bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic introgression between an introduced babbler, the Chinese hwameiLeucodioptron c. canorum, and the endemic Taiwan hwameiL. taewanus: a multiple marker systems analysis
Authors: Li Shou‐Hsien , Yeung Carol K.‐L. , Han Lianxian , Le Manh Hung , Wang Chi‐xan , Ding Ping , Yao Cheng‐te
Published: February 2010

Identification of interspecific hybrids is often a subject of primary concern in the development of conservation strategies. Here we performed a genetic analysis combining mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), microsatellites and single nucleotide polymorphic sites (SNPs) to assay the level of hybridization and introgression between an introduced babbler, Chinese hwameiLeucodioptron canorus, and its close relative, the endemic Taiwan hwameiL. taewanusin Taiwan. Fifty‐five Chinese hwameis from the Asian mainland and 69 Taiwan hwameis, including nine morphological hybrids, were sampled and analyzed. Evidences of mitochondrial introgression were found in three hybrids and one Taiwan hwamei. Five unlinked interspecific SNPs were identified at nine anonymous nuclear loci with interspecific differentiation (totalFst=0.77) that was much higher than that at seven highly polymorphic microsatellite loci combined (totalFst=0.1). Bayesian cluster analysis based on five interspecific SNP loci and two highly differentiated microsatellite loci (Fst>0.08) suggested that twelve individuals sampled in Taiwan were likely F2 or backcross hybrids, among which eight were morphological intermediates. A total of 20.3% (14/69) individuals sampled in Taiwan were suggested to be hybrids, suggesting that fitness reduction in hybrids might be negligible. These results imply that without an effective management strategy, the entire Taiwan hwamei population could easily become an admixed with Chinese hwamei and loose its evolutionary integrity. To reduce introgressive hybridization, illegal trade of Chinese hwamei should be strictly regulated and only the expensive male Chinese hwameis should be legally imported to minimize the chance for Chinese hwameis being released into the field. In our study we also found interspecific SNP markers to outperform microsatellite loci in detecting hybridization and introgression between two closely related species, which may be ascribed to the lower level of homoplasy of SNP loci.
REVIEW ARTICLE: Uterine NK Cells, Spiral Artery Modification and the Regulation of Blood Pressure During Mouse Pregnancy
Authors: Burke Suzanne D. , Barrette Valerie F. , Gravel Jonathan , Carter Alexandra L. I. , Hatta Kota , Zhang Jianhong , Chen Zhilin , Leno‐Durán Ester , Bianco Juares , Leonard Sean , Murrant Coral , Adams Michael A. , Anne Croy B.
Published: February 2010

Citation Burke SD, Barrette VF, Gravel J, Carter ALI, Hatta K, Zhang J, Chen Z, Leno‐Durán E, Bianco J, Leonard S, Murrant C, Adams MA, Anne Croy B. Uterine NK cells, spiral artery modification and the regulation of blood pressure during mouse pregnancy. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010

Reproductive success in mammals involves coordinated changes in the immune and cardiovascular as well as in the neuroendocrine and reproductive systems. This review addresses studies that identify potential links for NK cells and T cells with the local and systemic cardiovascular adaptations of pregnancy. The studies reviewed have utilized immunohistochemisty and in vivo analyses of vascular parameters by ultrasound, chronic monitoring of hemodynamics via radiotelemetric recording and intravital microscopy. At the uterine level, functional subsets of uterine natural killer cells were identified. These included subsets expressing molecules important for vasoregulation, in addition to those previously identified for angiogenesis. Spiral arteries showed conducted responses that could account for conceptus control of vasoactivity and mouse gestational blood pressure 5‐phase pattern. Vascular immunology is an emerging transdisciplinary field, critical for both reproductive immunology and cardiovascular disease.
Overweight and obesity in Norwegian children: prevalence and socio‐demographic risk factors
Authors: Júlíusson Pétur B , Eide Geir Egil , Roelants Mathieu , Waaler Per Erik , Hauspie Roland , Bjerknes Robert
Published: February 2010

Aim:  The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity and to identify socio‐demographic risk factors in Norwegian children.

Methods:  The body mass index of 6386 children aged 2–19 years was compared with the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut‐off values to estimate the prevalence of overweight including obesity (OWOB) and obesity (OB). The effect of socio‐demographic factors on this prevalence was analysed using multiple ordinal logistic regression analysis in a subsample of 3793 children.

Results:  The overall prevalence of OWOB was 13.8% (13.2% in boys and 14.5% in girls, p = 0.146), but the prevalence was higher in primary school children aged 6–11 years (17%, p < 0.001). The risk of being OWOB or OB increased in children with fever siblings (p = 0.003) and with lower parental educational level (p = 0.001). There was no association with parental employment status, single‐parent families or origin.

Conclusion:  The prevalence of OWOB and OB in Norwegian primary school children is of concern. Socio‐demographic factors have pronounced effects on the current prevalence of overweight and obesity in a cohort of Norwegian children. This knowledge could help to work out strategies to reduce the burden of overweight and obesity in children.
Bridging the Gap Between Genomics and Education
Authors: Petrill Stephen A. , Justice Laura M.
Published: February 2010

ABSTRACT— Despite several decades of research suggesting the importance of both genetic and environmental factors, these findings are not well integrated into the larger educational literature. Following a discussion of quantitative and molecular genetic methods, this article reviews behavioral genetic findings related to cognitive and academic skills. This literature suggests that (a) the relative importance of genes and environments varies developmentally; (b) genetics, and to a lesser extend the environment, account for a substantial portion of the covariance within and across academic domains; and (c) some forms of disability are qualitatively different from the population, whereas others constitute the lower end of a continuum of ability. Following a discussion of the strengths and limitations of current behavioral genetic research and intervention research, we then discuss the ways in which understanding gene–environment interplay can be used to develop better definitions of learning impairment and better explain the substantial variability in response to intervention.
The value of the Thomas‐plot in the diagnostic work up of anemic patients referred by general practitioners
Authors: LEERS M. P. G. , KEUREN J. F. W. , OOSTERHUIS W. P.
Published: February 2010

In patients with inflammatory conditions, diagnosing classic iron deficiency or anemia of chronic disease is challenging. In this study, we assessed the diagnostic value of the so‐called Thomas’‐plot [soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR)/log ferritin (sTfr/log Ferr) and the reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (Ret‐HE)] in the anemia work up of patients referred by general practitioners. During July 2008–March 2009, 337 consecutive patients were included because of lowered Hb values. The laboratory results of the first 133 consecutive patients were used to determine the cut‐off values for the diagnostic plot. The laboratory results of these patients were assessed and interpreted independently by two investigators, blinded from sTfR/log Ferr and Ret‐HE values. The following 204 patients were used to test the plot in practice. In 32% of the first 133 patients, no indication of the cause of anemia could be found. However, when using the diagnostic plot in the following 204 patients, this fraction decreased to 14%. The ‘Thomas’‐plot is of diagnostic value for distinguishing functional iron deficiency from classic iron deficiency in a patient population referred by general practitioners.
Populations of weedy crop–wild hybrid beets show contrasting variation in mating system and population genetic structure
Authors: Arnaud Jean‐François , Fénart Stéphane , Cordellier Mathilde , Cuguen Joël
Published: February 2010

Reproductive traits are key parameters for the evolution of invasiveness in weedy crop–wild hybrids. In Beta vulgaris, cultivated beets hybridize with their wild relatives in the seed production areas, giving rise to crop–wild hybrid weed beets. We investigated the genetic structure, the variation in first‐year flowering and the variation in mating system among weed beet populations occurring within sugar beet production fields. No spatial genetic structure was found for first‐year populations composed of F1 crop–wild hybrid beets. In contrast, populations composed of backcrossed weed beets emerging from the seed bank showed a strong isolation‐by‐distance pattern. Whereas gametophytic self‐incompatibility prevents selfing in wild beet populations, all studied weed beet populations had a mixed‐mating system, plausibly because of the introgression of the crop‐derived Sf gene that disrupts self‐incompatibility. No significant relationship between outcrossing rate and local weed beet density was found, suggesting no trends for a shift in the mating system because of environmental effects. We further reveal that increased invasiveness of weed beets may stem from positive selection on first‐year flowering induction depending on the B gene inherited from the wild. Finally, we discuss the practical and applied consequences of our findings for crop‐weed management.
A novel multiplex PCR assay for the identification of Indian crocodiles
Authors: MEGANATHAN P. R. , DUBEY BHAWNA , JOGAYYA KOTA NAGA , WHITAKER NIKHIL , HAQUE IKRAMUL
Published: February 2010

Illegal hunting has been a major threat for the survival of wildlife fauna, including the three crocodile species that India harbours: Crocodylus palustris, Crocodylus porosus and Gavialis gangeticus. Although law prevents trade on these species, illicit hunting for trade continues to threaten the survival of these endangered species; conservation strategies therefore require a rapid molecular identification technique for Indian crocodiles. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with species‐specific primers, considered as one of the most effective molecular techniques, is described herein. The primers were designed to yield species‐specific sized amplicons. The assay discriminates the three Indian crocodile species unambiguously within a short time period using only simple agarose gel electrophoresis. We recommend this multiplex PCR assay to be used in the identification of Indian crocodile species.
Microglia as immune effectors of the central nervous system: Expression of cytokines and chemokines
Authors: Kim Seung U. , Nagai Atsushi
Published: February 2010

Microglia, one of three glial cell types in the central nervous system (CNS), play an important role as resident immunocompetent and phagocytic cells in the CNS in the event of injury and disease. It was del Rio Hortega in 1927 who determined that microglia belong to a distinct glial cell type in the CNS, apart from astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. Since the 1970s, there has been wide recognition that microglia are immune effectors in the CNS that respond to pathological conditions and participate in the initiation and progression of neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and acquired immune deficiency syndrome dementia complex by releasing potentially cytotoxic molecules such as pro‐inflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen intermediates, proteinases and complement proteins. There is also evidence to suggest that the microglia are capable of secreting neurotrophic or neuron survival factors on activation through inflammation or injury. In the present review, the current status of knowledge on biology and immunology of microglia is reported. (Clin. Exp. Neuroimmunol. doi: 10.1111/j.1759‐1961.2010.00007.x, 2010)
Acetylation of Metabolic Enzymes Coordinates Carbon Source Utilization and Metabolic Flux
Authors: Wang Qijun , Zhang Yakun , Yang Chen , Xiong Hui , Lin Yan , Yao Jun , Li Hong , Xie Lu , Zhao Wei , Yao Yufeng , Ning Zhi-Bin , Zeng Rong , Xiong Yue , Guan Kun-Liang , Zhao Shimin , Zhao Guo-Ping
Published: February 2010

Metabolic Regulation Through Acetylation

Covalent modification of lysine residues in various proteins in the nucleus is a recognized mechanism for control of transcription. Now two papers suggest that acetylation may represent an important regulatory mechanism controlling the function of metabolic enzymes (see the Perspective by

Norvell and McMahon

).

Zhao
et al.

(p.
1000
) found that a large proportion of enzymes in various metabolic pathways were acetylated in human liver cells. Acetylation regulated various enzymes by distinct mechanisms, directly activating some, inhibiting one, and controlling the stability of another. Control of metabolism by acetylation appears to be evolutionarily conserved:

Wang
et al.

(p.
1004
) found that the ability of the bacterium
Salmonella entericum
to optimize growth on distinct carbon sources required differential acetylation of key metabolic enzymes, thus controlling flux through metabolic pathways.
Regulation of Cellular Metabolism by Protein Lysine Acetylation
Authors: Zhao Shimin , Xu Wei , Jiang Wenqing , Yu Wei , Lin Yan , Zhang Tengfei , Yao Jun , Zhou Li , Zeng Yaxue , Li Hong , Li Yixue , Shi Jiong , An Wenlin , Hancock Susan M. , He Fuchu , Qin Lunxiu , Chin Jason , Yang Pengyuan , Chen Xian , Lei Qunying , Xiong Yue , Guan Kun-Liang
Published: February 2010

Metabolic Regulation Through Acetylation

Covalent modification of lysine residues in various proteins in the nucleus is a recognized mechanism for control of transcription. Now two papers suggest that acetylation may represent an important regulatory mechanism controlling the function of metabolic enzymes (see the Perspective by

Norvell and McMahon

).

Zhao
et al.

(p.
1000
) found that a large proportion of enzymes in various metabolic pathways were acetylated in human liver cells. Acetylation regulated various enzymes by distinct mechanisms, directly activating some, inhibiting one, and controlling the stability of another. Control of metabolism by acetylation appears to be evolutionarily conserved:

Wang
et al.

(p.
1004
) found that the ability of the bacterium
Salmonella entericum
to optimize growth on distinct carbon sources required differential acetylation of key metabolic enzymes, thus controlling flux through metabolic pathways.
Tuning the Dimensionality of the Heavy Fermion Compound CeIn
3
Authors: Shishido H. , Shibauchi T. , Yasu K. , Kato T. , Kontani H. , Terashima T. , Matsuda Y.
Published: February 2010

2D Quantum Critical Transitions

Quantum critical transitions occur at near-zero temperatures when the properties of quantum matter are tuned by an external parameter such as the magnetic field or pressure. Heavy fermion materials, which have effective charge carrier masses hundreds of times heavier than the bare electron mass, have emerged as a prototypical system for studying these transitions. Now,

Shishido
et al.

(p.
980
; see the Perspective by

Coleman

) use a heavy fermion compound to experimentally realize a new type of quantum phase transition where the tuning parameter is the dimensionality of the system. They engineer a family of superlattices made up of a fixed number of layers of the conventional metal LaIn
3
and varying numbers of layers of the heavy fermion material CeIn
3
. As the number of layers of CeIn
3
is decreased, the system gradually changes character from three- to two-dimensional, with corresponding changes in its transport properties.
100-Million-Year Dynasty of Giant Planktivorous Bony Fishes in the Mesozoic Seas
Authors: Friedman Matt , Shimada Kenshu , Martin Larry D. , Everhart Michael J. , Liston Jeff , Maltese Anthony , Triebold Michael
Published: February 2010

From Big Fish to Big Whales

Whales are the largest animals today, and many feed on the abundant plankton, particularly diatoms, in the oceans. Whales arose and diversified in the Cenozoic, about 30 to 40 million years ago (see the Perspective by

Cavin

).
Marx and Uhen
(p.
993
) show that their diversity parallels the diversity of diatoms and changes in ocean temperature. Whether there were large predators of plankton before whales has been enigmatic, because the fossil record during the Mesozoic (245 to 65 million years ago) is sparse.

Friedman
et al.

(p.
990
) now show that a group of large fish filled this role for nearly 100 million years in the Mesozoic. Although not as large as whales, these globally distributed fish were still several meters long. Their extinction at the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary 65.5 million years ago may have cleared the seas for the evolution of whales.
Under Microscope and Macroscope
The Nature of Technology
What It Is and How It Evolves

by W. Brian Arthur

Free Press, New York, 2009. 255 pp. $27, C$34.99. ISBN 9781416544050. Allen Lane, London. £22. ISBN 9781846140174.
Authors: Alexander Michael N.
Published: February 2010

How technology works, how it evolves, and how it prompts economic change are among the questions Arthur explores in this thought-provoking account.
The Human Body as a Meeting Point

Medicine and Art: Imagining a Future for Life and Love—Leonardo da Vinci, Ōkyo, Damien Hirst
Nanjo Fumio and Ken Arnold, curators

Organized by the Mori Art Museum, the Wellcome Trust, and the Yomiuri Shimbun. Mori Art Museum, Tokyo. Through 28 February 2010. www.mori.art.museum
Medicine and Art: Imagining a Future for Life and Love—Leonardo da Vinci, Ōkyo, Damien Hirst
Mori Art Museum and Heibonsha, Tokyo, 2009. 288 pp. ¥2940. ISBN 9784582206623.
Authors: Jasny Barbara R.
Published: February 2010

The juxtaposition of medical models and illustrations against classic and contemporary, Japanese and Western artworks suggests new links among cultures and disciplines.
Race for Cellulosic Fuels Spurs Brazilian Research Program
Authors: Regalado Antonio
Published: February 2010

Brazil's $40 million National Laboratory of Bioethanol Science and Technology, inaugurated on 22 January, represents the country's big bet to maintain its position as the world's most efficient producer of ethanol.
Ehlers's Retirement Called 'Big Loss' for Science
Authors: Mervis Jeffrey
Published: February 2010

Vernon Ehlers (R–MI), a staunch supporter of science and one of three physicists in the U.S. House of Representatives, is retiring after 17 years in Congress.
Fear of MRI Scans Trips Up Brain Researchers
Authors: Jiao Li
Published: February 2010

Chinese neuroscientists seeking to recruit subjects for a functional magnetic resonance imaging study of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder last December came away empty-handed because of parents' reluctance to expose children to strong magnetic fields.
Biologists Rush to Protect Great Lakes From Onslaught of Carp
Authors: Stokstad Erik
Published: February 2010

With Asian carp poised to invade Lake Michigan, wildlife managers are urgently trying to figure out how many of the voracious 1.5-meter-long fish have already slipped past electric fish barriers in a waterway near Chicago—and they are scrambling to shore up defenses.
Embattled U.K. Scientist Defends Track Record of Climate Center
Authors: Kintisch Eli
Published: February 2010

Phil Jones is at the center of a swirling controversy over e-mails stolen or leaked from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia in the United Kingdom, which he has directed since 2004.
Science
interviewed him last week.
Behavioral Addictions Debut in Proposed
DSM-V
Authors: Holden Constance
Published: February 2010

Proposed revisions for the American Psychiatric Association's
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
include for the first time "behavioral addictions"—a change some say is long overdue and others say is still premature.
Leprosy's Last Stand—or Early Days of a War of Attrition?
Authors: Stone Richard
Published: February 2010

China thought it had licked leprosy 10 years ago, but the disease is stubbornly hanging on in poor, rural areas of three southwestern provinces, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Yunnan.
Politics as (Un)usual
Authors: Cipra Barry
Published: February 2010

At the Joint Mathematics Meetings, mathematical voting theorists described a recent case study that suggests different voting systems only rarely produce the vastly different results possible in theory.
Perfection in a Box
Authors: Cipra Barry
Published: February 2010

At the Joint Mathematics Meetings, researchers reported the first sighting of a "perfect parallelepiped," a brick whose sides are allowed to be parallelograms rather than strict 90º rectangles and all 13 of whose edges and diagonals are exact integers.
Ten Years of the Immune Tolerance Network: An Integrated Clinical Research Organization
Authors: Bluestone Jeffrey A. , Krensky Alan M. , Turka Laurence A. , Rotrosen Daniel , Matthews Jeffrey B.
Published: February 2010

The decade-old Immune Tolerance Network teaches translational principles while it bridges research communities to promote the discovery of immune-based disease mechanisms and treatments.
Why Rats Don't Take Day Jobs
Authors: Bentley-Lewis Rhonda
Published: February 2010

Rats working the "night-shift" can avoid harmful metabolic changes by eating only when they are active.
Sensitivity, Specificity, and Confounding Factors of Novel Serological Tests Used for the Rapid Diagnosis of Bovine Tuberculosis in Farmed Red Deer (
Cervus elaphus
)
Authors: Buddle Bryce M. , Wilson Tania , Denis Michel , Greenwald Rena , Esfandiari Javan , Lyashchenko Konstantin P. , Liggett Simon , Mackintosh Colin G.
Published: February 2010

In this study, novel serological tests were used to detect tuberculosis (TB) in groups of farmed red deer (
Cervus elaphus
) varying in disease status or possible confounding factors. Groups of deer naturally or experimentally infected with
Mycobacterium bovis
and animals vaccinated against paratuberculosis were studied, as were uninfected animals and animals naturally or experimentally infected with
Mycobacterium avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
. Sera were assayed using two rapid lateral-flow tests, Chembio's CervidTB STAT-PAK and DPP VetTB tests, and results were compared to those from tuberculin skin tests. Both serological tests had a high sensitivity, but specificity was adversely affected after animals had received a vaccine against paratuberculosis and were subsequently skin tested. The specificity of the DPP VetTB test was higher than that of the CervidTB STAT-PAK test, with natural infection with
M
. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
adversely affecting the specificity of only the CervidTB STAT-PAK test. The sera from
M
. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
-infected deer that produced false-positive reactions in the CervidTB STAT-PAK test were retested with a multiantigen print immunoassay (MAPIA), and some of these sera were shown to react with the MPB83 antigen. Combining the results from the serological tests and the skin tests showed only a slight increase in the sensitivity of detection of
M. bovis
-infected animals. It is concluded that both the CervidTB STAT-PAK and DPP VetTB tests offer rapid, convenient, and easy detection of bovine tuberculosis in deer, albeit with significant interference from paratuberculosis vaccination status and subsequent skin testing. The latter finding illustrates one of the limitations of currently available vaccines against paratuberculosis.
Humoral Immune Responses in Patients with Lyme Neuroborreliosis
Authors: Cerar Tjaša , Ogrinc Katarina , Strle Franc , Ružić-Sabljić Eva
Published: February 2010

The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the humoral immune responses in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for 34 adult patients with clinically evident Lyme neuroborreliosis, 27 patients with clinically suspected Lyme neuroborreliosis, and 32 patients with tick-borne encephalitis. Additionally, we wanted to compare the findings of two methods for the detection of intrathecally synthesized borrelial antibodies: the IDEIA Lyme neuroborreliosis test using flagellar antigen and an approach based on the Liaison indirect chemiluminescence immunoassay using the OspC and VlsE antigens. Borrelial IgM and IgG antibodies were detected by at least one of these methods in the sera of 22/34 (64.7%) and 28/34 (82.4%) patients with clinically evident Lyme neuroborreliosis, respectively, and in the cerebrospinal fluid of 22/34 (64.7%) and 20/34 (58.8%) of these patients, respectively. Intrathecal synthesis of borrelial IgM and/or IgG was found in 19/34 (55.9%) patients: IgM in 17/34 (50%) patients and IgG in 15/34 (44.1%) patients. The relatively low proportion of intrathecal synthesis of borrelial antibodies and the high ratio of IgM positivity could be explained by the short duration of neurological disease as evidenced by reported symptoms (median, 10 days). Assessment of the humoral immune response in the sera and CSF of patients with early Lyme neuroborreliosis confirmed previous findings on the relationship between the duration of illness and the proportion of patients with detectable responses.
Prevalence of Protective Measles Virus Antibody Levels in Umbilical Cord Blood Samples in Catalonia, Spain
Authors: Plans Pedro , Costa Josep , Domínguez Angela , Torner Núria , Borras Eva , Plasència Antoni
Published: February 2010

The prevalence of protective antibody levels (>160 mIU/ml) in neonates was 98.5%. The mean measles virus antibody level was 3,406 mIU/ml and increased with maternal age. Measles vaccination was reported by 42% of pregnant women and decreased with age.
Identification of and Human Serum Reactogenicity to Neutralizing Epitopes within the Central Unglycosylated Region of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus Attachment Protein
Authors: Murata Yoshihiko , Lightfoote Paula M. , Falsey Ann R. , Walsh Edward E.
Published: February 2010

We identified two overlapping neutralizing epitopes within residues 151 to 172 of the central unglycosylated region of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) attachment protein. In ∼40% of hospitalized and outpatient adults infected with RSV subtype A, these contiguous residues are the target of ≥4-fold increases in IgG response between acute- and convalescent-phase sera.
Randomized Trial on the Safety, Tolerability, and Immunogenicity of MenACWY-CRM, an Investigational Quadrivalent Meningococcal Glycoconjugate Vaccine, Administered Concomitantly with a Combined Tetanus, Reduced Diphtheria, and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine in Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Gasparini Roberto , Conversano Michele , Bona Gianni , Gabutti Giovanni , Anemona Alessandra , Dull Peter M. , Ceddia Francesca
Published: February 2010

This study evaluated the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of an investigational quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine, MenACWY-CRM, when administered concomitantly with a combined tetanus, reduced diphtheria, and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine, in subjects aged 11 to 25 years. Subjects received either MenACWY-CRM and Tdap, MenACWY-CRM and saline placebo, or Tdap and saline placebo. No significant increase in reactogenicity and no clinically significant vaccine-related adverse events (AEs) occurred when MenACWY-CRM and Tdap were administered concomitantly. Similar immunogenic responses to diphtheria, tetanus, and meningococcal (serogroups A, C, W-135, and Y) antigens were observed, regardless of concomitant vaccine administration. Antipertussis antibody responses were comparable between vaccine groups for filamentous hemagglutinin and were slightly lower, although not clinically significantly, for pertussis toxoid and pertactin when the two vaccines were administered concomitantly. These results indicate that the investigational MenACWY-CRM vaccine is well tolerated and immunogenic and that it can be coadministered with Tdap to adolescents and young adults.
A DNA Vaccine-Encoded Nucleoprotein of Influenza Virus Fails To Induce Cellular Immune Responses in a Diabetic Mouse Model
Authors: Jamali Abbas , Sabahi Farzaneh , Bamdad Taravat , Hashemi Hamidreza , Mahboudi Fereidoun , Kheiri Masume Tavasoti
Published: February 2010

Influenza virus infections cause yearly epidemics and are a major cause of lower respiratory tract illnesses in humans worldwide. Influenza virus has long been recognized to be associated with higher morbidity and mortality in diabetic patients. Vaccination is an effective tool to prevent influenza virus infection in this group of patients. Vaccines employing recombinant-DNA technologies are an alternative to inactivated virus and live attenuated virus vaccines. Internal highly conserved viral nucleoprotein (NP) can be delivered as a DNA vaccine to provide heterosubtypic immunity, offering resistance against various influenza virus strains. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of an NP DNA vaccine for induction of cell-mediated immune responses and protection against influenza virus infection in a mouse model of diabetes. Healthy and diabetic BALB/c mice were immunized on days 0, 14, and 28 by injection of NP DNA vaccine. Two weeks after the last immunization, the cellular immune response was evaluated by gamma interferon (IFN-γ), lymphocyte proliferation, and cytotoxicity assays. The mice were challenged with influenza virus, and the viral titers in the lungs were measured on day 4. Diabetic mice showed significantly smaller amounts of IFN-γ production, lymphocyte proliferation, and cytotoxicity responses than nondiabetic mice. Furthermore, higher titers of the influenza virus were detected after challenge in the lungs of the diabetic mice. The present data suggest that the NP DNA vaccine with the protocol of immunization described here is not able to induce efficient cellular immune responses against influenza virus infection in diabetic mice.
Interactive Changes between Macrophages and Adipocytes
Authors: Xie Linglin , Ortega M. Teresa , Mora Silvia , Chapes Stephen K.
Published: February 2010

Obesity is associated with a proinflammatory state, with macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue. We tested the hypothesis that communication between macrophages and adipocytes affects insulin resistance by disrupting insulin-stimulated glucose transport, adipocyte differentiation, and macrophage function. To test this hypothesis, we cocultured 3T3-L1 adipocytes with C2D macrophages or primary peritoneal mouse macrophages and examined the impacts of macrophages and adipocytes on each other. Adipocytes and preadipocytes did not affect C2D macrophageTNF-α,IL-6, orIL-1βtranscript concentrations relative to those obtained when C2D macrophages were incubated alone. However, preadipocytes and adipocytes increased PEC-C2D macrophageIL-6transcript levels, while preadipocytes inhibitedIL-1βtranscript levels compared to those obtained when PEC-C2D macrophages were incubated in medium alone. We found that adipocyte coculture increased macrophage consumption of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and, in some cases, IL-6. C2D macrophages increasingly downregulatedGLUT4transcript levels in differentiated adipocytes. Recombinant TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 also downregulatedGLUT4transcript levels relative to those for the control. However, only IL-6 was inhibitory at concentrations detected in macrophage-adipocyte cocultures. IL-6 and TNF-α, but not IL-1β, inhibited Akt phosphorylation within 15 min of insulin stimulation, but only IL-6 was inhibitory 30 min after stimulation. Lastly, we found that adipocyte differentiation was inhibited by macrophages or by recombinant TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β, with IL-6 having the most impact. These data suggest that the interaction between macrophages and adipocytes is a complex process, and they support the hypothesis that the macrophage-adipocyte interaction affects insulin resistance by disrupting insulin-stimulated glucose transport, adipocyte differentiation, and macrophage function.
Immunological Fingerprinting Method for Differentiation of Serum Samples in Research-Oriented Biobanks
Authors: Beaumont Katy , Betsou Fotini
Published: February 2010

An immunoenzymatic serum fingerprinting method was developed to establish a serum sample fingerprint based on IgG titers obtained with three different antigens. Three widely expressed antigens were selected for their capacity to induce long-lasting humoral immune responses. This fingerprinting method may be used to differentiate between two serum samples and to determine whether they come from the same primary blood specimen. The method showed a specificity of 99.5%. This method is suitable as a quality control method for biobanked serum samples.
Randomized, Double-Blind Crossover Study of Vaginal Microflora and Epithelium in Women Using a Tampon with a “Winged” Apertured Film Cover and a Commercial Tampon with a Nonwoven Fleece Cover
Authors: Chase David J. , Schenkel Berenike P. , Fahr Anne-Marie , Eigner Ulrich
Published: February 2010

This study compared the safety of a new tampon with a four-winged apertured film cover over its nonwoven cover to improve leakage performance with that of a commercial tampon with a nonwoven cover only. Healthy women (evaluable,
n
= 69) were randomized to crossover between test and reference tampons in two consecutive menstrual cycles. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of vaginal cultures were conducted pre-, mid-, and postmenstrually for a broad panel of microorganisms, and colposcopy was performed. Similar to previous studies, prevalence and mean colony counts of the majority of microorganisms generally increased midmenstrually and returned or began to return postmenstrually. In contrast to most previous studies,
Lactobacillus
species remained at similar levels throughout the cycles with both tampons. Neither tampon was associated with clinically significant microbiological changes or abnormalities or with vaginal/cervical epithelial integrity changes on colposcopy. Microbiological and colposcopic evaluations indicate that the apertured film-covered tampon is safe.
Correction of Underquantification of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Load with the Second Version of the Roche Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan Assay
Authors: De Bel A. , Marissens D. , Debaisieux L. , Liesnard C. , Van den Wijngaert S. , Lauwers S. , Piérard D.
Published: February 2010

Initial evaluations of the Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) test (CAP/CTM) demonstrated good performance but, afterwards, reports about underquantification were published. We investigated whether the problem was solved with a second version of this assay, the Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan HIV-1 test, version 2.0 (CAP/CTM v2.0). The remaining plasma of 375 consecutive HIV-1 positive samples with a viral load of ≥4,000 copies/ml was collected in three laboratories. The samples were diluted and retested with our routine method Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas Amplicor HIV-1 monitor test v1.5 in ultrasensitive mode (CAP/CA PHS), as well as with the CAP/CTM and CAP/CTM v2.0 tests. An absolute difference between the results of two methods of ≥0.71 log10copies/ml was defined as moderately discrepant, and an absolute difference of ≥0.93 log10copies/ml was defined as severely discrepant. In addition, criteria for considering the new methods equivalent to the routine method were formulated. (i) For CAP/CTM compared to CAP/CA PHS, 36 (9.5%) and 20 (5.3%) samples were, respectively, considered moderately and severely underquantified by CAP/CTM. The mean difference between CAP/CTM and CAP/CA PHS was −0.32 log10copies/ml. Eight of nineteen of the severely underquantified samples were from patients infected with HIV-1 subtype B strain. (ii) For CAP/CTM v2.0 compared to CAP/CA PHS, no sample was moderately or severely underquantified by CAP/CTM v2.0. A mean difference of 0.08 log10copies/ml was found with CAP/CTM v2.0 compared to CAP/CA PHS. The underquantification problem of the CAP/CTM kit was clearly demonstrated. The criteria for the equivalence of CAP/CTM v2.0 to the routine test CAP/CA PHS were fulfilled.
Development of a Multiplex Primer Extension Assay for Rapid Detection of
Salmonella
Isolates of Diverse Serotypes
Authors: Ben-Darif Elloulu , Jury Francine , De Pinna Elizabeth , Threlfall E. John , Bolton Frederick J. , Fox Andrew J. , Upton Mathew
Published: February 2010

Food-borne salmonellosis is a major manifestation of gastrointestinal disease in humans across the globe. Accurate and rapid identification methods could positively impact the identification of isolates, enhance outbreak investigation, and aid infection control. The SNaPshot multiplex system is a primer extension-based method that enables multiplexing of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Here the method has been developed for the identification of five
Salmonella
serotypes, commonly detected in the United Kingdom, based on serotype-specific SNPs identified in the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) database of
Salmonella enterica
. The SNPs, in genes
hemD
,
thrA
,
purE
, and
sucA
, acted as surrogate markers for
S. enterica
serovars Typhimurium, Enteritidis, Virchow, Infantis, and Braenderup. The multiplex primer extension assay (MPEA) was conducted in two separate panels and evaluated using 152
Salmonella enterica
isolates that were characterized by MLST. The MPEA was shown to be 100% specific and sensitive, within this collection of isolates. The MPEA is a sensitive and specific method for the identification and detection of
Salmonella
serotypes based upon SNPs seen in MLST data. The method can be applied in less than 6 h and has the potential to improve patient care and source tracing. The utility of the assay for identification of
Salmonella
serotypes directly from clinical specimens and food samples warrants further investigation.
Evaluation of Chromogenic Media for Detection of Methicillin-Resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Malhotra-Kumar Surbhi , Abrahantes José Cortinas , Sabiiti Wilber , Lammens Christine , Vercauteren Greetje , Ieven Margareta , Molenberghs Geert , Aerts Marc , Goossens Herman
Published: February 2010

Rapid laboratory diagnosis is critical for treating, managing, and preventing methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) infections. We evaluated and compared the potential for MRSA detection of five chromogenic media,
Brilliance
MRSA agar (Oxoid), ChromID (bioMérieux), MRSA
Select
(Bio-Rad), CHROMagar (CHROMagar Microbiology), and BBL-CHROMagar (BD Diagnostics). Media were tested with log serial dilutions (10
0
to 10
6
CFU) of pure isolates of MRSA (
n
= 60), non-MRSA (
n
= 27), and defined mixtures thereof simulating clinical samples (
n
= 84). Further evaluations were done on pre-enriched nasal and groin screening swabs (
n
= 213) from 165 hospitalized patients. Randomized samples were spiral plated on each medium and independently scored by five investigators for characteristic colonies at 24 and 48 h of incubation. Confirmatory testing of up to five putative MRSA colonies recovered from each medium was done. The cumulative average sensitivity with isolates, mixtures, and clinical samples was the highest for
Brilliance
MRSA agar (97%) and similar for the other four media (≥92%). The cumulative average specificity was the highest for BBL-CHROMagar (99%), followed by MRSA
Select
(98%), CHROMagar (97%), ChromID (89%), and
Brilliance
MRSA agar (86%). All of the media detected MRSA at 10 and 1 CFU, although at these low loads, few MRSA samples harboring SCC
mec
type III or IV were misinterpreted as non-MRSA by investigators. False-positive results were mainly due to methicillin-resistant
S. epidermidis
. For an arbitrary MRSA prevalence of 5% and based on patient sample evaluations, the positive predictive values for BBL-CHROMagar and CHROMagar (∼84%) were the highest. The negative predictive values of all of the media were ≥92% for MRSA prevalences ranging from 5% to 30%. In conclusion, BBL-CHROMagar and CHROMagar gave the best overall results for detection of MRSA, irrespective of the sample concentration, investigator, or incubation period.
Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry for Direct Bacterial Identification from Positive Blood Culture Pellets
Authors: Prod'hom Guy , Bizzini Alain , Durussel Christian , Bille Jacques , Greub Gilbert
Published: February 2010

An ammonium chloride erythrocyte-lysing procedure was used to prepare a bacterial pellet from positive blood cultures for direct matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry analysis. Identification was obtained for 78.7% of the pellets tested. Moreover, 99% of the MALDI-TOF identifications were congruent at the species level when considering valid scores. This fast and accurate method is promising.
Performance Evaluation of the New Roche Cobas AmpliPrep/Cobas TaqMan HIV-1 Test Version 2.0 for Quantification of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 RNA
Authors: Pas Suzan , Rossen John W. A. , Schoener Daniel , Thamke Diana , Pettersson Annika , Babiel Reiner , Schutten Martin
Published: February 2010

Despite FDA approval and CE marking of commercial tests, manufacturer-independent testing of the technical aspects of newly developed tests is important. To evaluate the analytical performance and explore the clinical applicability of the new Roche COBAS AmpliPrep COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 test, version 2.0 (CAP/CTM v2.0), platform comparison was performed with the Roche CAP/CTM test, version 2.0, the COBAS Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor Test, version 1.5 (CAP/CA v1.5), the COBAS AmpliPrep COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 Test (CAP/CTM v1.0), and the Abbott
m
2000 Real
Time
HIV-1 assay on panels and diagnostic samples. Specificity was tested for HIV-2 samples. Furthermore, samples from HIV-1-seropositive individuals with CAP/CA v1.5-measured viral loads below 50 HIV-1 RNA copies per ml (cp/ml) and replicates of HIV-1-seronegative plasma were tested in a checkerboard analysis. CAP/CTM v2.0 is HIV-1 specific, with broad genotype inclusivity and no serious underquantification of viral load relative to the other assays used. Low viral loads below the threshold of quantification for CAP/CA v1.5 are observed with CAP/CTM v2.0. A CAP/CTM v2.0-measured viral load of >50 copies/ml in these samples correlated with therapy failure. In conclusion, CAP/CTM v2.0 is an accurate and reliable test for HIV-1 viral load measurement relative to the other assays used with respect to specificity, sensitivity, and genotype inclusivity.
Catheter-Related Bacteremia Caused by
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
Refractory to Antibiotic-Lock Therapy in a Hemophilic Child with Dog Exposure
Authors: Chuang Chia-Yunn , Yang Yung-Li , Hsueh Po-Ren , Lee Ping-Ing
Published: February 2010

We describe a case of catheter-related bacteremia due to
Staphylococcus pseudintermedius
in a child with dog exposure. The organism was confirmed as
S
.
pseudintermedius
based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and positive PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism of the
pta
gene.
Decreased Susceptibility to Teicoplanin and Vancomycin in Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Isolated from Orthopedic-Device-Associated Infections
Authors: Cremniter Julie , Slassi Asma , Quincampoix Jean-Charles , Sivadon-Tardy Valérie , Bauer Thomas , Porcher Raphaël , Lortat-Jacob Alain , Piriou Philippe , Judet Thierry , Herrmann Jean-Louis , Gaillard Jean-Louis , Rottman Martin
Published: February 2010

We studied 315 coagulase-negative
Staphylococcus
strains recovered prospectively during 240 surgical procedures (206 subjects) from proven or suspected device-associated bone and joint infections. Sixteen strains (5.1%) had decreased susceptibility to glycopeptides: 15 (12
S. epidermidis
strains, 2
S. capitis
strains, and 1
S. haemolyticus
strain) to teicoplanin alone (MIC of 16 mg/liter,
n
= 9; MIC of 32 mg/liter,
n
= 6) and one (
S. epidermidis
) to both teicoplanin and vancomycin (MIC, 16 and 8 mg/liter, respectively). Decreased susceptibility to teicoplanin was more prevalent in “infecting” strains (i.e., strains recovered from ≥2 distinct intraoperative samples) than in “contaminants” (i.e., strains not fulfilling this criterion) (8.1% [12/149] versus 2.4% [4/166], respectively [
P
= 0.022]). One hundred percent (13/13) of
S. epidermidis
strains with decreased susceptibility to teicoplanin were resistant to methicillin (versus 112/173 [64.7%] for
S. epidermidis
strains susceptible to teicoplanin;
P
= 0.021).
Frequent Detection of Noroviruses and Sapoviruses in Swine and High Genetic Diversity of Porcine Sapovirus in Japan during Fiscal Year 2008
Authors: Nakamura Kazuya , Saga Yumiko , Iwai Masae , Obara Mayumi , Horimoto Eiji , Hasegawa Sumiyo , Kurata Takeshi , Okumura Hiraku , Nagoshi Masataka , Takizawa Takenori
Published: February 2010

A molecular biological survey on porcine norovirus (NoV) and sapovirus (SaV) was conducted in Toyama Prefecture, Japan, during fiscal year 2008. Both NoV and SaV were detected from swine fecal samples throughout the surveillance period, indicating that these viruses were circulating in this region. NoV strains detected in this study belonged to three genotypes that are known as typical swine NoVs. Although human NoVs were occasionally detected, it was unclear whether they replicated in pigs. As for SaV, genogroup VII (GVII) and other divergent genogroups were identified in addition to the dominant genogroup, GIII, which is the prototypic porcine SaV. In addition, 3 strains genetically related to human SaV were detected. Two of these 3 strains were closely related to human SaV GV. Our study showed that genetic diversification of porcine SaV is currently progressing in the swine population.
Application of an Improved Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Method for Serological Diagnosis of Canine Leishmaniasis
Authors: Santarém Nuno , Silvestre Ricardo , Cardoso Luís , Schallig Henk , Reed Steven G. , Cordeiro-da-Silva Anabela
Published: February 2010

Accurate diagnosis of canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is essential toward a more efficient control of this zoonosis, but it remains problematic due to the high incidence of asymptomatic infections. In this study, we present data on the development of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based techniques for the detection of antibodies against the recombinant protein
Leishmania infantum
cytosolic tryparedoxin peroxidase (
Li
cTXNPx) and a comparison of the results with those employing soluble
Leishmania
antigens from promastigote or amastigote forms and the homologue recombinant protein
L. infantum
mitochondrial TXNPx (
Li
mTXNPx). Moreover, we offer an evaluation of the diagnostic potential of rK39 for CanL in the Portuguese canine population and propose an improvement to the existing ELISA-based serological techniques by combining the
Li
cTXNPx and rK39 antigens as a
Leishmania
antigen mixture (LAM). The data demonstrated that ELISAs based on soluble promastigote or amastigote antigens had generally higher levels of sensitivity for detection of antibodies in symptomatic or asymptomatic dogs than for detection of those against isolated recombinant proteins. Nevertheless, the specificities were found to be similar for all target antigens used. Importantly, the LAM-ELISA methodology improved the overall sensitivity, maintaining a high overall level of specificity. In addition, it was demonstrated that the detection of anti-LAM IgG2 can increase the accuracy of the serological diagnosis. Overall, the obtained results showed that the strategy of combining two well-defined
Leishmania
antigens,
Li
cTXNPx and rK39, proved to be a sensitive and specific improvement to current serological diagnosis of CanL, being a useful tool for the detection of both clinical and subclinical forms of canine
Leishmania
infection.