bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Endotoxemia after high cutoff hemodialysis for treatment of patient with multiple myeloma can be prevented by using ultrapure dialysate: A case report
Authors: Gong Dehua , Ji Daxi , Zhang Kaiyue , Huang Xianghua , Huang Gaoyuan , Xu Bin , Liu Zhihong 
Published: October 2012

AbstractTo report endotoxemia presented in a case with multiple myeloma (MM) treated by high cutoff hemodialysis (HCO‐HD) being prevented by using ultrapure dialysate. A female inpatient with MM received six times HCO‐HD (HCO 2100 dialyzer) within 3 weeks after initiation of a chemotherapy based on vincristine + epirubicin + dexamethasone protocol. Conventional dialysate was used in the first three times and then changed to ultrapure dialysate due to elevation of body temperature after HCO‐HD. Free light chains (FLC) and endotoxin levels in blood and dialysate were monitored. After six times HCO‐HD, her serum FLC λ decreased from 4689 mg/L to 492.7 mg/L, with a trend of decline of serum creatinine. The clearance, reduction ratio, and removal amount of FLC λ was 38.4 mL/min, 71.0–85.2%, and 9.06–18.02 g, respectively, in the setting of dialysate flow rate 500 mL/min, while in the setting of dialysate flow rate 200 mL/min, the removal efficacy of FLC λ was lower than the former. A rise of body temperature up to 38.5°C after treatment and endotoxemia (endotoxin levels 0.122 EU/mL) was found when using conventional dialysate (endotoxin levels 0.112–0.145 EU/mL), but not seen after changing to ultrapure dialysate. Combined with appropriate chemotherapy, HCO‐HD can effectively remove and reduce blood FLC. Attention should be paid to the endotoxemia and the rise of temperature after treatment when conventional dialysate is used, which can be prevented by using ultrapure dialysate.
Previous encapsulation response enhances within individual protection against fungal parasite in the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor
Authors: Krams Indrikis , Daukste Janina , Kivleniece Inese , Krama Tatjana , Rantala Markus J. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractImmune defenses of insects show either broad reactions or specificity and durability of induced protection against attacking parasites and pathogens. In this study, we tested whether encapsulation response against nylon monofilament increases between two attempts of activation of immune system in mealworm beetles Tenebrio molitor, and whether previous exposure to nylon monofilament may also increase protection against an entomopathogenic fungus. We found that survival of beetles subjected to immune activation by nylon implant and subsequent fungal exposure a week later was significantly higher than survival of beetles which had been subjected to fungal infection only. This result suggests that previous immune activation by the nylon implant may be considered as broad spectrum “immune priming” which helps to fight not only the same intruder but also other parasites.
Winter pairs of ruddy shelducks at Lashihai Lake, southwest China
Authors: QUAN Ruichang , CUI Liangwei 
Published: October 2012

AbstractIt has been suggested that pairing behavior during winter in migratory ducks represents a trade‐off between costs (defense of the female) and benefits (early access to females). To investigate the benefits and costs for both sexes in wintering pairs of ruddy shelducks (Tadorna ferruginea), we compared time budgets for paired males and females, and surveyed the sex ratio of the birds wintering at Lashihai Lake, southwest China. The behavior of the paired ruddy shelducks was monitored for 5 activity types: feeding, resting (including sleeping), preening, drinking and warning. Feeding was the most dominant activity. The feeding time of both sexes increased as the winter season progressed. However, the paired females always spent significantly more time feeding and less time warning than the paired males. Paired ruddy shelducks had access to better feeding grounds than unpaired individuals, resulting in a food benefit for paired individuals over single individuals. Because the sex ratio of the wintering population was strongly male biased (M:F = 1.44:1.00), the paired male also gained the benefit of accessing a female in advance of the breeding season.
Fertility control of Rattus nitidus using quinestrol: effects on reproductive organs and social behavior
Authors: LIU Quansheng , QIN Jiao , CHEN Qin , WANG Deng , SHI Dazhao 
Published: October 2012

AbstractFertility control has been identified by studies in the laboratory and the field as a more appropriate and long‐term control strategy for rodent pests than lethal control. In this study, we investigated the effects of quinestrol on mass of reproductive organs and on social behaviors in female and male Himalayan field rats (Rattus nitidus). A total of 16 adult females and 16 adult males were randomly assigned to 4 groups. One male and one female group were fed rice with 0.005% quinestrol by weight for 7 days, and another 2 groups were fed rice only. After 7 days, rats were assigned to 10 min dyadic encounters between groups, and investigation, aggression, defense and attack latency were quantified. All animals were killed on day 10, and reproductive organs were dissected and weighed. Dyadic encounter data showed that there were obvious changes in social behaviors of quinestrol‐treated rats. Quinestrol significantly inhibited the investigative behavior of quinestrol‐treated males toward control females in Rattus nitidus, but seldom affected investigation between control males and quinestrol‐treated females. Aggression of control females toward quinestrol‐treated males was higher than that of quinestrol‐treated females, and defense of quinestrol‐treated males toward control females was more remarkable than that of control males. Quinestrol remarkably decreased wet masses of epididymis and spermotophore in males and ovaries in females, but had no effect on wet masses of testes and uteri after quinestrol treatment. These results indicate that the anti‐fertility effects of quinestrol on R. nitidus are attributed to not only suppressing reproductive organs but also impacting social behaviors associated with territory defense and mate choice.
Molecular characterization of glutaredoxin 2 from Ostrinia furnacalis
Authors: AN Shiheng , ZHANG Ying , WANG Tiantian , LUO Meihao , LI Chaohai 
Published: October 2012

AbstractGlutaredoxins (GRXs) play very important roles in maintaining intracellular redox homeostasis. In the present study, the full‐length cDNA sequence encoding GRX2, named OfurGRX2 (GenBank accession no. GU393246), was obtained from Ostrinia furnacalis, using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Sequence analysis revealed that the open reading frame of OfurGRX2 consists of 351 nucleotides encoding 116 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular weight of 12.6 kDa. Homolog research revealed that OfurGRX2 shares a common active site, CPYC/CPFC, with other insect counterparts. Expression profiles revealed that OfurGRX2 is a ubiquitous gene expressed in insect heads, fat bodies, epidermises, mid guts and muscles. The OfurGRX2 transcript peaked in 36‐h larvae of 4th instars, and then suddenly declined in the molting stage. Hormone treatment experiments revealed that 20‐hydroxyecodyson (20e) significantly induces the expression of the OfurGRX2 transcript, whereas juvenile hormone (JH) counteracts 20e effects. Adverse stress factors (including starvation, ultraviolet light, mechanical injury, Escherichia coli exposure, and high and low temperatures) dramatically induced OfurGRXGRX2 transcript expression, which confirmed for the first time that GRX2 play important roles in insecta during exposure to adverse environments.
Prevalence of Salmonella spp. in Cane Toads (Bufo marinus) from Grenada, West Indies, and their Antimicrobial Susceptibility
Authors: Drake M. , Amadi V. , Zieger U. , Johnson R. , Hariharan H. 
Published: October 2012

SummaryCloacal swabs and caecal contents sampled from 58 cane toads (Bufo marinus) in St George’s parish, Grenada, during a 7‐month period in 2011 were examined by an enrichment and selective culture method for presence of Salmonella spp. Twenty‐four (41%) toads were positive for Salmonella spp. of which eight were Salmonella enterica serovar Javiana, and eight were S. enterica serovar Rubislaw. The other serovars were as follows: Montevideo, 6; Arechavaleta, 1; and serovar: IV:43:‐:‐, 1. The high frequency of isolation of serovar Javiana, an emerging human pathogen associated with several outbreaks in the recent years in the eastern United States, suggests a possible role for cane toads in transmission of this serovar. Although S. Rubislaw has been isolated from lizards, bats and cases of some human infections, there is no report of its carriage by cane toads, and in such high frequency. The rate of carriage of S. Montevideo, a cause for human foodborne outbreaks around the world was also over 10% in the 58 toads sampled in this study. The antimicrobial drug susceptibility tests against amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid, ampicillin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, gentamicin, imipenem, nalidixic acid, streptomycin, tetracycline and trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole showed that drug resistance is minimal and is of little concern. Antimicrobial resistance was limited to ampicillin and amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid in one isolate of S. Javiana and one isolate of S. Rubislaw. This is the first report of isolation and antimicrobial susceptibilities of various Salmonella serovars not identified previously in cane toads in Grenada, West Indies.
NdgR, a Common Transcriptional Activator for Methionine and Leucine Biosynthesis in Streptomyces coelicolor
Authors: Kim Songhee H. , Lee Bo-Rahm , Kim Ji-Nu , Kim Byung-Gee 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

We show here that NdgR, a known transcriptional activator of isopropylmalate dehydratase in actinomycetes, may have other targets in the cell. An in-frame deletion mutant of
ndgR
showed unexpectedly poor growth in defined minimal medium even in the presence of leucine. To our surprise, it was supplementation of cysteine and methionine that corrected the growth. Based on this, we propose that NdgR induces cysteine-methionine biosynthesis. Direct involvement of NdgR in the very last steps of methionine synthesis with methionine synthase (
metH
) and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (
metF
) was examined. From a pulldown assay, it was seen that NdgR was enriched from crude cell lysates with a strong affinity to
metH
and
metF
upstream sequences. Direct physical interaction of NdgR with these targets was further examined with a gel mobility shift assay.
ndgR
,
leuC
,
metH
, and
metF
were inducible in M145 cells upon nutrient downshift from rich to minimal medium but were not induced in the
ndgR
knockout mutant. Taking these observations together, NdgR-dependent
metH-metF
expression would account for the abnormal growth phenotype of the
ndgR
mutant although there may be additional NdgR-dependent genes in the Cys-Met metabolic pathways. As the first transcriptional factor reported for regulating Cys-Met metabolism in
Streptomyces
, NdgR links two disparate amino acid families, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and sulfur amino acids, at the transcriptional level. Considering that Cys-Met metabolism is connected to mycothiol and one-carbon metabolism, NdgR may have broad physiological impacts.
Long-Term Exposure to Antibiotics Has Caused Accumulation of Resistance Determinants in the Gut Microbiota of Honeybees
Authors: Tian Baoyu , Fadhil Nibal H. , Powell J. Elijah , Kwong Waldan K. , Moran Nancy A. 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

Antibiotic treatment can impact nontarget microbes, enriching the pool of resistance genes available to pathogens and altering community profiles of microbes beneficial to hosts. The gut microbiota of adult honeybees, a distinctive community dominated by eight bacterial species, provides an opportunity to examine evolutionary responses to long-term treatment with a single antibiotic. For decades, American beekeepers have routinely treated colonies with oxytetracycline for control of larval pathogens. Using a functional metagenomic screen of bacteria from Maryland bees, we detected a high incidence of tetracycline/oxytetracycline resistance. This resistance is attributable to known resistance loci for which nucleotide sequences and flanking mobility genes were nearly identical to those from human pathogens and from bacteria associated with farm animals. Surveys using diagnostic PCR and sequencing revealed that gut bacteria of honeybees from diverse localities in the United States harbor eight tetracycline resistance loci, including efflux pump genes (
tetB
,
tetC
,
tetD
,
tetH
,
tetL
, and
tetY
) and ribosome protection genes (
tetM
and
tetW
), often at high frequencies. Isolates of gut bacteria from Connecticut bees display high levels of tetracycline resistance. Resistance genes were ubiquitous in American samples, though rare in colonies unexposed for 25 years. In contrast, only three resistance loci, at low frequencies, occurred in samples from countries not using antibiotics in beekeeping and samples from wild bumblebees. Thus, long-term antibiotic treatment has caused the bee gut microbiota to accumulate resistance genes, drawn from a widespread pool of highly mobile loci characterized from pathogens and agricultural sites.

IMPORTANCE
We found that 50 years of using antibiotics in beekeeping in the United States has resulted in extensive tetracycline resistance in the gut microbiota. These bacteria, which form a distinctive community present in healthy honeybees worldwide, may function in protecting bees from disease and in providing nutrition. In countries that do not use antibiotics in beekeeping, bee gut bacteria contained far fewer resistance genes. The tetracycline resistance that we observed in American samples reflects the capture of mobile resistance genes closely related to those known from human pathogens and agricultural sites. Thus, long-term treatment to control a specific pathogen resulted in the accumulation of a stockpile of resistance capabilities in the microbiota of a healthy gut. This stockpile can, in turn, provide a source of resistance genes for pathogens themselves. The use of novel antibiotics in beekeeping may disrupt bee health, adding to the threats faced by these pollinators.
A Single Native Ganglioside GM
1
-Binding Site Is Sufficient for Cholera Toxin To Bind to Cells and Complete the Intoxication Pathway
Authors: Jobling Michael G. , Yang ZhiJie , Kam Wendy R. , Lencer Wayne I. , Holmes Randall K. 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACT

Cholera toxin (CT) from
Vibrio cholerae
is responsible for the majority of the symptoms of the diarrheal disease cholera. CT is a heterohexameric protein complex with a 240-residue A subunit and a pentameric B subunit of identical 103-residue B polypeptides. The A subunit is proteolytically cleaved within a disulfide-linked loop to generate the A1 and A2 fragments. The B subunit of wild-type (wt) CT binds 5 cell surface ganglioside GM
1
(GM
1
) molecules, and the toxin-GM
1
complex traffics from the plasma membrane (PM) retrograde through endosomes and the Golgi apparatus to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). From the ER, the enzymatic A1 fragment retrotranslocates to the cytosol to cause disease. Clustering of GM
1
by multivalent toxin binding can structurally remodel cell membranes in ways that may assist toxin uptake and retrograde trafficking. We have recently found, however, that CT may traffic from the PM to the ER by exploiting an endogenous glycosphingolipid pathway (A. A. Wolf et al., Infect. Immun. 76:1476–1484, 2008, and D. J. F. Chinnapen et al., Dev. Cell 23:573–586, 2012), suggesting that multivalent binding to GM
1
is dispensable. Here we formally tested this idea by creating homogenous chimeric holotoxins with defined numbers of native GM
1
binding sites from zero (nonbinding) to five (wild type). We found that a single GM
1
binding site is sufficient for activity of the holotoxin. Therefore, remodeling of cell membranes by mechanisms that involve multivalent binding of toxin to GM
1
receptors is not essential for toxicity of CT.

IMPORTANCE
Through multivalent binding to its lipid receptor, cholera toxin (CT) can remodel cell membranes in ways that may assist host cell invasion. We recently found that CT variants which bind no more than 2 receptor molecules do exhibit toxicity, suggesting that CT may be able to enter cells by coopting an endogenous lipid sorting pathway without clustering receptors. We tested this idea directly by using purified variants of CT with zero to five functional receptor-binding sites (BS). One BS enabled CT to intoxicate cells, supporting the conclusion that CT can enter cells by coopting an endogenous lipid-sorting pathway. Although multivalent receptor binding is not essential, it does increase CT toxicity. These findings suggest that achieving higher receptor binding avidity or affecting membrane dynamics by lipid clustering and membrane remodeling may be driving forces for evolution of AB
5
subunit toxins that can bind multivalently to cell membrane lipid receptors.
Gain in lung function after weight reduction in severely obese children
Authors: van de Griendt E J , van der Baan-Slootweg O H , van Essen-Zandvliet E E M , van der Palen J , Tamminga-Smeulders C L J , Benninga M A , van Aalderen W M C 
Published: October 2012

AimThe primary objective of this prospective cohort study was to determine the effect of weight loss on pulmonary function values in extremely obese children.MethodsObese children participated in a 26-week in-hospital or outpatient multidisciplinary treatment programme. Waist circumference was measured and pulmonary function tests were performed at enrolment and after 6 months.ResultsThe data of 112 children were analysed. The children had a mean age of 14.4 (range 8.5–18.9) years and 62.5% were girls. The mean SD score-body mass index (SDS-BMI) was +3.38 at baseline and +2.91 after the intervention. Lung function improved significantly: functional vital capacity increased by 3.08% (95% CI 1.16% to 5.00%) of the predicted value, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) by 2.91% (95% CI 1.11% to 4.71%) of the predicted value, total lung capacity by 2.27% (95% CI 1.16% to 5.00%) of the predicted value, and expiratory reserve volume (ERV) by 14.8% (95% CI 8.66% to 20.88%) of the predicted value. The increase in ERV correlated with the reduction in SDS-BMI and with the reduction in waist circumference. FEV1 did not correlate with the reduction in either SDS-BMI or waist circumference.ConclusionsWeight loss in severely obese children correlated with an improvement in lung function, especially ERV. The improvement in ERV correlated with the decrease in SDS-BMI and waist circumference.
The prevalence and clinical significance of sonographic tendon abnormalities in asymptomatic ballet dancers: a 24-month longitudinal study
Authors: Comin Jules , Cook Jill L , Malliaras Peter , McCormack Moira , Calleja Michelle , Clarke Andrew , Connell David 
Published: October 2012

IntroductionSonographic abnormalities of the achilles and patellar tendons are common findings in athletes, and tendinopathy is a common cause of pain and disability in athletes. However, it is unclear whether the sonographic changes are pathological or adaptive, or if they predict future injury.We undertook a cohort study to determine what sonographic features of the achilles and patellar tendons are consistent with changes as a result of ballet training, and which may be predictive of future development of disabling tendon symptoms.MethodsThe achilles and patellar tendons of 79 (35 male, 44 female) professional ballet dancers (members of the English Royal Ballet) were examined with ultrasound, measuring proximal and distal tendon diameters and assessing for the presence of hypoechoic change, intratendon defects, calcification and neovascularity. All subjects were followed for 24 months for the development of patellar tendon or achilles-related pain or injury severe enough to require time off from dancing.ResultsSonographic abnormalities were common among dancers, both male and female, and in both achilles and patellar tendons. Disabling tendon-related symptoms developed in 10 dancers and 14 tendons: 7 achilles (3 right, 4 left) and 7 patellar (2 right, 5 left). The presence of moderate or severe hypoechoic defects was weakly predictive for the development of future disabling tendon symptoms (p=0.0381); there was no correlation between any of the other sonographic abnormalities and the development of symptoms.There was no relationship between achilles or patellar tendons’ diameter, either proximal or distal, with an increased likelihood of developing tendon-related disability.ConclusionThe presence of sonographic abnormalities is common in ballet dancers, but only the presence of focal hypoechoic changes predicts the development of future tendon-related disability. This suggests that screening of asymptomatic individuals may be of use in identifying those who are at higher risk of developing tendon-related disability, which may in turn allow targeted modifications of training or other preventative regimens.
Three-year follow-up of a randomised clinical trial of intravenous versus oral iron for anaemia in pregnancy
Authors: Khalafallah Alhossain A , Dennis Amanda E , Ogden Kath , Robertson Iain , Charlton Ruth H , Bellette Jackie M , Shady Jessica L , Blesingk Nep , Ball Madeleine 
Published: October 2012

BackgroundTo date, there are no data available concerning the impact of iron therapy on the long-term well-being and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in pregnancy.ObjectiveTo assess the long-term effect of iron therapy on HRQoL in pregnancy.DesignThis is a follow-up study conducted between January 2010 and January 2011 of an earlier randomised open-label clinical trial of intravenous and oral iron versus oral iron for pregnancy-related iron deficiency anaemia. We used a modified version of the SF-36 questionnaire together with the original prospective HRQoL data collected during and after pregnancy.Participants and interventionsOf the original evaluable 183 pregnant Caucasian women randomised to receive oral iron or a single intravenous iron polymaltose infusion followed by oral iron maintenance, 126 women completed the follow-up HRQoL study.MethodsThe participants were followed up 4 weeks after treatment, predelivery and postdelivery for a median period of 32 months (range, 26–42) with a well-being and HRQoL questionnaire using a modified SF-36 QoL-survey and child growth charts as set by the Australasian Paediatric Endocrine Group (APEG).ResultsPatients who received intravenous iron demonstrated significantly higher haemoglobin and serum ferritin levels (p<0.001). There were strong associations between iron status and a number of the HRQoL parameters, with improved general health (p<0.001), improved vitality (physical energy) (p<0.001), less psychological downheartedness (p=0.005), less clinical depression (p=0.003) and overall improved mental health (p<0.001). The duration of breastfeeding was longer (p=0.046) in the intravenous iron group. The babies born in both groups recorded similarly on APEG growth chart assessments.ConclusionsOur data suggest that HRQoL is improved until after pregnancy in anaemic pregnant women by repletion of their iron stores during pregnancy. About 80% of the intravenous iron group showed a maintained normal ferritin until delivery with long-term benefits. Further studies to confirm these findings are warranted.