bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A successful desensitization protocol for horse‐derived antithymocyte globulin in severe aplastic anemia
Authors: Demir Esen , Cigerci Günaydın Nurşen , Karadaş Nihal , Gülen Figen , Tanac Remziye , Yılmaz Deniz 
Published: January 2015

AbstractBackgroundHorse antithymocyte globulin (h‐ATG) (ATGAM®) is the first choice of treatment in very severe patients with aplastic anemia who do not have any HLA matched sibling donor. h‐ATG is a heterologous serum that may cause anaphylaxis. Alternative treatment strategies must be planned in case of hypersensitivity. Desensitization must be considered in patients without an alternative treatment of choice. We aimed to present the h‐ATG desensitization protocol and consider its effectiveness in patients with aplastic anemia who are hypersensitized with h‐ATG and do not have an alternative treatment of choice.MethodsSkin prick tests were performed with non‐diluted solution in eight very severe patients with aplastic anemia who are followed up in Ege University Children's Hospital. Although skin prick test was found negative in these eight patients, different dilution h‐ATG intradermal tests were performed and found positive in all patients. h‐ATG desensitization program was started to these hypersensitized patients.ResultsDesensitization program was started to six male and two female very severe patients with aplastic anemia whose ages were between seven and 19 yr (median: 12.9 yr). All of the patients completed the desensitization program. While local reaction was seen in two patients, systemic reaction was seen in one patient and late reaction was seen in one patient during and after desensitization program.ConclusionA successful desensitization program with h‐ATG in children with aplastic anemia is presented. Even though there is not an exposure before to such high allergy potential heterologous serum, skin tests should be performed and desensitization must be started to patients who are hypersensitized to h‐ATG. As the expected effectiveness of the treatment is so much, the desensitization protocol can be carried out safely and effectively with trained stuff although allergic reactions can be seen.
First release of a fungal classical biocontrol agent against an invasive alien weed in Europe: biology of the rust, Puccinia komarovii var. glanduliferae
Authors: Tanner R. A. , Pollard K. M. , Varia S. , Evans H. C. , Ellison C. A. 
Published: January 2015

The rust fungus Puccinia komarovii var. glanduliferae was first identified infecting Impatiens glandulifera in its native range (western Himalayas) between 2006 and 2010. Subsequently, it was imported into quarantine in the UK for evaluation as a classical biocontrol agent. To assess the safety of the rust, plant species relevant to Europe were tested for susceptibility. To confirm the life cycle, all infective spore stages were inoculated on I. glandulifera to follow disease progression. Teliospores were primed using bleaching and low temperatures to break dormancy. Temperature and dew period experiments using urediniospores were conducted to assess the parameters required for infection. Of the 74 plant species tested, only I. balsamina, an ornamental species, was fully susceptible to urediniospore inoculum. The life cycle of the rust – an autoecious, full‐cycled species with five spore stages – was confirmed. Urediniospores were infective between 5 and 25°C, with an optimum at 15°C. A minimum of 8 h dew period was required to achieve consistent infection. Based on a pest risk assessment, the rust poses no threat to native biodiversity within EU Member States; making P. komarovii var. glanduliferae a suitable candidate as the first fungal classical biocontrol agent against an exotic weed in the region.
Early Cleavage of Handmade Cloned Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Embryos is an Indicator of Their Developmental Competence and Quality
Authors: Kaith S , Saini M , Raja AK , Sahare AA , Jyotsana B , Madheshiya P , Palta P , Chauhan MS , Manik RS , Singla SK 
Published: January 2015

ContentsFollowing IVF, embryos which cleave early have been shown to have higher developmental competence and quality than those that cleave relatively later across many species. We investigated the effect of time of cleavage on the developmental competence, quality, epigenetic status and gene expression in buffalo embryos produced by handmade cloning (HMC). Following classification of embryos as early cleaving (EC) or late cleaving (LC) based on whether they had cleaved or not at 24 h post in vitro culture, 54% (164/303) were found to be EC and the rest to be LC. The blastocyst rate (58.1 ± 3.4 vs 36.9 ± 1.6%, p < 0.01) and the total cell number (285.5 ± 41.9 vs 141.4 ± 36.1, p < 0.05) were higher, whereas the apoptotic index (3.6 ± 0.6 vs 12.2 ± 1.7, p < 0.01) and the global level of H3K9ac and H3K27me3 were lower (p < 0.05) in the blastocysts produced from EC than in those produced from LC embryos. The relative transcript level of CASPASE3, CASPASE7, DNMT1, DNMT3a and CDX2 was higher (p < 0.05) and that of SOX2 was lower (p < 0.05) in blastocysts produced from LC than in those produced from EC embryos, whereas the expression level of CASPASE6, P53, P21, HDAC1, OCT4 and NANOG was not significantly different between the two groups. These results show that (i) following HMC, blastocysts produced from embryos that cleave early differ from those produced from late cleaving embryos in terms of epigenetic status and expression level of many important apoptosis‐, pluripotency‐, trophectoderm‐ and epigenetics‐related genes, and (ii) EC embryos are superior to LC embryos in view of their higher developmental competence and quality.
Effect of Cryopreservation on the Sperm DNA Fragmentation Dynamics of the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
Authors: Sánchez‐Calabuig MJ , López‐Fernández C , Johnston SD , Blyde D , Cooper J , Harrison K , de la Fuente J , Gosálvez J 
Published: January 2015

ContentsSperm DNA fragmentation is one of the major causes of infertility; the sperm chromatin dispersion test (SCDt) evaluates this parameter and offers the advantage of species‐specific validated protocol and ease of use under field conditions. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate sperm DNA fragmentation dynamics in both fresh and post‐thaw bottlenose dolphin sperm using the SCDt following different cryopreservation protocols to gain new information about the post‐thaw differential sperm DNA longevity in this species. Fresh and cryopreserved semen samples from five bottlenose dolphins were examined for sperm DNA fragmentation dynamics using the SCDt (Halomax®). Sperm DNA fragmentation was assessed immediately at collection and following cryopreservation (T0) and then after 0.5, 1, 4, 8, 24, 48 and 72 h incubation at 37°C. Serially collected ejaculates from four dolphins were frozen using different cryopreservation protocols in a TES‐TRIS‐fructose buffer (TTF), an egg‐yolk‐free vegetable lipid LP1 buffer (LP1) and human sperm preservation medium (HSPM). Fresh ejaculated spermatozoa initially showed low levels of DNA fragmentation for up to 48 h. Lower Sperm DNA fragmentation (SDF) was found in the second fresh ejaculate compared to the first when more than one sample was collected on the same day (p < 0.05); this difference was not apparent in any other seminal characteristic. While there was no difference observed in SDF between fresh and frozen–thawed sperm using the different cryopreservation protocols immediately after thawing (T0), frozen–thawed spermatozoa incubated at 37°C showed an increase in the rate of SDF after 24 h. Sperm frozen in the LP1℗ buffer had higher levels (p < 0.05) of DNA fragmentation after 24‐ and 48‐h incubation than those frozen in TTF or HSPM. No correlation was found between any seminal characteristic and DNA fragmentation in either fresh and/or frozen–thawed samples.
Between Poor Relief and Human Capital Investments – Paradoxes in Hybrid Social Assistance
Authors: Sandberg Johan 
Published: January 2015

AbstractConditional cash transfers (CCTs) are often being promoted for their simultaneous advantages of short‐term income protection and long‐term human capital investments.Yet, existing evaluations have largely failed to test the underlying programme theory, and few empirical case studies have explored inherent contradictions and ambiguous consequences of this hybrid approach. To further understand the programmes' social policy implications, this study identifies and analyzes such ambiguities and paradoxical consequences in the case ofUruguay'sCCT‐programme,AsignacionesFamiliares (AFAM). Drawing on qualitative data from interviews with beneficiaries and members of the commission who designed the programme, this study reveals major paradoxes inAFAM's design and implementation caused by various endogenous factors. Relevant to social policy in general, andCCT‐evaluations in particular, findings also indicate that the hybrid social assistance approach may have perverse effects on the programme's twin objectives.
Real‐time ultrasound‐tagging to track the 2D motion of the common carotid artery wall in vivo
Authors: Zahnd Guillaume , Salles Sébastien , Liebgott Hervé , Vray Didier , Sérusclat André , Moulin Philippe 
Published: January 2015

Purpose:Tracking the motion of biological tissues represents an important issue in the field of medical ultrasound imaging. However, the longitudinal component of the motion (i.e., perpendicular to the beam axis) remains more challenging to extract due to the rather coarse resolution cell of ultrasound scanners along this direction. The aim of this study is to introduce a real‐time beamforming strategy dedicated to acquire tagged images featuring a distinct pattern in the objective to ease the tracking.Methods:Under the conditions of the Fraunhofer approximation, a specific apodization function was applied to the received raw channel data, in real‐time during image acquisition, in order to introduce a periodic oscillations pattern along the longitudinal direction of the radio frequency signal. Analytic signals were then extracted from the tagged images, and subpixel motion tracking of the intima–media complex was subsequently performed offline, by means of a previously introduced bidimensional analytic phase‐based estimator.Results:The authors’ framework was applied in vivo on the common carotid artery from 20 young healthy volunteers and 6 elderly patients with high atherosclerosis risk. Cine‐loops of tagged images were acquired during three cardiac cycles. Evaluated against reference trajectories manually generated by three experienced analysts, the mean absolute tracking error was 98 ± 84 μm and 55 ± 44 μm in the longitudinal and axial directions, respectively. These errors corresponded to 28% ± 23% and 13% ± 9% of the longitudinal and axial amplitude of the assessed motion, respectively.Conclusions:The proposed framework enables tagged ultrasound images of in vivo tissues to be acquired in real‐time. Such unconventional beamforming strategy contributes to improve tracking accuracy and could potentially benefit to the interpretation and diagnosis of biomedical images.
Dissemination of
bla
OXA-23
in Acinetobacter spp. in China: Main Roles of Conjugative Plasmid pAZJ221 and Transposon Tn
2009
Authors: Liu Li-Lin , Ji Shu-Juan , Ruan Zhi , Fu Ying , Fu Yi-Qi , Wang Yan-Fei , Yu Yun-Song 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACT

Production of the OXA-23 carbapenemase is the most common reason for the increasing carbapenem resistance in
Acinetobacter
spp. This study was conducted to reveal the genetic basis of
bla
OXA-23
dissemination in
Acinetobacter
spp. in China. A total of 63 carbapenem-resistant OXA-23-producing
Acinetobacter
sp. isolates, representing different backgrounds, were selected from 28 hospitals in 18 provinces for this study. Generally, two patterns of plasmids carrying
bla
OXA-23
were detected according to S1-nuclease pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and Southern blot hybridization. A ca. 78-kb plasmid, designated pAZJ221, was found in 23
Acinetobacter baumannii
and three
Acinetobacter nosocomialis
isolates, while a novel ca. 50-kb plasmid was carried by only two other
A. baumannii
isolates. Three of these isolates had an additional copy of
bla
OXA-23
on the chromosome. Transformation of the two plasmids succeeded, but only pAZJ221 was conjugative. Plasmid pAZJ221 was sequenced completely and found to carry no previously known resistance genes except
bla
OXA-23
. The
bla
OXA-23
gene of the remaining 35 isolates was chromosome borne. The
bla
OXA-23
genetic environments were correlated with Tn
2009
in 57 isolates, Tn
2008
in 5 isolates, and Tn
2006
in 1 isolate. The MIC values for the carbapenems with these isolates were not significantly associated with the genomic locations or the copy numbers of
bla
OXA-23
. Overall, these observations suggest that the plasmid pAZJ221 and Tn
2009
have effectively contributed to the wide dissemination of
bla
OXA-23
in
Acinetobacter
spp. in China and that horizontal gene transfer may play an important role in dissemination of the
bla
OXA-23
gene.
Analysis of
embCAB
Mutations Associated with Ethambutol Resistance in Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from China
Authors: Zhao Li-li , Sun Qing , Liu Hai-can , Wu Xiao-cui , Xiao Tong-yang , Zhao Xiu-qin , Li Gui-lian , Jiang Yi , Zeng Chun-yan , Wan Kang-lin 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACT

Ethambutol (EMB) plays a pivotal role in the chemotherapy of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), including multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Resistance to EMB is considered to be caused by mutations in the
embCAB
operon (
embC
,
embA
, and
embB
). In this study, we analyzed the
embCAB
mutations among 139 MDR-TB isolates from China and found a possible association between
embCAB
operon mutation and EMB resistance. Our data indicate that 56.8% of MDR-TB isolates are resistant to EMB, and 82.2% of EMB-resistant isolates belong to the Beijing family. Overall, 110 (79.1%) MDR-TB isolates had at least one mutation in the
embCAB
operon. The majority of mutations were present in the
embB
gene and the
embA
upstream region, which also displayed significant correlations with EMB resistance. The most common mutations occurred at codon 306 in
embB
(
embB
306), followed by
embB
406,
embA
(−16), and
embB
497. Mutations at
embB
306 were associated with EMB resistance. DNA sequencing of
embB
306–497 was the best strategy for detecting EMB resistance, with 89.9% sensitivity, 58.3% specificity, and 76.3% accuracy. Additionally,
embB
306 had limited value as a candidate predictor for EMB resistance among MDR-TB infections in China.
PmrD Is Required for Modifications to Escherichia coli Endotoxin That Promote Antimicrobial Resistance
Authors: Rubin Erica J. , Herrera Carmen M. , Crofts Alexander A. , Trent M. Stephen 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACT

In
Salmonella enterica
, PmrD is a connector protein that links the two-component systems PhoP-PhoQ and PmrA-PmrB. While
Escherichia coli
encodes a PmrD homolog, it is thought to be incapable of connecting PhoPQ and PmrAB in this organism due to functional divergence from the
S. enterica
protein. However, our laboratory previously observed that low concentrations of Mg
2+
, a PhoPQ-activating signal, leads to the induction of PmrAB-dependent lipid A modifications in wild-type
E. coli
(C. M. Herrera, J. V. Hankins, and M. S. Trent, Mol Microbiol 76:1444–1460, 2010,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2958.2010.07150.x
). These modifications include phosphoethanolamine (pEtN) and 4-amino-4-deoxy-
l
-arabinose (
l
-Ara4N), which promote bacterial resistance to cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) when affixed to lipid A. Here, we demonstrate that
pmrD
is required for modification of the lipid A domain of
E. coli
lipopolysaccharide (LPS) under low-Mg
2+
growth conditions. Further, RNA sequencing shows that
E. coli
pmrD
influences the expression of
pmrA
and its downstream targets, including genes coding for the modification enzymes that transfer pEtN and
l
-Ara4N to the lipid A molecule. In line with these findings, a
pmrD
mutant is dramatically impaired in survival compared with the wild-type strain when exposed to the CAMP polymyxin B. Notably, we also reveal the presence of an unknown factor or system capable of activating
pmrD
to promote lipid A modification in the absence of the PhoPQ system. These results illuminate a more complex network of protein interactions surrounding activation of PhoPQ and PmrAB in
E. coli
than previously understood.
Selection for a CEACAM Receptor-Specific Binding Phenotype during Neisseria gonorrhoeae Infection of the Human Genital Tract
Authors: Sintsova Anna , Wong Henry , MacDonald Kelly S. , Kaul Rupert , Virji Mumtaz , Gray-Owen Scott D. 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACT

Infections by
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
are increasingly common, are often caused by antibiotic-resistant strains, and can result in serious and lasting sequelae, prompting the reemergence of gonococcal disease as a leading global health concern.
N. gonorrhoeae
is a human-restricted pathogen that primarily colonizes urogenital mucosal surfaces. Disease progression varies greatly between the sexes: men usually present with symptomatic infection characterized by a painful purulent urethral discharge, while in women, the infection is often asymptomatic, with the most severe pathology occurring when the bacteria ascend from the lower genital tract into the uterus and fallopian tubes. Classical clinical studies demonstrated that clinically infectious strains uniformly express Opa adhesins; however, their specificities were unknown at the time. While
in vitro
studies have since identified CEACAM proteins as the primary target of Opa proteins, the gonococcal specificity for this human family of receptors has not been addressed in the context of natural infection. In this study, we characterize a collection of low-passage-number clinical-specimen-derived
N. gonorrhoeae
isolates for Opa expression and assess their CEACAM-binding profiles. We report marked
in vivo
selection for expression of phase-variable Opa proteins that bind CEACAM1 and CEACAM5 but selection against expression of Opa variants that bind to the neutrophil-restricted decoy receptor CEACAM3. This is the first study showing phenotypic selection for distinct CEACAM-binding phenotypes
in vivo
, and it supports the opposing functions of CEACAMs that facilitate infection versus driving inflammation within the genital tract.
Interaction and Assembly of Two Novel Proteins in the Spore Wall of the Microsporidian Species Nosema bombycis and Their Roles in Adherence to and Infection of Host Cells
Authors: Yang Donglin , Pan Guoqing , Dang Xiaoqun , Shi Yawei , Li Chunfeng , Peng Pai , Luo Bo , Bian Maofei , Song Yue , Ma Cheng , Chen Jie , Ma Zhengang , Geng Lina , Li Zhi , Tian Rui , Wei Cuifang , Zhou Zeyang 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACTMicrosporidia are obligate intracellular parasites with rigid spore walls that protect against various environmental pressures. Despite an extensive description of the spore wall, little is known regarding the mechanism by which it is deposited or the role it plays in cell adhesion and infection. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of two novel spore wall proteins, SWP7 and SWP9, in the microsporidian speciesNosema bombycis. SWP7 and SWP9 are mainly localized to the exospore and endospore of mature spores and the cytoplasm of sporonts, respectively. In addition, a portion of SWP9 is targeted to the spore wall of sporoblasts earlier than SWP7 is. Both SWP7 and SWP9 are specifically colocalized to the spore wall in mature spores. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation, far-Western blotting, unreduced SDS-PAGE, and yeast two-hybrid data demonstrated that SWP7 interacted with SWP9. The chitin binding assay showed that, within the total spore protein, SWP9 and SWP7 can bind to the deproteinated chitin spore coats (DCSCs) ofN. bombycis. However, binding of the recombinant protein rSWP7-His to the DCSCs is dependent on the combination of rSWP9–glutathioneS-transferase (GST) with the DCSCs. Finally, rSWP9-GST, anti-SWP9, and anti-SWP7 antibodies decreased spore adhesion and infection of the host cell. In conclusion, SWP7 and SWP9 may have important structural capacities and play significant roles in modulating host cell adherence and infectionin vitro. A possible major function of SWP9 is as a scaffolding protein that supports other proteins (such as SWP7) that form the integrated spore wall ofN. bombycis.
Allosteric Regulation of Lactobacillus plantarum Xylulose 5-Phosphate/Fructose 6-Phosphate Phosphoketolase (Xfp)
Authors: Glenn Katie , Smith Kerry S. 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACTXylulose 5-phosphate/fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase (Xfp), which catalyzes the conversion of xylulose 5-phosphate (X5P) or fructose 6-phosphate (F6P) to acetyl phosphate, plays a key role in carbohydrate metabolism in a number of bacteria. Recently, we demonstrated that the fungalCryptococcus neoformansXfp2 exhibits both substrate cooperativity for all substrates (X5P, F6P, and Pi) and allosteric regulation in the forms of inhibition by phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), oxaloacetic acid (OAA), and ATP and activation by AMP (K. Glenn, C. Ingram-Smith, and K. S. Smith. Eukaryot Cell13:657–663, 2014). Allosteric regulation has not been reported previously for the characterized bacterial Xfps. Here, we report the discovery of substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation among bacterial Xfps, specifically theLactobacillus plantarumXfp.L. plantarumXfp is an allosteric enzyme inhibited by PEP, OAA, and glyoxylate but unaffected by the presence of ATP or AMP. Glyoxylate is an additional inhibitor to those previously reported forC. neoformansXfp2. As withC. neoformansXfp2, PEP and OAA share the same or possess overlapping sites onL. plantarumXfp. Glyoxylate, which had the lowest half-maximal inhibitory concentration of the three inhibitors, binds at a separate site. This study demonstrates that substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation may be common properties among bacterial and eukaryotic Xfp enzymes, yet important differences exist between the enzymes in these two domains.IMPORTANCEXylulose 5-phosphate/fructose 6-phosphate phosphoketolase (Xfp) plays a key role in carbohydrate metabolism in a number of bacteria. Although we recently demonstrated that the fungalCryptococcusXfp is subject to substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation, neither phenomenon has been reported for a bacterial Xfp. Here, we report that theLactobacillus plantarumXfp displays substrate cooperativity and is allosterically inhibited by phosphoenolpyruvate and oxaloacetate, as is the case forCryptococcusXfp. The bacterial enzyme is unaffected by the presence of AMP or ATP, which act as a potent activator and inhibitor of the fungal Xfp, respectively. Our results demonstrate that substrate cooperativity and allosteric regulation may be common properties among bacterial and eukaryotic Xfps, yet important differences exist between the enzymes in these two domains.