bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis C virus infection as a risk factor for non‐alcoholic liver cirrhosis in taiwan
Authors: Tsai Jung‐Fa , Chang Wen‐Yu , Jeng Jen‐Eing , Ho Mei‐Shang , Wang Liang‐Yen , Hsieh Ming‐Yuh , Chen Shinn‐Chern , Chuang Wan‐Long , Lin Zu‐Yau , Tsai Juei‐Hsiung 
Published: March 2007

AbstractTo assess whether hepatitis C virus infection was a risk factor for the development of non‐alcoholic liver cirrhosis, antibody to hepatitis C virus (anti‐HCV; detected by a second generation HCV enzyme immunoassay), hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg; detected by radioimmunoassay) were tested in 150 cirrhotics and 150 sex‐matched and age‐matched healthy controls. The prevalence of anti‐HCV and HBsAg in cirrhotics was higher than in controls (22.0%, 73.3% vs. 2%, 18.7%; P = 0.001). The prevalence of anti‐HCV in HBsAgnegative cirrhotics (45.0%) was higher than that in HBsAg‐positive patients (13.6%; P =0.001). Both the anti‐HCV and carriage of HBsAg were associated significantly with liver cirrhosis, showing odds ratio of 12.0 for HBsAg carriers and 13.8 for patients with anti‐HCV. Compared with those without HBsAg and anti‐HCV, there was a significantly positive linear trend for developing cirrhosis with the presence of HBsAg alone (odds ratio = 19.9), anti‐HCV alone (odds ratio = 49.0), and those positive for HBsAg and anti‐HCV (odds ratio = 81.8) (P = 0.00001). The population‐attributable risk for developing liver cirrhosis was estimated as 10.8% for anti‐HCV alone, 55.2% for HBsAg alone, and 9.4% for both anti‐HCV and HBsAg in southern Taiwan. In conclusion, this study shows that hepatitis B and C virus infection act independently and synergistically in the development of non‐alcoholic liver cirrhosis among Chinese in Taiwan.
Seroepidemiology of human herpesvirus 7 in healthy children and adults in Japan
Authors: Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Asano Yoshizo , Kobayashi Ikuko , Nakashima Toshihiko , Yazaki Takehiko , Suga Sadao , Ozaki Takao , Wyatt Linda S. , Frenkel Niza 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe isolation of human herpesvirus 7 (HHV‐7) from saliva and blood, and the prevalence of antibodies to the virus in healthy individuals were investigated in Japan. By cocultivating samples with phytohemagglutinin‐P‐stimulated cord blood mononuclear cells, HHV‐7 was isolated from the saliva of 1 of 20 children and from 4 of 38 adults but not from their blood. The isolates were confirmed as closely related to RK strain of HHV‐7, but not to U1102 (human herpesvirus 6, HHV‐6 type A) or Z29 (HHV‐6 type B) strains by restriction cleavage patterns of the DNA. The virus antibody of 330 healthy children and adults was measured with an indirect immunofluorescence assay, using one of our isolates (FG7‐6). The positivity rate of antibody was 40% in the first 2 months of life, declined during the first 6 months, then gradually increased and was 45% at 1‐4 years of age. It reached the highest level (60%) at 11‐13 years of age and was maintained until the end of the third decade, then decreased thereafter. Additionally, no simultaneous rise in the antibody titers was observed in 7 virologically confirmed exanthem subitum patients.
Rapid detection of hepatitis C virus RNA by direct capture from blood
Authors: van Doom Leen‐Jan , Kleter Bernhard , Voermans Jolanda , Maertens Geert , Brouwer Hans , Heijtink Ruud , Quint Wim 
Published: March 2007

AbstractA new diagnostic assay for hepatitis C virus RNA detection is described. HCV genomic RNA is captured onto streptavidin‐coated magnetic beads by solution hybridization with biotinylated complementary oligonucleotides. The specificity of the capture assay is confirmed using different capture oligonucleotides as well as sera representing different types of HCV. Sensitivity was determined by testing serial dilutions of a HCV infected plasma. A panel of 50 sera was tested for anti‐HCV by a Line Immunoassay and for HCV‐RNA by both a conventional guanidinium extraction method and the new capture assay. The specificity of the capture assay was 95.8% and the sensitivity was 92.3% compared to the standard protocol. This method provides a rapid and simple alternative for HCV‐RNA detection in blood samples. © 1994 Wiiey‐Liss, Inc.
Virus‐induced autoimmunity in hepatitis C virus infections: A rare event
Authors: McFarlane Barbara M. , Bridger Cynthia , Tibbs C. J. , Saleh M. G. , Fuzio Antonella , Verucchi Gabriella , Attard L. , Boschi A. , Chiodo F. , McFarlane I. G. , Williams Roger 
Published: March 2007

AbstractSerial serum samples from 16 Italian patients presenting with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections (which progressed to chronic hepatitis in six) were screened for the non‐organ‐specific autoantibodies most frequently associated with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), as well as for antibodies against the hepatic asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP‐R) and against the GOR peptide. One patient had low titres (1:10–1:80) of liver‐kidney microsomal (LKM‐1) antibodies during the recovery phase and three others had transient low titres of anti‐smooth muscle (IgM class, 1:10) or anti‐ASGP‐R (1:150–1:300). Anti‐GOR was detected in 43 (65%) of 66 sera from 13 of these patients. There was no correlation between any of these findings and progression to chronicity. By comparison, 18 patients with AIH studied concurrently before institution of immunosuppressive therapy all had antinuclear and/or smooth muscle antibodies, or LKM‐1, at 1:40–1:640 and anti‐ASGP‐R at 1:300–1:2, 100. None of these 18 had evidence of HCV infection and all were seronegative for anti‐GOR. The findings indicate that the autoantibodies usually associated with AIH are rare in HCV infections but the virus can very occasionally induce a transient autoimmune response. Anti‐GOR appears to be an antibody specifically related to HCV infection and is probably not a marker of induced autoimmunity, and it does not predict progression to chronic hepatitis. © 1994 Wiiey‐Liss, Inc.
Intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis C virus: The important role of inapparent transmission
Authors: Chang Ting‐Tsung , Liou Tai‐Cherng , Young Kung‐Chia , Lin Xi‐Zhang , Lin Ching‐Yih , Shin Jeng‐Shiann , Wu Hua‐Lin 
Published: March 2007

AbstractTo evaluate the intrafamilial transmission of hepatitis C virus (HCV) 104 index patients with type C chronic liver disease and their 307 family contacts were interviewed. After a questionnaire on the risk factors of parenteral exposure, blood samples were obtained and tested for liver biochemistry and anti‐HCV antibody by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (Abbott II). Overall, 52 family contacts (17%) were positive for anti‐HCV, indicating a higher anti‐HCV prevalence among family contacts than among the general population in Taiwan. The anti‐HCV prevalences in parents, spouses, children, and other contacts of the patients were 54% (14/26), 28% (25/91), 6.9% (10/143), and 6.4% (3/47), respectively. The contacts of index patients had increasingly greater risk of HCV infection when they became older and had lived longer with index patients. All family contacts were divided into two groups categorized by whether the index patients had or did not have a history of parenteral exposure. Among 126 family contacts of the 42 patients without parenteral exposure, blood transfusion and surgery were the factors significantly associated with HCV infection in these family contacts (odds ratio = 7.26, 95% confidence interval = 2.32–32.67; odds ratio = 3.95, 95% CI = 1.29–12.11, respectively). Risk factors were not significantly associated with HCV infection among 181 family contacts of the 62 index patients with parenteral exposure. It is concluded that the index patients without parenteral exposure appeared to have acquired the disease from HCV‐infected family members with risk factors. Most of the index patients had a history of parenteral exposure and in turn served as the source of the disease for family members. © 1994 Wiiey‐Liss, Inc.
Detection of the negative strand of hepatitis e virus rna in the livers of experimentally infected rhesus Monkeys: Evidence for viral replication
Authors: Nanda Santosh Kumar , Panda Subrat Kumar , Durgapal Hemlata , Jameel Shahid 
Published: March 2007

AbstractHepatitis E virus (HEV), the causative agent of enteric non‐A, non‐B hepatitis, is a positive‐stranded RNA virus. Because of the virus's inability to grow in culture, several nonhuman primates have been used for the propagation of HEV. Using strand‐specific reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), we demonstrate the presence of negative‐stranded HEV RNA replicative intermediates in the livers of infected animals. This constitutes the first direct evidence of HEV replication in the liver of the infected animals and reinforces the validity of such a model to study HEV infection, disease pathogenesis, and immunity. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Radioimmunoprecipitation in the diagnosis of chronic active epstein‐barr virus infection
Authors: Beauparlant Pierre , Alfieri Caroline , Joncas Jean‐Harry 
Published: March 2007

AbstractChronic active Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) infection occurs sporadically in a small fraction of individuals infected with EBV. A clear definition of the disease and an unambiguous diagnostic test are still lacking. In an attempt to identify a serologic marker to facilitate the diagnosis, immunoblot and radioimmunoprecipitation assay (RIPA) were compared with standard immunofluorescence on 39 available sera. Results by RIPA revealed that antibodies to a 120 kDa viral protein correlated with the presence of chronic active EBV infection; these antibodies were not detected in sera from other EBV‐seropositive individuals, with the exception of one of two patients with ataxia telangiectasia. Also, RIPA was the most sensitive technique for detecting EBV antibodies in sera weakly or doubtfully positive for antibody to EB viral capsid antigen by indirect immunofluorescence. All these sera had antibodies to the 150 kDa protein, also known as p160, the major viral capsid antigen. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Suppression of simian immunodeficiency virus replication in primary peripheral mononuclear cells by antisense RNA
Authors: Tung Frank Y. T. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractIt has been demonstrated that human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication can be effectively blocked by an antisense sequence that was introduced into the lymphoid cell line through retroviral‐mediated gene transfer. In this study, it is demonstrated that antisense RNA can also inhibit simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MNCs) of healthy donors. MNCs were transduced with amphotropic recombinant virus encoding either sense or antisense constructs of SIV DNA fragments. After challenge with SIV, the viral replication was suppressed in the an‐tisense‐recombinant virus‐transduced MNCs compared to sense‐recombinant virus‐transduced and untransduced MNCs. These data indicate that amphotropic retroviral vectors can be used to introduce antiviral factors (antisense sequence) into human primary MNCs and render them resistant to viral replication. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Changes in antibody titers to hepatitis C virus following interferon therapy for chronic infection
Authors: Urushihara Akihiko , Sodeyama Takeshi , Matsumoto Akihiro , Tanaka Eiji 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe use of quantitative assays for hepatitis C virus specific antibodies (anti‐HCV) as a prognostic marker was evaluated in 31 patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with interferon (IFN). Changes in titers of serum HCV‐RNA and anti‐HCV antibodies; anti‐C11 (anti‐core), anti‐C100 (anti‐NS3), and anti‐C7 (anti‐NS3) were investigated. Recombinant IFN‐α 2a was administered and the patients were followed for more than 1 year. The patients were classified into three groups according to their responses to IFN: 11 sustained responders with continuous normalizations of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels; 14 transient responders with transient decreases in ALT; and six nonresponders who had no changes in ALT levels. Ten of 11 sustained responders had a continuous decrease in anti‐C11 titers after completion of treatment, decreasing to less than half of pretreatment titers. No patients in the other two groups had a continuous decrease in anti‐C11 titers. Although sustained responders had decreases in anti‐C100 and anti‐C7 titers after IFN therapy, these titers also decreased in some patients in the other two groups. HCV‐RNA was not detected in the sera of 10 of 11 sustained responders following IFN therapy. In contrast, while 9 of 10 transient and nonresponders had a decrease or disappearance of HCV‐RNA at the completion of therapy, they had increased levels thereafter. These results indicate that anti‐HCV‐core (anti‐C11) titers most closely reflect the status of HCV replication. A quantitative assay for anti‐HCV‐core antibody can be used as a predictive marker of remission in IFN‐treated patients with chronic hepatitis C. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ribozyme mediated destruction of influenza A virus in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Tang Xiao‐Bo , Hobom Gerd , Luo Dong 
Published: March 2007

AbstractShort catalytic RNAs with inherent, specific endoribonuclease activity, called ribozymes, have recently been shown to exist in nature. According to the structural models artificial ribozymes have been designed that can potentially hydrolyse any chosen target RNA sequence in trans at a specific site. We have constructed and characterized in vitro hammerhead and hairpin ribozymes designed to cleave viral RNA segment 5 of influenza A virus. Both ribozymes were functional under optimal in vitro conditions, but quantitative measurements indicate that the hammerhead ribozyme is considerably more efficient at this target site than the hairpin ribozyme. Mg2+ dependent hammerhead ribozyme‐mediated cleavage reactions were enhanced at higher temperature and in presence of spermidine, but catalytic activities were retained also in cellular extract S‐100 or nuclear extracts at physiological temperatures.Recombinant plasmids derived from transfection vector pSV2‐neo were engineered to allow the expression of specific ribozymes under the control of SV40 early promoter or SV40 early+ late promoters. These plasmids were introduced by transfection into COS cells, and their expression and enzymatic activities were analyzed in stable cell lines after selection of neomycin‐re‐sistance. Several permanent ribozyme‐express‐ing clones were established and characterized: ribozyme coding DNA sequences and synthesis of ribozyme RNA molecules in the transfected cells were determined and monitored by polymerase chain reactions. It was found that the highest levels (up to 70‐80%) of resistance to influenza A virus strain X‐31 super‐infection was observed in COS cells transfected with plasmids containing SV40 early or SV40 early+late promoters coinciding with relatively high and constitutive rates of ribozyme expression. These results suggest the feasibility of developing ribozymes designed against influenza virus to achieve therapeutic value. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, inc.
Detection of HIV‐1 sequences in children using radioactive and colorimetric polymerase chain reactions
Authors: Giri Adriana A. , Lillo Flavia B. , McDermott Jennifer L. , Jannuzzi Clotilde , Risso Stefania , Fornia Gianluce , Concedi Donatella R. , Varnier Oliviero E. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe detection of HIV‐1 proviral DMA in children born to seropositive mothers was studied using the polymerase chain reaction with either a radioactive electrophoretic method or a novel procedure that employs colorimetric microwell visualization.Peripheral blood mononuclear cell lysates from 18 HIV‐1 infected children and 28 uninfected subjects were assayed for a 142 bp fragment of DNA from the gag region of HIV‐1 using the primer pair SK145‐431. Detection of amplified DNA was carried out by hybridization with a radiolabeled SK102 probe, or with a tagged SK102 probe permitting colorimetric detection.The radioactive detection procedure demonstrated 100% specificity and correlated with the serological results. The assay was more sensitive than the p24 antigen test, but two false negative results were obtained. One was from a sample taken at 2 weeks, an age at which unde‐tectable provirus levels were reported in almost all HIV‐1 infected newborns. The second was probably due to a low copy number of proviral DNA, as positive results were obtained in all other (6) samples from this child.Comparative analysis in a limited number of specimens of radioactive and colorimetric detection following PCR revealed 100% specificity and comparable sensitivity with 4 discordant results.The results show that PCR is the best method for early diagnosis of HIV‐1 infection in pediatric subjects. The study also demonstrated the value of a colorimetric detection method for PCR products. This colorimetric microwell plate procedure may prove a useful technique in routine diagnosis of HIV‐1 infection in children. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antibodies and viremia in acute post‐transfusion hepatitis C: A prospective study
Authors: Peters T. , Mohr L. , Scheiffele F. , Schlayer H.‐J. , Preisler S. , Berthold H. , Gerok W. , Rasenack J. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractFourteen patients who developed acute post‐transfusion hepatitis C after open‐heart surgery were studied for seroconversion, viremia, and aminotransferases. Anti‐HCV antibodies were measured by first and second generation ELISA and became positive between one week and more than 6 months after infection. Seroconversion in four patients and passively transfused antibodies were only found by the second generation assay, indicating its significantly higher sensitivity. Viremia was detected by reverse transcription and the polymerase chain reaction within the first 4 weeks of infection in 13 patients and persisted for more than 2 years in all of them. One patient died of cardiac cause. Viral strains were heterogeneous between the different patients, but showed no significant variation within one patient during the course of hepatitis deduced from the results with different sets of oligonucleotides. Viremia preceded hepatitis by 4 weeks, seroconversion determined by ELISA II followed after an 8 week interval, and anti‐C‐100 antibodies appeared 26 weeks later. Aminotrans‐ferase activities returned to normal values in 10 patients. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rapid differentiation between Hantaan and Seoul viruses by polymerase chain reaction and restriction enzyme analysis
Authors: Kim Eui Chong , Kim Ik Sang , Choi Yong , Kim Suhng Gwon , Lee Jung Sang 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe majority of causative strains of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) are known as Hantaan and Seoul viruses in Korea. The clinical manifestations may be indistinguishable between both viruses, although the clinical course of Hantaan virus infection is more severe than that of the Seoul virus. Therefore, the differentiation of Hantaan or Seoul virus may be important for predicting the prognosis.The primers were selected from the published sequences of the S segments of Hantaan virus strain 76–118 and Seoul virus strain SR‐11, which made it possible to obtain the same size of 403 bp amplified product by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and nested PCR from both viral strains. The differentiation of the amplified products was carried out by restriction enzyme digestion. With HindIII, the 403 bp amplified product from Hantaan virus strain 76–118 was cleaved into two segments of 175 bp and 228 bp. By contrast, the 403 bp product from Seoul virus strain SR‐11 was not cut by HindIII. With HinfI, the 403 bp amplified product from Hantaan virus strain 76–118 was divided into two bands of 280 bp and 60 bp on the electrophoresis. In the case of the digestion of 403 bp PCR product from Seoul virus strain SR‐11 with HinfI, more than four bands (155 bp, 115 bp, 60 bp, and 32/29 bp) were observed on the 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. This rapid technique may be useful for the differential diagnosis of Asian HFRS in Korea. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sequence similarity of human caliciviruses and small round structured viruses
Authors: Cubitt W. D. , Jiang X. J. , Wang J. , Estes M. K. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe application of reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) using primers directed to the RNA dependent RNA polymerase region within ORF1 of Norwalk virus (NV) showed that 31 percent of morphologically typical human caliciviruses (HuCV) and 57% of small round structured viruses (SRSVs) produced a product of 470 bp similar to the NV control, NV 8Flla/68/US. Alignment of the amino acid sequences of morphologically typical HuCVs with previously published sequences for SRSVs, NV, and Snow Mountain agent (SMA) showed a high degree of homology (90–92%) with SMA and a lesser extent of homology with NV (60–61%). The amino acid sequence of two strains of HuCV, HuCV/3C/92/UK, and HuCV/5C/92/UK differed by only one or two amino acids respectively in the RNA dependent RNA polymerase region from that of two strains of SRSV obtained from children in the United Kingdom, SRSV/4S/90/UK and Japan, SRSV/OTH‐25/89/J which were found to have identical amino acid sequences. The use of an EIA for detection of NV antigen employing antisera raised to recombinant NV protein indicated that HuCVs and SRSVs obtained from children and adults in the United Kingdom were antigenically distinct from the prototype Norwalk Virus, NV/8flla/68/US. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Different genotypes of hepatitis C virus are associated with different severity of chronic liver disease
Authors: Pozzato Gabriele , Kaneko Suichi , Moretti Michéle , Croce Lory Saveria , Franzin Francesco , Unoura Masashi , Bercich Luisa , Tiribelli Claudio , Crovatto Marina , Santini Gianfranco , Kobayashi Kenichi 
Published: March 2007

AbstractThe presence of the “Japanese type” NS4 region was investigated in two series of patients (53 from Italy and 58 from Japan) with hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐related chronic liver disease. The two populations were homogeneous as regard to age, male/female ratio, histological diagnosis, and serum aminotransferase activities. Genomic amplification was carried out by “nested” poly‐merase chain reaction (PCR) with a pair of primers synthesized according to the sequence of JK‐1 isolated in Japan. The presence of viral replication was confirmed further by PCR amplification of the 5′NC region. The NS4 region of the Japanese strain was detected in 24 sera (45%) from Italy and in 44 (71%) from Japan. NS4‐posi‐tive patients were significantly older and showed an ALT serum level significantly lower (P < 0.01) than NS4 negative cases in each group. Cirrhosis was significantly (P < 0.0007) more common in NS4‐positive than in NS4‐negative patients. The HCV genotype was subsequently obtained according to Okamoto. All the NS4‐positive patients were infected by Type II, whereas in NS4‐negative patients all four genotypes were present though Type II still constituted the majority. Cirrhosis was associated exclusively with Type II both in NS4‐positive and ‐negative subjects. These data indicate that, although the pos‐itivity for NS4 “Japanese” region seems to be associated with a more aggressive liver disease, the most prevalent Type II predicts more specifically those who are likely to develop cirrhosis. Since the same findings were obtained in two population from different areas of the world, the genotype of HCV appears to be one of the major determinants of the progression of chronic active hepatitis to cirrhosis. © 1994 Wiiey‐Liss, Inc.