bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acute Improvement of Left Ventricular Relaxation as a Predictor of Volume Reduction after Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy: A Pilot Study Assessing the Value of Left Ventricular Hemodynamic Parameter
Authors: KATO HIROYUKI , SHIMANO MASAYUKI , SUMI TAKUYA , MURAKAMI HISASHI , KADA KENJI , INDEN YASUYA , TSUBOI NAOYA , MUROHARA TOYOAKI
Published: August 2014

Background

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves cardiac function, but CRT recipients with advanced heart failure (HF) do not always respond well. Because the best parameters for the prediction of CRT response are not established, we investigated whether improvement of invasive left ventricular (LV) hemodynamic diastolic parameters could identify CRT responders.

Methods

A total of 34 consecutive patients (age, 69 ± 9 years; 70% men) who received CRT devices for HF were assessed as to whether acute invasive hemodynamic parameters with and without CRT function could predict LV volume responders.

Results

These patients demonstrated an improvement in LV dP/dtmax (11.1 ± 11.7%), LV dP/dtmin (4.6 ± 12.1%), and tau (3.7 ± 11.6%) by biventricular pacing. Nineteen patients (55%) were classified as CRT responders, which was defined by a >15% decrease in LV end‐systolic volume (ESV) at the 6‐month follow‐up evaluation. The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve to detect CRT volume response was 0.93 for the shortening of tau, which was superior to any other hemodynamic parameter. The multivariate analysis revealed that this improvement in tau was the strongest predictive factor for identifying CRT volume responders. Of note, the magnitude of tau shortening during biventricular pacing was significantly correlated with the reduction in LVESV at the 6‐month follow‐up evaluation.

Conclusions

The extent of acute improvement in LV isovolumic relaxation time, as assessed by tau, was associated with favorable response to CRT. The assessment of invasive diastolic function could provide valuable information about CRT volume response.
Features of the Built Environment Related to Physical Activity Friendliness and Children's Obesity and Other Risk Factors
Authors: Taylor Wendell C. , Upchurch Sandra L. , Brosnan Christine A. , Selwyn Beatrice J. , Nguyen Thong Q. , Villagomez Evangelina Trejo , Meininger Janet C.
Published: August 2014

Objectives

We investigated the relationships among environmental features of physical activity friendliness, socioeconomic indicators, and prevalence of obesity (BMI status), central adiposity (waist circumference, waist‐height ratio), and hypertension.

Design and Sample

The design was cross‐sectional; the study was correlational. The sample was 911 kindergarteners through sixth graders from three schools in an urban school district residing in 13 designated neighborhoods.

Measures

Data from walking environmental community audits, census data for socioeconomic indicators, body mass index, waist circumference, waist‐height ratio, and blood pressure were analyzed. A modified Alfonzo's Hierarchy of Walking Needs model was the conceptual framework for environmental features (i.e., accessibility, safety, comfort, and pleasurability) related to physical activity.

Results

Accessibility was significantly and negatively correlated with prevalence of obesity and with prevalence of a waist‐height ratio >0.50. When neighborhood education was controlled, and when both neighborhood education and poverty were controlled with partial correlational analysis, comfort features of a walking environment were significantly and positively related to prevalence of obesity. When poverty was controlled with partial correlation, accessibility was significantly and negatively correlated with prevalence of waist‐height ratio >0.50.

Conclusions

The built environment merits further research to promote physical activity and stem the obesity epidemic in children. Our approach can be a useful framework for future research.
Child Eating Behaviors and Caregiver Feeding Practices in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Kral Tanja V. E. , Souders Margaret C. , Tompkins Victoria H. , Remiker Adriane M. , Eriksen Whitney T. , Pinto‐Martin Jennifer A.
Published: August 2014

Objective

This pilot study compared children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and typically developing children (TDC) on weight‐related outcomes and caregiver‐reported child eating behaviors and feeding practices.

Design and Sample

Cross‐sectional study. Caregivers of 25 children with ASD and 30 TDC, ages 4–6.

Methods

Caregivers completed validated questionnaires that assessed child eating behaviors and feeding practices. Children's height, weight, and waist circumference were measured.

Results

Children with ASD, when compared to TDC, showed significantly greater abdominal waist circumferences (p = .01) and waist‐to‐height ratios (p < .001). Children with ASD with atypical oral sensory sensitivity exhibited greater food avoidance behaviors, including reluctance to eat novel foods (p = .004), being selective about the range of foods they accept (p = .03), and undereating due to negative emotions (p = .02), than children with ASD with typical oral sensory sensitivity. Caregivers of children with ASD with atypical oral sensory sensitivity reported using food to regulate negative child emotions to a greater extent than caregivers of children with typical oral sensory sensitivity (p = .02).

Discussion

Children with ASD, especially those with atypical oral sensory sensitivity, are at increased risk for food avoidance behaviors and may require additional support in several feeding domains.
The Putin Factor: Personalism, Protest, and Regime Stability in Russia
Authors: Smyth Regina
Published: August 2014

Vladimir Putin remains central to regime stability in the Russian Federation. However, the role that Mr. Putin's personalist appeal—rooted in both charismatic and noncharismatic linkages—plays in maintaining regime support is undertheorized. I argue that personalism is a powerful political resource in electoral authoritarian regimes because it provides a positive logic for skeptical voters to support the leader. Personalist linkages obscure the role that electoral bias plays in shaping electoral outcomes, diminishing the impulse for mass postelection protest. When the effectiveness of personalism declines, discontented citizens are more likely to protest biased elections. This article shows that Mr. Putin's appeal as a sound steward of the economy declined by 2012 but that other sources of issue satisfaction continued to shape some respondents' trust in the president.
Evaluation of the Breeding Soundness of Male Camels (Camelus dromedarius) via Clinical Examination, Semen Analysis, Ultrasonography and Testicular Biopsy: A Summary of 80 Clinical Cases
Authors: Waheed MM , Ghoneim IM , Hassieb MM , Alsumait AA
Published: August 2014

Contents

Male camel infertility is a heterogeneous disorder. A variety of factors may adversely affect sperm production and function and impair fertility. This study was designed to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonography and testicular biopsy in the evaluation of the breeding soundness of male dromedaries compared with results obtained by clinical examination and semen analysis. Eighty‐four male dromedary camels (5–15 years old) were used in this study during the rutting season (November–May). Four sexually mature male camels were used as controls. These animals were apparently healthy and had histories of normal fertility. Eighty infertile male camels were subjected to an algorithmic approach based on information collected during careful examinations of the camels' breeding histories, clinical examinations, testicular evaluations, testicular ultrasonographies, the results of the semen analyses and testicular biopsies to diagnose the camels' infertilities. The differences in the semen parameters between the control and infertile male camels were highly significant (p < 0.01). Regarding the diagnoses of male camel infertility, the results of testicular ultrasonographies and biopsies were compared with those from the semen analyses, and the accuracies of these tests were 92.5% and 90%, respectively. Additionally, the results of the testicular ultrasonographies were matched with those of the testicular biopsies of the infertile animals, and this comparison resulted in 85% accuracy. Testicular biopsy is a promising method that, along with a carefully performed history, clinical examination, an appropriate testicular ultrasonography procedure and semen analysis, can afford veterinarians the opportunity for more precise diagnosis and treatment of many dromedary infertility disorders.
Technology Transfer Institutions in Global Climate Governance: The Tension between Equity Principles and Market Allocation
Authors: McGee Jeffrey , Wenta Joseph
Published: August 2014

Technology transfer to developing countries has been identified as essential to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. However, existing analyses underplay the influence of wider normative principles in shaping institutions for technology transfer in global climate governance. This article uses discourse analysis to explore the ideas and assumptions underlying technology transfer institutions both within and outside the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This discourse analysis identifies four key periods in the development of technology transfer institutions in global climate governance. In the first three periods, technology transfer institutions embody discourses ranging from green governmentality to deregulatory ecological modernization. In the fourth period, the post‐Copenhagen Technology Mechanism embodies a broader discursive landscape that parallels a more fundamental contest over the extent to which redistributive claims are allowed to shape institutions of global climate governance.
Dyspnoea and comorbidity contribute to anxiety and depression in interstitial lung disease
Authors: Holland Anne E. , Fiore Julio F. , Bell Emily C. , Goh Nicole , Westall Glen , Symons Karen , Dowman Leona , Glaspole Ian
Published: August 2014

Background and objectives

Little is known about the prevalence of anxiety in interstitial lung disease (ILD), and the contributors to depression are not clear. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of anxiety and depression in people with ILD.

Methods

One hundred and twenty‐four individuals with ILD (age 64 years (standard deviation 12), 48 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) participated. Anxiety and depression were assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale to determine likely cases and borderline cases. Associations with demographic data, respiratory function, 6‐min walk and Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale (MMRC) were examined.

Results

The prevalence of anxiety was 31%, with clinically significant anxiety in 12%. Depression was present in 23% of individuals, with 7% having clinically significant depression. Independent predictors of anxiety were a higher MMRC score (P = 0.005, odds ratio (OR) for case 2.60, 95% confidence interval 1.37 to 4.92) and higher nadir SpO2 during walking (P = 0.003, OR for case 1.16, 1.04–1.30). Independent predictors of depression were a higher MMRC score (P = 0.006, case OR 3.84, 1.25–11.78, borderline case OR 2.44, 1.14–5.19) and a greater number of comorbidities (P = 0.003, case OR 2.02, 0.97–4.21, borderline case OR 2.26, 1.30–3.93).

Conclusions

Anxiety and depression are present in a significant minority of individuals with ILD. Dyspnoea and comorbidities are important contributors that may be amenable to intervention.
Cool water geyser travertine: Crystal Geyser, Utah, USA
Authors: Barth Jennifer A. , Chafetz Henry S.
Published: August 2014

A sloping travertine mound, approximately 85 m across and a few metres thick is actively forming from cool temperature waters issuing out of Crystal Geyser, east‐central Utah, USA. Older travertine deposits exist at the site, the waters having used the Little Grand Wash Fault system as conduits. In contrast, the present Crystal Geyser travertine mound forms from 18°C waters which have been erupting for the last 80 years from an abandoned oil well. The present Crystal Geyser travertine accumulation forms from a ‘man‐made’ cool temperature geyser system; nevertheless, the constituents are an analogue for ancient geyser‐fed carbonate deposits. The travertine primary fabric is composed of couplets of highly porous, thin micritic laminae intercalated with thicker iron oxide rich laminae. Low Mg‐calcite is the dominant mineralogy; however, aragonite is a major constituent in deposits proximal to the vent and decreases in abundance distally. Cements exhibit a variety of fabrics, isopachous being common. Constituents include micro‐stromatolites, clasts, pisoids and the common occurrence of Frutexites‐like iron oxide precipitates. Leptothrix, a common iron‐oxidizing bacterium, is believed to be responsible for the production of the dense iron‐rich laminae. Pisoids litter the ground around the vent and rapidly decrease distally in abundance and size.
Mapping bathymetry and depositional facies on Great Bahama Bank
Authors: Harris Paul M. (Mitch) , Purkis Sam J. , Ellis James , Swart Peter K. , Reijmer John J. G.
Published: August 2014

Satellite imagery and an extensive set of water‐depth measurements have been used to map and critically evaluate the magnitude and patterns of bathymetry across Great Bahama Bank. Descriptions of previously collected sediment samples were combined with satellite imagery to map and refine the interpreted distribution of surficial carbonate sediments (depositional facies). Data reveal that 60% of Great Bahama Bank lies in 5 m or less of water. The deep portion occurs mainly in a generally east–west trending area in the southern portion of the platform. The re‐evaluation of the facies reveals that Great Bahama Bank is essentially a very grainy platform with muddier accumulations primarily in the lee of Andros Island. This area of Great Bahama Bank also experiences currents related to an excursion of the Florida Current onto the platform top; possibly enhancing sediment mud production through the generation of whitings. Sediment equivalents to mudstones, wackestones and mud‐rich packstones cover 8%, 5% and 14%, respectively, of the platform top, whereas sediment equivalents to mud‐poor packstones, grainstones and rudstones account for 20%, 45% and 3% of the surface area. Boundstones (reefs) were not specifically mapped in this study due to the resolution of the mapping. There is a poor relationship between the occurrence of the depositional texture and water depth, in that the grainier sediment types are abundant across the full range of water depths. The most abrupt lateral facies changes portrayed on the facies maps are observed leeward of islands, areas which also hold the highest diversity in facies type. The majority of the islands on the platform align with the north‐west/south‐east strike of the platform margin and these islands, in turn, exert control on the shape and orientation of facies belts that develop in proximity to them. For this reason, regions of the platform that contain principal islands host facies belts that align with the principal axis of the platform, whereas for regions lacking islands, the facies belts adopt an east–west trend consistent with prevailing winds and currents. There is a clear trend that the wide southern portion of the platform hosts the most continuous expanses of grain‐rich sediments.
Origin, characteristics and distribution of fault‐related and fracture‐related dolomitization: Insights from Mississippian carbonates, Isle of Man
Authors: Hendry James P. , Gregg Jay M. , Shelton Kevin L. , Somerville Ian D. , Crowley Stephen F.
Published: August 2014

Viséan limestones on the Isle of Man host numerous examples of fault‐controlled and fracture‐controlled dolomitization, which have been investigated to determine their macro‐scale to micro‐scale characteristics, geofluid origin, timing and relation to basin evolution. Geobodies composed of fabric destructive, ferroan, non‐planar dolomite range from several centimetres to >300 m wide and tens to hundreds of metres long parallel to faults and/or fractures; they have sharply defined margins, cross‐cut stratigraphy and locally finger out along beds or bed boundaries for tens of metres. Larger geobodies accompany NNE–SSW extensional faults with substantial breccia zones. One of these bodies hosts a sphalerite‐rich breccia deposit cemented by dolomite. Saddle dolomite lines or fills vugs and fractures within dolomite geobodies, and is a minor late diagenetic phase in undolomitized limestones. Replacive dolomite has low matrix porosity owing to non‐planar texture and associated cementation, and there is no evidence for subsequent leaching. Three dolomite stages are discriminated by texture, cathodoluminescence petrography and electron microscopy. Disseminated ‘Dolomite 1’ is substantially replaced and may be residual early diagenetic dolomite. Pervasive ‘Dolomite 2’ and ‘Dolomite 3’ have overlapping carbon–oxygen–strontium isotopic and fluid‐inclusion characteristics that indicate precipitation from allochthonous, high‐temperature (98 to 223°C) and high‐salinity (15 to 24 wt% NaCl eq.) brines. These variably equilibrated with host limestones and mixed with resident pore fluids. Overlying mudrocks formed a seal for ascending fluids. Integration of data from the mineral deposit suggests that fault‐fracture systems tapped different deep‐seated fluid reservoirs at different temperatures, and implies fluid interactions with both metamorphic basement and sedimentary cover in large‐scale circulation systems. This phenomenon probably took place during Mesozoic rifting, although an earlier event at the end of the Early Carboniferous cannot be discounted. In either case, a transient heat flow anomaly, previously unrecognized in the Irish Sea region, may be required to account for the hottest fluids.
Memory factors in Rey AVLT: Implications for early staging of cognitive decline
Authors: Fernaeus Sven‐Erik , Östberg Per , Wahlund Lars‐Olof , Hellström Åke
Published: August 2014

Supraspan verbal list learning is widely used to assess dementia and related cognitive disorders where declarative memory deficits are a major clinical sign. While the overall learning rate is important for diagnosis, serial position patterns may give insight into more specific memory processes in patients with cognitive impairment. This study explored these patterns in a memory clinic clientele. One hundred eighty three participants took the Rey Auditory‐Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). The major groups were patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), Vascular Dementia (VD), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and Subjective Cognitive Impairment (SCI) as well as healthy controls (HC). Raw scores for the five trials and five serial partitions were factor analysed. Three memory factors were found and interpreted as Primacy, Recency, and Resistance to Interference. AD and MCI patients had impaired scores in all factors. SCI patients were significantly impaired in the Resistance to Interference factor, and in the Recency factor at the first trial. The main conclusion is that serial position data from word list testing reflect specific memory capacities which vary with levels of cognitive impairment.
Identification of the novel KIR2DL3*030 allele from a southern Chinese Han individual
Authors: Xiong H.‐H. , Zhen J.‐X. , Deng Z.‐H.
Published: August 2014

KIR2DL3*030 differs from the closest allele, KIR2DL3*00101, by a single missense mutation at CDS.
GFS9/TT9 contributes to intracellular membrane trafficking and flavonoid accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Ichino Takuji , Fuji Kentaro , Ueda Haruko , Takahashi Hideyuki , Koumoto Yasuko , Takagi Junpei , Tamura Kentaro , Sasaki Ryosuke , Aoki Koh , Shimada Tomoo , Hara‐Nishimura Ikuko
Published: August 2014

Flavonoids are the most important pigments for the coloration of flowers and seeds. In plant cells, flavonoids are synthesized by a multi‐enzyme complex located on the cytosolic surface of the endoplasmic reticulum, and they accumulate in vacuoles. Two non‐exclusive pathways have been proposed to mediate flavonoid transport to vacuoles: the membrane transporter‐mediated pathway and the vesicle trafficking‐mediated pathway. No molecules involved in the vesicle trafficking‐mediated pathway have been identified, however. Here, we show that a membrane trafficking factor, GFS9, has a role in flavonoid accumulation in the vacuole. We screened a library of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with defects in vesicle trafficking, and isolated the gfs9 mutant with abnormal pale tan‐colored seeds caused by low flavonoid accumulation levels. gfs9 is allelic to the unidentified transparent testa mutant tt9. The responsible gene for these phenotypes encodes a previously uncharacterized protein containing a region that is conserved among eukaryotes. GFS9 is a peripheral membrane protein localized at the Golgi apparatus. GFS9 deficiency causes several membrane trafficking defects, including the mis‐sorting of vacuolar proteins, vacuole fragmentation, the aggregation of enlarged vesicles, and the proliferation of autophagosome‐like structures. These results suggest that GFS9 is required for vacuolar development through membrane fusion at vacuoles. Our findings introduce a concept that plants use GFS9‐mediated membrane trafficking machinery for delivery of not only proteins but also phytochemicals, such as flavonoids, to vacuoles.
Revised systematics and higher classification of pierid butterflies (Lepidoptera: Pieridae) based on molecular data
Authors: Wahlberg Niklas , Rota Jadranka , Braby Michael F. , Pierce Naomi E. , Wheat Christopher W.
Published: August 2014

The butterfly family Pieridae comprises approximately 1000 described species placed in 85 genera, but the higher classification has not yet been settled. We used molecular data from eight gene regions (one mitochondrial and seven nuclear protein‐coding genes) comprising a total of ~6700 bp from 96 taxa to infer a well‐supported phylogenetic hypothesis for the family. Based on this hypothesis, we revise the higher classification for all pierid genera. We resurrect the tribe Teracolini stat. rev. in the subfamily Pierinae to include the genera Teracolus, Pinacopteryx, Gideona, Ixias, Eronia, Colotis and most likely Calopieris. We transfer Hebomoia to the tribe Anthocharidini and assign the previously unplaced genera Belenois and Dixeia to the subtribe Aporiina. Three lineages near the base of Pierinae (Leptosia, Elodina and Nepheronia + Pareronia) remain unplaced. For each of these, we describe and delineate new tribes: Elodinini Braby tribus nova, Leptosiaini Braby tribus nova and Nepheroniini Braby tribus nova. The proposed higher classification is based on well‐supported monophyletic groups and is likely to remain stable even with the addition of more data.
Cluster Stability as a New Method to Assess Changes in Performance and its Determinant Factors Over a Season in Young Swimmers
Authors: Morais Jorge E. , Silva António J. , Marinho Daniel A. , Seifert Ludovic , Barbosa Tiago M.
Published: August 2014

Purpose:

To apply a new method to identify, classify, and follow up young swimmers based on their performance and its determinant factors over a season and analyze the swimmers’ stability over a competitive season with that method.

Methods:

Fifteen boys and 18 girls (11.8 ± 0.7 y) part of a national talent-identification scheme were evaluated at 3 different moments of a competitive season. Performance (ie, official 100-m freestyle race time), arm span, chest perimeter, stroke length, swimming velocity, speed fluctuation, coefficient of active drag, propelling efficiency, and stroke index were selected as variables. Hierarchical and k-means cluster analysis were computed.

Results:

Data suggested a 3-cluster solution, splitting the swimmers according to their performance in all 3 moments. Cluster 1 was related to better performances (talented swimmers), cluster 2 to poor performances (nonproficient swimmers), and cluster 3 to average performance (proficient swimmers) in all moments. Stepwise discriminant analysis revealed that 100%, 94%, and 85% of original groups were correctly classified for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd evaluation moments, respectively (0.11 ≤ Λ ≤ 0.80; 5.64 ≤ χ2 ≤ 63.40; 0.001 < P ≤ .68). Membership of clusters was moderately stable over the season (stability range 46.1–75% for the 2 clusters with most subjects).

Conclusion:

Cluster stability is a feasible, comprehensive, and informative method to gain insight into changes in performance and its determinant factors in young swimmers. Talented swimmers were characterized by anthropometrics and kinematic features.
Reliability and Validity of a New Variable-Power Performance Test in Road Cyclists
Authors: Sharma Avish P. , Elliott Adrian D. , Bentley David J.
Published: August 2014

Context:

Road cycle racing is characterized by significant variability in exercise intensity. Existing protocols attempting to model this aspect display inadequate variation in power output. Furthermore, the reliability of protocols representative of road cycle racing is not well known. There are also minimal data regarding the physiological parameters that best predict performance during variable-power cycling.

Purpose:

To determine the reliability of mean power output during a new test of variable-power cycling and establish the relationship between physiological attributes typically measured during an incremental exercise test and performance during the variable-power cycling test (VCT).

Methods:

Fifteen trained male cyclists (mean ± SD age 33 ± 6.5 y, VO2max57.9 ± 4.8 mL · kg−1· min−1) performed an incremental exercise test to exhaustion for determination of physiological attributes, 2 VCTs (plus familiarization), and a 30-km time trial. The VCT was modeled on data from elite men’s road racing and included significant variation in power output.

Results:

Mean power output during the VCT showed good reliability (r= .92, CV% = 1.98). Relative power during the self-paced sections of the VCT was most correlated with maximal aerobic power (r= .79) and power at the second ventilatory threshold (r= .69). Blood lactate concentration showed poor reliability between trials (CV% = 13.93%).

Conclusions:

This study has demonstrated a new reliable protocol simulating the stochastic nature of road cycling races. Further research is needed to determine which factors predict performance during variable-power cycling and the validity of the test in monitoring longitudinal changes in cycling performance.
The Relationship of Training Load to Physical-Capacity Changes During International Tours in High-Performance Junior Tennis Players
Authors: Murphy Alistair P. , Duffield Rob , Kellett Aaron , Reid Machar
Published: August 2014

Purpose:

Given the travel that punctuates junior tennis development, an understanding of the changes in fitness owing to touring and the association between training loads (TLs) and fitness on return is vital. The authors investigated physical-capacity changes from pretour to posttour, determining if those changes were related to the TL of athletes on tour.

Methods:

Thirty junior athletes completed fitness testing before and after 4-wk tours. Testing included double-leg countermovement jump (CMJ), dominant single-leg and nondominant single-leg CMJ, speed (5, 10, 20 m), modified 5-0-5 agility (left and right), 10 × 20-m repeated-sprint ability (RSA), and multistage fitness tests. Repeated-measures ANOVAs determined physical-capacity change, with effect-size analysis establishing the magnitude of change. To avoid regression toward the mean, a 1/3-split technique was implemented for comparative analysis (high to low TLs).

Results:

Moderate effects (d = 0.50–0.70) for reductions of up to 3.6% in 5-, 10-, and 20-m speeds were observed. However, all remaining changes were only of trivial to small magnitude (d < 0.40). Closer analysis of the interaction between TL and physical capacities (1/3-split) revealed that subjects who completed the greatest amount of total and tennis TL returned with a greater decline in speed and aerobic capacities (d > 0.80). Furthermore, it was observed that match load dictates on- and off-court TL, with an increase in matches won understandably stunting exposure to off-court TL.

Conclusions:

Specific training should be prescribed on tour to maintain speed characteristics over a 4-wk international tour. On-tour training schedules should be carefully monitored to maximize specific TL exposure after losses on tour.
Prematch Salivary Secretory Immunoglobulin A in Soccer Players From the 2014 World Cup Qualifying Campaign
Authors: Morgans Ryland , Owen Adam , Doran Dominic , Drust Barry , Morton James P.
Published: August 2014

Purpose:

To monitor resting salivary secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) levels in international soccer players during the short-term training period that precedes international match play.

Methods:

In a repeated-measure design, saliva samples were obtained from 13 outfield soccer players who participated in the training camps preceding 7 games (5 home and 2 away) of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. Samples were obtained daily for 4 d preceding each game (and analyzed for SIgA using the IPRO oral-fluid-collection system) at match day minus 1 (MD-1), minus 2 (MD-2), minus 3 (MD-3), and minus 4 (MD-4).

Results:

SIgA displayed a progressive decline (P = .01) during the 4-d training period (MD-4, 365 ± 127 μg/mL; MD-3, 348 ± 154 μg/mL; MD-2, 290 ± 138 μg/mL; MD-1, 256 ± 90 μg/mL) such that MD-1 values were significantly lower (P = .01) than both MD-4 and MD-3. The 95% confidence intervals for the differences between MD-1 and MD-4 were –191 to –26 and between MD-1 and MD-3 were –155 to –28.

Conclusions:

Data demonstrate that a short-term soccer-training camp in preparation for international competition induces detectable perturbations to mucosal immunity. Future studies should monitor SIgA (as a practical and noninvasive measure of immunity) alongside internal and external measures of training load in an attempt to strategically individualize training and nutritional strategies that may support optimal preparation for high-level competition.
Analysis of the Kenyan Distance-Running Phenomenon
Authors: Tucker Ross , Onywera Vincent O. , Santos-Concejero Jordan
Published: August 2014

Purpose:

To investigate the ethnicity of Kenya’s most successful international runners, tracking their evolution over the period of their international emergence and current dominance.

Methods:

The authors analyzed male track distance events from 800m upwards from all the major global athletics championships from 1964 to 2013, and the annual Top-25 world marathon performances since 1990.

Results:

The percentage of top-25 marathon performances and medals won by Kenyan and Kalenjin runners have increased over time with Nandi subtribe outperforming the rest of the world outside Africa (r > .70, large effect). However, Europe, North America, Oceania, Asia, and South America decreased over time in top marathon performances and track medals won (r > .70, large effect). The tribe and subtribe distribution was different in the marathon than in the track: Maasais were more likely to feature in medals won in shorter track events than in the top 25 of the world marathon rankings (risk ratio [RR] = 9.67, very large effect). This was also the case for Marakwets (RR = 6.44, very large effect) and Pokots (RR = 4.83, large effect). On the other hand, Keiyos, Kikuyus, Kipsigis, Sabaots, and Tugens were more likely to succeed in the marathon than in shorter track events (RR > 2.0, moderate effect).

Conclusion:

These data emphasize that the previously documented emergence of African distance runners is primarily a Kenyan phenomenon, driven by the Kalenjin tribe and in particular the Nandi subtribe. This supports the complex interaction between genotype, phenotype, and socioeconomic factors driving the remarkable dominance of Kenyan distance runners.
Resveratrol Is Active against Leishmania amazonensis:
In Vitro
Effect of Its Association with Amphotericin B
Authors: Ferreira Christian , Soares Deivid Costa , Nascimento Michelle Tanny Cunha do , Pinto-da-Silva Lucia Helena , Sarzedas Carolina Galvão , Tinoco Luzineide Wanderley , Saraiva Elvira Maria
Published: August 2014

Resveratrol is a polyphenol found in black grapes and red wine and has many biological activities. In this study, we evaluated the effect of resveratrol alone and in association with amphotericin B (AMB) against
Leishmania amazonensis
. Our results demonstrate that resveratrol possesses both antipromastigote and antiamastigote effects, with 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC
50
s) of 27 and 42 μM, respectively. The association of resveratrol with AMB showed synergy for
L. amazonensis
amastigotes, as demonstrated by the mean sums of fractional inhibitory index concentration (mean ΣFIC) of 0.483, although for promastigotes, this association was indifferent. Treatment with resveratrol increased the percentage of promastigotes in the sub-G
0
/G
1
phase of the cell cycle, reduced the mitochondrial potential, and showed an elevated choline peak and CH
2
-to-CH
3
ratio in the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy analysis; all these features indicate parasite death. Resveratrol also decreased the activity of the enzyme arginase in uninfected and infected macrophages with and without stimulation with interleukin-4 (IL-4), also implicating arginase inhibition in parasite death. The anti-
Leishmania
effect of resveratrol and its potential synergistic association with AMB indicate that these compounds should be subjected to further studies of drug association therapy
in vivo
.
A Clinical Adverse Drug Reaction Prediction Model for Patients with Chagas Disease Treated with Benznidazole
Authors: Sperandio da Silva Gilberto Marcelo , Mediano Mauro Felippe Felix , Alvarenga Americano do Brasil Pedro Emmanuel , da Costa Chambela Mayara , da Silva Joyce Almeida , de Sousa Andrea Silvestre , Xavier Sergio Salles , Rodrigues da Costa Andrea , Magalhães Saraiva Roberto , Hasslocher-Moreno Alejandro Marcel
Published: August 2014

Benznidazole (BZN) is the main trypanocidal drug used to treat Chagas disease, and the evidence supporting the benefits of BZN use during the chronic phase of the disease will favor its use in millions of individuals. However, more than 30% of patients treated with BZN may suffer adverse drug reactions (ADRs), and the development of tools to identify those patients at risk is highly desirable. In the present study, we aimed to identify predictive factors for ADRs in Chagas disease patients treated with BZN. Among 195 patients included in the study, 48.7% experienced ADRs and 31.3% had ADRs that caused BZN treatment discontinuation. Overall ADRs and ADRs that caused BZN treatment discontinuation were more common among women and in those who graduated from elementary school. Overall ADRs were also less frequent among black individuals. Based on logistic regression analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR], 2.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5 to 5.4), graduation from elementary school (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.8), and white (OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.0 to 24.1) and mulatto (OR, 5.6; 95% CI, 1.1 to 28.7) races were considered to predict overall ADRs, and female sex (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.3) was considered to predict ADRs that caused BZN treatment discontinuation. Graduation from elementary school also presented a tendency to predict ADRs that caused BZN treatment discontinuation (OR, 1.8; 95% CI, 0.9 to 3.6). The logistic regression (LR) models to predict ADRs to BZN described in this study may become important tools to minimize ADRs and improve patients' compliance and thus assist physicians treating patients with Chagas disease with BZN.
In Vitro
Susceptibility of Plasmodium vivax to Antimalarials in Colombia
Authors: Fernández Diana , Segura César , Arboleda Margarita , Garavito Giovanny , Blair Silvia , Pabón Adriana
Published: August 2014

The
in vitro
susceptibilities of 30 isolates of
Plasmodium vivax
to a number of antimalarials (chloroquine [CQ], mefloquine, amodiaquine, quinine, and artesunate [AS]) were evaluated. The isolates came from the region of Urabá in Colombia, in which malaria is endemic, and were evaluated by the schizont maturation test. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC
50
) was 0.6 nM (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.3 to 1.0 nM) for artesunate, 8.5 nM (95% CI, 5.6 to 13.0 nM) for amodiaquine, 23.3 nM (95% CI, 12.4 to 44.1 nM) for chloroquine, 55.6 nM (95% CI, 36.8 to 84.1 nM) for mefloquine, and 115.3 nM (95% CI, 57.7 to 230.5 nM) for quinine. The isolates were classified according to whether the initial parasites were mature or immature trophozoites (Tfz). It was found that the IC
50
s for chloroquine and artesunate were significantly different in the two aforementioned groups (
P
< 0.001). The IC
50
s of CQ and AS were higher in the isolates from mature Tfz (CQ, 39.3 nM versus 17 nM; AS, 1.4 nM versus 0.3 nM), and 10% of the isolates showed lower susceptibilities to one of the antimalarial drugs, 13.3% to two antimalarial drugs, and 3.3% to more than three antimalarial drugs. It should be highlighted that despite the extensive use of chloroquine in Colombia,
P. vivax
continues to be susceptible to antimalarials. This is the first report, to our knowledge, showing
in vitro
susceptibilities of
P. vivax
isolates to antimalarials in Colombia.
Molecular Mechanism of MBX2319 Inhibition of Escherichia coli AcrB Multidrug Efflux Pump and Comparison with Other Inhibitors
Authors: Vargiu Attilio V. , Ruggerone Paolo , Opperman Timothy J. , Nguyen Son T. , Nikaido Hiroshi
Published: August 2014

Efflux pumps of the resistance nodulation division (RND) superfamily, such as AcrB, make a major contribution to multidrug resistance in Gram-negative bacteria. The development of inhibitors of the RND pumps would improve the efficacy of current and next-generation antibiotics. To date, however, only one inhibitor has been cocrystallized with AcrB. Thus,
in silico
structure-based analysis is essential for elucidating the interaction between other inhibitors and the efflux pumps. In this work, we used computer docking and molecular dynamics simulations to study the interaction between AcrB and the compound MBX2319, a novel pyranopyridine efflux pump inhibitor with potent activity against RND efflux pumps of
Enterobacteriaceae
species, as well as other known inhibitors (D13-9001, 1-[1-naphthylmethyl]-piperazine, and phenylalanylarginine-β-naphthylamide) and the binding of doxorubicin to the efflux-defective F610A variant of AcrB. We also analyzed the binding of a substrate, minocycline, for comparison. Our results show that MBX2319 binds very tightly to the lower part of the distal pocket in the B protomer of AcrB, strongly interacting with the phenylalanines lining the hydrophobic trap, where the hydrophobic portion of D13-9001 was found to bind by X-ray crystallography. Additionally, MBX2319 binds to AcrB in a manner that is similar to the way in which doxorubicin binds to the F610A variant of AcrB. In contrast, 1-(1-naphthylmethyl)-piperazine and phenylalanylarginine-β-naphthylamide appear to bind to somewhat different areas of the distal pocket in the B protomer of AcrB than does MBX2319. However, all inhibitors (except D13-9001) appear to distort the structure of the distal pocket, impairing the proper binding of substrates.
Antimalarial Activity of the Myxobacterial Macrolide Chlorotonil A
Authors: Held Jana , Gebru Tamirat , Kalesse Markus , Jansen Rolf , Gerth Klaus , Müller Rolf , Mordmüller Benjamin
Published: August 2014

Myxobacteria are Gram-negative soil-dwelling bacteria belonging to the phylum
Proteobacteria
. They are a rich source of promising compounds for clinical application, such as epothilones for cancer therapy and several new antibiotics. In the course of a bioactivity screening program of secondary metabolites produced by
Sorangium cellulosum
strains, the macrolide chlorotonil A was found to exhibit promising antimalarial activity. Subsequently, we evaluated chlorotonil A against
Plasmodium falciparum
laboratory strains and clinical isolates from Gabon. Chlorotonil A was highly active, with a 50% inhibitory concentration between 4 and 32 nM; additionally, no correlations between the activities of chlorotonil A and artesunate (rho, 0.208) or chloroquine (rho, −0.046) were observed.
Per os
treatment of
Plasmodium berghei
-infected mice with four doses of as little as 36 mg of chlorotonil A per kg of body weight led to the suppression of parasitemia with no obvious signs of toxicity. Chlorotonil A acts against all stages of intraerythrocytic parasite development, including ring-stage parasites and stage IV to V gametocytes, and it requires only a very short exposure to the parasite to exert its antimalarial action. Conclusively, chlorotonil A has an exceptional and unprecedented profile of action and represents an urgently required novel antimalarial chemical scaffold. Therefore, we propose it as a lead structure for further development as an antimalarial chemotherapeutic.
Overproduction of Ristomycin A by Activation of a Silent Gene Cluster in Amycolatopsis japonicum MG417-CF17
Authors: Spohn Marius , Kirchner Norbert , Kulik Andreas , Jochim Angelika , Wolf Felix , Muenzer Patrick , Borst Oliver , Gross Harald , Wohlleben Wolfgang , Stegmann Evi
Published: August 2014

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogenic bacteria within the last decades is one reason for the urgent need for new antibacterial agents. A strategy to discover new anti-infective compounds is the evaluation of the genetic capacity of secondary metabolite producers and the activation of cryptic gene clusters (genome mining). One genus known for its potential to synthesize medically important products is
Amycolatopsis
. However,
Amycolatopsis japonicum
does not produce an antibiotic under standard laboratory conditions. In contrast to most
Amycolatopsis
strains,
A. japonicum
is genetically tractable with different methods. In order to activate a possible silent glycopeptide cluster, we introduced a gene encoding the transcriptional activator of balhimycin biosynthesis, the
bbr
gene from
Amycolatopsis balhimycina
(
bbr
Aba
), into
A. japonicum
. This resulted in the production of an antibiotically active compound. Following whole-genome sequencing of
A. japonicum
, 29 cryptic gene clusters were identified by genome mining. One of these gene clusters is a putative glycopeptide biosynthesis gene cluster. Using bioinformatic tools, ristomycin (syn. ristocetin), a type III glycopeptide, which has antibacterial activity and which is used for the diagnosis of von Willebrand disease and Bernard-Soulier syndrome, was deduced as a possible product of the gene cluster. Chemical analyses by high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy confirmed the
in silico
prediction that the recombinant
A. japonicum
/pRM4-
bbr
Aba
synthesizes ristomycin A.
Bacterial Heterogeneity Is a Requirement for Host Superinfection by the Lyme Disease Spirochete
Authors: Rogovskyy Artem S. , Bankhead Troy
Published: August 2014

In nature, mixedBorrelia burgdorferiinfections are common and possibly can be acquired by either superinfection or coinfection. Superinfection by heterologousB. burgdorferistrains has been established experimentally, although the ability of homologousB. burgdorfericlones to superinfect a host has not been studied in detail. Information regarding any potential immune barriers to secondary infection also currently is unavailable. In the present study, the ability to superinfect various mouse models by homologous wild-type clones was examined and compared to superinfection by heterologous strains. To assess the ability of homologousB. burgdorfericlones to successfully superinfect a mouse host, primary- and secondary-infecting spirochetes were recovered viain vitrocultivation of collected blood or tissue samples. This was accomplished by generating two different antibiotic-resistant versions of the wild-type B31-A3 clone in order to distinguish superinfectingB. burgdorferifrom primary-infecting spirochetes. The data demonstrate an inability of homologousB. burgdorferito superinfect immunocompetent mice as opposed to heterologous strains. Attempts to superinfect different types of immunodeficient mice with homologousB. burgdorferiindicate that the murine innate immune system represents a major barrier to intrastrain superinfection. Consequently, the possibility of innate immunity as a driving force forB. burgdorferiheterogeneity during the enzootic cycle is discussed.
BDCA1-Positive Dendritic Cells (DCs) Represent a Unique Human Myeloid DC Subset That Induces Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses to Staphylococcus aureus Infection
Authors: Jin Jun-O , Zhang Wei , Du Jiang-yuan , Yu Qing
Published: August 2014

Staphylococcus aureus
bloodstream infection (bacteremia) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality and places substantial cost burdens on health care systems. The role of peripheral blood dendritic cells (PBDCs) in the immune responses against
S. aureus
infection has not been well characterized. In this study, we demonstrated that BDCA1
+
myeloid DCs (mDCs) represent a unique PBDC subset that can induce immune responses against
S. aureus
infection. BDCA1
+
mDCs could engulf
S. aureus
and strongly upregulated the expression of costimulatory molecules and production of proinflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, BDCA1
+
mDCs expressed high levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and II molecules in response to
S. aureus
and greatly promoted proliferation and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) production in CD4 and CD8 T cells. Moreover, BDCA1
+
mDCs expressed higher levels of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2) and scavenger receptor A (SR-A) than those on CD16
+
and BDCA3
+
mDCs, and these two receptors were both required for the recognition of
S. aureus
and the subsequent activation of BDCA1
+
mDCs. Finally, BDCA1
+
mDC-mediated immune responses against
S. aureus
were dependent on MyD88 signaling pathways. These results demonstrate that human BDCA1
+
mDCs represent a unique subset of mDCs that can respond to
S. aureus
to undergo maturation and activation and to induce Th1 and Tc1 immune responses.
The Disulfide Bonding System Suppresses CsgD-Independent Cellulose Production in Escherichia coli
Authors: Hufnagel David A. , DePas William H. , Chapman Matthew R.
Published: August 2014

The bacterial extracellular matrix encases cells and protects them from host-related and environmental insults. The
Escherichia coli
master biofilm regulator CsgD is required for the production of the matrix components curli and cellulose. CsgD activates the diguanylate cyclase AdrA, which in turn stimulates cellulose production through cyclic di-GMP (c-di-GMP). Here, we identified and characterized a CsgD- and AdrA-independent cellulose production pathway that was maximally active when cultures were grown under reducing conditions or when the disulfide bonding system (DSB) was compromised. The CsgD-independent cellulose activation pathway was dependent on a second diguanylate cyclase, called YfiN. c-di-GMP production by YfiN was repressed by the periplasmic protein YfiR, and deletion of
yfiR
promoted CsgD-independent cellulose production. Conversely, when YfiR was overexpressed, cellulose production was decreased. Finally, we found that YfiR was oxidized by DsbA and that intraprotein YfiR disulfide bonds stabilized YfiR in the periplasm. Altogether, we showed that reducing conditions and mutations in the DSB system caused hyperactivation of YfiN and subsequent CsgD-independent cellulose production.