bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treatment of refractory sino‐nasal aspergillosis with posaconazole and terbinafine in 10 dogs
Authors: Stewart J. , Bianco D.
Published: May 2017

Objectives

To determine the safety and efficacy of posaconazole and terbinafine for the treatment of naturally occurring sino‐nasal aspergillosis in dogs refractory to conventional topical and systemic treatment.

Materials and Methods

Ten client‐owned dogs with sino‐nasal aspergillosis and not responsive to conventional treatments were prospectively enrolled to receive a dose of 5 mg/kg posaconazole orally every 12 hours for six months. All dogs were concurrently treated with doses of 30 mg/kg terbinafine orally every 12 hours and 5 mg/kg doxycycline orally every 12 hours for 6 to 18 months.

Results

All 10 enrolled dogs completed the study. The treatment response was defined as complete clinical remission (n=7) or partial clinical remission (n=3). Two dogs relapsed after cessation of combination therapy. All dogs lived more than one year after starting combination therapy and eight dogs are alive at the time of writing. No clinically relevant adverse reactions or increases in hepatic enzyme activity occurred during the combination therapy.

Clinical Significance

The results of this study suggest that this combination therapy appears safe and well‐tolerated for the treatment of refractory sino‐nasal aspergillosis in dogs. Long‐term survival is possible with prolonged treatment, but relapse is possible. Larger prospective studies are warranted to further evaluate these preliminary findings.
Inequality, Protests, and the Progressive Allocation of Cash Transfers in the Argentine Provinces
Authors: Calvo Ernesto , Moscovich Lorena
Published: May 2017

In the last 20 years, two broadly defined theories have sought to explain the relationship between economic inequality and redistribution. The well-known hypothesis set forth by Meltzer and Richard (1981) states that larger income differences between the median voter and the average income earner should increase redistributive pressures in democratic regimes. Power Resource Theory (PRT), by contrast, argues that income inequality breeds power inequality and should dampen redistribution. Critical to both theories is the translation of redistributive interest into policy signals. This article considers protests as signals that increase the salience of inequality among voters. Results provide evidence that protests facilitate more progressive cash transfers in highly unequal environments but have modest effects in more egalitarian ones.
Resilience and Renewal: The Enforcement of Labor Laws in Brazil
Authors: Coslovsky Salo , Pires Roberto , Bignami Renato
Published: May 2017

What happens to a country's system of labor laws when its government embraces market-oriented reforms? In a twist on the prediction that labor regulations will be repealed, researchers find that laws remain in place but are not faithfully enforced, a phenomenon known as de facto flexibility. This article examines the case of Brazil to understand its near-opposite; namely, resilience and renewal in the enforcement of labor regulations. It finds that labor unions have combined the corporatist authority they gained under state control with the autonomy they acquired under democratization to devise new modes of action and to safeguard existing regulations. Meanwhile, labor inspectors and prosecutors rely on existing laws to combat precarious work conditions and promote formal employment relations, which strengthen the unions. This mutually supportive arrangement is neither perfect nor free of tension, but it shows how workers can be protected even when employers are subjected to global competition.
Compulsory Voting and Income Inequality: Evidence for Lijphart's Proposition from Venezuela
Authors: Carey John M. , Horiuchi Yusaku
Published: May 2017

What difference does it make if the state makes people vote? The question is central to normative debates about the rights and duties of citizens in a democracy, and to contemporary policy debates in a number of Latin American countries over what actions states should take to encourage electoral participation. Focusing on a rare case of abolishing compulsory voting in Venezuela, this article shows that not forcing people to vote yielded a more unequal distribution of income. The evidence supports Arend Lijphart's claim, advanced in his 1996 presidential address to the American Political Science Association, that compulsory voting can offset class bias in turnout and, in turn, contribute to the equality of influence.
Reading Aaron Diaz's Wonder Woman
Authors: Smith Philip
Published: May 2017

This paper seeks, first, to provide a review of Wonder Woman scholarship to date and, second, to document the (a)e(s)th(e)tic underpinnings and execution of one depiction of Wonder Woman, a version which exists only in a single image (discussed in two separate posts), created by one Aaron Diaz, proprietor of the webcomic Dresden Codak and blog Indistinguishable from Magic. To understand Diaz's Wonder Woman we do not simply need to consider the image which Diaz drew, but the versions of the character which he seeks to critique. I seek to demonstrate that Diaz's reinvention of Wonder Woman not only fails to address many of the issues which surround the representation of gender in superhero narratives, but actively removes the potentially positive work found in other incarnations of the character.
The trans‐envelope architecture and function of the type 2 secretion system: new insights raising new questions
Authors: Thomassin Jenny‐Lee , Santos Moreno Javier , Guilvout Ingrid , Tran Van Nhieu Guy , Francetic Olivera
Published: May 2017

Nanomachines belonging to the type IV filament (Tff) superfamily serve a variety of cellular functions in prokaryotes, including motility, adhesion, electrical conductance, competence and secretion. The type 2 secretion system (T2SS) Tff member assembles a short filament called pseudopilus that promotes the secretion of folded proteins from the periplasm across the outer membrane of Gram‐negative bacteria. A combination of structural, biochemical, imaging, computational and in vivo approaches had led to a working model for the assembled nanomachine. High‐resolution cryo‐electron microscopy and tomography provided the first view of several homologous Tff nanomachines in the cell envelope and revealed the structure of the outer membrane secretin channel, challenging current models of the overall stoichiometry of the T2SS. In addition, recent insights into exoprotein substrate features and interactions with the T2SS have led to new questions about the dynamics of the system and the role of the plasma membrane in substrate presentation. This micro‐review will highlight recent advances in the field of type 2 secretion and discuss approaches that can be used to reach a mechanistic understanding of exoprotein recognition, integration into the machine and secretion.
European Philosophy and Original Sin in Stephen Mulhall
Authors: Wolfe Judith
Published: May 2017

Stephen Mulhall has distinguished himself as one of the most rigorous and constructive contemporary thinkers on European philosophy and its complicated relationship to Christian theology. A prominent locus of that relationship in his work is the Christian doctrine of original sin, and its criticism but also structural recapitulation in the work of Nietzsche, Heidegger, Sartre and others. This article begins with an overview of relevant themes and their development in Mulhall's writings. I then offer an account of the internal tensions Mulhall identifies in Heidegger et al's ambivalent contestation of original sin, and of his own response. The centre of this response is a reconfiguration of the character of the divine, and of human participation in that divine, as radical self‐abnegation. I conclude with an appreciative critique of Mulhall's proposal as insufficiently responsive to the eschatological framework within which original sin has its doctrinal and ontological place in Thomist thought.
Peeking beneath the hood of the leaf economics spectrum
Authors: Reich Peter B. , Flores‐Moreno Habacuc
Published: May 2017

This article is a commentary on Onoda et al., 214: 1447–1463.
LTF and DEFB1 polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility toward chronic periodontitis development
Authors: Zupin L , Robino A , Navarra CO , Pirastu N , Di Lenarda R , Gasparini P , Crovella S , Bevilacqua L
Published: May 2017

Objectives

Chronic periodontitis is a common pathological condition that affects the supporting tissue of the teeth, leading to progressive alveolar bone destruction and teeth loss. The disease is caused by bacteria and derives from an altered host immune and inflammatory response, also involving different factors such as the oral hygiene, smoking, and genetic background. The innate immune response, the first line of host defense, could also play an important role in the susceptibility to chronic periodontitis. In this study, we evaluated the possible association between periodontal disease and seven genetic variations within DEFB1 and LTF genes, encoding for β‐defensins 1 and lactoferrin (two members of oral innate immune system), in an Italian isolated population.

Subjects and Methods

DEFB1 5′UTR g. ‐52G>A (rs1799946), g. ‐44C>G (rs1800972), g. ‐20G>A (rs11362), 3′UTR c*5G>A (rs1047031), c*87A>G (rs1800971), LTF p.Ala29Thr (rs1126477), and p.Lys47Arg (rs1126478) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were analyzed in 155 healthy individuals and 439 chronic periodontitis patients from North‐East Italy.

Results

Significant associations were found between periodontitis and g. ‐20G>A (rs11362) and g. ‐44C>G (rs1800972) SNPs in DEFB1 gene as well as p.Ala29Thr (rs1126477) and p.Lys47Arg (rs1126478) SNPs in LTF gene.

Discussion

Our results suggest the involvement of DEFB1 and LTF genetic variations in the susceptibility toward development of periodontitis.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and acute kidney injury in children: A comprehensive review
Authors: Raina Rupesh , Herrera Nicholas , Krishnappa Vinod , Sethi Sidharth Kumar , Deep Akash , Kao Wei‐Ming , Bunchman Timothy , Abu‐Arja Rolla
Published: May 2017

AKI in the setting of HSCT is commonly investigated among adult patients. In the same way, malignancies requiring treatment with HSCT are not limited to the adult patient population, AKI following HSCT is frequently encountered within pediatric patient populations. However, inadequate information regarding epidemiology and pathophysiology specific to pediatric patients prevents development of appropriate and successful therapeutic strategies for those afflicted. Addressing AKI in the context of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome, chemotherapy, thrombotic microangiopathy and hypertension post chemotherapy, glomerulonephritis, and graft versus host disease provides greater insight into renal impairment associated with these HSCT‐related ailments. To obtain a better understanding of AKI among pediatric patients receiving HSCT, we investigated the current literature specifically addressing these areas of concern.
Lung cancer disparities and African‐Americans
Authors: Sin Mo‐Kyung
Published: May 2017

African‐Americans, as historically disadvantaged minorities, have more advanced stages of cancer when diagnosed, lower survival rates, and lower rates of accessing timely care than do Caucasians. Lung cancer incidence and mortality, in particular, are high among African‐Americans. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recently released an evidence‐based lung cancer screening technology called low‐dose computerized tomography. High‐risk African‐Americans might benefit greatly from such screening but not many are aware of this technology. Public health nurses can play a key role in increasing awareness of the technology among African‐American communities and encouraging qualified African‐Americans to obtain screening. This study discusses issues with lung cancer and smoking among African‐Americans, a recently released evidence‐based lung cancer screening technology, and implications for public health nurses to enhance uptake of the new screening technology among high‐risk African‐Americans.
Language and Civilian Deaths: Denying Responsibility for Casualties in the Gaza Conflict 2014
Authors: Finlay W. M. L.
Published: May 2017

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) estimated that 1,462 civilians were killed in Gaza, and six civilians were killed in Israel during the conflict of 2104. This article uses discursive psychology to examine how Israeli spokespeople described the conflict, and Israel's actions, in ways that denied responsibility for civilian deaths. They did this using a number of discursive strategies. These included: (1) using passive and noun constructions which minimized reference to civilian deaths and erased Israeli involvement in those deaths; (2) repeatedly naming and providing details of Hamas weapons and attacks while avoiding reference to Israeli weapons and violence; (3) presenting Israel as only trying to avoid civilian deaths; and (4) describing Hamas as responsible for all deaths. These types of linguistic constructions allow governments and potential supporters to avoid acknowledging the consequences of their military actions and is one way that the virtuous nature of the ingroup is reinforced in political discourse.
“Like Kings in Their Kingdoms”: Conservatism in Brazilian Psychoanalysis During the Dictatorship
Authors: Frosh Stephen , Mandelbaum Belinda
Published: May 2017

In this article, we examine some aspects of the fate of Brazilian psychoanalysis during the 1964–85 civil‐military dictatorship. Presenting data from interviews with Brazilian psychoanalysts and focusing on the activities of the Brazilian Psychoanalytic Society of São Paulo, we argue that the external political situation was paralleled by conservatism within the Society, with some dangerous consequences. We attend especially to tensions between right‐ and left‐wing psychoanalysts, denunciations and fear, and the impact of Bion's ideas. We conclude by suggesting that the “complicity” of the Society with the governing norms was coincident both with the self‐interests and attitudes of particular individuals and with normalizing institutional tendencies in psychoanalysis itself.
Effects of 1‐month withdrawal of ventilatory support in hypercapnic myotonic dystrophy type 1
Authors: O'Donoghue Fergal J. , Borel Jean‐Christian , Dauvilliers Yves , Levy Patrick , Tamisier Renaud , Pépin Jean‐Louis
Published: May 2017

Background and objective

The benefits of domiciliary non‐invasive ventilation (NIV) in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) are unclear. We sought to determine the effects of elective discontinuation of ventilatory support for 1 month in DM1 patients receiving NIV for chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure.

Methods

At baseline, 12 patients underwent polysomnography, and assessment of subjective (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) and objective (Oxford Sleep Resistance Test) sleepiness, fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale), respiratory function including muscle strength, arterial blood gas (ABG), hypercapnic ventilatory response (HCVR), Blood Pressure, peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) and pulse wave velocity (PWV). They also completed the SF36. Testing was repeated (Visit 2) 1 month after elective cessation of NIV and again (Visit 3) 1 month after NIV reintroduction.

Results

No changes were seen in SF36, sleepiness or fatigue, respiratory function, muscle strength nor HCVR. Likewise, there were no changes in Blood Pressure, PAT or PWV. Mean nocturnal SpO2
deteriorated off NIV and improved on resumption (mean ± SD = 95.02 ± 1.90%, 92.23 ± 3.61% and 95.08 ± 2.28%, P = 0.006 change Visit 1 to Visit 2, 0.009 Visit 2 to Visit 3). Daytime PaCO2
(arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide) was 43.13 ± 4.20 mm Hg, 46.28 ± 2.25 mm Hg and 43.87 ± 2.85 mm Hg, P = 0.056 and 0.017 over the same intervals.

Conclusion

DM1 patients derive little benefit in symptoms or quality of life from NIV. Nocturnal and diurnal ventilatory functions deteriorate slightly off NIV for 1 month, but this does not appear to be due to changes in HCVR or respiratory function. HCVR changes may be of primary CNS origin given stability on or off NIV.
Bedform spurs: a result of a trailing helical vortex wake
Authors: Swanson Travis , Mohrig David , Kocurek Gary , Perillo Mauricio , Venditti Jeremy
Published: May 2017

The formative conditions for bedform spurs and their roles in bedform dynamics and associated sediment transport are described herein. Bedform spurs are formed by helical vortices that trail from the lee surface of oblique segments of bedform crest lines. Trailing helical vortices quickly route sediment away from the lee surface of their parent bedform, scouring troughs and placing this bed material into the body of the spur. The geometric configuration of bedform spurs to their parent bedform crests is predicted by a cross‐stream Strouhal number. When present, spur‐bearing bedforms and their associated trailing helical wakes exert tremendous control on bedform morphology by routing enhanced sediment transport between adjacent bedforms. Field measurements collected at the North Loup River, Nebraska, and flume experiments described in previous studies demonstrate that this trailing helical vortex‐mediated sediment transport is a mechanism for bedform deformation, interactions and transitions between two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional bedforms.
Integrated sedimentology and ichnology of Late Jurassic fluvial point‐bars – facies architecture and colonization styles (Lourinhã Formation, Lusitanian Basin, western Portugal)
Authors: Gowland Stuart , Taylor Andrew M. , Martinius Allard W.
Published: May 2017

Integrated sedimentological and ichnological case studies of ancient meandering river systems have, for the most part, focused on the deposits of the fluvial–tidal transition zone; much less emphasis has been placed on the purely fluvial realm above the landward limit of tidal effects. This problem needs to be addressed so that in future the defining sedimentological and ichnological criteria assigned to ancient fluvial reaches are sufficiently well‐established to enable their separation from the down‐dip fluvial–tidal transition zone. Accordingly, a case study has been carried out on a well‐exposed meander belt deposit from the Late Jurassic Lourinhã Formation of the Lusitanian Basin, western Portugal (Praia Do Valmitão, Ribamar). Analysis indicates that the meander belt here comprised mixed‐load fluvial channels traversing a vegetated floodplain subject to a seasonal winter wet/summer dry palaeoclimate. This setting facilitated the development of both calcic palaeosols and shallow lakes on the adjacent floodplain. Critically, there is no evidence of the effects of tidal modulation on bedding structures, thereby establishing purely fluvial conditions. Heterolithic point‐bar deposits generated in this setting are bioturbated extensively by a trace fossil assemblage dominated by the meniscate traceTaenidium barretti, withSkolithos linearis,Planolites beverleyensisandCylindricumisp. also recognized. A number of factors suggest that theTaenidium barrettiproducer in this case was a subaquatic organism living in an active fluvial channel setting (i.e. not colonizing subaerially exposed channel‐margin/floodplain deposits). Accordingly, there are some implications for current ichnofabric/ichnofacies models in the continental realm. Firstly,Taenidium‐dominated ichnofabrics need not necessarily be confined to colonization beneath subaerially exposed surfaces; they might also be produced within submerged substrates. Secondly, there is scope to extend the range of theScoyeniaichnofacies to include active fluvial channels and not simply those channels that were inactive or abandoned.
Contributions of Cognitions, Psychological Flexibility, and Therapeutic Alliance to Suicidal Ideation in Psychiatric Inpatients
Authors: Rufino Katrina A. , Ellis Thomas E.
Published: May 2017

Although suicide treatment is an expanding area of research, there is relatively less in the literature with respect to how specific vulnerabilities to suicide are addressed by treatment. Utilizing measures of suicide cognitions, therapeutic alliance, and psychological flexibility, we compared their relative contributions to suicidal ideation during and posttreatment among a group of adult psychiatric inpatients (N = 434). Results revealed that cognitions contributed considerably more unique variance to suicidal ideation than alliance and flexibility at discharge and at 2 weeks postdischarge, and to change in suicidal ideation over the course of treatment. Psychological flexibility explained a small amount of variance at the 6‐month time point. Factor level analyses also were conducted, with the unsolvability factor within suicide cognitions accounting for the largest portion of variance at both discharge and 2 weeks postdischarge. Study limitations, implications, and future directions are discussed.
Contemporary Nomenclatures of Suicidal Behaviors: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Goodfellow Benjamin , Kõlves Kairi , de Leo Diego
Published: May 2017

Addressing the lack of comparability of research results around the world, a systematic literature review of existing nomenclatures was conducted. After distinguishing the concepts of nomenclature and classification, 13 contributions to nomenclature of suicidal behavior are described and summarized using outcome and intent as guiding concepts for analysis. The issue of what is being defined in nomenclatures is fundamental and impacts the way intent and outcome are used. The existing confusion between classification and nomenclature stems from conflicting purposes of the nature of definition; that is, to communicate concepts versus to be descriptive of reality.
Committed to Coordination? Intergovernmental Councils as a Federal Safeguard
Authors: Schnabel Johanna
Published: May 2017

In this research note, I suggest that the design of intergovernmental councils (IGC) accounts for the extent to which they are able to prevent the federal government from encroaching on subnational jurisdictions. IGC operate in areas of interdependence where the federal government faces incentives to restore to hierarchical coordination. The effect of the intergovernmental safeguard is measured by the absence or presence of federal encroachment. Two concepts are useful to explain it: the extent to which governments are committed to coordination and the dominance of the federal government of vertical IGC. I argue that different combinations of the two variables help to understand the safeguarding effect of intergovernmental councils. In particular, I contend that in any configuration in which federal dominance is present the federal government can encroach on subnational jurisdictions. The research note shows how the concept of federal safeguards can be applied empirically.
Epidemiology and outcome of antimicrobial resistance to gram‐negative pathogens in bacteriuric kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Delmas‐Frenette Catherine , Dorais Marc , Tavares‐Brum Alexandre , Frenette Charles , Yang Bing , Medani Samar , Duclos Alain , Rouleau Danielle , Mawad Habib , Barama Azemi , Cardinal Heloise
Published: May 2017

Background

In kidney transplant recipients, episodes of bacteriuria are often treated regardless of the presence of symptoms because of the lack of clear treatment guidelines suggesting otherwise. This practice may lead to the development of antimicrobial resistance. Our aim was to determine the incidence, determinants, and impact of antimicrobial resistance in kidney transplant recipients with gram‐negative bacteriuria.

Method

We conducted a single‐center, retrospective cohort study in patients who underwent kidney transplantation between January 2008 and June 2013. To identify risk factors for the development of resistance, we used a logistic regression model with generalized estimating equations to account for within‐subject correlation.

Results

Among the 318 patients who underwent kidney transplantation during the study period, 147 patients developed 555 gram‐negative episodes of bacteriuria. Resistance to trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole and quinolones, and production of extended‐spectrum β‐lactamase (ESBL) occurred in 52%, 21%, and 5% of isolated microorganisms, respectively. An increased risk of resistance to quinolones and production of ESBL were associated with concomitant diabetes (odds ratio [OR]: 2.29, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.11‐4.74), the first year post transplantation (OR: 2.88, 95% CI: 1.36‐6.09), and antibiotic treatment in the previous 6 months (OR: 3.36, 95% CI: 1.66‐6.81). This resistance profile was also associated with the presence of symptoms, a longer duration of antibiotic treatment, and a higher rate of hospitalization.

Conclusion

Antimicrobial resistance to quinolones and production of ESBL were commonly seen, and were shown to demonstrate an adverse impact on outcomes in kidney transplant recipients with gram‐negative bacteriuria. The decision on treatment for asymptomatic bacteriuria should be made with caution, given the potential for the selection of resistant strains.
Cell survival and protein secretion associated with Golgi integrity in response to Golgi stress‐inducing agents
Authors: Ignashkova Tatiana I. , Gendarme Mathieu , Peschk Katrin , Eggenweiler Hans‐Michael , Lindemann Ralph K. , Reiling Jan H.
Published: May 2017

The Golgi apparatus is part of the secretory pathway and of central importance for modification, transport and sorting of proteins and lipids. ADP‐ribosylation factors, whose activation can be blocked by brefeldin A (BFA), play a major role in functioning of the Golgi network and regulation of membrane traffic and are also involved in proliferation and migration of cancer cells. Due to high cytotoxicity and poor bioavailability, BFA has not passed the preclinical stage of drug development. Recently, AMF‐26 and golgicide A have been described as novel inhibitors of the Golgi system with antitumor or bactericidal properties. We provide here further evidence that AMF‐26 closely mirrors the mode of action of BFA but is less potent. Using several human cancer cell lines, we studied the effects of AMF‐26, BFA and golgicide A on cell homeostasis including Golgi structure, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, secretion and viability, and found overall a significant correlation between these parameters. Furthermore, modulation of ADP‐ribosylation factor expression has a profound impact on Golgi organization and survival in response to Golgi stress inducers.
Characterization of the analytic performance of an electrochemical point‐of‐care meter for measuring β‐hydroxybutyrate concentration in blood and plasma from periparturient dairy cattle
Authors: Megahed Ameer A. , Hiew Mark W. H. , Townsend Jonathan R. , Constable Peter D.
Published: May 2017

Background

The Precision Xtra electrochemical meter is widely used to measure blood β‐hydroxybutyrate concentration (BHBb) in dairy cattle. The meter uses an algorithm optimized for human blood that assumes theHCTin cattle is the same as in people, and that intra‐erythrocyte β‐hydroxybutyrate (BHBe) and plasma β‐hydroxybutyrate (BHBp) concentration are equivalent.

Objectives

The first objective was to characterize the analytic performance of the meter for measuringBHBb andBHBp in dairy cattle. The second objective was to characterize the influence ofHCTand sample temperature onBHBp concentration measured by the meter.

Methods

Blood and plasma samples were obtained from 106 periparturient Holstein cattle and 15 lactating Holstein cows with experimentally induced electrolyte and acid–base imbalances. Meter performance was evaluated using Deming regression and Bland–Altman plots. Multivariable linear regression was used to determine the effect ofHCTand sample temperature onBHBb andBHBp concentration, respectively.

Results

The meter was linear up toBHB= 3.0 mmol/L as measured by the reference method, equivalent to meter values forBHBb > 4.5 mmol/L andBHBp > 5.2 mmol/L. An increase inHCTresulted in higherBHBb concentration. This result was partially explained byBHBe being much lower thanBHBp. Changes in sample temperature caused a linear change in measuredBHBp wheneverBHBp > 3.0 mmol/L.

Conclusions

Meter accuracy was markedly dependent on theBHBe‐to‐BHBp ratio and consequently theHCT. Therefore, the algorithm used by the meter should be revised when applied to bovine blood for improved accuracy.
Diagnosis and management of pyothorax in a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo)
Authors: Sladakovic Izidora , Brainard Benjamin M. , Lane Selena L. , Secrest Scott A. , Fox Andrew J. , Tarigo Jaime L. , Yeuroukis Corry K. , Sanchez Susan , Proenca Laila M. , Mayer Joerg
Published: May 2017

Objective

To describe the diagnosis, management, and outcome of pyothorax in a domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo).

Case Summary

A domestic ferret was evaluated for a history of lethargy, anorexia, and pyrexia. Pleural effusion was detected with radiography and ultrasonography, and a diagnosis of pyothorax was made following cytologic evaluation of pleural fluid. Bilateral thoracostomy tubes were placed for thoracic drainage and lavage, and the ferret was treated with intravenous crystalloid fluids, antimicrobials, and analgesics. Bacterial culture of the pleural fluid yielded Fusobacterium spp. and Actinomyces hordeovulneris. This treatment protocol resulted in resolution of pyothorax, and a positive clinical outcome.

New or Unique Information Provided

This is the first reported case of successful management of pyothorax caused by Fusobacterium spp. and A. hordeovulneris in a ferret.
Cross‐resistance of Echinochloa species to acetolactate synthase inhibitor herbicides
Authors: Song Jong‐Seok , Lim Soo‐Hyun , Yook Min‐Jung , Kim Jin‐Won , Kim Do‐Soon
Published: May 2017

This study was conducted to evaluate the cross‐resistance of acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors with different chemistries, specifically azimsulfuron (sulfonylurea), penoxsulam (triazolopyrimidine sulfonanilide) and bispyribac‐sodium (pyrimidinyl thio benzoate), in Echinochloa oryzicola and Echinochloa crus‐galli that had been collected in South Korea and to investigate their herbicide resistance mechanism. Both Echinochloa spp. showed cross‐resistance to the ALS inhibitors belonging to the above three different chemistries. In a whole plant assay with herbicides alone, the resistant/susceptible ratios for azimsulfuron, penoxsulam and bispyribac‐sodium were 12.6, 28.1 and 1.9 in E. oryzicola and 21.1, 13.7 and 1.8 in E. crus‐galli, respectively. An in vitro ALS enzyme assay with herbicides showed that the I
50‐values of the resistant accessions were approximately two‐to‐three times higher than the susceptible accessions, with no statistical difference, suggesting that the difference in ALS sensitivity cannot explain ALS inhibitor resistance in Echinochloa spp. for azimsulfuron, penoxsulam and bispyribac‐sodium. A whole plant assay with fenitrothion showed that the GR
50‐values significantly decreased in both the resistant E. oryzicola and E. crus‐galli accessions when azimsulfuron, penoxsulam and bispyribac‐sodium were applied with the P450 inhibitor, while no significant decrease was observed in the susceptible accessions when the P450 inhibitor was used. Thus, these results suggest that ALS inhibitor cross‐resistance for azimsulfuron, penoxsulam and bispyribac‐sodium is related to enhanced herbicide metabolism.
Aerobic Fitness and Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents Living with HIV
Authors: de Lima Luiz Rodrigo Augustemak , Silva Diego Augusto Santos , da Silva Kelly Samara , Pelegrini Andreia , de Carlos Back Isabela , Petroski Edio Luiz
Published: May 2017

Purpose:

To examine aerobic fitness, total moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and also patterns in terms of MVPA between children and adolescents with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and controls, and to determine whether differences, if any, are associated with HIV, sex and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Method:

A cross-sectional analysis was carried out with 130 children and adolescents, aged between 8 and 15 years, divided into two groups (HIV group= 65 patients, control group= 65 healthy participants). Total MVPA was measured by accelerometers and 5 and 10-min bouts were estimated. The peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) was measured by breath-by-breath respiratory exchange in an incremental cycle ergometer test.

Results:

HIV-positive participants had lower peak VO2 (39.2 ± 6.8 vs. 44.5 ± 9.1 ml.kg-1min-1), lower bouts of MVPA of 5-min (19.7 ± 16.6 vs. 26.6 ± 23.5) and 10-min (3.6 ± 3.9 vs. 5.8 ± 7.2), but similar total MVPA (49.5 ± 28.9 vs. 49.1 ± 30.6 min.day-1). HIV infection in untreated, nonprotease inhibitors (PI)- based HAART and PI-based HAART patients was associated with lower 8.5 (95%CI= 12.5–4.6), 7.1 (95%CI= 10.6–3.6) and 4.5 (95%CI= 7.0–2.0) ml.kg-1min-1 of peak VO2.

Conclusion:

Children and adolescents with HIV demonstrated lower aerobic fitness compared with the controls and the absence of HAART may increase peak VO2 impairment. Lower bouts of MVPA were also observed in HIV group despite the similar values of total MVPA of controls.
Women’s Exercise Experiences in Women-Only Gyms in Turkey: An Examination Within the Framework of Self-Determination Theory
Authors: Öztürk Pinar , Koca Canan
Published: May 2017

Although a growing body of evidence emphasizes the benefits of physical activity and exercise participation, diverse cultural, social and religious factors prevent girls and women from participating in physical activity and exercise. Recently, women-only gyms have become an important factor in promoting women’s participation in exercise in nonwestern countries, such as Turkey. This study examines the factors that affect the experiences of women who participate in exercise in a women-only gym, in Turkey, by applying self-determination theory (SDT) with a gender perspective. Data were collected through in-depth semistructured interviews with seventeen women and three women instructors and analyzed with thematic analysis. Identified themes are a) regulation of daily life: time of one’s own, b) structured exercise, and c) comfort of being in women-only environments. Findings show that women-only gym satisfies the three basic needs identified by SDT, and reproduce the relationship between exercise and femininity for women. This means that satisfaction of three needs, autonomy, competence, and relatedness, involves gendered meanings for women who exercise in women-only gyms.
Can Pregnancy be an Ergogenic Aid to Athletic Performance?: A Review
Authors: Pivarnik James M. , Connolly Christopher P. , Marshall Mallory R. , Schlaff Rebecca A.
Published: May 2017

Previous research clearly indicates that exercise training decreases during pregnancy, even among the fittest of women. Despite this, women are typically able to resume their prepregnancy exercise routines soon after delivery, and in some instances, their postpartum performances are better than previously experienced. While anecdotal reports are common, there does not appear to be significant research data to explain this phenomenon. In this review, we explore possible physiologic explanations for heightened postpartum exercise performance, such as pregnancy related changes in aerobic fitness, lactate threshold, flexibility, and musculoskeletal fitness. At this time, limited data do not appear to support an ergogenic role for these variables. Another consideration is a positive change in a woman’s psyche or perceptions toward her athletic abilities as a result of her pregnancy and delivery. While this concept is theoretically possible and may have scientific merit, data are sparse. What is clear is that an increasing number of women are maintaining their physical activity and exercise routines during pregnancy, with many able to return to competition soon after delivery. Well-designed studies are needed to further explore the relationships among physiologic and psychological variables and postpartum exercise performance. Ideally, these studies should be prospective (studying women prepregnancy through the postpartum period) and include diverse samples of women with regard to activity type and fitness level.
Tetraspanin microdomains control localized protein kinase C signaling in B cells
Authors: Zuidscherwoude Malou , Dunlock Vera-Marie E. , van den Bogaart Geert , van Deventer Sjoerd J. , van der Schaaf Alie , van Oostrum Jenny , Goedhart Joachim , In ‘t Hout Joanna , Hämmerling Günter J. , Tanaka Satoshi , Nadler André , Schultz Carsten , Wright Mark D. , Adjobo-Hermans Merel J. W. , van Spriel Annemiek B.
Published: May 2017

The tetraspanin protein CD53 recruits the kinase PKCβ to the plasma membrane to activate signaling in B cells.
Membrane depolarization activates BK channels through ROCK-mediated β1 subunit surface trafficking to limit vasoconstriction
Authors: Leo M. Dennis , Zhai Xue , Muralidharan Padmapriya , Kuruvilla Korah P. , Bulley Simon , Boop Frederick A. , Jaggar Jonathan H.
Published: May 2017

Depolarization of arterial myocytes increases the surface abundance of the β1 subunit of BK channels to promote vasodilation.
Science Signaling
Podcast for 9 May 2017: Trafficking of BK channel subunits in arterial myocytes
Authors: Jaggar Jonathan H. , VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: May 2017

Trafficking of regulatory subunits fine-tunes the activity of BK channels in arterial myocytes to limit vasoconstriction (Leo
et al
. in 9 May 2017 issue).
Papers of note in
Nature
545
(7652)
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: May 2017

This week’s articles highlight a role for a polyglutamine tract in regulating autophagy; how cytokinesis affects the mechanosensitivity of cell junctions; the effect of interferon-γ on tumor vasculature; advances in human brain organoid technology; and biochemical features of a receptor that may aid in developing drugs that specifically target the receptor.
Paper of note in
Science Translational Medicine
9
(388)
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: May 2017

This week’s article uncovers why mutations in the vesicular trafficking protein annexin 11 are implicated in the neurodegenerative disease ALS.
Pharmacokinetics of Efavirenz at a High Dose of 25 Milligrams per Kilogram per Day in Children 2 to 3 Years Old
Authors: Pressiat Claire , Amorissani-Folquet Madeleine , Yonaba Caroline , Treluyer Jean-Marc , Dahourou Désiré Lucien , Eboua François , Blanche Stéphane , Mea-Assande Véronique , Bouazza Naïm , Foissac Frantz , Malateste Karen , Ouedraogo Sylvie , Lui Gabrielle , Leroy Valériane , Hirt Déborah
Published: May 2017

The MONOD ANRS 12206 trial was designated to assess simplification of a successful lopinavir (LPV)-based antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected children younger than 3 years of age using efavirenz (EFV; 25 mg/kg of body weight/day) to preserve the class of protease inhibitors for children in that age group. In this substudy, EFV concentrations were measured to check the consistency of an EFV dose of 25 mg/kg and to compare it with the 2016 FDA recommended dose. Fifty-two children underwent blood sampling for pharmacokinetic study at 6 months and 12 months after switching to EFV. We applied a Bayesian approach to derive EFV pharmacokinetic parameters using the nonlinear mixed-effect modeling (NONMEM) program. The proportion of midinterval concentrations 12 h after drug intake (C12 h) corresponding to the EFV therapeutic pharmacokinetic thresholds (1 to 4 mg/liter) was assessed according to different dose regimens (25 mg/kg in the MONOD study versus the 2016 FDA recommended dose). With both the 25 mg/kg/day dose and the 2016 FDA recommended EFV dose, simulations showed that the majority ofC12 hvalues were within the therapeutic range (62.6% versus 62.8%). However, there were more children underexposed with the 2016 FDA recommended dose (11.6% versus 1.2%). Conversely, there were more concentrations above the threshold of toxicity with the 25 mg/kg dose (36.2% versus 25.6%), withC12 hvalues of up to 15 mg/liter. Only 1 of 52 children was switched back to LPV because of persistent sleeping disorders, but hisC12 hvalue was within therapeutic ranges. A high EFV dose of 25 mg/kg per day in children under 3 years old achieved satisfactory therapeutic effective levels. However, the 2016 FDA recommended EFV dose appeared to provide more acceptable safe therapeutic profiles. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT01127204.)
Efficacy of Ceftaroline against Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Exhibiting the Cefazolin High-Inoculum Effect in a Rat Model of Endocarditis
Authors: Singh Kavindra V. , Tran Truc T. , Nannini Esteban C. , Tam Vincent H. , Arias Cesar A. , Murray Barbara E.
Published: May 2017

Certain
Staphylococcus aureus
strains exhibit an inoculum effect (InE) with cefazolin (CFZ) that has been associated with therapeutic failures in high-inoculum infections. We assessed the i
n vitro
activities of ceftaroline (CPT), CFZ, and nafcillin (NAF) against 17 type A β-lactamase (βla)-producing, methicillin-susceptible
S. aureus
(MSSA) strains, including the previously reported TX0117, which exhibits the CFZ InE, and its βla-cured derivative, TX0117c. Additionally, we determined the pharmacokinetics of CPT in rats after single intramuscular doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg of body weight and evaluated the activities of CPT (40 mg/kg every 8 h [q8h]), CFZ, and NAF against TX0117 and TX0117c in a rat model of infective endocarditis. No InE was observed for CPT or NAF, whereas a marked InE was detected for CFZ (MIC, 8 to ≥128 μg/ml). CPT and NAF treatment against TX0117 resulted in mean bacterial counts of 2.3 and 2.1 log
10
CFU/g in vegetations, respectively, compared to a mean of 5.9 log
10
CFU/g in the CFZ-treated group (CPT and NAF versus CFZ,
P
= 0.001; CPT versus NAF,
P
= 0.9830). Both CFZ and CPT were efficacious against the βla-cured derivative, TX0117c, compared to time zero (
t
0
) (
P
= <0.0001 and 0.0015, respectively). Our data reiterate the
in vivo
consequences of the CFZ InE and show that CPT is not affected by this phenomenon. CPT might be considered for high-inoculum infections caused by MSSA exhibiting the CFZ InE.
Novel Antibacterial Coating on Orthopedic Wires To Eliminate Pin Tract Infections
Authors: Gil Dmitry , Shuvaev Sergey , Frank-Kamenetskii Anastasia , Reukov Vladimir , Gross Christopher , Vertegel Alexey
Published: May 2017

Novel approaches to the prevention of microbial infections after the insertion of orthopedic external fixators are in great demand because of the extremely high incidence rates of such infections, which can reach up to 100% with longer implant residence times. Monolaurin is an antimicrobial agent with a known safety record that is broadly used in the food and cosmetic industries; however, its use in antimicrobial coatings of medical devices has not been studied in much detail. Here, we report the use of monolaurin as an antibacterial coating on external fixators for the first time. Monolaurin-coated Kirschner wires (K-wires) showed excellent antibacterial properties against three different bacterial strains, i.e., methicillin-sensitive
Staphylococcus aureus
(MSSA), methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA), and
Staphylococcus epidermidis
. Approximately 6.0-log reductions of both planktonic and adherent bacteria were achieved using monolaurin-coated K-wires, but monolaurin-coated K-wires did not show any observable cytotoxicity with mouse osteoblast cell cultures. Overall, monolaurin-coated K-wires could be promising as potent antimicrobial materials for orthopedic surgery.
Gepotidacin (GSK2140944)
In Vitro
Activity against Gram-Positive and Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Flamm R. K. , Farrell D. J. , Rhomberg P. R. , Scangarella-Oman N. E. , Sader H. S.
Published: May 2017

Gepotidacin is a first-in-class, novel triazaacenaphthylene antibiotic that inhibits bacterial DNA replication and has
in vitro
activity against susceptible and drug-resistant pathogens. Reference
in vitro
methods were used to investigate the MICs and minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs) of gepotidacin and comparator agents for
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, and
Escherichia coli
. Gepotidacin
in vitro
activity was also evaluated by using time-kill kinetics and broth microdilution checkerboard methods for synergy testing and for postantibiotic and subinhibitory effects. The MIC
90
of gepotidacin for 50
S. aureus
(including methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
[MRSA]) and 50
S. pneumoniae
(including penicillin-nonsusceptible) isolates was 0.5 μg/ml, and for
E. coli
(
n
= 25 isolates), it was 4 μg/ml. Gepotidacin was bactericidal against
S. aureus
,
S. pneumoniae
, and
E. coli
, with MBC/MIC ratios of ≤4 against 98, 98, and 88% of the isolates tested, respectively. Time-kill curves indicated that the bactericidal activity of gepotidacin was observed at 4× or 10× MIC at 24 h for all of the isolates.
S. aureus
regrowth was observed in the presence of gepotidacin, and the resulting gepotidacin MICs were 2- to 128-fold higher than the baseline gepotidacin MICs. Checkerboard analysis of gepotidacin combined with other antimicrobials demonstrated no occurrences of antagonism with agents from multiple antimicrobial classes. The most common interaction when testing gepotidacin was indifference (fractional inhibitory concentration index of >0.5 to ≤4; 82.7% for Gram-positive isolates and 82.6% for Gram-negative isolates). The postantibiotic effect (PAE) of gepotidacin was short when it was tested against
S. aureus
(≤0.6 h against MRSA and MSSA), and the PAE–sub-MIC effect (SME) was extended (>8 h; three isolates at 0.5× MIC). The PAE of levofloxacin was modest (0.0 to 2.4 h), and the PAE-SME observed varied from 1.2 to >9 h at 0.5× MIC. These
in vitro
data indicate that gepotidacin is a bactericidal agent that exhibits a modest PAE and an extended PAE-SME against Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and merits further study for potential use in treating infections caused by these pathogens.
Five-Year Summary of
In Vitro
Activity and Resistance Mechanisms of Linezolid against Clinically Important Gram-Positive Cocci in the United States from the LEADER Surveillance Program (2011 to 2015)
Authors: Pfaller Michael A. , Mendes Rodrigo E. , Streit Jennifer M. , Hogan Patricia A. , Flamm Robert K.
Published: May 2017

This report describes linezolid susceptibility testing results for 6,741 Gram-positive pathogens from 60 U.S. sites collected during 2015 for the LEADER Program. In addition, the report summarizes linezolid
in vitro
activity, resistance mechanisms, and molecular typing obtained for 2011 to 2015. During 2015, linezolid showed potent activity in testing against
Staphylococcus aureus
, inhibiting >99.9% of 3,031 isolates at ≤2 µg/ml. Similarly, linezolid showed coverage against 99.2% of coagulase-negative staphylococci, 99.7% of enterococci, and 100.0% of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, virdans group, and beta-hemolytic streptococcus isolates tested. The overall linezolid resistance rate remained a modest <1% from 2011 to 2015. Staphylococci, especially
Staphylococcus epidermidis
, showed a range of linezolid resistance mechanisms. Increased annual trends for the presence of
cfr
among
Staphylococcus aureus
isolates were not observed, but 64.3% (9/14) of the isolates with decreased susceptibility (MIC, ≥4 µg/ml) to linezolid carried this transferrable gene (2011 to 2015). The
cfr
gene was detected in 21.9% (7/32) of linezolid-resistant staphylococci other than
S. aureus
from 2011 to 2015. The
optrA
gene was noted in half (2/4) of the population of linezolid-nonsusceptible
Enterococcus faecalis
isolates from 2011 to 2015, while linezolid-nonsusceptible
Enterococcus faecium
isolates showed alterations predominantly (16/16) in the 23S rRNA gene (G2576T). This report confirms a long record of linezolid activity against Gram-positive isolates in the United States since regulatory approval in 2000 and reports the oxazolidinones evolving resistance mechanisms.