bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Glycerol Phosphate Cytidylyltransferase Stereospecificity Is Key to Understanding the Distinct Stereochemical Compositions of Glycerophosphoinositol in Bacteria and Archaea
Authors: Rodrigues Marta V. , Borges Nuno , Santos Helena 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACT

Glycerophosphoinositol (GPI) is a compatible solute present in a few hyperthermophiles. Interestingly, different GPI stereoisomers accumulate in
Bacteria
and
Archaea
, and the basis for this domain-dependent specificity was investigated herein. The archaeon
Archaeoglobus fulgidus
and the bacterium
Aquifex aeolicus
were used as model organisms. The synthesis of GPI involves glycerol phosphate cytidylyltransferase (GCT), which catalyzes the production of CDP-glycerol from CTP and glycerol phosphate, and di-
myo
-inositol phosphate-phosphate synthase (DIPPS), catalyzing the formation of phosphorylated GPI from CDP-glycerol and
l
-
myo
-inositol 1-phosphate. DIPPS of
A. fulgidus
recognized the two CDP-glycerol stereoisomers similarly. This feature and the ability of
31
P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to distinguish the GPI diastereomers provided a means to study the stereospecificity of GCTs. The AF1418 gene and genes aq_185 and aq_1368 are annotated as putative GCT genes in the genomes of
A. fulgidus
and
Aq. aeolicus
, respectively. The functions of these genes were determined by assaying the activity of the respective recombinant proteins: AQ1368 and AQ185 are GCTs, while AF1418 has flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) synthetase activity. AQ185 is absolutely specific for
sn
-glycerol 3-phosphate, while AQ1368 recognizes the two enantiomers but has a 2:1 preference for
sn
-glycerol 3-phosphate. In contrast, the partially purified
A. fulgidus
GCT uses
sn
-glycerol 1-phosphate preferentially (4:1). Significantly, the predominant GPI stereoforms found in the bacterium and the archaeon reflect the distinct stereospecificities of the respective GCTs: i.e.,
A. fulgidu
s accumulates predominantly
sn
-glycero-1-phospho-3-
l
-
myo
-inositol, while
Aq. aeolicus
accumulates
sn
-glycero-3-phospho-3-l-
myo
-inositol.

IMPORTANCE
Compatible solutes of hyperthermophiles show high efficacy in thermal protection of proteins in comparison with solutes typical of mesophiles; therefore, they are potentially useful in several biotechnological applications. Glycerophosphoinositol (GPI) is synthesized from CDP-glycerol and
l
-
myo
-inositol 1-phosphate in a few hyperthermophiles. In this study, the molecular configuration of the GPI stereoisomers accumulated by members of the
Bacteria
and
Archaea
was established. The stereospecificity of glycerol phosphate cytidylyltransferase (GCT), the enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of CDP-glycerol, is crucial to the stereochemistry of GPI. However, the stereospecific properties of GCTs have not been investigated thus far. We devised a method to characterize GCT stereospecificity which does not require
sn
-glycerol 1-phosphate, a commercially unavailable substrate. This led us to understand the biochemical basis for the distinct GPI stereoisomer composition observed in archaea and bacteria.
An Aminotransferase Is Responsible for the Deamination of the N-Terminal Leucine and Required for Formation of Oxazolone Ring A in Methanobactin of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b
Authors: Gu Wenyu , Baral Bipin S. , DiSpirito Alan A. , Semrau Jeremy D. 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTGene expression in methanotrophs has been shown to be affected by the availability of a variety of metals, most notably copper-regulating expression of alternative forms of methane monooxygenase. A copper-binding compound, or chalkophore, called methanobactin plays a key role in copper uptake in methanotrophs. Methanobactin is a ribosomally synthesized and posttranslationally modified peptide (RiPP) with two heterocyclic rings with an associated thioamide for each ring, formed from X-Cys dipeptide sequences that bind copper. The gene coding for the precursor polypeptide of methanobactin,mbnA, is part of a gene cluster, but the role of other genes in methanobactin biosynthesis is unclear. To begin to elucidate the function of these genes, we constructed an unmarked deletion ofmbnABCMNinMethylosinus trichosporiumOB3b and then homologously expressedmbnABCMusing a broad-host-range cloning vector to determine the function ofmbnN, annotated as coding for an aminotransferase. Methanobactin produced by this strain was found to be substantially different from wild-type methanobactin in that the C-terminal methionine was missing and only one of the two oxazolone rings was formed. Rather, in place of the N-terminal 3-methylbutanoyl-oxazolone-thioamide group, a leucine and a thioamide-containing glycine (Gly-Ψ) were found, indicating that MbnN is used for deamination of the N-terminal leucine of methanobactin and that this posttranslational modification is critical for closure of the N-terminal oxazolone ring inM. trichosporiumOB3b. These studies provide new insights into methanobactin biosynthesis and also provide a platform for understanding the function of other genes in the methanobactin gene cluster.IMPORTANCEMethanotrophs, microbes that play a critical role in the carbon cycle, are influenced by copper, with gene expression and enzyme activity changing as copper levels change. Methanotrophs produce a copper-binding compound, or chalkophore, called methanobactin for copper uptake, and methanobactin plays a key role in controlling methanotrophic activity. Methanobactin has also been shown to be effective in the treatment of Wilson disease, an autosomal recessive disorder where the human body cannot correctly assimilate copper. It is important to characterize the methanobactin biosynthesis pathway to understand how methanotrophs respond to their environment as well as to optimize the use of methanobactin for the treatment of copper-related diseases such as Wilson disease. Here we show thatmbnN, encoding an aminotransferase, is involved in the deamination of the N-terminal leucine and necessary for the formation of one but not both of the heterocyclic rings in methanobactin that are responsible for copper binding.
Inactivation Strategies for Clostridium perfringens Spores and Vegetative Cells
Authors: Talukdar Prabhat K. , Udompijitkul Pathima , Hossain Ashfaque , Sarker Mahfuzur R. 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACT

Clostridium perfringens
is an important pathogen to human and animals and causes a wide array of diseases, including histotoxic and gastrointestinal illnesses.
C. perfringens
spores are crucial in terms of the pathogenicity of this bacterium because they can survive in a dormant state in the environment and return to being live bacteria when they come in contact with nutrients in food or the human body. Although the strategies to inactivate
C. perfringens
vegetative cells are effective, the inactivation of
C. perfringens
spores is still a great challenge. A number of studies have been conducted in the past decade or so toward developing efficient inactivation strategies for
C. perfringens
spores and vegetative cells, which include physical approaches and the use of chemical preservatives and naturally derived antimicrobial agents. In this review, different inactivation strategies applied to control
C. perfringens
cells and spores are summarized, and the potential limitations and challenges of these strategies are discussed.
Assessment of the implementation fidelity of the Arctic Char Distribution Project in Nunavik, Quebec
Authors: Gautier Lara , Pirkle Catherine M , Furgal Christopher , Lucas Michel 
Published: October 2016

BackgroundIn September 2011, the Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social Services began supporting the Arctic Char Distribution Project (AC/DP) for pregnant women. This initiative promoted consumption of the fish Arctic char—a traditional Inuit food—by pregnant women living in villages of Nunavik, an area in northern Quebec (Canada) inhabited predominantly by people of Inuit ethnicity. This intervention was intended to reduce exposure to contaminants and improve food security in Inuit communities.MethodsWe assessed the project's implementation based on data collected from background documentation, field notes and qualitative interviews with project recipients and implementers. Themes emerging from the data are critically discussed in the light of the framework for implementation fidelity developed by Carrollet alin 2007.ResultsPregnant women fully embraced the initiative because of its cultural appropriateness. However, project implementation was incomplete: first because it did not cover all intended geographic areas, and second because of a recurring inconsistency in the supply and distribution of the fish. In addition, the initiative has been inconsistently funded and relies on multiple funding sources.DiscussionThis work highlights the extent to which project complexity can impede successful implementation, particularly in terms of communication and coordination. We provide recommendations for improving project implementation and suggest amendments to the implementation fidelity framework.
Realist synthesis of educational interventions to improve nutrition care competencies and delivery by doctors and other healthcare professionals
Authors: Mogre Victor , Scherpbier Albert J J A , Stevens Fred , Aryee Paul , Cherry Mary Gemma , Dornan Tim 
Published: October 2016

ObjectiveTo determine what, how, for whom, why, and in what circumstances educational interventions improve the delivery of nutrition care by doctors and other healthcare professionals work.DesignRealist synthesis following a published protocol and reported following Realist and Meta-narrative Evidence Synthesis: Evolving Standards (RAMESES) guidelines. A multidisciplinary team searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, EMBASE, PsyINFO, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, Google Scholar and Science Direct for published and unpublished (grey) literature. The team identified studies with varied designs; appraised their ability to answer the review question; identified relationships between contexts, mechanisms and outcomes (CMOs); and entered them into a spreadsheet configured for the purpose. The final synthesis identified commonalities across CMO configurations.ResultsOver half of the 46 studies from which we extracted data originated from the USA. Interventions that improved the delivery of nutrition care improved skills and attitudes rather than just knowledge; provided opportunities for superiors to model nutrition care; removed barriers to nutrition care in health systems; provided participants with local, practically relevant tools and messages; and incorporated non-traditional, innovative teaching strategies. Operating in contexts where student and qualified healthcare professionals provided nutrition care in developed and developing countries, these interventions yielded health outcomes by triggering a range of mechanisms, which included feeling competent, feeling confident and comfortable, having greater self-efficacy, being less inhibited by barriers in healthcare systems and feeling that nutrition care was accepted and recognised.ConclusionsThese findings show how important it is to move education for nutrition care beyond the simple acquisition of knowledge. They show how educational interventions embedded within systems of healthcare can improve patients’ health by helping health students and professionals to appreciate the importance of delivering nutrition care and feel competent to deliver it.
Does angiography increase the risk of impairment in renal function during non-operative management of patients with blunt splenic injuries? A cross-sectional study in southern Taiwan
Authors: Hsieh Ting-Min , Tsai Tzu-Hsien , Lin Chih-Che , Hsieh Ching-Hua 
Published: October 2016

ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to assess whether angiography after contrast-enhanced CT (CECT) as per the policy of non-operative management would add to the risk of acute kidney injury in patients with blunt splenic injuries (BSIs).DesignCross-sectional study.SettingTaiwan.ParticipantsPatients with BSI aged >16 years, admitted to a level I trauma centre during the period of January 2004 to December 2014, were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 326 patients with BSI with CECT were included in the study, of whom 100 underwent subsequent angiography and 226 did not.Main outcome measuresIncidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) and renal function as measured by the 48-hour serum creatinine (SCr) levels.ResultsNo significant difference between the patients who underwent angiography and those who did not in terms of the initial haemoglobin (Hb), SCr or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) level on arrival at the emergency department, 48 hours later, or at discharge. No significant difference in the incidence of CIN was found between these two groups of patients regardless of the criteria for identifying CIN. In the group of patients aged ≥55 years, those who underwent angiography had a significantly worse 48-hour SCr level than those who did not undergo the treatment. In addition, there was no significant difference in the 48-hour SCr level between the two groups of patients when subgrouping the patients according to sex, large haemoperitoneum revealed on CT, systolic blood pressure, initial Hb, initial SCr and initial eGFR levels.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that angiography does not increase the incidence of CIN, and was not a risk factor to renal function impairment in patients with BSI who had undergone CECT.
Registry-based analysis of participator representativeness: a source of concern for sickness absence research?
Authors: Knapstad Marit , Löve Jesper , Holmgren Kristina , Hensing Gunnel , Øverland Simon 
Published: October 2016

ObjectivesSelective participation can bias results in epidemiological surveys. The importance of health status is often suggested as a possible explanation for non-participation but few empirical studies exist. In a population-based study, explicitly focused on sickness absence, health and work, we examined whether a history of high levels of sickness absence was associated with non-participation.DesignThe study is based on data from official sickness absence registers from participants, non-participants and the total target population of the baseline survey of the Health Assets Project (HAP).SettingHAP is a population-based cohort study in the Västra Götaland region in South Western Sweden.ParticipantsHAP included a random population cohort (n=7984) and 2 cohorts with recent sickness absence (employees (n=6140) and non-employees (n=990)), extracted from the same overall general working-age population.Primary outcome measuresWe examined differences in participation rates between cohorts (2008), and differences in previous sickness absence (2001–2008) between participants (individual-level data) and non-participants or the target population (group-level data) within cohorts.ResultsParticipants had statistically significant less registered sickness absence in the past than non-participants and the target population for some, but not all, of the years analysed. Yet these differences were not of substantial size. Other factors than sickness absence were more important in explaining differences in participation, whereby participants were more likely to be women, older, born in Nordic countries, married and have higher incomes than non-participants.ConclusionsAlthough specifically addressing sickness absence, having such experience did not add any substantial layer to selective participation in the present survey. Detailed measures are needed to gain a better understanding for health selection in health-related surveys such as those addressing sickness absence, for instance in order to discriminate between selection due to ability or motivation for participation.
Protocol for a between-group experimental study examining cultural differences in emotion processing between Malay and Caucasian adults with and without major depressive disorder
Authors: Mohan S N , Mukhtar F , Jobson L 
Published: October 2016

IntroductionDepression is a mood disorder that affects a significant proportion of the population worldwide. In Malaysia and Australia, the number of people diagnosed with depression is on the rise. It has been found that impairments in emotion processing and emotion regulation play a role in the development and maintenance of depression. This study is based on Matsumoto and Hwang's biocultural model of emotion and Triandis' Subjective Culture model. It aims to investigate the influence of culture on emotion processing among Malaysians and Australians with and without major depressive disorder (MDD).Methods and analysisThis study will adopt a between-group design. Participants will include Malaysian Malays and Caucasian Australians with and without MDD (N=320). There will be four tasks involved in this study, namely: (1) the facial emotion recognition task, (2) the biological motion task, (3) the subjective experience task and (4) the emotion meaning task. It is hypothesised that there will be cultural differences in how participants with and without MDD respond to these emotion tasks and that, pan-culturally, MDD will influence accuracy rates in the facial emotion recognition task and the biological motion task.Ethics and disseminationThis study is approved by the Universiti Putra Malaysia Research Ethics Committee (JKEUPM) and the Monash University Human Research Ethics Committee (MUHREC). Permission to conduct the study has also been obtained from the National Medical Research Register (NMRR; NMRR-15-2314-26919). On completion of the study, data will be kept by Universiti Putra Malaysia for a specific period of time before they are destroyed. Data will be published in a collective manner in the form of journal articles with no reference to a specific individual.
The Screen-ICD trial. Screening for anxiety and cognitive therapy intervention for patients with implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD): a randomised controlled trial protocol
Authors: Berg Selina Kikkenborg , Herning Margrethe , Svendsen Jesper Hastrup , Christensen Anne Vinggaard , Thygesen Lau Caspar 
Published: October 2016

IntroductionPrevious research shows that patients with an implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) have a fourfold increased mortality risk when suffering from anxiety compared with ICD patients without anxiety. This research supports the screening of ICD patients for anxiety with the purpose of starting relevant intervention.Methods and analysisScreen-ICD consists of 3 parts: (1) screening of all hospitalised and outpatient patients at two university hospitals using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), scores ≥8 are invited to participate. (2) Assessment of type of anxiety by Structured Clinical Interview for DSM Disorders (SCID). (3) Investigator-initiated randomised clinical superiority trial with blinded outcome assessment, with 1:1 randomisation to cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) performed by a cardiac nurse with CBT training, plus usual care or usual care alone. The primary outcome is HADS-A measured at 16 weeks. Secondary outcomes include Becks Anxiety Inventory, HeartQoL, Hamilton Anxiety Scale, heart rate variability, ICD shock, time to first shock and antitachycardia pacing. A total of 88 participants will be included. The primary analyses are based on the intention-to-treat principle and we use a mixed model with repeated measurements for continuous outcomes. For binary outcomes (HADS-A score <8), we use a generalised mixed model with repeated measurements.Ethics and disseminationThe trial is performed in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. All patients must give informed consent prior to participation and the trial is initiated after approval by the Danish Data Protection Agency (RH-2015-282) and the regional ethics committee (H-16018868). Positive, neutral and negative results of the trial will be published.Trial registration numberNCT02713360.
Factors that influence career progression among postdoctoral clinical academics: a scoping review of the literature
Authors: Ranieri Veronica , Barratt Helen , Fulop Naomi , Rees Geraint 
Published: October 2016

BackgroundThe future of academic medicine is uncertain. Concerns regarding the future availability of qualified and willing trainee clinical academics have been raised worldwide. Of significant concern is our failure to retain postdoctoral trainee clinical academics, who are likely to be our next generation of leaders in scientific discovery.ObjectivesTo review the literature about factors that may influence postdoctoral career progression in early career clinical academics.DesignThis study employed a scoping review method. Three reviewers separately assessed whether the articles found fit the inclusion criteria.Data sourcesPubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar (1991–2015).Article selectionThe review encompassed a broad search of English language studies published anytime up to November 2015. All articles were eligible for inclusion, including research papers employing either quantitative or qualitative methods, as well as editorials and other summary articles.Data extractionData extracted from included publications were charted according to author(s), sample population, study design, key findings, country of origin and year of publication.ResultsOur review identified 6 key influences: intrinsic motivation, work–life balance, inclusiveness, work environment, mentorship and availability of funding. It also detected significant gaps within the literature about these influences.ConclusionsThree key steps are proposed to help support postdoctoral trainee clinical academics. These focus on ensuring that researchers feel encouraged in their workplace, involved in collaborative dialogue with key stakeholders and able to access reliable information regarding their chosen career pathway. Finally, we highlight recommendations for future research.
Procedural sedation in the emergency department by Dutch emergency physicians: a prospective multicentre observational study of 1711 adults
Authors: Smits Gaël JP , Kuypers Maybritt I , Mignot Lisette AA , Reijners Eef PJ , Oskam Erick , Van Doorn Karen , Thijssen Wendy AMH , Korsten Erik HM 
Published: October 2016

ObjectiveTo describe our experience performing ED procedural sedation in a country where emergency medicine (EM) is a relatively new specialty.MethodsThis is a prospective observational study of adult patients undergoing procedural sedation by emergency physicians (EPs) or EM residents in eight hospitals in the Netherlands. Data were collected on a standardised form, including patient characteristics, sedative and analgesic used, procedural success, adverse events (classified according to World SIVA) and rescue interventions.Results1711 adult cases were included from 2006 to 2013. Propofol, midazolam and esketamine (S+ enantiomer of ketamine) were the most used sedatives (63%, 29% and 8%). We had adverse event data on all patients. The overall adverse event rate was 11%, mostly hypoxia or apnoea. There was no difference in adverse event rate between EPs and EM residents. However, there was a significantly higher success rate of the procedure when EPs did the procedural sedation (92% vs 84%). No moderate (unplanned hospital admission or escalation of care) or sentinel SIVA outcomes occurred (pulmonary aspiration syndrome, death or permanent neurological deficit).ConclusionAdverse events during procedural sedation occurred in 11% of patients. There were no moderate or sentinel outcomes. All events could be managed by the sedating physician. In a country where EM is a relatively new specialty, procedural sedation appears to be safe when performed by EPs or trained EM residents and has comparable adverse event rates to international studies.