bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and Tolerability of the New Antiepileptic Drugs, I: Treatment of New‐Onset Epilepsy: Report of the TTA and QSS Subcommittees of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Epilepsy Society
Authors: French Jacqueline A. , Kanner Andres M. , Bautista Jocelyn , Abou‐Khalil Bassel , Browne Thomas , Harden Cynthia L. , Theodore William H. , Bazil Carl , Stern John , Schachter Steven C. , Bergen Donna , Hirtz Deborah , Montouris Georgia D. , Nespeca Mark , Gidal Barry , Marks William J. , Turk William R. , Fischer James H. , Bourgeois Blaise , Wilner Andrew , Faught R. Edward , Sachdeo Rajesh C. , Beydoun Ahmad , Glauser Tracy A. 
Published: May 2004

Summary:  Purpose: To assess the evidence demonstrating efficacy, tolerability, and safety of seven new antiepileptic drugs [AEDs; gabapentin (GBP), lamotrigine (LTG), topiramate (TPM), tiagabine (TGB), oxcarbazepine (OXC), levetiracetam (LEV), and zonisamide (ZNS), reviewed in the order in which these agents received approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration] in the treatment of children and adults with newly diagnosed partial and generalized epilepsies. Methods: A 23‐member committee, including general neurologists, pediatric neurologists, epileptologists, and doctors in pharmacy, evaluated the available evidence based on a structured literature review including MEDLINE, Current Contents, and Cochrane Library for relevant articles from 1987 until September 2002, with selected manual searches up to 2003. Results: Evidence exists, either from comparative or dose‐controlled trials, that GBP, LTG, TPM, and OXC have efficacy as monotherapy in newly diagnosed adolescents and adults with either partial or mixed seizure disorders. Evidence also shows that LTG is effective for newly diagnosed absence seizures in children. Evidence for effectiveness of the new AEDs in newly diagnosed patients with other generalized epilepsy syndromes is lacking. Conclusions: The results of this evidence‐based assessment provide guidelines for the prescription of AEDs for patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy and identify those seizure types and syndromes for which more evidence is necessary.
Development of Syndrome Severity Scores for Pediatric Epilepsy
Authors: Dunn David W. , Buelow Janice M. , Austin Joan K. , Shinnar Shlomo , Perkins Susan M. 
Published: May 2004

Summary:  Purpose: A severity rating for each of the pediatric epilepsy syndromes can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of seizure condition severity. We describe the development of the Epilepsy Syndrome Severity Scores–Child (ESSS–C). Methods: The Delphi Technique was used to establish severity scores for pediatric epileptic syndromes as defined by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). Pediatric neurologists with expertise in epilepsy were asked to rate the severity of each syndrome on a scale of 1 to 10, considering: (a) response to medical treatment, (b) seizure severity, and (c) long‐term prognosis. Syndrome severity ratings took place in four different rounds. Experts provided initial scores in rounds 1 and 2. Results: Of the 18 experts who agreed to participate in the development of the scale, 12 completed all four rounds. The median served as the syndrome severity score if the mean and median agreed within 0.5. Otherwise, whichever of these two numbers was closest to the mode was selected. Syndromes that were rated with high severity scores (9 or 10) or low severity scores (1 or 2) had unanimous or near unanimous ratings. The syndromes with scores in the middle range (4 to 8) had a wider range of ratings. Conclusions: If further studies provide empirical support for the validity of these epileptic syndrome severity scores, then the ESSS‐C has potential for use both clinically and in future research in the prediction of outcomes of treatments.
Implementation of the INTERCEPT Blood System for Platelets into routine blood bank manufacturing procedures: evaluation of apheresis platelets
Authors: Janetzko K. , Lin L. , Eichler H. , Mayaudon V. , Flament J. , Klüter H. 
Published: May 2004

Background and Objectives The INTERCEPT Blood System for Platelets utilizes amotosalen–HCl (S‐59) in combination with ultraviolet A (UVA) light to inactivate viruses, bacteria, protozoa and leucocytes that may contaminate platelet concentrates (PCs). To facilitate implementation of this technique into routine blood bank manufacturing procedures, this study evaluated the impact of different time settings of photochemical treatment onin vitroplatelet function.Materials and Methods Platelets derived from apheresis (6·5–7·0 × 1011platelets) were resuspended in 240 ml of autologous plasma and 360 ml of platelet additive solution (PAS III) and split into two equal‐sized PC units. Whereas one unit was not treated, the other was treated with 150 µmamotosalen and 3 J/cm2UVA light followed by a compound adsorption device (CAD) step for reduction of residual amotosalen and photoproducts. In a first series of experiments (arm A,n = 7), PC units were photochemically treated after an overnight storage period of 16–23 h followed by a CAD step of 4 h. In a second series (arm B,n = 8), photochemical treatment occurred after a short storage time of 4 h with a subsequent CAD step of 16 h. Platelet function was evaluated by assaying blood gas analysis, glucose and lactate concentration, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), hypotonic shock response (HSR) and the expression of CD62p, over a period of 7 days.Results Neither of the photochemical treatment procedures showed differences for pH, pCO2, pO2, HCO3, glucose consumption or platelet activation until the end of day 7. Increased lactate values detected for the treated units of arm A at the end of the storage period were independent from the PCT time setting.Conclusions Photochemical pathogen inactivation with different initial resting periods between 4 and 23 h, and different CAD steps of 4 and 16 h, had no influence on the plateletin vitrofunction during 7 days of storage.
Virus inactivation and protein recovery in a novel ultraviolet‐C reactor
Authors: Wang J. , Mauser A. , Chao S.‐F. , Remington K. , Treckmann R. , Kaiser K. , Pifat D. , Hotta J. 
Published: May 2004

Background and Objectives  Ultraviolet‐C (UVC) irradiation is a viral‐inactivation method that was dismissed by many plasma fractionators as a result of the potential for protein damage and the difficulty in delivering uniform doses. A reactor with novel spiral flow hydraulic mixing was recently designed for uniform and controlled UVC treatment. The objective of this study was to investigate virus inactivation and protein recovery after treatment through the new reactor.Materials and Methods  Virus‐ and mock‐spiked Alpha1‐proteinase inhibitor (Alpha1‐PI) solutions were treated with UVC. The virus samples were assayed for residual infectivity and amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mock‐spiked samples were assayed for protein integrity.Results  Greater than 4 log10 of all test viruses were inactivated, regardless of the type of nucleic acid or presence of an envelope. Unlike previous studies, viruses with the smallest genomes were found to be those most sensitive to UVC irradiation, and detection of PCR amplicons ≥ 2·0 kb was correlated to viral infectivity. Doses that achieved significant virus inactivation yielded recovery of > 90% protein activity, even in the absence of quenchers.Conclusions  The results demonstrate the effectiveness of UVC treatment, in the novel reactor, to inactivate viruses without causing significant protein damage, and confirm the utility of large PCR amplicons as markers for infectious virus.
Methylene blue‐photoinactivated plasma vs. fresh‐frozen plasma as replacement fluid for plasma exchange in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
Authors: Alvarez‐Larrán A. , Del Río J. , Ramírez C. , Albo C. , Peña F. , Campos A. , Cid J. , Muncunill J. , Sastre J.‐L. , Sanz C. , Pereira A. 
Published: May 2004

Background and Objectives  Plasma exchange with fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP) is the treatment of choice in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). Methylene blue‐photoinactivated plasma (MBPIP) has been proposed as a safer alternative to FFP, but its effectiveness in the treatment of TTP is not well established. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether MBPIP is as effective as FFP in the treatment of TTP by plasma exchange.Materials and Methods  A retrospective analysis was carried out of 56 TTP episodes, occurring between 1990 and 2003, which had been treated by plasma exchange. MBPIP was used for fluid replacement in 27 episodes and FFP in 29. The effect of plasma (MBPIP or FFP) on treatment outcomes was analysed by multivariate logistic regression.Results  Compared to patients treated with FFP, those receiving MBPIP had an increased risk of dying from progressive TTP [adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 31; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1·2 to > 100], a greater number of recurrences while on plasma exchange therapy (OR = 4·6; 95% CI: 1·2–17), and a lower probability of attaining a sustained remission within 9 days of starting plasma exchange (OR = 5·2; 95% CI: 1·3–20).Conclusions  MBPIP seems to be less effective than FFP in the treatment of TTP. It is therefore prudent to avoid MBPIP until therapeutic equivalency to FFP has been established by randomized, controlled trials.
Impact of tobacco smoking on platelet function in apheresis products in vitro
Authors: Scheinichen D. , Heuft H.‐G. , Renken C. , Jüttner B. , Jaeger K. , Schürholz T. , Blasczyk R. , Piepenbrock S. , Elsner H.‐A. 
Published: May 2004

Background and Objectives  The aim of this study was to analyse the platelet function, over a 5‐day time‐period, of apheresis‐derived platelet concentrates obtained from smokers and non‐smokers.Materials and Methods  Smoker and non‐smoker plateletpheresis products were investigated on days 1, 3 and 5 of storage. Receptor expression (as evaluated by flow cytometry) and the platelet aggregation response were measured.Results  There was only a slight loss of platelet function in apheresis products from smokers compared to non‐smokers.Conclusions  Smoking does not significantly change the quality of platelet preparations. The current practice, of not to exclude smokers from platelet donation, can be continued.
Removal of small non‐enveloped viruses by nanofiltration
Authors: Yokoyama T. , Murai K. , Murozuka T. , Wakisaka A. , Tanifuji M. , Fujii N. , Tomono T. 
Published: May 2004

Background and Objectives  Nanofiltration is one of the most effective virus reduction methods in the manufacturing process of plasma products. However, it is difficult to remove small viruses from high molecular weight protein preparations like immunoglobulin G or factor VIII complex by nanofiltration, because the size of the protein is similar to that of viruses. In order to separate the viruses from these proteins by nanofiltration, it is necessary to change the size of either one. In this study, we report that such non‐enveloped viruses as human parvovirus B19 (B19), human encephalomyocarditis virus (EMC) or porcine parvovirus (PPV) aggregate in the presence of certain kinds of amino acids and could be easily removed by nanofiltration.Materials and Methods  0·3 M Glycine (or other amino acid) solution spiked with viruses was subjected to dead‐end single filtration with a 35‐nm pore‐size filter. Virus removal by nanofiltration was either evaluated by PCR or by infectivity assay.Results  B19 in a 0·3 M glycine solution was reduced to 1:107·5 (7·5‐log) by nanofiltration with a 35‐nm pore‐sized filter, whereas in PBS it was not reduced. Similarly, B19 was also reduced when suspended in other amino acids solutions. This effect was also confirmed with the other small non‐enveloped viruses EMC or PPV. When 5% globulin or 5% albumin was added to a 0·3 M glycine solution, the removal rate was decreased.Conclusions  These data suggest that viruses in the presence of certain kinds of amino acids could be aggregated and effectively removed by a filter that has a pore size larger than the size of the viruses.
Fibrin sealant produced by the CryoSeal® FS System: product chemistry, material properties and possible preparation in the autologous preoperative setting
Authors: Buchta C. , Dettke M. , Funovics P. T. , Höcker P. , Knöbl P. , Macher M. , Quehenberger P. , Treitl C. , Worel N. 
Published: May 2004

Background and Objectives  The CryoSeal® FS has been introduced as an automated device for the production of fibrin sealant from small volumes of plasma. We tested this device and compared the product with commercially available fibrin sealants and with the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia.Materials and Methods  The CP3 program and disposables required were used to manufacture fibrin sealant. The chemistry and mechanical properties of the product were investigated.Results  The cryoprecipitate generated with CryoSeal® contains concentrated fibrinogen and critical clotting factors. The efficiency of the production process is poor, but the production procedure itself is simple and not time‐consuming. The volume of plasma required allows application in the preoperative autologous setting.Conclusions  The CryoSeal® FS is an automated device for cryoprecipitation and production of thrombin. It can be implemented easily in the clinical routine, although, owing to product specifications, the efficacy of the CryoSeal® fibrin sealant requires further clinical trials.
Growth and tissue nitrogen of epiphytic Atlantic bryophytes: effects of increased and decreased atmospheric N deposition
Authors: MITCHELL R. J. , SUTTON M. A. , TRUSCOTT A.‐M. , LEITH I. D. , CAPE J. N. , PITCAIRN C. E. R. , VAN DIJK N. 
Published: May 2004

Summary

Atlantic bryophytes are of European conservation importance, yet the effect on them of excess atmospheric nitrogen is relatively unknown. This study assesses the effects of increased atmospheric N deposition on the growth and tissue N of epiphytic Atlantic bryophytes, and their potential to recover following a decline in N deposition.
The N received in stemflow by bryophytes at two sites was measured and compared to model predictions.
Four species of epiphytic bryophytes (Isothecium myosuroides, Dicranum scoparium, Frullania tamarisci and Ulota crispa), typical of Atlantic Oak woods, were studied in a 12‐month reciprocal transplant experiment between a pristine Oak woodland receiving a modelled atmospheric deposition of 12 kg N ha−1 year−1 and a polluted one receiving 54 kg N ha−1 year−1.
Tissue N concentration increased and growth declined following an increase in atmospheric N deposition in all species except Ulota crispa. Conversely, tissue N concentration decreased and growth increased in Frullania tamarisci following a decrease in atmospheric N deposition, with similar non‐significant patterns in the other species.
The reciprocal transplants indicate a detrimental effect of increased N deposition on the bryophyte species studied. The study indicated recovery following a decrease in atmospheric N deposition, but the responses caused by decreased N deposition were smaller than those due to increased N deposition. This suggests that the time‐scale for recovery of bryophytes from excess N deposition is longer than the timescale of nitrogen impacts.
American Society of Diagnostic and Interventional Nephrology: Interventionalist's Role in Identifying Candidates for Secondary Fistulas
Authors: Ash Stephen , Beathard Gerald A. 
Published: May 2004

ABSTRACTOne hundred consecutive patients with upper extremity prosthetic grafts referred for either an angioplasty or treatment of a thrombosed graft were included in the study. After the patient's treatment was concluded, the angiographic images that had been created during the case were evaluated to determine if an upper arm vein was evident that would be suitable for the construction of an arteriovenous fistula (AVF). Criteria used to determine suitability included vein size measured at the level of the elbow, feeding artery size at the level of the elbow, absence of stenosis within the vein, and continuity with downstream unobstructed veins. Thirty‐eight percent of patients had an upper arm graft and 62% had a lower arm graft. Since it was not possible to adequately evaluate patients with an upper arm graft, these patients were not included in any further evaluations. A total of 46 patients (74%) with a forearm loop graft had one or both of the upper arm veins that appeared to be optimum for the creation of an AVF. If the percentage of graft patients with venous anatomy conducive to the creation of a fistula revealed in this study is representative, then the percentage of fistulas in use could be very quickly increased to more than 50% by simply seizing the opportunity. This effort directed toward prevalent patients could yield results much more rapidly than limiting one's focus to incident patients.
Gender, Colonialism and Citizenship in the Modern Middle East
Authors: Camiscioli Elisa 
Published: May 2004

Books reviewed in this article: Selma Botman, Engendering Citizenship in Egypt Margaret L. Meriwether and Judith E. Tucker (eds), A Social History of Women and Gender in the Modern Middle East Elizabeth Thompson, Colonial Citizens: Republican Rights, Paternal Privilege, and Gender in French Syria and Lebanon
Sugarbeet leaf spot disease (Cercospora beticola Sacc.)†
Authors: Weiland John , Koch Georg 
Published: May 2004

SUMMARYLeaf spot disease caused by Cercospora beticola Sacc. is the most destructive foliar pathogen of sugarbeet worldwide. In addition to reducing yield and quality of sugarbeet, the control of leaf spot disease by extensive fungicide application incurs added costs to producers and repeatedly has selected for fungicide‐tolerant C. beticola strains. The genetics and biochemistry of virulence have been examined less for C. beticola as compared with the related fungi C. nicotianae, C. kikuchii and C. zeae‐maydis, fungi to which the physiology of C. beticola is often compared. C. beticola populations generally are not characterized as having race structure, although a case of race‐specific resistance in sugarbeet to C. beticola has been reported. Resistance currently implemented in the field is quantitatively inherited and exhibits low to medium heritability. Taxonomy:
Cercospora beticola Sacc.; Kingdom Fungi, Subdivision Deuteromycetes, Class Hyphomycetes, Order Hyphales, Genus Cercospora. Identification: Circular, brown to red delimited spots with ashen‐grey centre, 0.5–6 mm diameter; dark brown to black stromata against grey background; pale brown unbranched sparingly septate conidiophores, hyaline acicular conidia, multiseptate, from 2.5 to 4 µm wide and 50–200 µm long. Host range: Propagative on Beta vulgaris and most species of Beta. Reported on members of the Chenopodiaceae and on Amaranthus. Disease symptoms: Infected leaves and petioles of B. vulgaris exhibit numerous circular leaf spots that coalesce in severe cases causing complete leaf collapse. Dark specks within a grey spot centre are characteristic for the disease. Older leaves exhibit a greater number of lesions with larger spot diameter. During the latter stage of severe epiphytotics, new leaf growth can be seen emerging from the plant surrounded by prostrate, collapsed leaves. Control: Fungicides in the benzimidazole and triazole class as well as organotin derivatives and strobilurins have successfully been used to control Cercospora leaf spot. Elevated levels of tolerance in populations of C. beticola to some of the chemicals registered for control has been documented. Partial genetic resistance also is used to reduce leaf spot disease.
Analysis of differentially expressed genes in a susceptible and moderately resistant potato cultivar upon Phytophthora infestans infection
Authors: Ros Barbara , Thümmler Fritz , Wenzel Gerhard 
Published: May 2004

SUMMARYTo gain deeper understanding of the host–pathogen interaction in the system potato–Phytophthora infestans, subtractive hybridization in combination with cDNA array hybridization was used. Leaflets of a moderately resistant and a susceptible potato cultivar were inoculated with P. infestans. The infection of the potato leaves was quantified by real‐time quantitative PCR. Using infected and control tissue, two cDNA libraries highly enriched for P. infestans‐induced genes were prepared. Within 531 clones randomly picked and sequenced from the libraries, 285 unigenes were found, from which 182 clones were selected for further analysis by cDNA array hybridization. Sixteen hours post inoculation genes were not induced significantly, whereas 72 h post inoculation induction of gene expression was clearly detectable. In both cultivars, 143 genes were induced moderately (≥ two‐fold), and 35 of the selected genes appeared to be strongly induced (≥ seven‐fold). Among these clones were mainly genes associated with stress and/or defence mechanisms. The strongest gene induction was found in 4‐week‐old susceptible plants. In the moderately resistant cultivar, transcripts of a number of genes accumulate with plant age; as a result, induction of gene expression upon infection was less pronounced. Down‐regulation of three genes was observed in both cultivars, upon infection. Transcript levels of these three genes increased in uninfected plants within 4 weeks of growth. Other differences in defence responses of the two cultivars could be determined and their effects are discussed.
Advances in understanding recessive resistance to plant viruses
Authors: DIAZ‐PENDON JUAN A. , TRUNIGER VERONICA , NIETO CRISTINA , GARCIA‐MAS JORDI , BENDAHMANE ABDELHAFID , ARANDA MIGUEL A. 
Published: May 2004

SUMMARYRecent work carried out to characterize recessive mutations which render experimental hosts non‐permissive to viral infection (loss‐of‐susceptibility mutants) seems to be converging with new data on natural recessive resistance in crop species, and also with functional analyses of virus avirulence determinants. Perhaps the most well known examples are the studies that identified the eukaryotic translation initiation factors 4E(iso) (eIF(iso)4E) and 4E(eIF4E) as the host factors required for potyvirus multiplication within experimental and natural hosts, respectively, and the potyviral genome‐linked protein (VPg) as the viral factor that directly interacts with eIF4E to promote potyvirus multiplication. The purpose of this paper is to review the available information on the characterization of loss‐of‐susceptibility mutants in experimental hosts, natural recessive resistances and virus avirulence factors, and also to comment on possible implications for the design of new sources of sustainable virus resistance.
Measurement of cardiac output by transpulmonary arterial thermodilution using a long radial artery catheter. A comparison with intermittent pulmonary artery thermodilution
Authors: L'E. Orme R. M. , Pigott D. W. , Mihm F. G. 
Published: May 2004

SummaryCardiac output can be measured accurately by transpulmonary arterial thermodilution using the PiCCO® (Pulsion Medical Systems, Munich, Germany) system with a femoral artery catheter. We have investigated the accuracy of a new 50 cm 4 French gauge radial artery catheter and the ability to use the system with a shorter radial catheter. We studied 18 patients who had undergone coronary artery surgery and made three simultaneous measurements of cardiac output by arterial thermodilution and with a pulmonary artery catheter. The radial catheter was withdrawn in 5 cm increments and the measurements were repeated. We found close agreement between arterial thermodilution and pulmonary artery thermodilution with a mean (SD) bias of 0.38 (0.77) l.min−1. Arterial thermodilution became unreliable once the catheter had been withdrawn by more than 5 cm. We conclude that cardiac output measurement with arterial thermodilution with a radial catheter is interchangeable with that derived from a pulmonary artery catheter, and that a centrally sited arterial catheter is required for accurate determination of cardiac output by transpulmonary arterial thermodilution.