 2.0 ms) did not differ significantly. Visual response properties of the neurons antidromically activated from either site did not differ significantly from those of cells that were not so activated. On the population level only neurons activated from the NOT‐DTN had a clear preference for ipsiversive stimulus movement, whereas the neurons activated from the DLPN and neurons not antidromically activated from either target had no common directional preference. These results are discussed in terms of specification of cortico‐subcortical connections and with regard to pathways underlying slow eye movements in different visuomotor behaviours.
Different responses to Spo0A‐mediated suppression of the related Bacillus subtilis phages Nf and φ29
Authors: Castilla‐Llorente Virginia , Salas Margarita , Meijer Wilfried J. J. 
Published: January 2009

SummaryThe φ29 family of phages is divided in three groups. Members of groups 1 and 2 infect the spore‐forming bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Previous studies showed that group 1 phage φ29 adapts its infection strategy to the physiological state of the host. Thus, the lytic cycle of φ29 is suppressed when cells are infected during the early stages of sporulation and the infecting genome becomes trapped into the spore. A major element of this adaptive strategy is a very sensitive response to the host‐encoded Spo0A protein, the key regulator for sporulation activation, which is directly responsible for suppression of φ29 development. Here we analysed if this adaptation is conserved in phage Nf belonging to group 2. The results obtained show that although Nf also possesses the alternative infection strategy, it is clearly less sensitive to Spo0A‐mediated suppression than φ29. Sequence determination of the Nf genome revealed striking differences in the number of Spo0A binding site sequences. The results provide evidence that the life style of two highly related phages is distinctly tuned by differences in binding sites for a host‐encoded regulatory protein, being a good example of how viruses have evolved to optimally exploit features of their host.
Vertical structure of archaeal communities and the distribution of ammonia monooxygenase A gene variants in two meromictic High Arctic lakes
Authors: Pouliot Jérémie , Galand Pierre E. , Lovejoy Connie , Vincent Warwick F. 
Published: January 2009

SummaryThe distribution of archaeal amoA and 16S rRNA genes was evaluated in two marine‐derived, meromictic lakes in the Canadian High Arctic: Lake A and Lake C1 on the northern coast of Ellesmere Island. The amoA gene was recorded in both lakes, with highest copy numbers in the oxycline. Sequence analysis showed that amoA from the two lakes shared 94% similarity, indicating at least two phylogenetically distinct clusters. Clone libraries of archaeal 16S rRNA genes from Lake A revealed strong vertical differences in archaeal community diversity and composition down the water column. The oxic layer was dominated by one group of Euryarchaeota affiliated to the Lake Dagow Sediment (LDS) cluster. This group was absent from the oxycline, which had an extremely low archaeal diversity of two phylotypes. Both belonged to the Crenarchaeota Marine Group I (MGI), the marine group that has been linked to archaeal amoA; however, there was a low ratio of amoA to MGI copy numbers, suggesting that many MGI Archaea did not carry the amoA gene. The anoxic zone contained representatives of the RC‐V (Rice Cluster‐V) and LDS clusters of Euryarchaeota. These results show the strong vertical differentiation of archaeal communities in polar meromictic lakes, and they suggest archaeal nitrification within the oxycline of these highly stratified waters.
Annual changes of bacterial mortality due to viruses and protists in an oligotrophic coastal environment (NW Mediterranean)
Authors: Boras Julia A. , Sala M. Montserrat , Vázquez‐Domínguez Evaristo , Weinbauer Markus G. , Vaqué Dolors 
Published: January 2009

SummaryThe impact of viruses and protists on bacterioplankton mortality was examined monthly during 2 years (May 2005–April 2007) in an oligotrophic coastal environment (NW Mediterranean Sea). We expected that in such type of system, (i) bacterial losses would be caused mainly by protists, and (ii) lysogeny would be an important type of virus–host interaction. During the study period, viruses and grazers together were responsible for 50.6 ± 40.1% day−1 of bacterial standing stock losses (BSS) and 59.7 ± 44.0% day−1 of bacterial production losses (BP). Over the first year (May 2005–April 2006), protists were the principal cause of bacterial mortality, removing 29.9 ± 20.4% day−1 of BSS and 33.9 ± 24.3% day−1 of BP, whereas viral lysis removed 13.5 ± 17.0% day−1 of BSS and 12.3 ± 12.3% day−1 of BP. During the second year (May 2006–April 2007), viruses caused comparable bacterial losses (29.2 ± 14.8% day−1 of BSS and 40.9 ± 20.7% day−1 of BP) to protists (28.6 ± 25.5% day−1 of BSS and 32.4 ± 20.0% day−1 of BP). In 37% of cases higher losses of BP due to viruses than due to protists were found. Lysogenic infection was detected in 11 of 24 samplings. Contrary to our expectations, lytic infections dominated over the two years, and viruses resulted to be a significant source of bacterial mortality in this oligotrophic site.
Association between Ownership Structure and Public Announcements' Disclosures
Authors: Laidroo Laivi 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACTManuscript Type: EmpiricalResearch Question/Issue: The impact of ownership structure on annual report disclosures and overall disclosure quality has received some attention in previous literature, but no study has examined it in the context of public announcements. This paper investigates the issue by using a disclosure score based on six disclosure quality attributes and by employing two quantitative disclosure measures in the context of three European emerging capital markets in the Baltics – the Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius Stock Exchanges.Research Findings/Results: In line with expectations, public announcement disclosure quality had a negative association with ownership concentration and foreign ownership and a positive association with institutional ownership. In terms of other company characteristics, sales growth and size of entry barriers exhibited positive associations with disclosure as expected. Unlike in previous research, statistically significant negative associations between size and announcement length were supported. This is due to the sample used, which included several firms from the Vilnius Stock Exchange with short announcements for the pre‐2003 period.Theoretical Implications: This paper presents possibilities for employing information theory in the context of finance for determining possible disclosure quality attributes that could be used in the creation of a disclosure quality score.Practical Implications: Empirical tests reveal the importance of ownership structure in determining the disclosure choice of companies that, in turn, may provide information about the types of companies that need more effective regulative enforcement.
Legal Institutions, Board Diligence, and Top Executive Pay
Authors: Brenner Steffen , Schwalbach Joachim 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACTManuscript Type: EmpiricalResearch Question/Issue: We examine whether anti‐director laws and legal director liability rules affect the diligence of directors in setting the compensation of CEOs. The study uses a world‐wide data set covering 27 countries for the period 1995 to 2005.Research Findings/Results: Controlling for a number of legal and economic determinants, we find that independent of managerial risk‐aversion, CEO pay is always less generous under stricter anti‐director rules and a stronger rule of law. Director liability rules are associated with more generous pay schemes. The results persist once we control for the presence of institutional investors and cross‐listing in the US.Theoretical Implications: Our results suggest that there exists an agency conflict between shareholders and outside directors reflected in the degree to which directors act diligently when negotiating the pay contract with the CEO. However, this conflict may be alleviated by specific legal rules making boards more accountable to shareholders. Private measures of shareholder protection do not seem entirely capable of substituting for legal institutions.Practical Implications: Reducing managerial agency cost is commonly viewed as a desirable policy goal. We advocate the view that specific legal institutions that strengthen procedural rights of shareholders' voting on directors and the overall quality of the legal system help to achieve this goal. Director liability rules, however, appear to be ineffective for this purpose.
Outcome predictors, efficacy and safety of Botox and Dysport in the long‐term treatment of hemifacial spasm
Authors: Bentivoglio A. R. , Fasano A. , Ialongo T. , Soleti F. , Lo Fermo S. , Albanese A. 
Published: January 2009

Background and purpose:  To review the clinical characteristics and the long‐term outcome of patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) who received botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) over the past 10 years.Results:  A total of 108 patients received 665 treatments. Mean latency of clinical effect was 5.4 ± 5.3 days for Botox and 4.9 ± 4.6 days for Dysport (P > 0.05). Mean duration of clinical improvement was higher after the injection of Dysport than Botox: 105.9 ± 54.2 and 85.4 ± 41.6 days respectively (P < 0.01). The percentage of treatment failures was 6.5% for Botox and 4.6% for Dysport (P > 0.05). The doses of Botox significantly increased over time (β = 0.35, P < 0. 001) whilst Dysport dose remained unchanged (β = 0.16, n.s.). The duration of clinical benefit slightly increased with Botox (β = 0.12; P < 0.01), but remained constant for Dysport. Side effects occurred in 17.4% of treatments: 16.7% of patients who had received Botox, and in 19.7% who had received Dysport (P > 0.05). The most common side effects were palpebral ptosis and lacrimation; ptosis and lagophtalmos was more common in Dysport treatments (P < 0.005).Conclusions:  Both brands are effective and safe in treating HFS; efficacy is long‐lasting. The differences in outcome and side effects confirm that, albeit the active drug is the same, Botox and Dysport should be considered as two different drugs.
Efalizumab for severe palmo‐plantar psoriasis: an open‐label pilot trial in five patients
Authors: Brunasso AMG , Salvini C , Massone C 
Published: January 2009

AbstractBackground  Palmo‐plantar psoriasis (PPP) is a disabling condition that significantly impairs quality of life. PPP tends to be resistant to conventional therapies and may last for several years. Topical treatments are usually ineffective. Systemic therapy with oral retinoids and psoralen plus ultraviolet A is frequently required, although it rarely leads to remission.Study design  We conducted an open‐label, pilot study to evaluate treatment of PPP with efalizumab, an anti‐CD11a monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of chronic, refractory moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults.Methods  Five patients with severe PPP received efalizumab treatment for 24 weeks.Results  All five patients responded favourably by week 12 and showed further improvement at week 24 of uninterrupted therapy. Mean physician‐assessed severity scores and patient‐reported outcome scores improved almost 75% after 12 weeks and 90% after 24 weeks. At week 32, three patients maintained the response seen at week 24, while two patients suspended efalizumab.Conclusions  Efalizumab therapy was well tolerated and effective in five patients with severe PPP, allowing a significant improvement in quality of life.Conflicts of interestNone declared
Biofortification of crops with seven mineral elements often lacking in human diets – iron, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, selenium and iodine
Authors: White Philip J. , Broadley Martin R. 
Published: January 2009

SummaryThe diets of over two‐thirds of the world's population lack one or more essential mineral elements. This can be remedied through dietary diversification, mineral supplementation, food fortification, or increasing the concentrations and/or bioavailability of mineral elements in produce (biofortification). This article reviews aspects of soil science, plant physiology and genetics underpinning crop biofortification strategies, as well as agronomic and genetic approaches currently taken to biofortify food crops with the mineral elements most commonly lacking in human diets: iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), iodine (I) and selenium (Se). Two complementary approaches have been successfully adopted to increase the concentrations of bioavailable mineral elements in food crops. First, agronomic approaches optimizing the application of mineral fertilizers and/or improving the solubilization and mobilization of mineral elements in the soil have been implemented. Secondly, crops have been developed with: increased abilities to acquire mineral elements and accumulate them in edible tissues; increased concentrations of ‘promoter’ substances, such as ascorbate, β‐carotene and cysteine‐rich polypeptides which stimulate the absorption of essential mineral elements by the gut; and reduced concentrations of ‘antinutrients’, such as oxalate, polyphenolics or phytate, which interfere with their absorption. These approaches are addressing mineral malnutrition in humans globally.
A new ventilatory threshold equation for aerobically trained men and women
Authors: Malek Moh H. , Coburn Jared W. 
Published: January 2009

SummaryThe purposes of the present study were to (i) modify previously published ventilatory threshold (VT) equations using the constant error (CE) values for aerobically trained individuals from a recent study; (ii) cross‐validate the modified equations to determine their accuracy for estimating VT in aerobically trained individuals; (iii) derive a new non‐exercise based equation for estimating VT in aerobically trained individuals if the modified equations are found to be inaccurate; and (iv) cross‐validate the new VT equation using the Predicted REsidual Sum of Squares (PRESS) statistic and an independent sample of aerobically trained individuals. Two hundred and eight (n = 208) aerobically trained men and women (mean ± SD: age = 38·8 ± 10·4 year) performed a maximal incremental test on a cycle ergometer to determine the observed VT. The predicted VT values from seven published equations were compared with the observed VT by examining the CE, standard error of estimate, validity coefficient (r), and total error (TE). Cross‐validation of the modified equations resulted in high %TE values. Therefore, a new VT equation was derived. Cross‐validation of this equation on an independent sample of 72 subjects resulted in a low %TE value. The new model is recommended over previous models for estimating VT in aerobically trained individuals.
Determination of the mitral papillary muscle positions by the septal‐to‐free wall arc ratio method
Authors: Hakacova Nina , Robinson Anna M. C. , Maynard Charles , Wagner Galen S. , Idriss Salim F. 
Published: January 2009

SummaryBackground:  Determination of mitral papillary muscle positions is of increasing interest in wide spectrum of clinical cardiology fields. Particularly, relative positioning of the papillary muscles between the inter‐ventricular septum and the left ventricular free wall is of interest. A reproducible method for determination of papillary muscle positions has not been established. In this study a new ‘septal‐to‐free wall arc ratio’ (SFAR) method for measuring papillary muscle positions is presented. The reproducibility of the SFAR method between echocardiographic (ECHO) and magnetic resonance (MRI) modalities and between observers is tested.Methods:  Twenty subjects with structurally normal hearts in whom both MRI and ECHO were performed in 2007 were included in the study. Papillary muscle positions were determined using the SFAR method. Inter‐modality (ECHO and MRI) and inter‐observer reproducibility of the methods was assessed by calculating correlation coefficients and the mean difference from agreement.Results:  The inter‐modality correlation of the SFAR method was 0·80 (P < 0·0001) for both papillary muscles. The mean difference of measurements from agreement was 4% for the superior and 2% for the inferior papillary muscle. The inter‐observer correlation was 0·93 (P < 0·0001) for superior and 0·90 (P = 0·0002) for inferior papillary muscle. The mean inter‐observer difference from agreement was 2% for superior and 3% for inferior papillary muscle.Conclusions:  The SFAR method may be applied in wide range of both scientific and clinical medical fields as a reproducible method for determination of papillary muscle positions with the benefit of estimation of relative papillary muscle positions both from the septum and the free wall.