bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ceftazidime-Avibactam Activity Tested against Enterobacteriaceae Isolates from U.S. Hospitals (2011 to 2013) and Characterization of β-Lactamase-Producing Strains
Authors: Castanheira Mariana , Mills Janet C. , Costello Sarah E. , Jones Ronald N. , Sader Helio S.
Published: April 2015

Ceftazidime-avibactam (MIC
50/90
, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml) inhibited 99.9% (20,698/20,709) of
Enterobacteriaceae
isolates at ≤8 μg/ml. This compound was active against resistant subsets, including ceftazidime-nonsusceptible
Enterobacter cloacae
(MIC
50/90
, 0.25/0.5 μg/ml) and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) phenotype isolates. An ESBL phenotype was noted among 12.4% (1,696/13,692 isolates from targeted species) of the isolates, including 776
Escherichia coli
(12.0% for this species; MIC
50/90
, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml), 721
Klebsiella pneumoniae
(16.3%; MIC
50/90
, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml), 119
Klebsiella oxytoca
(10.3%; MIC
50/90
, 0.06/0.25 μg/ml), and 80
Proteus mirabilis
(4.9%; MIC
50/90
, 0.06/0.12 μg/ml) isolates. The most common enzymes detected among ESBL phenotype isolates from 2013 (
n
= 743) screened using a microarray-based assay were CTX-M-15-like (
n
= 307), KPC (
n
= 120), SHV ESBLs (
n
= 118), and CTX-M-14-like (
n
= 110). KPC producers were highly resistant to comparators, and ceftazidime-avibactam (MIC
50/90
, 0.5/2 μg/ml) and tigecycline (MIC
50/90
, 0.5/1 μg/ml; 98.3% susceptible) were the most active agents against these strains. Meropenem (MIC
50/90
, ≤0.06/≤0.06 μg/ml) and ceftazidime-avibactam (MIC
50/90
, 0.12/0.25 μg/ml) were active against CTX-M-producing isolates. Other enzymes were also observed, and ceftazidime-avibactam displayed good activity against the isolates producing less common enzymes. Among 11 isolates displaying ceftazidime-avibactam MIC values of >8 μg/ml, three were
K. pneumoniae
strains producing metallo-β-lactamases (all ceftazidime-avibactam MICs, >32 μg/ml), with two NDM-1 producers and one
K. pneumoniae
strain carrying the
bla
KPC-2
and
bla
VIM-4
genes. Therapeutic options for isolates producing β-lactamases may be limited, and ceftazidime-avibactam, which displayed good activity against strains, including those producing KPC enzymes, merits further study in infections where such organisms occur.
Mutations in the Bacterial Ribosomal Protein L3 and Their Association with Antibiotic Resistance
Authors: Klitgaard Rasmus N. , Ntokou Eleni , Nørgaard Katrine , Biltoft Daniel , Hansen Lykke H. , Trædholm Nicolai M. , Kongsted Jacob , Vester Birte
Published: April 2015

Different groups of antibiotics bind to the peptidyl transferase center (PTC) in the large subunit of the bacterial ribosome. Resistance to these groups of antibiotics has often been linked with mutations or methylations of the 23S rRNA. In recent years, there has been a rise in the number of studies where mutations have been found in the ribosomal protein L3 in bacterial strains resistant to PTC-targeting antibiotics but there is often no evidence that these mutations actually confer antibiotic resistance. In this study, a plasmid exchange system was used to replace plasmid-carried wild-type genes with mutated L3 genes in a chromosomal L3 deletion strain. In this way, the essential L3 gene is available for the bacteria while allowing replacement of the wild type with mutated L3 genes. This enables investigation of the effect of single mutations in
Escherichia coli
without a wild-type L3 background. Ten plasmid-carried mutated L3 genes were constructed, and their effect on growth and antibiotic susceptibility was investigated. Additionally, computational modeling of the impact of L3 mutations in
E. coli
was used to assess changes in 50S structure and antibiotic binding. All mutations are placed in the loops of L3 near the PTC. Growth data show that 9 of the 10 mutations were well accepted in
E. coli
, although some of them came with a fitness cost. Only one of the mutants exhibited reduced susceptibility to linezolid, while five exhibited reduced susceptibility to tiamulin.
Kibdelomycin Is a Bactericidal Broad-Spectrum Aerobic Antibacterial Agent
Authors: Singh Sheo B. , Dayananth Priya , Balibar Carl J. , Garlisi Charles G. , Lu Jun , Kishii Ryuta , Takei Masaya , Fukuda Yasumichi , Ha Sookhee , Young Katherine
Published: April 2015

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics continues to grow and pose serious challenges, while the discovery rate for new antibiotics declines. Kibdelomycin is a recently discovered natural-product antibiotic that inhibits bacterial growth by inhibiting the bacterial DNA replication enzymes DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV. It was reported to be a broad-spectrum aerobic Gram-positive agent with selective inhibition of the anaerobic bacterium
Clostridium difficile
. We have extended the profiling of kibdelomycin by using over 196 strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative aerobic pathogens recovered from worldwide patient populations. We report the MIC
50
s, MIC
90
s, and bactericidal activities of kibdelomycin. We confirm the Gram-positive spectrum and report for the first time that kibdelomycin shows strong activity (MIC
90
, 0.125 μg/ml) against clinical strains of the Gram-negative nonfermenter
Acinetobacter baumannii
but only weak activity against
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. We confirm that well-characterized resistant strains of
Staphylococcus aureus
and
Streptococcus pneumoniae
show no cross-resistance to kibdelomycin and quinolones and coumarin antibiotics. We also show that kibdelomycin is not subject to efflux in
Pseudomonas
, though it is in
Escherichia coli
, and it is generally affected by the outer membrane permeability entry barrier in the nonfermenters
P. aeruginosa
and
A. baumannii
, which may be addressable by structure-based chemical modification.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Novel Mutation of Seoul Virus Isolated from Suncus murinus in the Fujian Province of China
Authors: Wang Yu-ping , Zhang Xiao-long , Zhang Jian-min , Cao Xiao-mei , Han Hui , Huang Ye-neng , Wang Hai-ling , Chen Min , Gao Bo , Yao Li-si
Published: April 2015

Suncus murinus has been identified as the host for Seoul virus (SEOV). Here, we report the complete genome sequence of SEOV strain Fj372/2013, which was isolated from the lung tissue of Suncus murinus in the Fujian Province of China. A mutation A38C was observed in an open reading fragment of the middle segment.
Novel H5 Clade 2.3.4.4 Reassortant (H5N1) Virus from a Green-Winged Teal in Washington, USA
Authors: Torchetti Mia Kim , Killian Mary Lea , Dusek Robert J. , Pedersen Janice C. , Hines Nichole , Bodenstein Barbara , White C. LeAnn , Ip Hon S.
Published: April 2015

Eurasian (EA)-origin H5N8 clade 2.3.4.4 avian influenza viruses were first detected in North America during December 2014. Subsequent reassortment with North American (AM) low-pathogenic wild-bird-origin avian influenza has generated at least two reassortants, including an EA/AM H5N1 from an apparently healthy wild green-winged teal, suggesting continued ongoing reassortment.
Draft Genome Sequence of Ochrobactrum anthropi Strain ML7 Isolated from Soil Samples in Vinhphuc Province, Vietnam
Authors: Tobias Nicholas J. , Mishra Bagdevi , Gupta Deepak K. , Ke Long Phan , Thines Marco , Bode Helge B.
Published: April 2015

Ochrobactrum species are widespread in the environment and can colonize a wide variety of habitats. Here, we describe the sequencing of a new environmental isolate of
Ochrobactrum anthropi
isolated from northern Vietnam.
Draft Genome Sequence of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Strain E24377A, Obtained from a Tribal Drinking Water Source in India
Authors: Tamhankar Ashok J. , Nerkar Sandeep S. , Khadake Prashant P. , Akolkar Dadasaheb B. , Apurwa Sachin R. , Deshpande Uday , Khedkar Smita U. , Stålsby-Lundborg Cecilia
Published: April 2015

Enterotoxigenic
Escherichia coli
(ETEC) is a major cause of diarrheal disease in humans and animals. Its dissemination can occur through water sources contaminated by it. Here, we report for the first time the draft genome sequence of ETEC strain E24377A, obtained from a tribal drinking water source in India.
Draft Genome Sequence of Clostridium botulinum B2 450 Strain from Wound Botulism in a Drug User in Italy
Authors: Fillo Silvia , Giordani Francesco , Anselmo Anna , Fortunato Antonella , Palozzi Anna Maria , De Santis Riccardo , Ciammaruconi Andrea , Spagnolo Ferdinando , Anniballi Fabrizio , Fiore Alfonsina , Auricchio Bruna , De Medici Dario , Lista Florigio
Published: April 2015

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of
Clostridium botulinum
B2 450, responsible for the first reported case of wound botulism in a drug user in Italy.
Genome Sequence of Kosakonia radicincitans Strain YD4, a Plant Growth-Promoting Rhizobacterium Isolated from Yerba Mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.)
Authors: Bergottini Veronica M. , Filippidou Sevasti , Junier Thomas , Johnson Shannon , Chain Patrick S. , Otegui Monica B. , Zapata Pedro D. , Junier Pilar
Published: April 2015

Kosakonia radicincitans
strain YD4 is a rhizospheric isolate from yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill.) with plant growth-promoting effects on this crop. Genes involved in different plant growth-promoting activities are present in this genome, suggesting its potential as a bioinoculant for yerba mate.
Genome Sequence of the Mycorrhiza Helper Bacterium Streptomyces sp. Strain AcH 505
Authors: Tarkka M. T. , Feldhahn L. , Buscot F. , Wubet T.
Published: April 2015

A draft genome sequence of Streptomyces sp. strain AcH 505 is presented here. The genome encodes 22 secondary metabolite gene clusters and a large arsenal of secreted proteins, and their comparative and functional analyses will help to advance our knowledge of symbiotic interactions and fungal and plant biomass degradation.
Staphylococcus aureus Induces Hypoxia and Cellular Damage in Porcine Dermal Explants
Authors: Lone Abdul G. , Atci Erhan , Renslow Ryan , Beyenal Haluk , Noh Susan , Fransson Boel , Abu-Lail Nehal , Park Jeong-Jin , Gang David R. , Call Douglas R.
Published: April 2015

We developed a porcine dermal explant model to determine the extent to which
Staphylococcus aureus
biofilm communities deplete oxygen, change pH, and produce damage in underlying tissue. Microelectrode measurements demonstrated that dissolved oxygen (DO) in biofilm-free dermal tissue was 4.45 ± 1.17 mg/liter, while DO levels for biofilm-infected tissue declined sharply from the surface, with no measurable oxygen detectable in the underlying dermal tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated that biofilm-free dermal tissue had a significantly lower relative effective diffusion coefficient (0.26 ± 0.09 to 0.30 ± 0.12) than biofilm-infected dermal tissue (0.40 ± 0.12 to 0.48 ± 0.12;
P
< 0.0001). Thus, the difference in DO level was attributable to biofilm-induced oxygen demand rather than changes in oxygen diffusivity. Microelectrode measures showed that pH within biofilm-infected explants was more alkaline than in biofilm-free explants (8.0 ± 0.17 versus 7.5 ± 0.15, respectively;
P
< 0.002). Cellular and nuclear details were lost in the infected explants, consistent with cell death. Quantitative label-free shotgun proteomics demonstrated that both proapoptotic programmed cell death protein 5 and antiapoptotic macrophage migration inhibitory factor accumulated in the infected-explant spent medium, compared with uninfected-explant spent media (1,351-fold and 58-fold, respectively), consistent with the cooccurrence of apoptosis and necrosis in the explants. Biofilm-origin proteins reflected an extracellular matrix-adapted lifestyle of
S. aureus. S. aureus
biofilms deplete oxygen, increase pH, and induce cell death, all factors that contribute to impede wound healing.
Secretion of Flagellar Proteins by the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type III Secretion-Injectisome System
Authors: Ince Dilek , Sutterwala Fayyaz S. , Yahr Timothy L.
Published: April 2015

The opportunistic pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
utilizes an injectisome-type III secretion system (injectisome-T3SS) to elicit cytotoxicity toward epithelial cells and macrophages. Macrophage killing results from the cytotoxic properties of the translocated effector proteins (ExoS, ExoT, ExoU, and ExoY) and inflammasome-mediated induction of pyroptosis. Inflammasome activation can occur following Nlrc4-mediated recognition of cytosolic translocated flagellin (FliC). In the present study, we demonstrate that FliC is a secretion substrate of both the injectisome- and flagellum-associated T3SSs. Molecular analyses indicate that the first 20 amino-terminal residues of FliC are sufficient for secretion by the injectisome-T3SS and that the first 100 residues are sufficient for translocation of FliC into host cells. Although maximal inflammasome activation requires FliC, activation can also occur in the absence of FliC. This prompted us to examine whether other flagellar components might also be translocated into cells to elicit inflammasome activation. Indeed, we find that the flagellar cap (FliD), hook-associated (FlgK and FlgL), hook (FlgE), and rod (FlgE) proteins are secretion substrates of the injectisome-T3SS. None of these proteins, however, result in increased inflammasome activation when they are overexpressed in a
fliC
mutant and appear to be translocated into host cells. While a role in inflammasome activation has been excluded, these data raise the possibility that flagellar components, which are highly conserved between different bacterial species, trigger other specific host responses from the extracellular milieu or contribute to the pathogenesis of
P. aeruginosa
.

IMPORTANCE
The inflammasome is a host defense mechanism that recognizes invading bacteria and triggers an inflammatory immune response. The opportunistic pathogen
P. aeruginosa
produces both inflammasome agonists and antagonists. In this study, we demonstrate that overexpression of an agonist suppresses the activity of an antagonist, thereby resulting in inflammasome activation. Since the relative expression levels of agonists and antagonists likely vary between strains, these differences could be important predictors of whether a particular
P. aeruginosa
strain elicits inflammasome activation.
CysB Negatively Affects the Transcription of
pqsR
and Pseudomonas Quinolone Signal Production in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Farrow John M. , Hudson L. Lynn , Wells Greg , Coleman James P. , Pesci Everett C.
Published: April 2015

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is a Gram-negative bacterium that is ubiquitous in the environment, and it is an opportunistic pathogen that can infect a variety of hosts, including humans. During the process of infection,
P. aeruginosa
coordinates the expression of numerous virulence factors through the production of multiple cell-to-cell signaling molecules. The production of these signaling molecules is linked through a regulatory network, with the signal
N
-(3-oxododecanoyl) homoserine lactone and its receptor LasR controlling the induction of a second acyl-homoserine lactone signal and the
Pseudomonas
quinolone signal (PQS). LasR-mediated control of PQS occurs partly by activating the transcription of
pqsR
, a gene that encodes the PQS receptor and is necessary for PQS production. We show that LasR interacts with a single binding site in the
pqsR
promoter region and that it does not influence the transcription of the divergently transcribed gene,
nadA
. Using DNA affinity chromatography, we identified additional proteins that interact with the
pqsR-nadA
intergenic region. These include the H-NS family members MvaT and MvaU, and CysB, a transcriptional regulator that controls sulfur uptake and cysteine biosynthesis. We show that CysB interacts with the
pqsR
promoter and that CysB represses
pqsR
transcription and PQS production. Additionally, we provide evidence that CysB can interfere with the activation of
pqsR
transcription by LasR. However, as seen with other CysB-regulated genes,
pqsR
expression was not differentially regulated in response to cysteine levels. These findings demonstrate a novel role for CysB in influencing cell-to-cell signal production by
P. aeruginosa
.

IMPORTANCE
The production of PQS and other 4-hydroxy-2-alkylquinolone (HAQs) compounds is a key component of the
P. aeruginosa
cell-to-cell signaling network, impacts multiple physiological functions, and is required for virulence. PqsR directly regulates the genes necessary for HAQ production, but little is known about the regulation of
pqsR
. We identified CysB as a novel regulator of
pqsR
and PQS production, but, unlike other CysB-controlled genes, it does not appear to regulate
pqsR
in response to cysteine. This implies that CysB functions as both a cysteine-responsive and cysteine-unresponsive regulator in
P. aeruginosa
.
Innovation in Evolving Business Ecosystem: A Case Study of Information Technology-Based Future Health and Exercise Service
Authors: Annanperä Elina , Liukkunen Kari , Markkula Jouni
Published: April 2015

Technology and software-based service development is increasingly important in business or innovation ecosystems. This paper describes an evolution of such an ecosystem as part of a four-year collaboration with several companies and a research organization. Research was conducted on the ecosystem's functions, from the perspective of managing its members' innovation activities and changing roles. We discuss the methods and tools for supporting and facilitating service innovation activities in the ecosystem formation. We conclude that innovation ecosystems benefit from the aid of research organization and the tools and methods they can bring to help the evolution of the ecosystem.
ET-1 Induced Downregulation of MRP2 via miRNA 133a - A Marker for Tubular Nephrotoxicity?
Authors: Loeser Heike , von Brandenstein Melanie , Herschung Angela , Schlosser Monika , Büttner Reinhard , Fries Jochen W.U.
Published: April 2015

Background: Multiple drug resistance (MDR), known from treating malignant tumors with chemotherapy, increases the efflux of reabsorbed reagents in tumor cells. This mechanism has been reported in the renal proximal tubule and may prevent therapeutic tubular protection in proteinuria. Since endothelin-1 (ET-1), a major component in the urine of proteinuric patients, stimulates proximal tubules, its influence on MDR was analyzed with emphasis on the multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2), a prominent transporter in the human proximal tubule and microRNA (miRNA) 133a. Methods: ET-1 stimulated, cultured human renal proximal tubule cells (RPTECs), were analyzed via Western blot for the expression of MRP2 and via qRT-PCR for miRNA 133a. For direct interaction between the miRNA 133a and the 3′UTR of MRP2, an immunoprecipitation was performed using FITC-labelled miRNA 133a as capture, followed by MRP2 PCR analysis and Sanger sequencing. Murine Adriamycin nephropathic model and human proteinuric samples showed high levels of miRNA 133a but low levels of MRP2. The increasing miRNA 133a levels were detectable in urine samples of humans and animals. Results: ET-1 activates the miRNA 133a, which can bind to the 3′UTR of MRP2 and is therefore responsible for the detectable decrease of MRP2. Conclusion: This is the first report to analyze the correlation between ET-1-induced miRNA 133a overexpression in proteinuria resulting in MRP2 downregulation, which is a contributing factor for renal cytotoxicity. The detection of the miRNA 133a in urine samples can be possibly used as a monitor for cytotoxicity.
Distal Partial Trisomy 15q26 and Partial Monosomy 16p13.3 in a 36-Year-Old Male with Clinical Features of Both Chromosomal Abnormalities
Authors: Cox Devin M. , Butler Merlin G.
Published: April 2015

We report a 36-year-old Caucasian male identified with distal partial trisomy 15q and partial monosomy 16p from an unbalanced chromosome translocation detected by microarray and FISH analysis. He had a history of developmental delay and intellectual disability, chronic anemia, tall and slender stature, thoracic scoliosis and lumbar lordosis, and dysmorphic features. The distal partial trisomy 15q included the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor gene involved with growth, while genes in the distal partial monosomy 16p region are involved with alpha hemoglobin production, intellectual disability, dysmorphic features, and acromegaly. The chromosome derivative found in our patient contains genes known to play a role in his phenotype.
Incident Atrial Fibrillation Hazard in Hypertensive Population
Authors: Alves-Cabratosa Lia , García-Gil Maria , Comas-Cufí Marc , Ponjoan Anna , Martí Ruth , Parramon Dídac , Blanch Jordi , Ramos Rafel
Published: April 2015

Determining the risk of atrial fibrillation within the hypertensive population without ischemic vascular disease would aid in decision making on preventive approaches. Accordingly, we aimed to estimate the risk of incident atrial fibrillation in this population. We conducted an historical cohort study between July 1, 2006, and December 31, 2011, using anonymized longitudinal patient information from primary care and hospital discharge records contained in the System for the Development of Research in Primary Care database. We included 255 440 hypertensive patients, aged ≥55 years at the time of study entry. Individuals with previous atrial fibrillation, ischemic heart disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease were excluded. To build the incident atrial fibrillation risk function, a derivation and a validation cohort were defined, representing 60% and 40% of the entire database, respectively, and a Cox proportional hazards model was fitted. Atrial fibrillation incidence was 7.24 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval, 7.08–7.40). The final model included age, weight, total cholesterol, heart failure, valvular heart disease, and antihypertensive treatment. Its concordance index (standard error) was 0.769 (0.004) and 0.768 (0.005) in the derivation and validation datasets, respectively. This research provides a tool, built with variables from daily clinical practice, that can be readily used in the primary care setting to predict atrial fibrillation incidence in the hypertensive population without ischemic vascular disease. The tool may help tailor individualized diagnostic and preventive care decisions.
Patient Outcomes According to Adherence to Treatment Guidelines for Rhythm Control of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Qin Dingxin , Leef George , Alam Mian Bilal , Rattan Rohit , Munir Mohamad Bilal , Patel Divyang , Khattak Furqan , Vaghasia Nishit , Adelstein Evan , Jain Sandeep K. , Saba Samir
Published: April 2015

Background

Although guidelines for antiarrhythmic drug therapy in atrial fibrillation (
AF
) were published in 2006, it remains uncertain whether adherence to these guidelines affects patient outcomes.

Methods and Results

We retrospectively evaluated the records of 5976 consecutive
AF
patients who were prescribed at least 1 antiarrhythmic drug between 2006 and 2013. Patients with 1 or more prescribed antiarrhythmic drugs that did not comply with guideline recommendations comprised the non–guideline‐directed group (=2920); the remainder constituted the guideline‐directed group (=3056). Time to events was assessed using the survival analysis method and adjusted for covariates using Cox regression. Rates of adherence to the guidelines increased significantly with a higher degree of prescriber specialization in arrhythmias (49%, 55%, and 60% for primary care physicians, general cardiologists, and cardiac electrophysiologists, respectively,
P
=0.001) for the first prescribed antiarrhythmic drug. Compared to the non–guideline‐directed group, the guideline‐directed group had higher rates of heart failure, but lower baseline
CHADS
2‐
VAS
c scores (
P
<0.001) and lower rates of coronary artery disease, valvular disease, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, pulmonary disease, and renal insufficiency (
P
<0.05 for all). During 45±26 months follow‐up, the guideline‐directed group had a lower risk of
AF
recurrence (hazard ratio=0.86, 95%
CI
=0.80 to 0.93), fewer hospital admissions for 
AF
(hazard ratio=0.87, 95%
CI
=0.79 to 0.97), and fewer procedures for recurrent
AF
, including electrical cardioversion, pacemaker implantation, and atrioventricular nodal ablation (
P
<0.01 for all). The mortality and stroke risks were similar between the groups.

Conclusions

Adherence to published guidelines in the antiarrhythmic management of
AF
is associated with improved patient outcomes.
Endogenously Generated Omega‐3 Fatty Acids Attenuate Vascular Inflammation and Neointimal Hyperplasia by Interaction With Free Fatty Acid Receptor 4 in Mice
Authors: Li Xinzhi , Ballantyne Laurel L. , Che Xinghui , Mewburn Jeffrey D. , Kang Jing X. , Barkley Robert M. , Murphy Robert C. , Yu Ying , Funk Colin D.
Published: April 2015

Background

Omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω3
PUFA
s) suppress inflammation through activation of free fatty acid receptor 4 (
FFAR
4), but this pathway has not been explored in the context of cardiovascular disease. We aimed to elucidate the involvement of
FFAR
4 activation by ω3
PUFA
s in the process of vascular inflammation and neointimal hyperplasia in mice.

Methods and Results

We used mice with disruption of
FFAR
4 (
Ffar4
−/−
), along with a strain that synthesizes high levels of ω3
PUFA
s (
fat‐1
) and a group of crossed mice (
Ffar4
−/−
/
fat‐1
), to elucidate the role of
FFAR
4 in vascular dysfunction using acute and chronic thrombosis/vascular remodeling models. The presence of
FFAR
4 in vascular‐associated cells including perivascular adipocytes and macrophages, but not platelets, was demonstrated. ω3
PUFA
s endogenously generated in
fat‐1
mice (n=9), but not in compound
Ffar4
−/−
/
fat‐1
mice (n=9), attenuated femoral arterial thrombosis induced by FeCl
3
. Neointimal hyperplasia and vascular inflammation in the common carotid artery were significantly curtailed 4 weeks after FeCl
3
injury in
fat‐1
mice (n=6). This included greater luminal diameter and enhanced blood flow, reduced intima:media ratio, and diminished macrophage infiltration in the vasculature and perivascular adipose tissue compared with control mice. These effects were attenuated in the
Ffar4
−/−
/
fat‐1
mice.

Conclusions

These results indicate that ω3
PUFA
s mitigate vascular inflammation, arterial thrombus formation, and neointimal hyperplasia by interaction with
FFAR
4 in mice. Moreover, the ω3
PUFA
–
FFAR
4 pathway decreases inflammatory responses with dampened macrophage transmigration and infiltration.
Ideological Transfers and Bureaucratic Entanglements: Nazi ‘Experts’ on the ‘Jewish Question’ and the Romanian-German Relations, 1940–1944
Authors: Iordachi Constantin , Traşcă Ottmar
Published: April 2015

This article focuses on the transfer of the Nazi legal and ideological model to East Central Europe and its subsequent adoption, modification and fusion with local legal-political practices. To illustrate this process, we explore the evolution of the anti-Semitic policy of the Antonescu regime in Romania (1940–1944) from an under-researched perspective: the activity of the Nazi ‘advisors on the Jewish Question’ dispatched to Bucharest. Based on a wide range of published and unpublished archival sources, we attempt to provide answers to the following questions: To what extent did the Third Reich shape Romania’s anti-Semitic polices during the Second World War? What was the role played by the Nazi advisors in this process? In answering these questions, special attention is devoted to the activity of the Hauptsturmführer
ss Gustav Richter, who served as Berater für Juden und Arisierungsfragen [advisor to the Jewish and Aryanization questions] in the German Legation in Bucharest from 1st of April 1941 until 23 August 1944. We argue that, by evaluating the work of the Nazi experts in Bucharest, we can better grasp the immediate as well as the longer-term objectives followed by the Third Reich in Romania on the ‘Jewish Question,’ and the evolution of this issue within the context of the Romanian-German diplomatic relations and political interactions. By taking into account a variety of internal and external factors and by reconstructing the complicated web of political and bureaucratic interactions that led to the crystallization of General Ion Antonescu’s policy towards the Jews, we are able to provide a richer and more nuanced analysis of German-Romanian relations during the Second World War.
That 'Something More' in Education: Youthful Spirituality of Communion
Authors: Vettical Abraham
Published: April 2015

The evils of war, economic globalisation, religious fundamentalism, the culture of materialism and the spectre of increasing poverty pose some of the greatest challenges today to the survival of humanity. Holistic/spiritual education is proposed as a timely strategy to help people, especially the young, to know and transcend themselves, and to create a culture of harmony and loving relationships. Some of the questions raised, against this backdrop, are the following: What is spirituality? What is spiritual intelligence? How do we know whether a person has spiritual intelligence? What are the various approaches to spiritual education? Do we need to change our attitude towards people of other religions? What plan of action can we adopt to promote spiritual education? Is common prayer essential? Are there any specific characteristics for the spirituality of young people?
The Youth Theological Initiative: An Experiment in the Pedagogy of Communion
Authors: White David F.
Published: April 2015

In this article, David White examines the communal pedagogical resources that invite appropriation for congregational ministry with youth. His thinking is drawn out of the work of The Youth Theological Initiative at Emory University. The purpose of this article is to encourage religious educators to marshal communal resources in support of young people so that they may become socially informed and theologically committed leaders.
Relationality as the Objective of Incarnational Ministry: A Reexamination of the Theological Foundations of Adolescent Ministry
Authors: Root Andrew
Published: April 2015

This article reexamines the theological foundation for relational/incarnational ministries to adole cents. It proposes that the methodologies of American organizations like Young Life have not recognized the depth and theological importance of relationality and sociality. The article examines the concepts of relationality and sociality and points youth ministry and the whole church to their theological poignancy. The article ultimately proposes that relationships between adolescents and adult advocates should not serve as a means to a greater end, but in and of themselve are theologically the greater goal.
Groundwater cyclopoid copepods of peninsular India, with description of eight new species
Authors: TOTAKURA VENKATESWARA RAO , REDDY YENUMULA RANGA
Published: April 2015

To date, only three stygobiotic cyclopoid species are known from India: Haplocyclops (Kiefercyclops) fiersi Karanovic & Ranga Reddy, 2005 and Rybocyclops dussarti Ranga Reddy & Defaye, 2008, from bores, and Allocyclopina inopinata Defaye & Ranga Reddy, 2008, from brackish conditions of a hyporheic habitat. Analysis of numerous groundwater samples collected during 2008–2013 from the hyporheic and phreatic habitats in the coastal deltaic belt of the Rivers Krishna and Godavari in Andhra Pradesh state, southeastern India, has shown ten stygobiotic cyclopoid species, of which eight are new to science: Anzcyclops indicus n. sp., Brevicyclops asetosus n. g., n. sp., Brevicyclops brevisetosus n. g., n. sp., Brevicyclops viduus n. g., n. sp., Halicyclops martinezi n. sp., Haplocyclops (Kiefercyclops) godavari n. sp., Haplocyclops (Kiefercyclops) primitivus n. sp., and Rybocyclops defayeae n. sp. All these species are formally described and illustrated herein. Allocyclopina inopinata, which perfectly agrees with its original account, is also recorded in several localities besides its type locality. The heretofore incompletely characterised Paracyclopina orientalis (Lindberg, 1941) is redescribed. A new cyclopid genus, Brevicyclops n. g., is established for three aforementioned new species. Its most diagnostic synapomorphy is the extreme reduction or complete absence of the principal outer apical seta of caudal ramus. So far, the cosmopolitan genus Halicyclops Norman, 1903, is known by six species in India, all from the surface environments. Now, a new species, H. martinezi n. sp., is described from an interstitial hyporheic habitat, and an identification key given for all the Indian species. The genus Anzcyclops Karanovic, Eberhard & Murdoch, 2011, which has hitherto been known from the Western Australia and New Zealand, is discovered in this study. A new species, Anzcyclops indicus n. sp., which has a close relationship with its Western Australian congeners, is described. A brief note on the biogeography of the Indian stygobiotic crustaceans is also added.
Acculturation Gaps Between Turkish Immigrant Marriage Partners
Authors: Spiegler Olivia , Leyendecker Birgit , Kohl Katharina
Published: April 2015

Research on acculturation gaps has traditionally focused on parent–child dyads and the negative implications for youths’ psycho-social adaptation. The current study explored the impact of acculturation gaps in Turkish immigrant couples ( N = 121) on each spouse’s acculturation stress. Wives and husbands reported their acculturation across two domains (language and identity) and dimensions (German and Turkish), and two facets of stress (homesickness and upholding traditions). Actor–partner interdependence models were used to estimate effects (Cook & Kenny, 2005). While homesickness was a burden for both partners, upholding traditions was not an immense stressor but was higher among husbands. Host culture adaptation was associated with lower levels of homesickness among wives and higher levels of stress with traditions among husbands. Heritage culture maintenance was associated with lower levels of stress with traditions among husbands. Overall, there were very few partner effects although better Turkish language abilities of wives were related to less homesickness among husbands. Acculturation gaps were either unrelated to spouses’ acculturation stress or associated with lower levels of stress. Results are discussed with respect to an interpersonal perspective on immigrants’ acculturation strategies. We promote the idea that biculturalism can be achieved within the couple.
Posttonsillectomy Weight Loss in Adults
Authors: Rozycki Stefan , Gessler Eric M.
Published: April 2015

Objective

To analyze and determine the incidence and severity of weight loss in adult tonsillectomies.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Adult tonsillectomy is performed for a variety of indications. Anecdotally, patients report a 10‐ to 15‐pound weight loss in the postoperative period; however, no supporting research has been documented. The pediatric population has a well‐documented weight gain postoperatively.

Subjects

In total, 138 adults (aged 18‐40 years) receiving tonsillectomy at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) between 2008 and 2013.

Methods

A retrospective study was performed using an S3 surgery scheduling system search of all adult tonsillectomies at NMCP between 2008 and 2013. A subsequent electronic medical record search (AHLTA) of preoperative and postoperative weights and demographics was performed.

Results

Data analysis revealed a significant difference found between preoperative and postoperative weight across all age groups (4.77 pounds, P <. 005). Analysis of variance was performed to determine if there is a significant difference between these age and body mass index (BMI) groups. The highest amount of weight loss was observed in the oldest population group (5.72 pounds in subjects aged >40 years, 4.95 pounds in 31‐ to 40‐year‐olds, and 5.44 pounds in 20‐ to 30‐year‐olds, P =. 03). Age comparisons were statistically significant. There was no statistically significant association between BMI and postoperative weight loss.

Conclusions

These results indicate that there is evidence of a roughly 5‐pound weight loss in the postoperative period following tonsillectomy in adults with subsequent return to baseline weight after roughly 5 months. These findings are significant since this could lead to further research into changes in obesity‐associated disease.
Examining Intimate Partner Violence and Health Factors Among Rural Appalachian Pregnant Women
Authors: Shannon Lisa , Nash Shondrah , Jackson Afton
Published: April 2015

Among pregnant women, intimate partner violence (IPV) is recognized as a critical risk factor in adverse health outcomes for the mother and newborn alike. This pilot study examined IPV and health for rural Appalachian pregnant women, a particularly vulnerable high-risk and high-needs group. Participants were 77 rural, Appalachian pregnant women entering a hospital-based inpatient detoxification unit primarily for Opiate Dependence. Study participants gave informed consent to a face-to-face interview and secondary data abstraction from hospital medical records. IPV was measured via questions from the National Violence Against Women Survey, the Revised Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS2), and the Psychological Maltreatment of Women Inventory (PMWI). The majority of the sample reported lifetime psychological (89.6%) and physical (64.9%) violence. A little over three fourths (75.3%) experienced IPV in the past year. Furthermore, over one third (39.0%) experienced stalking, physical, or sexual violence in the past year. Most participants (71.4%) experienced psychological abuse in the past year. IPV experiences, in conjunction with pervasive substance use, mental and physical health problems, and poverty present in rural Appalachia, culminate in a particularly high-risk and high-needs group of pregnant women. These women present unique opportunities and challenges for prevention, intervention, and treatment.
Simulating policy diffusion through learning: Reducing the risk of false positive conclusions
Authors: Adam Christian
Published: April 2015

This article uses agent-based computer simulation to investigate the dynamics of policy diffusion through learning. It compares these dynamics across state systems in which policy-makers possess different capabilities to learn about policy effectiveness: independent decision-makers focusing on own experiences vs. interdependent social learners relying heavily on experiences of others. The simulation can thus compare policy adoption patterns in the presence and absence of policy diffusion within a controlled setting. The simulation makes two propositions. First, it supports the existing critique that relying on the identification of policy clusters can lead researchers to draw false positive conclusions about the relevance of policy diffusion. Second, it suggests that relying on the identification of policy volatility under political stability minimizes this risk.
Simulation-Based Inquiry Learning and Computer Modeling
Authors: Mulder Yvonne G. , Lazonder Ard W. , de Jong Ton
Published: April 2015

Background.Inquiry learning environments increasingly incorporate simulation and modeling facilities. Students acquire knowledge through systematic experimentation with the simulations and express that knowledge in runnable computer models.

Aim. As inquiry and modeling activities are new and demanding for students, support for learning is needed. This article reports three experimental studies that examine how students’ inquiry and modeling activities can be supported.

Need for support. Study 1 was an empirical assessment of students’ support needs. It compared a group of domain novices to two more knowledgeable reference groups in order to determine the novices’ support needs.

Model progression and worked examples. In Studies 2 and 3, the need for support was addressed by model progression (gradually increasing task complexity) and worked-out examples, examining the effect of those interventions on students’ performance and learning. Results suggest positive effects due to both increasing model complexity and providing worked examples that show what the activities in each model progression phase entail and how they should be performed.

Implications. The pattern of results across the three studies are discussed with regard to students’ use of available resources, influence of prior knowledge, and the relationship between performance and learning.
Personality as a Multilevel Predictor of Climate
Authors: Beus Jeremy M. , Muñoz Gonzalo J. , Arthur Winfred
Published: April 2015

Individual and aggregate personality traits are theoretical antecedents of psychological and workgroup climates, respectively. However, empirical research has yet to test whether or to what degree this is true. Consequently, in the domain of workplace safety, we tested emotional stability and locus of control as multilevel antecedents of safety climate. We also tested a series of homology theories to determine the degree to which personality–climate associations are similar across organizational levels. Results revealed that both emotional stability and locus of control were meaningfully associated with safety climate at psychological and workgroup levels. In addition, multilevel homology tests demonstrated that workgroup-level personality–climate associations were more than 2½ times stronger than corresponding individual-level associations, supporting a proportional theory of homology.
The Prevalence and Comorbidity Rates of ADHD Among School-Age Children in Turkey
Authors: Zorlu Adil , Unlu Gulsen , Cakaloz Burcu , Zencir Mehmet , Buber Ahmet , Isildar Yetis
Published: April 2015

Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore the prevalence and comorbidity rates of ADHD in a community sample of school-age children. Method: Participants were 1,508 children aged 6 to 14 years. Parents and teachers of each child completed the Turgay Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; DSM-IV) Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale (T- DSM-IV-S). Screen-positive cases were interviewed using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children–Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL). Diagnoses were based on DSM-IV criteria. Results: The prevalence rate of ADHD was 8%. Children from extended families had extremely high rates (46.4%) of ADHD. Sixty percent of children with ADHD had one or more comorbid diagnoses. The most common comorbidities were learning disorders (35.7%) and oppositional defiant disorder (22.6%). Conclusion: The prevalence and comorbidity rates of ADHD in school-age children in Turkey are similar to those found in previous studies in other countries.
Legitimacy defense during post-merger integration: Between coupling and compartmentalization
Authors: Sinha Paresha , Daellenbach Urs , Bednarek Rebecca
Published: April 2015

During post-merger integration, the realization of the benefits of potential synergies depends on managing the legitimacy of the merger. However, we still know little about how threats that change stakeholders’ assessments of a merger’s legitimacy are managed. This study is based on the merger case of Air New Zealand’s trans-national acquisition of Ansett Australia where a delegitimizing event occurred at Ansett relatively early after the integration had started. The study builds a framework of an evolving legitimation process depicting the oscillation between legitimation responses that maintain the coupling between the two organizations and a compartmentalization response used to manage diverse stakeholders’ legitimacy demands and illegitimacy spillover concerns. We explain how these legitimation responses can create an unproductive oscillation where stakeholder assessments of illegitimacy build up and ultimately become unresolvable. Our processual framework provides novel insights regarding when attempts to defend legitimacy can prove self-defeating, demonstrating how previous responses emphasizing integration or separation can affect the success of subsequent swings back to coupling or compartmentalization.
The teaching of Afro-Brazilian and indigenous culture and history in Brazilian basic education in the 21st century
Authors: Guimarães Selva
Published: April 2015

This paper approaches the public policies for teaching Afro-Brazilian and indigenous history and culture in Brazil in the 21st century. It is part of a broader study about the implementation and impacts of Federal Laws 10.639/2009 and 11.645/2008, which made the study of these topics mandatory across the national territory. Our methodology privileged the critical analysis of bibliographic and document sources about the problem. The study highlighted black and indigenous movements’ demands and achievements, as well as federal government policies, projects and actions for fighting racism and promoting a positive education in racial and ethnic relations in the country’s basic education schools. After a decade of implementation of the Law, advances, problems, and challenges stand out in the field of teacher training, curriculum, and didactic materials.
Psychodynamic Treatment of Excessive Virtual Reality Environment Use
Authors: Franklin Lori D. , Swan Scott A.
Published: April 2015

This clinical case study explores the psychodynamic treatment possibilities of excessive Internet virtual reality environment use. The client discussed resides in the virtual world Second Life and experiences her relationships in this environment as more real and meaningful than those in her real life. Instead of focusing on reducing Internet use, therapy conceptualized use of the virtual environment as a compensatory strategy of escapism and conceptualized the relationships and process in a psychodynamic paradigm. This allowed the therapy to address the defenses of splitting and the recapitulation of traumatic events that were evident in the virtual world within an environment that was safer for the client to explore. As a result of accepting the use of the virtual reality environment as an aid to therapy, the client was able to gain insight into her intrapersonal conflicts and eventually bridge the virtual environment to her real life to initiate a trauma-focused therapy.
Erythropoietin Promotes Neural Plasticity and Spatial Memory Recovery in Fimbria-Fornix-Lesioned Rats
Authors: Almaguer-Melian William , Mercerón-Martínez Daymara , Pavón-Fuentes Nancy , Alberti-Amador Esteban , Leon-Martinez Rilda , Ledón Nuris , Delgado Ocaña Susana , Bergado Rosado Jorge A.
Published: April 2015

Background. Erythropoietin (EPO) upregulates the mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, a central signaling pathway in cellular plastic mechanisms, and is critical for normal brain development. Objective. We hypothesized that EPO could modulate the plasticity mechanisms supporting spatial memory recovery in fimbria-fornix-transected animals. Methods. Fimbria-fornix was transected in 3 groups of rats. Seven days later, EPO was injected daily for 4 consecutive days within 10 minutes after training on a water maze task. Results. Our results show that EPO injections 10 minutes after training produced a substantial spatial memory recovery in fimbria-fornix-lesioned animals. In contrast, an EPO injection shortly after fimbria-fornix lesion surgery does not promote spatial-memory recovery. Neither does daily EPO injection 5 hours after the water maze performance. EPO, on the other hand, induced the expression of plasticity-related genes like arc and bdnf, but this effect was independent of training or lesion. Conclusions. This finding supports our working hypothesis that EPO can modulate transient neuroplastic mechanisms triggered by training in lesioned animals. Consequently, we propose that EPO administration can be a useful trophic factor to promote neural restoration when given in combination with training.