bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in children in the Northern Territory
Authors: Dyson Amanda , Pizzutto Susan J , MacLennan Carolyn , Stone Monique , Chang Anne B 
Published: October 2013

AimsThe primary aim of this study was to determine the frequency of vitD deficiency/insufficiency in an opportunistic sample of Northern Territory (NT) children. The secondary aim was to evaluate whether: (i) 25(OH)vitD (25(OH)D) levels differ between Indigenous/non‐Indigenous children; and (ii) VitD insufficiency is associated with increased acute/infective hospitalisations.MethodsTwenty‐five (OH)D levels were measured in 98 children <16 years between August 2011 and January 2012 (children hospitalised acutely/non‐acutely and well children from other studies based in Darwin). VitD deficiency was defined as 25(OH)D < 50 nmol/L, and insufficiency was postulated to be <75 nmol/L. Demographic data were collected, and computer records were reviewed.ResultsMedian age was 59 months (range 2–161); 3.1% were vitD deficient, 19.4% insufficient. There was no significant difference in mean 25(OH)D level between Indigenous (93.2, standard deviation (SD) 21.9, n = 42) and non‐Indigenous (97.3, SD 27.9, n = 56) children (P = 0.32). Median number of hospitalisations/year were similar (P = 0.319) between vitD sufficient (0.34, range 0–12, n = 76) and insufficient (0.22, 0–6, n = 22) children. There was no significant difference between number of infective admissions per year between vitD sufficient/insufficient groups (P = 0.119).ConclusionsCompared with US data (19% deficient, 65% insufficient) fewer NT children are vitD deficient/insufficient. In our limited sample, being vitD insufficient was not associated with increased acute/infective hospitalisations, but a larger unbiased sample of NT children is needed. More information is needed about the optimum level of vitD for non‐bone‐related health in children.
Growth stimulation in inflorescences of an Arabidopsis tubulin mutant under microgravity conditions in space
Authors: Hoson T. , Soga K. , Wakabayashi K. , Hashimoto T. , Karahara I. , Yano S. , Tanigaki F. , Shimazu T. , Kasahara H. , Masuda D. , Kamisaka S. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractCortical microtubules are involved in plant resistance to hypergravity, but their roles in resistance to 1 g gravity are still uncertain. To clarify this point, we cultivated an Arabidopsis α‐tubulin 6 mutant (tua6) in the Cell Biology Experiment Facility on the Kibo Module of the International Space Station, and analyzed growth and cell wall mechanical properties of inflorescences. Growth of inflorescence stems was stimulated under microgravity conditions, as compared with ground and on‐orbit 1 g conditions. The stems were 10–45% longer and their growth rate 15–55% higher under microgravity conditions than those under both 1 g conditions. The degree of growth stimulation tended to be higher in the tua6 mutant than the wild‐type Columbia. Under microgravity conditions, the cell wall extensibility in elongating regions of inflorescences was significantly higher than the controls, suggesting that growth stimulation was caused by cell wall modifications. No clear differences were detected in any growth or cell wall property between ground and on‐orbit 1 g controls. These results support the hypothesis that cortical microtubules generally play an important role in plant resistance to the gravitational force.
Effects of seed burial on germination, protein mobilisation and seedling survival in Dodonaea viscosa
Authors: Benítez‐Rodríguez L. , Gamboa‐deBuen A. , Sánchez‐Coronado M. E. , Alvarado‐López S. , Soriano D. , Méndez I. , Vázquez‐Santana S. , Carabias‐Lillo J. , Mendoza A. , Orozco‐Segovia A. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractEcological restoration of disturbed areas requires substantial knowledge of the germination of native plants and the creation of novel methods to increase seedling establishment in the field. We studied the effects of soil matrix priming on the germination of Dodonaea viscosa seeds, which exhibit physical dormancy. To this end, we buried both pre‐scarified (in H2SO4, 3 min) and non‐pre‐scarified seeds in the Parque Ecológico de la Ciudad de México. After seeds were unearthed, they were post‐scarified for 0, 2, 6 and 10 min and their germination percentages compared to the germination of a control batch of laboratory‐stored seeds. For both control and unearthed seeds, the protein pattern was determined in the enriched storage protein fraction in SDS‐PAGE gels stained with Coomassie blue. Percentage germination increased as the scarification time increased. Pre‐scarification significantly increased percentage germination of post‐scarified seeds in relation to the control and non‐pre‐scarified seeds. In seeds unearthed from the forest site, the buried pre‐scarified seeds had relatively high percentage germination, even in the absence of post‐scarification treatment. A 48‐kDa protein was not found in unearthed, pre‐scarified seeds nor in the control germinated seeds, indicating that mobilisation of this protein occurred during soil priming. Burying seeds for a short period, including the beginning of the rainy season, promoted natural priming, which increased protein mobilisation. Functionally, priming effects were reflected in high percentage seedling survival in both the shade house and the field. Seed burial also reduced the requirement for acidic post‐scarification.
Relation between emotional distress and heart rate variability in patients with an implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator
Authors: Hoogwegt Madelein T. , Pedersen Susanne S. , Theuns Dominic A. M. J. , Kupper Nina 
Published: October 2013

AbstractWe investigated the relationship between Type D personality, depression, and anxiety, and heart rate variability (HRV) in 64 patients with an implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD). HRV was obtained via 24‐h Holter monitoring, and 24‐h, 30‐min daytime rest and 30‐min nighttime sleep HRV were analyzed. In adjusted analyses, significant associations (standard deviation of normal‐to‐normal [NN] intervals [SDNN]: p = .043; standard deviation of NN intervals over 5‐min periods [SDANN]: p = .010) and a trend (HRV triangular index: p = .09) were found for Type D personality, and trends were found for depression (lower RMSSD: p = .10; lower pNN50: p = .09). During daytime rest, similar results were found for anxiety and depression. During sleep, only noteworthy adjusted associations were found for depression (lower root mean square of successive differences in NN intervals [RMSSD]: p = .06; lower pNN50: p = .043). A Benjamini‐Hochberg correction for multiple testing led to reduction of the number of significant relationships, but there was still support for lower autonomic control patients with Type D personality and depression. Future research with larger sample sizes is warranted.
Market Size, Local Sourcing and Policy Competition for Foreign Direct Investment
Authors: Ma Jie 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThis paper analyzes policy competition for a foreign‐owned monopolist firm between two asymmetric countries. In particular, one country has a larger economy than the other country. At the same time, the small country produces an intermediate good for the final good production, while the large country does not. We show that whether a country will win foreign direct investment (FDI) competition is determined by the interaction between relative transport costs of intermediate and final goods and the market size of the large country relative to that of the small country; and policy competition for FDI may Pareto weakly improve national welfare of the competing countries.
Activation, Public Employment Services and their Clients: The Role of Social Class in a Continental Welfare State
Authors: Ludwig‐Mayerhofer Wolfgang , Behrend Olaf , Sondermann Ariadne 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThis article fills a gap in the existing literature by investigating how public employment service (PES) staff actually deal with their clients under a continental regime of activation. The results reported here are based on interviews both with PES staff and their unemployed clients in Germany. We argue that due to its Bismarckian origins as an insurance‐based system of ‘unemployment protection’, Germany's system of unemployment compensation is attractive not only for the marginalized, but also for core workers. As a result, PES staff deal with clients from very heterogeneous class backgrounds. We demonstrate that social class is a significant factor in client outcomes, and that earlier research has perhaps overemphasized the role of frontline staff as ‘street‐level bureaucrats’. While staff do have considerable power, the result of the encounters between the administration and clients also depends on the capabilities of the clients, which, in turn, are strongly related to social class.
Distribution and Ca2+ signalling of fibroblast‐like (PDGFRα+) cells in the murine gastric fundus
Authors: Baker Salah A. , Hennig Grant W. , Salter Anna K. , Kurahashi Masaki , Ward Sean M. , Sanders Kenton M. 
Published: October 2013

Key points
A new class of interstitial cells, PDGFRα+ cells, is distributed densely in the proximal stomachs of mice.
PDGFRα+ cells express the molecular apparatus necessary for transduction of inputs from enteric inhibitory motor neurons.
PDGFRα+ cells generate spontaneous Ca2+ transients and display dynamic Ca2+ oscillations in response to purines.
Purinergic responses are mediated by P2Y1 receptors and by Ca2+ release from intracellular Ca2+ stores.
Ca2+ release in PDGFRα+ cells is the likely means by which purinergic neurotransmitters activate Ca2+‐activated K+ channels (SK) and hyperpolarization in GI muscles to elicit inhibitory motor responses.
Spontaneous Ca2+ transients may be a means of regulating basal excitability of fundus muscles and release of purines from motor neurons may contribute to the control of pressure during filling in the proximal stomach.
Abstract  Platelet‐derived growth factor receptor α positive (PDGFRα+) cells are suggested to mediate purinergic inputs in GI muscles, but the responsiveness of these cells to purines in situ has not been evaluated. We developed techniques to label and visualize PDGFRα+ cells in murine gastric fundus, load cells with Ca2+ indicators, and follow their activity via digital imaging. Immunolabelling demonstrated a high density of PDGFRα+ cells in the fundus. Cells were isolated and purified by fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) using endogenous expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) driven off the Pdgfra promoter. Quantitative PCR showed high levels of expression of purinergic P2Y1 receptors and SK3 K+ channels in PDGFRα+ cells. Ca2+ imaging was used to characterize spontaneous Ca2+ transients and responses to purines in PDGFRα+ cells in situ. ATP, ADP, UTP and β‐NAD elicited robust Ca2+ transients in PDGFRα+ cells. Ca2+ transients were also elicited by the P2Y1‐specific agonist (N)‐methanocarba‐2MeSADP (MRS‐2365), and inhibited by MRS‐2500, a P2Y1‐specific antagonist. Responses to ADP, MRS‐2365 and β‐NAD were absent in PDGFRα+ cells from P2ry1(−/−) mice, but responses to ATP were retained. Purine‐evoked Ca2+ transients were mediated through Ca2+ release mechanisms. Inhibitors of phospholipase C (U‐73122), IP3 (2‐APB), ryanodine receptors (Ryanodine) and SERCA pump (cyclopiazonic acid and thapsigargin) abolished Ca2+ transients elicited by purines. This study provides a link between purine binding to P2Y1 receptors and activation of SK3 channels in PDGFRα+ cells. Activation of Ca2+ release is likely to be the signalling mechanism in PDGFRα+ cells responsible for the transduction of purinergic enteric inhibitory input in gastric fundus muscles.
A full‐spectral Bayesian reconstruction approach based on the material decomposition model applied in dual‐energy computed tomography
Authors: Cai C. , Rodet T. , Legoupil S. , Mohammad‐Djafari A. 
Published: October 2013

Purpose:Dual‐energy computed tomography (DECT) makes it possible to get two fractions of basis materials without segmentation. One is the soft‐tissue equivalent water fraction and the other is the hard‐matter equivalent bone fraction. Practical DECT measurements are usually obtained with polychromatic x‐ray beams. Existing reconstruction approaches based on linear forward models without counting the beam polychromaticity fail to estimate the correct decomposition fractions and result in beam‐hardening artifacts (BHA). The existing BHA correction approaches either need to refer to calibration measurements or suffer from the noise amplification caused by the negative‐log preprocessing and the ill‐conditioned water and bone separation problem. To overcome these problems, statistical DECT reconstruction approaches based on nonlinear forward models counting the beam polychromaticity show great potential for giving accurate fraction images.Methods:This work proposes a full‐spectral Bayesian reconstruction approach which allows the reconstruction of high quality fraction images from ordinary polychromatic measurements. This approach is based on a Gaussian noise model with unknown variance assigned directly to the projections without taking negative‐log. Referring to Bayesian inferences, the decomposition fractions and observation variance are estimated by using the joint maximuma posteriori (MAP) estimation method. Subject to an adaptive prior model assigned to the variance, the joint estimation problem is then simplified into a single estimation problem. It transforms the joint MAP estimation problem into a minimization problem with a nonquadratic cost function. To solve it, the use of a monotone conjugate gradient algorithm with suboptimal descent steps is proposed.Results:The performance of the proposed approach is analyzed with both simulated and experimental data. The results show that the proposed Bayesian approach is robust to noise and materials. It is also necessary to have the accurate spectrum information about the source‐detector system. When dealing with experimental data, the spectrum can be predicted by a Monte Carlo simulator. For the materials between water and bone, less than 5% separation errors are observed on the estimated decomposition fractions.Conclusions:The proposed approach is a statistical reconstruction approach based on a nonlinear forward model counting the full beam polychromaticity and applied directly to the projections without taking negative‐log. Compared to the approaches based on linear forward models and the BHA correction approaches, it has advantages in noise robustness and reconstruction accuracy.
Daptomycin Dosing Based on Ideal Body Weight versus Actual Body Weight: Comparison of Clinical Outcomes
Authors: Ng Jennifer K. , Schulz Lucas T , Rose Warren E. , Fox Barry C. , Andes David R. , Buhr Kevin A. , Fish Jeffrey T. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Daptomycin use at our institution changed to ideal body weight dosing based on a published analysis of pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic efficacy target attainment, bacterial ecology, and a desire to reduce drug toxicity. The current study compared outcomes between actual body weight and ideal body weight dosing of daptomycin before and after this intervention. In the evaluable group, 69 patients received doses based on actual body weight and 48 patients received doses based on ideal body weight. Patients were treated for documented
Enterococcus
species,
Staphylococcus aureus
, or coagulase-negative
Staphylococcus
infections, including bloodstream, intraabdominal, skin and soft tissue, urinary, and bone. There was no statistically significant difference in clinical success between the groups (88.9% for actual body weight compared to 89.1% for ideal body weight,
P
= 0.97). After we adjusted for gender, age, body mass index, concomitant 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl–coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, infection type, and organism type, clinical success rates remained similar between groups (adjusted odds ratio of 0.68 in favor of actual body weight, 95% confidence interval [CI] of 0.13 to 3.55). Microbiological outcomes, length of stay, mortality, and adverse effects were also similar between groups. Further studies are warranted to confirm that ideal body weight dosing provides similar outcomes to actual body weight dosing for all patients and types of infections and organisms.
Anidulafungin versus Caspofungin in a Mouse Model of Candidiasis Caused by Anidulafungin-Susceptible Candida parapsilosis Isolates with Different Degrees of Caspofungin Susceptibility
Authors: Dimopoulou Dimitra , Hamilos Georgios , Tzardi Maria , Lewis Russell E. , Samonis George , Kontoyiannis Dimitrios P. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Candida parapsilosis
isolates occasionally display resistance
in vitro
to echinocandins and cause breakthrough infections to echinocandins. The degree of the
in vivo
cross-resistance among echinocandins and the fitness loss associated with caspofungin (CAS) resistance of
C. parapsilosis
are not well studied. We compared the activities of CAS and anidulafungin (ANF), each given at 2 dosing schedules (high dose or low dose) in a nonneutropenic mouse model of invasive candidiasis (IC) caused by ANF-susceptible isolates of
C. parapsilosis
with different degrees of susceptibility to CAS (CAS resistant [CAS-R], MIC, >16 mg/liter; CAS intermediate [CAS-I], MIC, 4 mg/liter; and CAS susceptible [CAS-S], MIC, 2 mg/liter). We analyzed tissue fungal burden, histopathology, and weight loss patterns. Increasing CAS resistance was associated with reduced virulence of
C. parapsilosis
isolates (mortality rates for CAS-S versus CAS-I versus CAS-R, 100% versus 11.1% versus 0%, respectively;
P
< 0.001). High doses of either echinocandin were active against infection with the CAS-I isolate when assessed by fungal burden reduction and weight gain. In contrast to CAS-S and CAS-I isolates, there was no reduction in fungal burden in mice infected with the CAS-R isolate following treatment with either echinocandin, each given at a high or low dose. Nevertheless, mice infected with the CAS-R isolate had reduced disease severity following echinocandin treatment, suggesting that echinocandins have activity
in vivo
, even against echinocandin-resistant strains. A complex interplay of residual echinocandin activity, decreased virulence, and/or fitness of isolates with altered cell wall and possible immunomodulatory effects can be encountered
in vivo
during infection with CAS-resistant
C. parapsilosis
isolates.
Retrospective Molecular Analysis of DIM-1 Metallo-β-Lactamase Discovered in Pseudomonas stutzeri from India in 2000
Authors: Deshpande Lalitagauri M. , Jones Ronald N. , Woosley Leah N. , Castanheira Mariana 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Among 220 clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacilli collected in India during 2000, 22 strains showing elevated imipenem MICs were evaluated for carbapenemase production. One DIM-1-producing
Pseudomonas stutzeri
isolate was detected, and no other carbapenemase-encoding genes were identified. This detection of a DIM-1-producing
P. stutzeri
isolate from India predating the finding of this gene in the index Dutch strain and the very recent detection of DIM-1 in Africa suggest an unidentified environmental source of this metallo-β-lactamase gene.
Human Cytomegalovirus UL97 Kinase Is Involved in the Mechanism of Action of Methylenecyclopropane Analogs with 6-Ether and -Thioether Substitutions
Authors: Komazin-Meredith Gloria , Chou Sunwen , Prichard Mark N. , Hartline Caroll B. , Cardinale Steven C. , Comeau Katelyn , Williams John D. , Khan Atiyya R. , Peet Norton P. , Bowlin Terry L. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Methylenecyclopropane nucleoside (MCPN) analogs are being investigated for treatment of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection because of favorable preclinical data and limited ganciclovir cross-resistance. Monohydroxymethyl MCPNs bearing ether and thioether functionalities at the purine 6 position have antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus (HSV) and varicella-zoster virus (VZV) in addition to HCMV. The role of the HCMV UL97 kinase in the mechanism of action of these derivatives was examined. When tested against a kinase-inactive UL97 K355M virus, a moderate 5- to 7-fold increase in 50% effective concentration (EC
50
) was observed, in comparison to a 13- to 25-fold increase for either cyclopropavir or ganciclovir. Serial propagation of HCMV under two of these compounds selected for three novel UL97 mutations encoding amino acid substitutions D456N, C480R,and Y617del. When transferred to baseline laboratory HCMV strains, these mutations individually conferred resistance to all of the tested MCPNs, ganciclovir, and maribavir. However, the engineered strains also demonstrated severe growth defects and abnormal cytopathic effects similar to the kinase-inactive mutant. Expressed and purified UL97 kinase showed
in vitro
phosphorylation of the newly tested MCPNs. Thus, HCMV UL97 kinase is involved in the antiviral action of these MCPNs, but the
in vitro
selection of UL97-defective viruses suggests that their activity against more typical ganciclovir-resistant growth-competent UL97 mutants may be relatively preserved.
Burkholderia pseudomallei Isolates from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, Are Predominantly Susceptible to Aminoglycosides and Macrolides
Authors: Podin Yuwana , Sarovich Derek S. , Price Erin P. , Kaestli Mirjam , Mayo Mark , Hii KingChing , Ngian HieUng , Wong SeeChang , Wong IngTien , Wong JinShyan , Mohan Anand , Ooi MongHow , Fam TemLom , Wong Jack , Tuanyok Apichai , Keim Paul , Giffard Philip M. , Currie Bart J. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Melioidosis is a potentially fatal disease caused by the saprophytic bacterium
Burkholderia pseudomallei
. Resistance to gentamicin is generally a hallmark of
B. pseudomallei
, and gentamicin is a selective agent in media used for diagnosis of melioidosis. In this study, we determined the prevalence and mechanism of gentamicin susceptibility found in
B. pseudomallei
isolates from Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. We performed multilocus sequence typing and antibiotic susceptibility testing on 44
B. pseudomallei
clinical isolates from melioidosis patients in Sarawak district hospitals. Whole-genome sequencing was used to identify the mechanism of gentamicin susceptibility. A novel allelic-specific PCR was designed to differentiate gentamicin-sensitive isolates from wild-type
B. pseudomallei
. A reversion assay was performed to confirm the involvement of this mechanism in gentamicin susceptibility. A substantial proportion (86%) of
B. pseudomallei
clinical isolates in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, were found to be susceptible to the aminoglycoside gentamicin, a rare occurrence in other regions where
B. pseudomallei
is endemic. Gentamicin sensitivity was restricted to genetically related strains belonging to sequence type 881 or its single-locus variant, sequence type 997. Whole-genome sequencing identified a novel nonsynonymous mutation within
amrB
, encoding an essential component of the AmrAB-OprA multidrug efflux pump. We confirmed the role of this mutation in conferring aminoglycoside and macrolide sensitivity by reversion of this mutation to the wild-type sequence. Our study demonstrates that alternative
B. pseudomallei
selective media without gentamicin are needed for accurate melioidosis laboratory diagnosis in Sarawak. This finding may also have implications for environmental sampling of other locations to test for
B. pseudomallei
endemicity.