Are brucellosis, Q fever and melioidosis potential causes of febrile illness in Madagascar?

Boone, Ides,Henning, Klaus,Hilbert, Angela,Neubauer, Heinrich,von Kalckreuth, Vera,Dekker, Denise Myriam,Schwarz, Norbert Georg,Pak, Gi Deok,Krü,ger, Andreas,Hagen, Ralf Matthias,Frickmann, Hagen Elsevier 2017 Acta tropica Vol.172 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Brucellosis, Q fever and melioidosis are zoonoses, which can lead to pyrexia. These diseases are often under-ascertained and underreported because of their unspecific clinical signs and symptoms, insufficient awareness by physicians and public health officers and limited diagnostic capabilities, especially in low-resource countries. Therefore, the presence of <I>Brucella</I> spp., <I>Coxiella burnetii</I> and <I>Burkholderia pseudomallei</I> was investigated in Malagasy patients exhibiting febrile illness. In addition, we analyzed zebu cattle and their ticks as potential reservoirs for <I>Brucella</I> and <I>C. burnetii</I>, respectively. Specific quantitative real-time PCR assays (qPCRs) were performed on 1020 blood samples drawn from febrile patients. In total, 15 samples (1.5%) were <I>Brucella-</I>positive, mainly originating from patients without travel history, while DNA from <I>C. burnetii</I> and <I>Bu. pseudomallei</I> was not detected.</P> <P>Anti-<I>C. burnetii</I> antibodies were found in four out of 201 zebu serum samples (2%), whereas anti-<I>Brucella</I> antibodies could not be detected. <I>Brucella</I> DNA was detected in a single zebu sample. Three out of 330 ticks analyzed (1%) were positively tested for <I>C. burnetii</I> DNA but with high Ct values in the qPCR assay. Our data suggest that zebus as well as <I>Amblyomma</I> and <I>Boophilus</I> ticks have to be considered as a natural reservoir or vector for <I>C. burnetii</I>, but the risk of cattle-to-human transmission is low. Since bovine brucellosis does not seem to contribute to human infections in Madagascar, other transmission routes have to be assumed.</P>

Aircraft noise immission measurements with a microphone array and intensity based aperture synthesis

Rinus Boone,Merten van Gastel 한국소음진동공학회 2003 한국소음진동공학회 국제학술대회논문집 Vol.2003 No.8

International Linkages of the korean Economy: Simulations with the Korean Global Model

Peter Boone,Jong-Wha Lee,Jeffrey Sachs 서울대학교 경제연구소 1993 Seoul journal of economics Vol.6 No.4

This paper introduces a dynamic general equilibrium model of the Korean economy. The Korean economy has nine producing sectors and is linked to other blocks in the world, which consists of the U.S., Japan, Rest of the OECD, OPEC, and other economies. Some simulation results are presented to show the functioning of the Korean economy and its linkages to the world economy given internal and external policy changes.

Effects of Biotin Supplementation in the Diet on Adipose Tissue cGMP Concentrations, AMPK Activation, Lipolysis, and Serum-Free Fatty Acid Levels

Daniel Boone-Villa,Asdrubal Aguilera-Me´ndez,Adriana Miranda-Cervantes,Cristina Fernandez-Mejia 한국식품영양과학회 2015 Journal of medicinal food Vol.18 No.10

Several studies have shown that pharmacological concentrations of biotin decrease hyperlipidemia. The molecular mechanisms by which pharmacological concentrations of biotin modify lipidmetabolismare largely unknown. Adipose tissue plays a central role in lipid homeostasis. In the present study, we analyzed the effects of biotin supplementation in adipose tissue on signaling pathways and critical proteins that regulate lipid metabolism, as well as on lipolysis. In addition, we assessed serum fatty acid concentrations. Male BALB/cAnN Hsd mice were fed a control or a biotin-supplemented diet (control: 1.76mg biotin/kg; supplemented: 97.7mg biotin/kg diet) over 8 weeks postweaning. Compared with the control group, biotin-supplemented mice showed an increase in the levels of adipose guanosine 3',5'-cyclicmonophosphate (cGMP) (control: 30.3±3.27 pmol/g wet tissue; supplemented: 49.5±3.44 pmol/g wet tissue) and of phosphorylated forms of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK; 65.2%±1.06%), acetyl-coenzyme A (CoA), carboxylase-1 (196%±68%), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase-2 (78.1%±18%). Serum fatty acid concentrations were decreased (control: 1.12±0.04mM; supplemented: 0.91±0.03 mM), and no change in lipolysis was found (control: 0.29±0.05 μmol/mL; supplemented: 0.33–0.08 μmol/mL). In conclusion, 8 weeks of dietary biotin supplementation increased adipose tissue cGMP content and protein expression of the active form of AMPK and of the inactive forms of acetyl-CoA carboxylase-1 and acetyl-CoA carboxylase-2. Serum fatty acid levels fell, and no change in lipolysis was observed. These findings provide insight into the effects of biotin supplementation on adipose tissue and support its use in the treatment of dyslipidemia.

New insights into cervical cancer screening

Jonathan D. Boone,Britt K. Erickson,Warner K. Huh 대한부인종양학회 2012 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.23 No.4

Worldwide, cervical cancer is a leading cause of cancer related morbidity and mortality. For over 50 years, cervical cytology has been the gold standard for cervical cancer screening. Because of its profound effect on cervical cancer mortality in nations that have adopted screening programs, the Pap smear is widely accepted as the model screening test. Since its introduction, many studies have analyzed the Pap smear and found that it is not without its shortcomings including low sensitivity for detection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2/3. Additionally, the discovery of infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) as a necessary step in the development of cervical cancer has led to the development of HPV testing as an adjunct to cytology screening. More recently, researchers have compared HPV testing and cytology in the primary screening of cervical cancer. In this review, we will discuss cytologic testing limitations, the role of HPV DNA testing as an alternative screening tool, the impact of the HPV vaccine on screening, and future directions in cervical cancer screening.

BOOK REVIEW

Niklaus Jung,Virginia Boone(서평자) 인하대학교 정석물류통상연구원 2004 JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LOGISTICS AND TRADE Vol.1 No.2

Data-Driven Machine-Learning Quantifies Differences in the Voiding Initiation Network in Neurogenic Voiding Dysfunction in Women With Multiple Sclerosis

Christof Karmonik,Timothy Boone,Rose Khavari 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2019 International Neurourology Journal Vol.23 No.3

Purpose: To quantify the relative importance of brain regions responsible for reduced functional connectivity (FC) in their Voiding Initiation Network in female multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD) and voiding dysfunction (VD). A data-driven machine-learning approach is utilized for quantification. Methods: Twenty-seven ambulatory female patients with MS and NLUTD (group 1: voiders, n=15 and group 2: VD, n=12) participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) voiding study. Brain activity was recorded by fMRI with simultaneous urodynamic testing. The Voiding Initiation Network was identified from averaged fMRI activation maps. Four machine-learning algorithms were employed to optimize the area under curve (AUC) of the receiver-operating characteristic curve. The optimal model was used to identify the relative importance of relevant brain regions. Results: The Voiding Initiation Network exhibited stronger FC for voiders in frontal regions and stronger disassociation in cerebellar regions. Highest AUC values were obtained with ‘random forests’ (0.86) and ‘partial least squares’ algorithms (0.89). While brain regions with highest relative importance (>75%) included superior, middle, inferior frontal and cingulate regions, relative importance was larger than 60% for 186 of the 227 brain regions of the Voiding Initiation Network, indicating a global effect. Conclusions: Voiders and VD patients showed distinctly different FC in their Voiding Initiation Network. Machine-learning is able to identify brain centers contributing to these observed differences. Knowledge of these centers and their connectivity may allow phenotyping patients to centrally focused treatments such as cortical modulation.

Net-Step Exercise가 노인의 보행기능, 우울, 인지기능 및 일상생활 수행능력에 미치는 영향

이은자(Lee, Eun Ja),유재분(Yoo, Jae Boone) 한국재활간호학회 2016 재활간호학회지 Vol.19 No.2

Voiding Dysfunction in Old Male Rats Associated With Enlarged Prostate and Irregular Afferent-Triggered Reflex Responses

Chuan Zhang,Xuhong Li,Timothy B. Boone,Yolanda Cruz,Yingchun Zhang,Alvaro Munoz 대한배뇨장애요실금학회 2020 International Neurourology Journal Vol.24 No.3

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the hypothesis that an enlarged prostate in old rats may lead to complications associated with voiding dysfunction involving ionotropic P2X2/3-type purinergic receptors Methods: Intact animals were divided into male young (MYR; 8–10 weeks old) and male old (MOR; 20 months old) rats. The animals underwent simultaneous detrusor electromyography (EMG) and suprapubic cystometry (CMG) under urethane anesthesia. Immunofluorescence techniques were used to evaluate prostatic autonomic innervation and P2X3R expression in bladder urothelial cells. The functional role of P2X3R was characterized by intramuscular application of AF-353, a selective P2X2/3R antagonist. Results: The prostate index significantly increased in MOR, suggestive of an enlarged prostate affecting micturition patterns. Significant EMG and CMG differences were found between MYR and MOR. Higher immunoreactivity for P2X2/3R in the urothelial layer and for prostatic neurofilaments was seen in MOR. Systemic inhibition of P2X2/3R had minimal effects on MYR responsiveness, but improved voiding function in MOR with a marked decrease of intravesical pressure and bladder contractile responses. Conclusions: The data support the hypothesis that an enlarged prostate in MOR may contribute to voiding dysfunction involving activation of P2X2/3R, which enhances a prostate-bladder reflex. This reflex may increase bladder afferent transmission and activation of increased prostate innervation, leading to voiding dysfunction.

Effects of Panax ginseng, zearalenol, and estradiol on sperm function

Gray, Sandra L.,Lackey, Brett R.,Boone, William R. The Korean Society of Ginseng 2016 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.40 No.3

Background: Estrogen signaling pathways are modulated by exogenous factors. Panax ginseng exerts multiple activities in biological systems and is classified as an adaptogen. Zearalenol is a potent mycoestrogen that may be present in herbs and crops arising from contamination or endophytic association. The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of P. ginseng, zearalenol and estradiol in tests on spermatozoal function. Methods: The affinity of these compounds for estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha and beta ($ER{\alpha}$ and $ER{\beta}$)-was assessed in receptor binding assays. Functional tests on boar spermatozoa motility, movement and kinematic parameters were conducted using a computer-assisted sperm analyzer. Tests for capacitation, acrosome reaction (AR), and chromatin decondensation in spermatozoa were performed using microscopic analysis. Results: Zearalenol-but not estradiol ($E_2$)- or ginseng-treated spermatozoa-decreased the percentage of overall, progressive, and rapid motile cells. Zearalenol also decreased spontaneous AR and increased chromatin decondensation. Ginseng decreased chromatin decondensation in response to calcium ionophore and decreased AR in response to progesterone ($P_4$) and ionophore. Conclusion: Zearalenol has adverse effects on sperm motility and function by targeting multiple signaling cascades, including $P_4$, $E_2$, and calcium pathways. Ginseng protects against chromatin damage and thus may be beneficial to reproductive fitness.