bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How much do phenotypic plasticity and local genetic variation contribute to phenotypic divergences along environmental gradients in widespread invasive plants? A meta‐analysis
Authors: Liao Huixuan , D'Antonio Carla M. , Chen Baoming , Huang Qiaoqiao , Peng Shaolin 
Published: December 2015

For introduced species that have spread across a wide distributional range, phenotypic plasticity (PLA) has often been proposed as an important contributor to invasion success, because it increases the survival rate during initial colonization. In contrast, local genetic variation (LOC) has also been proposed to be important, because it could allow invaders to evolve high performance in a new habitat. While evolutionary ecologists have long been interested in understanding genetic mechanisms that allow rapid colonization and spread of species, until recently experimental tests of these concepts have been limited. As a step towards generalization in our understanding of the importance of PLA and LOC, we review the current state of the literature on this topic using meta‐analysis. Here, we focused on three fundamental questions: 1) which strategy, PLA or LOC, better explains the phenotypic divergences during invader range expansion across different environmental gradients? 2) Which species characteristics correlate with the occurrence of these different phenomena? And 3) does the detection of PLA versus LOC depend on the trait studied? Using meta‐analysis we found that plasticity explained a higher proportion of phenotypic variation regardless of the environmental gradients studied or plant growth forms. PLA predominated in clonal, self‐compatible and perennial species, while LOC predominated in annual species. The patterns were trait‐dependent: LOC was significantly more important than PLA in phenology, while opposite patterns were found in fecundity and biomass allocation. The frequent simultaneous detection of PLA and genotypic variation in PLA among invasive populations suggested that PLA might benefit from LOC to some extent. Our results also indicate that the contribution of plasticity to the competitive advantages of invasive plants may be more informative than the level of plasticity itself.SynthesisFor invasive plants that spread across a wide distributional range, understanding the mechanisms that allow rapid colonization and spread is crucial. Phenotypic plasticity (PLA) and local genetic variation (LOC) are both believed to play important roles in promoting range expansion. However, it is not clear which mechanism, PLA or LOC, contributes more to this process. According to our meta–analysis, PLA explained a higher proportion of adaptive phenotypic variation in most cases. Nevertheless, the predominance of an expansion mechanism depends on species characteristics and the trait studied. PLA may benefit from LOC to some extent. We suggest that the contribution of PLA to range expansion may better explain plant invasion success than the level of PLA itself.
Evaluation of the genes encoding CD39/NTPDase‐1 and CD39L1/NTPDase‐2 in horses with and without abnormal hemorrhage and in horses with pathologic evidence of exercise‐induced pulmonary hemorrhage
Authors: Boudreaux Mary K. , Koehler Jennifer , Habecker Perry L. , Piero Fabio Del 
Published: December 2015

BackgroundExercise‐induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is a common disorder of equine athletes. The role of polymorphisms in genes encoding hemostasis‐regulatory proteins in horses with abnormal hemorrhage is unknown.ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to evaluate the genes encoding 2 ectonucleotidases, CD39/NTPDase‐1 and CD39L1/NTPDase‐2, and one ecto‐5′ nucleotidase, CD73, in horses with abnormal hemorrhage or pathologic changes consistent with EIPH.MethodsTwenty‐three horses with histories of abnormal hemorrhage, 8 horses with gastrointestinal signs, and 45 healthy horses were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction‐based techniques. Formalin‐fixed tissues from 21 horses with pathologic changes consistent with EIPH were also evaluated.ResultsThree single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in the gene encoding CD39 and one SNP was identified in the gene encoding CD39L1. No SNPs were identified in the gene encoding CD73. CD39 SNPs were identified in 19 of 20 (95%) horses with unexplained hemorrhage and 20 of 21 (95%) horses with pathologic features consistent with EIPH. CD39L1 SNPs were identified in 6 of 20 (30%) horses with unexplained hemorrhage and 8 of 21 (38%) horses with pathologic features consistent with EIPH. CD39 and CD39L1 SNPs were identified in 5 of 8 (62.5%) and one of 8 (12.5%) horses, respectively, presenting with colic or weight loss. CD39 and CD39L1 SNPs were identified in 28 of 45 (62%) and 13 of 45 (28.8%) healthy horses, respectively.ConclusionsCD39 and CD39L1 are critically important in maintaining normal hemostasis and limiting inflammation. Further studies are needed to evaluate their role in the pathogenesis of equine EIPH.
Internal Fixation of Cervical Fractures in Three Horses
Authors: Rossignol Fabrice , Brandenberger Olivier , Mespoulhes‐Rivière Céline 
Published: December 2015

ObjectiveTo describe the surgical treatment outcome of cervical fractures in 3 horses.Study DesignCase report.AnimalsThree client‐owned horses with cervical vertebral fractures.MethodsThree horses were refered for neck stiffness, pain, and ataxia after a cervical trauma because of a fall. Radiographic examination showed an oblique displaced fracture of the caudal aspect of the body of the second cervical vertebra (C2) in horse 1, an oblique displaced fracture of the caudal aspect of C4 involving the disc between C4 and C5 in horse 2, and a displaced transverse fracture of the body of the axis (C2) extending to the lateral arches and involving the vertebral canal in horse 3. In horse 1, the fracture was reduced and stabilized using a 14‐hole narrow DCP plate, applied ventrally, and fixed with cancellous screws. A cervical fusion was performed. In horses 2 and 3, fracture fixation was performed using a 5‐hole narrow LCP and 5 mm locking screws.ResultsAll horses showed improvement and returned to full activity. The fracture healed in all horses.ConclusionInternal fixation of cervical fracture in these horses was associated with minimal complications, and was associated with healing and a highly functional outcome in all horses. The LCP was preferred and would be recommended for ventral stabilization of selected cases of vertebral fractures.
Inseguridad ciudadana y la evaluación del espacio público de Montes de Oca (Costa Rica)
Authors: Ovares Fallas Verónica , Quirós Loría Jessica 
Published: December 2015

El tema de la salud mental debe abordarse tanto desde factores individuales como colectivos, así que es fundamental que la Psicología se enfoque en el entorno donde se desarrollan las personas. En Costa Rica, una de las problemáticas más sobresalientes en los últimos años es la inseguridad ciudadana, la cual, según los planteamientos de este documento, está influenciada por características del espacio público, que tiene una función importante en la promoción de la salud. En el presente artículo, se muestra de manera resumida una investigación realizada con el objetivo de identificar aquellas características físicas y sociales del espacio público del Cantón de Montes de Oca que influyen en la percepción de inseguridad. Para ello se utilizó el Irvine Minnesota Inventory (Boarnet, Day, Alfonzo, Forsyth y Oakes, 2006) que fue adaptado al contexto del estudio y además la Escala de Inseguridad Percibida (Ovares y Quirós, 2013) desarrollada durante la investigación.
Ordenamiento costero metropolitano en Chile: de la expectativa de regulación a la planificación cooptada (1965-2014)
Authors: Hidalgo Rodrigo , Alvarado Voltaire , Volker Pascal , Arenas Federico , Salazar Alejandro 
Published: December 2015

Para Chile, un país de amplia diversidad geográfica, los instrumentos de planificación territorial (IPT) son relevantes e imprescindibles. Sin embargo, no basta su existencia; también importan el contexto y el momento de su entrada en vigencia. Esta propuesta revisa la insuficiencia y desactualización del Plan Regulador Intercomunal y del Plan Regulador Metropolitano de Valparaíso, centrales ambos en el desarrollo urbano y su ordenamiento en el borde costero, pero que, al mismo tiempo, han producido situaciones, procesos o externalidades asociadas con la falta de consistencia en los instrumentos indicados. Este trabajo ilustra los principales problemas del área metropolitana de Valparaíso y su relación con el instrumento regulador intercomunal. Se identifican algunas dificultades que deberá abordar el nuevo instrumento de regulación metropolitana de Valparaíso, dados los intereses que convergen en la zona y las dificultades de los actuales mecanismos de participación ciudadana, incluidos los desafíos de sustentabilidad que exige el desarrollo de nuestras ciudades.
Repertorio de formas imaginarias de lidiar con la urbe
Authors: Campos Medina Luis , Rojas Moreno Paulina 
Published: December 2015

Mediante el análisis temático de un conjunto de microrrelatos publicados por el concurso literario “Santiago en 100 palabras”, realizado en Santiago de Chile desde 2001, en este artículo abordamos las maneras en que los habitantes de la ciudad hacen frente a la vida urbana contemporánea. La idea de lidiar con la urbe resulta propicia para describir la relación problemática que mantienen los urbanitas con su ciudad y la noción de repertorio posibilita una comprensión de conjunto de las distintas expresiones que esta experiencia adopta. Como conclusión proponemos, primero, que las formas de lidiar con la urbe adoptan tres modos típicos en los microrrelatos. Segundo, que los microrrelatos dejan ver una secuencia causal en la manera como se experimentan subjetivamente los problemas de la vida urbana. Tercero, que la producción de representaciones e imaginarios urbanos adopta una forma agregativa que parece plausible extrapolar a otros ámbitos.
Validez y confiabilidad del instrumento de calidad de vida de Betty Ferrell en español, para personas con enfermedad crónica
Authors: Corredor Parra Lina Rocio , Carrillo González Gloria Mabel 
Published: December 2015

<p>Los instrumentos utilizados para evaluar la calidad de vida deben suministrar información real, segura y adecuada. Por ello deben seguir procesos psicométricos de validez y confiabilidad que permitan su uso en el contexto nacional y latinoamericano y evidenciar que miden cuanto pretenden medir y con un alto grado de precisión. <em>Objetivo</em>: Determinar la validez y confiabilidad del instrumento calidad de vida de Betty Ferrell, para personas con enfermedad crónica, en Colombia. <em>Método</em>: Estudio<br />de abordaje cuantitativo descriptivo de corte transversal metodológico. Participaron 287 personas con enfermedad crónica no transmisible. Se realizó validez de contenido por medio del índice de concordancia de kappa y el índice de validez de contenido y se realiza validez de constructo, así como confiabilidad por consistencia interna mediante<br />el alfa de Cronbach. <em>Resultados</em>: Se determinó una validez de contenido adecuada con un índice de validez de contenido (IVC) de 0,9, e índice de kappa de 0,61. La consistencia interna por medio del alfa de Cronbach fue de 0,88. Respecto a la validez de constructo, al análisis factorial exploratorio solo 22 de los 41 ítems se explican por el factor subyacente a la dimensión planteada por el autor y se observa discrepancia<br />en las dimensiones de bienestar psicológico y bienestar social. <em>Conclusiones:</em> El instrumento de calidad de vida de Betty Ferrell para personas con enfermedad crónica es confiable, pues tiene un adecuado índice de validez de contenido para su uso en el contexto local. Se requiere seguir estudiando el constructo, probablemente con la<br />eliminación de ítems y análisis factorial confirmatorio.</p>
New Verapamil Analogs Inhibit Intracellular Mycobacteria without Affecting the Functions of Mycobacterium-Specific T Cells
Authors: Abate Getahun , Ruminiski Peter G. , Kumar Malkeet , Singh Kawaljit , Hamzabegovic Fahreta , Hoft Daniel F. , Eickhoff Christopher S. , Selimovic Asmir , Campbell Mary , Chibale Kelly 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACT

There is a growing interest in repurposing mycobacterial efflux pump inhibitors, such as verapamil, for tuberculosis (TB) treatment. To aid in the design of better analogs, we studied the effects of verapamil on macrophages and
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
-specific T cells. Macrophage activation was evaluated by measuring levels of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and gamma interferon (IFN-γ). Since verapamil is a known autophagy inducer, the roles of autophagy induction in the antimycobacterial activities of verapamil and norverapamil were studied using bone marrow-derived macrophages from ATG5
flox/flox
(control) and ATG5
flox/flox
Lyz-Cre mice. Our results showed that despite the well-recognized effects of verapamil on calcium channels and autophagy, its action on intracellular
M. tuberculosis
does not involve macrophage activation or autophagy induction. Next, the effects of verapamil and norverapamil on
M. tuberculosis
-specific T cells were assessed using flow cytometry following the stimulation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from TB-skin-test-positive donors with
M. tuberculosis
whole-cell lysate for 7 days in the presence or absence of drugs. We found that verapamil and norverapamil inhibit the expansion of
M. tuberculosis
-specific T cells. Additionally, three new verapamil analogs were found to inhibit intracellular
Mycobacterium bovis
BCG, and one of the three analogs (KSV21) inhibited intracellular
M. tuberculosis
replication at concentrations that did not inhibit
M. tuberculosis
-specific T cell expansion. KSV21 also inhibited mycobacterial efflux pumps to the same degree as verapamil. More interestingly, the new analog enhances the inhibitory activities of isoniazid and rifampin on intracellular
M. tuberculosis
. In conclusion, KSV21 is a promising verapamil analog on which to base structure-activity relationship studies aimed at identifying more effective analogs.
Abalone Hemocyanin Blocks the Entry of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 into Cells: a Potential New Antiviral Strategy
Authors: Talaei Zanjani Negar , Miranda-Saksena Monica , Valtchev Peter , Diefenbach Russell J. , Hueston Linda , Diefenbach Eve , Sairi Fareed , Gomes Vincent G. , Cunningham Anthony L. , Dehghani Fariba 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACT

A marine-derived compound, abalone hemocyanin, from
Haliotis rubra
was shown to have a unique mechanism of antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infections.
In vitro
assays demonstrated the dose-dependent and inhibitory effect of purified hemocyanin against HSV-1 infection in Vero cells with a 50% effective dose (ED
50
) of 40 to 50 nM and no significant toxicity. In addition, hemocyanin specifically inhibited viral attachment and entry by binding selectively to the viral surface glycoproteins gD, gB, and gC, probably by mimicking their receptors. However, hemocyanin had no effect on postentry events and did not block infection by binding to cellular receptors for HSV. By the use of different mutants of gD and gB and a competitive heparin binding assay, both protein charge and conformation were shown to be the driving forces of the interaction between hemocyanin and viral glycoproteins. These findings also suggested that hemocyanin may have different motifs for binding to each of the viral glycoproteins B and D. The dimer subunit of hemocyanin with a 10-fold-smaller molecular mass exhibited similar binding to viral surface glycoproteins, showing that the observed inhibition did not require the entire multimer. Therefore, a small hemocyanin analogue could serve as a new antiviral candidate for HSV infections.
Characterization of Antifungal Activity and Nail Penetration of ME1111, a New Antifungal Agent for Topical Treatment of Onychomycosis
Authors: Tabata Yuji , Takei-Masuda Naomi , Kubota Natsuki , Takahata Sho , Ohyama Makoto , Kaneda Kaori , Iida Maiko , Maebashi Kazunori 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACT

Fungal nail infection (onychomycosis) is a prevalent disease in many areas of the world, with a high incidence approaching 23%. Available antifungals to treat the disease suffer from a number of disadvantages, necessitating the discovery of new efficacious and safe antifungals. Here, we evaluate the
in vitro
antifungal activity and nail penetration ability of ME1111, a novel antifungal agent, along with comparator drugs, including ciclopirox, amorolfine, terbinafine, and itraconazole. ME1111 showed potent antifungal activity against
Trichophyton rubrum
and
Trichophyton mentagrophytes
(the major etiologic agents of onychomycosis) strains isolated in Japan and reference fungal strains with an MIC range of 0.12 to 0.5 mg/liter and an MIC
50
and MIC
90
of 0.5 mg/liter for both. Importantly, none of the tested isolates showed an elevated ME1111 MIC. Moreover, the antifungal activity of ME1111 was minimally affected by 5% wool keratin powder in comparison to the other antifungals tested. The ME1111 solution was able to penetrate human nails and inhibit fungal growth in a dose-dependent manner according to the TurChub assay. In contrast, 8% ciclopirox and 5% amorolfine nail lacquers showed no activity under the same conditions. ME1111 demonstrated approximately 60-fold-greater selectivity in inhibition of
Trichophyto
n spp. than of human cell lines. Our findings demonstrate that ME1111 possesses potent antidermatophyte activity, maintains this activity in the presence of keratin, and possesses excellent human nail permeability. These results suggest that ME1111 is a promising topical medication for the treatment of onychomycosis and therefore warrants further clinical evaluation.
Fluconazole Susceptibility in Cryptococcus gattii Is Dependent on the ABC Transporter Pdr11
Authors: Yang Mai Lee , Uhrig John , Vu Kiem , Singapuri Anil , Dennis Michael , Gelli Angie , Thompson George R. 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACT

Cryptococcus gattii
isolates from the Pacific Northwest have exhibited higher fluconazole MICs than isolates from other sites. The mechanism of fluconazole resistance in
C. gattii
is unknown. We sought to determine the role of the efflux pumps Mdr1 and Pdr11 in fluconazole susceptibility. Using biolistic transformation of the parent isolate, we created a strain lacking Mdr1 (
mdr1
Δ) and another strain lacking Pdr11 (
pdr11
Δ). Phenotypic virulence factors were assessed by standard methods (capsule size, melanin production, growth at 30 and 37°C). Survival was assessed in an intranasal murine model of cryptococcosis. Antifungal MICs were determined by the M27-A3 methodology. No differences in key virulence phenotypic components were identified. Fluconazole susceptibility was unchanged in the Mdr1 knockout or reconstituted isolates. However, fluconazole MICs decreased from 32 μg/ml for the wild-type isolate to <0.03 μg/ml for the
pdr11
Δ strain and reverted to 32 μg/ml for the reconstituted strain. In murine models, no difference in virulence was observed between wild-type, knockout, or reconstituted isolates. We conclude that Pdr11 plays an essential role in fluconazole susceptibility in
C. gattii
. Genomic and expression differences between resistant and susceptible
C. gattii
clinical isolates should be assessed further in order to identify other potential mechanisms of resistance.
Next-Generation Sequencing and Comparative Analysis of Sequential Outbreaks Caused by Multidrug-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii at a Large Academic Burn Center
Authors: Kanamori Hajime , Parobek Christian M. , Weber David J. , van Duin David , Rutala William A. , Cairns Bruce A. , Juliano Jonathan J. 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACT

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) analysis has emerged as a promising molecular epidemiological method for investigating health care-associated outbreaks. Here, we used NGS to investigate a 3-year outbreak of multidrug-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
(MDRAB) at a large academic burn center. A reference genome from the index case was generated using
de novo
assembly of PacBio reads. Forty-six MDRAB isolates were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and sequenced using an Illumina platform. After mapping to the index case reference genome, four samples were excluded due to low coverage, leaving 42 samples for further analysis. Multilocus sequence types (MLST) and the presence of acquired resistance genes were also determined from the sequencing data. A transmission network was inferred from genomic and epidemiological data using a Bayesian framework. Based on single-nucleotide variant (SNV) differences, this MDRAB outbreak represented three sequential outbreaks caused by distinct clones. The first and second outbreaks were caused by sequence type 2 (ST2), while the third outbreak was caused by ST79. For the second outbreak, the MLST and PFGE results were discordant. However, NGS-based SNV typing detected a recombination event and consequently enabled a more accurate phylogenetic analysis. The distribution of resistance genes varied among the three outbreaks. The first- and second-outbreak strains possessed a
bla
OXA-23-like
group, while the third-outbreak strains harbored a
bla
OXA-40-like
group. NGS-based analysis demonstrated the superior resolution of outbreak transmission networks for MDRAB and provided insight into the mechanisms of strain diversification between sequential outbreaks through recombination.
Albumin Enhances Caspofungin Activity against Aspergillus Species by Facilitating Drug Delivery to Germinating Hyphae
Authors: Ioannou Petros , Andrianaki Aggeliki , Akoumianaki Tonia , Kyrmizi Irene , Albert Nathaniel , Perlin David , Samonis George , Kontoyiannis Dimitrios P. , Chamilos Georgios 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACT

The modest
in vitro
activity of echinocandins against
Aspergillus
implies that host-related factors augment the action of these antifungal agents
in vivo
. We found that, in contrast to the other antifungal agents (voriconazole, amphotericin B) tested, caspofungin exhibited a profound increase in activity against various
Aspergillus
species under conditions of cell culture growth, as evidenced by a ≥4-fold decrease in minimum effective concentrations (MECs) (
P
= 0. 0005). Importantly, the enhanced activity of caspofungin against
Aspergillus
spp. under cell culture conditions was strictly dependent on serum albumin and was not observed with the other two echinocandins, micafungin and anidulafungin. Of interest, fluorescently labeled albumin bound preferentially on the surface of germinating
Aspergillus
hyphae, and this interaction was further enhanced upon treatment with caspofungin. In addition, supplementation of cell culture medium with albumin resulted in a significant, 5-fold increase in association of fluorescently labeled caspofungin with
Aspergillus
hyphae (
P
< 0.0001). Collectively, we found a novel synergistic interaction between albumin and caspofungin, with albumin acting as a potential carrier molecule to facilitate antifungal drug delivery to
Aspergillus
hyphae.
Is a New Standard Needed for Diffusion Methods for
In Vitro
Susceptibility Testing of Fosfomycin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa?
Authors: Díez-Aguilar María , Martínez-García Laura , Cantón Rafael , Morosini María Isabel 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACT

We analyzed fosfomycin susceptibility results in
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
clinical isolates obtained by MIC gradient strips and disk diffusion methods using two different inocula, 10
8
and 10
6
CFU/ml, and compared them to the agar dilution reference method. Essential and categorical agreements were 93.6% and 95%, respectively, for the 10
6
CFU/ml alternative inoculum, and they were 67.6% and 78.2%, respectively, for the standard inoculum (10
8
CFU/ml). The use of the 10
6
CFU/ml inoculum improves the agreement values and inhibition zone readings.