bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hepatic copper concentrations in 546 dogs (1982–2015)
Authors: Strickland Jaimie M. , Buchweitz John P. , Smedley Rebecca C. , Olstad Katherine J. , Schultz Ryan S. , Oliver N. Bari , Langlois Daniel K.
Published: October 2018

Background

Copper associated hepatitis (CAH) has been increasingly recognized in dogs, and speculation exists that hereditary defects in copper metabolism have been exacerbated by increased environmental copper exposure. However, no broad epidemiological investigations have been performed to investigate quantitative hepatic copper concentrations ([Cu]H) over time in both dogs that are (predisposed breed [PB]), and are not (non‐predisposed breed [NPB]), considered at‐risk for CAH.

Objectives

To investigate [Cu]Hin dogs and explore temporal, demographic, and histologic associations spanning 34 years.

Animals

546 archived liver specimens.

Methods

Retrospective study. Searches of the Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory database identified dogs that had undergone hepatic histopathologic assessment. Cases with archived tissue were reviewed and classified by breed, time period, and presence or absence of hepatitis. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine [Cu]H.

Results

In time period 2009–2015, median [Cu]Hwere 101 μg/g and 313 μg/g greater than median [Cu]Hin time period 1982–1988 for NPB and PB dogs, respectively (P< .001 for both comparisons). The proportion of dogs with [CU]H> 300 μg/g increased in NPB (28% to 49%) and PB dogs (48% to 71%) during these periods (P= .002 for both comparisons). Median [Cu]Hin dogs with hepatitis increased 3‐fold over time in both NPB (P= .004) and PB populations (P< .001).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

The frequent recognition of CAH in recent years is likely due to the observed increases in [Cu]Hover time. Importantly, effects are not limited to PB dogs.
Assessment of eosinophils in gastrointestinal inflammatory disease of dogs
Authors: Bastan Idil , Rendahl Aaron K. , Seelig Davis , Day Michael J. , Hall Edward J. , Rao Savita P. , Washabau Robert J. , Sriramarao P.
Published: October 2018

Background

Accurate identification of eosinophils in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of dogs with eosinophilic GI disease (EGID) by histological evaluation is challenging. The currently used hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining method detects intact eosinophils but does not detect degranulated eosinophils, thus potentially underrepresenting the number of infiltrating eosinophils.

Objective

To develop a more sensitive method for identifying and quantifying both intact and degranulated eosinophils to diagnose EGID more accurately.

Methods

Endoscopically obtained paraffin‐embedded intestinal biopsy specimens from dogs with GI signs were examined. The study groups were dogs with eosinophilic enteritis (EE), lymphoplasmacytic and mixed enteritis, and control dogs with GI signs but no histologic changes on tissue sections. Consecutive sections were immunolabeled with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the eosinophil granule protein eosinophil peroxidase (Epx) and stained by H&E, respectively. The number of eosinophils was manually quantified and classified as intact or degranulated.

Results

The number of intact eosinophils detected in Epx mAb‐labeled duodenal sections was significantly higher compared with that in H&E‐stained sections, with a similar relationship noted in the colon and stomach. The Epx mAb allowed the unique assessment of eosinophil degranulation. The number of intact and degranulated eosinophils was significantly higher in duodenal lamina propria of the EE and mixed group compared to the control group.

Conclusion

Immunohistochemical detection of Epx provides a more precise method to detect GI tract eosinophils compared to H&E staining and could be used as an alternative and reliable diagnostic tool for assessment of biopsy tissues from dogs with EGID.
Absence of olivine orientation fabric in highly shocked Martian dunite
Authors: Tkalcec B. J. , Brenker F. E.
Published: October 2018

Shock is often given as the cause for many observations in meteorites due to the assumed previous exposure of most meteorites to at least one impact event that ultimately led to their ejection from their parent body. Here we present electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) results on a substantially shocked dunitic achondrite, chassignite Northwest Africa (NWA) 8694, and question the general culpability of shock exposure for the formation of preferred orientation fabrics of meteoritic olivine crystals. Despite the ubiquitous presence of substantial shock indicators, the EBSD results for NWA 8694 reveal an absence of preferred orientation of olivine crystals, displaying instead an overall random fabric. We propose that the passage of shock waves through olivine crystals within a solid, crystalline, dunitic rock does not produce an overall preferred orientation, nor is it likely to actively form a whole‐rock random fabric but instead has likely no bearing on the formation of olivine orientation fabrics.
Capturing and Understanding Workers’ Activities in Far‐Field Surveillance Videos with Deep Action Recognition and Bayesian Nonparametric Learning
Authors: Luo Xiaochun , Li Heng , Yang Xincong , Yu Yantao , Cao Dongping
Published: October 2018

Recording workers’ activities is an important, but burdensome, management task for site supervisors. The last decade has seen a growing trend toward vision‐based activity recognition. However, recognizing workers’ activities in far‐field surveillance videos is understudied. This study proposes a hierarchical statistical method for recognizing workers’ activities in far‐field surveillance videos. The method consists of two steps. First, a deep action recognition method was used to recognize workers’ actions, and a new fusion strategy was proposed to consider the characteristics of far‐field surveillance videos. The deep action recognition method with the new fusion strategy has achieved the comparable performance (0.84 average accuracy) on the far‐field surveillance data set in contrast to the original method on the public data sets. Second, a Bayesian nonparametric hidden semi‐Markov model was innovatively used to model and infer workers’ activities based on action sequences. The latent states of the fitted Bayesian model captured workers’ activities in terms of state duration distributions and state transition distributions, which are indispensable for understanding workers’ time allocation. It has been preliminarily illustrated that the activity information learned by the Bayesian model possesses the potential to implement objective work sampling, personal physical fatigue monitoring, trade‐level health risk assessment, and process‐based quality control. Also, the limitations of this study are discussed.
Effect of electrode separation on high‐resolution impedance manometry catheters for ex vivo animal experiments
Authors: Ruiz‐Vargas Albert , Mohd Rosli Reizal , Wiklendt Lukasz , Arkwright John W.
Published: October 2018

Background

High‐resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) catheters are used for esophageal reflux and bolus transit studies. Usually, these catheters have electrodes spaced at 20 mm intervals that are used for measuring electrical impedance between the consecutive electrodes and pressure sensors with 10 mm separation. Electrical impedance is a distributed measurement between the electrodes, unlike the point measurement of pressure sensors. Thus, the electrode separations affect the overall spatiotemporal resolution of the measurement.

Methods

A 3D model of the gastrointestinal tract, in which bolus shape and size can be modified, was used to simulate the admittance signal response of an intraluminal impedance catheter with 10 and 20 mm electrode separation to study the distributed sensitivity in the lumen to gain insight on the impedance measurement. In addition, experiments on sections of rabbit proximal colon were conducted with two catheters with electrode separations of 10 and 20 mm to compare the experimental data with the simulated data.

Key Results

Reducing electrode spacing from 20 to 10 mm increased sensitivity to diameter change by a factor of ten. Admittance and diameter correlated strongly during a myogenic contraction with a Pearson's Correlation Coefficient of 0.86 for the custom catheter, in comparison with 0.56 for the commercial HRIM catheter.

Conclusions

Ten millimeter electrode separation has a better spatiotemporal resolution, and unlike 20 mm electrode separation is able to identify myogenic contractions. Based on the numerical and experimental data, closer electrode separation should be considered for improved spatial resolution.
The RNA editing factor DUA1 is crucial to chloroplast development at low temperature in rice
Authors: Cui Xuean , Wang Yanwei , Wu Jinxia , Han Xiao , Gu Xiaofeng , Lu Tiegang , Zhang Zhiguo
Published: October 2018

Low temperature stress hinders plant growth and chloroplast development and can limit the geographic range of cultivars. In rice, japonica cultivars have greater chilling tolerance than indica cultivars, but the molecular mechanism underlying chilling tolerance is unclear.

Here, we report an RNA‐binding protein, DUA1, cloned from the indica cultivar Dular, which exhibits a deficiency in chloroplast development at an early stage of development under low‐temperature conditions. DUA1 shares high sequence homology with the pentatricopeptide repeat family and functions in plastid RNA editing under low‐temperature conditions. Our data suggest that DUA1 can bind to the plastid‐encoded rps8‐182 transcript and disruption of DUA1 activity impairs editing.

The RNA editing cofactor WSP1, a partner of DUA1, also participates in chloroplast development at low temperature. Western blot analysis indicates that WSP1 enhances DUA1 stability under low temperatures.

DUA1 sequence analyses of rice core germplasm revealed that three major haplotypes of DUA1 and one haplotype showed substantial differences in chlorophyll content under low‐temperature conditions. Variation at DUA1 may play an important role in the adaptation of rice to different growing regions.
Embolism resistance drives the distribution of Amazonian rainforest tree species along hydro‐topographic gradients
Authors: Oliveira Rafael S. , Costa Flavia R. C. , van Baalen Emma , de Jonge Arjen , Bittencourt Paulo R. , Almanza Yanina , Barros Fernanda de V. , Cordoba Edher C. , Fagundes Marina V. , Garcia Sabrina , Guimaraes Zilza T. M. , Hertel Mariana , Schietti Juliana , Rodrigues‐Souza Jefferson , Poorter Lourens
Published: October 2018

Species distribution is strongly driven by local and global gradients in water availability but the underlying mechanisms are not clear. Vulnerability to xylem embolism (P50) is a key trait that indicates how species cope with drought and might explain plant distribution patterns across environmental gradients. Here we address its role on species sorting along a hydro‐topographical gradient in a central Amazonian rainforest and examine its variance at the community scale.

We measured P50 for 28 tree species, soil properties and estimated the hydrological niche of each species using an indicator of distance to the water table (HAND).

We found a large hydraulic diversity, covering as much as 44% of the global angiosperm variation in P50. We show that P50: contributes to species segregation across a hydro‐topographic gradient in the Amazon, and thus to species coexistence; is the result of repeated evolutionary adaptation within closely related taxa; is associated with species tolerance to P‐poor soils, suggesting the evolution of a stress‐tolerance syndrome to nutrients and drought; and is higher for trees in the valleys than uplands.

The large observed hydraulic diversity and its association with topography has important implications for modelling and predicting forest and species resilience to climate change.
Evolutionary and biogeographical shifts in response to the Late Ordovician mass extinction
Authors: Congreve Curtis R. , Krug Andrew Z. , Patzkowsky Mark E.
Published: October 2018

The Late Ordovician mass extinction was an interval of high extinction with inferred low ecological selectivity, resulting in little change in community structure after the event. In contrast, the mass extinction may have fundamentally changed evolutionary dynamics in the surviving groups. We investigated the phylogenetic relationships among strophomenoid brachiopods, a diverse brachiopod superfamily that was a primary component of Ordovician ecosystems. Four Ordovician families/subfamilies sampled in the analysis (Rafinesquinidae, Strophomeninae, Glyptomenidae and Furcitellinae) were reconstructed as monophyletic groups, and the base of the strophomenoid clade that dominated the Silurian recovery was reconstructed as diversifying alongside these families during the Middle Ordovician. We time‐calibrated the phylogeny and used geographical occurrences to investigate biogeographical changes in the strophomenoids through time with the R package BiogeoBEARS. Our results indicate that extinction was higher in taxa whose ranges were constrained to tropical or subtropical regions. Furthermore, our results suggest important shifts in the diversification patterns of these brachiopods after the mass extinction. While most of the strophomenoid families survived the Late Ordovician event, ecologically abundant taxonomic groups during the Ordovician were either driven to extinction, reduced in diversity, or slowly died off during the Silurian. The new abundant strophomenoid taxa derived from one clade (consisting of Silurian–Devonian groups such as Douvillinidae, Strophodontidae and Amphistrophiidae) that diversified during the post‐extinction radiation. Our results suggest the selective diversification during the Silurian radiation, rather than selective extinction in the Late Ordovician, had a greater impact on the evolutionary history of strophomenoid brachiopods.
“Our Expectations Were Perhaps Too High”: Disarmament, Citizen Activism, and the 1907 Hague Peace Conference
Authors: Hucker Daniel
Published: October 2018

Historical assessments of the 1907 Hague Peace Conference, such as its 1899 predecessor, are usually framed in verdicts of success or failure. Although some specialist accounts rightly portray the Hague meetings as both successful and important, most analyses of the period emphasize their shortcomings, not least the failure to prevent war in 1914. This article interrogates why the existing historiography is framed in this simplistic—and ultimately misleading—success/failure dichotomy. Focusing on hopes and aspirations regarding disarmament ahead of the 1907 Hague Conference, it contends that networks of European and American citizen activists, by doing so much to bring the conference about and legitimizing disarmament as a topic for diplomatic discussion, ensured that immediate verdicts of the conference's work focused on the (practically nonexistent) outcomes in this domain. This lack of progress overshadowed all other accomplishments of the second Hague conference and established, well before 1914, a prevailing narrative of failure.
Sexual activity and life satisfaction in older adults
Authors: Skałacka Katarzyna , Gerymski Rafał
Published: October 2018

Aim

Based on the concept of successful ageing and research reports on the benefits of maintaining sexual activity in mid‐ to late life, the purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between global life satisfaction and sexual satisfaction in adults older than 60 years. The study also analyzed the relationship between various forms of sexual activity (genital and non‐genital) and both types of satisfaction.

Methods

Thirty‐three men and 50 women (N =83) were interviewed by using two structuralized questionnaires. Global life satisfaction was measured with Diener's Satisfaction with Life Scale, whereas sexual satisfaction and preferences regarding various intimate behaviours (i.e. kissing, cuddling, touching partner's intimate body parts, penetration, and masturbation) were assessed with a questionnaire devised for the purpose of the study. Statistical analyses were conducted to verify the relationships among the variables, group differences, and the statistical significance of sexual satisfaction as a predictor of global life satisfaction.

Results

Most of the interviewed subjects have had engaged in sexual activity in the last 1–6 months before the study (60%). Participants declared that they mostly engage in subtle forms of sexual activity rather than having intercourse. The level of sexual activity of older adults was positively associated with both sexual and global life satisfaction, but different forms of intimacy had a different impact on satisfaction. Gender was not correlated with the level of sexual and global life satisfaction.

Conclusions

Sexual satisfaction was a good predictor of global life satisfaction in older adults in our study. The participants appeared less concerned with the frequency of their intimate activities and more with engaging in the type of behaviour they were able to enjoy, which shows that they were adapting to the ageing process and potential health issues.
Polling Bias and Undecided Voter Allocations: US Presidential Elections, 2004–2016
Authors: Bon Joshua J. , Ballard Timothy , Baffour Bernard
Published: October 2018

Accounting for undecided and uncertain voters is a challenging issue for predicting election results from public opinion polls. Undecided voters typify the uncertainty of swing voters in polls but are often ignored or allocated to each candidate in a simple deterministic manner. Historically this may have been adequate because the undecided voters were sufficiently small to assume that they do not affect the relative proportions of the decided voters. However, in the presence of high numbers of undecided voters, these static rules may in fact bias election predictions from election poll researchers and metapoll analysts. We examine the effect of undecided voters in the 2016 US presidential election compared with the previous three presidential elections. We show that there were a relatively high number of undecided voters over the campaign and on election day, and that the allocation of undecided voters in this election was not consistent with two-party proportional (or even) allocations. We find evidence that static allocation regimes are inadequate for election prediction models and that probabilistic allocations may be superior. We also estimate the bias attributable to polling agencies, which is often referred to as ‘house effects’.
Comparing the effects of drawing and verbal recall techniques on children's memory accounts
Authors: Teoh Yee‐San , Chang Teng‐Fang
Published: October 2018

The present study compared the amount and accuracy of information Taiwanese children reported about a staged event in verbal‐only and drawing‐assisted interviews. We also tested further whether verbosity was a valid indicator of the accuracy of children's memory reports (Koriat & Goldsmith, , ) in a non‐Western sample. Eighty‐four first‐grade elementary school children participated in a staged event involving a novel interactive puppet show followed by a drawing activity (drawing of the target event or the school), and were subsequently given a 10‐minute memory interview. They were randomly assigned to a verbal cued‐recall interview condition or a drawing‐assisted interview condition. We did not find significant differences in the amount and accuracy of details reported between the two interview conditions. Our findings also revealed that the quantity of children's reports was positively related to the number of correct details reported, indicating that the children in our study did not demonstrate a quantity‐accuracy tradeoff.
Public sector procurement and ethical trade: Governance and social responsibility in some hidden global supply chains
Authors: Hughes Alex , Morrison Eilidh , Ruwanpura Kanchana N.
Published: October 2018

This paper places a critical spotlight on the ways in which governance and social responsibility concerning labour standards work in the context of public sector procurement. Supply chains provisioning the public sector, incorporating a vast array of materials used in public services such as education, health, social housing and transportation, have been under‐researched and under‐theorised in the geographical and wider social science literature on Global Production Networks, Global Value Chains and consumption ethics. Against this backdrop, the paper evaluates the emergence of ethical trading programmes involving labour standards inUKpublic sector sourcing, drawing on examples from the health, higher education, construction and transportation sectors and a methodology combining interviews with participant observation. Findings show that ethical public procurement is shaped, and often constrained, by: the relatively low profile of many materials used in public services, which challenge effective campaigning and advocacy work; the consequent limits to reputational risk for state departments and first‐tier suppliers if labour issues are encountered in their supply chains; and the significant role ofEUandUKprocurement law, which until 2014 rendered social responsibility in public sector sourcing a legal risk to specify. Through a practice‐orientated approach and adopting the notion of responsibilisation inspired by governmentality perspectives, the paper grasps how these challenges for ethical public procurement are encountered and negotiated by procurement managers and those influencing them in a neoliberal environment. It is shown that ethical sourcing is significantly less advanced in theUKpublic sector than it is in consumer goods sectors, with implications for social justice in a whole realm of under‐researched global supply chains.
Anticoagulant rodenticide toxicosis causing tracheal collapse in 4 small breed dogs
Authors: Thomer Amanda J. , Santoro Beer Kari A.
Published: October 2018

Objective

To describe 4 cases of tracheal narrowing attributed to tracheal mucosal hemorrhage caused by anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity in breeds predisposed to tracheal collapse.

Case Summary

Over the years 2005–2014, 4 dogs were presented for respiratory distress secondary to diffuse tracheal narrowing. All dogs had possible anticoagulant rodenticide ingestion and prolonged prothrombin time. All dogs received fresh‐frozen plasma transfusions, vitamin K1 supplementation, and supportive care. Tracheal narrowing improved on follow‐up radiographs in 3 of 4 patients. One of 4 did not have follow‐up radiographs performed. All dogs survived.

New or Unique Information Provided

Anticoagulant rodenticide toxicity causing clinical signs consistent with tracheal collapse is a rare but recognized phenomenon that has not been previously reported in breeds prone to tracheal collapse.
Stem cell mismarketing: Implications for the transfusion community
Authors: Sipp Douglas
Published: October 2018

A global industry engaged in the direct‐to‐consumer marketing of unproven uses of putative stem cells has emerged over the past 15 years. Despite strong criticism from professional societies and the scientific media, and numerous documented cases of severe adverse events, including tumorigenesis, blindness and death, the industry has continued to grow. Attempts to understand this expansion have focused variously on the valorization of patient autonomy and hope, the manipulative use of social media and celebrity endorsements, the ‘disruptive innovation’ business model and the lack of clear regulations governing cell‐based interventions in many countries. In this article, I will discuss another possible contributing factor: the regulatory exceptions afforded blood and blood products under the relevant federal code in the United States, which has served as an influential policy model in other countries. I will also scan the horizon for new directions the stem cell mismarketing industry may now be exploring, with direct implications for transfusion medicine.
Preparation of free‐standing chitosan membranes for Chlorella vulgaris harvest and examination on suppression of algae‐fouling properties
Authors: Wu Peng , Wang Zhaokai , Liu Weiwei , Imai Masanao
Published: October 2018

Free‐standing chitosan membranes were prepared using genipin as crosslinker, using several molecular weights of polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a void‐forming agent. The membrane surface formation and chitosan polymer chain crosslinking were confirmed through SEM and FTIR, respectively. The water flux was remarkably increased with increasing molecular weight of PEG employed in preparation of composite chitosan membrane (J∝[PEG(MW)]0.85), it appeared over 6000 Da of PEG. During Chlorella vulgaris harvest using chitosan membranes, focus was made on algae‐fouling caused by the deposition of cells and extracellular organic matter, and it was found that membranes employing lower molecular weight of PEG (under 10000 Da) had been maintaining the high flux recovery after alternating filtration cycles, in addition to PEG20000 containing membrane. The chitosan membrane prepared with lower molecular weight of PEG exhibited better suppression of algae‐fouling properties. The Chlorella vulgaris harvesting results indicated that cell rejection rate reached above 98%.
Penetration of ceftriaxone (1 or 2 grams intravenously) into mediastinal and cardiac tissues in humans
Authors: Martin C , Viviand X , Alaya M , Lokiec F , Ennabli K , Said R , Pecking M
Published: October 2018

Penetration of ceftriaxone into heart tissues (valves, myocardium, auricles, and pericardium) and mediastinal tissues (fat and sternal bone) was evaluated after two regimens of ceftriaxone administration. Ten patients (group 1) were given 1,000 mg of ceftriaxone intravenously 30 min before anesthesia. Ten other patients (group 2) received the same dose and then a second 1,000-mg dose at the time of initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass. Similar and very satisfactory penetrations of ceftriaxone into tissue were observed for both groups. During opening and closure of the thorax, mean ceftriaxone concentration was in excess of the MIC at which 90% of the potential pathogens were inhibited (> or = 4 micrograms/g) in the thoracic fat, the sternal bone, and the pericardium. No significant differences between the two administration regimens in penetration of ceftriaxone into tissue were observed. During cardiopulmonary bypass, the ceftriaxone concentration was > or = 4 micrograms/g in the myocardium, the endocardium, and the auricle. The regimen of ceftriaxone administration did not significantly influence penetration of the drug into heart tissues. However, for some patients in the two groups and mainly in the sternal bone at the time of thorax closure (6 patients in group 1 and 5 patients in group 2), ceftriaxone levels in tissues were less than the MICs (4 micrograms/g) for some potential pathogens (methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus epidermidis). During the different steps of the surgical procedures, all (10 of 10) patients in each group had tissue ceftriaxone levels greater than the MICs for gram-negative aerobic bacilli (0.1 microgram/g), except for Pseudomonas spp.
ParC and GyrA May Be Interchangeable Initial Targets of Some Fluoroquinolones in
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Varon Emmanuelle , Janoir Claire , Kitzis Marie-Dominique , Gutmann Laurent
Published: October 2018

To evaluate the role of known topoisomerase IV and gyrase mutations in the fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistance of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, we transformed susceptible strain R6 with PCR-generated fragments encompassing the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) of
parC
or
gyrA
from different recently characterized FQ-resistant mutants. Considering the MICs of FQs and the GyrA and/or ParC mutations of the individual transformants, we found three levels of resistance. The first level was obtained when a single target, ParC or GyrA, depending on the FQ, was modified. An additional mutation(s) in a second target, GyrA or ParC, led to the second level. The highest increases in resistance levels were seen for Bay y3118 and moxifloxacin with the transformant harboring a double mutation in both ParC and GyrA. When a single modified target was considered, only the ParC mutation(s) led to an increase in the MICs of pefloxacin and trovafloxacin. In contrast, the GyrA or ParC mutation(s) could lead to increases in the MICs of ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, grepafloxacin, Bay y3118, and moxifloxacin. These results suggest that the preferential target of trovafloxacin and pefloxacin is ParC, whereas either ParC or GyrA may both be initial targets for the remaining FQs tested. The contribution of the ParC and GyrA mutations to efflux-mediated FQ resistance was also examined. Active efflux was responsible for two- to fourfold increases in the MICs of ciprofloxacin for the transformants, regardless of the initial FQ resistance levels of the recipients.
Haemophilus influenzae
and
Moraxella catarrhalis
from Patients with Community-Acquired Respiratory Tract Infections: Antimicrobial Susceptibility Patterns from the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program (United States and Canada, 1997)
Authors: Doern Gary V. , Jones Ronald N. , Pfaller Michael A. , Kugler Kari ,   The Sentry Participants Group
Published: October 2018

Between February and June of 1997, a large number of community-acquired respiratory tract isolates of
Haemophilus influenzae
(
n
= 1,077) and
Moraxella catarrhalis
(
n
= 503) from 27 U.S. and 7 Canadian medical centers were characterized as part of the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program. Overall prevalences of β-lactamase production were 33.5% in
H. influenzae
and 92.2% in
M. catarrhalis
with no differences noted between isolates recovered in the United States and those from Canada. Among a total of 21 different antimicrobial agents tested, including six cephalosporins, a β-lactamase inhibitor combination, three macrolides, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), rifampin, chloramphenicol, five fluoroquinolones, and quinupristin-dalfopristin, resistance rates of >5% with
H. influenzae
were observed only with cefaclor (12.8%) and TMP-SMX (16.2%).
Effective Soil Extraction Method for Cultivating Previously Uncultured Soil Bacteria
Authors: Nguyen Tuan Manh , Seo Chan , Ji Moongi , Paik Man-Jeong , Myung Seung-Woon , Kim Jaisoo
Published: October 2018

Both metagenomics and single-cell sequencing can detect unknown genes from uncultured microbial strains in environments, and either method may find the significant potential metabolites and roles of these strains. However, such gene/genome-based techniques do not allow detailed investigations that are possible with cultures. To solve this problem, various approaches for cultivation of uncultured bacteria have been developed, but there are still difficulties in maintaining pure cultures by subculture.
Lavender Decline in France Is Associated with Chronic Infection by Lavender-Specific Strains of “Candidatus Phytoplasma solani”
Authors: Sémétey Olivier , Gaudin Jonathan , Danet Jean-Luc , Salar Pascal , Theil Sébastien , Fontaine Marie , Krausz Michel , Chaisse Eric , Eveillard Sandrine , Verdin Eric , Foissac Xavier
Published: October 2018

The etiology and main pathways for the spread of lavender decline, an infectious disease affecting French lavender production since the 1960s, have remained unclear, hampering the development of efficient control strategies. An extensive survey of lavender fields led to the conclusion that “
Candidatus
Phytoplasma solani” was chronically infecting declining lavenders and was associated with large infectious populations of
Hyalesthes obsoletus
planthoppers living on the crop itself. Lavender appeared to be the main reservoir host for lavender-specific phytoplasma strains, an unusual feature for this phytoplasma, which usually propagates from reservoir weeds to various economically important crops. These results point out the necessity to protect young lavender fields from the initial phytoplasma inoculum coming from surrounding lavender fields or from infected nurseries and to promote agricultural practices that reduce the development of
H. obsoletus
vector populations.
Electrode Colonization by the Feammox Bacterium
Acidimicrobiaceae
sp. Strain A6
Authors: Ruiz-Urigüen Melany , Shuai Weitao , Jaffé Peter R.
Published: October 2018

Most studies on electrogenic microorganisms have focused on the most abundant heterotrophs, while other microorganisms also commonly present in electrode microbial communities, such as
Actinobacteria
strains, have been overlooked. The novel
Acidimicrobiaceae
sp. strain A6 (
Actinobacteria
) is an iron-reducing bacterium that can colonize the surface of anodes in sediments and is linked to electrical current production, making it an electrode-reducing bacterium. Furthermore, A6 can carry out anaerobic ammonium oxidation coupled to iron reduction. Therefore, findings from this study open the possibility of using electrodes instead of iron as electron acceptors, as a means to promote A6 to treat NH
4
+
-containing wastewater more efficiently. Altogether, this study expands our knowledge of electrogenic bacteria and opens the possibility of developing Feammox-based technologies coupled to bioelectric systems for the treatment of NH
4
+
and other contaminants in anoxic systems.
Thermal and Nutritional Regulation of Ribosome Hibernation in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Basu Arnab , Shields Kathryn E. , Eickhoff Christopher S. , Hoft Daniel F. , Yap Mee-Ngan F.
Published: October 2018

The dimerization of 70S ribosomes (100S complex) plays an important role in translational regulation and infectivity of the major human pathogen
Staphylococcus aureus
. Although the dimerizing factor HPF has been characterized biochemically, the pathways that regulate 100S ribosome abundance remain elusive. We identified a metabolite- and nutrient-sensing transcription factor, CodY, that serves both as an activator and a repressor of
hpf
expression in nutrient- and temperature-dependent manners. Furthermore, CodY-mediated activation of
hpf
masks a secondary
hpf
transcript derived from a general stress response SigB promoter. CodY and SigB regulate a repertoire of virulence genes. The unexpected link between ribosome homeostasis and the two master virulence regulators provides new opportunities for alternative druggable sites.
Evolution of the Arsenal of Legionella pneumophila Effectors To Modulate Protist Hosts
Authors: Best Ashley , Abu Kwaik Yousef
Published: October 2018

Within the human host,
Legionella pneumophila
replicates within alveolar macrophages, leading to pneumonia. However,
L. pneumophila
is an aquatic generalist pathogen that replicates within a wide variety of protist hosts, including amoebozoa, percolozoa, and ciliophora.
A Natural History of Actinic Keratosis and Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Microbiomes
Authors: Wood David L. A. , Lachner Nancy , Tan Jean-Marie , Tang Stephanie , Angel Nicola , Laino Antonia , Linedale Richard , Lê Cao Kim-Anh , Morrison Mark , Frazer Ian H. , Soyer H. Peter , Hugenholtz Philip
Published: October 2018

Actinic keratosis (AK) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are two of the most common dermatologic conditions in Western countries and cause substantial morbidity worldwide. The role of human papillomaviruses under these conditions has been well studied yet remains inconclusive. One PCR-based study has investigated bacteria in the etiology of these conditions; however, no study has investigated the microbiomes of AK and SCC more broadly. We longitudinally profiled the microbiomes of 112 AK lesions, profiled cross sections of 32 spontaneously arising SCC lesions, and compared these to matching nonlesional photodamaged control skin sites. We identified commonly occurring strains of
Propionibacterium
and
Malassezia
at higher relative abundances on nonlesional skin than in AK and SCC lesions, and strains of
Staphylococcus aureus
were relatively more abundant in lesional than nonlesional skin. These findings may aid in the prevention of SCC.
Pathogenicity of Serratia marcescens Strains in Honey Bees
Authors: Raymann Kasie , Coon Kerri L. , Shaffer Zack , Salisbury Stephen , Moran Nancy A.
Published: October 2018

Recently, it has become apparent that multiple factors are responsible for honey bee decline, including climate change, pests and pathogens, pesticides, and loss of foraging habitat. Of the large number of pathogens known to infect honey bees, very few are bacteria. Because adult workers abandon hives when diseased, many of their pathogens may go unnoticed. Here we characterized the virulence of
Serratia marcescens
strains isolated from honey bee guts and hemolymph. Our results indicate that
S. marcescens
, an opportunistic pathogen of many plants and animals, including humans, is a virulent opportunistic pathogen of honey bees, which could contribute to bee decline. Aside from the implications for honey bee health, the discovery of pathogenic
S. marcescens
strains in honey bees presents an opportunity to better understand how opportunistic pathogens infect and invade hosts.
Staufen1 Interacts with Multiple Components of the Ebola Virus Ribonucleoprotein and Enhances Viral RNA Synthesis
Authors: Fang Jingru , Pietzsch Colette , Ramanathan Palaniappan , Santos Rodrigo I. , Ilinykh Philipp A. , Garcia-Blanco Mariano A. , Bukreyev Alexander , Bradrick Shelton S.
Published: October 2018

Ebola virus (EBOV) is a negative-strand RNA virus with significant public health importance. Currently, no therapeutics are available for Ebola, which imposes an urgent need for a better understanding of EBOV biology. Here we dissected the virus-host interplay between EBOV and host RNA-binding proteins. We identified novel EBOV host factors, including Staufen1, which interacts with multiple viral factors and is required for efficient viral RNA synthesis.
Host-Pathogen Interactions: What the EHEC Are We Learning from Host Genome-Wide Screens?
Authors: Lynch Jason P. , Lesser Cammie F.
Published: October 2018

Several genome-wide screens have been conducted to identify host cell factors involved in the pathogenesis of bacterial pathogens whose virulence is dependent on type III secretion systems (T3SSs), nanomachines responsible for the translocation of proteins into host cells. In the most recent of these, Pacheco et al.
Modernized Tools for Streamlined Genetic Manipulation and Comparative Study of Wild and Diverse Proteobacterial Lineages
Authors: Wiles Travis J. , Wall Elena S. , Schlomann Brandon H. , Hay Edouard A. , Parthasarathy Raghuveer , Guillemin Karen
Published: October 2018

A great challenge in microbiota research is the immense diversity of symbiotic bacteria with the capacity to impact the lives of plants and animals. Moving beyond correlative DNA sequencing-based studies to define the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which symbiotic bacteria influence the biology of their hosts is stalling because genetic manipulation of new and uncharacterized bacterial isolates remains slow and difficult with current genetic tools. Moreover, developing tools de novo is an arduous and time-consuming task and thus represents a significant barrier to progress. To address this problem, we developed a suite of engineering vectors that streamline conventional genetic techniques by improving postconjugation counterselection, modularity, and allelic exchange. Our modernized tools and step-by-step protocols will empower researchers to investigate the inner workings of both established and newly emerging models of bacterial symbiosis.
Risk-adjusted mortality of VLBW infants in high-volume versus low-volume NICUs
Authors: Hentschel Roland , Guenther Kilian , Vach Werner , Bruder Ingo
Published: October 2018

Objective

To examine whether the number of very low birthweight (VLBW) infants treated annually in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) (hospital volume) has an effect on their in-hospital mortality under the regulatory conditions in Germany.

Setting

The study included VLBW infants with <33 weeks of gestational age and birth weight below 1500 g admitted to NICUs in the state of Baden-Wüerttemberg, Germany, from 2003 to 2008. Cases were extracted from the compulsory German neonatal quality assurance programme with variables essential for calculation of the Clinical Risk Index for Babies (CRIB) and PREM birth model (PREM(bm)) scores. The cohort was divided into four subgroups corresponding to their disease severity (low, intermediate, high and very high) according to each score. Low-volume NICUs (LV-NICUs) were defined as treating up to 50 cases per year, while high-volume NICUs >50 cases.

Results

After exclusion of infants with lethal malformations, 5340 cases from 32 units were analysed. While raw mortality was comparable, infants in LV-NICUs had an increased mortality after risk adjustment with the CRIB and PREM(bm) scores (OR 1.48 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.90), p=0.002 with CRIB; and OR 1.39 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.76), p=0.005 with PREM(bm)). In a subgroup analysis mortality was significantly higher for LV-NICUs in the intermediate disease severity group (OR 1.49 (95% CI 1.02 to 2.17), p=0.037 with CRIB) and in the high-risk group (OR 1.70 (95% CI 1.16 to 1.90), p=0.002 with CRIB; and OR 1.39 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.76), p=0.005 with PREM(bm)), but not in the low-risk and very high-risk subgroups.

Conclusion

Depending on the severity of the disease, the risk-adjusted mortality in German NICUs with 50 or less annual cases of VLBW infants may be significantly increased.
Uncommon manifestation of leptospirosis: a diagnostic challenge
Authors: Bhatt Manasvini , Rastogi Neha , Soneja Manish , Biswas Ashutosh
Published: October 2018

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease commonly affecting the tropical countries. It may have protean clinical manifestations including hepatorenal dysfunction, myocarditis, pulmonary haemorrhage, meningitis, optic neuritis and rhabdomyolysis. Neurological manifestation of leptospirosis without the classical hepatorenal dysfunction is a rare entity. This complication of leptospirosis can present with diverse central and peripheral neurological presentations. The overlapping clinical manifestations with many common tropical pathogens often pose diagnostic dilemma and delay in definitive therapy may lead to adverse clinical consequences. We report a case of a 19-year-old man with no prior comorbidities presenting with high-grade fever and altered sensorium. He was diagnosed to be a probable case of leptospirosis, based on all available test results and by fulfilment of parameters under modified Faine’s criteria. The patient was successfully managed and discharged in stable condition.
Solitary vallecular neurofibroma presenting with respiratory obstruction: an unusual presentation
Authors: Pradhan Pradeep , Mallick Manaswini , Samal Swagatika , Patra Susama
Published: October 2018

An occurrence of vallecular neurofibroma with airway obstruction is extremely rare and to the best of our knowledge, no case report has been documented in the literature to date. Although microlaryngeal surgery with cold knife excision is the standard surgical procedure offered to patients of vallecular lesions, it can be successfully managed with the help of endoscopic coblation as later can provide a bloodless surgical field preventing the unmet need for the tracheostomy and reducing the postoperative morbidities.
Validation of billing code combinations to identify cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging scans in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Roifman Idan , Qiu Feng , Connelly Kim A , Wright Graham A , Farkouh Michael , Jimenez-Juan Laura , Wijeysundera Harindra C
Published: October 2018

Objectives

Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is the gold-standard test for the assessment of heart function. Despite its importance, many jurisdictions lack specific billing codes that can be used to identify patient receipt of CMR in administrative databases, limiting the ability to perform ‘big data’ CMR studies. Our objective was to identify the optimal billing code combination to identify patients who underwent CMR using administrative data in Ontario.

Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Setting

Quaternary care academic referral centre in Ontario, Canada.

Participants

We tested all billing code combinations in order to identify the optimal one to determine receipt of CMR. The reference gold standard was a list of all cardiothoracic magnetic resonance scans performed at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2016, verified by chart audit. We assessed the diagnostic performance (accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value) for all code combinations.

Results

Our gold-standard cohort consisted of 2339 thoracic MRIs that were performed at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016. Of these, 2139 (91.5%) were CMRs and 200 (8.5%) were chest MRIs. We identified the most accurate billing combination for the determination of patient receipt of CMR. This combination resulted in an accuracy of 95.3% (95% CI 94.4% to 96.2%), sensitivity of 97.4% (95% CI 96.6% to 98.1%), specificity of 86.4% (95% CI 83.1% to 89.6%), positive predictive value of 96.9% (95% CI 96.1% to 97.6%) and negative predictive value of 88.4% (95% CI 85.4% to 91.5%).

Conclusions

Our study is the first to verify the ability to accurately identify patient receipt of CMR using administrative data, facilitating more robust population-based CMR studies in the future.
Visibility of tobacco products and advertisement at the point of sale: a systematic audit of retailers in Amsterdam
Authors: Nuyts Paulien A W , Kuipers Mirte A G , Cakir Alp , Willemsen Marc C , Veldhuizen Eleonore M , Kunst Anton E
Published: October 2018

Objectives

Visibility of tobacco products at the point of sale (PoS), in settings where open display of tobacco is allowed, is one of the last remaining ways in which the tobacco industry can legally promote their products. The aim of this study was to map the visibility of tobacco products and advertisement both inside and outside retailers, among different types of retailers.

Setting

The study was conducted in two districts in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Participants

All potential tobacco retailers were visited within the districts, and were mapped using Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates.

Intervention

Observational data was collected for each tobacco retailer using a checklist with characteristics of the internal and external visibility of tobacco products and advertisement. Retailers were categorised into supermarkets, hospitality industry, tobacconists and ‘other retailers’ (convenience stores, office supply stores, gas stations, drug stores and telephone communication stores). Data were collected in April-May 2017.

Results

Eighty-two tobacco retailers were identified. Among all retailers, 52.4% had external and 91.5% internal visibility of tobacco products. Tobacconists had the highest level of internal and external visibility of tobacco products (both 100%), followed by ‘other retailers’ (100% and 56% respectively) and supermarkets (79% and 47%, respectively). Retailers in the hospitality industry had low external visibility (28%), but high internal visibility (90%), as 83% sold tobacco through vending machines.

Conclusion

Visibility of tobacco products was high among all types of retailers, including those previous studies show are commonly visited by youth.