bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Secondary pseudohypoaldosteronism causing cardiopulmonary arrest and cholelithiasis
Authors: Kibe Tetsuya , Sobajima Takehiro , Yoshimura Ayumi , Uno Yuichi , Wada Naohiro , Ueta Ikuya 
Published: April 2014

AbstractA 4‐month‐old boy presented with cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival after a brief period of lethargy. Laboratory examination indicated severe hyperkalemia, hyponatremia, metabolic acidosis, and slightly elevated C‐reactive protein. Whole body computed tomography identified left‐dominant hydronephrosis, hydroureter and cholelithiasis. Despite cardiac arrest >30 min, he was successfully resuscitated and treated with therapeutic hypothermia. Escherichia coli was detected on urine culture. Renal ultrasound showed bilateral hydronephrosis, grade II in the right and grade IV in the left. Retrospective analysis of the blood sample at admission indicated a high level of aldosterone. The patient recovered almost fully with no electrolyte imbalance and normal plasma renin and aldosterone, leading to the diagnosis of secondary pseudohypoaldosteronism associated with bilateral infected hydronephrosis. In this case, cholelithiasis, which may account for chronic dehydration, was a diagnostic clue in the absence of information of pre‐existing situations.
Efficiency of Oestrous Synchronization by GnRH, Prostaglandins and Socio‐Sexual Cues in the North African Maure Goats
Authors: Rekik M , Ben Othmane H , Lassoued N , Sakly C 
Published: April 2014

ContentsThis study aims to develop at different seasons, for local North African Maure goats, synchronizing protocols simultaneously to the standard ‘S’ protocol using progestagens in association with prostaglandins and gonadotropin. In late May, 40 goats were assigned to either the ‘S’ protocol or to a protocol where oestrus and ovulation were induced by the buck effect in single‐injection progesterone‐treated goats and provoking early luteolysis using prostaglandin 9 days after exposure to bucks ‘B’. During the 72 h after the treatments ended, 15 and 5 goats expressed oestrus in the ‘S’ and ‘B’ protocols (p < 0.01). Mean time to oestrus was shorter for ‘S’ than for ‘B’ goats. Ovulation rate averaged 2.1 ± 0.22 and 1.60 ± 0.35 for, respectively, ‘S’ and ‘B’ goats (p > 0.05). During mid‐September, 60 goats were assigned to either ‘S’ treatment, ‘PGF’ treatment where oestrus and ovulation were synchronized using two injections of prostaglandin 11 days apart or to ‘GnRH’ treatment where the goats had their oestrus and ovulation synchronized with a GnRH (day 0)–prostaglandin (day 6)–GnRH (day 9) sequence. More ‘S’ goats were detected in oestrus over the 96‐h period after the end of the treatments (88.8, 73.7 and 55% in ‘S’, ‘PGF’ and ‘GnRH’ treatments, respectively; p < 0.05). Mean ovulation rates were 2.3 ± 0.27, 1.33 ± 0.27 and 1.33 ± 0.27 for, respectively, ‘S’, ‘PGF’ and ‘GnRH’ goats (p < 0.001). Despite a similar ovulatory response to ‘S’ protocol, efficiency of prostaglandin and GnRH‐based treatments should be tested in mid‐breeding season.
Fitting Age-Specific Fertility Rates by a Flexible Generalized Skew Normal Probability Density Function
Authors: Mazzuco Stefano , Scarpa Bruno 
Published: April 2014

SummaryMixture probability density functions have recently been proposed to describe some fertility patterns characterized by a bimodal shape. These functions are adequate when the fertility pattern is actually bimodal, but they appear to be less useful when the shape of age-specific fertility rates is unimodal. A further model is proposed, based on flexible skew symmetric probability density functions. This model can fit symmetric and skew patterns as well as reflect humps that are observed in some fertility patterns. It is more parsimonious than mixture distributions and more flexible, showing a good fit with several shapes (bimodal or unimodal) of fertility patterns. Empirical evaluation of the model proposed and comparisons with other functions for Italian data from 1952 to 2003 and US data from 1933 to 2006 are also discussed.
Diffusion of Innovations in Dynamic Networks
Authors: Greenan Charlotte C. 
Published: April 2014

SummaryThe evolution of a dynamic social network and the diffusion of an innovation are jointly modelled, dependent on one another, by using an extension of a stochastic actor-oriented model developed by Snijders, which is modified so that the adoption times follow a proportional hazards model. The asymptotic behaviour of the method-of-moments estimator is examined. The model is demonstrated on a data set involving the initiation of cannabis smoking among adolescents, and a simulation study is presented.
Modelling Reporting Delays for Outbreak Detection in Infectious Disease Data
Authors: Noufaily Angela , Ghebremichael-Weldeselassie Yonas , Enki Doyo Gragn , Garthwaite Paul , Andrews Nick , Charlett André , Farrington Paddy 
Published: April 2014

SummaryThe delay that necessarily occurs between the emergence of symptoms and the identification of the cause of those symptoms affects the timeliness of detection of emerging outbreaks of infectious diseases, and hence the ability to take preventive action. We study the delays that are associated with the collection of laboratory surveillance data in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, using 12 infections of contrasting characteristics. We use a continuous time spline-based model for the hazard of the delay distribution, along with an associated proportional hazards model. The delay distributions are found to have extremely long tails, the hazard at longer delays being roughly constant, suggestive of a memoryless process, though some laboratories appear to stop reporting after a certain delay. The hazards are found typically to vary strongly with calendar time, and to a lesser extent with season and recent organism frequency. In consequence, the delay distributions cannot be assumed to be stationary. These findings will inform the development of outbreak detection algorithms that take account of reporting delays.
Evolution of the Malagasy endemic genus NanosWestwood, 1842 (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Epilissini)
Authors: MONTREUIL OLIVIER , VILJANEN HEIDI , MIRALDO ANDREIA 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe traditionally defined ‘Nanos group’, composed of the genera Nanos Westwood, 1842, Cambefortantus Paulian, 1986 and Apotolamprus Olsoufieff, 1947, represents the most recent Malagasy dung beetle radiation. Species in this group have been ecologically very successful with many being numerically dominant in local dung beetle communities in Madagascar. In this study the phylogenetic relationships of species in this group are inferred using molecular data from mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase I) and nuclear (rudimentary, topoisomerase I and 28S) genes.The monophyly of Apotolamprus is supported both by molecular and morphological characters, but that of Nanos, supported by only one morphological character, is questioned. Congruent species groups can be defined within Nanos on the base of morphology and molecular results. In addition to the phylogenetic study, the revision of the genus Nanos Westwood, 1842, s.l., is presented. Nanos antsihanakensis (Lebis, 1953) stat.n. is re‐established. Thirteen new species – Nanos pseudofusconitens sp.n., Nanos magnus sp.n., Nanos marojejyensis sp.n., Nanos bemarahaensis sp.n., Nanos andreiae sp.n., Nanos mirjae sp.n., Nanos pseudorubromaculatus sp.n., Nanos pseudominutus sp.n., Nanos mixtus sp.n., Nanos ranomafanaensis sp.n., Nanos manongorivoensis sp.n., N. pseudoviettei sp.n. and N. constricticollis sp.n. – are described and compared with their most closely related taxa. Sphaerocanthon fallaciosus Lebis, 1953, is synonymised with Nanos fusconitens (Fairmaire, 1899) syn.n. and Nanos neoelectrinus Montreuil & Viljanen, 2007, with Nanos humeralis Paulian, 1975 syn.n. Lectotypes are designated for Epilissus fusconitens var. agaboides Boucomont, 1937, Epilissus punctatus Boucomont, 1937, Epilissus sinuatipes Boucomont, 1937, Epilissus semiscribrosus Fairmaire, 1898, Epilissus fusconitens Fairmaire, 1899, and Sphaerocanthon vadoni Lebis, 1953. Aedeagus and male pro‐ and metatibiae are illustrated for each species.This published work has been registered in Zoobank, http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C1F29A37‐E380‐4D87‐871F‐039227547156.
Quality and safety of red blood cells stored in two additive solutions subjected to multiple room temperature exposures
Authors: de Grandmont M. J. , Ducas É. , Girard M. , Méthot M. , Brien M. , Thibault L. 
Published: April 2014

Background and ObjectivesMany international standards state that red blood cell (RBC) products should be discarded if left out of controlled temperature storage for longer than 30 min to reduce the risk of bacterial growth and RBC loss of viability. This study aimed to verify whether repeated short‐time exposures to room temperature (RT) influence RBCs quality and bacterial proliferation.Materials and MethodsSaline–adenine–glucose–mannitol (SAGM) and AS‐3 RBC units were split and exposed to RT for 30 or 60 min on day 2, 7, 14, 21, and 42 of storage while reference units remained stored at 1–6°C. Red blood cell in vitro quality parameters were evaluated after each exposure. In a second experiment, SAGM and AS‐3 RBC units were split and inoculated with Staphylococcus epidermidis (5 CFU/ml), Serratia marcescens (1 CFU/ml), and Serratia liquefaciens (1 CFU/ml). Reference units remained in storage while test units were exposed as described previously. Bacterial concentrations were investigated after each exposure.ResultsNo differences were noticed between reference and test units in any of the in vitro parameters investigated. S. epidermidis did not grow in either reference or exposed RBCs. While S. marcescens did not grow in AS‐3, bacterial growth was observed in RT‐exposed SAGM RBCs on day 42. Similar growth was obtained for S. liquefaciens in the two additive solutions for both reference and test units.ConclusionShort‐time exposures to RT do not affect RBC quality and do not significantly influence bacterial growth. An expansion of the ‘30‐minute’ rule to 60 min should be considered by regulatory agencies.
Excitability and responsiveness of rat barrel cortex neurons in the presence and absence of spontaneous synaptic activity in vivo
Authors: Altwegg‐Boussac Tristan , Chavez Mario , Mahon Séverine , Charpier Stéphane 
Published: April 2014

Key points
The brain continuously and endogenously generates electrical activities that fluctuate as a function of vigilance states.
In cortical neurons, this spontaneous activity takes the form of complex synaptic barrages, with distinct temporal profiles and amplitudes during sleep and wakefulness.
In this study, we explored in vivo how these two types of ongoing synaptic activities control the excitability and action potential responses of cortical neurons and analysed the subsequent effect of a complete suppression of brain electrical activity.
We found that waking‐ and sleep‐like activities facilitate similarly the integration of weak excitatory inputs and cause a similar trial‐to‐trial variability in firing patterns; compared to sleep‐like pattern, the waking‐type synaptic profile amplifies the neuronal gain to inputs of increasing magnitude.
During the isoelectric brain state, neurons still fire action potentials in response to excitations but their sensitivity to weak inputs is reduced.
AbstractThe amplitude and temporal dynamics of spontaneous synaptic activity in the cerebral cortex vary as a function of brain states. To directly assess the impact of different ongoing synaptic activities on neocortical function, we performed in vivo intracellular recordings from barrel cortex neurons in rats under two pharmacological conditions generating either oscillatory or tonic synaptic drive. Cortical neurons membrane excitability and firing responses were compared, in the same neurons, before and after complete suppression of background synaptic drive following systemic injection of a high dose of anaesthetic. Compared to the oscillatory state, the tonic pattern resulted in a more depolarized and less fluctuating membrane potential (Vm), a lower input resistance (Rm) and steeper relations of firing frequency versus injected current (F–I). Whatever their temporal dynamics, suppression of background synaptic activities increased mean Vm, without affecting Rm, and induced a rightward shift of F–I curves. Both types of synaptic drive generated a high variability in current‐induced firing rate and patterns in cortical neurons, which was much reduced after removal of spontaneous activity. These findings suggest that oscillatory and tonic synaptic patterns differentially facilitate the input–output function of cortical neurons but result in a similar moment‐to‐moment variability in spike responses to incoming depolarizing inputs.
Positions and Numbers of
FKS
Mutations in Candida albicans Selectively Influence
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Susceptibilities to Echinocandin Treatment
Authors: Lackner M. , Tscherner M. , Schaller M. , Kuchler K. , Mair C. , Sartori B. , Istel F. , Arendrup M. C. , Lass-Flörl C. 
Published: April 2014

ABSTRACT

Candidemia is the fourth most common kind of microbial bloodstream infection, with
Candida albicans
being the most common causative species. Echinocandins are employed as the first-line treatment for invasive candidiasis until the fungal species is determined and confirmed by clinical diagnosis. Echinocandins block the
FKS
glucan synthases responsible for embedding β-(1,3)-
d
-glucan in the cell wall. The increasing use of these drugs has led to the emergence of antifungal resistance, and elevated MICs have been associated with single-residue substitutions in specific hot spot regions of
FKS1
and
FKS2
. Here, we show for the first time the caspofungin-mediated
in vivo
selection of a double mutation within one allele of the
FKS1
hot spot 1 in a clinical isolate. We created a set of isogenic mutants and used a hematogenous murine model to evaluate the
in vivo
outcomes of echinocandin treatment. Heterozygous and homozygous double mutations significantly enhance the
in vivo
resistance of
C. albicans
compared with the resistance seen with heterozygous single mutations. The various
FKS1
hot spot mutations differ in the degree of their MIC increase, substance-dependent
in vivo
response, and impact on virulence. Our results demonstrate that echinocandin EUCAST breakpoint definitions correlate with the
in vivo
response when a standard dosing regimen is used but cannot predict the
in vivo
response after a dose escalation. Moreover, patients colonized by a
C. albicans
strain with multiple mutations in
FKS1
have a higher risk for therapeutic failure.
Prevalence and Molecular Characteristics of Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Hunan, China
Authors: Zhao Li-li , Chen Yan , Chen Zhong-nan , Liu Hai-can , Hu Pei-lei , Sun Qing , Zhao Xiu-qin , Jiang Yi , Li Gui-lian , Tan Yun-hong , Wan Kang-lin 
Published: April 2014

ABSTRACT

To determine the prevalence and molecular characteristics of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Hunan province, drug susceptibility testing and spoligotyping methods were performed among 171
M. tuberculosis
isolates. In addition, the mutated characteristics of 12 loci, including
katG
,
inhA
,
rpoB
,
rpsL
, nucleotides 388 to 1084 of the
rrs
gene [
rrs
(388–1084)],
embB
,
pncA
,
tlyA
,
eis
, nucleotides 1158 to 1674 of the
rrs
gene [
rrs
(1158–1674)],
gyrA
, and
gyrB
, among drug-resistant isolates were also analyzed by DNA sequencing. Our results indicated that the prevalences of isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RIF), streptomycin (SM), ethambutol (EMB), pyrazinamide (PZA), capreomycin (CAP), kanamycin (KAN), amikacin (AKM), and ofloxacin (OFX) resistance in Hunan province were 35.7%, 26.9%, 20.5%, 9.9% 15.2%, 2.3%, 1.8%, 1.2%, and 10.5%, respectively. The previously treated patients presented significantly increased risks for developing drug resistance. The majority of
M. tuberculosis
isolates belonged to the Beijing family. Almost all the drug resistance results demonstrated no association with genotype. The most frequent mutations of drug-resistant isolates were
katG
codon 315 (
katG
315
),
inhA15
,
rpoB
531
,
rpoB
526
,
rpoB
516
,
rpsL
43
,
rrs
514
,
embB
306
,
pncA
96
,
rrs
1401
,
gyrA
94
, and
gyrA
90
. These results contribute to the knowledge of the prevalence of drug resistance in Hunan province and also expand the molecular characteristics of drug resistance in China.
Uptake of Polymyxin B into Renal Cells
Authors: Abdelraouf Kamilia , Chang Kai-Tai , Yin Taijun , Hu Ming , Tam Vincent H. 
Published: April 2014

ABSTRACT
Polymyxin B is increasingly used as a treatment of last resort against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative infections. Using a mammalian kidney cell line, we demonstrated that polymyxin B uptake into proximal tubular epithelial cells was saturable and occurred primarily through the apical membrane, suggesting the involvement of transporters in the renal uptake of polymyxin B. Megalin might play a role in the uptake and accumulation of polymyxin B into renal cells.
Pharmacokinetics of Prophylactic Cefazolin in Parturients Undergoing Cesarean Delivery
Authors: Elkomy Mohammed H. , Sultan Pervez , Drover David R. , Epshtein Ekaterina , Galinkin Jeffery L. , Carvalho Brendan 
Published: April 2014

ABSTRACT
The objectives of this work were (i) to characterize the pharmacokinetics of cefazolin in pregnant women undergoing elective cesarean delivery and in their neonates; (ii) to assess cefazolin transplacental transmission; (iii) to evaluate the dosing and timing of preoperative, prophylactic administration of cefazolin to pregnant women; and (iv) to investigate the impact of maternal dosing on therapeutic duration and exposure in newborns. Twenty women received 1 g of cefazolin preoperatively. Plasma concentrations of total cefazolin were analyzed from maternal blood samples taken before, during, and after delivery; umbilical cord blood samples obtained at delivery; and neonatal blood samples collected 24 h after birth. The distribution volume of cefazolin was 9.44 liters/h. The values for pre- and postdelivery clearance were 7.18 and 4.12 liters/h, respectively. Computer simulations revealed that the probability of maintaining free cefazolin concentrations in plasma above 8 mg/liter during scheduled caesarean surgery was <50% in the cord blood when cefazolin was administered in doses of <2 g or when it was administered <1 h before delivery. Therapeutic concentrations of cefazolin persisted in neonates >5 h after birth. Cefazolin clearance increases during pregnancy, and larger doses are recommended for surgical prophylaxis in pregnant women to obtain the same antibacterial effect as in nonpregnant patients. Cefazolin has a longer half-life in neonates than in adults. Maternal administration of up to 2 g of cefazolin is effective and produces exposure within clinically approved limits in neonates.
Salt reduction in England from 2003 to 2011: its relationship to blood pressure, stroke and ischaemic heart disease mortality
Authors: He Feng J , Pombo-Rodrigues Sonia , MacGregor Graham A 
Published: April 2014

ObjectivesTo determine the relationship between the reduction in salt intake that occurred in England, and blood pressure (BP), as well as mortality from stroke and ischaemic heart disease (IHD).DesignAnalysis of the data from the Health Survey for England.Setting and participantsEngland, 2003 N=9183, 2006 N=8762, 2008 N=8974 and 2011 N=4753, aged ≥16 years.OutcomesBP, stroke and IHD mortality.ResultsFrom 2003 to 2011, there was a decrease in mortality from stroke by 42% (p<0.001) and IHD by 40% (p<0.001). In parallel, there was a fall in BP of 3.0±0.33/1.4±0.20 mm Hg (p<0.001/p<0.001), a decrease of 0.4±0.02 mmol/L (p<0.001) in cholesterol, a reduction in smoking prevalence from 19% to 14% (p<0.001), an increase in fruit and vegetable consumption (0.2±0.05 portion/day, p<0.001) and an increase in body mass index (BMI; 0.5±0.09 kg/m2, p<0.001). Salt intake, as measured by 24 h urinary sodium, decreased by 1.4 g/day (p<0.01). It is likely that all of these factors (with the exception of BMI), along with improvements in the treatments of BP, cholesterol and cardiovascular disease, contributed to the falls in stroke and IHD mortality. In individuals who were not on antihypertensive medication, there was a fall in BP of 2.7±0.34/1.1±0.23 mm Hg (p<0.001/p<0.001) after adjusting for age, sex, ethnic group, education, household income, alcohol consumption, fruit and vegetable intake and BMI. Although salt intake was not measured in these participants, the fact that the average salt intake in a random sample of the population fell by 15% during the same period suggests that the falls in BP would be largely attributable to the reduction in salt intake rather than antihypertensive medications.ConclusionsThe reduction in salt intake is likely to be an important contributor to the falls in BP from 2003 to 2011 in England. As a result, it would have contributed substantially to the decreases in stroke and IHD mortality.
Complete Monotonicity of Functions Connected with the Exponential Function and Derivatives
Authors: Wei Chun-Fu , Guo Bai-Ni 
Published: April 2014

Some complete monotonicity results that the functions±1/e±t-1are logarithmically completely monotonic, and that differences between consecutive derivatives of these two functions are completely monotonic, and that the ratios between consecutive derivatives of these two functions are decreasing on0, ∞are discovered. As applications of these newly discovered results, some complete monotonicity results concerning the polylogarithm are found. Finally a conjecture on the complete monotonicity of the above-mentioned ratios is posed.
Mechanistic Elucidation of the Antitumor Properties of Withaferin A in Breast Cancer
Authors: Nagalingam Arumugam , Kuppusamy Panjamurthy , Singh Shivendra V. , Sharma Dipali , Saxena Neeraj K. 
Published: April 2014

Abstract
Withaferin A (WFA) is a steroidal lactone with antitumor effects manifested at multiple levels that are mechanistically obscure. Using a phospho-kinase screening array, we discovered that WFA activated phosphorylation of the S6 kinase RSK (ribosomal S6 kinase) in breast cancer cells. Pursuing this observation, we defined activation of extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK)–RSK and ETS-like transcription factor 1 (Elk1)–CHOP (C-EBP homologous protein) kinase pathways in upregulating transcription of the death receptor 5 (DR5). Through this route, WFA acted as an effective DR5 activator capable of potentiating the biologic effects of celecoxib, etoposide, and TRAIL. Accordingly, WFA treatment inhibited breast tumor formation in xenograft and mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-neu mouse models in a manner associated with activation of the ERK/RSK axis, DR5 upregulation, and elevated nuclear accumulation of Elk1 and CHOP. Together, our results offer mechanistic insight into how WFA inhibits breast tumor growth. Cancer Res; 74(9); 2617–29. ©2014 AACR.