bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased Risk of Death among Uninsured Neonates
Authors: Morriss Frank H.
Published: February 2013

Objective

To estimate the contribution of health insurance status to the risk of death among hospitalized neonates.

Data Sources

Kids' Inpatient Databases (KID) for 2003, 2006, and 2009.

Study Design

KID 2006 subpopulation of neonatal discharges was analyzed by weighted frequency distribution and multivariable logistic regression analyses for the outcome of death, adjusted for insurance status and other variables. Multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted for the outcomes mean adjusted length of stay and hospital charges. The death analysis was repeated with KID 2003 and 2009.

Principal Findings

Of 4,318,121 estimated discharges in 2006, 5.4 percent were uninsured. There were 17,892 deaths; 9.5 percent were uninsured. The largest risks of death were five clinical conditions with adjusted odds ratios (AOR) of 13.7–3.1. Lack of insurance had an AOR of 2.6 (95 percent CI: 2.4, 2.8), greater than many clinical conditions; AOR estimates in alternate models were 2.1–2.7. Compared with insureds, uninsureds were less likely to have been admitted in transfer, more likely to have died in rural hospitals and to have received fewer resources. Similar death outcome results were observed for 2003 and 2009.

Conclusions

Uninsured neonates had decreased care and increased risk of dying.
Forensic Considerations for Preprocessing Effects on Clinical MDCT Scans
Authors: Wade Andrew D. , Conlogue Gerald J.
Published: February 2013

Manipulation of digital photographs destined for medico‐legal inquiry must be thoroughly documented and presented with explanation of any manipulations. Unlike digital photography, computed tomography (CT) data must pass through an additional step before viewing. Reconstruction of raw data involves reconstruction algorithms to preprocess the raw information into display data. Preprocessing of raw data, although it occurs at the source, alters the images and must be accounted for in the same way as postprocessing. Repeated CT scans of a gunshot wound phantom were made using the Toshiba Aquilion 64‐slice multidetector CT scanner. The appearance of fragments, high‐density inclusion artifacts, and soft tissue were assessed. Preprocessing with different algorithms results in substantial differences in image output. It is important to appreciate that preprocessing affects the image, that it does so differently in the presence of high‐density inclusions, and that preprocessing algorithms and scanning parameters may be used to overcome the resulting artifacts.
The Lateral Angle Revisited: A Validation Study of the Reliability of the Lateral Angle Method for Sex Determination Using Computed Tomography (CT),
Authors: Morgan Jennifer , Lynnerup Niels , Hoppa Robert D.
Published: February 2013

This article presents the results of a validation study of a previously published method of sex determination from the temporal bone. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the lateral angle method for the internal acoustic canal for accurately determining the sex of human skeletal remains using measurements taken from computed tomography (CT) scans. Previous reports have observed that the lateral angle size in females is significantly larger than in males. The method was applied to an independent series of 77 postmortem CT scans (42 males, 35 females) to validate its accuracy and reliability. The mean lateral angle of the internal acoustic canal was found to be larger in females (46.5°) than in males (43.4°). However, the difference was not statistically significant and the sex differences reported in previous studies were not substantiated. In light of the observed results, the lateral angle method appears to be of minimal practical use in forensic anthropology and archeology.
Using the theory of planned behaviour and self‐identity to explain chlamydia testing intentions in young people living in deprived areas
Authors: Booth Amy R. , Norman Paul , Harris Peter R. , Goyder Elizabeth
Published: February 2013

Objectives

The study sought to (1) explain intentions to get tested for chlamydia regularly in a group of young people living in deprived areas using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB); and (2) test whether self‐identity explained additional variance in testing intentions.

Design

A cross‐sectional design was used for this study.

Methods

Participants (N = 278, 53% male;M = 17.05 years) living in deprived areas of aUKcity were recruited from a vocational education setting. Participants completed a self‐administered questionnaire, including measures of attitude, injunctive subjective norm, descriptive norm, perceived behavioural control, self‐identity, intention and past behaviour in relation to getting tested for chlamydia regularly.

Results

TheTPBexplained 43% of the variance in chlamydia testing intentions with all variables emerging as significant predictors. However, self‐identity explained additional variance in intentions (ΔR2 = .22) and emerged as the strongest predictor, even when controlling for past behaviour.

Conclusions

The study identified the key determinants of intention to get tested for chlamydia regularly in a sample of young people living in areas of increased deprivation: a hard‐to‐reach, high‐risk population. The findings indicate the key variables to target in interventions to promote motivation to get tested for chlamydia regularly in equivalent samples, amongst which self‐identity is critical.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?Young people living in deprived areas have been identified as an at‐risk group for chlamydia. Qualitative research has identified several themes in relation to factors affecting the uptake of chlamydia testing, which fit well with the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Identity concerns have also been identified as playing an important part in young people's chlamydia testing decisions.

What does this study add?

TPBexplained 43% of the variance in chlamydia testing intentions and all variables were significant predictors.

Self‐identity explained additional 22% of the variance in intentions and emerged as the strongest predictor.

Indicates key variables to target in interventions to promote regular chlamydia testing in deprived young people.
Design and Evaluation of 4‐Aminophenol and Salicylate Derivatives as Free‐Radical Scavenger
Authors: Borges Rosivaldo S. , Pereira Glaécia A. N. , Vale Joyce K. L. , França Luiz C. S. , Monteiro Marta C. , Alves Cláudio N. , da Silva Albérico B. F.
Published: February 2013

This theoretical and experimental study describes the design and evaluation of the free‐radical scavenging effect for the molecular association of 4‐aminophenol and salicylate derivatives. For this purpose, we employed theoretical methods for the selection of antioxidant drugs and the rapid methods of evaluation: the 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl radical and the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the lipid peroxidation initiated by Fe2+ and ascorbic acid in human erythrocytes. The associate derivatives exhibited a more potent inhibition than the salicylic acid, while the benzoyl compound exhibited a more potent inhibition than paracetamol. The molecular parameters related to the electron distribution and structure (ionization potential and energy of the highest occupied molecular orbital) correlated very well with the antioxidant action of the compounds studied here in different tests.
Solution Structure and In Silico Binding of a Cyclic Peptide with Hepatitis B Surface Antigen
Authors: Muhamad Azira , Ho Kok Lian , A. Rahman Mohd. Basyaruddin , Uhrín Dušan , Tan Wen Siang
Published: February 2013

A specific ligand targeting the immunodominant region of hepatitis B virus is desired in neutralizing the infectivity of the virus. In a previous study, a disulfide constrained cyclic peptide cyclo S1,S9 Cys‐Glu‐Thr‐Gly‐Ala‐Lys‐Pro‐His‐Cys (S1, S9‐cyclo‐CETGAKPHC) was isolated from a phage displayed cyclic peptide library using an affinity selection method against hepatitis B surface antigen. The cyclic peptide binds tightly to hepatitis B surface antigen with a relative dissociation constant (KDrel) of 2.9 nm. The binding site of the peptide was located at the immunodominant region on hepatitis B surface antigen. Consequently, this study was aimed to elucidate the structure of the cyclic peptide and its interaction with hepatitis B surface antigen in silico. The solution structure of this cyclic peptide was solved using 1H, 13C, and 15N NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations with NMR‐derived distance and torsion angle restraints. The cyclic peptide adopted two distinct conformations due to the isomerization of the Pro residue with one structured region in the ETGA sequence. Docking studies of the peptide ensemble with a model structure of hepatitis B surface antigen revealed that the cyclic peptide can potentially be developed as a therapeutic drug that inhibits the virus–host interactions.
Population genetics suggest that multiple invasion processes need to be addressed in the management plan of a plant disease vector
Authors: Anderson Kylie L. , Congdon Bradley C.
Published: February 2013

The use of a multidisciplinary approach is becoming increasingly important when developing management strategies that mitigate the economic and biological costs associated with invasive pests. A framework of simulated dispersal is combined with life‐history information and analyses of population genetic structure to investigate the invasion dynamics of a plant disease vector, the island sugarcane planthopper (Eumetopina flavipes), through an archipelago of significant Australian quarantine concern. Analysis of eight microsatellite loci from 648 individuals suggests that frequent, wind‐assisted immigration from multiple sources in Papua New Guinea contributes significantly to repeated colonization of far northern islands. However, intermittent wind‐assisted immigration better explains patterns of genetic diversity and structure in the southern islands and on the tip of mainland Australia. Significant population structuring associated with the presence of clusters of highly related individuals results from breeding in‐situ following colonization, with little postestablishment movement. Results also suggest that less important secondary movements occur between islands; these appear to be human mediated and restricted by quarantine zones. Control of the planthopper may be very difficult on islands close to Papua New Guinea given the apparent propensity for multiple invasion, but may be achievable further south where local populations appear highly independent and isolated.
A bioenergetic assessment of the influence of stocking practices on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) growth and consumption in a New Zealand lake
Authors: BLAIR JENNIFER M. , HICKS BRENDAN J. , PITKETHLEY ROBERT J. , LING NICHOLAS , OSTROVSKY ILIA , ROWE DAVID K.
Published: February 2013

Summary 

 To investigate the carrying capacity and factors affecting growth of rainbow trout in Lake Rotoiti, we employed a bioenergetics model to assess the influence of stocking rates, timing of releases and prey abundance on growth and prey consumption. We hypothesised that stocking rates and prey abundance would affect growth and prey consumption by influencing per‐capita prey availability, and that the environmental conditions encountered by fish at the time of stocking would affect growth and consumption.

 Prey consumption of stocked rainbow trout was calculated with the Wisconsin bioenergetics model. We calculated growth trajectories of released trout based on data from stocked trout that were released in spring and autumn from 1993 to 2009 and then re‐captured by anglers. Diet, prey energy density, body mass lost during spawning and lake temperature were measured locally.

 Stocking timing had no effect on return rates to anglers or length or weight of caught fish. Although trout released in autumn were smaller than those released in spring, autumn‐released trout grew at a faster rate and had similar lengths and weights to spring cohorts after 2 years of growth in the lake. Modelled consumption parameters were negatively correlated with trout population size, suggesting that stocking rates (347–809 fish ha−1 year−1) caused density‐dependent effects on growth. Although common smelt (Retropinna retropinna) accounted for 85% of total prey consumption, no significant relationship was found between prey consumption by individual trout and adult smelt abundance, possibly because trout are targeting smaller smelt that our abundance estimate did not account for.

 Releasing trout in autumn appears to be advantageous for growth, possibly because (i) temperature is more suitable for growth in autumn–winter than in spring–summer and (ii) prey for small trout is abundant in autumn. Mild winter conditions appear to enhance overwinter survival and growth of rainbow trout in warm‐temperate lakes compared to higher latitudes. This implies that moderately productive warm‐temperate lake ecosystems are highly suitable for trout growth in winter, but less so in summer, when lake stratification and high nutrient levels may create conditions suitable for algal blooms and hypolimnetic deoxygenation. High growth rates of trout in warm‐temperate lakes can therefore be supported by timing releases to coincide with favourable winter conditions.
Genetic variation in FKBP5 associated with the extent of stress hormone dysregulation in major depression
Authors: Menke A. , Klengel T. , Rubel J. , Brückl T. , Pfister H. , Lucae S. , Uhr M. , Holsboer F. , Binder E. B.
Published: February 2013

The FK506 binding protein 51 or FKBP5 has been implicated in the regulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) sensitivity, and genetic variants in this gene have been associated with mood and anxiety disorders. GR resistance and associated stress hormone dysregulation are among the most robust biological findings in major depression, the extent of which may be moderated by FKBP5 polymorphisms. FKBP5 mRNA expression in peripheral blood cells (baseline and following in vivo GR stimulation with 1.5 mg dexamethasone p.o.) was analyzed together with plasma cortisol, ACTH, dexamethasone levels and the FKBP5 polymorphism rs1360780 in 68 depressed patients and 87 healthy controls. We observed a significant (P = 0.02) interaction between disease status and FKBP5 risk allele carrier status (minor allele T) on GR‐stimulated FKBP5 mRNA expression. Patients carrying the risk T allele, but not the CC genotype, showed a reduced induction of FKBP5 mRNA. This FKBP5 polymorphism by disease status interaction was paralleled by the extent of plasma cortisol and ACTH suppression following dexamethasone administration, with a reduced suppression only observed in depressed patients carrying the T allele. Only depressed patients carrying the FKBP5 rs1360780 risk allele showed significant GR resistance compared with healthy controls, as measured by dexamethasone‐induced FKBP5 mRNA induction in peripheral blood cells and suppression of plasma cortisol and ACTH concentrations. This finding suggests that endocrine alterations in depressed patients are determined by genetic variants and may allow identification of specific subgroups.
Potassium dynamics of four grassland soils contrasting in soil K management history
Authors: Moir Jim , Seidel Meike , Kayser Manfred
Published: February 2013

Potassium (K) management is important in grassland systems, especially in dairy farming. The interactions of K with other nutrients, such as magnesium (Mg), and enhanced K levels themselves can have impacts on metabolic health issues of dairy cattle, yields and product quality. A deeper understanding of K dynamics is necessary for sustainable management. We used four sandy soils of similar genesis but from fields contrasting in farm K management histories (>15 years) and combined these with different levels of mineral K fertilization in a 5‐month glasshouse pot trial with Italian ryegrass (four cuts). The initial plant available soil K status (calcium–acetate–lactate extraction: KCAL) was 18, 93, 168 and 295 mg K kg−1 for low (organic), medium (organic), high (conventional) and very high (conventional) input farming systems, respectively. A mass balance approach was used to examine soil K history and treatment K fertilizer effects on soil and plant K. Potassium concentrations in shoots were high, except for the low K input soil under the 0 K fertilizer treatment, and were influenced by initial soil K and high K input. Soil K release values reflected K management history, whereby soils with higher historical K inputs released more K, and the organically managed low input soil had very limited K release and reserves. KHCl was found to be a strong (R2 = 0.87) and useful indicator of potential and available soil K deliveries from these sandy soils. This study has confirmed that both long‐term K management history and current K fertilizer practice have strong effects on K and Mg dynamics in the soil–plant system.
Diphtheria: forgotten, but not gone
Authors: Adler N. R. , Mahony A. , Friedman N. D.
Published: February 2013

Diphtheria is an acute, highly infectious, vaccine‐preventable and previously endemic disease whose etiologic agent is Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Diphtheria may manifest as an upper respiratory tract infection, a cutaneous infection or as an asymptomatic carrier state. The most common sites of infection are the pharynx and the tonsils, with common clinical manifestations that include sore throat, malaise, cervical lymphadenopathy and low‐grade fever. Absorption and dissemination of C. diphtheriae from the respiratory tract can cause disseminated infection and may lead to cardiac or neurological toxicity. The cornerstone of treatment for diphtheria is diphtheria antitoxin. Early treatment is critical as the degree of protection is inversely proportional to the duration of the illness before its administration. Routine childhood vaccination virtually eliminated diphtheria in most industrialised countries. However, in the pre‐vaccination era, diphtheria was the most common infectious cause of death in Australia. A case of diphtheria in Brisbane in April 2011 and two recent positive cultures in regional Victoria underscore the need for heightened awareness of C. diphtheriae as an important pathogen. In order to prevent the re‐emergence of diphtheria in Australia, public health measures are required to increase immunity in early school leavers and the adult population, and to ensure that travellers to endemic regions are fully immunised. Health policy‐makers and clinicians alike should not underestimate the importance of primary vaccination and booster vaccination against diphtheria among healthy adults and travellers.
Investigation of the role of opsin gene polymorphism in generalized progressive retinal atrophies in dogs
Authors: Gould D J , Petersen‐Jones S M , Sohal A , Barnett K C , Sargan D R
Published: February 2013

The generalized progressive retinal atrophies (gPRAs) form a group of retinal degenerations of pedigree dogs and cats, which have a variety of genetic origins (mostly unknown). We have examined the opsin gene for polymorphisms in several breeds of pedigree dog suffering from distinct forms of gPRA, by methods including single‐strand conformation polymorphism analysis, microsatellite analysis and direct sequencing. The breeds examined included the Tibetan terrier, the miniature schnauzer, the Irish setter, the miniature poodle, the Labrador retriever and the English cocker spaniel, as well as individuals from breeds in which PRA has not been described and of mixed breed. Individuals from each of the named breeds suffering from PRA were compared with clinically normal dogs. Two polymorphisms were found. One, segregating within the Tibetan terrier population, but not seen in other breeds, was a synonymous transition at nucleotide position 780 in exon 3. Inheritance of this polymorphism suggests that opsin is unlikely to contain mutations causative of gPRA in this breed. The other polymorphism occurred between all miniature schnauzers examined and dogs of other breeds. It consisted of a single base insertion in intron 2. No polymorphisms in the opsin sequence were detected in any other breed. DNA sequencing allowed rigorous exclusion of mutations in opsin as a cause of gPRA in miniature poodles, English cocker spaniels or Labrador retrievers.
Usage‐Based Language: Investigating the Latent Structures That Underpin Acquisition
Authors: Ellis Nick C. , O'Donnell Matthew Brook , Römer Ute
Published: February 2013

Each of us as language learners had different language experiences, yet somehow we have converged upon broadly the same language system. From diverse, often noisy samples, we have attained similar linguistic competence. How so? What mechanisms channel language acquisition? Could our linguistic commonalities possibly have converged from our shared psychology of learning as applied to the evidence of similar‐enough language experience? This article outlines a research program to investigate whether there are sufficient constraints in the dynamics of language to promote robust induction by means of statistical learning over limited samples. It illustrates the approach with regard to English verbs, their grammatical form, semantics, and Zipfian patterns of usage. It explores the emergence of structure from experience using methods from cognitive linguistics, corpus linguistics, learning theory, complex systems, and network science.
Developing L2 Pragmatics
Authors: Bardovi‐Harlig Kathleen
Published: February 2013

This article positions research on the acquisition of pragmatics as an inquiry in the greater field of second language acquisition research. Viewing pragmatics from this intersection, I consider five areas of research that are of interest in both fields and have the potential to make significant contributions to second language pragmatics research. They are: the design and evaluation of pragmatics tasks as simulations of conversation; task design for the study of implicit and explicit knowledge; the measurement of pragmatic development; the interface of the development of grammar and lexicon with pragmatics; and the effect of environment on pragmatic development.
Capturing the Diversity in Lexical Diversity
Authors: Jarvis Scott
Published: February 2013

The range, variety, or diversity of words found in learners’ language use is believed to reflect the complexity of their vocabulary knowledge as well as the level of their language proficiency. Many indices of lexical diversity have been proposed, most of which involve statistical relationships between types and tokens, and which ultimately reflect the rate of word repetition. These indices have generally been validated in accordance with how well they overcome sample‐size effects and/or how well they predict language knowledge or behavior, rather than in accordance with how well they actually measure the construct of lexical diversity. In this article, I review developments that have taken place in lexical diversity research, and also describe obstacles that have prevented it from advancing further. I compare these developments with parallel research on biodiversity in the field of ecology, and show what language researchers can learn from ecology regarding the modeling and measurement of diversity as a multidimensional construct of compositional complexity.
Transfer of Learning Transformed
Authors: Larsen‐Freeman Diane
Published: February 2013

Instruction is motivated by the assumption that students can transfer their learning, or apply what they have learned in school to another setting. A common problem arises when the expected transfer does not take place, what has been referred to as the inert knowledge problem. More than an academic inconvenience, the failure to transfer is a major problem, exacting individual and social costs. In this article, I trace the evolution of research on the transfer of learning, in general, and on language learning, in particular. Then, a different view of learning transfer is advanced. Rather than learners being seen to “export” what they have learned from one situation to the next, it is proposed that learnerstransformtheir learning. The article concludes by offering some suggestions for how to mitigate the inert knowledge problem from this perspective.
Societal Responses to Adult Difficulties in L2 Acquisition: Toward an Evolutionary Perspective on Language Acquisition
Authors: Schumann John H.
Published: February 2013

It is generally accepted that second language (L2) acquisition becomes more difficult as one grows older and that success in adult L2 acquisition is highly variable. Nevertheless, humans in language contact situations have to cope with intergroup communication. This article examines the ways society has responded to this challenge. It describes eleven strategies or workarounds that humans use to deal with this problem: developing lingua francas, forming Sprachbunds, practicing exogenous marriage, undergoing language shift, learning the target language imperfectly, developing a pidgin or creole, shifting the learning burden to children, relying on individual differences in aptitude among learners, developing the art and practice of translation, developing machine translation technology, and providing instruction. The eleven strategies can be understood as involving four broad societal responses to the burden of SLA: to simplify the learning task, to create a simpler language, to leave it to a special set of learners, and to provide special training. Finally, the article offers some speculations about the evolutionary reasons for the difficulties experienced in adult L2 acquisition.
Elatostema planinerve and E. longicuspe spp. nov. (Urticaceae) from Guizhou Province, China
Authors: Wen Fang , Fu Long‐Fei , Wei Yi‐Gang , Wang Wen‐Tsai
Published: February 2013

Two new species, Elatostema planinerve W. T. Wang & Y. G. Wei sp. nov. and E. longicuspe W. T. Wang & Y. G. Wei sp. nov. are described and illustrated from the Guizhou province, China. The former resembles E. bracteosum but differs in leaves, pistillate bracts and pistillate bracteoles; the latter is similar to E. tenuicornutum, but differs in stem surface, leaf shape, venation, cystoliths, staminate inflorescence bracts, bracteolate and staminate flowers.
Incorporating Household Gathering and Mode Decisions in Large‐Scale No‐Notice Evacuation Modeling
Authors: Liu Sirui , Murray‐Tuite Pamela , Schweitzer Lisa
Published: February 2013

Household members tend to evacuate as a unit. However, most engineering‐based evacuation models treat evacuees as independent and separate entities, and overlook the interactions among household members during an evacuation (i.e., gathering children/spouses or uniting with other family members at home). The omission of these behaviors leads to imprecise modeling of evacuation situations. Additionally, transportation mode choice in a no‐notice evacuation has been seldom investigated. We present a framework to incorporate both household‐gathering behavior and mode choice in an emergency into an evacuation model to examine the effects of these two issues on evacuation efficiency and network performance. The framework was tested in the Chicago metropolitan region for two hypothetical incidents with evacuation radii 5 and 25 miles. Models that omit gathering behavior yield dangerously optimistic evacuation times and network congestion levels compared to models that include family interactions. These optimistic estimates are significant for a large‐scale evacuation—the reduction in the number of evacuees who can reach safe zones in a certain time threshold is nearly 50% between the gathering and no‐gathering models. Gathering behavior could also cause distinct effects on network performance for inner and outer areas, the break point of which may be where severe bottlenecks are located. In this study, average travel speed increases on the overall network within 15 miles of the incident location (where downtown Chicago is located), but decreases outside the 15‐mile radius. These results would be completely overlooked without incorporating the gathering behavior yet are critical for evacuation management.
Distinct and conserved transcriptomic changes during nematode‐induced giant cell development in tomato compared with Arabidopsis: a functional role for gene repression
Authors: Portillo Mary , Cabrera Javier , Lindsey Keith , Topping Jen , Andrés Maria Fe , Emiliozzi Mariana , Oliveros Juan C. , García‐Casado Gloria , Solano Roberto , Koltai Hinanit , Resnick Nathalie , Fenoll Carmen , Escobar Carolina
Published: February 2013

Root‐knot nematodes (RKNs) induce giant cells (GCs) from root vascular cells inside the galls. Accompanying molecular changes as a function of infection time and across different species, and their functional impact, are still poorly understood. Thus, the transcriptomes of tomato galls and laser capture microdissected (LCM)GCs over the course of parasitism were compared with those of Arabidopsis, and functional analysis of a repressed gene was performed.

Microarray hybridization withRNAfrom galls andLCM GCs, infection–reproduction tests and quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) transcriptional profiles in susceptible and resistant (Mi‐1) lines were performed in tomato.

TomatoGC‐induced genes include some possibly contributing to the epigenetic control ofGCidentity.GC‐repressed genes are conserved between tomato and Arabidopsis, notably those involved in lignin deposition. However, genes related to the regulation of gene expression diverge, suggesting that diverse transcriptional regulators mediate common responses leading toGCformation in different plant species.TPX1, a cell wall peroxidase specifically involved in lignification, was strongly repressed inGCs/galls, but induced in a nearly isogenicMi‐1resistant line on nematode infection.TPX1 overexpression in susceptible plants hindered nematode reproduction andGCexpansion.

Time‐course and cross‐species comparisons of gall andGCtranscriptomes provide novel insights pointing to the relevance of gene repression duringRKNestablishment.
The dispensable chromosome of Leptosphaeria maculans shelters an effector gene conferring avirulence towards Brassica rapa
Authors: Balesdent Marie‐Hélène , Fudal Isabelle , Ollivier Bénédicte , Bally Pascal , Grandaubert Jonathan , Eber Frédérique , Chèvre Anne‐Marie , Leflon Martine , Rouxel Thierry
Published: February 2013

Phytopathogenic fungi frequently contain dispensable chromosomes, some of which contribute to host range or pathogenicity. In Leptosphaeria maculans, the stem canker agent of oilseed rape (Brassica napus), the minichromosome was previously suggested to be dispensable, without evidence for any role in pathogenicity.

Using genetic and genomic approaches, we investigated the inheritance and molecular determinant of an L. maculans–Brassica rapa incompatible interaction.

Single gene control of the resistance was found, while all markers located on the L. maculans minichromosome, absent in the virulent parental isolate, co‐segregated with the avirulent phenotype. Only one candidate avirulence gene was identified on the minichromosome, validated by complementation experiments and termed AvrLm11. The minichromosome was frequently lost following meiosis, but the frequency of isolates lacking it remained stable in field populations sampled at a 10‐yr time interval, despite a yearly sexual stage in the L. maculans life cycle.

This work led to the cloning of a new ‘lost in the middle of nowhere’ avirulence gene of L. maculans, interacting with a B. rapa resistance gene termed Rlm11 and introgressed into B. napus. It demonstrated the dispensability of the L. maculans minichromosome and suggested that its loss generates a fitness deficit.
Melamine-Induced Renal Toxicity Is Mediated by the Gut Microbiota
Authors: Zheng Xiaojiao , Zhao Aihua , Xie Guoxiang , Chi Yi , Zhao Linjing , Li Houkai , Wang Congrong , Bao Yuqian , Jia Weiping , Luther Mike , Su Mingming , Nicholson Jeremy K. , Jia Wei
Published: February 2013

Melamine is converted to cyanuric acid by the gut microbe
Klebsiella
, leading to melamine-cyanurate-urate coprecipitation that is associated with nephrotoxicity.
The Early Bird Gets the Virus
Authors: Barnabas Ruanne V.
Published: February 2013

HIV-positive persons treated soon after infection have a greater chance of retaining functional immune cells.
Proteolysis of
mecA
Repressor Is Essential for Expression of Methicillin Resistance by Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Arêde Pedro , Oliveira Duarte C.
Published: February 2013

Recently, we have demonstrated that the cognate regulatory locus of the
mecA
gene in methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is in fact a three-component system containing the novel
mecR2
gene coding for an antirepressor. MecR2 interacts with the repressor MecI, disturbing its binding to the
mecA
promoter and fostering its proteolysis. Here, we engineered a point mutation in the putative cleavage site of MecI and demonstrated that MecI proteolysis is strictly required for the optimal expression of β-lactam resistance.
Comparative Population Analysis of Klebsiella pneumoniae Strains with Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases Colonizing Patients in Rehabilitation Centers in Four Countries
Authors: Baraniak A. , Izdebski R. , Fiett J. , Sadowy E. , Adler A. , Kazma M. , Salomon J. , Lawrence C. , Rossini A. , Salvia A. , Vidal Samso J. , Fierro J. , Paul M. , Lerman Y. , Malhotra-Kumar S. , Lammens C. , Goossens H. , Hryniewicz W. , Brun-Buisson C. , Carmeli Y. , Gniadkowski M.
Published: February 2013

The international project MOSAR was conducted in five rehabilitation centers; patients were screened for rectal carriage of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing members of the
Enterobacteriaceae
. Among 229
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolates, four clonal groups (CG) or complexes (CC) prevailed: CG17 in France, CG101 in Italy, CG15 in Spain, and CC147 in Israel. ESBLs, mainly CTX-Ms, were produced by 226 isolates; three isolates expressed AmpC-like cephalosporinases. High genetic diversity of
K. pneumoniae
populations was observed, with specific characteristics at each center.
Honeybees and Tetracycline Resistance
Authors: Levy Stuart B. , Marshall Bonnie M.
Published: February 2013

Like animals and people, insects can serve as both collectors and disseminators of antibiotic resistance genes, as exquisitely demonstrated by a recent study (B. Tian, N. H. Fadhil, J. E. Powell, W. K. Kwong, and N. A. Moran, mBio 3[6]:e00377-12, doi:10.1128/mBio.00377-12, 2012). Notably, the relatively confined ecosystem of the honeybee gut demonstrates a large propensity for harboring a diverse set of tetracycline resistance genes that reveal the environmental burden resulting from the long-time selective pressures of tetracycline use in the honeybee industry. As in humans and animals, these genes have become established in the native, nonpathogenic flora of the insect gut, adding credence to the concept that commensal floras provide large reservoirs of resistance genes that can readily move into pathogenic species. The homology of these tetracycline resistance determinants with those found in tetracycline-resistant bacteria associated with animals and humans strongly suggests a dissemination of similar or identical genes through shared ecosystems. The emergence of linked coresistances (ampicillin and tetracycline) following single-antibiotic therapy mirrors reports from other studies, namely, that long-term, single-agent therapy will result in resistance to multiple drugs. These results contrast with the marked absence of diverse, single- and multiple-drug resistance genes in wild and domestic bees that are not subjected to such selective pressures. Prospective studies that simultaneously track both resistance genes and antibiotic residues will go far in resolving some of the nagging questions that cloud our understanding of antibiotic resistance dissemination.
Salmonella enterica Suppresses Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp.
carotovorum
Population and Soft Rot Progression by Acidifying the Microaerophilic Environment
Authors: Kwan Grace , Charkowski Amy O. , Barak Jeri D.
Published: February 2013

Although enteric human pathogens are usually studied in the context of their animal hosts, a significant portion of their life cycle occurs on plants. Plant disease alters the phyllosphere, leading to enhanced growth of human pathogens; however, the impact of human pathogens on phytopathogen biology and plant health is largely unknown. To characterize the interaction between human pathogens and phytobacterial pathogens in the phyllosphere, we examined the interactions between
Pectobacterium carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
and
Salmonella enterica
or
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 with regard to bacterial populations, soft rot progression, and changes in local pH. The presence of
P. carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
enhanced the growth of both
S. enterica
and
E. coli
O157:H7 on leaves. However, in a microaerophilic environment,
S. enterica
reduced
P. carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
populations and soft rot progression by moderating local environmental pH. Reduced soft rot was not due to
S. enterica
proteolytic activity. Limitations on
P. carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
growth, disease progression, and pH elevation were not observed on leaves coinoculated with
E. coli
O157:H7 or when leaves were coinoculated with
S. enterica
in an aerobic environment.
S. enterica
also severely undermined the relationship between the phytobacterial population and disease progression of a
P. carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum budB
mutant defective in the 2,3-butanediol pathway for acid neutralization. Our results show that
S. enterica
and
E. coli
O157:H7 interact differently with the enteric phytobacterial pathogen
P. carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
.
S. enterica
inhibition of soft rot progression may conceal a rapidly growing human pathogen population. Whereas soft rotted produce can alert consumers to the possibility of food-borne pathogens, healthy-looking produce may entice consumption of contaminated vegetables.

IMPORTANCE
Salmonella enterica
and
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 may use plants to move between animal and human hosts. Their populations are higher on plants cocolonized with the common bacterial soft rot pathogen
Pectobacterium carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
, turning edible plants into a risk factor for human disease. We inoculated leaves with
P. carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
and
S. enterica
or
E. coli
O157:H7 to study the interactions between these bacteria. While
P. carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
enhanced the growth of both
S. enterica
and
E. coli
O157:H7, these human pathogens affected
P. carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
fundamentally differently.
S. enterica
reduced
P. carotovorum
subsp.
carotovorum
growth and acidified the environment, leading to less soft rot on leaves;
E. coli
O157:H7 had no such effects. As soft rot signals a food safety risk, the reduction of soft rot symptoms in the presence of
S. enterica
may lead consumers to eat healthy-looking but
S. enterica
-contaminated produce.
Pattern and characteristics of ecstasy and related drug (ERD) presentations at two hospital emergency departments, Melbourne, Australia, 2008–2010
Authors: Horyniak Danielle , Degenhardt Louisa , Smit De Villiers , Munir Venita , Johnston Jennifer , Fry Craig , Dietze Paul
Published: February 2013

Objective

To describe patterns and characteristics of emergency department (ED) presentations related to the use of ecstasy and related drugs (ERDs) in Melbourne, Australia.

Methods

Retrospective audit of ERD-related presentations from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2010 at two tertiary hospital EDs. Variation in presentations across years was tested using a two-tailed test for proportions. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to compare sociodemographic and clinical characteristics across groups.

Results

Most of the 1347 presentations occurred on weekends, 24:00–06:00. Most patients arrived by ambulance (69%) from public places (42%), private residences (26%) and licensed venues (21%). Ecstasy-related presentations decreased from 26% of presentations in 2008 to 14% in 2009 (p<0.05); γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) presentations were most common overall. GHB presentations were commonly related to altered conscious state (89%); other presentations were due to psychological concerns or nausea/vomiting. Compared with GHB presentations, patients in ecstasy-related presentations were significantly less likely to require intubation (OR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.18), but more likely to result in hospital admission (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.91). Patients in amphetamine-related cases were older than those in GHB-related cases (median 28.4 years vs 23.9 years; p<0.05), and more likely to have a history of substance use (OR 4.85, 95% CI 3.50 to 6.74) or psychiatric illness (OR 6.64, 95% CI 4.47 to 9.87). Overall, the median length of stay was 3.0 h (IQR 1.8–4.8), with most (81%) patients discharged directly home.

Conclusions

Although the majority of ERD-related presentations were effectively treated, with discharge within a short time frame, the number and timing of presentations places a significant burden on EDs. ERD harm reduction and improved management of minor harms at licensed venues could reduce this burden.
Accuracy of transcutaneous carbon dioxide monitoring in hypotensive patients
Authors: Kim Jung-Youn , Yoon Young-Hoon , Lee Sung-Woo , Choi Sung-Hyuk , Cho Young-Duck , Park Sang-Min
Published: February 2013

Objectives

Continuous blood gas monitoring is frequently necessary in critically ill patients. Our aim was to assess the accuracy of transcutaneous CO2tension (PtcCO2) monitoring in the emergency department (ED) assessment of hypotensive patients by comparing it with the gold standard of arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA).

Methods

All patients receiving PtcCO2monitoring in the ED were included. We excluded paediatric patients, patients with no ABGA results during a hypotensive event, patients whose ABGA was not performed simultaneously with PtcCO2monitoring, and patients who received sodium bicarbonate for resuscitation. The included patients were classified into hypotensive patients and normotensive patients. A hypotensive patient was defined as a patient showing a mean arterial pressure under 60 mm Hg. The agreement in measurement between PaCO2tension (PaCO2) and PtcCO2were investigated in both groups.

Results

The mean difference between PaCO2and PtcCO2was 2.1 mm Hg, and the Bland–Altman limits of agreement (bias±1.96 SD) ranged from −15.6 to 19.7 mm Hg in the 28 normotensive patients. The mean difference between PaCO2and PtcCO2was 1.1 mm Hg, and the Bland–Altman limits of agreement (bias±1.96 SD) ranged from −19.5 to 21.7 mm Hg in the 26 hypotensive patients. The weighted κ values were 0.64 in the normotensive patients and 0.60 in the hypotensive patients.

Conclusions

PtcCO2monitoring showed wider limits of agreement with PaCO2in urgent situations in the ED environment. However, acutely developed hypotension does not affect the accuracy of PtcCO2monitoring.
Country-level economic disparity and child mortality related to housing and injuries: a study in 26 European countries
Authors: Sengoelge Mathilde , Elling Berty , Laflamme Lucie , Hasselberg Marie
Published: February 2013

Objective

Adverse living standards are associated with poorer child health and safety. This study investigates whether adverse housing and neighbourhood conditions contribute to explain country-level associations between a country's economic level and income inequality and child mortality, specifically injury mortality.

Design

Ecological, cross-sectional study.

Setting/subjects

Twenty-six European countries were grouped according to two country-level economic measures from Eurostat: gross domestic product (GDP) and income inequality. Adverse country-level housing and neighbourhood conditions were assessed using data from the 2006 European Union Income Social Inclusion and Living Conditions Database (n=203 000).

Main outcome measure

Child mortality incidence rates were derived for children aged 1–14 years for all causes, all injuries, road traffic injuries and unintentional injuries excluding road traffic. Linear regression analysis was applied to measure whether housing or neighbourhood conditions have a significant association with child mortality and whether a strain modified the association between GDP/income inequality and mortality.

Results

Country-level income inequality and GDP demonstrated a significant association with child mortality for all outcomes. A significant association was also found between housing strain and all child mortality outcomes, but not for neighbourhood strain. Housing strain partially modified the relationship between income inequality and GDP and all child mortality outcomes, with the exception of income inequality and road traffic injury mortality showing full mediation by housing strain.

Conclusions

Adverse housing conditions are a likely pathway in the country-level association between income inequality and economic GDP and child injury mortality.
Lead isotope ratios in till and vegetation over a VMS occurrence under significant allochthonous cover
Authors: van Geffen Pim W.G. , Kyser T. Kurt , Oates Christopher J. , Ihlenfeld Christian
Published: February 2013

Two size fractions of till, <250 μm and <2 μm, humus, moss and black spruce bark, as well as sulphides, host rocks and Palaeozoic cover dolostone from drill cores were sampled at the Talbot Lake volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) prospect in the Flin Flon-Snow Lake terrane, Manitoba, Canada. Lead isotope-ratios in organic surface media indicate significant input of anthropogenic Pb from the Flin Flon smelter at 160 km distance to the northwest, with
206
Pb/
204
Pb between 16.5 and 18.2, whereas background till and upper dolostone range between 21.6 and 23.1. At deeper levels, the influx of Pb from Proterozoic mineralization from greater than 100 m depth is recognized. Strontium isotope ratios in these media indicate enhanced vertical fluid flow in the till cover at a fault zone, coincident with the Pb isotope anomaly, as well as relative contributions of Sr from carbonates, silicates and vegetation to the till profile. In humus, sphagnum moss and black spruce bark, the Pb isotope ratios are progressively more similar to that of the feed of the Flin Flon smelter. Measurements of Pb and Sr isotope ratios reveal that Pb from Proterozoic mineralization situated beneath 100 m of Palaeozoic dolostone can be distinguished from Pb contributed by anthropogenic and other geogenic sources.