bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
‘Specific’ cutaneous infiltrate of B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia at the site of a florid herpes simplex infection
Authors: Ziemer Mirjana , Bornkessel Anja , Hahnfeld Sabine , Weyers Wolfgang 
Published: August 2005

Background:  Specific cutaneous infiltrates in patients with leukemia generally carry a grim prognosis. However, non‐neoplastic skin diseases may be associated with recruitment of normal and neoplastic leukocytes circulating in the peripheral blood. In those instances, neoplastic cells may be detected in skin lesions without an adverse effect on prognosis.Methods:  In a patient with B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, a specific infiltrate developed at the site of a florid herpes simplex infection. Clinically, the lesion presented itself as an ulcerated tumor.Results:  Histopathologically, the lesion was characterized by a dense, diffuse infiltrate of small hyperchromatic lymphocytes throughout the entire dermis. Lymphocytes showed an aberrant CD20+/CD43+/CD5+ phenotype of neoplastic B cells, and monoclonal rearrangement of immunoglobulin gamma genes could be demonstrated by polymerase chain reaction. Although criteria for leukemia cutis were fulfilled, the patient did well.Conclusions:  The cutaneous infiltrate of neoplastic cells seemed to be part of a physiologic response to the antigenic stimulus, rather than indicating an exacerbation of leukemia.
Differentiation of Salmonella Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum from Salmonella Gallinarum biovar Pullorum by PCR‐RFLP of the fimH gene
Authors: Kisiela D. , Kuczkowski M. , Kiczak L. , Wieliczko A. , Ugorski M. 
Published: August 2005

SummaryIn our studies on FimH adhesins expressed by different Salmonella serovars, we cloned and sequenced the fimH genes from Salmonella enterica ssp. Enterica ser. Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum and S. enterica ssp. Enterica ser. Gallinarum biovar Pullorum. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences revealed the presence of a single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at position 544 bp from the A of the start codon of the fimH open reading frame (ORF). Further analysis of the restriction enzyme sites in fimH gene showed that the SNP at this position is responsible for a sequence specifically recognized by SacI in S. Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum only, making it possible to differentiate both biovars with the use of polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP). Digestion of PCR amplicons of the fimH gene from S. Gallinarum biovar Gallinarum strains with SacI gave two DNA fragments of 554 and 472 bp and only one fragment of 1026 bp for S. Gallinarum biovar Pullorum. This allows a clear differentiation between these two biovars.
Trials to Induce Protective Immunity in Mice and Sheep by Application of Protoscolex and Hydatid Fluid Antigen or Whole Body Antigen of Echinococcus granulosus
Authors: Hashemitabar G. R. , Razmi G. R. , Naghibi A. 
Published: August 2005

SummaryIn the current study, soluble proteins prepared from 200 mature Echinococcus granulosus and protoscolices of sheep hydatid cysts were applied to immunize sheep and mice respectively. The samples were mechanically homogenized in a blender, sonicated and the final yield was maintained at −20°C until analysis. Hydatid fluid was isolated from liver or lung of sheep under sterile conditions. In the first experiment, 15 mice were randomly allocated to three groups of five mice each. Each mouse in groups 1 and 2 was immunized with 100 μg of hydatid fluid and protoscolex proteins in 100 μl of phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) and emulsified with an equal volume of Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) respectively. The mice of group 3 were immunized with adjuvant in PBS. The mice were boosted 4 weeks after the first vaccination with the same preparation except that FCA was replaced by Freund's incomplete adjuvant (FIA). In the second experiment, eight male or female lambs 4–6 months of age, were allocated to two groups of four lambs each. Each lamb in the test group was vaccinated subcutaneously in the neck with a 2‐ml dose of vaccine (1 mg of whole body protein of E. granulosus dissolved in 1 ml of PBS plus 1 ml of FCA). Control lambs were vaccinated with adjuvant in PBS. Lambs were boosted the same way as in the first experiment. Three weeks after the second vaccination, each mouse and lamb received a challenge infection with 2000 protoscolices intraperitoneally and each lamb additionally received 10 gravid E. granulosus. All mice and sheep were killed after 7 months and examined for hydatid cysts. In these studies, protective immunity was induced in mice with protoscolex protein and with hydatid fluid, and in sheep with whole‐body homogenate of E. granulosus and the levels of protection afforded were found to be 72.1, 82.6 and 90.9% respectively.
Serological Evidence ofEhrlichiaspp. Exposure in Cats from Northeastern Spain
Authors: Ortuño A. , Gauss C. B. L. , García F. , Gutierrez J. F. 
Published: August 2005

SummaryThere is little information aboutEhrlichia canisas an infectious agent in cats. In order to estimate the prevalence of antibodies toE. canisin the feline population, 235 cat sera were analysed by indirect fluorescent‐antibody test. With the objective to determine some risk factors associated with seropositivity, serum samples were divided into two groups: urban stray cats and pet cats. The seroprevalence detected was 17.9%. Most positive sera (83.3%) showed low antibody titres (<1:80). Seropositivity was very similar when comparing the two groups of animals: 17.4% in urban stray cats and 18.4% in pet cats. Results revealed that cats are exposed toEhrlichiaspp. infection, as the low antibody titres detected and the serological cross‐reactivity betweenEhrlichiaspecies do not allow us to confirmE. canisexposure.
Genetic Characterization of a Caprine Pestivirus as the First Member of a Putative Novel Pestivirus Subgroup
Authors: De Mia G. M. , Greiser‐Wilke I. , Feliziani F. , Giammarioli M. , De Giuseppe A. 
Published: August 2005

SummaryCurrently, the genus Pestivirus comprises four approved species, namely bovine viral diarrhoea viruses 1 and 2 (BVDV‐1, BVDV‐2), classical swine fever virus and border disease virus (BDV). Recently, three major genotypes have been identified within the species BDV and termed as subgroups BDV‐1, BDV‐2 and BDV‐3. Here, an isolate from animals in a herd showing BD‐like syndromes, which occurred in central Italy was analysed. A reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was performed using primers that specifically amplify a fragment of the 5′‐non‐coding region (5′‐NCR) from BDV. Both the 5′‐NCR fragment and the entire Npro gene were sequenced and used for genetic typing. The 5′‐NCR sequence revealed that the newly isolated Pestivirus could be allocated to the BDV species. Interestingly, the Npro sequence of this virus isolate significantly differed from all the ovine pestiviruses previously described, providing evidence for the presence of an additional subgroup within the species BDV.
A National Surveillance of Shiga Toxin‐Producing Escherichia coli in Food‐Producing Animals in Japan
Authors: Kijima‐Tanaka M. , Ishihara K. , Kojima A. , Morioka A. , Nagata R. , Kawanishi M. , Nakazawa M. , Tamura Y. , Takahashi T. 
Published: August 2005

SummaryTo assess the public health risk, the prevalence and anti‐microbial resistance of Shiga toxin‐producing Escherichia coli (STEC) among food‐producing animals were studied throughout Japan. Faecal samples were collected from healthy animals of 272 cattle, 179 pigs, and 158 broilers on 596 farms in all 47 Japanese prefectures. STEC were isolated from 62 (23%) cattle and 32 (14%) pig samples but from no chicken samples. Of the bovine isolates, 19 belonged to serotypes frequently implicated in human disease (O157:H7/non‐motile (NM)/H not typeable, O26:NM/H11/H21/H not typeable, O113:H21, and O145:NM). The eae genes were observed in 37% of bovine isolates; among them one O145:NM and all four O157 isolates possessed eae‐γ1, and one O145:NM, one O103:H11, and all five O26 isolates possessed eae‐β1 gene. Among the swine isolates, stx2e were dominant, and serotypes frequently implicated in human diseases or eae‐positive isolates were not observed. Bovine isolates showed less anti‐microbial resistance, but six isolates of 26:NM/H11 and O145:NM were multi‐resistant and may need careful monitoring. Swine isolates showed various resistance patterns; chloramphenicol resistance patterns were more common than in bovine isolates. This first national study of STEC in the Japanese veterinary field should aid our understanding of Japan's STEC status.
A Coprological and Serological Survey for the Prevalence of Ascaridia spp. in Laying Hens
Authors: Martín‐Pacho J. R. , Montoya M. N. , Arangüena T. , Toro C. , Morchón R. , Marcos‐Atxutegi C. , Simón F. 
Published: August 2005

Summary Ascaridia galli is a common nematode found in the intestine of domesticated chickens. The objectives of the study were to conduct a coprological and serological survey on the prevalence of ascaridiosis in laying hens of commercial farms. The farms recently adopted a breeding programme, where the hens have access to outdoor pens. Different amounts of Ascaridia eggs were detected in five of seven studied farms, while the other two farms were found to be free from the parasite. Serological tests revealed a seroprevalence of 21.8% (range 7.6–95%). No positive serum samples were detected in the same farms with previous negative coprological analysis. Western blot analyses confirmed the results obtained by the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) test. In four experimentally infected hens, a progressive increase of the IgG antibody levels was observed, surpassing the cut‐off point established for ELISA test 6 weeks post‐infection. Serological tests are able to detect the infection before the eggs of the parasite appear in the faeces of infected hens, providing a useful tool to detect infections with Ascaridia spp. in avian farms.
Field Study on Protocols for Evaluation of Teat Skin Conditions
Authors: Zecconi A. , Binda E. , Daprà V. , Hemling T. , Piccinini R. 
Published: August 2005

SummaryDifferent protocols to evaluate teat skin status under field conditions based on scoring and on the measurement of pH and hydration of teat skin were evaluated. After determination of the teat score for all eligible animals in a commercial dairy herd, 50 of them were chosen, based on their pre‐trial average teat score, and separated in two groups. Two different post‐dipping products with the same amount of disinfectant, but with a different concentration of emollient were applied. All four teats were assessed with the corneometer and pH probes. A digital picture of each teat skin and teat orifice was taken with a digital camera. Hydration and pH data were analysed by anova with repeated‐measurement factors, while teat skin and apex score patterns, were assessed by the means of Mann–Whitney test; between‐ and within‐group changes were assessed by the mean of Mantel–Haenzel chi‐square statistic. Data showed that teat skin pH and hydration could be assessed under field conditions and they were influenced by teat conditioning. The approach based on evaluating odds for scores, stratified for sampling and for treatment, was found to be a sensitive and informative way to compare the changes between and within treatment groups.
Cytokine‐induced stable neuronal differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in a serum/feeder cell‐free condition
Authors: Tao Helen , Rao Renuka , Ma David D. F. 
Published: August 2005

The characteristics and multilineage differentiation potential of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM MSC) remain controversial. This study aimed to characterize human BM MSC isolated by plastic adherent or antibody selection and their neuronal differentiation potential using growth factors or chemical inducing agents. MSC were found to express low levels of neuronal markers: neurofilament‐M, β tubulin III, and neuron specific enolase. Under a serum‐ and feeder cell‐free condition, basic fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and platelet‐derived growth factor induced neuronal morphology in MSC. In addition to the above markers, these cells expressed neurotransmitters or associated proteins: γ‐aminobutyric acid, tyrosine hydroxylase and serotonin. These changes were maintained for up to 3 months in all bone marrow specimens (N = 6). In contrast, butylated hydroxyanisole and dimethylsulfoxide were unable to induce sustained neuronal differentiation. Our results show that MSC isolated by two different procedures produced identical lineage differentiation with defined growth factors in a serum‐ and feeder cell‐free condition.
Stem‐cell‐based approaches for regenerative medicine
Authors: Kume Shoen 
Published: August 2005

Recent success in transplantation of islets raises the hopes of diabetic patients that replacement therapies may be a feasible treatment of their disease. Although several lines of evidence suggest that stem cells exist in the pancreas, it is still technically hard for us to isolate or maintain the stem cells in vitro. The establishment of human embryonic stem (ES) cells has excited scientists regarding their potential medical use in tissue replacement therapy. When applied with appropriate signals, ES cells can be directed to differentiate into a specific cell lineage. Therefore, ES cells are no doubt an excellent source not only for regenerative medicine but also for studies of early events of pancreatic development, and to portray the pancreatic progenitor cells.Despite many attempts that have been tried, the efficiency of differentiation of ES cells into islets is still very low. This low efficiency reflects our lack of understanding of the intrinsic and extrinsic signals which regulate the developmental processes of the pancreas. In this review, I present a summary of recent works on ES cells, the identification of pancreatic progenitor cells from the adult pancreas, and refer to the possibilities of transdifferentiation from adult stem cells derived from other tissues.
Modulation of leaf economic traits and trait relationships by climate
Authors: Wright Ian J. , Reich Peter B. , Cornelissen Johannes H. C. , Falster Daniel S. , Groom Philip K. , Hikosaka Kouki , Lee William , Lusk Christopher H. , Niinemets Ülo , Oleksyn Jacek , Osada Noriyuki , Poorter Hendrik , Warton David I. , Westoby Mark 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTAim  Our aim was to quantify climatic influences on key leaf traits and relationships at the global scale. This knowledge provides insight into how plants have adapted to different environmental pressures, and will lead to better calibration of future vegetation–climate models.Location  The data set represents vegetation from 175 sites around the world.Methods  For more than 2500 vascular plant species, we compiled data on leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf life span (LL), nitrogen concentration (Nmass) and photosynthetic capacity (Amass). Site climate was described with several standard indices. Correlation and regression analyses were used for quantifying relationships between single leaf traits and climate. Standardized major axis (SMA) analyses were used for assessing the effect of climate on bivariate relationships between leaf traits. Principal components analysis (PCA) was used to summarize multidimensional trait variation.Results  At hotter, drier and higher irradiance sites, (1) mean LMA and leaf N per area were higher; (2) average LL was shorter at a given LMA, or the increase in LL was less for a given increase in LMA (LL–LMA relationships became less positive); and (3) Amass was lower at a given Nmass, or the increase in Amass was less for a given increase in Nmass. Considering all traits simultaneously, 18% of variation along the principal multivariate trait axis was explained by climate.Main conclusions  Trait‐shifts with climate were of sufficient magnitude to have major implications for plant dry mass and nutrient economics, and represent substantial selective pressures associated with adaptation to different climatic regimes.
Relationships among fire frequency, rainfall and vegetation patterns in the wet–dry tropics of northern Australia: an analysis based on NOAA‐AVHRR data
Authors: Spessa Allan , McBeth Bevan , Prentice Colin 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTAim  To quantify the regional‐scale spatio‐temporal relationships among rainfall, vegetation and fire frequency in the Australian wet–dry tropics (AWDT).Location  Northern Australia: Cape York Peninsula, central Arnhem, central Kimberly, Einasleigh Uplands, Gulf Fall Uplands and northern Kimberley.Methods  Monthly ‘fraction of photosynthetic active radiation absorbed by green vegetation’ (fAPAR) was decomposed into monthly evergreen (EG) and monthly raingreen (RG) components using time‐series techniques applied to monthly normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data from Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) imagery. Fire affected areas were independently mapped at the same spatio‐temporal resolution from AVHRR imagery. Weather station records were spatially interpolated to create monthly rainfall surfaces. Vegetation structural classes were derived from a digitized map of northern Australian vegetation communities (1 : 1,000,000). Generalized linear models were used to quantify relationships among the fAPAR, EG and RG signals, vegetation structure, rainfall and fire frequency, for the period November 1996–December 2001.Results  The fAPAR and EG signals are positively correlated with annual rainfall and canopy cover, notably: EGclosed forest > EGopen heathland > EGopen forest > EGwoodland > EGopen woodland > EGlow woodland > EGlow open woodland > EGopen grassland. Vegetation height and fAPAR are positively correlated, excluding the special case of open heathland. The RG signal is highest where intermediate annual rainfall and strong seasonality in rainfall coincide, and is associated with vegetation structure as follows: RGopen grassland > RGwoodland > RGopen forest > RGopen heathland > RGlow woodland > RGopen woodland > RGlow open woodland > RGclosed forest. Monthly RG tracks monthly rainfall. Annual proportion of area burnt (PB) is maximal where high RG coincides with low EG (open grassland, several woodland communities). PB is minimal in vegetation where both RG and EG are low (low open woodland); and in vegetation where EG is high (closed forest, open heathland).Conclusions  The RG–EG scheme successfully reflects digitally mapped tree and grass covers in relation to rainfall. RG–EG patterns are strongly associated with fire frequency patterns. PB is maximal in areas of high RG, where high biomass production during the wet season supports abundant fine fuel during the dry season. PB is minimal in areas with high EG, where relatively moist fuel limits fire ignition; and in areas with low EG and RG, where a relative short supply of fuel limits fire spread.
Mammalian beta diversity in the Great Basin, western USA: palaeontological data suggest deep origin of modern macroecological structure
Authors: Davis Edward Byrd 
Published: August 2005

ABSTRACTAim  Recent work indicates that desert assemblages have elevated beta (β) diversity (between‐locality turnover of species composition). This study compares β diversities between the Great Basin and the Great Plains of the western USA over the last 17 Myr. Today, the Great Basin is a topographically diverse desert scrubland to woodland and the Great Plains are low‐relief temperate grassland, but 17 Ma they were more similar in topography, climate and land cover. A georeferenced database of mammal occurrences, complied from several sources, is used to test two hypotheses for the elevation of Great Basin β diversity: (1) that tectonic change of the topography has driven increased habitat packing in high‐ and low‐elevation habitats, and (2) that climatic cycling in the Pleistocene has driven faunas from neighbouring provinces to overlap in the region.Location  The Great Basin of the USA, centred on Nevada, and the central Great Plains of the USA, centred on Nebraska.Methods  Mammalian faunal lists compiled from published records and the records of many museums, available online, were partitioned into time‐slices ranging from the recent to 17 Myr old. Beta diversity was calculated for each time‐slice in two ways: multiplicative β diversity using first‐order jackknife richness, and additive beta diversity using Simpson's evenness.Results  Beta diversity is elevated in Nevada relative to Nebraska today. Beta diversity has been higher in the Great Basin since the Pleistocene and possibly since the late Early Hemphillian (c. 7 Ma). Beta diversity in the Late Barstovian (c. 13.5 Ma) of the Great Plains was higher even than β diversity in the Great Basin of today.Main conclusions  The elevated β diversity in the Hemphillian supports the tectonic change hypothesis. The patterns of β diversity in the Recent, Pleistocene and Hemphillian all suggest that local‐scale processes are important. The β diversity of the Late Barstovian Great Plains supports other studies indicating increased primary productivity or species packing.
Estimated Estimating Equations: Semiparametric Inference for Clustered and Longitudinal Data
Authors: Chiou Jeng-Min , Müller Hans-Georg 
Published: August 2005

SummaryWe introduce a flexible marginal modelling approach for statistical inference for clustered and longitudinal data under minimal assumptions. This estimated estimating equations approach is semiparametric and the proposed models are fitted by quasi-likelihood regression, where the unknown marginal means are a function of the fixed effects linear predictor with unknown smooth link, and variance–covariance is an unknown smooth function of the marginal means. We propose to estimate the nonparametric link and variance–covariance functions via smoothing methods, whereas the regression parameters are obtained via the estimated estimating equations. These are score equations that contain nonparametric function estimates. The proposed estimated estimating equations approach is motivated by its flexibility and easy implementation. Moreover, if data follow a generalized linear mixed model, with either a specified or an unspecified distribution of random effects and link function, the model proposed emerges as the corresponding marginal (population-average) version and can be used to obtain inference for the fixed effects in the underlying generalized linear mixed model, without the need to specify any other components of this generalized linear mixed model. Among marginal models, the estimated estimating equations approach provides a flexible alternative to modelling with generalized estimating equations. Applications of estimated estimating equations include diagnostics and link selection. The asymptotic distribution of the proposed estimators for the model parameters is derived, enabling statistical inference. Practical illustrations include Poisson modelling of repeated epileptic seizure counts and simulations for clustered binomial responses.
Modelling Directional Dispersion through Hyperspherical Log-Splines
Authors: Ferreira José T. A. S. , Steel Mark F. J. 
Published: August 2005

SummaryWe introduce the directionally dispersed class of multivariate distributions, a generalization of the elliptical class. By allowing dispersion of multivariate random variables to vary with direction it is possible to generate a very wide and flexible class of distributions. Directionally dispersed distributions have a simple form for their density, which extends a spherically symmetric density function by including a function D modelling directional dispersion. Under a mild condition, the class of distributions is shown to preserve both unimodality and moment existence. By adequately defining D, it is possible to generate skewed distributions. Using spline models on hyperspheres, we suggest a very flexible, yet practical, implementation for modelling directional dispersion in any dimension. Finally, we use the new class of distributions in a Bayesian regression set-up and analyse the distributions of a set of biomedical measurements and a sample of US manufacturing firms.