bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Therapeutic potential of spinal cord stimulation for gastrointestinal motility disorders: a preliminary rodent study
Authors: Song G.–Q. , Sun Y. , Foreman R. D. , Chen J. D. Z.
Published: December 2013

Background

Spinal cord electrical stimulation (SCS) has been applied for the management of chronic pain. Most of studies have revealed a decrease in sympathetic activity with SCS. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanisms of SCS on gastrointestinal (GI) motility in healthy and diabetic rats.

Methods

Male rats chronically implanted with a unipolar electrode at T9/T10 were studied. The study included four experiments to assess the effects of SCS on (1) gastric tone; (2) gastric emptying of liquids and intestinal transit; (3) gastric emptying of solids; and (4) sympathovagal balance in healthy rats and/or in Streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic rat.

Key Results

(1) Spinal cord stimulation intensity dependently increased gastric tone in healthy rats. The gastric volume was 0.97 ± 0.15 mL at baseline, and decreased to 0.92 ± 0.16 mL with SCS of the 30% motor threshold (MT; p = 0.13 vs baseline), 0.86 ± 0.14 mL with 60% MT (p = 0.045 vs baseline), and 0.46 ± 0.19 mL with 90% MT (p = 0.0050 vs baseline). (2) Spinal cord stimulation increased gastric emptying of liquids by about 17% and accelerated small intestinal transit by about 20% in healthy rats (p < 0.001). (3) Spinal cord stimulation accelerated gastric emptying of solids by about 24% in healthy rats and by about 78% in diabetic rats. (4) Spinal cord stimulation decreased sympathetic activity (1.13 ± 0.18 vs 0.68 ± 0.09, p < 0.04) and sympathovagal balance (0.51 ± 0.036 vs 0.40 ± 0.029, p = 0.028).

Conclusions & Inferences

Spinal cord stimulation accelerates gastric emptying of liquids and solids, and intestinal transit, probably by inhibiting the sympathetic activity. Spinal cord stimulation may have a therapeutic potential for treating GI motility disorders.
Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs for pain after oral surgery
Authors: Bailey E. , Patel N. , Coulthard P.
Published: December 2013

Aim

To describe the role of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the management of pain after oral surgery.

Materials and methods

A review of the literature describing the pharmacokinetics, benefits and harms of NSAIDs in terms of systematic review evidence, interactions, use in children, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Results

Twelve Cochrane reviews were identified describing the efficacy of NSAIDs for pain after oral surgery. Ibuprofen 400 mg is an effective analgesic [number needed to treat (NNT) = 2.3 in tablet form and 1.8 in soluble form]. Cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2)‐selective NSAIDs also demonstrate low NNTs, based on smaller studies of post‐operative pain. There is association with gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal adverse effects.

Conclusions

NSAIDs are effective analgesics for moderate pain after oral surgery. The routine use of COX‐2‐selective NSAIDs is not recommended. Careful patient selection is important.
Scale‐up of hydrophobin‐assisted recombinant protein production in tobacco BY‐2 suspension cells
Authors: Reuter Lauri J. , Bailey Michael J. , Joensuu Jussi J. , Ritala Anneli
Published: December 2013

Plant suspension cell cultures are emerging as an alternative to mammalian cells for production of complex recombinant proteins. Plant cell cultures provide low production cost, intrinsic safety and adherence to current regulations, but low yields and costly purification technology hinder their commercialization. Fungal hydrophobins have been utilized as fusion tags to improve yields and facilitate efficient low‐cost purification by surfactant‐based aqueous two‐phase separation (ATPS) in plant, fungal and insect cells. In this work, we report the utilization of hydrophobin fusion technology in tobacco bright yellow 2 (BY‐2) suspension cell platform and the establishment of pilot‐scale propagation and downstream processing including first‐step purification by ATPS. Green fluorescent protein‐hydrophobin fusion (GFP‐HFBI) induced the formation of protein bodies in tobacco suspension cells, thus encapsulating the fusion protein into discrete compartments. Cultivation of the BY‐2 suspension cells was scaled up in standard stirred tank bioreactors up to 600 L production volume, with no apparent change in growth kinetics. Subsequently, ATPS was applied to selectively capture the GFP‐HFBI product from crude cell lysate, resulting in threefold concentration, good purity and up to 60% recovery. The ATPS was scaled up to 20 L volume, without loss off efficiency. This study provides the first proof of concept for large‐scale hydrophobin‐assisted production of recombinant proteins in tobacco BY‐2 cell suspensions.
Analysis of mode of inheritance of Fusarium wilt resistance in castor (Ricinus communis L.)
Authors: Kammili Anjani , Raoof Mohammad A.
Published: December 2013

Castor (Ricinus communis L.) is an important industrial oilseed crop grown worldwide. Wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ricini is a devastating disease in castor. The inheritance mode of wilt resistance was investigated. The F1, F2 and backcross generations of four crosses involving four resistant and three susceptible parents were developed. The role of digenic (R1 and R2) epistatic interactions on wilt resistance was confirmed. The 15 : 1, 9 : 7 and 13 : 3 ratios indicated duplicate dominant, duplicate recessive and dominant and recessive epistatic interactions, respectively. Castor parents used in the crosses exhibited varied inheritance modes. All generations of a cross exhibited similar inheritance mode when parents were comparable. However, generations varied in inheritance mode when parents were not comparable in inheritance mode. These results would have practical interest when decisions are required regarding the choice of parents and methodology in resistance and hybrid breeding. The results also provided a basis for investigating molecular genetics of wilt resistance mechanisms.
QTL mapping of a partial resistance to the corn delphacid‐transmitted viruses in Lepidopteran‐resistant maize line Mp705
Authors: Dintinger Jacques A. , Salgon Sylvia , Reynaud Bernard
Published: December 2013

A partial resistance to maize mosaic virus (MMV) and maize stripe virus (MStV) was mapped in a RILs population derived from a cross between lines MP705 (resistant) and B73 (susceptible). A genetic map constructed from 131 SSR markers spanned 1399 cM with an average distance of 9.6 cM. A total of 10 QTL were detected for resistance to MMV and MStV, using composite interval mapping. A major QTL explaining 34–41% of the phenotypic variance for early resistance to MMV was detected on chromosome 1. Another major QTL explaining up to 30% of the phenotypic variation for all traits of resistance to MStV was detected in the centromeric region of chromosome 3 (3.05 bin). After adding supplementary SSR markers, this region was found to correspond well to the one where a QTL of resistance to MStV already was located in a previous mapping study using an F2 population derived from a cross between Rev81 and B73. These results suggested that these QTL of resistance to MStV detected on chromosome 3 could be allelic in maize genome.
Mucoceles of the Oral Cavity in Neonates and Infants—Report of a Case and Literature Review
Authors: Shapira Moshe , Akrish Sharon
Published: December 2013

Oral mucoceles are common lesions that normally appear in the second decade of life. They are uncommon in neonates and infants. We present a case of a mucocele in a 10‐month‐old infant and review the literature regarding the epidemiology and treatment in this age group.
The ‘Chip Shop Welsh’: Aspects of ‘Welsh Speaking’ Identity in Contemporary Wales
Authors: Madoc‐Jones Iolo , Parry Odette , Jones Dawn
Published: December 2013

Considerable research has explored the relationship between majority and minority language speaking communities in bilingual contexts. Comparatively little research, however, has explored relations within as opposed to between a language group in these contexts. Antecedent to a new order of social and cultural life in Wales, this article explores how two groups of Welsh speakers, one relatively privileged and one relatively marginalized, positioned themselves as they talked about ‘being Welsh speaking’. For all respondents the ability to speak Welsh was understood to confer sameness beyond linguistic competence on Welsh speakers. Claims to a strong Welsh‐speaking identity, however, were legitimized by drawing on different resources. Whilst the relatively privileged group identified themselves as ‘traditionally Welsh’ based on their linguistic and social practices, members of the more marginalized group were unable to define their own linguistic and social practices as ‘traditional’ for a Welsh speaker. In response they forged a distinctive social space for themselves by developing a class‐based communal Welsh identity. With reference to Bourdieu's work on the process of boundary construction and maintenance, this article makes a contribution to understanding ethnolinguistic diversity and how discourses about being Welsh speaking might be reproduced and negotiated in contemporary post‐diglossic Wales. It suggests that ethnolinguistic identity may become implicated in the process of classificatory struggle, with social groups emerging through a social space of hierarchical difference.
Measuring disparities in sanitation access: does the measure matter?
Authors: Rheingans Richard , Anderson John D. , Luyendijk Rolf , Cumming Oliver
Published: December 2013

Objective

Initiatives to monitor progress in health interventions like sanitation are increasingly focused on disparities in access. We explored three methodological challenges to monitoring changes in sanitation coverage across socio‐economic and demographic determinants: (i) confounding by wealth indices including water and sanitation assets, (ii) use of individual urban and rural settings versus national wealth indices and (iii) child‐level versus household‐level analyses.

Methods

Sanitation coverage by wealth for children and households across settings was estimated from recent Demographic and Health Surveys in six low‐income countries. Household assignment to wealth quintiles was based on principal components analyses of assets. Concordance in household quintile assignment and estimated distribution of improved sanitation was assessed using two wealth indices differing by inclusion or exclusion of water and sanitation assets and independently derived for each setting. Improved sanitation was estimated using under five children and households.

Results

Wealth indices estimated with water, and sanitation assets are highly correlated with indices excluding them but can overstate disparities in sanitation access. Independently, derived setting wealth indices highly correlate with setting estimates of coverage using a single national index. Sanitation coverage and quintile disparities were consistently lower in household‐level estimates.

Conclusions

Standard asset indices provide a reasonably robust measure of disparities in improved sanitation, although overestimation is possible. Separate setting wealth quintiles reveal important disparities in urban areas, but analysis of setting quintiles using a national index is sufficient. Estimates and disparities in household‐level coverage of improved sanitation can underestimate coverage for children under five.
Carbachol excites sublaterodorsal nucleus neurons projecting to the spinal cord
Authors: Weng F. J. , Williams R. H. , Hawryluk J. M. , Lu J. , Scammell T. E. , Saper C. B. , Arrigoni E.
Published: December 2013

Key points

Activation of spinally projecting sublaterodorsal nucleus (SLD) neurons inhibits motor activity, in part through spinal inhibitory interneurons, to produce muscle atonia during rapid‐eye‐movement (REM) sleep.

It has long been hypothesized that acetylcholine released during REM sleep contributes to REM sleep atonia through activation of SLD neurons.

We show, using whole‐cell recordings in brainstem slices, that acetylcholine directly excites spinally projecting SLD neurons via M1 and M3 muscarinic receptors, and increases afferent excitatory synaptic input to these neurons.

These results suggest that acetylcholine contributes to REM sleep muscle atonia through excitation of spinally projecting SLD neurons.

Considerable electrophysiological and pharmacological evidence has long suggested an important role for acetylcholine in the regulation of rapid‐eye‐movement (REM) sleep. For example, injection of the cholinergic agonist carbachol into the dorsomedial pons produces an REM sleep‐like state with muscle atonia and cortical activation, both of which are cardinal features of REM sleep. Located within this region of the pons is the sublaterodorsal nucleus (SLD), a structure thought to be both necessary and sufficient for generating REM sleep muscle atonia. Subsets of glutamatergic SLD neurons potently contribute to motor inhibition during REM sleep through descending projections to motor‐related glycinergic/GABAergic neurons in the spinal cord and ventromedial medulla. Prior electrophysiological and pharmacological studies examining the effects of acetylcholine on SLD neurons have, however, produced conflicting results. In the present study, we sought to clarify how acetylcholine influences the activity of spinally projecting SLD (SLDsp) neurons. We used retrograde tracing in combination with patch‐clamp recordings and recorded pre‐ and postsynaptic effects of carbachol on SLDsp neurons. Carbachol acted presynaptically by increasing the frequency of glutamatergic miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents. We also found that carbachol directly excited SLDsp neurons by activating an Na+–Ca2+ exchanger. Both pre‐ and postsynaptic effects were mediated by co‐activation of M1 and M3 muscarinic receptors. These observations suggest that acetylcholine produces synergistic, excitatory pre‐ and postsynaptic responses on SLDsp neurons that, in turn, probably serve to promote muscle atonia during REM sleep.
A Physical Model for Thermoelectric Generators With and Without Thomson Heat
Authors: Fuqiang Cheng , Yanji Hong , Chao Zhu
Published: December 2013

Performance prediction of thermoelectric generators (TEG) is an important work in thermoelectrics and a physical model is quite necessary. Now basic thermoelectric phenomena have been expounded explicitly, modeling a TEG is an accessible work. However, the Thomson heat (which is a second-order effect) is usually neglected in device-level TEG analyses. And the dealing with the output power expression without Thomson heat is improper in some studies. Based on a thermoelectric model which considers basic thermoelectric effects, as well as the thermal resistances between the thermocouple and the heat source, heat sink, reasonable expressions of Thomson coefficient and Seebeck coefficient are proposed. The output power expression without Thomson heat is analyzed and redressed. With and without Thomson heat, the output power and energy efficiency are calculated at different thermal conditions. Some new results distinct from the past ones are presented. At last, in order to testify the physical model, a BiTe-based thermoelectric module is tested and an ANSYS model is built.
Design and Fabrication of a Microfluidic Device for Synthesis of Chitosan Nanoparticles
Authors: Cetin Barbaros , Asik Mehmet D. , Taze Serdar
Published: December 2013

Chitosan nanoparticles have a biodegradable, biocompatible, nontoxic structure, and are commonly used for drug delivery systems. In this study, design, modeling, and fabrication methodology of a microfluidic device for the synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles is presented. In the modeling, 2D flow and concentration field is computed using COMSOL Multiphysics® simulation environment to predict the performance of the device. The microfluidic chip is fabricated out of PDMS. The fabrication of the mold for the microfluidic device is performed using high-precision micromachining. Some preliminary proof-of-concept experiments were performed. It was observed that compared to conventional batch-type methods, the proposed microfluidic device can perform the synthesis much faster and in a much automated and convenient manner.
Enzyme Kinetics, Past and Present
Authors: Xie X. Sunney
Published: December 2013

The Michaelis-Menten equation, first reported 100 years ago, holds at the single-molecule level.
Mega-Eruptions Drove the Mother of Mass Extinctions
Authors: Kerr Richard A.
Published: December 2013

Huge volcanic eruptions triggered the biggest mass extinction 252 million years ago.
Activation of the Transcription Factor c-Maf in T Cells Is Dependent on the CARMA1-IKKβ Signaling Cascade
Authors: Blonska Marzenna , Joo Donghyun , Nurieva Roza I. , Zhao Xueqiang , Chiao Paul , Sun Shao-Cong , Dong Chen , Lin Xin
Published: December 2013

Components of the NF-κB pathway promote the differentiation of T cells that are critical for antibody production by B cells.
Deep Sequencing and High-Resolution Imaging Reveal Compartment-Specific Localization of
Bdnf
mRNA in Hippocampal Neurons
Authors: Will Tristan J. , Tushev Georgi , Kochen Lisa , Nassim-Assir Belquis , Cajigas Ivan J. , tom Dieck Susanne , Schuman Erin M.
Published: December 2013

High-resolution analysis reveals that
Bdnf
transcripts are weakly but selectively localized to the cell body, not dendrites, of hippocampal neurons.
Opioid-Related Peptides for Treating Anxiety
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: December 2013

Female mice with age-related adrenal hyperplasia are less anxious because of interplay between opioid and glucocorticoid signaling.
The Cilium Gets Excited
Authors: Berndt Jason D.
Published: December 2013

Cilia store calcium that affects Hedgehog signaling.
In Vitro
Analyses of Mild Heat Stress in Combination with Antifungal Agents against Aspergillus fumigatus Biofilm
Authors: Zeng Rong , Li Min , Chen Qing , Wang Le , Zhan Ping , Wang Chong , Lv Guixia , Shen Yongnian , Liu Weida
Published: December 2013

Aspergillus fumigatus
biofilms still present a challenge for effective treatment in clinical settings. While mild heat stress has been introduced as a treatment for infectious diseases, the effectiveness of mild heat stress on
A. fumigatus
biofilm formation and antifungal susceptibility is still unknown. In the present study, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to image and quantify
Aspergillus fumigatus
biofilm formation under three different regimens of continuous mild heat stress: at 37, 39, and 41°C. Furthermore, fungal growth has been investigated under the above conditions in combination with antifungal drugs (amphotericin B [AMB], micafungin [MCF], and voriconazole [VOC]) at early and late stages. CLSM analysis showed that higher temperatures induce earlier germination and greater hyphal elongation but poorer polar growth and reduced biofilm thickness. In the early stage of biofilm formation, the combination of treatment at 39 or 41°C with MCF or VOC produced no visible difference in biomass formation from similar treatments at 37°C with the same drug. Interestingly, AMB treatment at 37°C inhibited early stage biofilm formation to a much greater extent than at 39 and 41°C. At the late stage of biofilm formation, the mild heat treatments at 39 and 41°C with AMB, MCF, and VOC inhibited biomass formation compared to that at 37°C. The present data show that mild heat stress has a negative regulatory effect on biofilm formation
in vitro
, and antifungal drug improvement with mild heat treatment at late-stage biofilm formation provides useful indications of possible effective strategies for clinical management of aspergillosis.
vanO
, a New Glycopeptide Resistance Operon in Environmental Rhodococcus equi Isolates
Authors: Gudeta Dereje Dadi , Moodley Arshnee , Bortolaia Valeria , Guardabassi Luca
Published: December 2013

We describe here the sequence and gene organization of a new glycopeptide resistance operon (
vanO
) in
Rhodococcus equi
from soil. The
vanO
operon has low homology to enterococcal
van
operons and harbors a
vanHOX
cluster transcribed in the direction opposite that of the
vanS-vanR
regulatory system and composed of three open reading frames with unknown function. This finding has clinical interest, since glycopeptides are used to treat
R. equi
infections and resistance has been reported in clinical isolates.
Induction of the Chlamydia muridarum Stress/Persistence Response Increases Azithromycin Treatment Failure in a Murine Model of Infection
Authors: Phillips-Campbell R. , Kintner J. , Schoborg R. V.
Published: December 2013

Viable but noninfectious (stressed/persistent) chlamydiae are more resistant to azithromycin (AZM) in culture than are organisms in the normal developmental cycle.
Chlamydia muridarum
-infected mice were exposed to amoxicillin to induce the organisms to enter the persistent/stressed state and subsequently treated with AZM. AZM treatment failure was observed in 22% of persistently infected mice, with an average of 321,667 inclusion-forming units (IFU) shed after AZM treatment. Productively infected mice had a 9% rate of AZM treatment failure and shed an average of 12,083 IFU. These data suggest that stressed chlamydiae are more resistant to frontline antichlamydial drugs
in vivo
.
Identification and Characterization of a Bacitracin Resistance Network in Enterococcus faecalis
Authors: Gebhard Susanne , Fang Chong , Shaaly Aishath , Leslie David J. , Weimar Marion R. , Kalamorz Falk , Carne Alan , Cook Gregory M.
Published: December 2013

Resistance of
Enterococcus faecalis
against antimicrobial peptides, both of host origin and produced by other bacteria of the gut microflora, is likely to be an important factor in the bacterium's success as an intestinal commensal. The aim of this study was to identify proteins with a role in resistance against the model antimicrobial peptide bacitracin. Proteome analysis of bacitracin-treated and untreated cells showed that bacitracin stress induced the expression of cell wall-biosynthetic proteins and caused metabolic rearrangements. Among the proteins with increased production, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter with similarity to known peptide antibiotic resistance systems was identified and shown to mediate resistance against bacitracin. Expression of the transporter was dependent on a two-component regulatory system and a second ABC transporter, which were identified by genome analysis. Both resistance and the regulatory pathway could be functionally transferred to
Bacillus subtilis
, proving the function and sufficiency of these components for bacitracin resistance. Our data therefore show that the two ABC transporters and the two-component system form a resistance network against antimicrobial peptides in
E. faecalis
, where one transporter acts as the sensor that activates the TCS to induce production of the second transporter, which mediates the actual resistance.
In Vitro
Activities of Ceftazidime-Avibactam and Aztreonam-Avibactam against 372 Gram-Negative Bacilli Collected in 2011 and 2012 from 11 Teaching Hospitals in China
Authors: Wang Xiaojuan , Zhang Feifei , Zhao Chunjiang , Wang Zhanwei , Nichols Wright W. , Testa Raymond , Li Henan , Chen Hongbin , He Wenqiang , Wang Qi , Wang Hui
Published: December 2013

Ceftazidime-avibactam, aztreonam-avibactam, and comparators were tested by reference broth microdilution against 372 nonrepetitive Gram-negative bacilli (346 unselected plus 26 selected meropenem-nonsusceptible
Enterobacteriaceae
isolates) collected from 11 teaching hospitals in China in 2011 and 2012. Meropenem-nonsusceptible isolates produced extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs; e.g., CTX-M-14/3), AmpCs (e.g., CMY-2), and/or carbapenemases (e.g., KPC-2 and NDM-1). Avibactam potentiated the activity of ceftazidime against organisms with combinations of ESBLs, AmpCs, and KPC-2. Aztreonam-avibactam was active against all β-lactamase producers (including producers of NDM-1 and IMP-4/8) except
bla
OXA
-containing
Acinetobacter baumannii
and some
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
isolates.
Novel Composite Efficacy Measure To Demonstrate the Rationale and Efficacy of Combination Antiviral–Anti-Inflammatory Treatment for Recurrent Herpes Simplex Labialis
Authors: Hull Christopher M. , Levin Myron J. , Tyring Stephen K. , Spruance Spotswood L.
Published: December 2013

Historically, the primary target for research and treatment of recurrent herpes simplex labialis (HSL) has been limited to inhibiting herpes simplex virus (HSV) replication. Antiviral monotherapy, however, has proven only marginally effective in curtailing the duration and severity of recurrent lesions. Recently, the role of inflammation in the progression and resolution of recurrences has been identified as an additional target. This was evaluated in a randomized study comparing combination topical 5% acyclovir-1% hydrocortisone cream (AHC) with 5% acyclovir alone (AC; in the AHC vehicle) and the vehicle. The efficacy of each topical therapy was evaluated for cumulative lesion size—a novel composite efficacy endpoint incorporating episode duration, lesion area, and proportion of nonulcerative lesions. In that study, cumulative lesion area was significantly decreased with AHC compared with AC (25% decrease;P< 0.05) and the vehicle (50% decrease;P< 0.0001). As research continues in this arena, cumulative lesion area should be included as a measure of efficacy in clinical trials of recurrent HSL therapies.
Role of Acinetobacter baumannii UmuD Homologs in Antibiotic Resistance Acquired through DNA Damage-Induced Mutagenesis
Authors: Aranda Jesús , López Mario , Leiva Enoy , Magán Andrés , Adler Ben , Bou Germán , Barbé Jordi
Published: December 2013

The role of
Acinetobacter baumannii
ATCC 17978 UmuDC homologs A1S_0636-A1S_0637, A1S_1174-A1S_1173, and A1S_1389 (UmuD
Ab
) in antibiotic resistance acquired through UV-induced mutagenesis was evaluated. Neither the growth rate nor the UV-related survival of any of the three mutants was significantly different from that of the wild-type parental strain. However, all mutants, and especially the

umuD
Ab

mutant, were less able to acquire resistance to rifampin and streptomycin through the activities of their error-prone DNA polymerases. Furthermore, in the
A. baumannii
mutant defective in the

umuD
Ab

gene, the spectrum of mutations included a dramatic reduction in the frequency of transition mutations, the mutagenic signature of the DNA polymerase V encoded by
umuDC
.
Statistics in
Infection and Immunity
Revisited
Authors: Olsen Cara H.
Published: December 2013

In 2003, a review of the use of statistics in
Infection and Immunity
(IAI) found that more than half of articles had errors of statistical analysis or reporting of statistical results. This updated review of recent articles identifies and discusses the most common statistical methods reported in IAI and provides examples of both good reporting and common mistakes. Furthermore, it expands on the criteria for statistical analysis and reporting presented in the IAI “Instructions to Authors,” with the goal of helping both readers and authors better understand and apply the criteria.
Assembly of NADPH Oxidase in Human Neutrophils Is Modulated by the Opacity-Associated Protein Expression State of Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: Smirnov Asya , Daily Kylene P. , Criss Alison K.
Published: December 2013

Neisseria gonorrhoeae
(the gonococcus, Gc) triggers a potent inflammatory response and recruitment of neutrophils to the site of infection. Gc survives exposure to neutrophils despite these cells' antimicrobial products, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS production in neutrophils is initiated by NADPH oxidase, which converts oxygen into superoxide. The subunits of NADPH oxidase are spatially separated between granules (gp91
phox
/p22
phox
) and the cytoplasm (p47
phox
, p67
phox
, and p40
phox
). Activation of neutrophils promotes the coassembly of NADPH oxidase subunits at phagosome and/or plasma membranes. While Gc-expressing opacity-associated (Opa) proteins can induce neutrophils to produce ROS, Opa-negative (Opa
−
) Gc does not stimulate neutrophil ROS production. Using constitutively Opa
−
and OpaD-positive (OpaD
+
) Gc bacteria in strain FA1090, we now show that the difference in ROS production levels in primary human neutrophils between these backgrounds can be attributed to differential assembly of NADPH oxidase. Neutrophils infected with Opa
−
Gc showed limited translocation of NADPH oxidase cytoplasmic subunits to cellular membranes, including the bacterial phagosome. In contrast, these subunits rapidly translocated to neutrophil membranes following infection with OpaD
+
Gc. gp91
phox
and p22
phox
were recruited to Gc phagosomes regardless of bacterial Opa expression. These results suggest that Opa
−
Gc interferes with the recruitment of neutrophil NADPH oxidase cytoplasmic subunits to membranes, in particular, the p47
phox
“organizing” subunit, to prevent assembly of the holoenzyme, resulting in an absence of the oxidative burst.
Role of Dectin-2 for Host Defense against Systemic Infection with Candida glabrata
Authors: Ifrim Daniela C. , Bain Judith M. , Reid Delyth M. , Oosting Marije , Verschueren Ineke , Gow Neil A. R. , van Krieken J. Han , Brown Gordon D. , Kullberg Bart-Jan , Joosten Leo A. B. , van der Meer Jos W. M. , Koentgen Frank , Erwig Lars P. , Quintin Jessica , Netea Mihai G.
Published: December 2013

AlthoughCandida glabratais an important pathogenicCandidaspecies, relatively little is known about its innate immune recognition. Here, we explore the potential role of Dectin-2 for host defense againstC. glabrata. Dectin-2-deficient (Dectin-2−/−) mice were found to be more susceptible toC. glabratainfections, showing a defective fungal clearance in kidneys but not in the liver. The increased susceptibility to infection was accompanied by lower production of T helper 1 (Th1) and Th17-derived cytokines by splenocytes of Dectin-2−/−mice, while macrophage-derived cytokines were less affected. These defects were associated with a moderate yet significant decrease in phagocytosis of the fungus by the Dectin-2−/−macrophages and neutrophils. Neutrophils of Dectin-2−/−mice also displayed lower production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon challenge with opsonizedC. glabrataorC. albicans. This study suggests that Dectin-2 is important in host defense againstC. glabrataand provides new insights into the host defense mechanisms against this important fungal pathogen.
Interleukin-17-Induced Protein Lipocalin 2 Is Dispensable for Immunity to Oral Candidiasis
Authors: Ferreira Maria Carolina , Whibley Natasha , Mamo Anna J. , Siebenlist Ulrich , Chan Yvonne R. , Gaffen Sarah L.
Published: December 2013

Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC; thrush) is an opportunistic fungal infection caused by the commensal microbe
Candida albicans
. Immunity to OPC is strongly dependent on CD4
+
T cells, particularly those of the Th17 subset. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) deficiency in mice or humans leads to chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis, but the specific downstream mechanisms of IL-17-mediated host defense remain unclear. Lipocalin 2 (Lcn2; 24p3; neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin [NGAL]) is an antimicrobial host defense factor produced in response to inflammatory cytokines, particularly IL-17. Lcn2 plays a key role in preventing iron acquisition by bacteria that use catecholate-type siderophores, and lipocalin 2
−/−
mice are highly susceptible to infection by
Escherichia coli
and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
. The role of Lcn2 in mediating immunity to fungi is poorly defined. Accordingly, in this study, we evaluated the role of Lcn2 in immunity to oral infection with
C. albicans
. Lcn2 is strongly upregulated following oral infection with
C. albicans
, and its expression is almost entirely abrogated in mice with defective IL-17 signaling (IL-17RA
−/−
or Act1
−/−
mice). However, Lcn2
−/−
mice were completely resistant to OPC, comparably to wild-type (WT) mice. Moreover, Lcn2 deficiency mediated protection from OPC induced by steroid immunosuppression. Therefore, despite its potent regulation during
C. albicans
infection, Lcn2 is not required for immunity to mucosal candidiasis.
Janus Kinase 3 Activity Is Necessary for Phosphorylation of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 and Prostaglandin E2 Synthesis by Macrophages Infected with Francisella tularensis Live Vaccine Strain
Authors: Brummett Ashley M. , Navratil Aaron R. , Bryan Joshua D. , Woolard Matthew D.
Published: December 2013

Francisella tularensis
, the causative agent of tularemia, modulates the host immune response to gain a survival advantage within the host. One mechanism of immune evasion is the ability of
F. tularensis
to induce the synthesis of the small lipid mediator prostaglandin E2 (PGE
2
), which alters the host T cell response making the host more susceptible to
Francisella
growth. PGE
2
is synthesized by a tightly regulated biosynthetic pathway following stimulation. The synthesis of PGE
2
begins with the liberation of arachidonic acid (AA) from membrane phospholipids by cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA
2
). AA is subsequently converted to the unstable intermediate PGH
2
by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and PGH
2
undergoes an isomerization reaction to generate PGE
2
. Our objective was to identify
F. tularensis
-activated host signaling pathways that regulate the activity of the enzymes in the PGE
2
-biosynthetic pathway. In this study, we show that cPLA
2
, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and Janus kinase 3 (JAK3) signaling are necessary for
F. tularensis
-induced PGE
2
production. Inhibition of JAK3 activity reduced the phosphorylation of cPLA
2
and COX-2 protein levels. In addition, JAK3 regulates cPLA
2
phosphorylation independent of transcription. Moreover, p38 MAPK activity is required for
F. tularensis
-induced COX-2 protein synthesis, but not for the phosphorylation of cPLA
2
. This research highlights a unique signaling axis in which JAK3 and p38 MAPK regulate the activity of multiple enzymes of the PGE
2
-biosynthetic pathway in macrophages infected with
F. tularensis
.
White-blue pyelocalyceal cyst with hydrotic glomerulonephritis
Authors: Chaurasia Jai Kumar , Soni Mayank , Ahmed Murad , Naim Mohammed
Published: December 2013

A 5-month-old male infant presented with a 15 day history of distension of abdomen. On clinical examination, a soft lump was palpable in the left lumbar region. Radiological findings suggested an enlarged non-functional left kidney with ureteropelvic adhesive obstruction. The left renal mass was excised and submitted for histopathological examination. The excised renal mass was cystic with its wall partly white and partly blue. Gross and histopathological findings were diagnostic of a white-blue pyelocalyceal cyst with hydrotic glomerulonephritis. This entity needs to be differentiated from a large number of other cystic diseases of the kidney. Intrauterine screening and diagnosis may be significant for a possible early intrauterine uro-laparoscopic recanalisation of the pyeloureteral obstruction to save the affected kidney.
Iris retractors: the saviours in cataract surgery for cataract in lens coloboma
Authors: Sati Alok , Shankar Sandeep , Gurunadh V S , Sangwan Virender S
Published: December 2013

A 67-year-old woman presented with features of bilateral cataract and lens coloboma. The lens coloboma was from 1 to 8 o’clock and from 5 to 9 o’clock positions in right and left eye, respectively. With some modifications, phacoemulsification was performed in both eyes at an interval of 1 month. A smaller (4.5 mm) anterior capsulorrhexis was made due to poor peripheral lenticular support. Three iris retractors were used to stabilise anterior capsulorrhexis margin to the limbus. Phacoemulsification was performed by direct chop technique under low phacodynamics. A capsular tension ring was placed in a bag followed by tangential cortical clean up and implantation of a foldable intraocular lens (IOL). One month following surgery, both eyes had a visual acuity of 20/20 with a stable IOL. This case report highlights the rarest malformation of the lens with cataract and its successful management by phacoemulsification using iris retractors as capsule supporting device.
Spontaneous bilateral compartment syndrome in a HIV-positive patient
Authors: Davidson Donald James , Shaukat Yasir Mehmood , Jenabzadeh Reza , Gupte Chinmay M
Published: December 2013

Spontaneous bilateral compartment syndrome is a very rare condition but one which requires swift diagnosis and urgent surgical decompression by fasciotomies in order to achieve the best outcome. We present the case of a 31-year-old HIV-positive man. The case highlights the perils of being sidetracked by an atypical clinical history instead of acting on the classical clinical examination findings. We will discuss the presentation and management of this patient, review the literature and highlight the key learning points. The most important learning point being that no matter how atypical the history, if a patient presents with limb pain out of proportion to the injury (with or without pain on passive stretch), sensory changes and a loss of motor power, then a diagnosis of acute compartment syndrome must be considered.
Is brief advice in primary care a cost-effective way to promote physical activity?
Authors: Anokye Nana K , Lord Joanne , Fox-Rushby Julia
Published: December 2013

Aim

This study models the cost-effectiveness of brief advice (BA) in primary care for physical activity (PA) addressing the limitations in the current limited economic literature through the use of a time-based modelling approach.

Methods

A Markov model was used to compare the lifetime costs and outcomes of a cohort of 100 000 people exposed to BA versus usual care. Health outcomes were expressed in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Costs were assessed from a health provider perspective (£2010/11 prices). Data to populate the model were derived from systematic literature reviews and the literature searches of economic evaluations that were conducted for national guidelines. Deterministic and probability sensitivity analyses explored the uncertainty in parameter estimates including short-term mental health gains associated with PA.

Results

Compared with usual care, BA is more expensive, incurring additional costs of £806 809 but it is more effective leading to 466 QALYs gained in the total cohort, a QALY gain of 0.0047/person. The incremental cost per QALY of BA is £1730 (including mental health gains) and thus can be considered cost-effective at a threshold of £20 000/QALY. Most changes in assumptions resulted in the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) falling at or below £12 000/QALY gained. However, when short-term mental health gains were excluded the ICER was £27 000/QALY gained. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that, at a threshold of £20 000/QALY, there was a 99.9% chance that BA would be cost-effective.

Conclusions

BA is a cost-effective way to improve PA among adults, provided short-term mental health gains are considered. Further research is required to provide more accurate evidence on factors contributing to the cost-effectiveness of BA.
Role of temperature in determining relative abundance in cave twilight zones by two species of lungless salamander (family Plethodontidae)
Authors: Camp Carlos D. , Wooten Jessica A. , Jensen John B. , Bartek Dale F.
Published: December 2013

Lungless salamanders of the family Plethodontidae have historically been considered to be passive conformers to their surrounding thermal environment because there is no evidence that they thermoregulate behaviourally in the field. In contrast, plethodontids readily choose optimal temperatures when placed on experimental thermal gradients. It has been hypothesized that restriction to moist habitats prevents these salamanders from exploiting thermally diverse microhabitats in nature. We tested this hypothesis, as well as the hypothesis that response to temperature differs among plethodontid species, by investigating the thermal ecology of two species (Cave Salamander, Eurycea lucifuga Rafinesque, 1822, and Northern Slimy Salamander, Plethodon glutinosus (Green, 1818)) occupying twilight zones of six caves in northwestern Georgia. We recorded inside and outside temperatures, as well as the number of each species, for each of three seasons (summer, fall, spring) over 13 years. We also tested for differences in thermal preference along experimental gradients in the laboratory. We further generated environmental niche models (ENMs) to investigate the potential role of abiotic variables, including environmental temperature, in determining the geographic range of each species. We found that both species responded to cave temperature in such a way as to suggest that these salamanders thermoregulate behaviourally when given a diversity of thermal options within a relatively constant moisture regime. We also determined that E. lucifuga prefers lower temperatures than P. glutinosus. ENM analysis indicated that, while abiotic variables both strongly influence the ecological niche of both species, the range of E. lucifuga is strongly predicted by them. The geographic distribution of P. glutinosus is apparently heavily influenced by the presence of closely related, contiguous neighbors with similar niche requirements.
Habitat selection by a generalist mesopredator near its historical range boundary
Authors: Beatty William S. , Beasley James C. , Rhodes Olin E.
Published: December 2013

The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana Kerr, 1792) has expanded its geographic range northward since European settlement, which has been attributed to its ability to exploit anthropogenic resources. To examine the utility of anthropogenic resources to this species, we monitored 61 opossums from 2009 to 2010 with very high frequency (VHF) telemetry in a fragmented agricultural ecosystem in northern Indiana, USA, at the periphery of the opossum’s historical distribution. We examined the influence of anthropogenic (agricultural areas, developed land, roads), disturbed (corridor, forest edge, grassland, water), and native (forest, shrub land) habitats on habitat selection at the second- and third-order scales across three seasons. At the second-order scale, areas proximate to agricultural fields and developed land were selected in the breeding and postbreeding seasons, respectively. Areas proximate to roads were selected at both spatial scales during all seasons except winter at the third-order scale. Areas near forest with high forest-edge density were selected throughout the year at both spatial scales, but confidence intervals for forest during the postbreeding season marginally overlapped zero (third-order scale). Although anthropogenic habitats provide novel resources for opossums, forest and forest edge remain essential components to populations near their historical distributional limit in agricultural ecosystems.
SCHEDULING WITH POSITION-BASED DETERIORATING JOBS AND MULTIPLE DETERIORATING RATE-MODIFYING ACTIVITIES
Authors: WEI GUIYI , QIU YONG , JI MIN
Published: December 2013

In a recent paper, Ozturkoglu and Bulfin (Ozturkoglu, Y. and RL Bulfin (2011). A unique integer mathematical model for scheduling deteriorating jobs with rate-modifying activities on a single machine. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology, 57, 753–762.) formulate a unique integer program to solve the single-machine scheduling for the objectives of minimizing makespan and total completion time. They also propose efficient heuristic algorithms for solving large size problems. However their heuristics are not optimal and so the NP-hardness of the considered problem is still open. In this note, we show that a more general problem can be optimally solved in polynomial time. We also provide optimal polynomial-time solution algorithm for the parallel-machine case to minimize total completion time.
EVALUATION OF THE ULTRASONIC PREAMPLIFIER NOISE VOLTAGE DENSITY
Authors: SVILAINIS LINAS , DUMBRAVA VYTAUTAS , KYBARTAS DARIUS
Published: December 2013

Analysis of the noise voltage density evaluation procedures of the ultrasonic preamplifier is presented. Ultrasonic testing is demanding low noise reception channel. Techniques and equipment for ultrasonic preamplifier's noise performance evaluation are suggested. Equipment used and measurement technologies applied are described. One of the techniques suggested allows estimating the preamplifier noise with only impedance measurement results available. Sine wave correlation technique was used in the impedance measurement procedure. Another technique, not demanding the spectrum analyzer, was suggested, which uses the analog-to-digital converter (ADC) sampling and the Fourier transform to obtain the noise spectral density. Experimental results for the measured complex gain and the equivalent input noise of the preamplifier are presented. Comparison with traditional noise estimation procedure, using the spectrum analyzer is given. Both direct measurement techniques (ADC record Fourier analysis based and spectrum analyzer) indicated good match. Noise whiteness was estimated: in a region of operation frequencies, 5–7 MHz, noise can be considered as white.
QUANTUM DISCORD AND QUANTUM ENTANGLEMENT IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ASYMPTOTICALLY FLAT STATIC BLACK HOLE
Authors: JUNG EYLEE , HWANG MI-RA , PARK DAEKIL
Published: December 2013

In this work, the quantum discord and tripartite entanglement in the presence of an asymptotically flat static black hole are discussed. The total correlation, quantum discord, and classical correlation are found to exhibit decreasing behavior with increasing Hawking temperature. It is shown that the classical correlation is less than the quantum discord in the full range of Hawking temperature. The tripartite entanglements for Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger (GHZ) and W-states also exhibit decreasing behavior with increasing Hawking temperature. When the Hawking temperature approaches the infinite limit, the tripartite entanglements of the GHZ and W-states reduce, in terms of the π-tangle, to 52% and 33% of the corresponding values in the flat space limit, respectively.
RESPONSE-EFFICIENCY-ASSESSMENT: A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR RATING POLICY'S EFFICIENCY TO MEET SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ON THE EXAMPLE OF SOIL SEALING MANAGEMENT
Authors: ARTMANN MARTINA
Published: December 2013

In the field of environmental policy, it is widely accepted that the exploitation of the environment in a rapidly urbanising world needs intervention by policy to meet sustainable development. But which laws, incentives, and awareness raising actions support sustainable development? According to the European Environment Agency, policy-effectiveness can be assessed by evaluating changes in driving forces, pressures, states, responses and impacts. However, these changes can only be measured after implementing responses and often cannot be directly related to specific policies or instruments. Therefore, this article argues that a specific framework is necessary which is introduced by a Response-Efficiency-Assessment (REA). For the methodological approach, the framework is developed through a multi-attribute decision method (MADM) using an analytical hierarchy process (AHP). The framework will be presented using the example of soil sealing management including 48 indicators to assess the efficiency of soil sealing management; one main challenge facing the environmental policy.