bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Sequence Polymorphisms on Performance of Two Real-Time PCR Assays for Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus
Authors: Stevenson Jeffery , Hymas Weston , Hillyard David 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACT
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is the most common cause of acquired, sporadic encephalitis in the United States. PCR identification of HSV in spinal fluid has become the diagnostic gold standard due to its sensitivity and potential for speed, replacing other methods such as culture. We developed a real-time PCR assay to detect HSV, using a new type of hybridization probe, the Eclipse probe. In this study, we ran 323 samples (171 positives and 152 negatives) with the Eclipse real-time PCR assay and compared these results with another PCR assay using gel detection. The real-time assay agreed with our reference method for 319 out of the 323 samples tested (99%). Using two different real-time PCR platforms, we discovered that SNPs within the amplicon's probe binding region that are used to distinguish HSV-1 from HSV-2 can decrease assay sensitivity. This problem is potentially a general one for assays using fluorescent probes to detect target amplification in a real-time format. While real-time PCR can be a powerful tool in the field of infectious disease, careful sequence evaluation and clinical validation are essential in creating an effective assay.
Prevalence of Pathogenicity Island II
CFT073
Genes among Extraintestinal Clinical Isolates of
Escherichia coli
Authors: Parham Nick J. , Pollard Samantha J. , Chaudhuri Roy R. , Beatson Scott A. , Desvaux Mickaël , Russell Michael A. , Ruiz Joaquim , Fivian Amanda , Vila Jordi , Henderson Ian R. 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACT

Uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
is the most common cause of urinary tract infection (UTI). Cystitis in women is by far the most common UTI; pyelonephritis in both sexes and prostatitis in men are more severe but are less frequent complaints. The ability of
E. coli
to cause UTI is associated with specific virulence determinants, some of which are encoded on pathogenicity islands (PAI). One such PAI (PAI II
CFT073
), of the prototypical uropathogenic
E. coli
strain CFT073, contains 116 open reading frames, including iron-regulated genes, carbohydrate biosynthetic genes, the serine protease autotransporter
picU
, a two-partner secretion system, a type I secretion system, mobility genes, and a large number of hypothetical genes. To determine the association of PAI II
CFT073
with UTI, PCR was used to examine the prevalence of the five virulence-associated loci among the ECOR collection and a collection of
E. coli
isolated from patients with cystitis, pyelonephritis, prostatitis, or septicemia. All PAI II
CFT073
loci were found to be more prevalent among the B2 phylogenetic group than any other group within the ECOR collection and among invasive prostatitis strains than were cystitis or pyelonephritis strains. These data support the theory that clinical isolates causing prostatitis are more virulent than those producing cystitis or pyelonephritis in women.
Real-Time PCR for Detection and Identification of
Plasmodium
spp
Authors: Mangold Kathy A. , Manson Rebecca U. , Koay Evelyn S. C. , Stephens Lindsey , Regner MaryAnn , Thomson Richard B. , Peterson Lance R. , Kaul Karen L. 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACT

Rapid and accurate detection of malaria parasites in blood is needed to institute proper therapy. We developed and used a real-time PCR assay to detect and distinguish four
Plasmodium
spp. that cause human disease by using a single amplification reaction and melting curve analysis. Consensus primers were used to amplify a species-specific region of the multicopy 18S rRNA gene, and SYBR Green was used for detection in a LightCycler instrument. Patient specimens infected at 0.01 to 0.02% parasitemia densities were detected, and analytical sensitivity was estimated to be 0.2 genome equivalent per reaction. Melting curve analysis based on nucleotide variations within the amplicons provided a basis for accurate differentiation of
Plasmodium falciparum
,
P. vivax
,
P. ovale
, and
P. malariae
. For assay validation, 358 patient blood samples from the National University Hospital in Singapore and Evanston Northwestern Healthcare in Illinois were analyzed. Of 76 blinded patient samples with a microscopic diagnosis of
P. falciparum
,
P. vivax
, or
P. ovale
infection, 74 (97.4%) were detected by real-time PCR, including three specimens containing mixed
P. falciparum
-
P. vivax
infections. No
Plasmodium
DNA was amplified in any of the 82 specimens sent for malaria testing but that were microscopically negative for
Plasmodium
infection. In addition, 200 blood samples from patients whose blood was collected for reasons other than malaria testing were also determined to be negative by real-time PCR. Real-time PCR with melting curve analysis could be a rapid and objective supplement to the examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears and may replace microscopy following further validation.
Sequencing of the
Chlamydophila psittaci ompA
Gene Reveals a New Genotype, E/B, and the Need for a Rapid Discriminatory Genotyping Method
Authors: Geens Tom , Desplanques Ann , Van Loock Marnix , Bönner Brigitte M. , Kaleta Erhard F. , Magnino Simone , Andersen Arthur A. , Everett Karin D. E. , Vanrompay Daisy 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACT

Twenty-one avian
Chlamydophila psittaci
isolates from different European countries were characterized using
ompA
restriction fragment length polymorphism,
ompA
sequencing, and major outer membrane protein serotyping. Results reveal the presence of a new genotype, E/B, in several European countries and stress the need for a discriminatory rapid genotyping method.
Distribution of IS1311and IS1245inMycobacterium aviumSubspecies Revisited
Authors: Johansen Tone Bjordal , Djønne Berit , Jensen Merete R. , Olsen Ingrid 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACTWe demonstrated that IS1245is not present inMycobacterium aviumsubsp.paratuberculosisby restriction fragment length polymorphism and that the designated three-banded bird pattern of IS1245inM. aviumsubsp.aviumconsists of one copy of IS1245and two copies of IS1311.Cross hybridization between the two elements can be avoided by using more specific probes.
Human
Cytomegalovirus
Infection of a Severe-Burn Patient: Evidence for Productive Self-Limited Viral Replication in Blood and Lung
Authors: Hamprecht Klaus , Pfau Mathias , Schaller Hans-Eberhard , Jahn Gerhard , Middeldorp Jaap M. , Rennekampff Hans-Oliver 
Published: May 2005

ABSTRACT
To date, only seroepidemiological data are available on the role of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in patients with severe burns. We present the first longitudinal analysis of disseminated HCMV infection with a demonstration of self-limited productive viral replication identified in both the blood and lung of a burn patient.
The S1P-analog FTY720 differentially modulates T-cell homing via HEV: T-cell–expressed S1P1 amplifies integrin activation in peripheral lymph nodes but not in Peyer patches
Authors: Halin Cornelia , Scimone M. Lucila , Bonasio Roberto , Gauguet Jean-Marc , Mempel Thorsten R. , Quackenbush Elizabeth , Proia Richard L. , Mandala Suzanne , von Andrian Ulrich H. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractSphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and its receptor S1P1 control T-cell egress from thymus and secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs). To further define the role of S1P1 in lymphocyte trafficking, we performed adoptive transfer experiments and intravital microscopy (IVM) using both S1P1–/– lymphocytes and recipient wild-type (WT) mice treated with FTY720, an immunosuppressant that downmodulates S1P receptors. S1P1 deficiency and FTY720 caused rapid disappearance of T cells from blood, prolonged retention in SLOs, and accumulation in bone marrow, but did not alter interstitial T-cell motility in peripheral lymph nodes (PLNs) as assessed by multiphoton IVM. However, S1P1–/– lymphocytes displayed reduced short-term homing to PLNs due to attenuated integrin-mediated firm arrest in high endothelial venules (HEVs). By contrast, S1P1–/– T cells homed normally to Peyer patches (PPs), whereas S1P1–/– B cells had a marked defect in homing to PPs and arrested poorly in PP HEVs. Therefore, S1P1 not only controls lymphocyte egress from SLOs, but also facilitates in a tissue- and subset-specific fashion integrin activation during homing. Interestingly, FTY720 treatment enhanced accumulation of both S1P1 sufficient and S1P1–/– T cells in PPs by enhancing integrin-mediated arrest in HEVs. Thus, FTY720 exerts unique effects on T-cell traffic in PPs that are independent of T-cell–expressed S1P1.
Genetic influences on peripheral blood cell counts: a study in baboons
Authors: Mahaney Michael C. , Brugnara Carlo , Lease Loren R. , Platt Orah S. 
Published: May 2005

AbstractInterperson differences in peripheral blood cell counts in healthy individuals result from genetic and environmental influences. We used multivariate genetic analyses to assess the relative impact of genes and environment on baseline blood cell counts and indices using a pedigreed colony of baboons, an animal with well-documented analogies to human blood physiology. After accounting for age, sex, and weight, we found that genetic influences explain a significant proportion of the remaining variability, ranging from a low of 13.7% for mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) to a high of 72.4% for red blood cell (RBC) number. Genes influence 38.5% of the variation in baseline white blood cell (WBC) count, a characteristic that correlates with mortality in both the general human population and clinically defined subgroups such as individuals with sickle-cell disease. We examined the interaction between pairs of traits and identified those that share common genetic influences (pleiotropy). We unexpectedly observed that the same gene or group of genes influences both WBC count and mean platelet volume (MPV). We anticipate that this approach will ultimately lead to discovery of novel insights into the biology of related traits, and ultimately identify important genes that affect hematopoiesis.
Interferon-γ promotes abortion due to Brucella infection in pregnant mice
Authors: Kim Suk , Lee Dong Soo , Watanabe Kenta , Furuoka Hidefumi , Suzuki Hiroshi , Watarai Masahisa 
Published: May 2005

Abstract
Background
The mechanisms of abortion induced by bacterial infection are largely unknown. In the present study, we investigated abortion induced by Brucella abortus, a causative agent of brucellosis and facultative intracellular pathogen, in a mouse model.

Results
High rates of abortion were observed for bacterial infection on day 4.5 of gestation, but not for other days. Regardless of whether fetuses were aborted or stayed alive, the transmission of bacteria into the fetus and bacterial replication in the placenta were observed. There was a higher degree of bacterial colonization in the placenta than in other organs and many bacteria were detected in trophoblast giant cells in the placenta. Intracellular growth-defective virB4 mutant and attenuated vaccine strain S19 did not induce abortion. In the case of abortion, around day 7.5 of gestation (period of placental development), transient induction of IFN-γ production was observed for infection by the wild type strain, but not by the virB4 mutant and S19. Neutralization of IFN-γ, whose production was induced by infection with B. abortus, served to prevent abortion.

Conclusion
These results indicate that abortion induced by B. abortus infection is a result of transient IFN-γ production during the period of placental development.
The effects of amisulpride on five dimensions of psychopathology in patients with schizophrenia: a prospective open- label study
Authors: Herrera-Estrella Miguel , Apiquian Rogelio , Fresan Ana , Sanchez-Torres Isabel 
Published: May 2005

Abstract
Background
The efficacy of antipsychotics can be evaluated using the dimensional models of schizophrenic symptoms. The D2/D3-selective antagonist amisulpride has shown similar efficacy and tolerability to other atypical antipsychotics. The aim of the present study was to determine the efficacy of amisulpride on the dimensional model of schizophrenic symptoms and tolerability in latin schizophrenic patients.

Method
Eighty schizophrenic patients were enrolled and 70 completed a prospective open-label 3-month study with amisulpride. The schizophrenic symptoms, psychosocial functioning and side-effects were evaluated with standardized scales.

Results
The patients showed significant improvement in the five dimensions evaluated. Amisulpride (median final dose 357.1 mg/d) was well-tolerated without treatment-emergent extrapyramidal side-effects.

Conclusion
Amisulpride showed efficacy on different psychopathological dimensions and was well tolerated, leading to consider this drug a first line choice for the treatment of schizophrenia.
The factor validity of the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index
Authors: Wessel Jean , Razmjou Helen , Mewa Yasmin , Holtby Richard 
Published: May 2005

Abstract

Background
The Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) is a self-report questionnaire developed specifically to evaluate disability in persons with pathology of the rotator cuff of the shoulder. The authors created items in 5 categories based on a model of quality of life, but never validated this structure. The purpose of this study was to examine the validity of the original 5-domain model of the WORC by performing factor analysis.

Methods
Three hundred twenty nine subjects (age, mean: 52, SD: 12) were tested prior to undergoing surgery for rotator cuff pathologies. They completed the WORC, a self-report questionnaire, which has 21 items on the effect of the rotator cuff problem on symptoms, activities and emotions. Statistical calculations included correlations between items, Cronbach's alpha of the total scale and subscales, and principal component factor analysis with oblique rotation.

Results
Correlations ranged from .09 to .70 between all the items, from .29 to .70 between items within a subscale, and from .53 to .72 between subscale scores. Cronbach's alpha was .93 for the total scale, and .72 to .82 for the subscales. The factor analysis produced 3 factors that explained 57% of the variance. The first factor included symptoms and emotional items, the second included strength items and the third included daily activities.

Conclusion
The results of this study did not support the 5-domain model of the WORC.
Functional expression cloning reveals a central role for the receptor for activated protein kinase C 1 (RACK1) in T cell apoptosis
Authors: Mourtada-Maarabouni Mirna , Kirkham Lucy , Farzaneh Farzin , Williams Gwyn T 
Published: May 2005

AbstractMammalian cDNA expression cloning was used to identify novel genes that regulate apoptosis. Using a functional screen, we identified a partial cDNA for the receptor for activated protein kinase C 1 (RACK1) through selection for resistance to phytohemagglutinin and γ-irradiation. Expression of this partial cDNA in T cell lines using a mammalian expression vector produced an increase in RACK1 expression and resulted in resistance to dexamethasone- and ultraviolet-induced apoptosis. Down-regulation of RACK1 using RNA interference abolished the resistance of the transfected cells to apoptosis. Overexpression of full-length RACK1 also resulted in the suppression of apoptosis mediated by several apoptotic stimuli, and this effect was quantitatively consistent with the effects of the original cDNA isolated on endogenous RACK1 levels. Together, these findings suggest that RACK1 plays an important role in the intracellular signaling pathways that lead to apoptosis in T cells.
Identification of three novel mutations in the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene associated with altered pre-mRNA splicing or protein function
Authors: Van Kuilenburg André B.P. , Meinsma Rutger , Beke Eva , Bobba Barbara , Boffi Patrizia , Enns Gregory M. , Witt David R. , Dobritzsch Doreen 
Published: April 2005

AbstractDihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in the catabolism of the pyrimidine bases uracil and thymine, as well as of the widely used chemotherapeutic drug 5-fluorouracil (5FU). Analysis of the DPD gene (DPYD) in two patients presenting with complete DPD deficiency and the parents of an affected child showed the presence of three novel mutations, including one splice site mutation IVS11+1G→T and the missense mutations 731A→C (E244V) and 1651G→A (A551T). The G→T mutation in the invariant GT splice donor site flanking exon 11 (IVS11+1G→T) created a cryptic splice site within exon 11. As a consequence, a 141-bp fragment encoding the aminoacid residues 400–446 of the primary sequence of the DPD protein was missing in the mature DPD mRNA. Analysis of the crystal structure of pig DPD suggested that the E244V mutation might interfere with the electron flow between NADPH and the pyrimidine binding site of DPD. The A551T point mutation might prevent binding of the prosthetic group FMN and affect folding of the DPD protein. The identification of these novel mutations inDPYDwill allow the identification of patients with an increased risk of developing severe 5FU-associated toxicity.
Bottle Feeding and Ideology in Colonial Malaya: The Production of Change
Authors: Manderson Lenore 
Published: May 2005

Considerable attention has been paid to the correlation between high infant morbidity and mortality rates and the increased incidence of bottle feeding. The shift from prolonged breast feeding to a mixed regime or the exclusive use of sweetened condensed milk or infant formula has been related to the promotional activities of milk companies, and typically has been presented as a relatively recent development in Third World countries. However, the marketing of tinned and powdered milk only partially explains the increased use of these products. In colonial Malaya, condensed milk was marketed from the late 19th century. Infant formula was available from the turn of the century and was widely advertised, first in the English-language press and later also in the vernacular presses. At the same time, other social and cultural factors served to discourage breast feeding. There were changes in ideas regarding ideal body weight for both women and infants, and regarding infant care and diet; these ideas were presented in the mass media. In addition, maternal and child health clinics, established in the 1920s to reduce the high infant mortality rate, both propagated popular beliefs about infant weight and supplied milk and educated women to artificially feed their infants. Industry, the media, and health services all promoted, if not always intentionally, bottle feeding rather than breast feeding. Bottle feeding as an ideal, if not a reality, was thus well established before the intensive promotion of milk products by multinational corporations that followed the political independence of the colony.
Development and Content of Socio-Technological Instructional Modules
Authors: Liao Thomas T. 
Published: May 2005

This paper reports on an NSF-supported project to develop Socio-Technological Instructional Modules for use with college students. Each module or case study focuses on a particular national socio-technological problem of current and future importance. The modules were field-tested with freshmen engineering students as well as nonengineering undergraduates and continuing education students in technology and society courses. To satisfy these audiences, each module consists of a Student Reading which provides basic background information for all students. The Instructors' Guide, besides providing suggestions for using support materials such as audio-visual materials and computer programs, contains engineering or technical extensions and sociological extensions.
Evaluation of a Bachelor's Program in Technical Communication: Results of a Questionnaire
Authors: Mc Dowell Earl E. , Schuelke L. David , Chung Chew Wah 
Published: May 2005

This is an evaluation of the undergraduate technical communication major in the Department of Rhetoric, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 1979. Three audiences received the questionnaire: technical communication graduates, potential employers, and members of the Society for Technical Communication. The questionnaire was designed to determine perceptions of technical communication courses, rank-ordering of competency areas, and listing courses that should be required for all technical communication majors. The results are reported and discussed in this article.
Adverse Reactions to Antibiotic Drugs: The Present Scope of the Problem in Outpatient Care and Possibilities for Improvement
Authors: Hemminki Elina 
Published: May 2005

This study provides estimates of the frequency of adverse reactions due to antibiotic therapy and the effectiveness of two approaches in reducing them. Calculations were made of the extent of decrease in adverse reactions if physicians prescribed the drug of choice, and if antibiotics were prescribed only when necessary. The risks of adverse reactions and the estimates of unnecessary prescribing were obtained from the published medical literature. The number of prescriptions and the diseases treated were obtained from a commercial data source (IMS America). It was estimated that on average one antibiotic prescription per inhabitant was prescribed in outpatient care, that 7.6 percent of the population had an adverse reaction due to antibiotic therapy, and that 1.4 percent had a serious reaction in 1974 in the United States. If physicians had prescribed the drug of choice, the number of adverse reactions would have been reduced by 37 percent. If antibiotics had been prescribed only when necessary, but the pattern of prescribing different antibiotics had been the same, one third of the adverse reactions would have occurred. If physicians had prescribed the drug of choice and only when necessary, about one fifth of the adverse reactions would have occurred. The actual number of avoidable adverse reactions may be larger or smaller than these estimates, but the magnitude of the effect indicates an area for concern.
Sociodemographic Predictors of Response to Antidepressant Treatment
Authors: Spillmann Maya , Borus Joseph S. , Davidson Katharine G. , Worthington John J. , Tedlow Joyce R. , Fava Maurizio 
Published: May 2005

Objective: Our goal was to assess whether sociodemographic variables such as gender, marital status, level of education, and employment status are related to the changes in social functioning that have been reported after drug treatment in outpatients with major depressive disorder. Method: Eligible subjects were 166 depressed outpatients participating in a study involving open treatment with fluoxetine 20 mg/day for eight weeks. Diagnosis of major depressive disorder was made with the use of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R-Patient Edition (SCID-P), and patients were required to have a seventeen-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D-17) score ⩾ 16 at study entry. All subjects were administered the HAM-D-17 and the Social Adjustment Scale-Self-Report (SAS-SR) before and after treatment with fluoxetine. Results: We found that SAS-SR scores decreased significantly following treatment with fluoxetine from a mean score at baseline of 2.6 ± 0.7 to a mean score at endpoint of 2.3 ± 0.6. After adjusting for the degree of change in HAM-D-17 scores, we found a significant relationship between degree of change in SAS-SR and level of education. No statistically significant relationships were observed between SAS-SR change and age, gender, marital status, and employment status. Conclusion: The degree of improvement in psychosocial functioning observed in depressed outpatients following antidepressant treatment appears to be related to the level of education at study entry, but not to other sociodemographic variables. Further studies need to investigate the nature of this relationship.