bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Three unrelated protease inhibitors enhance accumulation of pharmaceutical recombinant proteins in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Grosse‐Holz Friederike , Madeira Luisa , Zahid Muhammad Awais , Songer Molly , Kourelis Jiorgos , Fesenko Mary , Ninck Sabrina , Kaschani Farnusch , Kaiser Markus , van der Hoorn Renier A.L. 
Published: March 2018

SummaryAgroinfiltrated Nicotiana benthamiana is a flexible and scalable platform for recombinant protein (RP) production, but its great potential is hampered by plant proteases that degrade RPs. Here, we tested 29 candidate protease inhibitors (PIs) in agroinfiltrated N. benthamiana leaves for enhancing accumulation of three unrelated RPs: glycoenzyme α‐Galactosidase; glycohormone erythropoietin (EPO); and IgG antibody VRC01. Of the previously described PIs enhancing RP accumulation, we found only cystatin SlCYS8 to be effective. We identified three additional new, unrelated PIs that enhance RP accumulation: N. benthamiana NbPR4, NbPot1 and human HsTIMP, which have been reported to inhibit cysteine, serine and metalloproteases, respectively. Remarkably, accumulation of all three RPs is enhanced by each PI similarly, suggesting that the mechanism of degradation of unrelated RPs follows a common pathway. Inhibitory functions HsTIMP and SlCYS8 are required to enhance RP accumulation, suggesting that their target proteases may degrade RPs. Different PIs additively enhance RP accumulation, but the effect of each PI is dose‐dependent. Activity‐based protein profiling (ABPP) revealed that the activities of papain‐like Cys proteases (PLCPs), Ser hydrolases (SHs) or vacuolar processing enzymes (VPEs) in leaves are unaffected upon expression of the new PIs, whereas SlCYS8 expression specifically suppresses PLCP activity only. Quantitative proteomics indicates that the three new PIs affect agroinfiltrated tissues similarly and that they all increase immune responses. NbPR4, NbPot1 and HsTIMP can be used to study plant proteases and improve RP accumulation in molecular farming.
Transcriptomic reprogramming in soybean seedlings under salt stress
Authors: Liu Ailin , Xiao Zhixia , Li Man‐Wah , Wong Fuk‐Ling , Yung Wai‐Shing , Ku Yee‐Shan , Wang Qianwen , Wang Xin , Xie Min , Yim Aldrin Kay‐Yuen , Chan Ting‐Fung , Lam Hon‐Ming 
Published: March 2018

AbstractTo obtain a comprehensive understanding of transcriptomic reprogramming under salt stress, we performed whole‐transcriptome sequencing on the leaf and root of soybean seedlings subjected to salt treatment in a time‐course experiment (0, 1, 2, 4, 24, and 48 hr). This time series dataset enabled us to identify important hubs and connections of gene expressions. We highlighted the analysis on phytohormone signaling pathways and their possible crosstalks. Differential expressions were also found among those genes involved in carbon and nitrogen metabolism. In general, the salt‐treated seedlings slowed down their photosynthetic functions and ramped up sugar catabolism to provide extra energy for survival. Primary nitrogen assimilation was shut down whereas nitrogen resources were redistributed. Overall, the results from the transcriptomic analyses indicate that the plant uses a multipronged approach to overcome salt stress, with both fast‐acting, immediate physiological responses, and longer term reactions that may involve metabolic adjustment.
The structure of the perceived professional identity of Japanese public health nurses
Authors: Iwasaki Riho , Kageyama Masako , Nagata Satoko 
Published: March 2018

AbstractObjectiveAs health problems become more diverse and complicated, the way public health nurses (PHNs) work is changing. Research at the conceptual level of professional identity of PHNs is lacking. This study aimed to explore the structure of the perceived professional identity of Japanese PHNs.Design and SampleGrounded theory method was used. Twenty‐five PHNs in Japanese municipalities were participated in the study.MeasurementsData were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding.ResultsThree categories emerged: (1) providing support to the consulter directly, (2) working as a member of the administrative organization, and (3) working for all residents to improve community development. The modality of perceived professional identity showed interindividual and intraindividual differences and was either stable or unstable. The perceived professional identities coexisted, but there was a conflict between (1) and (2).ConclusionPHNs should be made aware of the three identities revealed in our study and the possibility of a conflict between identities. Moreover, to ensure working for all residents to improve community development, a population‐based approach to education is needed with cooperation of universities and clinical practice.
Children's schooling in Nicaragua: What is the link between educational achievement, borrowing, and gender?
Authors: Kondratjeva Olga , Chen Joyce J. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe impact of credit has been widely studied, and yet little is known about the effect of formal versus informal loans. In this paper, we contrast the two and their impact on children's schooling using longitudinal data from Nicaragua. To address endogeneity, we utilize both household fixed effects and locality–year fixed effects. Our results indicate that, on average, children from borrowing households fare worse than children from nonborrowing households, with male borrowers having a disproportionately negative effect on boys, and vice versa for girls and female borrowers. Informal credit is found to have a protective effect on school attendance, but the effects of formal and informal credit on cumulative schooling are found to be statistically equivalent. However, this appears to mask considerable heterogeneity within informal borrowing.
The impact of rural electrification on income and education: Evidence from Bhutan
Authors: Kumar Santosh , Rauniyar Ganesh 
Published: March 2018

AbstractWe investigate the impact of a rural electrification program on household income and children's schooling in rural Bhutan. Using propensity score matching, we find that electrification had a statistically significant impact on nonfarm income and education. Nonfarm income increased by 61 percent and children gained 0.72 additional years of schooling and 9 minutes of study time per day. We do not observe significant effects on farm income. Results are consistent and robust to different matching algorithms. Our findings indicate that investments in reducing energy deficit may help improve human welfare in Bhutan.
Association between symptoms of depression and oral health conditions
Authors: Barbosa André Cavalcante da Silva , Pinho Roberto Carlos Mourão , Vasconcelos Márcia Maria Vendiciano Barbosa , Magalhães Bruno Gama , dos Santos Maria Teresa Botti Rodrigues , de França Caldas Júnior Arnaldo 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACTAimsTo investigate the symptoms of depression and oral health status in Brazilian public healthcare system users.Materials and MethodsAnalysis of a cross‐sectional study conducted with a sample of 776 individuals aged 15 years or older, in the urban areas of Recife (Brazil), obtained by multistage sampling. Committee on Ethics in Research with Human Beings (CAAE) 0538.0.172.172‐11. Depression symptoms were verified by means of Axis II of the Research Diagnostic Criteria in Temporomandibular Disorder. For the socioeconomic level, the economic classification criteria of the Brazilian Association of Research Companies and clinical exam record charts were used to establish variables related to oral health conditions.ResultsThe variables discomfort on occlusion (OR = 1.882 CI = 1.384‐2.560), gingival bleeding (OR = 1.384 CI = 1.002‐1.912), and self‐perception of oral health (OR = 1.549 CI = 1.054‐2.277), remained in the regression model.ConclusionDiscomfort on occlusion, self‐perception of oral health, gingival bleeding, sex, and skin color were shown to be associated with the presence of depressive symptoms.
Unexpected donor‐derived infectious transmissions by kidney transplantation: A systematic review
Authors: Shingde Rashmi , Habachou L. Ines , Calisa Vaishnavi , Craig Jonathan C. , Tong Allison , Chen Sharon C.‐A. , Wong Germaine 
Published: March 2018

AbstractBackgroundUnexpected donor‐derived transmission of infections is rare, but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We aimed to provide an overview of published cases on unexpected infectious transmissions.MethodsWe systematically reviewed all published evidence describing any unexpected donor‐derived viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections in kidney transplant recipients.ResultsIn all, 119 studies (case reports [n = 36], case series [n = 78], cohort studies [n = 2], and case‐control studies [n = 3]) involving 139 donors and 207 kidney recipients were included. Donor‐derived viral (n = 116, 56.0%) infections were most prevalent, followed by bacterial (32, 15.5%), fungal (32, 15.5%), and parasitic (27, 13.0%) infections. The most commonly reported viral infections were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (n = 20, 9.7%), human T‐cell lymphotrophic virus (HTLV) (n = 20, 9.7%), and West Nile virus (WNV) (n = 13, 6.3%). The most frequent bacterial infections were caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (10, 4.8%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (9, 4.3%). Candida species were the most frequent causes of fungal donor‐derived infections (8, 3.9%). Toxoplasma gondii accounted for seven (3.4%) cases of transmitted parasitic infections. Patients with rabies experienced the highest probability of recipient death from virus‐related complications at 90.0%, within a median time of 2.8 months after transplantation.ConclusionThe frequency of donor‐derived infectious transmission appears low in kidney transplantation, with viral transmissions being most commonly reported overall.
Epidemiology, clinical management, and outcomes of dogs involved in road traffic accidents in the United Kingdom (2009–2014)
Authors: Harris Georgina L. , Brodbelt David , Church David , Humm Karen , McGreevy Paul D. , Thomson Peter C. , O'Neill Dan 
Published: March 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence and risk factors for road traffic accidents (RTA) in dogs and describe the management and outcome of these dogs attending primary‐care veterinary practices in the United Kingdom.DesignRetrospective cross‐sectional study.SettingPrimary‐care veterinary practices in the United Kingdom.AnimalsThe study population included 199,464 dogs attending 115 primary‐care clinics across the United Kingdom.Measurements and main resultsElectronic patient records of dogs attending practices participating in the VetCompass Programme were assessed against selection criteria used to define RTA cases. Cases identified as RTAs were identified and manually verified to calculate prevalence. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods were used to evaluate associations between risk factors and RTA. The prevalence of RTA was 0.41%. Of the RTA cases, 615 (74.9%) were purebred, 322 (39.2%) were female, and 285 (54.8%) were insured. The median age at RTA was 2.5 years. After accounting for the effects of other factors, younger dogs had increased odds of an RTA event: dogs aged under 3 years showed 2.9 times the odds and dogs aged between 6–9 years showed 1.8 times the odds of an RTA event compared with dogs aged over 14 years. Males had 1.4 times the odds of an RTA event compared with females. Overall, 22.9% of cases died from a cause associated with RTA. Of dogs with information available, 34.0% underwent diagnostic imaging, 29.4% received intravenous fluid‐therapy, 71.1% received pain relief, 46.0% were hospitalized, and 15.6% had surgery performed under general anesthetic.ConclusionsThis study identified important demographic factors associated with RTA in dogs, notably being young and male.
Epidemiology and clinical presentation of feline cataracts in france: A retrospective study of 268 cases
Authors: Guyonnet Alexandre , Donzel Elise , Bourguet Aurélie , Chahory Sabine 
Published: March 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo describe the epidemiology and the clinical presentation of cataracts in a population of cats in France.ProceduresA review of medical records of cats presented to the Ophthalmology Unit of the National Veterinary School of Alfort between January 2010 and June 2017 was carried out to identify cats affected by cataracts. The signalment of affected cats, medical history, etiology of cataract, age of onset, stage of development, location of opacities, and concurrent ocular lesions were evaluated.ResultsOf 2054 cats which were presented to the Ophthalmology Unit of the National Veterinary School of Alfort during the study period, 268 (383 eyes) were diagnosed with a cataract (13%;CI[11.3‐14.7]). The median age of all cats affected by cataract was 9.5 years (range: 0.1‐18.6 years). Eighteen breeds were represented. The recorded causes of cataract were uveitis (35.8%), congenital (15.7%), aging (10.8%), presumed hereditary (8.2%), trauma (7.8%), lens luxation (3.3%), glaucoma (1.5%) and diabetes mellitus (0.4%). In 16.4% of the cases, the etiology could not be determined. The domestic short‐hair was significantly overrepresented in cats with uveitis‐related cataract (P < .001). The most common ocular lesions associated with cataracts were lens subluxation or luxation (17.8%), glaucoma (14.9%), and retinal detachment (4.4%). Lens subluxation/luxation and glaucoma were also significantly associated with uveitis‐related cataract (P < .001).ConclusionsIn a French population of referred cats, 13% were affected by cataract. The main causes identified were anterior uveitis, congenital, and aging. Lens subluxation/luxation and glaucoma were associated with uveitis‐related cataract.
Virulence Traits of Environmental and Clinical Legionella pneumophila Multilocus Variable-Number Tandem-Repeat Analysis (MLVA) Genotypes
Authors: Sharaby Yehonatan , Rodríguez-Martínez Sarah , Pecellin Marina , Sela Rotem , Peretz Avi , Höfle Manfred G. , Halpern Malka , Brettar Ingrid 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACT

Legionella pneumophila
causes water-based infections resulting in severe pneumonia. Recently, we showed that different MLVA-8 (multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis using 8 loci) genotypes dominated different sites of a drinking-water distribution system. Each genotype displayed a unique temperature-dependent growth behavior. Here we compared the pathogenicity potentials of different MLVA-8 genotypes of environmental and clinical strains. The virulence traits studied were hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity toward amoebae and macrophages. Clinical strains were significantly more hemolytic than environmental strains, while their cytotoxicity toward amoebae was significantly lower at 30°C. No significant differences were detected between clinical and environmental strains in cytotoxicity toward macrophages. Significant differences in virulence were observed between the environmental genotypes (Gt). Gt15 strains showed a significantly higher hemolytic activity. In contrast, Gt4 and Gt6 strains were more infective toward
Acanthamoeba castellanii
. Moreover, Gt4 strains exhibited increased cytotoxicity toward macrophages and demonstrated a broader temperature range of amoebal lysis than Gt6 and Gt15 strains. Understanding the virulence traits of
Legionella
genotypes may improve the assessment of public health risks of
Legionella
in drinking water.

IMPORTANCE
Legionella pneumophila
is the causative agent of a severe form of pneumonia. Here we demonstrated that clinical strains were significantly more cytotoxic toward red blood cells than environmental strains, while their cytotoxicity toward macrophages was similar. Genotype 4 (Gt4) strains were highly cytotoxic toward amoebae and macrophages and lysed amoebae in a broader temperature range than to the other studied genotypes. The results can explain the relatively high success of Gt4 in the environment and in clinical samples; thus, Gt4 strains should be considered a main factor for the assessment of public health risks of
Legionella
in drinking water. Our findings shed light on the ecology, virulence, and pathogenicity potential of different
L. pneumophila
genotypes, which can be a valuable parameter for future modeling and quantitative microbial risk assessment of
Legionella
in drinking-water systems.
Rapid Molecular Detection of Gastrointestinal Pathogens and Its Role in Antimicrobial Stewardship
Authors: Keske Şiran , Zabun Burak , Aksoy Kahraman , Can Füsun , Palaoğlu Erhan , Ergönül Önder 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACT

We aimed to detect the etiological agents of acute diarrhea by a molecular gastrointestinal pathogen test (MGPT) and to assess the impact of MGPT on antimicrobial stewardship programs (ASP). This is a prospective observational study and was conducted between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2017. We included consequent patients who had acute diarrhea. At the end of 2015, we implemented ASP in acute diarrhea cases and compared the outcomes in the pre-ASP and post-ASP periods. An FDA-cleared multiplexed gastrointestinal PCR panel system, the BioFire FilmArray (Idaho Technology, Salt Lake City, UT), which detects 20 pathogens in stool, was used. In 499 out of 699 patients (71%), at least one pathogen was detected. Among 314 adults with positive MGPT, 101 (32%) enteropathogenic
Escherichia coli
(EPEC), 71 (23%) enteroaggregative
E. coli
(EAEC), 68 (22%) enterotoxigenic
E. coli
(ETEC), 55 (18%) Shiga toxin-producing
E. coli
(STEC) (17%)
Norovirus
, 48 (15%)
Campylobacter
, 21 (7%)
Salmonella
, and 20 (6%)
Clostridium difficile
strains were detected. Among 185 children, 55 (30%) EPEC, 37 (20%)
C. difficile
, 32 (17%)
Norovirus
, 29 (16%) EAEC, 22 (12%) STEC, 21 (11%) ETEC, 21 (11%)
Campylobacter
, 20 (11%)
Salmonella
, and 16 (5%)
Rotavirus
strains were detected. Inappropriate antibiotic use decreased in the post-ASP period compared with the pre-ASP period among inpatients (42.9% and 25.8%, respectively;
P
= 0.023). Using MGPT in clinical practice significantly decreased the unnecessary use of antibiotics. Detection of high rates of
C. difficile
in children and
Salmonella
spp., as well as relatively high rates of
Campylobacter
spp., which were hard to isolate by routine stool culture, were remarkable.
Potential Point-of-Care Testing for Dengue Virus in the Field
Authors: Wang Wei-Kung , Gubler Duane J. 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACT

The four serotypes of dengue virus (DENV) cause one of the most important and rapidly emerging mosquito-borne viral diseases in humans. Of the currently available diagnostic tests for dengue, the reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assay is the most sensitive and specific, and so it is commonly used as the gold standard. However, the requirement of a sophisticated and expensive thermal cycler makes it very difficult to use as a point-of-care diagnostic test in resource-limited regions where dengue is endemic. Tsai et al. (J Clin Microbiol 56:e01865-17, 2018,
https://doi.org/10.1128/JCM.01865-17
) report the analytical and clinical performances of a reverse transcription-insulated isothermal PCR (RT-iiPCR) assay with a portable nucleic acid analyzer for rapid detection of the four DENV serotypes; its reproducibility and complete agreement on clinical samples with the multiplex RT-PCR assay developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggest that the dengue RT-iiPCR is a potential point-of-care test. Compared with other DENV RNA detection methods, the unique isothermal PCR design of RT-iiPCR, together with further improvements, would represent a promising new type of field-deployable diagnostic test for dengue.
Multi- and Extensively Drug Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in South Africa: a Molecular Analysis of Historical Isolates
Authors: Maningi Nontuthuko E. , Daum Luke T. , Rodriguez John D. , Said Halima M. , Peters Remco P. H. , Sekyere John Osei , Fischer Gerald W. , Chambers James P. , Fourie P. Bernard 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACT

Modern advances in genomics provide an opportunity to reinterpret historical bacterial culture collections. In this study, genotypic antibiotic resistance profiles of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
isolates from a historical 20-year-old multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) culture collection in South Africa are described. DNA samples extracted from the phenotypically MDR-TB isolates (
n
= 240) were assayed by Hain line probe assay (LPA) for the confirmation of MDR-TB and by Illumina Miseq whole-genome sequencing (WGS) for the characterization of mutations in eight genes (
rpoB
,
katG
,
inhA
,
rpsL
,
pncA
,
embB
,
gyrA
, and
rrs
) that are known to code for resistance to commonly used anti-TB agents. LPA identified 71.3% of the TB isolates as MDR-TB, 18.3% as rifampin (RIF) monoresistant, 2% as isoniazid (INH) monoresistant, and 8.3% as susceptible to both RIF and INH (RIF+INH). In a subset of 42 randomly selected isolates designated as RIF+INH resistant by Löwenstein-Jensen (LJ) culture in 1993, LPA and WGS results confirmed MDR-TB. In all five INH-monoresistant isolates by LPA and in all but one (the wild type) of the 34 successfully sequenced RIF-monoresistant isolates, WGS revealed matching mutations. Only 26% of isolates designated as susceptible by LPA, however, were found to be wild type by WGS. Novel mutations were found in the
rpoB
(Thr480Ala, Gln253Arg, Val249Met, Val251Tyr, Val251Phe),
katG
(Trp477STOP, Gln88STOP, Trp198STOP, Trp412STOP),
embB
(Thr11Xaa, Gln59Pro), and
pncA
(Thr100Ile, Thr159Ala, Ala134Arg, Val163Ala, Thr153Ile, DelGpos7, Phe106Ser) genes. Three MDR-TB isolates showed mutations in both the
gyrA
and
rrs
genes, suggesting that extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis existed in South Africa well before its formal recognition in 2006.