bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Jihād and Martyrdom Compared in Early and Later Hadı̄th Literature
Authors: Afsaruddin Asma 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Chapter Five compares early (from before the late third/ninth century) and late hadīth works and brings to the fore a range of competing interpretations on how best to strive in the path of God, engendered by the polyvalence of the term jihād in the Qur’ān. Similarly, early hadīth works, in contrast to later ones, also preserve a broad range of meanings for the terms shahīd and shuhadā’ that are often not replicated in later works. The preservation of the broader semantic content of these terms in diverse early works in comparison with later sources allows for reasoned speculation on the probable historical and socio-political reasons for the subsequent circumscription of their meanings. The chapter discusses in great detail the contents of the fadā’il al-jihād sections in al-Musannaf of ’Abd al-Razzāq, al-Muṣannaf of Ibn Abī Shayba (d. 235/849) and in the six authoritative Sunnī hadīth compilations.
Jihād and Martyrdom in Early and Late Treatises on the Merits of Jihād
Authors: Afsaruddin Asma 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Chapter Six deals extensively with the contents of independent fadā’il al-jihād works, which include the Kitāb al-Jihād of ’Abd Allāh Ibn al-Mubārak (d. 181/797), Kitāb al-jihād by Ibn Abī ’āṣim (d. 287/900); the Ahkām al-jihād wa-fadā’ilih by ’Abd al-’Azīz b. ’Abd al-Salām al-Sulamī (d. 660/1262) and the Mashāri’ al-ashwāq ilāmaṣāri’ al-ushshāq of Ibn al-Nahhas (d. 814/1411). The extensive comparison of the contents of these works allows for the mapping of the changing semantic landscape, as reflected in this primarily hadith-based discourse, and permits the establishment of a repertoire of meanings assigned to the termjihad and its socio-political function in different historical contexts. In both chapters Five and Six, the chains of transmission of a number of these reports are scrutinized in order to single out their most prolific narrators and discern the probable motivations for the propagation of these reports.
Conclusion
Authors: Afsaruddin Asma 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
The Conclusion weighs the evidence and assess when, how, and why scholars in the classical and medieval periods — exegetes,hadīth specialists and historians — increasingly chose to privilege a monovalent, belligerent interpretation of jihād roughly from the late second/eighth century on, which in turn instigated counter-narratives which foregrounded and praised its non-militant aspects. The historical and political motivations propelling these developments are reconstructed and the extent to which this broadens and nuances current perspectives on jihād are indicated. This chapter concludes by observing that the literatures extolling the excellences (fadā’il) of military combat and of patient forbearance in particular often encode a number of these concerns in a consciously vaunting manner, creating competing paradigms of piety while invoking, co-opting, and reworking the common idioms -- Qur’anic and otherwise -- of jihād and martyrdom broadly construed.
The Catholic Labyrinth
Authors: McDonough Peter 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
In the wake of revelations about sexual abuse that scandalized the Catholic church, several groups came to prominence in the United States, some as advocates of reform, others as defenders of clerical governance. Three considerations have shaped their strategies. One is the connection between the sexual teaching of the church and its hierarchical structure of authority. Catholic neoconservatives succeeded in wedding traditional concerns about sexuality and gender roles, heightened in reaction to the upheavals of the 1960s, with support for family values and a turn away from progressive economic and social policies. Such polarization and retrenchment have encouraged some reformers to explore a second venue, putting their efforts into less contentious areas like the schools, social services, and health care programs affiliated with the church. A significant constraint on this generally popular strategy is that efforts to secure funding for the good works of Catholicism can run up against constitutional principles regarding the separation of church and state. Third, while Catholic opinion increasingly favors changes like the abolition of the celibacy requirement for priests, a legacy of deference, indifference, and selective adherence, together with the conservative leanings of recent immigrants, have slowed the dynamics of modernization. Managerial improvements show greater promise of advancing change than challenges to doctrine. Yet it is doubtful whether reforms stressing administrative performance over fairness—notably, with regard to to the status of women—can reverse the exodus and dimming of commitment among ordinary Catholics.
Curve Characteristics and Foraminal Dimensions in Patients With Adult Scoliosis and Radiculopathy
Authors: Pugely Andrew J. , Ries Zachary , Gnanapragasam Gnanapradeep , Gao Yubo , Nash Rachel , Mendoza-Lattes Sergio A. 
Published: October 2013

Study Design:
Retrospective cohort study.

Objective:
To demonstrate a correlation between radiculopathy symptoms, foraminal morphology, and curve types.

Summary of Background Data:
Patients with degenerative scoliosis frequently present with foraminal stenosis and radiculopathy, the origin of which is not well understood.

Methods:
A total of 48 patients (384 foraminas) were included: 14 with low back pain (B); 16 with femoral nerve pain (F); and 18 with sciatic nerve pain (S). The symptomatic foramen of groups F and S were compared with asymptomatic foramina. Alignment was measured from standardized radiographs; 3D-CT reconstructions were used to measure foraminal height and area. Data are presented as mean±SD. The χ2, t test, and Pearson coefficients were calculated; as well as interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility (Cohen κ).

Results:
Seventeen of the 18 patients with sciatic nerve pain (S) presented foraminal stenosis (<40 mm2) at the concavity of the fractional curve distal to the main lumbar structural curve. The symptomatic foramina were significantly smaller in height (7.8±2.5 vs. 12.1±3.1 mm, P<0.0001) and area (30.1±14.3 vs. 57.6±28.7 mm2, P<0.0001) compared with asymptomatic foramen; 7/7 patients with femoral nerve pain (F) and lumbar structural curves (apex L3 or lower) had foraminal stenosis at the concavity of the fractional curve. Eight of the 9 patients with femoral nerve pain (F) and thoracic, thoracolumbar, or lumbar (apex L2 or higher) curves, presented foraminal stenosis in the concavity of the caudal fractional curve. The symptomatic foraminal spaces were significantly smaller in height (9.2±3.2 vs. 12.1±3.1 mm, P<0.0001) and area (30.1±15.2 vs. 57.6±28.7 mm2, P<0.0001). Foraminal height correlated with foraminal area (r=0.68–0.85; P<0.0001). Interobserver agreement was between 0.6092 and 0.8679.

Conclusions:
A correlation between curve types and symptomatic foraminal stenosis exists. Adult scoliosis patients with sciatic nerve pain typically present with foraminal stenosis at the concavity of the caudal fractional curve. Similarly, patients with femoral nerve pain present with foraminal stenosis at the concavity of the caudal fractional curve when the main structural curve is thoracic, thoracolumbar, or lumbar (apex L2 or higher).
Analyses of Ca2+ Accumulation and Dynamics in the Endoplasmic Reticulum of Arabidopsis Root Cells Using a Genetically Encoded Cameleon Sensor
Authors: Bonza Maria Cristina , Loro Giovanna , Behera Smrutisanjita , Wong Andrea , Kudla Jörg , Costa Alex 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
In planta, very limited information is available about how the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) contributes to cellular Ca2+ dynamics and homeostasis. Here, we report the generation of an ER-targeted Cameleon reporter protein suitable for analysis of Ca2+ accumulation and dynamics in the lumen of the ER in plant cells. Using stably transformed Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants expressing this reporter protein, we observed a transiently enhanced accumulation of Ca2+ in the ER in response to stimuli inducing cytosolic Ca2+ rises in root tip cells. In all experimental conditions, ER Ca2+ dynamics were substantially different from those monitored in the cytosol. A pharmacological approach enabled us to evaluate the contribution of the different ER-resident Ca2+-ATPase classes in the regulation of the ER Ca2+ homeostasis. Taken together, our results do not provide evidence for a role of the ER as a major source that releases Ca2+ for stimulus-induced increases in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration. Instead, our results show that the luminal ER Ca2+ elevations typically follow cytosolic ones, but with distinct dynamics. These findings suggest fundamental differences for the function of the ER in cellular Ca2+ homeostasis in plants and animals.
Impact of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation on the Disposition of the Aminocephalosporin Cefadroxil
Authors: Huh Yeamin , Keep Richard F. , Smith David E. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine if the disposition of cefadroxil, an α-amino-containing β-lactam antibiotic, changes during lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute inflammation. Six hours after LPS or saline treatment, mice received 1 nmol/g cefadroxil intravenously along with inulin for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) determination. Serial blood samples, along with tissue and urine samples, were collected at predetermined time points. In order to determine inflammation-induced changes in GFR, renal tubular secretion, and reabsorption, it was necessary to coadminister 70 mg/kg probenecid. Changes in the expression of the mRNA of transporters involved in cefadroxil disposition in the kidneys and choroid plexus were also investigated 6 h after LPS treatment. The results demonstrated marked increases in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and tissue cefadroxil concentrations with LPS treatment. Tissue-to-blood concentration ratios were decreased by 4.6-fold in the choroid plexus and by 2.5-fold in the kidneys during LPS-induced inflammation. Renal, but not choroid plexus, mRNA expression of peptide transporter 2, organic-anion transporter 1 (OAT1), OAT3, and multidrug resistance-associated protein 4 was mildly reduced in LPS-treated mice. The renal clearance of cefadroxil was substantially decreased by LPS treatment (3-fold). GFR was also reduced by 3-fold in LPS-treated mice, but no significant differences in the fractional reabsorption of cefadroxil and renal secretion once normalized by GFR were observed. These findings demonstrated that LPS-induced inflammation has a dramatic effect on the renal excretion of cefadroxil. It appears that changes in transporter expression played a minor role during LPS treatment but that renal dysfunction, associated with GFR reduction, was responsible for the substantial increase in plasma cefadroxil concentration-time profiles.
In Vitro
Activity of Ozenoxacin against Quinolone-Susceptible and Quinolone-Resistant Gram-Positive Bacteria
Authors: López Y. , Tato M. , Espinal P. , Garcia-Alonso F. , Gargallo-Viola D. , Cantón R. , Vila J. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

In vitro
activity of ozenoxacin, a novel nonfluorinated topical (L. D. Saravolatz and J. Leggett, Clin. Infect. Dis.
37:
1210–1215, 2003) quinolone, was compared with the activities of other quinolones against well-characterized quinolone-susceptible and quinolone-resistant Gram-positive bacteria. Ozenoxacin was 3-fold to 321-fold more active than other quinolones. Ozenoxacin could represent a first-in-class nonfluorinated quinolone for the topical treatment of a broad range of dermatological infections.
Daptomycin Activity against Uncommonly Isolated Streptococcal and Other Gram-Positive Species Groups
Authors: Sader Helio S. , Flamm Robert K. , Farrell David J. , Jones Ronald N. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

A total of 1,356 clinical isolates were tested against daptomycin by broth microdilution methods. Daptomycin was active against seven groups of viridans group streptococci (MIC
50
and MIC
90
values ranging from ≤0.06 and ≤0.06 μg/ml [
Streptococcus bovis
and
Streptococcus dysgalactiae
] to 0.5 and 1 μg/ml [
Streptococcus mitis
,
Streptococcus oralis
, and
Streptococcus parasanguinis
], respectively), beta-hemolytic streptococci serogroups C, F, and G (MIC
50
and MIC
90
, ≤0.06 to 0.25 and 0.12 to 0.25 μg/ml, respectively),
Corynebacterium
spp. (MIC
50
and MIC
90
, ≤0.06 and 0.12 μg/ml, respectively), and
Micrococcus
spp. (MIC
50
and MIC
90
, ≤0.06 and 0.25 μg/ml, respectively).
Listeria monocytogenes
exhibited higher daptomycin MICs (MIC
50
and MIC
90
, 2 and 4 μg/ml, respectively) than other tested organisms.
Pharmacokinetics of Hydroxymethylnitrofurazone, a Promising New Prodrug for Chagas' Disease Treatment
Authors: Serafim Eliana Ometto Pavan , Silva Antonio Távora de Albuquerque e , Moreno Andréia de Haro , Vizioli Ednir de Oliveira , Ferreira Elizabeth Igne , Peccinini Rosângela Gonçalves , Ribeiro Maria Lucia , Chung Man Chin 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Hydroxymethylnitrofurazone (NFOH) is a trypanocidal prodrug of nitrofurazone (NF), devoid of mutagenic toxicity. The purpose of this work was to study the chemical conversion of NFOH into NF in sodium acetate buffer (pH 1.2 and 7.4) and in human plasma and to determine preclinical pharmacokinetic parameters in rats. At pH 1.2, the NFOH was totally transformed into NF, the parent drug, after 48 h, while at pH 7.4, after the same period, the hydrolysis rate was 20%. In human plasma, 50% of NFOH was hydrolyzed after 24 h. In the investigation of kinetic disposition, the concentration of drug in serum
versus
time curve was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters after a single-dose regimen. NFOH showed a time to maximum concentration of drug in serum (
T
max
) as 1 h, suggesting faster absorption than NF (4 h). The most important results observed were the volume of distribution (
V
) of NFOH through the tissues, which showed a rate that is 20-fold higher (337.5 liters/kg of body weight) than that of NF (17.64 liters/kg), and the concentration of NF obtained by
in vivo
metabolism of NFOH, which was about four times lower (maximum concentration of drug in serum [
C
max]
= 0.83 μg/ml; area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 h [AUC
0–12]
= 5.683 μg/ml · h) than observed for administered NF (
C
max
= 2.78 μg/ml; AUC
0–12
= 54.49 μg/ml · h). These findings can explain the superior activity and lower toxicity of the prodrug NFOH in relation to its parent drug and confirm NFOH as a promising anti-Chagas' disease drug candidate.
Significance of the
d
-Serine-Deaminase and
d
-Serine Metabolism of Staphylococcus saprophyticus for Virulence
Authors: Korte-Berwanger Miriam , Sakinc Türkan , Kline Kimberly , Nielsen Hailyn V. , Hultgren Scott , Gatermann Sören G. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Staphylococcus saprophyticus
is the only species of
Staphylococcus
that is typically uropathogenic and possesses a gene coding for a
d
-serine-deaminase (DsdA). As
d
-serine is prevalent in urine and toxic or bacteriostatic to many bacteria, it is not surprising that the
d
-serine-deaminase gene is found in the genome of uropathogens. It has been suggested that
d
-serine-deaminase or the ability to respond to or to metabolize
d
-serine is important for virulence. For uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
(UPEC), a high intracellular
d
-serine concentration affects expression of virulence factors.
S. saprophyticus
is able to grow in the presence of high
d
-serine concentrations; however, its
d
-serine metabolism has not been described. The activity of the
d
-serine-deaminase was verified by analyzing the formation of pyruvate from
d
-serine in different strains with and without
d
-serine-deaminase. Cocultivation experiments were performed to show that
d
-serine-deaminase confers a growth advantage to
S. saprophyticus
in the presence of
d
-serine. Furthermore,
in vivo
coinfection experiments showed a disadvantage for the Δ
dsdA
mutant during urinary tract infection. Expression analysis of known virulence factors by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) showed that the surface-associated lipase Ssp is upregulated in the presence of
d
-serine. In addition, we show that
S. saprophyticus
is able to use
d
-serine as the sole carbon source, but interestingly,
d
-serine had a negative effect on growth when glucose was also present. Taken together,
d
-serine metabolism is associated with virulence in
S. saprophyticus
, as at least one known virulence factor is upregulated in the presence of
d
-serine and a Δ
dsdA
mutant was attenuated in virulence murine model of urinary tract infection.
Differences in Purinergic Amplification of Osmotic Cell Lysis by the Pore-Forming RTX Toxins Bordetella pertussis CyaA and Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae ApxIA: the Role of Pore Size
Authors: Masin Jiri , Fiser Radovan , Linhartova Irena , Osicka Radim , Bumba Ladislav , Hewlett Erik L. , Benz Roland , Sebo Peter 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

A large subgroup of the
r
epeat in
t
o
x
in (RTX) family of leukotoxins of Gram-negative pathogens consists of pore-forming hemolysins. These can permeabilize mammalian erythrocytes (RBCs) and provoke their colloid osmotic lysis (hemolytic activity). Recently, ATP leakage through pannexin channels and P2X receptor-mediated opening of cellular calcium and potassium channels were implicated in cell permeabilization by pore-forming toxins. In the study described here, we examined the role played by purinergic signaling in the cytolytic action of two RTX toxins that form pores of different sizes. The cytolytic potency of ApxIA hemolysin of
Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae
, which forms pores about 2.4 nm wide, was clearly reduced in the presence of P2X
7
receptor antagonists or an ATP scavenger, such as pyridoxalphosphate-6-azophenyl-2′,4′-disulfonic acid (PPADS), Brilliant Blue G, ATP oxidized sodium salt, or hexokinase. In contrast, antagonists of purinergic signaling had no impact on the hemolytic potency of the adenylate cyclase toxin-hemolysin (CyaA) of
Bordetella pertussis
, which forms pores of 0.6 to 0.8 nm in diameter. Moreover, the conductance of pores formed by ApxIA increased with the toxin concentration, while the conductance of the CyaA single pore units was constant at various toxin concentrations. However, the P2X
7
receptor antagonist PPADS inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner the exacerbated hemolytic activity of a CyaA-ΔN489 construct (lacking 489 N-terminal residues of CyaA), which exhibited a strongly enhanced pore-forming propensity (>20-fold) and also formed severalfold larger conductance units in planar lipid bilayers than intact CyaA. These results point to a pore size threshold of purinergic amplification involvement in cell permeabilization by pore-forming RTX toxins.
Nlrp-3-Driven Interleukin 17 Production by γδT Cells Controls Infection Outcomes during Staphylococcus aureus Surgical Site Infection
Authors: Maher Belinda M. , Mulcahy Michelle E. , Murphy Alison G. , Wilk Mieszko , O'Keeffe Kate M. , Geoghegan Joan A. , Lavelle Ed C. , McLoughlin Rachel M. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Recent work has identified T cells and the cytokines they produce as important correlates of immune protection during
Staphylococcus aureus
infections through the ability of these T cells to regulate local neutrophil responses. However, the specific T-cell subsets that are involved in coordinating protection at distinct sites of infection remains to be established. In this study, we identify for the first time an important role for γδT cells in controlling
S. aureus
surgical site infection (SSI). γδT cells are recruited to the wound site following
S. aureus
challenge, where they represent the primary source of interleukin 17 (IL-17), with a small contribution from other non-γδT cells. The IL-17 response is entirely dependent upon IL-1 receptor signaling. Using IL-17 receptor-deficient mice, we demonstrate that IL-17 is required to control bacterial clearance during
S. aureus
SSI. However, we demonstrate a strain-dependent requirement for γδT cells in this process due to the differential abilities of individual strains to activate IL-1β production. IL-1β processing relies upon activation of the Nlrp3 inflammasome complex, and we demonstrate that Nlrp3-deficient and IL-1 receptor-deficient mice have an impaired ability to control
S. aureus
SSI due to reduced production of IL-17 by γδT cells at the site of infection. Given that IL-17 has been identified as an important correlate of immune protection during
S. aureus
infection, it is vital that the unique cellular sources of this cytokine and mechanisms inducing its activation are identified at distinct sites of infection. Our study demonstrates that while IL-17 may be critically important for mediating immune protection during
S. aureus
SSI, the relative contribution of γδT cells to these protective effects may be strain dependent.
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa Periplasmic Protease CtpA Can Affect Systems That Impact Its Ability To Mount Both Acute and Chronic Infections
Authors: Seo Jin , Darwin Andrew J. 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACT

Proteases play important roles in the virulence of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. Some are exported to act on host targets and facilitate tissue destruction and bacterial dissemination. Others work within the bacterial cell to process virulence factors and regulate virulence gene expression. Relatively little is known about the role of one class of bacterial serine proteases known as the carboxyl-terminal processing proteases (CTPs). The
P. aeruginosa
genome encodes two CTPs annotated as PA3257/Prc and PA5134/CtpA in strain PAO1. Prc degrades mutant forms of the anti-sigma factor MucA to promote mucoidy in some cystic fibrosis lung isolates. However, nothing is known about the role or importance of CtpA. We have now found that endogenous CtpA is a soluble periplasmic protein and that a
ctpA
null mutant has specific phenotypes consistent with an altered cell envelope. Although a
ctpA
null mutation has no major effect on bacterial growth in the laboratory, CtpA is essential for the normal function of the type 3 secretion system (T3SS), for cytotoxicity toward host cells, and for virulence in a mouse model of acute pneumonia. Conversely, increasing the amount of CtpA above its endogenous level induces an uncharacterized extracytoplasmic function sigma factor regulon, an event that has been reported to attenuate
P. aeruginosa
in a rat model of chronic lung infection. Therefore, a normal level of CtpA activity is critical for T3SS function and acute virulence, whereas too much activity can trigger an apparent stress response that is detrimental to chronic virulence.