bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Macroevolutionary patterns in Rhynchocephalia: is the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) a living fossil?
Authors: Herrera‐Flores Jorge A. , Stubbs Thomas L. , Benton Michael J. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractThe tuatara, Sphenodon punctatus, known from 32 small islands around New Zealand, has often been noted as a classic ‘living fossil’ because of its apparently close resemblance to its Mesozoic forebears and because of a long, low‐diversity history. This designation has been disputed because of the wide diversity of Mesozoic forms and because of derived adaptations in living Sphenodon. We provide a testable definition for ‘living fossils’ based on a slow rate of lineage evolution and a morphology close to the centroid of clade morphospace. We show that through their history since the Triassic, rhynchocephalians had heterogeneous rates of morphological evolution and occupied wide morphospaces during the Triassic and Jurassic, and these then declined in the Cretaceous. In particular, we demonstrate that the extant tuatara underwent unusually slow lineage evolution, and is morphologically conservative, being located near the centre of the morphospace for all Rhynchocephalia.
Methylene Blue for the Treatment of Intractable Pain Associated with Oral Mucositis
Authors: Roldan Carlos J. , Nouri Kent , Chai Thomas , Huh Billy 
Published: February 2017

AbstractOral mucositis is a common and often debilitating complication among cancer patients receiving radiation therapy to the head and neck or chemotherapy agents, or undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Pain and decreased oral function associated with oral mucositis may persist long after the conclusion of therapy. Although most patients respond to conservative management, a subset of patients develops intractable pain with severe consequences. For some, the use of total parenteral nutrition with insertion of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding tubes is the only alternative. Current recommendations to treat mucositis and its related pain include basic oral care, bland oral rinses, topical anesthetics, and systemic analgesics. We believe that chemical neurolysis of the affected areas with methylene blue used as an oral rinse is a noninvasive, efficient, safe, and cost‐effective alternative that can provide prolonged analgesia in patients with intractable pain of oral mucositis. The benefits of this therapy are reflected in its improvement of patients’ quality of life by enabling oral feeding and controlling pain. We report a series of 5 consecutive patients with intractable oral mucositis‐related pain despite conventional treatment with systemic opiates. All 5 patients responded well to the use of 0.05% methylene blue as mouth rinse, demonstrating sustained analgesia over 3 weeks. The treatment was tolerated well, and overall patient satisfaction was very high. We also observed that methylene blue rinse significantly reduced the total opioid requirement, as demonstrated by reductions in the patients’ morphine equivalent daily dose scores after its use. Our case series suggests that 0.5% methylene blue oral rinse therapy is an effective and inexpensive modality that can be used safely to palliate intractable oral pain in patients with mucositis associated with cancer treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first report using this therapy to treat pain from oral mucositis.
Retracted: The Effect of Peripheral Neuromodulation on Pain from the Sacroiliac Joint: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Goroszeniuk Teodor , Shetty Ashish , Munglani Rajesh , Hegarty Dominic , Bhaskar Arun 
Published: February 2017

The above article, first published online on 13 April 2017 in Wiley Online Library (www.onlinelibrary.wiley.com) has been retracted by agreement between the authors, the Editor‐in‐Chief, E.A. Joosten, and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. The retraction has been agreed at the request of the authors, who advised that it has been brought to their attention that some of the long‐term outcome data set may no longer be easily and independently verifiable. The Editor‐in‐Chief, therefore, has made the decision to retract the article based on the information as specified in the authors’ request attributable to honest error on behalf of the authors.References1 Goroszeniuk T, Shetty A, Munglani R, Hegarty D, Bhaskar A. . Pain Pract. 2017. https://doi.org/10.1111/papr.12567.
Assessing the morphological and physiological adaptations of the parasitoid wasp Echthrodesis lamorali for survival in an intertidal environment
Authors: Owen Candice A. , Coetzee Julie A. , van Noort Simon , Austin Andrew D. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractAs a result of a variety of chemical, environmental, mechanical and physiological difficulties, insects that spend their entire life spans in the marine or intertidal region are relatively rare. The present study assesses whether morphological and physiological adaptations have evolved in a maritime parasitoid wasp species Echthrodesis lamorali Masner, 1968 (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae, Scelioninae), in response to environmental pressures on its respiratory functioning. Scanning electron and light microscopy of whole and sectioned specimens show the presence of structure‐retaining taenidia in the tracheal tubes, although there is an absence of other major adaptations associated with the trachea or spiracles. Histological sectioning reveals the presence of unusual sacs in the female metasoma whose role is unknown, although they are hypothesized to most likely be linked to ovipositor control. Respirometry experiments illustrate the formation of a plastron when submerged, with the longevity of the wasps being increased by quiescence. The critical thermal range of E. lamorali is shown to be large: from −1.1 °C ± 0.16 to 45.7 °C ± 0.26 (mean ± SE). Behavioural and physiological adaptations in E. lamorali appear to have evolved in response to exposure to the heterogeneous environmental conditions experienced within the intertidal zone.
Developing Knowledge States: Technology and the Enhancement of National Statistical Capacity
Authors: Anderson Derrick M. , Whitford Andrew B. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractNational statistical systems are enterprises tasked with collecting, validating, and reporting societal attributes. These data serve many purposes—they allow governments to improve services, economic actors to traverse markets, and academics to assess social theories. National statistical systems vary in quality, especially in developing countries. This study examines determinants of national statistical capacity in developing countries, focusing on the impact of technological attainment. Just as technological progress helps to explain differences in economic growth, we argue that states with greater technological attainment have greater capacity for gathering and processing quality data. Analysis using panel methods shows a strong, statistically significant positive linear relationship between technological attainment and national statistical capacity.
Predictors of Readiness for Hospital Discharge After Birth: Building Evidence for Practice
Authors: Malagon‐Maldonado Gabriella , Connelly Cynthia D. , Bush Ruth A. 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTBackgroundPreparation for hospital discharge after birth became a global concern when hospitals in many developing countries began implementing shorter lengths of stay for uncomplicated deliveries. A mother's perceived readiness for hospital discharge may be influenced by many factors that can ultimately shape postdischarge outcomes.AimsThe purpose of this study was to explore the antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum predictors of discharge readiness, including nursing educational practices that are predictive of postpartum mothers’ perceptions of readiness for hospital discharge.MethodsThe Adaptation to Transitions conceptual framework guided the descriptive correlational study design and measures. A purposive sample of 185 English‐ and Spanish‐speaking postpartum mothers who experienced an uneventful vaginal or cesarean birth of a healthy infant completed demographic, quality of discharge teaching, and readiness for hospital discharge questionnaires prior to discharge.ResultsMothers with three or more children, delivery mode, bottle‐feeding, the delivery of education, and the difference between educational content received and needed, were significant predictors that accounted for 42% of the variance in readiness for hospital discharge (R2 = 0.42, F[10,174] = 14.52, p < .001). Nurses’ skill in teaching and educational content received were significant predictors even with parity, feeding, and delivery mode in the model.Linking Evidence to ActionThe relationship between quality of discharge teaching and discharge readiness provides evidence of the critical role nurses have in the discharge preparation process. Nurse education programs and evidence‐based guidelines should be designed to enhance patient education focused on the adequacy and delivery of teaching content.
Exopolysaccharide-Repressing Small Molecules with Antibiofilm and Antivirulence Activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: van Tilburg Bernardes Erik , Charron-Mazenod Laetitia , Reading David J. , Reckseidler-Zenteno Shauna L. , Lewenza Shawn 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACT

Biofilm formation is a universal virulence strategy in which bacteria grow in dense microbial communities enmeshed within a polymeric extracellular matrix that protects them from antibiotic exposure and the immune system.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is an archetypal biofilm-forming organism that utilizes a biofilm growth strategy to cause chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. The extracellular matrix of
P. aeruginosa
biofilms is comprised mainly of exopolysaccharides (EPS) and DNA. Both mucoid and nonmucoid isolates of
P. aeruginosa
produce the Pel and Psl EPS, each of which have important roles in antibiotic resistance, biofilm formation, and immune evasion. Given the central importance of the EPS for biofilms, they are attractive targets for novel anti-infective compounds. In this study, we used a high-throughput gene expression screen to identify compounds that repress expression of the
pel
genes. The
pel
repressors demonstrated antibiofilm activity against microplate and flow chamber biofilms formed by wild-type and hyperbiofilm-forming strains. To determine the potential role of EPS in virulence,
pel
/
psl
mutants were shown to have reduced virulence in feeding behavior and slow killing virulence assays in
Caenorhabditis elegans
. The antibiofilm molecules also reduced
P. aeruginosa
PAO1 virulence in the nematode slow killing model. Importantly, the combination of antibiotics and antibiofilm compounds increased killing of
P. aeruginosa
biofilms. These small molecules represent a novel anti-infective strategy for the possible treatment of chronic
P. aeruginosa
infections.
Deletion of
nudB
Causes Increased Susceptibility to Antifolates in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica
Authors: Li Kun , Li Ting , Yang Shan-shan , Wang Xu-De , Gao Lei-xin , Wang Rui-Qi , Gu Jing , Zhang Xian-En , Deng Jiao-Yu 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACT

Co-trimoxazole, a fixed-dose combination of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and trimethoprim (TMP), has been used for the treatment of bacterial infections since the 1960s. Since it has long been assumed that the synergistic effects between SMX and TMP are the consequence of targeting 2 different enzymes of bacterial folate biosynthesis, 2 genes (
pabB
and
nudB
) involved in the folate biosynthesis of
Escherichia coli
were deleted, and their effects on the susceptibility to antifolates were tested. The results showed that the deletion of
nudB
resulted in a lag of growth in minimal medium and increased susceptibility to both SMX and TMP. Moreover, deletion of
nudB
also greatly enhanced the bactericidal effect of TMP. To elucidate the mechanism of how the deletion of
nudB
affects the bacterial growth and susceptibility to antifolates, 7,8-dihydroneopterin and 7,8-dihydropteroate were supplemented into the growth medium. Although those metabolites could restore bacterial growth, they had no effect on susceptibilities to the antifolates. Reverse mutants of the
nudB
deletion strain were isolated to further study the mechanism of how the deletion of
nudB
affects susceptibility to antifolates. Targeted sequencing and subsequent genetic studies revealed that the disruption of the tetrahydromonapterin biosynthesis pathway could reverse the phenotype caused by the
nudB
deletion. Meanwhile, overexpression of
folM
could also lead to increased susceptibility to both SMX and TMP. These data suggested that the deletion of
nudB
resulted in the excess production of tetrahydromonapterin, which then caused the increased susceptibility to antifolates. In addition, we found that the deletion of
nudB
also resulted in increased susceptibility to both SMX and TMP in
Salmonella enterica
. Since dihydroneopterin triphosphate hydrolase is an important component of bacterial folate biosynthesis and the tetrahydromonapterin biosynthesis pathway also exists in a variety of bacteria, it will be interesting to design new compounds targeting dihydroneopterin triphosphate hydrolase, which may inhibit bacterial growth and simultaneously potentiate the antimicrobial activities of antifolates targeting other components of folate biosynthesis.
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Activity of Omadacycline against Two Biothreat Pathogens, Bacillus anthracis and Yersinia pestis
Authors: Steenbergen Judith , Tanaka S. Ken , Miller Lynda L. , Halasohoris Stephanie A. , Hershfield Jeremy R. 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACT

The
in vitro
activity and
in vivo
efficacy of omadacycline (OMC) were evaluated against the causative pathogens of anthrax and plague,
Bacillus anthracis
and
Yersinia pestis
, respectively. MICs of OMC were determined by broth microdilution according to CLSI guidelines for 30 isolates each of
Y. pestis
and
B. anthracis
. The
in vivo
efficacy of omadacycline was studied at a range of dosages in both a postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) murine model of anthrax and plague as well as in a delayed treatment model of inhalational anthrax. Omadacycline was active
in vitro
against
Y. pestis
(MIC
90
of 1 μg/ml) and
B. anthracis
(MIC
90
of 0.06 μg/ml). Omadacycline was less active
in vitro
than ciprofloxacin (CIP) against
Y. pestis
(CIP MIC
90
of 0.03 μg/ml) but was more potent
in vitro
against
B. anthracis
(CIP MIC
90
of 0.12 μg/ml). In the mouse model of infection, the survival curves for all treatment cohorts differed significantly from the vehicle control (
P
= 0.004). The median survival for the vehicle-treated controls was 6 days postchallenge, while all antibiotic-treated mice survived the entire study. Omadacycline treatment with 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg of body weight twice daily for 14 days had significant efficacy over the vehicle control in the treatment of aerosolized
B. anthracis
. Additionally, for postexposure prophylaxis treatment of mice infected with
Y. pestis
, the survival curves for omadacycline (40 mg/kg twice daily), ciprofloxacin, and doxycycline cohorts differed significantly from the vehicle control (
P
< 0.0001). Omadacycline is potent and demonstrates efficacy against both
B. anthracis
and
Y. pestis
. The well-characterized oral and intravenous pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability warrant further assessment of the potential utility of omadacycline in combating these serious biothreat organisms.
Vitamin K
3
Induces the Expression of the Stenotrophomonas maltophilia SmeVWX Multidrug Efflux Pump
Authors: Blanco P. , Corona F. , Sánchez M. B. , Martínez J. L. 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACT

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia
is an opportunistic pathogen with increasing prevalence, which is able to cause infections in immunocompromised patients or in those with a previous pathology. The treatment of the infections caused by this bacterium is often complicated due to the several intrinsic antibiotic resistance mechanisms that it presents. Multidrug efflux pumps are among the best-studied mechanisms of
S. maltophilia
antibiotic resistance. Some of these efflux pumps have a basal expression level but, in general, their expression is often low and only reaches high levels when the local regulator is mutated or bacteria are in the presence of an effector. In the current work, we have developed a yellow fluorescent protein (YFP)-based sensor with the aim to identify effectors able to trigger the expression of SmeVWX, an efflux pump that confers resistance to quinolones, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline when it is expressed at high levels. With this purpose in mind, we tested a variety of different compounds and analyzed the fluorescence signal given by the expression of YFP under the control of the
smeVWX
promoter. Among the tested compounds, vitamin K
3
, which is a compound belonging to the 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone family, is produced by plants in defense against infection, and has increasing importance in human therapy, was able to induce the expression of the SmeVWX efflux pump. In addition, a decrease in the susceptibility of
S. maltophilia
to ofloxacin and chloramphenicol was observed in the presence of vitamin K
3
, in both wild-type and
smeW
-deficient strains.
Bactericidal and Fungicidal Activity of
N
-Chlorotaurine Is Enhanced in Cystic Fibrosis Sputum Medium
Authors: Gruber Martina , Moser Ivan , Nagl Markus , Lackner Michaela 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACT

Lung infections with multiresistant pathogens are a major problem among patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF).
N
-Chlorotaurine (NCT), a microbicidal active chlorine compound with no development of resistance, is well tolerated upon inhalation. The aim of this study was to investigate the
in vitro
bactericidal and fungicidal activity of NCT in artificial sputum medium (ASM), which mimics the composition of CF mucus. The medium was inoculated with bacteria (
Staphylococcus aureus
, including some methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
[MRSA] strains,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, and
Escherichia coli
) or spores of fungi (
Aspergillus fumigatus
,
Aspergillus terreus
,
Candida albicans
,
Scedosporium apiospermum
,
Scedosporium boydii
,
Lomentospora prolificans
,
Scedosporium aurantiacum
,
Scedosporium minutisporum
,
Exophiala dermatitidis
, and
Geotrichum
sp.), to final concentrations of 10
7
to 10
8
CFU/ml. NCT was added at 37°C, and time-kill assays were performed. At a concentration of 1% (10 mg/ml, 55 mM) NCT, bacteria and spores were killed within 10 min and 15 min, respectively, to the detection limit of 10
2
CFU/ml (reduction of 5 to 6 log
10
units). Reductions of 2 log
10
units were still achieved with 0.1% (bacteria) and 0.3% (fungi) NCT, largely within 10 to 30 min. Measurements by means of iodometric titration showed oxidizing activity for 1, 30, 60, and >60 min at concentrations of 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, and 1.0% NCT, respectively, which matches the killing test results. NCT demonstrated broad-spectrum microbicidal activity in the milieu of CF mucus at concentrations ideal for clinical use. The microbicidal activity of NCT in ASM was even stronger than that in buffer solution; this was particularly pronounced for fungi. This finding can be explained largely by the formation, through transhalogenation, of monochloramine, which rapidly penetrates pathogens.
Expression of the
aac(6′)-Ib-cr
Gene in Class 1 Integrons
Authors: Raherison Sophie , Jove Thomas , Gaschet Margaux , Pinault Emilie , Tabesse Aurore , Torres Carmen , Ploy Marie-Cécile 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACT

aac(6′)-Ib-cr
is a plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance gene embedded within a gene cassette, most often within an integron. It confers resistance to quinolones and aminoglycosides. We investigated the role of a 101-bp fragment frequently present upstream of the
aac(6′)-Ib-cr
gene cassette and found that it contributes to the expression of
aac(6′)-Ib-cr
and provides an alternative start codon, confirming the length of the AAC(6′)-Ib-cr protein to 199 amino acids.
Chlamydia trachomatis Cellular Exit Alters Interactions with Host Dendritic Cells
Authors: Sherrid Ashley M. , Hybiske Kevin 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTThe strategies utilized by pathogens to exit host cells are an area of pathogenesis which has received surprisingly little attention, considering the necessity of this step for infections to propagate. Even less is known about how exit through these pathways affects downstream host-pathogen interactions and the generation of an immune response.Chlamydia trachomatisexits host epithelial cells through two equally active mechanisms: lysis and extrusion. Studies have characterized the outcome of interactions between host innate immune cells, such as dendritic cells and macrophages, and free, extracellularChlamydiabacteria, such as those resulting from lysis. Exit via extrusion generates a distinct, host-membrane-bound compartment ofChlamydiaseparate from the original infected cell. In this study, we assessed the effect of containment within extrusions upon the interaction betweenChlamydiaand host dendritic cells. Extrusion dramatically affected the outcome ofChlamydia-dendritic cell interactions for both the bacterium and the host cell. Dendritic cells rapidly underwent apoptosis in response to engulfment of an extrusion, while uptake of an equivalent dose of freeChlamydiahad no such effect. Containment within an extrusion also prolonged bacterial survival within dendritic cells and altered the initial innate immune signaling by the dendritic cell.
Intact Pneumococci Trigger Transcription of Interferon-Related Genes in Human Monocytes, while Fragmented, Autolyzed Bacteria Subvert This Response
Authors: Skovbjerg Susann , Nordén Rickard , Martner Anna , Samuelsson Ebba , Hynsjö Lars , Wold Agnes E. 
Published: February 2017

ABSTRACTA peculiar trait of pneumococci (Streptococcus pneumoniae) is their propensity to undergo spontaneous lysis during stationary growth due to activation of the enzyme autolysin (LytA), which fragments the peptidoglycan cell wall. The fragments that are generated upon autolysis impair phagocytosis and reduce production of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) by human leukocytes in response to intact pneumococci, thereby impeding crucial host defenses. The objective was to identify additional monocyte genes whose transcription is induced by intact pneumococci and subverted by autolyzed bacteria. Monocytes were isolated from healthy blood donors and stimulated for 3 h with UV-inactivatedS. pneumoniae(Rx1PLY−LytA+strain), which is capable of autolyzing, its LytA−isogenic autolysin-deficient mutant, or a mixture of the two (containing twice the initial bacterial concentration). Gene expression was assessed by Illumina microarray, and selected findings were confirmed by reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and flow cytometry. In all, we identified 121 genes that were upregulated to a significantly higher degree by intact than autolyzed pneumococci. These included IFNB1 and a large set of interferon-induced genes, such as IFIT3, RSAD2, CFCL1, and CXCL10 genes, as well as IL12B and CD40 genes. RT-qPCR revealed that transcription of these genes in response to intact pneumococci diminished when autolyzed pneumococci were admixed and that this pattern was independent of pneumolysin. Thus, transcription of interferon-related genes is triggered by intact pneumococci and subverted by fragments generated by spontaneous bacterial autolysis. We suggest that interferon-related pathways are important for elimination of pneumococci and that autolysis contributes to virulence by extinguishing these pathways.