bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Low pH reduces the activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam in human urine, but confirms current breakpoints for urinary tract infections
Authors: Nussbaumer-Pröll Alina Karoline , Eberl Sabine , Reiter Birgit , Stimpfl Thomas , Dorn Christoph , Zeitlinger Markus 
Published: November 2019

Abstract

Background
Acidic pH has been shown to impact the antibiotic activity of non-β-lactams in urine.

Objectives
To investigate the in vitro activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam compared with meropenem at different pH settings in urine.

Methods
We determined the MICs for 30 clinical isolates of Escherichia coli, 25 clinical isolates of Klebsiella pneumoniae and 24 clinical isolates of Proteus mirabilis in pooled human urine and standard growth medium at pH 5 and 7. Time–kill curves were produced for one representative clinical isolate of tested bacterial strains in urine at pH 5, 6 and 7 for both antibiotics at concentrations above and below the MIC. HPLC analysis of the stability of ceftolozane/tazobactam and meropenem was performed at different pH values.

Results
The median MICs of both antibiotics were up to 8-fold higher at pH 5 than at pH 7. Bacterial growth of E. coli was not impacted by pH, while for K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis low pH slightly reduced growth. Compared with pH 7, pH 5 resulted in a significant decrease in antibiotic activity with a delta of up to 3 log10 bacterial counts after 24 h. Impact of acidic pH was lowest for P. mirabilis; however, this strain metabolically increased the pH during experiments. Stability was not impacted by low pH.

Conclusions
Acidic pH had a significant negative impact on the activity of ceftolozane/tazobactam and meropenem in urine. Considering concentrations achieved in urine, our results confirm existing breakpoints and do not advocate increasing ceftolozane/tazobactam breakpoints for urinary tract infections.
Spotty Data: Managing International Leopard (Panthera pardus) Trophy Hunting Quotas Amidst Uncertainty
Authors: Trouwborst Arie , Loveridge Andrew J , Macdonald David W 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Leopard (Panthera pardus) conservation has a strong international dimension. Hunting trophy export quotas established for African range states under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) are a case in point. We test these quotas, and the methods for their establishment, against the benchmark of the general principles of precaution, sustainable use and adaptive management. The various national approaches and the CITES regime condoning them largely fail this test. For decades, CITES bodies have endorsed apparently arbitrary quotas lacking robust scientific bases, without regular adjustment. Thus, the quotas have been inadequately performing their assigned function within the Convention’s framework. The way in which the CITES leopard quota regime has been operating is fundamentally at odds with the principles of sustainable use, precaution and adaptive management. To remedy this, we offer recommendations on how to embed a science-based, sustainable, precautionary and adaptive approach to quota-setting within the CITES system.
Protective effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived conditioned medium on ovarian damage
Authors: Hong Liming , Yan Long , Xin Zhimin , Hao Jie , Liu Wenjing , Wang Shuyu , Liao Shujie , Wang Hongmei , Yang Xiaokui 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Chemotherapeutic agents are extensively used to treat malignancies. However, chemotherapy-induced ovarian damage and reduced fertility are severe side effects. Recently, stem cell transplantation has been reported to be an effective strategy for premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) treatment, but safety can still be an issue in stem cell-based therapy. Here, we show the protective effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived conditioned medium (hUCMSC-CM) on a cisplatin (Cs)-induced ovarian injury model. hUCMSC-CM can relieve Cs-induced depletion of follicles and preserve fertility. In addition, hUCMSC-CM can decrease apoptosis of oocytes and granulosa cells induced by Cs. RNA sequencing analysis reveals the differentially expressed genes of ovaries after Cs and hUCMSC-CM treatments, including genes involved in cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we show that the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) pathway plays an important role in protecting granulosa cells from Cs-induced apoptosis. Together, we confirm the protective effects of hUCMSC-CM on ovarian reserve and fertility in mice treated with Cs, highlighting the remarkable therapeutic effects of hUCMSC-CM.
Temporal Trends in Mortality from Major Cancers by Education in the United States, 2001-2016
Authors: Ma Jiemin , Jemal Ahmedin 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Data on recent trends in mortality from major cancers by individual-level socioeconomic status (SES) are lacking in the US. We examined mortality trends and disparities by educational attainment (rate ratio ≤12 vs. ≥16 years of education) from 2001-2016 for lung, colorectal, female breast, and prostate cancers among persons aged 25-74 years. During 2001-2016, death rates continued to decrease in each stratum of sex/education categories for all four cancers, with the steepest decline among those with ≥16 years of education. Consequently, relative educational disparities widened over time. Among men for example, lung cancer death rates from 2001-2016 decreased 2.70% per year in persons with ≤12 years of education compared to 5.44% per year among those with ≥16 years of education, and the rate ratio increased from 2.96 (95%CI, 2.84-3.09) to 4.58 (95%CI, 4.41-4.76). Enhanced interventions targeting low SES populations are needed to reduce the inequality and accelerate progress against cancer.
KHZ1 and KHZ2, novel members of the autonomous pathway, repress the splicing efficiency of FLC pre-mRNA in Arabidopsis
Authors: Yan Zongyun , Shi Huiying , Liu Yanan , Jing Meng , Han Yuzhen 
Published: November 2019

AbstractAs one of the most important events during the life cycle of flowering plants, the floral transition is of crucial importance for plant propagation and requires the precise coordination of multiple endogenous and external signals. There have been at least four flowering pathways (i.e. photoperiod, vernalization, gibberellin, and autonomous) identified in Arabidopsis. We previously reported that two Arabidopsis RNA-binding proteins, KHZ1 and KHZ2, redundantly promote flowering. However, the underlying mechanism was unclear. Here, we found that the double mutant khz1 khz2 flowered late under both long-day and short-day conditions, but responded to vernalization and gibberellin treatments. The late-flowering phenotype was almost completely rescued by mutating FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC) and fully rescued by overexpressing FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT). Additional experiments demonstrated that the KHZs could form homodimers or interact to form heterodimers, localized to nuclear dots, and repressed the splicing efficiency of FLC pre-mRNA. Together, these data indicate that the KHZs could promote flowering via the autonomous pathway by repressing the splicing efficiency of FLC pre-mRNA.
Generation of nonlinear magnetic flux tube wave energies in Procyon A
Authors: Fawzy D E , Saygac A T , Stȩpień K 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
The aim of the current study is the computation of the magnetic flux tube wave energies and fluxes generated in the convection zone of Procyon A. This is a subgiant of spectral type F5 IV-V showing chromospheric and coronal activities. The mechanisms responsible for the generation of different wave modes include the interaction of the thin and vertically oriented magnetic flux tube embedded in magnetic-free regions with turbulence in the convection zone of Procyon A. We are considering longitudinal, transverse and acoustic wave modes. Turbulence in the convection zone is modeled by the extended Kolmogorov turbulent energy spectrum and the modified Gaussian frequency factor. Different magnetic flux tube models with different degrees of magnetic activities were considered. The current approach takes the nonlinear effects into consideration. The results show that there is enough wave energy in the three different forms to heat the outer layers of the star. The obtained acoustic wave energies are larger than those of the longitudinal tube wave energies compared to the solar case. This can be explained by the relatively low magnetic field strength. On the other side, our computations show the importance of the transverse wave energies compared to the energies carried by the longitudinal waves. The former waves carry energy several (between 2 and 14) times higher than the latter. The obtained wave energies are essential for constructing time-dependent model chromospheres and for the predictions of atmospheric oscillations to be compared e.g. with the data collected by the CoRoT and Kepler missions.
Structural and photometric properties of barred galaxies from the Auriga cosmological simulations
Authors: Blázquez-Calero Guillermo , Florido Estrella , Pérez Isabel , Zurita Almudena , Grand Robert J J , Fragkoudi Francesca , Gómez Facundo A , Marinacci Federico , Pakmor Rüdiger 
Published: November 2019

ABSTRACT
In this work we analyse the structural and photometric properties of 21 barred simulated galaxies from the Auriga Project. These consist of Milky Way-mass magnetohydrodynamical simulations in a Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmological context. In order to compare with observations, we generate synthetic SDSS-like broad-band images from the numerical data at z = 0 with different inclinations (from face-on to edge-on). Ellipse fits are used to determine the bar lengths, and 2D bulge/disc/bar decompositions with galfit are also performed, modelling the bar component with the modified Ferrer profile. We find a wide range of bar sizes and luminosities in the sample, and their structural parameters are in good agreement with the observations. All bulges present low Sérsic indexes, and are classified as pseudobulges. In regard to the discs, the same breaks in the surface brightness profiles observed in real galaxies are found, and the radii at which these take place are in agreement with the observations. Also, from edge-on unsharp-masked images at z = 0, boxy or peanut-shaped (B/P) structures are clearly identified in the inner part of four bars, and also two more bars are found in buckling phase. The sizes of the B/P match fairly well with those obtained from observations. We thus conclude that the observed photometric and structural properties of galaxies with bars, which are the main drivers of secular evolution, can be developed in present state-of-the-art ΛCDM cosmological simulations.
Internal magnetic fields, spin-orbit coupling, and orbital period modulation in close binary systems
Authors: Lanza A F 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
We introduce a new model to explain the modulation of the orbital period observed in close stellar binary systems based on an angular momentum exchange between the spin of the active component and the orbital motion. This spin-orbit coupling is not due to tides, but is produced by a non-axisymmetric component of the gravitational quadrupole moment of the active star due to a persistent non-axisymmetric internal magnetic field. The proposed mechanism easily satisfies all the energy constraints having an energy budget ∼102 − 103 times smaller than those of previously proposed models and is supported by the observations of persistent active longitudes in the active components of close binary systems. We present preliminary applications to three well-studied binary systems to illustrate the model. The case of stars with hot Jupiters is also discussed showing that no significant orbital period modulation is generally expected on the basis of the proposed model.
MEGARes 2.0: a database for classification of antimicrobial drug, biocide and metal resistance determinants in metagenomic sequence data
Authors: Doster Enrique , Lakin Steven M , Dean Christopher J , Wolfe Cory , Young Jared G , Boucher Christina , Belk Keith E , Noyes Noelle R , Morley Paul S 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to global public health and the identification of genetic determinants of AMR is a critical component to epidemiological investigations. High-throughput sequencing (HTS) provides opportunities for investigation of AMR across all microbial genomes in a sample (i.e. the metagenome). Previously, we presented MEGARes, a hand-curated AMR database and annotation structure developed to facilitate the analysis of AMR within metagenomic samples (i.e. the resistome). Along with MEGARes, we released AmrPlusPlus, a bioinformatics pipeline that interfaces with MEGARes to identify and quantify AMR gene accessions contained within a metagenomic sequence dataset. Here, we present MEGARes 2.0 (https://megares.meglab.org), which incorporates previously published resistance sequences for antimicrobial drugs, while also expanding to include published sequences for metal and biocide resistance determinants. In MEGARes 2.0, the nodes of the acyclic hierarchical ontology include four antimicrobial compound types, 57 classes, 220 mechanisms of resistance, and 1,345 gene groups that classify the 7,868 accessions. In addition, we present an updated version of AmrPlusPlus (AMR ++ version 2.0), which improves accuracy of classifications, as well as expanding scalability and usability.
Microbiological Characterization and Clinical Outcomes After Extended-Pulsed Fidaxomicin Treatment for Clostridioides difficile Infection in the EXTEND Study
Authors: Wilcox Mark H , Cornely Oliver A , Guery Benoit , Longshaw Chris , Georgopali Areti , Karas Andreas , Kazeem Gbenga , Palacios-Fabrega Jose Alejandro , Vehreschild Maria J G T 
Published: November 2019

Abstract

Background
Clostridioides (Clostridium) difficile infection (CDI) is diagnosed using clinical signs and symptoms plus positive laboratory tests. Recurrence of CDI after treatment is common, and coinfection with other enteric pathogens may influence clinical outcomes.

Methods
We aimed to assess rates of C difficile positivity, by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) toxin A/B and BioFire FilmArray, and the effect of enteric coinfection on clinical outcomes, using samples from the EXTEND study of extended-pulsed fidaxomicin (EPFX) versus standard vancomycin.

Results
All 356 randomized and treated patients tested positive for C difficile toxin A/B by local tests; a majority (225 of 356, 63.2%) also tested positive by both ELISA and BioFire. Most stool samples taken at screening tested positive for C difficile only using BioFire (EPFX: 112 of 165, 69.7%; vancomycin: 118 of 162, 72.8%). Of the 5 patients who failed treatment and had stool samples available, all (1) had tested negative for C difficile by BioFire at screening and (2) were negative by ELISA at time of treatment failure. When analyzed by BioFire results at screening, rates of sustained clinical cure at 30 days after end of treatment were numerically higher with EPFX than with vancomycin for almost all patients, except for those who tested negative for C difficile but positive for another pathogen. However, these outcome differences by presence of coinfection did not reach statistical significance. Whole-genome sequencing analysis determined that 20 of 26 paired samples from patients with recurrence were reinfections with the same C difficile strain.

Conclusions
Testing for presence of copathogens in clinical trials of antibiotics could help to explain clinical failures.
Health at Every Size (HAES™) as a Reform (Social) Movement within Public Health
Authors: Ingraham Natalie 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThis article uses situational analysis to examine the history and current applications of Health at Every Size™ as a reform movement within public health, supported by fat political/social movements. Situational mapping highlights the vast and diverse worlds of public health broadly conceived, and how fat politics intersects with HAES. Drawing on personal and organizational accounts of how HAES emerged through pathways of existing fat political activism and health professional work, the author shows how HAES aligns closely with public health by centering health and is sometimes critiqued for ignoring fat acceptance. However, HAES generally uses a “both/and perspective”—both health and acceptance as key and inseparable pieces of HAES. HAES’s position as a reform movement within public health highlights tensions between a politics of reform and a politics of radical change within and between body activism movements.
Autoantibodies and Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Dawes John M. , Bennett David L. 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
A number of clinical studies indicated an association between autoantibodies and neuropathic pain. This is supported by the observation that immunotherapies that reduce antibody levels alleviate pain in patients and suggests that autoantibodies are not a byproduct of pathology but instead important drivers of neuropathic pain. These autoantibodies can target both neuronal and nonneuronal antigens within the sensory nervous system. Possible pathogenic mechanisms include nerve damage and inflammation as well as disruption of ion channel function. Whether autoantibodies are truly causal to neuropathic pain and exactly what their prevalence is in such pain conditions are important questions that are being addressed with the use of passive transfer in preclinical models and the screening of patient sera. Such studies support the idea that autoantibodies are a mechanism to cause neuropathic pain and provide insight into the molecular components regulating pain sensitivity in a pathological setting. Therefore, this work not only will be applicable to the treatment of patients with autoantibody-mediated pain, but also will facilitate the development of therapies to treat neuropathic pain in the more general context.
Chemo- and Optogenetic Strategies for the Elucidation of Pain Pathways
Authors: Alles Sascha R. A. , Malfait Anne-Marie , Miller Richard J. 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Pain is not a simple phenomenon and, beyond its conscious perception, involves circuitry that allows the brain to provide an affective context for nociception, which can influence mood and memory. In the past decade, neurobiological techniques have been developed that allow investigators to elucidate the importance of particular groups of neurons in different aspects of the pain response, something that may have important translational implications for the development of novel therapies. Chemo- and optogenetics represent two of the most important technical advances of recent times for gaining understanding of physiological circuitry underlying complex behaviors. The use of these techniques for teasing out the role of neurons and glia in nociceptive pathways is a rapidly growing area of research. The major findings of studies focused on understanding circuitry involved in different aspects of nociception and pain are highlighted in this article. In addition, attention is drawn to the possibility of modification of chemo- and optogenetic techniques for use as potential therapies for treatment of chronic pain disorders in human patients.
Characteristics of the Judge That Are Related to Accuracy
Authors: Colman Douglas E. 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
There exists a substantial body of work, dating back nearly a century, exploring individual differences in the ability to accurately judge the personality traits and characteristics of other people. While the picture of the good judge of others’ personality remains somewhat abstract, there are some characteristics that consistently bear out as important, such as intelligence and emotional stability. Overall, there are five characteristics that have been investigated as correlates of this ability: (1) cognitive functioning, (2) personality, (3) motivation, (4) gender, and (5) behavior. This chapter opens with an introduction to this area of scholarship, a brief coverage of the conceptual framework, and the definitions and measurement of accuracy. A description of the research within each of the five areas is then provided. Next, some theoretical considerations for ongoing research on the good judge are illuminated. Finally, this chapter concludes with some worthy directions for future research related to the good judge of personality.
Daoist Meditation
Authors: Komjathy Louis 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Meditation has been and remains a central practice in the Daoist (Taoist) tradition. This chapter examines Daoist meditation, often referred to as dazuo (“engaging in sitting”) and shouyi (“guarding the One”) in Chinese, from the Later Han dynasty to the present. It provides a general overview of the five major forms of Daoist meditation, namely, apophatic meditation, ingestion, visualization, inner observation, and internal alchemy. Ingestion (fuqi) and visualization (cunxiang) were first systematized in the early medieval period. Inner observation (neiguan), a Daoist adaptation of Buddhist insight meditation (vipassanā), became a central practice during the Tang dynasty. Internal alchemy (neidan) developed during the late Tang dynasty and early Song dynasty. Following this period, apophatic meditation and internal alchemy became the two dominant forms of Daoist meditative praxis. In addition to providing socio-historical background information, this chapter discusses the technical specifics of each type of Daoist meditation, including major texts and informing views.
Autonomy as a Goal of Psychotherapy
Authors: Biegler Paul 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Personal autonomy describes the exercise of self-determination through informed and rational decisions that reflect an agent’s authentic values. The nexus between autonomy and psychotherapy is broad, with both respect for client autonomy through informed consent, and promotion of client autonomy through therapy itself representing key instances of the significance of autonomy in the consulting room. While inadequate disclosure of information poses a major threat to personal autonomy, so too do unjustified paternalism, coercion, and the injudicious use of therapeutic privilege. The capacity of psychotherapy to promote client autonomy, evidenced by more effective decision-making during periods where the risk of recurrent illness is high, is argued to be a key advantage of psychotherapy over treatment with medication alone. Ultimately, enhanced autonomy is a goal of treatment grounded in a more defensible conception of well-being for people with psychological disorder and, it is concluded, should be sought specifically through psychotherapy.
The Ethics of Informed Consent for Psychotherapy
Authors: McKean Alastair J. , Trachsel Manuel , Croarkin Paul E. 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Informed consent, enshrined in many of the codes of conduct of psychology and psychiatry professional organizations, is an integral component behind the ethical practice of psychotherapy. Foundationally, informed consent respects patient autonomy and should be a knowledge sharing process that allows patients greater agency and improved alliance with their clinician. Psychotherapy differs from medical and surgical interventions in that it is a longitudinal, collaborative, and interpersonal treatment. As many psychotherapists are not trained in traditional medical models of care, a medically based framework for informed consent may not be as familiar and appropriate for psychotherapy. These nuances do not diminish the need for informed consent but rather emphasize the distinctiveness of psychotherapy and necessity of adapting to this treatment modality. In this chapter, the informed consent process for psychotherapy is examined, detailing its historical development, legal and ethical foundations, as well as the subtleties and challenges regarding implementation.