bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
New Insights into the Antimicrobial Effect of Mast Cells against Enterococcus faecalis
Authors: Scheb-Wetzel Matthias , Rohde Manfred , Bravo Alicia , Goldmann Oliver 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTEnterococcus faecalishas emerged as an important cause of life-threatening multidrug-resistant bacterial infections in the hospital setting. The pathogenesis of enterococcal infections has remained a relatively neglected field despite their obvious clinical relevance. The objective of this study was to characterize the interactions between mast cells (MCs), an innate immune cell population abundant in the intestinal lamina propria, andE. faecalis. This study was conducted with primary bone marrow-derived murine MCs. The results demonstrated that MCs exerted an antimicrobial effect againstE. faecalisthat was mediated both by degranulation, with the concomitant discharge of the antimicrobial effectors contained in the granules, and by the release of extracellular traps, in whichE. faecaliswas snared and killed. In particular, the cathelicidin LL-37 released by the MCs had potent antimicrobial effect againstE. faecalis. We also investigated the specific receptors involved in the recognition ofE. faecalisby MCs. We found that Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are critically involved in the MC recognition ofE. faecalis, since MCs deficient in the expression of MyD88, an adaptor molecule required for signaling by most TLRs, were significantly impaired in their capacity to degranulate, to reduceE. faecalisgrowth as well as to release tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) after encountering this pathogen. Furthermore, TLR2 was identified as the most prominent TLR involved in the recognition ofE. faecalisby MCs. The results of this study indicate that MCs may be important contributors to the host innate immune defenses againstE. faecalis.
Role of Pathogen-Derived Cell Wall Carbohydrates and Prostaglandin E
2
in Immune Response and Suppression of Fish Immunity by the Oomycete Saprolegnia parasitica
Authors: Belmonte Rodrigo , Wang Tiehui , Duncan Gary J. , Skaar Ida , Mélida Hugo , Bulone Vincent , van West Pieter , Secombes Christopher J. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT

Saprolegnia parasitica
is a freshwater oomycete that is capable of infecting several species of fin fish. Saprolegniosis, the disease caused by this microbe, has a substantial impact on Atlantic salmon aquaculture. No sustainable treatment against saprolegniosis is available, and little is known regarding the host response. In this study, we examined the immune response of Atlantic salmon to
S. parasitica
infection and to its cell wall carbohydrates.
Saprolegnia
triggers a strong inflammatory response in its host (i.e., induction of interleukin-1β
1
[IL-1β
1
], IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha), while severely suppressing the expression of genes associated with adaptive immunity in fish, through downregulation of T-helper cell cytokines, antigen presentation machinery, and immunoglobulins. Oomycete cell wall carbohydrates were recognized by fish leukocytes, triggering upregulation of genes involved in the inflammatory response, similar to what is observed during infection. Our data suggest that
S. parasitica
is capable of producing prostaglanding E
2
(PGE
2
)
in vitro
, a metabolite not previously shown to be produced by oomycetes, and two proteins with homology to vertebrate enzymes known to play a role in prostaglandin biosynthesis have been identified in the oomycete genome. Exogenous PGE
2
was shown to increase the inflammatory response in fish leukocytes incubated with cell wall carbohydrates while suppressing genes involved in cellular immunity (gamma interferon [IFN-γ] and the IFN-γ-inducible protein [γ-IP]). Inhibition of
S. parasitica
zoospore germination and mycelial growth by two cyclooxygenase inhibitors (aspirin and indomethacin) also suggests that prostaglandins may be involved in oomycete development.
Functional and Structural Analysis of HicA3-HicB3, a Novel Toxin-Antitoxin System of Yersinia pestis
Authors: Bibi-Triki Sabrina , Li de la Sierra-Gallay Inès , Lazar Noureddine , Leroy Arnaud , Van Tilbeurgh Herman , Sebbane Florent , Pradel Elizabeth 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT

The mechanisms involved in the virulence of
Yersinia pestis
, the plague pathogen, are not fully understood. In previous research, we found that a
Y. pestis
mutant lacking the HicB3 (YPO3369) putative orphan antitoxin was attenuated for virulence in a murine model of bubonic plague. Toxin-antitoxin systems (TASs) are widespread in prokaryotes. Most bacterial species possess many TASs of several types. In type II TASs, the toxin protein is bound and neutralized by its cognate antitoxin protein in the cytoplasm. Here we identify the
hicA3
gene encoding the toxin neutralized by HicB3 and show that HicA3-HicB3 constitutes a new functional type II TAS in
Y. pestis
. Using biochemical and mutagenesis-based approaches, we demonstrate that the HicA3 toxin is an RNase with a catalytic histidine residue. HicB3 has two functions: it sequesters and neutralizes HicA3 by blocking its active site, and it represses transcription of the
hicA3B3
operon. Gel shift assays and reporter fusion experiments indicate that the HicB3 antitoxin binds to two operators in the
hicA3B3
promoter region. We solved the X-ray structures of HicB3 and the HicA3-HicB3 complex; thus, we present the first crystal structure of a TA complex from the HicAB family. HicB3 forms a tetramer that can bind two HicA3 toxin molecules. HicA3 is monomeric and folds as a double-stranded-RNA-binding domain. The HicB3 N-terminal domain occludes the HicA3 active site, whereas its C-terminal domain folds as a ribbon-helix-helix DNA-binding motif.
Competence for Genetic Transformation in Streptococcus pneumoniae: Mutations in σ
A
Bypass the
comW
Requirement
Authors: Tovpeko Yanina , Morrison Donald A. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT

Competence for genetic transformation in the genus
Streptococcus
depends on an alternative sigma factor, σ
X
, for coordinated synthesis of 23 proteins, which together establish the X state by permitting lysis of incompetent streptococci, uptake of DNA fragments, and integration of strands of that DNA into the resident genome. Initiation of transient accumulation of high levels of σ
X
is coordinated between cells by transcription factors linked to peptide pheromone signals. In
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, elevated σ
X
is insufficient for development of full competence without coexpression of a second competence-specific protein, ComW. ComW, shared by eight species in the
Streptococcus mitis
and
Streptococcus anginosus
groups, is regulated by the same pheromone circuit that controls σ
X
, but its role in expression of the σ
X
regulon is unknown. Using the strong, but not absolute, dependence of transformation on
comW
as a selective tool, we collected 27 independent
comW
bypass mutations and mapped them to 10 single-base transitions, all within
rpoD
, encoding the primary sigma factor subunit of RNA polymerase, σ
A
. Eight mapped to sites in
rpoD
region 4 that are implicated in interaction with the core β subunit, indicating that ComW may act to facilitate competition of the alternative sigma factor σ
X
for access to core polymerase.
Long-term follow-up results in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with drug-eluting stents: results from a single high-volume PCI centre
Authors: Yao Hai-Mu , Wan You-Dong , Zhang Xiao-Juan , Shen De-Liang , Zhang Jin-Ying , Li Ling , Zhao Luo-Sha , Sun Tong-Wen 
Published: August 2014

ObjectiveTo assess both short-term and long-term prognosis in consecutive patients with coronary heart disease treated with drug-eluting stents in a high-volume percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) centre.DesignObservational cohort study.SettingA hospital in the Henan province, China, between 2009 and 2011.ParticipantsA total of 2533 patients were enrolled. Patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated with urgent PCI accounted for 3.9% of cases; patients with STEMI treated with delayed PCI accounted for 20.5% of cases; patients with stable angina accounted for 16.5% of cases; and patients with non-ST elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) accounted for 58.6% of cases.Primary outcomesDeath, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE: death/myocardial infarction/stroke), and target vessel revascularisation.ResultsFollow-up after a median of 29.8 months was obtained for 2533 patients (92.6%). The mortality rate during hospitalisation was highest in the urgent PCI group (p<0.001). During follow-up, although the incidences of death and MACCE were highest in the urgent PCI group, no significant differences were observed among the different groups. The incidences of cardiac death and myocardial infarction were significantly higher in the paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) group than in the sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) group. Independent predictors of death during follow-up were age, left ventricular ejection function <40%, diabetes mellitus, prior coronary artery bypass graft and chronic total occlusion.ConclusionsPCI patients with STEMI had the worst hospital and long-term prognosis. The mortality rate after hospital increased markedly in patients with NSTE-ACS. SESs seem to be more effective than PESs.
Assessing the feasibility of a randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the role of intraperitoneal ropivacaine in gastric bypass surgery: a protocol
Authors: Wu Robert , Haggar Fatima , Porte N'Gai , Eipe Naveen , Raiche Isabelle , Neville Amy , Yelle Jean Denis , Ramsay Tim , Mamazza Joseph 
Published: August 2014

IntroductionPostoperative pain control remains a major challenge for surgical procedures, including laparoscopic gastric bypass. Pain management is particularly relevant in obese patients who experience a higher number of cardiovascular and pulmonary events. Effective pain management may reduce their risk of serious postoperative complication, such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of intraperitoneal local anaesthetic, ropivacaine, to reduce postoperative pain in patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.Methods and analysisA randomised controlled trial will be conducted to compare intraperitoneal ropivacaine (intervention) versus normal saline (placebo) in 120 adult patients undergoing bariatric bypass surgery. Ropivacaine will be infused over the oesophageal hiatus and throughout the abdomen. Patients in the control arm will undergo the same treatment with normal saline. The primary end point will be postoperative pain at 1, 2 and 4 h postoperatively. Pain measurements will then occur every 4 h for 24 h and every 8 h until discharge. Secondary end points will include opioid use, peak expiratory flow, 6 min walk distance and quality of life assessed in the immediate postoperative period. Intention-to-treat analysis will be used and repeated measures will be analysed using mixed modelling approach. Post-hoc pairwise comparison of the treatment groups at different time points will be carried out using multiple comparisons with adjustment to the type 1 error. Results of the study will inform the feasibility of recruitment and inform sample size of a larger definitive randomised trial to evaluate the effectiveness of intraperitoneal ropivacaine.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Ottawa Health Science Network Research Ethics Board and Health Canada in April 2014. The findings of the study will be disseminated through national and international conferences and peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberClinicaltrial.govNCT02154763.
Read-back improves information transfer in simulated clinical crises
Authors: Boyd Matt , Cumin David , Lombard Braam , Torrie Jane , Civil Nina , Weller Jennifer 
Published: August 2014

BackgroundSafe and effective healthcare is frustrated by failures in communication. Repeating back important information (read-back) is thought to enhance the effectiveness of communication across many industries. However, formal communication protocols are uncommon in healthcare teams.AimsWe aimed to quantify the effect of read-back on the transfer of information between members of a healthcare team during a simulated clinical crisis. We hypothesised that reading back information provided by other team members would result in better knowledge of that information by the receiver than verbal response without read-back or no verbal response.MethodPostanaesthesia care unit nurses and anaesthetic assistants were given clinically relevant items of information at the start of 88 simulations. A clinical crisis prompted calling an anaesthetist, with no prior knowledge of the patient. Using video recordings of the simulations, we noted each time a piece of information was mentioned to the anaesthetist. Their response was coded as read-back, verbal response without read-back or no verbal response.ResultsIf the anaesthetists read back the item of information, or otherwise verbally responded, they were, respectively, 8.27 (p<0.001) or 3.16 (p=0.03) times more likely to know the information compared with no verbal response.ConclusionsOur results suggest that training healthcare teams to use read-back techniques could increase information transfer between team members with the potential for improved patient safety. More work is needed to confirm these findings.
Unusual intravascular migration of a wooden skewer resulting in vena caval thrombosis identified postmortem in a dog
Authors: Kelly P. A. , Cloak B. , Cassidy J. P. 
Published: August 2014

A two‐year‐old entire male dalmatian had a 60‐day history of on‐going depression and lethargy. Over this time‐period, the dog had intermittent pyrexia and two subcutaneous swellings had been observed on the abdominal body wall. Abdominal and thoracic radiographs taken on 60 and 16 days prior to euthanasia revealed no significant abnormalities. Similarly, no abnormalities were noted following an abdominal ultrasound on day 16 prior to euthanasia. By day 60, the dog had a right‐sided heart murmur, subcutaneous haematoma formation, a packed cell volume of 29 per cent, increased pro‐thrombin (>180 seconds), and activated partial thromboplastin (>300 seconds) times. Following euthanasia, postmortem examination revealed a 16 cm long×4 mm diameter wooden skewer embedded in a partially occluding vena caval thrombus. This represents a clinically challenging and very unusual cause of vena‐caval thrombosis and migratory route for a foreign body.
Caudoventral abdominal lymphangiosarcoma in a cat treated with metronomic chemotherapy
Authors: Castro‐López Jorge , Bermúdez Nuria , Martínez Jorge , Ramos‐Varas José , Planellas Marta , Pastor Josep 
Published: August 2014

A 10‐year‐old, male neutered domestic shorthair cat was referred for reddish discolouration of its abdominal skin with serosanguineous discharge. The affected skin was bruised, nodular and had fluid‐filled cavities. It was painful on palpation. A final diagnosis of lymphangiosarcoma was made by prospero‐related homeobox gene‐1 (PROX‐1) immunohistochemistry. Metronomic chemotherapy treatment was instaured with toceranib phosphate, chlorambucil and meloxicam. Partial remission was achieved at 18 days and stable disease was maintained for 36 days (survival time: 54 days). Afterward, the tumour began to regrow aggressively and the patient developed anorexia; owners elected for euthanasia. Total survival time achieved was 63 days. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first case report of feline caudoventral abdominal lymphangiosarcoma treated with metronomic chemotherapy.
An outbreak of bovine thromboembolic meningoencephalitis in Yucatan, Mexico
Authors: Ortega‐Pacheco Antonio , Gutierrez‐Blanco Eduardo , Blanco‐Molina Jose M. , Guillermo‐Cordero Jose L. 
Published: August 2014

Seventeen Beef‐Master cattle (three calves, one male and thirteen cows) died within a period of two months with neurological signs. A neurological syndrome was evident in the patients characterised by ataxia, incoordination, dysmetria, hyperacusia, muscle tremors and ptyalism. A dysfunction of trigeminal, facial and vestibulocochlear cranial nerves was also observed. At necropsy a septic process was evident. Histopathology of internal organs showed necrosis as a consequence of septicaemia. Complete blood cell count showed leukocytosis due to neutrophilia, lymphocytosis and monocytosis. Macroscopically the brain showed severe congestion and the histology showed a thromboembolic meningoencephalitis and thickening of the meninges. To stop the outbreak, oxytetracycline was provided to the entire herd for 10 days and all susceptible animals vaccinated against Histophilus somni. No other case was presented until a month later when two cows and one calf died with the same symptomatology. Immunosuppression was associated with the development of the disease.
Biliary cystadenoma in a male domestic Dutch rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)
Authors: Sabater Mikel , Mancinelli Elisabetta , Stidworthy Mark Frederick 
Published: August 2014

A two‐year‐old castrated male Dutch rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was referred due to acute onset of anorexia. A firm, non‐painful, round, approximately 10 cm diameter mass was palpated in the left cranial abdomen. No other major abnormalities were identified during physical exam. Radiography and ultrasonography characterised the mass. Exploratory laparotomy revealed a pedunculated mass attached to the quadrate hepatic lobe which was removed without complications. Histopathology confirmed the complete removal of a mass identified as hepatic biliary cystadenoma not showing evidence of malignancy or intra‐hepatic dissemination. The rabbit was healthy on further rechecks up to one year later. This is the second reported case of diagnosis and successful removal of a biliary cystadenoma in a rabbit with the peculiarity of this patient being a male rabbit. Biliary cystadenoma should, therefore, be part of the differential diagnosis of hepatic neoplasia in male domestic rabbits.
Tension pneumothorax secondary to a grass awn in a dog
Authors: Tsioli Vassiliki , Limberis Antonios , Pardali Dimitra , Galatos Apostolos D 
Published: August 2014

A 15‐month‐old female mixed breed dog was referred with a 3‐day history of progressive dyspnoea and change in bark. Thoracic radiography showed pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum and atelectatic caudal lung lobes. Despite repeated thoracentesis and thoracostomy tube drainage, dyspnoea and cyanosis relapsed leading to the diagnosis of tension pneumothorax. An emergency exploratory thoracotomy showed a perforation on the ventral aspect of the right caudal lung lobe associated with a grass awn. Partial lobectomy was performed, followed by routine thoracotomy closure. The dog had an uneventful recovery and, on re‐examination 2 and 6 months later, was normal.
Retinopathy and optic neuropathy following closantel treatment of ewes
Authors: Crilly James Patrick , del Pozo Jorge , Scott Philip R , Wilson David J , Sargison Neil D , Truyers Isabelle 
Published: August 2014

An outbreak of sudden onset blindness subsequent to dosing with oral closantel affecting 1 per cent of a six hundred ewe flock was investigated. Clinical examination and histopathology both revealed features fully consistent with closantel toxicity despite the maximum dose received by the affected sheep not exceeding 14.5 mg/kg (recommended dose rate 10 mg/kg). The interval between dosing and the onset of clinical signs had been recorded accurately (minimum interval eight days) and was found to be longer than in previous reports.
A class of bound entangled states violating the Breuer–Hall criterion
Authors: Cheng Wei , Xu Fang , Li Hua 
Published: August 2014

A strong and computational entanglement criterion, i.e. the Breuer–Hall criterion, has been proposed independently by Breuer [Phys. Rev. Lett. 97 (2006) 080501; J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 39 (2006) 11847] and Hall [J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 39 (2006) 14119]. As the first explicit example, we show that the class of bound entangled states found by Fei et al. [Phys. Lett. A 352 (2006) 321] exactly violate the Breuer–Hall criterion. This example can be considered as one of the test platforms of a variety of entanglement criteria and may be helpful for us to develop more powerful entanglement criteria.
Numerical experimentation on focusing time and neutron yield in GN1 plasma focus machine
Authors: Singh Arwinder , Lee Sing , Saw Sor Heoh 
Published: August 2014

In this paper, we have shown how we have fitted Lee's six phase model code to analyze the current waveform of the GN1 plasma focus machine working in deuterium gas. The Lee's 6-phase model codes was later configured to work between 0.5 to 6 Torr and the results of both focusing time and neutron yield was than compared with the published experimental results. The final results indicate that Lee's code, gives realistic plasma dynamics and focus properties together with a realistic neutron yield for GN1 plasma focus, without the need of any adjustable parameters, needing only to fit the computed current trace to a measured current trace.
Quantitative Analysis of Isolated Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotubes with Their Molar Absorbance Coefficients
Authors: Kuwahara Shota , Kuwahara Yuki , Shinohara Hisanori 
Published: August 2014

The molar absorbance coefficients of metallic, semiconducting, and (6,5) chirality enriched single‐wall carbon nanotubes were evaluated by a spray technique combined with atomic force microscopy. Single‐wall carbon nanotubes with isolated and a single predominant electronic type were obtained by using the density‐gradient ultracentrifugation technique. In the visible region, all coefficients had similar values around 2–5 × 109/mL mol−1 cm−1, independent of their diameter distribution and the electronic types of single‐wall carbon nanotubes, and the εS22/εM11 and εS11/εM11 were estimated to be 1.0 and 4.0, respectively. The coefficient strongly depends on the length of single‐wall carbon nanotubes, independent of their electronic types and chirality.
Multiplicity of Positive Solutions for a Singular Second-Order Three-Point Boundary Value Problem with a Parameter
Authors: Liu Jian , Feng Hanying , Feng Xingfang 
Published: August 2014

This paper is concerned with the following second-order three-point boundary value problemu″t+β2ut+λqtft,ut=0,t∈0 , 1,u0=0,u(1)=δu(η), whereβ∈(0,π/2),δ>0,η∈(0,1), andλis a positive parameter. First, Green’s function for the associated linear boundary value problem is constructed, and then some useful properties of Green’s function are obtained. Finally, existence, multiplicity, and nonexistence results for positive solutions are derived in terms of different values ofλby means of the fixed point index theory.