bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genetic Lineage and Reassortment of Influenza C Viruses Circulating between 1947 and 2014
Authors: Matsuzaki Yoko , Sugawara Kanetsu , Furuse Yuki , Shimotai Yoshitaka , Hongo Seiji , Oshitani Hitoshi , Mizuta Katsumi , Nishimura Hidekazu 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT

Since influenza C virus was first isolated in 1947, the virus has been only occasionally isolated by cell culture; there are only four strains for which complete genome sequences are registered. Here, we analyzed a total of 106 complete genomes, ranging from the first isolate from 1947 to recent isolates from 2014, to determine the genetic lineages of influenza C virus, the reassortment events, and the rates of nucleotide substitution. The results showed that there are six lineages, named C/Taylor, C/Mississippi, C/Aichi, C/Yamagata, C/Kanagawa, and C/Sao Paulo. They contain both antigenic and genetic lineages of the hemagglutinin-esterase (HE) gene, and the internal genes PB2, PB1, P3, NP, M, and NS are divided into two major lineages, a C/Mississippi/80-related lineage and a C/Yamagata/81-related lineage. Reassortment events were found over the entire period of 68 years. Several outbreaks of influenza C virus between 1990 and 2014 in Japan consisted of reassortant viruses, suggesting that the genomic constellation is related to influenza C virus epidemics. The nucleotide sequences were highly homologous to each other. The minimum percent identity between viruses ranged from 91.1% for the HE gene to 96.1% for the M gene, and the rate of nucleotide substitution for the HE gene was the highest, at 5.20 × 10
−4
substitutions/site/year. These results indicate that reassortment is an important factor that increases the genetic diversity of influenza C virus, resulting in its ability to prevail in humans.

IMPORTANCE
Influenza C virus is a pathogen that causes acute respiratory illness in children and results in hospitalization of infants. We previously demonstrated (Y. Matsuzaki et al., J Clin Virol 61:87–93, 2014,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jcv.2014.06.017
) that periodic epidemics of this virus occurred in Japan between 1996 and 2014 and that replacement of the dominant antigenic group occurred every several years as a result of selection by herd immunity. However, the antigenicity of the HE glycoprotein is highly stable, and antigenic drift has not occurred for at least 30 years. Here, we analyzed a total of 106 complete genomes spanning 68 years for the first time, and we found that influenza C viruses are circulating worldwide while undergoing reassortment as well as selection by herd immunity, resulting in an increased ability to prevail in humans. The results presented in this study contribute to the understanding of the evolution, including reassortment events, underlying influenza C virus epidemics.
Structure-Activity Relationships of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Maturation Inhibitor PF-46396
Authors: Murgatroyd Christopher , Pirrie Lisa , Tran Fanny , Smith Terry K. , Westwood Nicholas J. , Adamson Catherine S. 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT

HIV-1 maturation inhibitors are a novel class of antiretroviral compounds that consist of two structurally distinct chemical classes: betulinic acid derivatives and the pyridone-based compound PF-46396. It is currently believed that both classes act by similar modes of action to generate aberrant noninfectious particles via inhibition of CA-SP1 cleavage during Gag proteolytic processing. In this study, we utilized a series of novel analogues with decreasing similarity to PF-46396 to determine the chemical groups within PF-46396 that contribute to antiviral activity, Gag binding, and the relationship between these essential properties. A spectrum of antiviral activity (active, intermediate, and inactive) was observed across the analogue series with respect to CA-SP1 cleavage and HIV-1 (NL4-3) replication kinetics in Jurkat T cells. We demonstrate that selected inactive analogues are incorporated into wild-type (WT) immature particles and that one inactive analogue is capable of interfering with PF-46396 inhibition of CA-SP1 cleavage. Mutations that confer PF-46396 resistance can impose a defective phenotype on HIV-1 that can be rescued in a compound-dependent manner. Some inactive analogues retained the capacity to rescue PF-46396-dependent mutants (SP1-A3V, SP1-A3T, and CA-P157S), implying that they can also interact with mutant Gag. The structure-activity relationships observed in this study demonstrate that (i) the
tert
-butyl group is essential for antiviral activity but is not an absolute requirement for Gag binding, (ii) the trifluoromethyl group is optimal but not essential for antiviral activity, and (iii) the 2-aminoindan group is important for antiviral activity and Gag binding but is not essential, as its replacement is tolerated.

IMPORTANCE
Combinations of antiretroviral drugs successfully treat HIV/AIDS patients; however, drug resistance problems make the development of new mechanistic drug classes an ongoing priority. HIV-1 maturation inhibitors are novel as they target the Gag protein, specifically by inhibiting CA-SP1 proteolytic cleavage. The lack of high-resolution structural information of the CA-SP1 target in Gag has hindered our understanding of the inhibitor-binding pocket and maturation inhibitor mode of action. Therefore, we utilized analogues of the maturation inhibitor PF-46396 as chemical tools to determine the chemical components of PF-46396 that contribute to antiviral activity and Gag binding and the relationship between these essential properties. This is the first study to report structure-activity relationships of the maturation inhibitor PF-46396. PF-46396 is chemically distinct from betulinic acid-derived maturation inhibitors; therefore, our data provide a foundation of knowledge that will aid our understanding of how structurally distinct maturation inhibitors act by similar modes of action.
How to Measure Export via Bacterial Multidrug Resistance Efflux Pumps
Authors: Blair Jessica M. A. , Piddock Laura J. V. 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT
Bacterial multidrug resistance (MDR) efflux pumps are an important mechanism of antibiotic resistance and are required for many pathogens to cause infection. They are also being harnessed to improve microbial biotechnological processes, including biofuel production. Therefore, scientists of many specialties must be able to accurately measure efflux activity. However, myriad methodologies have been described and the most appropriate method is not always clear. Within the scientific literature, many methods are misused or data arising are misinterpreted. The methods for measuring efflux activity can be split into two groups, (i) those that directly measure efflux and (ii) those that measure the intracellular accumulation of a substrate, which is then used to infer efflux activity. Here, we review the methods for measuring efflux and explore the most recent advances in this field, including single-cell or cell-free technologies and mass spectrometry, that are being used to provide more detailed information about efflux pump activity.
The effect of induced strains on the optical band gaps in lanthanum-doped zinc ferrite nanocrystalline powders
Authors: Hamed Fathalla , Ramachandran Tholkappiyan , Kurapati Vishista 
Published: July 2016

ZnFe[Formula: see text]La[Formula: see text]O4 nanocrystalline powders were synthesized by auto-combustion with the aid of glycine as fuel. The synthesized powders were subjected to heat treatment in air at constant temperatures (600–970[Formula: see text]C) for a period of 2 h. The annealed powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy. The as-synthesized and annealed powders formed spongy porous network structure with voids and pores. All the powders were found to be single phase nanomaterial with cubic spinel crystal structure and the desired composition; however, they contained strains, dislocations and lattice distortions. Some of these strains and dislocations are relaxed as a function of annealing temperature. The powders displayed direct and indirect optical band gaps. The energies of these band gaps were found to vary as a function of the induced strains and dislocations. It is suggested that the energy of the optical band gap in lanthanum-doped zinc ferrite nanocrystalline powders can be varied as a function of induced strains if the initial preparation conditions and the following heat treatments are controlled.
Logarithmic Spin, Logarithmic Rate and Material Frame-Indifferent Generalized Plasticity
Authors: Soldatos D. , Triantafyllou S. P. 
Published: July 2016

In this work, we present a new rate type formulation of large deformation generalized plasticity which is based on the consistent use of the logarithmic rate concept. For this purpose, the basic constitutive equations are initially established in a local rotationally neutralized configuration which is defined by the logarithmic spin. These are then rephrased in their spatial form, by employing some standard concepts from the tensor analysis on manifolds. Such an approach, besides being compatible with the notion of (hyper)elasticity, offers three basic advantages, namely: (i) The principle of material frame-indifference is trivially satisfied. (ii) The structure of the infinitesimal theory remains essentially unaltered. (iii) The formulation does not preclude anisotropic response. A general integration scheme for the computational implementation of generalized plasticity models which are based on the logarithmic rate is also discussed. The performance of the scheme is tested by two representative numerical examples.
Thromboembolism in patients with congenital afibrinogenaemia
Authors: Nagler Michael , Alberio Lorenzo , Peter-Salonen Kristiina , von Tengg-Kobligk Hendrik , Lottaz Daniel , Neerman-Arbez Marguerite , Lämmle Bernhard , Kremer Hovinga Johanna A. 
Published: July 2016

SummaryFrequent arterial and venous thromboembolism in patients with congenital afibrinogenaemia (CA) is neither understood nor is a safe and effective treatment established. It was our objective to report on the clinical observations and laboratory data contributing to the understanding of the frequency, physiopathology, prognosis and treatment of CA. We observed the long-term clinical course and laboratory data in a cohort of four patients with CA and thromboembolic complications, and conducted a systematic review retrieving all available data. Four patients with CA developed recurrent and extensive arterial and venous thromboembolism (TE) from an age of 25–51 years. In two patients, a treatment strategy targeting at maintaining constantly measurable fibrinogen (Fbg) levels (≥0.5 g/l) either by regular Fbg replacement or by orthotopic liver transplantation resulted in long-term remissions. Radiological imaging documented resolved arterial thrombi after 6–12 months. In contrast, recurrent thromboembolic events were observed in two other patients with infrequent Fbg replacement. A systematic review of the literature revealed 48 reports of TE in patients with CA (median age at first event 31 years), and a favourable outcome in most patients with frequent application of Fbg, aimed at constantly measurable trough levels. Present data suggests that patients with CA are at high risk of arterial and venous thromboembolic events, probably caused by thrombin excess owing to lack of thrombin scavenging by Fbg/fibrin. Regular low-dose Fbg replacement might be a safe and effective treatment option in patients with CA and thromboembolic complications.Note: Preliminary data of this report were presented as oral presentation at the XXV Congress of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, June 20th to 25th, Toronto, Canada.Supplementary Material to this article is available online at www.thrombosis-online.com.
Systematic Review of Low‐Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Apheresis for the Treatment of Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Wang Anthony , Richhariya Akshara , Gandra Shravanthi R. , Calimlim Brian , Kim Lisa , Quek Ruben G. W. , Nordyke Robert J. , Toth Peter P. 
Published: July 2016

Background

Apheresis is an important treatment for reducing
low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL
‐C) in patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (
FH
). We systematically reviewed the current literature surrounding
LDL
‐C apheresis for
FH
.

Methods and Results

Electronic databases were searched for publications of
LDL
‐C apheresis in
patients with FH
. Inclusion criteria include articles in English published in 2000–2013 that provide descriptions of practice patterns, efficacy/effectiveness, and costs related to
LDL
‐C apheresis in
patients with FH
. Data were stratified by country and
FH
genotype where possible. Thirty‐eight studies met the inclusion criteria: 8 open‐label clinical trials, 11 observational studies, 17 reviews/guidelines, and 2 health technology assessments. The prevalence of
FH
was not well characterized by country, and underdiagnosis was a barrier to
FH
treatment. Treatment guidelines varied by country, with some guidelines recommending
LDL
‐C apheresis as first‐line treatment in patients with homozygous FH and after drug therapy failure in patients with heterozygous FH. Additionally, guidelines typically recommended weekly or biweekly
LDL
‐C apheresis treatments conducted at apheresis centers that may last 2 to >3 hours per session. Studies reported a range for mean
LDL
‐C reduction after apheresis: 57–75% for patients with homozygous FH and 58–63% for patients with heterozygous FH. Calculated annual costs (in US$2015) may reach US$66 374 to US$228 956 per patient for weekly treatment.

Conclusions

LDL
‐C apheresis treatment may be necessary for
patients with FH
when drug therapy is inadequate in reducing
LDL
‐C to target levels. While apheresis reduces
LDL
‐C, high per‐session costs and the frequency of guideline‐recommended treatment result in substantial annual costs, which are barriers to the optimal treatment of
FH
.
Plasma Fibroblast Growth Factor 23: Clinical Correlates and Association With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in the Framingham Heart Study
Authors: Haring Robin , Enserro Danielle , Xanthakis Vanessa , Mitchell Gary F. , Benjamin Emelia J. , Hamburg Naomi M. , Sullivan Lisa , Nauck Matthias , Wallaschofski Henri , Vasan Ramachandran S. 
Published: July 2016

Background

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (
FGF
23) is emerging as a novel biomarker of bone metabolism, chronic kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease (
CVD
). However, its clinical correlates and potential predictive role in a community‐based setting are incompletely understood.

Methods and Results

We evaluated participants of the Framingham Heart Study (seventh examination cycle of the Offspring cohort plus second examination cycle of the multiethnic Omni cohort) to identify clinical correlates of plasma
FGF
23 (N=3236) and examine its cross‐sectional association with vascular function (N=2209), and longitudinal association with 10‐year incidence of
CVD
(N=2823), and all‐cause mortality (N=3223).

Circulating
FGF
23 concentrations were positively related to African‐American and Asian ethnicity, waist circumference, current smoking, serum glucose, history of
CVD
, and antihypertensive medication use; and negatively related to male sex, hormone replacement therapy, and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Multivariable‐adjusted cross‐sectional analyses showed no consistent association of
FGF
23 with vascular function measures. During a median follow‐up time of 10.8 years, 347 incident
CVD
events and 412 deaths occurred. Multivariable‐adjusted Cox regression models revealed a positive association of
FGF
23 with all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio [
HR
] per
SD
increase, 1.31; 95%
CI,
1.20–1.42), but not with incident
CVD
(
HR
per
SD
increase, 1.05; 95%
CI,
0.94–1.17).

Conclusions

In our large, community‐based sample,
FGF
23 was associated with mortality risk, but not with vascular function or incident
CVD
.
Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Overexpressing Mutant Human Hypoxia‐Inducible Factor 1‐α (HIF1‐α) in an Ovine Model of Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Hnatiuk Anna P. , Ong Sang‐Ging , Olea Fernanda D. , Locatelli Paola , Riegler Johannes , Lee Won Hee , Jen Cheng Hao , De Lorenzi Andrea , Giménez Carlos S. , Laguens Rubén , Wu Joseph C. , Crottogini Alberto 
Published: July 2016

Background

Bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (
BMMSC
s) are cardioprotective in acute myocardial infarction (
AMI
) because of release of paracrine angiogenic and prosurvival factors. Hypoxia‐inducible factor 1‐α (
HIF
1‐α), rapidly degraded during normoxia, is stabilized during ischemia and upregulates various cardioprotective genes. We hypothesized that
BMMSC
s engineered to overexpress mutant, oxygen‐resistant
HIF
1‐α would confer greater cardioprotection than nontransfected
BMMSC
s in sheep with
AMI
.

Methods and Results

Allogeneic
BMMSC
s transfected with a minicircle vector encoding mutant
HIF
1‐α (
BMMSC
‐
HIF
) were injected in the peri‐infarct of sheep (n=6) undergoing coronary occlusion. Over 2 months, infarct volume measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (
CMR
) imaging decreased by 71.7±1.3% (
P
<0.001), and left ventricular (
LV
) percent ejection fraction (%
EF
) increased near 2‐fold (
P
<0.001) in the presence of markedly decreased end‐systolic volume. Sheep receiving nontransfected
BMMSC
s (
BMMSC
; n=6) displayed less infarct size limitation and percent
LVEF
improvement, whereas in placebo‐treated animals (n=6), neither parameters changed over time.
HIF
1‐α‐transfected
BMMSC
s (
BMMSC
‐
HIF
) induced angio‐/arteriogenesis and decreased apoptosis by
HIF
1‐mediated overexpression of erythropoietin, inducible nitrous oxide synthase, vascular endothelial growth factor, and angiopoietin‐1. Cell tracking using paramagnetic iron nanoparticles in 12 additional sheep revealed enhanced long‐term retention of
BMMSC
‐
HIF
.

Conclusions

Intramyocardial delivery of
BMMSC
‐
HIF
reduced infarct size and improved
LV
systolic performance compared to
BMMSC
, attributed to increased neovascularization and cardioprotective effects induced by
HIF
1‐mediated overexpression of paracrine factors and enhanced retention of injected cells. Given the safety of the minicircle vector and the feasibility of
BMMSC
s for allogeneic application, this treatment may be potentially useful in the clinic.
Sprawozdanie z międzynarodowej interdyscyplinarnej konferencji naukowej pt. Świat oczyma duszy – dusza w oczach świata. Antropologiczno-językowe wizerunki duszy w perspektywie międzykulturowej, która odbyła się w Warszawie 15–17 października 2015 roku
Authors: Maslowska Ewa Jadwiga 
Published: July 2016

Report on the international conference The World through the Eyes of the Soul – The Soul in the Eyes of the World. Anthropological and linguistic images of the soul in an intercultural perspective, Warsaw, 15-17 October 2015The international interdisciplinary conference The World through the Eyes of the Soul – The Soul in the Eyes of the World. Anthropological and linguistic images of the soul in an intercultural perspective took place in Warsaw on 15–17 October 2015. The event was initiated by the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Polish Academy of Sciences and organised in collaboration with the Institute of Oriental Studies, University of Warsaw, and the Slavic Foundation. The main idea of the event was to create a forum for discussion among specialists in various disciplines: anthropology, ethnography, philosophy, history of art, linguistics, cultural studies, literary studies, psychology, religious studies, theology, and sociology. Owing to its broad multi-cultural scope, the debate on the conceptualization of the soul across languages and cultures allowed for a variety of perspectives on the different experiences and conceptualizations of the non-material. Presented during the meeting were presented 81 papers (15 of them by young researches), by representatives of 16 foreign and 17 Polish research centres. Sprawozdanie z międzynarodowej interdyscyplinarnej konferencji naukowej pt. Świat oczyma duszy – dusza w oczach świata. Antropologiczno-językowe wizerunki duszy w perspektywie międzykulturowej, która odbyła się w Warszawie 15–17 października 2015 roku Międzynarodowa interdyscyplinarna konferencja naukowa Świat oczyma duszy – dusza w oczach świata. Antropologiczno-językowe wizerunki duszy w perspektywie międzykulturowej, która odbyła się w Warszawie 15–17 października 2015 roku, została zorganizowana z inicjatywy Instytutu Slawistyki PAN przy współudziale Instytutu Orientalistyki Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego przez Fundację Slawistyczną. Celem konferencji było ukazanie sposobu konceptualizacji i statusu duszy w różnych językach i kulturach oraz różnych perspektywach badawczych. Dyskutowali specjaliści z różnych dyscyplin naukowych: antropolodzy, etnografowie, religioznawcy, filozofowie, historycy, teologowie, socjologowie. Podczas spotkania przedstawiono 81 referatów (w tym 15 autorstwa młodych badaczy) z 16 zagranicznych i 17 polskich ośrodków naukowych.
Air–Sea Interactions in Light of New Understanding of Air–Land Interactions
Authors: Sun Jielun , French Jeffrey R. 
Published: July 2016

Abstract
Air–sea interactions are investigated using the data from the Coupled Boundary Layers Air–Sea Transfer experiment under low wind (CBLAST-Low) and the Surface Wave Dynamics Experiment (SWADE) over sea and compared with measurements from the 1999 Cooperative Atmosphere–Surface Exchange Study (CASES-99) over land. Based on the concept of the hockey-stick transition (HOST) hypothesis, which emphasizes contributions of large coherent eddies in atmospheric turbulent mixing that are not fully captured by Monin–Obukhov similarity theory, relationships between the atmospheric momentum transfer and the sea surface roughness, and the role of the sea surface temperature (SST) and oceanic waves in the turbulent transfer of atmospheric momentum, heat, and moisture, and variations of drag coefficient Cd(z) over sea and land with wind speed V are studied.
In general, the atmospheric turbulence transfers over sea and land are similar except under weak winds and near the sea surface when wave-induced winds and oceanic currents are relevant to wind shear in generating atmospheric turbulence. The transition of the atmospheric momentum transfer between the stable and the near-neutral regimes is different over land and sea owing to the different strength and formation of atmospheric stable stratification. The relationship between the air–sea temperature difference and the turbulent heat transfer over sea is dominated by large air temperature variations compared to the slowly varying SST. Physically, Cd(z) consists of the surface skin drag and the turbulence drag between z and the surface; the increase of the latter with decreasing V leads to the minimum Cd(z), which is observed, but not limited to, over sea.