bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Limited Diversity among Human Isolates of
Bartonella henselae
Authors: Dillon B. , Valenzuela J. , Don R. , Blanckenberg D. , Wigney D. I. , Malik R. , Morris A. J. , Robson J. M. , Iredell J. 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT

A study of 59 isolates of
Bartonella henselae
reveals relatively limited diversity among those of human origin (
n
= 28). Either of two distinct alleles of both
gltA
and 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was found in all isolates, with a high level of congruity between 16S and
gltA
inheritance among proven human pathogens. Human isolates from all over Eastern Australia were most commonly 16S rDNA (Bergmans) type I, with the same
gltA
allele as the type strain (Houston-1). Comparable feline isolates were more commonly 16S type II, with less congruity of inheritance between 16S and
gltA
alleles. Previously described arbitrarily primed PCR and
Eag
I-
Hha
I infrequent restriction site PCR fingerprinting techniques separated
Bartonella
species effectively but lacked discriminating power within
B. henselae.
Examination of the 16-23S intergenic spacer region revealed for several strains several point mutations as well as a repeat sequence of unknown significance which is readily detected by
Hae
III restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The bacteriophage-associated
papA
gene was present in all isolates. Enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus PCR proved to be a useful and robust typing tool and clearly separated human isolates (including imported strains) from the majority of feline isolates. Our data are consistent with published evidence and with previous suggestions of intragenomic rearrangements in the type strain and suggest that human isolates come from a limited subset of
B. henselae
strains. They strengthen arguments for careful exploration of genotype-phenotype relationships and for the development of a multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and multilocus sequence typing-based approach to the phylogeny of
B. henselae
.
Detection of Mycobacterial DNA in Andean Mummies
Authors: Konomi Nami , Lebwohl Eve , Mowbray Ken , Tattersall Ian , Zhang David 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT

The identification of genetic material from pathogenic organisms in ancient tissues provides a powerful tool for the study of certain infectious diseases in historic populations. We have obtained tissue samples from the genital areas of 12 mummies in the American Museum of Natural History collection in New York, N.Y. The mummies were excavated in the Andes Mountain region of South America, and radiocarbon dating estimates that the mummies date from
a.d.
140 to 1200. DNAs were successfully extracted from all tissues and were suitable for PCR analysis. PCRs were carried out to detect
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
complex and mycobacteria other than
M. tuberculosis
(MOTB).
M. tuberculosis
complex was detected in 2 out of 12 samples, and MOTB were detected in 7 samples. This study confirmed the adequate preservation of genetic material in mummified tissues and the existence of mycobacteria, including
M. tuberculosis
, in historic populations in South America.
New Technique (the NOW Test) for Rapid Detection of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
in the Nasopharynx
Authors: Faden Howard , Heimerl Michael , Goodman Gail , Winkelstein Peter , Varma Chelikani 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT

Although the NOW test was originally introduced as a rapid pneumococcal antigen detection test for use with urine samples, it was successfully adapted to nasopharyngeal samples in the present study. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the test were 92.2, 97.7, 95.9, and 95.5%, respectively. These results demonstrate that nasopharyngeal colonization with
Streptococcus pneumoniae
can be documented within 15 min of sample collection.
Comparison of the Borrelia DotBlot G, MarDx, and VIDAS Enzyme Immunoassays for Detecting Immunoglobulin G Antibodies to
Borrelia burgdorferi
in Human Serum
Authors: Jespersen Deborah J. , Smith Thomas F. , Rosenblatt Jon E. , Cockerill Franklin R. 
Published: November 2002

ABSTRACT

Three enzyme immunoassays, Borrelia DotBlot G (GenBio, San Diego, Calif.), MarDx EIA (MarDx Diagnostics, Inc., Carlsbad, Calif.), and VIDAS (bioMérieux, St. Louis, Mo.) were compared for their ability to detect immunoglobulin G antibodies to
Borrelia burgdorferi
in 100 human serum samples. The “gold standard” positive result for each of these samples was determined by Western immunoblot analysis (MarDx Marblot Test System) (
n
= 99) or clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of Lyme disease with other laboratory results positive for
B. burgdorferi
(
n
= 1). Based on these criteria for a gold standard positive result, 29 of the 100 samples tested were considered true positives and 71 were considered true negatives. The following sensitivities and specificities were noted, respectively, for each method: Borrelia DotBlot G, 93 and 90%; MarDx, 100 and 35%; and VIDAS, 100 and 92%. Because of high sensitivity and specificity and ease of use, the VIDAS test is an appealing method, especially for laboratories that perform high volumes of tests. The high sensitivity but low specificity of the MarDx method compared to the VIDAS and Borrelia DotBlot G methods requires that Western blot confirmatory tests be performed frequently. The Borrelia DotBlot G method has acceptable specificity but appears to lack sensitivity when compared to the VIDAS and MarDx methods.
Ophthalmological findings in elite amateur Turkish boxers
Authors: Hazar M , Beyleroglu M , Subasi M , Or M 
Published: November 2002

Objective:To evaluate the nature and incidence of pathological ocular conditions in boxing.Methods:A group of 20 active, elite, amateur, asymptomatic Turkish boxers were examined and compared with a control group composed of 20 age matched sportsmen who were not boxers. The boxers had been actively boxing for 5–20 years (mean 9.65), were aged 16–34 (mean 22.25), and weighed 51–91 kg (mean 73.07). They had been involved in 67–500 fights (mean 143.8), with 5–40 losses (mean 17.75). All were championship title holders at the national, European, Olympic, or World level.Results:An atrophic retinal hole was found in one boxer, which was treated with laser prophylaxis. In this series, the incidence of traumatic eye injuries was much lower than in the literature. Possible reasons are their young age, their division being mainly lightweight or middleweight, few fight losses, being elite boxers, their fighting distance being near or distant, protective methods, and racial factors.Conclusion:Boxing does not appear to be as hazardous to the eyes as previously reported, but prospective, longitudinal studies need to be carried out, including boxers of all divisions, ages, boxing experience, and level, and using various methods of fighting and protection. It should be made mandatory for all boxers to have a complete ophthalmological examination at the beginning of their careers and periodically thereafter.
The Football Association Medical Research Programme: an audit of injuries in professional football—analysis of preseason injuries
Authors: Woods C , Hawkins R , Hulse M , Hodson A 
Published: November 2002

Objectives:To conduct a detailed analysis of preseason football injuries sustained in English professional football over two competitive seasons.Methods:Club medical staff at 91 professional football clubs annotated player injuries. A specific injury audit questionnaire was used together with a weekly form that documented each club’s current injury status.Results:17% (1025) of the total number of injuries over the two seasons were sustained during the preseason, the mean number of days absent per injury was 22.3 days. Younger age groups (17–25 yrs) were more likely to sustain a preseason injury than more experienced players (26–35+) (p<0.01). There were relatively more “slight” and “minor” injuries (as defined in the methodology), overuse, and tendon related injuries sustained during preseason compared to the in season (p<0.01). The thigh (23%), knee (17%), and ankle (17%) were the most common locations for injuries during the preseason, there was a relatively greater number of lower leg injuries (15%) during the preseason (p<0.05). Achilles tendonitis was most prevalent in the preseason, with 33% of all Achilles related injuries sustained during this period (p<0.01). Muscle strains were the most common injury during preseason (37%). Rectus femoris muscle strains were observed twice as frequently during the preseason relative to the in season (p<0.01). Ligament sprains were the second most common injury during preseason (19%). Non-contact mechanisms were the cause of significantly more injuries during the preseason (p<0.01), with relatively more preseason injuries sustained while running or shooting (p<0.01). For 70% of the injuries reported during the preseason, the ground condition was described as dry.Conclusions:Players are at a greater risk of slight and minor injuries, overuse injuries, lower leg injuries (especially the Achilles tendon) and rectus femoris strains during the preseason period. Prevention of preseason injury is important to ensure availability of players for the commencement of the season and to decrease the risk of injury later in the season, we recommend the implementation of a risk management policy for this purpose. Areas requiring further investigation include methods of prevention for the common preseason injuries that have been identified, a detailed analysis of preseason and closed season training programmes, and a smaller study involving exposure data.
Long-Term Enalapril Therapy for Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Doxorubicin-Treated Survivors of Childhood Cancer
Authors: Lipshultz Steven E. , Lipsitz Stuart R. , Sallan Stephen E. , Simbre Valeriano C. , Shaikh Seema L. , Mone Suzanne M. , Gelber Richard D. , Colan Steven D. 
Published: November 2002

PURPOSE: A common late effect of doxorubicin therapy for childhood cancer is reduced left-ventricular (LV) wall thickness resulting in elevated LV afterload and depressed LV function. Many children are given angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, which have been studied primarily in adults. We document the long-term effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in doxorubicin-treated survivors of childhood cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we reviewed records of 18 children who had regular echocardiographic examinations during enalapril therapy (mean age at cancer diagnosis, 8 years; mean time between completion of doxorubicin therapy and start of enalapril, 7 years; median follow-up since the start of enalapril, 10 years). RESULTS: Over the first 6 years of enalapril therapy, there was progressive improvement toward normal values in LV dimension, afterload, fractional shortening, and mass, but all these parameters deteriorated between 6 and 10 years. LV wall thickness deteriorated throughout the study period, as did LV contractility and systolic blood pressure. Diastolic blood pressure fell slightly. By 6 years on enalapril, all six patients who had had congestive heart failure at the start of enalapril therapy had either died or undergone cardiac transplantation, compared with three of the 12 asymptomatic patients. CONCLUSION: In doxorubicin-treated long-term survivors of childhood cancer, enalapril-induced improvement in LV structure and function is transient. The primary defect, which is LV wall thinning, continues to deteriorate, and thus the short-term improvement was mostly related to lowered diastolic blood pressure.
Kinetics of lactose hydrolysis by β‐galactosidase of Kluyveromyces lactis immobilized on cotton fabric
Authors: Zhou Quinn Zhengkun , Chen Xiao Dong , Li Xuemei 
Published: November 2002

AbstractA mathematic model for describing the Michaelis‐Menten‐type reaction kinetics with product competitive inhibition and side‐reaction is proposed. A multiresponse nonlinear simulation program was employed to determine the coefficients of a four‐parameter rate expression. The rate expression was compared with the conventional Michaelis‐Menten reaction rate models with and without product inhibition. Experimental data were obtained using β‐galactosidase of Kluyveromyces lactis immobilized on cotton fabric in a batch system at a temperature of 37°C and at various initial concentrations of dissolved lactose ranging from 3–12.5% (w/v). The reaction is followed by concentration changes with time in the tank. Samples were obtained after the outlet stream of the packed bed reactor is mixed in a well‐stirred tank. High‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was applied to monitor the concentrations of all the sugars (reactants as well as products). The four‐parameter rate model is featured with a term to describe the formation of trisaccharides, a side‐reaction of the enzymatic hydrolysis. The proposed model simulates the process of lactose hydrolysis and the formation of glucose and galactose, giving better accuracy compared with the previous models. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 81: 127–133, 2003.
Ultra scale‐down approach for the prediction of full‐scale recovery of ovine polycolonal immunoglobulins used in the manufacture of snake venom‐specific Fab fragment
Authors: Neal G. , Christie J. , Keshavarz‐Moore E. , Shamlou P. Ayazi 
Published: November 2002

AbstractIn this article, we describe a new approach that allows the prediction of the performance of a large‐scale integrated process for the primary recovery of a therapeutic antibody from an analysis of the individual unit operations and their interactions in an ultra scale‐down mimic of the process. The recovery process consisted of four distinct unit operations. Using the new approach we defined the important engineering parameters in each operation that impacted the overall recovery process and in each case verified its effect by a combination of modelling and experimentation. Immunoglobulins were precipitated from large volumes of dilute blood plasma and the precipitated flocs were recovered by centrifugal separation from the liquor containing contaminating proteins, including albumin. The fluid mechanical forces acting on the precipitate and the time of exposure to these forces were used to define a time‐integrated fluid stress. This was used as a scaling factor to predict the properties of the precipitated flocs at large scale. In the case of centrifugation, the performance of a full‐scale disc stack centrifuge was predicted. This was achieved from a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the flow field in the centrifuge coupled with experimental data obtained from the precipitated immunoglobulin flocs using the scale‐down precipitation tank, a rotating shear device, and a standard swing‐out rotor centrifuge operating under defined conditions. In this way, the performance of the individual unit operations, and their linkage, was successfully analysed from a combination of modelling and experiments. These experiments required only millilitre quantities of the process material. The overall performance of the large‐scale process was predicted by tracking the changes in physical and biological properties of the key components in the system, including the size distribution of the antibody precipitates and antibody activity through the individual unit operations in the ultra scale‐down process flowsheet. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 81: 149–157, 2003.
Characterization of gas–liquid mass transfer phenomena in microtiter plates
Authors: Hermann Robert , Lehmann Mathias , Büchs Jochen 
Published: November 2002

AbstractGas–liquid mass transfer properties of shaken 96‐well microtiter plates were characterized using a recently described method. The maximum oxygen transfer capacity (OTRmax), the specific mass transfer area (a), and the mass transfer coefficient (kL) in a single well were determined at different shaking intensities (different shaking frequencies and shaking diameters at constant filling volume) and different filling volumes by means of sulfite oxidation as a chemical model system. The shape (round and square cross‐sections) and the size (up to 2 mL maximum filling volume) of a microtiter plate well were also considered as influencing parameters. To get an indication of the hydrodynamic behavior of the liquid phase in a well, images were taken during shaking and the liquid height derived as a characteristic parameter. The investigations revealed that the OTRmax is predominantly dependent on the specific mass transfer area (a) for the considered conditions in round‐shaped wells. The mass transfer coefficient (kL) in round‐shaped wells remains at a nearly constant value of about 0.2 m/h for all shaking intensities, thus within the range reported in the literature for surface‐aerated bioreactors. The OTRmax in round‐shaped wells is strongly influenced by the interfacial tension, determined by the surface tension of the medium used and the surface properties of the well material. Up to a specific shaking intensity the liquid surface in the wells remains horizontal and no liquid movement can be observed. This critical shaking intensity must be exceeded to overcome the surface tension and, thus, to increase the liquid height and enlarge the specific mass transfer area. This behavior is solely specific to microtiter plates and has not yet been observed for larger shaking bioreactors such as shaking flasks. In square‐shaped microtiter plate wells the corners act as baffles and cause a significant increase of OTRmax, a, and kL. An OTRmax of up to 0.15 mol/L/h can be reached in square‐shaped wells. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 81: 178–186, 2003.
Immunoaffinity removal of xenoreactive antibodies using modified dialysis or microfiltration membranes
Authors: Karoor Sujatha , Molina Jeanette , Buchmann Cody R. , Colton Clark , Logan John S. , Henderson Lee W. 
Published: November 2002

AbstractHyperacute rejection following xenogeneic transplantation in primates is mediated by naturally occurring IgM antibodies, which are specifically directed to α‐Galactosyl residues on many nonprimate mammalian cells. Current approaches to remove these anti‐αGal IgM include plasmapheresis followed by immunoaffinity adsorption on bead columns using synthetic Gal epitopes, which requires two pieces of complex equipment. In this study, we explored the use of immunoaffinity adsorption with hollow fiber microporous or dialysis membranes to which a synthetic αGal trisaccharide ligand is bound. Covalent attachment of ligand directly to the surface produced negligible binding, but use of long‐chain polyamines as reactive spacers yielded binding densities for anti‐αGal IgM as high as 89 mg/mL membrane volume in breakthrough curve experiments with microporous nylon membranes having an internal surface area of 4.2 m2/mL membrane volume. A crossflow microfilter fabricated from the membranes described in this study and having about 0.4 m2 luminal surface area would be able to carry out plasma separation and immunoadsorption in a single device with a large excess of binding capacity to ensure that all plasma that filters across the device and is returned to a human patient is essentially free of anti‐αGal IgM. We conclude that immunoaffinity removal of xenoreactive antibodies using microfiltration hollow fiber membranes is feasible and has potential advantages of efficiency and simplicity for clinical application. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 81: 134–148, 2003.
Size and shape characteristics of SDH rings
Authors: Naldi M. , Agostini L. 
Published: November 2002

AbstractA number of issues concerning the SDH networks (e.g. performance analysis of traffic management policies and statistical cost evaluation) may require a simulation approach that takes into account the size and shape of SDH rings. As a statistical support for the modelling of SDH rings for these purposes, the results of an analysis conducted on a real sample network of moderate‐to‐large dimensions are reported in this paper. Some items (e.g. the no. of nodes per ring, the area enclosed by the ring, and the perimeter vs area relationship) are selected to characterize the rings' size and shape. For each item the relevant statistics are supplied. In addition, models are proposed for the most relevant characteristics. Bounds are obtained for the average internodal distance on a ring. A log‐normal probability model is suggested for the internodal distances and a mixture of two Gaussian components is obtained for the distance between the ring's nodes and the ring's centroid. A power regression curve is instead used to fit the perimeter vs area experimental data, showing that the shape of SDH rings could be well modelled by an ellipse. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A novel delineation mechanism for the ATM adaptation layer 2 over wireless ATM networks
Authors: Villasenor‐Gonzalez Luis , Orozco‐Barbosa Luis , Lamont Louise 
Published: November 2002

AbstractThe ATM adaptation layer 2 (AAL2) has been standardized by the ITU‐T for the support of low data rate and delay‐sensitive applications, such as voice, over ATM networks. One of the main characteristics of the AAL2 standard is the support for multiplexing information at the expense of introducing a new frame structure inside the payload of the ATM cells. The AAL2 standard introduces a mechanism for the delineation of the AAL2 packets and it has been found that the delineation mechanism reduces the performance of AAL2 in the presence of channels with high bit error rates. In this paper, a novel delineation mechanism is proposed for AAL2 to be used over highly error‐prone channels, such as wireless links. The proposed mechanism improves the performance (i.e. reduces packet loss) of the AAL2 standard in the presence of bit errors and in some cases reduces the overhead required for the delineation of the AAL2 packets. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fine‐needle aspiration cytology of extranodal natural killer/T‐cell lymphoma
Authors: Jiménez‐Heffernan José A. , González‐Peramato Pilar , Perna Cristian , Alvarez‐Ferreira Javier , López‐Ferrer Pilar , Viguer José M. 
Published: November 2002

AbstractExtranodal NK/T‐cell lymphoma, nasal type, is a predominantly extranodal lymphoma characterized histologically by prominent necrosis, angiocentric growth, and vascular destruction. Only one report describing its fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) cytologic features is available and shows highly unusual findings for a lymphoma. The present case concerns a 58‐yr‐old patient that presented with a soft tissue mass of the thigh in addition to an ulcerative lesion of the palate and nodular hepatic and splenic lesions. FNA cytology of the thigh tumor was interpreted as a malignant mesenchymal lesion (sarcoma). The subsequent pathologic study revealed an NK/T‐cell lymphoma. Our findings are very similar to those previously reported. They were highly unusual for a lymphoma and consisted of polymorphic, round to spindle neoplastic cells distributed in irregular aggregates, and single cells. No significant number of lymphoglandular bodies were present. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2002;27:371–374. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.