bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors affecting the mortality of pediatric fulminant hepatic failure in relation to hepatitis B virus infection
Authors: CHAN PEI‐CHUN , CHEN HUEY‐LING , KONG MAN‐SHAN , HUANG FU‐CHEN , LEE HUNG‐CHANG , LIN CHIEH‐CHUNG , LIU CHING‐CHUAN , LEE I‐HSIEN , WU TZEE‐CHUNG , WU SHU‐FEN , NI YEN‐HSUAN , HSU HONG‐YUAN , CHANG MEI‐HWEI 
Published: July 2005

AbstractAim:  To investigate the factors affecting the outcome of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) in children in relation to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.Methods:  Retrospective review of a total of 94 cases (61 males and 33 females, aged from 1 month to 15 years) recruited from nine tertiary referral centers in Taiwan from 1985 to 1999.Results:  The overall mortality rate was 75%. Patients in the mortality group were of an older age, had higher peak total bilirubin levels, a longer prothrombin time, and a lower percentage of HBV positivity (P < 0.001, P = 0.003, P = 0.0027 and P = 0.042, respectively). Mortality was 65% in the HBV positive (n = 42) and 83% in the HBV negative (n = 52) group (P = 0.05). In the HBV positive group, the prothrombin time was noted to be the single factor affecting outcome (P = 0.036). In the HBV negative group, older age and higher peak value of total serum bilirubin were suggestive of poor survival rate (P < 0.001 and P = 0.006, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that total bilirubin was the single factor affecting outcome in the HBV‐negative group. The mortality rate of HBV positive children in three consecutive time periods without liver transplantation (1985–1989, 1990–1994, 1995–1999) decreased gradually (91, 67 and 38%, respectively, with P = 0.027). This change was not observed in HBV‐negative cases.Conclusions:  Hepatitis B virus positive FHF had a lower mortality rate than HBV negative FHF, with each group having different factors affecting mortality.
Gallstone disease in non‐alcoholic fatty liver: Prevalence and associated factors
Authors: LORIA PAOLA , LONARDO AMEDEO , LOMBARDINI SILVIA , CARULLI LUCIA , VERRONE ANNAMARIA , GANAZZI DORVAL , RUDILOSSO ANTONIA , D’AMICO ROBERTO , BERTOLOTTI MARCO , CARULLI NICOLA 
Published: July 2005

AbstractBackground: Insulin resistance is a risk factors for non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and for gallstone disease (GD). Aims of the present study were to assess the prevalence of and factors associated with GD in unselected patients with NAFLD.Methods: A total of 161 consecutive patients with NAFLD diagnosed through compatible ultrasonography in the absence of known etiologies of liver disease (in all patients) and/or confirmed histologically (in 61 patients), was studied. Gallstone disease was diagnosed through ultrasound scanning or on the basis of previous cholecystectomy. Anthropometric and biochemical variables and concurrent diseases were compared in 32 NAFLD‐GD patients and in 129 NAFLD patients without GD (controls) according to gender.Results: The overall prevalence of GD was 19.88%, higher in female patients (P < 0.05), who were older (P < 001). The overall percentage of GD increased with age (P < 0.05). The GD patients had higher uric acid (men), total cholesterol and apolipoprotein B (apo‐B) serum concentrations (women;P < 0.05); women also had a higher prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia (P < 0.05). The age‐corrected odds ratio of having GD by tertiles increased significantly with increasing uric acid (men) and with increasing total cholesterol, triglycerides and apo‐B (women). At univariate continuous analysis GD was associated with insulin 120 min and uric acid in male patients; and with body mass index, insulin 120 min, apo‐B, total cholesterol and triglycerides in female patients. On multivariate analysis it was found that among these factors only uric acid in men and apo‐B in women were independently associated with GD in NAFLD.Conclusions: The prevalence of GD in NAFLD is more elevated than reported in the general population. The factors independently associated with GD in NAFLD are different from those reported in the general population and vary according to the gender.© 2005 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd
249serp53 mutation in the serum of black southern African patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: KIMBI GERALD C , KEW MICHAEL C , YU MIMI C , ARAKAWA KAZUKO , HODKINSON JOHN 
Published: July 2005

AbstractBackground and Aims:  A specific mutation at codon 249 of the p53 tumor suppressor gene (guanine to thymine; arginine to serine [249serinep53]) is present in the cell‐free plasma of 30–47% of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in regions with uniformly high levels of dietary exposure to the fungal toxin, aflatoxin B1. No information is available from other regions. We therefore examined cell‐free serum from HCC patients in southern Africa, where aflatoxin B1 exposure ranges from very high to low levels.Methods:  DNA extracted from the serum of 158 black African patients with HCC was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction assay using primers specific for exon 7 of the p53 gene, and submitted to endonuclease cleavage with HaeIII to identify the 249serinep53 mutation. The presence of the mutation was confirmed by nucleotide sequencing.Results:  The specific mutation was detected in 18% of the patients, giving an odds ratio for HCC in those with the mutation of 13.3 (95% confidence limits 1.8; 100.2). Surprisingly, the mutation was present equally often in rural and urban patients, despite presumed levels of aflatoxin B1 exposure in the latter being much lower. No correlation was found with the presence of hepatitis B virus infection or the age, sex or tribe of the patients.Conclusions:  The 249serinep53 mutation is found less often in the serum of patients with HCC in a region with variable levels of exposure to aflatoxin B1 than in those with uniformly high levels of exposure, but the mutation does occur in black Africans with presumed lower levels of exposure to the fungal toxin.
Micromechanical testing of SU‐8 cantilevers
Authors: HOPCROFT M. , KRAMER T. , KIM G. , TAKASHIMA K. , HIGO Y. , MOORE D. , BRUGGER J. 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACTSU‐8 is a photoplastic polymer with a wide range of possible applications in microtechnology. Cantilevers designed for atomic force microscopes were fabricated in SU‐8. The mechanical properties of these cantilevers were investigated using two microscale testing techniques: contact surface profilometer beam deflection and static load deflection at a point on the beam using a specially designed test machine. The SU‐8 Young's modulus value from the microscale test methods is approximately 2–3 GPa.
Fatigue and fracture of a Ni–P amorphous alloy thin film on the micrometer scale
Authors: TAKASHIMA K. , HIGO Y. 
Published: July 2005

ABSTRACTFracture and fatigue tests have been performed on micro‐sized specimens for microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) or micro system technology (MST) applications. Cantilever beam type specimens with dimensions of 10 × 12 × 50 μm3, approximately 1/1000th the size of ordinary‐sized specimens, were prepared from a Ni–P amorphous thin film by focused ion beam machining. Fatigue crack growth and fracture toughness tests were carried out in air at room temperature, using a mechanical testing machine developed for micro‐sized specimens. In fracture toughness tests, fatigue pre‐cracks were introduced ahead of the notches. Fatigue crack growth resistance curves were obtained from the measurement of striation spacing on the fatigue surface, with closure effects on the fatigue crack growth also being observed for micro‐sized specimens. Once fatigue crack growth occurs, the specimens fail within one thousand cycles. This indicates that the fatigue life of micro‐sized specimens is mainly dominated by a crack initiation process, also suggesting that even a micro‐sized surface flaw may be an initiation site for fatigue cracks which will shorten the fatigue life of micro‐sized specimens. As a result of fracture toughness tests, the values of plane strain fracture toughness, KIC, were not obtained because the criteria of plane strain were not satisfied by this specimen size. As the plane strain requirements are determined by the stress intensity, K, and by the yield stress of the material, it is difficult for micro‐sized specimens to satisfy these requirements. Plane‐stress‐ and plane‐strain‐dominated regions were clearly observed on the fracture surfaces and their sizes were consistent with those estimated by fracture mechanics calculations. This indicates that fracture mechanics is still valid for such micro‐sized specimens. The results obtained in this investigation should be considered when designing actual MEMS/MST devices.
Persister cells, the biofilm matrix and tolerance to metal cations in biofilm and planktonic Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Harrison Joe J. , Turner Raymond J. , Ceri Howard 
Published: July 2005

SummaryIn this study, we examined Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 biofilm and planktonic cell susceptibility to metal cations. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) required to eradicate 100% of the planktonic population (MBC100), and the minimum biofilm eradication concentration (MBEC) were determined using the MBEC™‐high throughput assay. Six metals – Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Al3+ and Pb2+– were each tested at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 27 h of exposure to biofilm and planktonic cultures grown in rich or minimal media. With 2 or 4 h of exposure, biofilms were approximately 2–25 times more tolerant to killing by metal cations than the corresponding planktonic cultures. However, by 27 h of exposure, biofilm and planktonic bacteria were eradicated at approximately the same concentration in every instance. Viable cell counts evaluated at 2 and 27 h of exposure revealed that at high concentrations, most of the metals assayed had killed greater than 99.9% of biofilm and planktonic cell populations. The surviving cells were propogated in vitro and gave rise to biofilm and planktonic cultures with normal sensitivity to metals. Further, retention of copper by the biofilm matrix was investigated using the chelator sodium diethlydithiocarbamate. Formation of visible brown metal‐chelates in biofilms treated with Cu2+ suggests that the biofilm matrix may coordinate and sequester metal cations from the aqueous surroundings. Overall, our data suggest that both metal sequestration in the biofilm matrix and the presence of a small population of ‘persister’ cells may be contributing factors in the time‐dependent tolerance of both planktonic cells and biofilms to high concentrations of metal cations.
Application of a geographically‐weighted regression analysis to estimate net primary production of Chinese forest ecosystems
Authors: Wang Quan , Ni Jian , Tenhunen John 
Published: June 2005

ABSTRACTAim  The objective of this paper is to obtain a net primary production (NPP) regression model based on the geographically weighted regression (GWR) method, which includes spatial non‐stationarity in the parameters estimated for forest ecosystems in China.Location  We used data across China.Methods  We examine the relationships between NPP of Chinese forest ecosystems and environmental variables, specifically altitude, temperature, precipitation and time‐integrated normalized difference vegetation index (TINDVI) based on the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, the spatial lag model and GWR methods.Results  The GWR method made significantly better predictions of NPP in simulations than did OLS, as indicated both by corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AICc) and R2. GWR provided a value of 4891 for AICc and 0.66 for R2, compared with 5036 and 0.58, respectively, by OLS. GWR has the potential to reveal local patterns in the spatial distribution of a parameter, which would be ignored by the OLS approach. Furthermore, OLS may provide a false general relationship between spatially non‐stationary variables. Spatial autocorrelation violates a basic assumption of the OLS method. The spatial lag model with the consideration of spatial autocorrelation had improved performance in the NPP simulation as compared with OLS (5001 for AICc and 0.60 for R2), but it was still not as good as that via the GWR method. Moreover, statistically significant positive spatial autocorrelation remained in the NPP residuals with the spatial lag model at small spatial scales, while no positive spatial autocorrelation across spatial scales can be found in the GWR residuals.Conclusions  We conclude that the regression analysis for Chinese forest NPP with respect to environmental factors and based alternatively on OLS, the spatial lag model, and GWR methods indicated that there was a significant improvement in model performance of GWR over OLS and the spatial lag model.
Altitudinal variation of dung beetle (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) assemblages in the Colombian Andes
Authors: Escobar Federico , Lobo Jorge M. , Halffter Gonzalo 
Published: June 2005

ABSTRACTAim  We describe the changes in species richness, rarity and composition with altitude, and explore whether the differences in Scarabaeinae dung beetle composition along five altitudinal transects of the same mountain range are related to altitude or if there are interregional differences in these altitudinal gradients.Location  Field work was carried out on the eastern slope of the eastern Cordillera, Colombian Andes, between Tamá Peak to the north, in the Tamá National Park (07°23′ N, 72°23′ W) and the San Miguel River (00°28′ N, 77°17′ W) to the south.Methods  Sampling was carried out between February 1997 and November 1999 in five regions spanning elevation gradients. In each gradient, six sites were chosen at 250 m intervals between 1000 and 2250 m a.s.l.Results  We found a curvilinear relationship between altitude and mean species richness, with a peak in richness at middle elevations. However, the diversity of dung beetle assemblages does not seem to be related to the interregional differences in environmental conditions. The number of geographically restricted species is negatively and significantly related to altitude, with geographically restricted species more frequent at low altitude sites. Ordination delimited the two main groups according to altitude: one with all the highest sites (1750–2250 m a.s.l.) and a second group with the remaining sites (< 1750 m a.s.l.). Analysis of species co‐occurrence shows that these dung beetle assemblages seem to be spatially structured when all sites have the same probability of being chosen. In contrast, the spatial structure of species assemblages seems to be random when the probability of choosing any site is proportional to its altitude.Main conclusions  The altitude of sites is the main factor that influences the diversity of these dung beetle assemblages. The peak in species richness at middle elevations, the higher number of geographically restricted species at lower altitudinal levels, and the compositional differences along these mountain gradients seem to result from the mixing at these altitudes of dung beetle assemblages that have different environmental adaptations and, probably, different origins. The relevance of altitude in these assemblages is related to the limited role of these Neotropical high altitude environments as centres of refuge and vicariance for a monophyletic group of warm‐adapted species, for which the vertical colonization of these high mountain environments by lineages distributed at lower altitudes would have been very difficult.
Clinical characteristics and mid‐term prognosis of acute coronary syndrome in HIV‐infected patients on antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Boccara F , Ederhy S , Janower S , Benyounes N , Odi G , Cohen A 
Published: July 2005

ObjectivesAcute coronary syndromes (ACSs) and coronary artery disease are emerging complications in HIV‐infected patients on highly active antiretroviral treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the mid‐term prognosis of ACS in HIV‐infected patients.MethodsWe evaluated the clinical characteristics and follow‐up profile [38±15 months; mean±standard deviation (SD)] of ACS in 20 HIV‐infected patients (mean ±SD: age 44±8 years; range 35–65 years). All had coronary angiograms performed mean time 3±48 h after the onset of symptoms.ResultsEighteen patients were on antiretroviral therapy, of whom 13 patients were on regimens including protease inhibitors (mean duration±SD: 19±13 months). Fifteen patients had a first episode of ST segment elevation ACS and five had non‐ST segment elevation ACS. Tobacco consumption (80%) and hypercholesterolaemia (50%) were the most frequent cardiovascular risk factors. During initial hospitalization, four patients were treated with thrombolysis, two had primary coronary angioplasty and seven had secondary coronary angioplasty. At follow up, 10 patients (50%) had had 18 cardiovascular events: one cardiovascular death, seven episodes of recurrent myocardial ischaemia in four patients, three pulmonary oedemas in two patients, and seven revascularization procedures in five patients.ConclusionsThis preliminary report highlights the risk of ACS and related complications in HIV‐infected patients and raises questions regarding the implications of antiretroviral treatment.
Lipoatrophic men 44 months after the diagnosis of lipoatrophy are less lipoatrophic but more hypertensive
Authors: Bergersen BM , Sandvik L , Ellingsen I , Bruun JN 
Published: July 2005

ObjectivesTo identify clinical factors associated with HIV‐associated lipoatrophy and to evaluate body composition changes, blood pressure and lipid levels in lipoatrophic subjects 3–4 years after the atrophy diagnosis.MethodsClinical signs of lipoatrophy were assessed in 308 ambulant HIV‐positive patients in 2000–2001. Possible clinical risk factors, such as age, gender, race, wasting, duration of HIV infection, presence or absence of AIDS diagnosis, viral load and CD4 count, and detailed information about drug treatment were analysed and explored in a multivariate model. Lipoatrophic white males with triceps skin fold <10 mm were re‐examined after 44 months. Signs of lipoatrophy and associated factors, blood pressure, lipid levels, diet and level of exercise at first and second visits were compared.ResultsIn the multivariate analysis, significant clinical risk factors for lipoatrophy were weight loss >7 kg compared to normal weight [odds ratio (OR) 3.76; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.80–7.82; P<0.001], current and/or previous use of stavudine (OR 3.72; 95% CI 1.57–8.83; P=0.003) and duration of HIV infection >80 months (OR 2.28; 95% CI 1.13–4.59; P=0.021). Forty of 47 lipoatrophic white males with skin fold<10 mm were available for re‐examination. Of these, 15 (38%) no longer fulfilled the atrophy diagnosis (P<0.001). The prevalence of arm atrophy fell from 63 to 28% (P=0.001) and facial atrophy from 55 to 43% (P=0.23). Use of stavudine for<36 months was significantly associated with lipoatrophy reversal (OR 5.00; 95% CI 1.15–21.80; P=0.032), but weight gain and increased CD4 count were not. Prevalence of hypertension increased from 28 to 50% (P=0.035), mean systolic blood pressure from 130±14 to 136±19 mmHg (P=0.021) and diastolic blood pressure from 82±10 to 87±12 mmHg (P<0.001). In spite of increased use of lipid‐lowering drugs (from two to nine patients), levels of total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides were unchanged.ConclusionsIn this study, we found that weight loss >7 kg, use of stavudine and long duration of HIV infection were significant risk factors for clinical lipoatrophy. Clinical lipoatrophy was partly reversible, and <36 months on stavudine was significantly associated with atrophy reversal. The prevalence of hypertension and the yearly increase of mean blood pressure were disturbingly high in these patients. However, the number of patients in this study was limited, and prospective studies in larger cohorts are required to confirm these findings.
Amplification of depolarization‐induced and ryanodine‐sensitive cytosolic Ca2+ elevation by synthetic carbocyclic analogs of cyclic ADP‐ribose and their antagonistic effects in NG108‐15 neuronal cells
Authors: Hashii Minako , Shuto Satoshi , Fukuoka Masayoshi , Kudoh Takashi , Matsuda Akira , Higashida Haruhiro 
Published: June 2005

AbstractWe synthesized analogs modified in the ribose unit (ribose linked to N1 of adenine) of cyclic ADP‐ribose (cADPR), a Ca2+‐mobilizing second messenger. The biological activities of these analogs were determined in NG108‐15 neuroblastoma × glioma hybrid cells that were pre‐loaded with fura‐2 acetoxymethylester and subjected to whole‐cell patch‐clamp. Application of the hydrolysis‐resistant cyclic ADP‐carbocyclic‐ribose (cADPcR) through patch pipettes potentiated elevation of the cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) at the depolarized membrane potential. The increase in [Ca2+]i evoked upon sustained membrane depolarization was significantly larger in cADPcR‐infused cells than in non‐infused cells and its degree was equivalent to or significantly greater than that induced by cADPR or β‐NAD+. 8‐chloro‐cADPcR and two inosine congeners (cyclic IDP‐carbocyclic‐ribose and 8‐bromo‐cyclic IDP‐carbocyclic‐ribose) did not induce effects similar to those of cADPcR or cADPR. Instead, 8‐chloro‐cADPcR together with cADPR or cADPcR caused inhibition of the depolarization‐induced [Ca2+]i increase as compared with either cADPR or cADPcR alone. These results demonstrated that our cADPR analogs have agonistic or antagonistic effects on the depolarization‐induced [Ca2+]i increase and suggested the presence of functional reciprocal coupling between ryanodine receptors and voltage‐activated Ca2+ channels via cADPR in mammalian neuronal cells.
The International Quotidian Dialysis Registry: Annual report 2005
Authors: Nesrallah Gihad , Garg Amit X. , Moist Louise M. , Suri Rita S. , Lindsay Robert M. 
Published: July 2005

AbstractThe International Quotidian Dialysis Registry was designed to collect data describing treatments, characteristics, and outcomes of patients treated with quotidian hemodialysis (HD) worldwide. In July 2004, North American centers were first invited to enroll patients. By March 1, 2005, a total of 70 nocturnal and 8 short‐daily HD patients from three Canadian and two US centers were enrolled. As recruitment continues, projected enrollment for 2005 may exceed 200 patients from North America alone. Preliminary analyses indicate that the current registry cohort is younger (mean age, 49.5 ± 1.6 years) and carries a lower burden of comorbidity than the overall North American HD population. The low event rate expected in this cohort underlines the need for a large sample size if an appropriately powered survival study is to be undertaken. Increasing recruitment in the United States by including HD centers owned or managed by large dialysis organizations, and beginning overseas collaborations to include Australia, New Zealand, Europe, and South America will be the primary areas of focus for 2005.