bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Early life programming of attention capacity in adolescents: The HELENA study
Authors: Esteban‐Cornejo Irene , Henriksson Pontus , Cadenas‐Sanchez Cristina , Vanhelst Jérémy , Forsner Maria , Gottrand Frederic , Kersting Mathilde , Moreno Luis A. , Ruiz Jonatan R. , Widhalm Kurt , Ortega Francisco B. ,   on behalf of the HELENA study group
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe study aims to examine the individual and combined association of early life factors (birth weight, birth length, and any and exclusive breastfeeding) with attention capacity in adolescents. The study included 421 European adolescents (243 girls), aged 12.5–17.5 years, who participated in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Study. Body weight and length at birth of adolescents were collected from parental records. The duration of any and exclusive breastfeeding were self‐reported. The d2 Test of Attention was administered to assess attention capacity. The main results showed that birth weight, birth length, breastfeeding, and exclusive breastfeeding were related to attention capacity in boys (β ranging from 0.144 to 0.196; all p < .05) after adjustment for age, centre, gestational age, maternal education, family affluence scale, and body mass index. Among boys, differences in attention capacity were found according to tertiles of birth weight and birth length (p < .05), as well as borderline significant differences across groups of any and exclusive breastfeeding (p = 0.055 and p = 0.108, respectively) after adjusting for potential confounders. In addition, boys with 3 early life risk factors (low birth weight, low birth length, and <3 months of breastfeeding) had significantly lower scores in attention capacity compared with boys with 0 risk factors (percentile score − 15.88; p = 0.009). In conclusion, early life factors, both separately and combined, may influence attention capacity in male European adolescents. Importantly, the combination of the 3 early life risk factors, low birth weight, low birth length, and <3 months of breastfeeding, even in normal ranges, may provide the highest reduction in attention capacity.
Bacterial and plant natriuretic peptides improve plant defence responses against pathogens
Authors: Ficarra Florencia A. , Grandellis Carolina , Garavaglia Betiana S. , Gottig Natalia , Ottado Jorgelina 
Published: April 2017

SummaryPlant natriuretic peptides (PNPs) have been implicated in the regulation of ions and water homeostasis, and their participation in the plant immune response has also been proposed. Xanthomonas citri ssp. citri contains a gene encoding a PNP‐like protein (XacPNP) which has no homologues in other bacteria. XacPNP mimics its Arabidopsis thaliana homologue AtPNP‐A by modifying host responses to create favourable conditions for pathogen survival. However, the ability of XacPNP to induce plant defence responses has not been investigated. In order to study further the role of XacPNP in vivo, A. thaliana lines over‐expressing XacPNP, lines over‐expressing AtPNP‐A and AtPNP‐A‐deficient plants were generated. Plants over‐expressing XacPNP or AtPNP‐A showed larger stomatal aperture and were more resistant to saline or oxidative stress than were PNP‐deficient lines. In order to study further the role of PNP in biotic stress responses, A. thaliana leaves were infiltrated with pure recombinant XacPNP, and showed enhanced expression of genes related to the defence response and a higher resistance to pathogen infections. Moreover, AtPNP‐A expression increased in A. thaliana on Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) infection. This evidence led us to analyse the responses of the transgenic plants to pathogens. Plants over‐expressing XacPNP or AtPNP‐A were more resistant to Pst infection than control plants, whereas PNP‐deficient plants were more susceptible and showed a stronger hypersensitive response when challenged with non‐host bacteria. Therefore, XacPNP, acquired by horizontal gene transfer, is able to mimic PNP functions, even with an increase in plant defence responses.
Commissions and Local Government Reform: Expressed Leadership Identities of Commissioners in Inquiries Proposing Municipal Mergers in Northern Ireland and New South Wales
Authors: Wallis Joe , Brodtkorb Tor , Dollery Brian , MacCarthaigh Muiris 
Published: April 2017

Commissions of inquiry are frequently used as venue‐alteration mechanisms to investigate and “depoliticize” local government reforms. Through the application of a leadership identity framework that examines the judgments commission chairs make during the course of the inquiry, this article explores the roles commission chairs play as interpretive authorities. The judgments that commission chairs make about the scope of stakeholder engagement and whether to adjust the agenda of the inquiry generate four types of leadership identity: conservator, consolidator, advocate, and catalyst. The leadership identity framework is applied to two commissions conducting inquiries into proposed structural reform of local government in two subnational systems: Northern Ireland and New South Wales. The application of the framework reveals that the commission process itself leads to a shift from a conservator to a consolidator leadership identity in both systems, despite their different and distinctive historical, social, and political contexts.Related Articles

Ertas, Nevbahar. 2015. “.” Politics & Policy 43 (): 426‐451. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12120/full

König, Pascal D., and
Georg Wenzelburger. 2014. “.” Politics & Policy 42 (): 400‐430. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12076/full

Raile, Eric D.,
Amber N. W. Raile,
Charles T. Salmon, and
Lori Ann Post. 2014. “.” Politics & Policy 42 (): 103‐130. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12063/full
Related Media

Sansom, Graham. 2013. “.” Future of Local Government. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v = AwQvSVqJN0E

2014. “Northern Ireland ‐ Assembly Passes the Local Government Bill ‐ 8 April 2014.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v = n6YNcrBhx-s
Comparison of the ovarian and uterine reproductive parameters, and the ovarian mRNA and protein expression of LHR and FSHR between the prepubertal and adult female cats
Authors: Mehl NS , Khalid M , Srisuwatanasagul S , Swangchan‐Uthai T , Sirivaidyapong S 
Published: April 2017

ContentsThis study aimed to evaluate and compare the ovarian and uterine characteristics along with the ovarian mRNA and protein expression of LHR and FSHR between the pre‐pubertal and adult female cats. The uterine horns and ovaries were collected from pre‐pubertal and adult female cats at their follicular, luteal and interoestrous stages of the oestrous cycle (n = 6/group). Endometrial and myometrial thickness, uterine gland diameter, ovarian weight and type of follicles were analysed. The mRNA and protein expression of LHR and FSHR was analysed by IHC and qPCR, respectively. The ovarian weight of pre‐pubertal cats was significantly lower than that of adult cats. No differences were recorded in the numbers of primordial and primary follicles between the study groups, while adult luteal cats had significantly lower numbers of antral follicles compared to pre‐pubertal cats. No differences in the ovarian expression of FSHR mRNA, LHR protein or mRNA were found between the pre‐pubertal and adult cats, but significantly lower FSHR protein expression was found in pre‐pubertal cats compared to adult luteal cats.
The Willingness to Sell Personal Data
Authors: Benndorf Volker , Normann Hans‐Theo 
Published: April 2017

AbstractWe assess the willingness of individuals to sell personal data in laboratory experiments. Our experiments are novel in that they are incentivized, the focus on privacy issues is salient, and the use of the data is transparent and unambiguous. We find considerable heterogeneity in the data. Roughly one in six participants refuse to sell personal data at all and a similar fraction sell their data for 2.50 euros or less. Our results contrast with those from hypothetical questionnaires. Those willing to sell, request, on average, 15 euros for their contact details and 19 euros for their Facebook data.
Teaching sexuality and Christianity for perspective transformation: Suggested resources and strategies
Authors: Moles Katia 
Published: April 2017

AbstractSexual activity and desire have often been seen as inimical to Christian spirituality and practice, and many people have come to view Christianity as austere and shaming regarding sexuality. However, sexuality, religion, and policy‐making have become so intertwined, that to ignore how they intersect and affect particular individuals' lives does a disservice to students. This article presents resources and strategies for incorporating the topic of sexuality into liberal undergraduate and graduate theological classrooms. It provides guidance to instructors lacking research expertise in sexuality and focuses on three main pedagogical categories: perspective transformation; embodiment pedagogy; and sexual violence and trauma. One purpose of this article is to generate conversation: there is a need for further collaboration with colleagues who are experts in various disciplines to continue mining resources to offer diverse strategies and resources.
A and B antigen levels acquired by group O donor‐derived erythrocytes following ABO‐non‐identical transfusion or minor ABO‐incompatible haematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Hult A. K. , Dykes J. H. , Storry J. R. , Olsson M. L. 
Published: April 2017

SUMMARYBackground and ObjectivesABO‐incompatible haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) presents a challenge to blood component transfusion. The aim of this study was to investigate the weak blood group A or B antigen expression by donor‐derived group O red blood cells (RBC) observed following transfusion or minor ABO‐incompatible HSCT. In addition, in vitro experiments were performed to elucidate possible mechanisms underlying this phenomenon.Materials and MethodsA sensitive flow cytometry assay for the semi‐quantification of RBC A/B antigen levels was used to assess patient samples and evaluate in vitro experiments.ResultsAnalysis of blood samples from patients, originally typed as A, B and AB but recently transplanted or transfused with cells from group O donors, revealed the A antigen expression on donor‐derived RBC, ranging from very low levels in non‐secretor individuals to almost subgroup Ax‐like profiles in group A secretors. The B antigen expression was less readily detectable. In vitro experiments, in which group O donor RBC were incubated with (i) group A/B secretor/non‐secretor donor plasma or (ii) group A/B donor RBC in the absence of plasma, supported the proposed adsorption of A/B antigen‐bearing glycolipids from secretor plasma but also indicated a secretor‐independent mechanism for A/B antigen acquisition as well as direct cell‐to‐cell transfer of ABO antigens.ConclusionThe in vivo conversion of donor‐derived blood group O RBC to ABO subgroup‐like RBC after transfusion or minor ABO‐incompatible HSCT raises the question of appropriate component selection. Based on these data, AB plasma should be transfused following ABO‐incompatible HSCT.
Cytomegalovirus Virions Shed in Urine Have a Reversible Block to Epithelial Cell Entry and Are Highly Resistant to Antibody Neutralization
Authors: Cui Xiaohong , Adler Stuart P. , Schleiss Mark R. , Arav-Boger Ravit , Demmler Harrison Gail J. , McVoy Michael A. 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACT

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) causes sensorineural hearing loss and developmental disabilities in newborns when infections are acquired
in utero
. Pregnant women may acquire CMV from oral exposure to CMV in urine or saliva from young children. Neutralizing antibodies in maternal saliva have the potential to prevent maternal infection and, in turn, fetal infection. As CMV uses different viral glycoprotein complexes to enter different cell types, the first cells to be infected in the oral cavity could determine the type of antibodies needed to disrupt oral transmission. Antibodies targeting the pentameric complex (PC) should block CMV entry into epithelial cells but not into fibroblasts or Langerhans cells (which do not require the PC for entry), while antibodies targeting glycoprotein complexes gB or gH/gL would be needed to block entry into fibroblasts, Langerhans cells, or other cell types. To assess the potential for antibodies to disrupt oral acquisition, CMV from culture-positive urine samples (uCMV) was used to study cell tropisms and sensitivity to antibody neutralization. uCMV entered epithelial cells poorly compared with the entry into fibroblasts. CMV-hyperimmune globulin or monoclonal antibodies targeting gB, gH/gL, or the PC were incapable of blocking the entry of uCMV into either fibroblasts or epithelial cells. Both phenotypes were lost after one passage in cultured fibroblasts, suggestive of a nongenetic mechanism. These results suggest that uCMV virions have a reversible block to epithelial cell entry. Antibodies may be ineffective in preventing maternal oral CMV acquisition but may limit viral spread in blood or tissues, thereby reducing or preventing fetal infection and disease.
Increased Tuberculosis Patient Mortality Associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Mutations Conferring Resistance to Second-Line Antituberculous Drugs
Authors: Georghiou Sophia B. , Seifert Marva , Catanzaro Donald G. , Garfein Richard S. , Rodwell Timothy C. 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACT

Rapid molecular diagnostics have great potential to limit the spread of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) (M/XDR-TB). These technologies detect mutations in the
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
genome that confer phenotypic drug resistance. However, there have been few data published regarding the relationships between the detected
M. tuberculosis
resistance mutations and M/XDR-TB treatment outcomes, limiting our current ability to exploit the full potential of molecular diagnostics. We analyzed clinical, microbiological, and sequencing data for 451 patients and their clinical isolates collected in a multinational, observational cohort study to determine if there was an association between
M. tuberculosis
resistance mutations and patient mortality. The presence of an
rrs
1401G mutation was associated with significantly higher odds of patient mortality (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 5.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.65 to 19.84]) after adjusting for relevant patient clinical characteristics and all other resistance mutations. Further analysis of mutations, categorized by the associated resistance level, indicated that the detection of mutations associated with high-level fluoroquinolone (OR, 3.99 [95% CI, 1.10 to 14.40]) and kanamycin (OR, 5.47 [95% CI, 1.64 to 18.24]) resistance was also significantly associated with higher odds of patient mortality, even after accounting for clinical site, patient age, reported smoking history, body mass index (BMI), diabetes, HIV, and all other resistance mutations. Specific
gyrA
and
rrs
resistance mutations, associated with high-level resistance, were associated with patient mortality as identified in clinical
M. tuberculosis
isolates from a diverse M/XDR-TB patient population at three high-burden clinical sites. These results have important implications for the interpretation of molecular diagnostics, including identifying patients at increased risk for mortality during treatment. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT02170441.)
Multicenter Performance Assessment of Carba NP Test
Authors: Cunningham Scott A. , Limbago Brandi , Traczewski Maria , Anderson Karen , Hackel Meredith , Hindler Janet , Sahm Dan , Alyanak Efe , Lawsin Adrian , Gulvik Christopher A. , de Man Tom J. B. , Mandrekar Jayawant N. , Schuetz Audrey N. , Jenkins Stephen , Humphries Romney , Palavecino Elizabeth , Vasoo Shawn , Patel Robin 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACT

Eighty Gram-negative bacilli (54
Enterobacteriaceae
and 26 nonfermenting Gram-negative bacilli) obtained from multiple institutions in the United States were distributed in a blinded manner to seven testing laboratories to compare their performance of a test for detection of carbapenemase production, the Carba NP test. The Carba NP test was performed by all laboratories, following the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) procedure. Site-versus-site comparisons demonstrated a high level of consistency for the Carba NP assay, with just 3/21 site comparisons yielding a difference in sensitivity (
P
< 0.05). Previously described limitations with
bla
OXA-48-like
carbapenemases and
bla
OXA
carbapenemases associated with
Acinetobacter baumannii
were noted. Based on these data, we demonstrate that the Carba NP test, when implemented with the standardized CLSI methodology, provides reproducible results across multiple sites for detection of carbapenemases.
Intramuscular Immunization of Mice with the Live-Attenuated Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Vaccine Strain VC2 Expressing Equine Herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) Glycoprotein D Generates Anti-EHV-1 Immune Responses in Mice
Authors: Liu Shiliang A. , Stanfield Brent A. , Chouljenko Vladimir N. , Naidu Shan , Langohr Ingeborg , Del Piero Fabio , Ferracone Jacqueline , Roy Alma A. , Kousoulas Konstantin G. 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACT

Vaccination remains the best option to combat equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV-1) infection, and several different strategies of vaccination have been investigated and developed over the past few decades. Herein, we report that the live-attenuated herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) VC2 vaccine strain, which has been shown to be unable to enter into neurons and establish latency in mice, can be utilized as a vector for the heterologous expression of EHV-1 glycoprotein D (gD) and that the intramuscular immunization of mice results in strong antiviral humoral and cellular immune responses. The VC2–EHV-1–gD recombinant virus was constructed by inserting an EHV-1 gD expression cassette under the control of the cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter into the VC2 vector in place of the HSV-1 thymidine kinase (UL23) gene. The vaccines were introduced into mice through intramuscular injection. Vaccination with both the VC2–EHV-1–gD vaccine and the commercially available vaccine Vetera EHV
XP
1/4 (Vetera; Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica) resulted in the production of neutralizing antibodies, the levels of which were significantly higher in comparison to those in VC2- and mock-vaccinated animals (
P
< 0.01 or
P
< 0.001). Analysis of EHV-1-reactive IgG subtypes demonstrated that vaccination with the VC2–EHV-1–gD vaccine stimulated robust IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies after three vaccinations (
P
< 0.001). Interestingly, Vetera-vaccinated mice produced significantly higher levels of IgM than mice in the other groups before and after challenge (
P
< 0.01 or
P
< 0.05). Vaccination with VC2–EHV-1–gD stimulated strong cellular immune responses, characterized by the upregulation of both interferon- and tumor necrosis factor-positive CD4
+
T cells and CD8
+
T cells. Overall, the data suggest that the HSV-1 VC2 vaccine strain may be used as a viral vector for the vaccination of horses as well as, potentially, for the vaccination of other economically important animals.

IMPORTANCE
A novel virus-vectored VC2–EHV-1–gD vaccine was constructed using the live-attenuated HSV-1 VC2 vaccine strain. This vaccine stimulated strong humoral and cellular immune responses in mice, suggesting that it could protect horses against EHV-1 infection.
Within-Host Evolution of
Burkholderia pseudomallei
during Chronic Infection of Seven Australasian Cystic Fibrosis Patients
Authors: Viberg Linda T. , Sarovich Derek S. , Kidd Timothy J. , Geake James B. , Bell Scott C. , Currie Bart J. , Price Erin P. 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACT

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a genetic disorder characterized by progressive lung function decline. CF patients are at an increased risk of respiratory infections, including those by the environmental bacterium
Burkholderia pseudomallei
, the causative agent of melioidosis. Here, we compared the genomes of
B. pseudomallei
isolates collected between ~4 and 55 months apart from seven chronically infected CF patients. Overall, the
B. pseudomallei
strains showed evolutionary patterns similar to those of other chronic infections, including emergence of antibiotic resistance, genome reduction, and deleterious mutations in genes involved in virulence, metabolism, environmental survival, and cell wall components. We documented the first reported
B. pseudomallei
hypermutators, which were likely caused by defective MutS. Further, our study identified both known and novel molecular mechanisms conferring resistance to three of the five clinically important antibiotics for melioidosis treatment. Our report highlights the exquisite adaptability of microorganisms to long-term persistence in their environment and the ongoing challenges of antibiotic treatment in eradicating pathogens in the CF lung. Convergent evolution with other CF pathogens hints at a degree of predictability in bacterial evolution in the CF lung and potential targeted eradication of chronic CF infections in the future.

IMPORTANCE
Burkholderia pseudomallei
, the causative agent of melioidosis, is an environmental opportunistic bacterium that typically infects immunocompromised people and those with certain risk factors such as cystic fibrosis (CF). Patients with CF tend to develop chronic melioidosis infections, for reasons that are not well understood. This report is the first to describe
B. pseudomallei
evolution within the CF lung during chronic infection. We show that the pathways by which
B. pseudomallei
adapts to the CF lung are similar to those seen in better-studied CF pathogens such as
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Staphylococcus aureus
, and
Burkholderia cepacia
complex species. Adaptations include the accumulation of antibiotic resistance, loss of nonessential genes, metabolic alterations, and virulence factor attenuation. Known and novel mechanisms of resistance to three of the five antibiotics used in melioidosis treatment were identified. Similar pathways of evolution in CF pathogens, including
B. pseudomallei
, provide exciting avenues for more-targeted treatment of chronic, recalcitrant infections.