bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Technical comparison of four different extracorporeal photopheresis systems
Authors: Brosig Andreas , Hähnel Viola , Orsó Evelyn , Wolff Daniel , Holler Ernst , Ahrens Norbert 
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUNDExtracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is a therapeutic technique that combines leukapheresis and ultraviolet (UV)A irradiation of the leukapheresate after 8‐methoxypsoralen treatment with subsequent retransfusion. It can be achieved with a single device (online) or by combining an apheresis machine with a separate UVA light source (offline). The comparability of both established methods is unknown.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSIn a prospective setting, four ECP systems were evaluated: one with integrated UVA irradiation for online ECP (Therakos) and three with external UVA irradiation for offline ECP (Amicus, Optia, and Cobe Spectra). Apheresis variables and cell counts were determined by methods including flow cytometry.RESULTSThe duration of apheresis ranged from 120 minutes (Amicus, Optia) to 275 minutes (Therakos). Mononuclear cell (MNC) counts in the treatment bags were comparable between offline ECP methods (median, 57 × 108 – 66 × 108) and lower for online ECP (14 × 108). CD16+ monocytes were abundant in online ECP (82%) but rarer in offline ECP (median, 14% – 19%). Hematocrit ranged from 0.1% (Therakos) to 8% (Amicus). There were no side effects in any patients.DISCUSSIONAll offline ECP systems studied yielded comparable cellular compositions and highly enriched populations of MNCs. In contrast, white blood cells from online ECP displayed enrichment of nonclassical monocytes. The relevance of these findings is unknown as there is no established biomarker to predict the therapeutic efficacy of these procedures.
An Integrative Review of the Structures and Processes Related to Nurse Supervisory Performance in Long‐Term Care
Authors: Chu Charlene H. , Ploeg Jenny , Wong Rosalind , Blain Julie , McGilton Katherine S. 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACTBackgroundUnderstanding the structures and processes related to the supervisor performance of regulated nurses (registered nurses [RN] and registered practical nurses [RPN]) is critical in order to discern how administrators of long‐term care (LTC) homes can facilitate and better support nurses given their important contribution to nurse assistants’ job satisfaction and resident outcomes.AimsThe aim of this integrative review is to identify the structures and processes related to supervisory performance of regulated nurses in LTC.MethodsAn electronic search of six databases for studies published in English between 2000 and September 2015 was conducted by a librarian. The inclusion criteria were studies focused on RN or RPN supervisory performance in LTC, which included a structure or process related to supervisory performance of the nurse. Screening, quality assessment using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool, and data extraction for the included studies were conducted independently by two reviewers.ResultsA total of 22 studies were included in the review. Six nurse structures (e.g., nurses’ “perceptions of their supervisory role and authority” as well as their “personal qualities”), and eight organizational structures (e.g., “organizational support (culture) for supervisory and management practices” and “staffing levels”) were identified. Six processes of effective supervisory performance were identified, such as “being flexible, understanding, considerate listeners and encourage staff input” as well as “respect, value, recognize, acknowledge and motivate” nursing assistants they supervise.Linking Evidence to ActionThe results highlight the nuanced and complex nature of nurses’ supervisory performance and the multifaceted approach required to support effective nurse supervisors in LTC. Future research should examine how resident‐related structures, as well as other moderators and mediators, may influence supervisory performance. Developing detailed models of effective supervision can inform future interventions targeting modifiable processes related to supervisory performance to thereby change practice and optimize supervisory performance in LTC.
Exploiting Interkingdom Interactions for Development of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Candida albicans Biofilm Formation
Authors: Reen F. Jerry , Phelan John P. , Gallagher Lorna , Woods David F. , Shanahan Rachel M. , Cano Rafael , Ó Muimhneacháin Eoin , McGlacken Gerard P. , O'Gara Fergal 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT

A rapid decline in the development of new antimicrobial therapeutics has coincided with the emergence of new and more aggressive multidrug-resistant pathogens. Pathogens are protected from antibiotic activity by their ability to enter an aggregative biofilm state. Therefore, disrupting this process in pathogens is a key strategy for the development of next-generation antimicrobials. Here, we present a suite of compounds, based on the
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
2-heptyl-4(1H)-quinolone (HHQ) core quinolone interkingdom signal structure, that exhibit noncytotoxic antibiofilm activity toward the fungal pathogen
Candida albicans
. In addition to providing new insights into what is a clinically important bacterium-fungus interaction, the capacity to modularize the functionality of the quinolone signals is an important advance in harnessing the therapeutic potential of signaling molecules in general. This provides a platform for the development of potent next-generation small-molecule therapeutics targeting clinically relevant fungal pathogens.
Modulation of Staphylococcus aureus Biofilm Matrix by Subinhibitory Concentrations of Clindamycin
Authors: Schilcher Katrin , Andreoni Federica , Dengler Haunreiter Vanina , Seidl Kati , Hasse Barbara , Zinkernagel Annelies S. 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT

Staphylococcus aureus
biofilms are extremely difficult to treat. They provide a protected niche for the bacteria, rendering them highly recalcitrant toward host defenses as well as antibiotic treatment. Bacteria within a biofilm are shielded from the immune system by the formation of an extracellular polymeric matrix, composed of polysaccharides, extracellular DNA (eDNA), and proteins. Many antibiotics do not readily penetrate biofilms, resulting in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics. Here, we show that subinhibitory concentrations of clindamycin triggered a transcriptional stress response in
S. aureus
via the alternative sigma factor B (σ
B
) and upregulated the expression of the major biofilm-associated genes
atlA
,
lrgA
,
agrA
, the
psm
genes,
fnbA
, and
fnbB
. Our data suggest that subinhibitory concentrations of clindamycin alter the ability of
S. aureus
to form biofilms and shift the composition of the biofilm matrix toward higher eDNA content. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying biofilm assembly and dispersal in response to subinhibitory concentrations of clinically relevant antibiotics such as clindamycin is critical to further optimize antibiotic treatment strategies of biofilm-associated
S. aureus
infections.
Acquisition of a High Diversity of Bacteria during the Hajj Pilgrimage, Including Acinetobacter baumannii with
bla
OXA-72
and Escherichia coli with
bla
NDM-5
Carbapenemase Genes
Authors: Leangapichart Thongpan , Gautret Philippe , Griffiths Karolina , Belhouchat Khadidja , Memish Ziad , Raoult Didier , Rolain Jean-Marc 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT

Pilgrims returning from the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) can be carriers of multidrug-resistant bacteria (MDR). Pharyngeal and rectal swab samples were collected from 98 pilgrims before and after they traveled to the Hajj in 2014 to investigate the acquisition of MDR bacteria. The bacterial diversity in pharyngeal swab samples was assessed by culture with selective media. There was a significantly higher diversity of bacteria in samples collected after the return from the Hajj than in those collected before (
P
= 0.0008). Surprisingly,
Acinetobacter baumannii
strains were isolated from 16 pharyngeal swab samples (1 sample taken during the Hajj and 15 samples taken upon return) and 26 post-Hajj rectal swab samples, while none were isolated from samples taken before the Hajj. Testing of all samples by real-time PCR targeting
bla
OXA-51
gave positive results for only 1% of samples taken during the Hajj, 21/90 (23.3%) pharyngeal swab samples taken post-Hajj, and 35/90 (38.9%) rectal swab samples taken post-Hajj. One strain of
A. baumannii
isolated from the pharynx was resistant to imipenem and harbored a
bla
OXA-72
carbapenemase gene. Multilocus sequence typing analysis of 43
A. baumannii
isolates revealed a huge diversity of 35 sequence types (STs), among which 18 were novel STs reported for the first time in this study. Moreover, we also found one
Escherichia coli
isolate, collected from a rectal swab sample from a pilgrim taken after the Hajj, which harbored
bla
NDM-5
,
bla
CTX-M-15
,
bla
TEM-1
, and
aadA2
(ST2659 and ST181). In conclusion, pilgrims are at a potential risk of acquiring and transmitting MDR
Acinetobacter
spp. and carbapenemase-producing Gram-negative bacteria during the Hajj season.
Comparative Population Plasma and Tissue Pharmacokinetics of Micafungin in Critically Ill Patients with Severe Burn Injuries and Patients with Complicated Intra-Abdominal Infection
Authors: García-de-Lorenzo A. , Luque S. , Grau S. , Agrifoglio A. , Cachafeiro L. , Herrero E. , Asensio M. J. , Sánchez S. M. , Roberts J. A. 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT

Severely burned patients have altered drug pharmacokinetics (PKs), but it is unclear how different they are from those in other critically ill patient groups. The aim of the present study was to compare the population pharmacokinetics of micafungin in the plasma and burn eschar of severely burned patients with those of micafungin in the plasma and peritoneal fluid of postsurgical critically ill patients with intra-abdominal infection. Fifteen burn patients were compared with 10 patients with intra-abdominal infection; all patients were treated with 100 to 150 mg/day of micafungin. Micafungin concentrations in serial blood, peritoneal fluid, and burn tissue samples were determined and were subjected to a population pharmacokinetic analysis. The probability of target attainment was calculated using area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h/MIC cutoffs of 285 for
Candida parapsilosis
and 3,000 for non
-parapsilosis Candida
spp. by Monte Carlo simulations. Twenty-five patients (18 males; median age, 50 years; age range, 38 to 67 years; median total body surface area burned, 50%; range of total body surface area burned, 35 to 65%) were included. A three-compartment model described the data, and only the rate constant for the drug distribution from the tissue fluid to the central compartment was statistically significantly different between the burn and intra-abdominal infection patients (0.47 ± 0.47 versus 0.15 ± 0.06 h
−1
, respectively;
P
< 0.05). Most patients would achieve plasma PK/pharmacodynamic (PD) targets of 90% for non-
parapsilosis Candida
spp. and
C. parapsilosis
with MICs of 0.008 and 0.064 mg/liter, respectively, for doses of 100 mg daily and 150 mg daily. The PKs of micafungin were not significantly different between burn patients and intra-abdominal infection patients. After the first dose, micafungin at 100 mg/day achieved the PK/PD targets in plasma for MIC values of ≤0.008 mg/liter and ≤0.064 mg/liter for non-
parapsilosis Candida
spp. and
Candida parapsilosis
species, respectively.
Amikacin Optimal Exposure Targets in the Hollow-Fiber System Model of Tuberculosis
Authors: Srivastava Shashikant , Modongo Chawanga , Siyambalapitiyage Dona Chandima W. , Pasipanodya Jotam G. , Deshpande Devyani , Gumbo Tawanda 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT

Aminoglycosides such as amikacin are currently used for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). However, formal pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies to identify amikacin exposures and dosing schedules that optimize
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
killing have not been performed. It is believed that aminoglycosides do not work well under acidic conditions, which, if true, would mean poor sterilizing activity against semidormant bacilli at low pH. We performed time-kill studies to compare the bactericidal effect of amikacin in log-phase-growth bacilli with the sterilizing effect in semidormant bacilli at pH 5.8 in broth. In log-phase
M. tuberculosis
at normal pH versus semidormant
M. tuberculosis
at pH 5.8, the maximal kill (
E
max
) estimate and 95% confidence interval (CI) were 5.39 (95% CI, 4.91 to 5.63) versus 4.88 (CI, 4.46 to 5.22) log
10
CFU/ml, while the concentration mediating 50% of
E
max
(EC
50
) was 1.0 (CI, 0. 0.86 to 1.12) versus 0.60 (CI, 0.50 to 0.66) times the MIC, respectively. Thus, the optimal exposures and kill rates identified for log-phase
M. tuberculosis
will be optimal even for semidormant bacilli. Next, we performed exposure-response and dose-scheduling studies in the hollow-fiber system model of tuberculosis using log-phase
M. tuberculosis
. We recapitulated the amikacin concentration-time profiles observed in lungs of patients treated over 28 days. The PK/PD index linked to
M. tuberculosis
kill was the peak concentration (
C
max
)-to-MIC ratio (
r
2
> 0.99), closely followed by the area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h (AUC
0–24
)-to-MIC ratio (
r
2
= 0.98). The EC
90
was a
C
max
/MIC ratio of 10.13 (95% CI, 7.73 to 12.48). The EC
90
is the dosing target for intermittent therapy that optimizes cure in TB programs for MDR-TB patients.
Crystal Structure of the Metallo-β-Lactamase GOB in the Periplasmic Dizinc Form Reveals an Unusual Metal Site
Authors: Morán-Barrio Jorgelina , Lisa María-Natalia , Larrieux Nicole , Drusin Salvador I. , Viale Alejandro M. , Moreno Diego M. , Buschiazzo Alejandro , Vila Alejandro J. 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT

Metallo-beta-lactamases (MBLs) are broad-spectrum, Zn(II)-dependent lactamases able to confer resistance to virtually every β-lactam antibiotic currently available. The large diversity of active-site structures and metal content among MBLs from different sources has limited the design of a pan-MBL inhibitor. GOB-18 is a divergent MBL from subclass B3 that is expressed by the opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen
Elizabethkingia meningoseptica
. This MBL is atypical, since several residues conserved in B3 enzymes (such as a metal ligand His) are substituted in GOB enzymes. Here, we report the crystal structure of the periplasmic di-Zn(II) form of GOB-18. This enzyme displays a unique active-site structure, with residue Gln116 coordinating the Zn1 ion through its terminal amide moiety, replacing a ubiquitous His residue. This situation contrasts with that of B2 MBLs, where an equivalent His116Asn substitution leads to a di-Zn(II) inactive species. Instead, both the mono- and di-Zn(II) forms of GOB-18 are active against penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems.
In silico
docking and molecular dynamics simulations indicate that residue Met221 is not involved in substrate binding, in contrast to Ser221, which otherwise is conserved in most B3 enzymes. These distinctive features are conserved in recently reported GOB orthologues in environmental bacteria. These findings provide valuable information for inhibitor design and also posit that GOB enzymes have alternative functions.
F-Type Bacteriocins of Listeria monocytogenes: a New Class of Phage Tail-Like Structures Reveals Broad Parallel Coevolution between Tailed Bacteriophages and High-Molecular-Weight Bacteriocins
Authors: Lee Grace , Chakraborty Urmi , Gebhart Dana , Govoni Gregory R. , Zhou Z. Hong , Scholl Dean 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT

Listeria monocytogenes
is a significant foodborne human pathogen that can cause severe disease in certain high-risk individuals.
L. monocytogenes
is known to produce high-molecular-weight, phage tail-like bacteriocins, or “monocins,” upon induction of the SOS system. In this work, we purified and characterized monocins and found them to be a new class of F-type bacteriocins. The
L. monocytogenes
monocin genetic locus was cloned and expressed in
Bacillus subtilis
, producing specifically targeted bactericidal particles. The receptor binding protein, which determines target cell specificity, was identified and engineered to change the bactericidal spectrum. Unlike the F-type pyocins of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, which are related to lambda-like phage tails, monocins are more closely related to TP901-1-like phage tails, structures not previously known to function as bacteriocins. Monocins therefore represent a new class of phage tail-like bacteriocins. It appears that multiple classes of phage tails and their related bacteriocins have coevolved separately in parallel.

IMPORTANCE
Phage tail-like bacteriocins (PTLBs) are structures widespread among the members of the bacterial kingdom that are evolutionarily related to the DNA delivery organelles of phages (tails). We identified and characterized “monocins” of
Listeria monocytogenes
and showed that they are related to the tail structures of TP901-1-like phages, structures not previously known to function as bacteriocins. Our results show that multiple types of envelope-penetrating machines have coevolved in parallel to function either for DNA delivery (phages) or as membrane-disrupting bacteriocins. While it has commonly been assumed that these structures were coopted from phages, we cannot rule out the opposite possibility, that ancient phages coopted complex bacteriocins from the cell, which then underwent adaptations to become efficient at translocating DNA.
Impact of the national prevention policy and scrum law changes on the incidence of rugby-related catastrophic cervical spine injuries in French Rugby Union
Authors: Reboursiere E , Bohu Y , Retière D , Sesboüé B , Pineau V , Colonna J P , Hager J P , Peyrin J C , Piscione J 
Published: July 2016

Background and aimsCatastrophic cervical spine injuries are rare in rugby union but require close monitoring. The aim of this study was to analyse the incidence of severe cervical spine injuries and determine the impact of a national prevention programme and new scrum rules implemented by the French Rugby Union.MethodsA prospective study was performed between 2006 and 2013 including all players affiliated to the French Rugby Union. All cervical spine injuries resulting in death, tetraplegia or a permanent neurological deficit were included. Prevention programmes were implemented from 2007 to 2013 and a change in scrum rules in 2010. To measure the impact of rule changes, results between 2006–2010 and 2010–2013 were compared using a Poisson regression.ResultsAltogether, 31 injuries were observed and the mean annual incidence was 1.6 per 100 000 players. There were significantly more injuries in senior players compared to junior players (3.5 vs 0.6 per 100 000 players; CI 95% (2.1 to 4.9) vs (0.1 to 1.0)). Incidence decreased from 1.8 in 2006 to 1.0 per 100 000 players in 2013 (p<0.0001). After 2010, there were significantly fewer injuries during scrums (p=0.02). In contrast, there were significantly more injuries in backs during 2010–2013 compared to 2006–2010 (p=0.003).ConclusionsThe incidence of catastrophic cervical spine injuries has declined in French Rugby Union. The implementation of specific prevention programmes and scrum law changes has notably resulted in a decrease in scrum injuries in forwards. This prospective study should be continued to monitor the future progression of injuries and adapt prevention programmes accordingly.
Variation in blood pressure among adolescent schoolchildren in an urban slum of Kolkata, West Bengal
Authors: Maiti Muktisadhan , Bandyopadhyay Lina 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACTBackgroundHigh blood pressure in childhood is a potential risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The roots of essential hypertension in adults may be initiated in childhood. This study was conducted to investigate blood pressure profiles of adolescent schoolchildren in the practice field area of the Urban Health Centre, Chetla, Kolkata.ObjectivesThis cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the prevalence of hypertension in adolescent schoolchildren, to compare the blood pressure between boys and girls, and to study the association between selected variables and blood pressure.Materials and methodsThe study was conducted among adolescent schoolchildren aged 10–19 years in two randomly selected secondary schools situated in the practice field area of the Urban Health Centre, Chetla, Kolkata. All students aged 10–19 years present on the day of the visit were included in the study; the sample was 129. A predesigned questionnaire was used to carry out the study. Measurements of height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure were made using standardised physical instruments following standard operative guidelines. The data were collected and analysed using appropriate statistical methods.ResultsThe prevalence of hypertension was found to be 10.1% (11.1% in boys and 8.8% in girls). The prevalence of pre-hypertension was 20.2% (16.7% in boys and 24.6% in girls). Hypertension was found to be significantly associated with physical exercise (p&lt;0.05) and salt intake (p&lt;0.05); BMI was also significantly associated with both systolic blood pressure (p&lt;0.05) and diastolic blood pressure (p&lt;0.05). There was a significant (p&lt;0.05) positive correlation of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure with BMI (r=0.303, p&lt;0.05; r=0.262, p&lt;0.05), age (r=0.326, p&lt;0.05; r=0.267, p&lt;0.05) and height (r=0.322, p&lt;0.05; r=0.174, p&lt;0.05). There was a negative correlation between hypertension and physical exercise (r=−0.313, p&lt;0.05) and a positive correlation between hypertension and salt intake (r=0.298, p&lt;0.05).ConclusionsThe prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension together in adolescents was 30.3%. To avoid the consequences and sequelae of hypertension, prevention should start from childhood by encouraging physical exercise, promoting low salt intake, advising on maintaining normal body weight, and checking up on blood pressure at regular intervals.
A Spatial-Temporal Topic Model for the Semantic Annotation of POIs in LBSNs
Authors: He Tieke , Yin Hongzhi , Chen Zhenyu , Zhou Xiaofang , Sadiq Shazia , Luo Bin 
Published: July 2016

Semantic tags of points of interest (POIs) are a crucial prerequisite for location search, recommendation services, and data cleaning. However, most POIs in location-based social networks (LBSNs) are either tag-missing or tag-incomplete. This article aims to develop semantic annotation techniques to automatically infer tags for POIs. We first analyze two LBSN datasets and observe that there are two types of tags, category-related ones and sentimental ones, which have unique characteristics. Category-related tags are hierarchical, whereas sentimental ones are category-aware. All existing related work has adopted classification methods to predict high-level category-related tags in the hierarchy, but they cannot apply to infer either low-level category tags or sentimental ones.
In light of this, we propose a latent-class probabilistic generative model, namely the spatial-temporal topic model (STM), to infer personal interests, the temporal and spatial patterns of topics/semantics embedded in users’ check-in activities, the interdependence between category-topic and sentiment-topic, and the correlation between sentimental tags and rating scores from users’ check-in and rating behaviors. Then, this learned knowledge is utilized to automatically annotate all POIs with both category-related and sentimental tags in a unified way. We conduct extensive experiments to evaluate the performance of the proposed STM on a real large-scale dataset. The experimental results show the superiority of our proposed STM, and we also observe that the real challenge of inferring category-related tags for POIs lies in the low-level ones of the hierarchy and that the challenge of predicting sentimental tags are those with neutral ratings.