bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quinine and artesunate inhibit feeding in the African malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae: the role of gustatory organs within the mouthparts
Authors: Kessler Sébastien , González Julia , Vlimant Michèle , Glauser Gaétan , Guerin Patrick M. 
Published: May 2014

AbstractA membrane feeding assay in which the effects of the antimalarial drugs quinine and artesunate are tested on Anopheles gambiae Giles sensu stricto is described. In the present study, 87% of female A. gambiae are shown to feed on whole defibrinated bovine blood alone, whereas only 47% and 43.5% feed on saline and on saline + bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions, respectively, suggesting that additional components in the blood stimulate mosquito feeding. The addition of 1 mm quinine or artesunate to the BSA solution results in a significant reduction in percentage engorgement to 16.2% and 14.1%, respectively. However, the feeding rate is higher when 1 mm artesunate and quinine are mixed in the blood because 67.8% and 78.4% of females engorge on these solutions respectively. Artesunate (10 mm) in the blood reduces percentage engorgement to 20%. Because circulating doses of quinine and artesunate affecting Plasmodium in humans are much lower than those affecting feeding by A. gambiae in the in vitro assay, these two antimalarial drugs should have no effect, or only a minor effect, on the infection rate of mosquitoes feeding on treated patients. Because only the stylets penetrate the membrane and not the labellar lobes, the results of the present study suggest that both blood phagostimulants and feeding deterrents are detected by internal gustatory organs in A. gambiae, namely sensory cells in the apical and subapical labral pegs, in sensilla on the inner face of the labellar lobes, or by cibarial receptor cells. The neuroanatomy of gustatory sensilla on the apical and subapical labral pegs and on the inner face of the labellar lobes of female A. gambiae is described in the present study.
The Photolytic Activity of Poly‐Arginine Cell Penetrating Peptides Conjugated to Carboxy‐tetramethylrhodamine is Modulated by Arginine Residue Content and Fluorophore Conjugation Site
Authors: Muthukrishnan Nandhini , Donovan Stephen , Pellois Jean‐Philippe 
Published: May 2014

AbstractUpon light irradiation, Fluorophore–cell‐penetrating peptide (Fl‐CPP) conjugates can disrupt the integrity of biological membranes. This activity can in turn be used to photoinduce the disruption of endocytic organelles and promote the delivery of entrapped macromolecules such as proteins or RNAs into live cells. Recent mechanistic studies have shown that ROS production by the fluorophore and a latent lytic ability of CPPs act in synergy to elicit photolysis. However, how the structure of fluorophore‐CPP conjugates impacts this synergistic activity remains unclear. Herein, using red blood cells (RBCs) as a model of biological membranes, we show that the number of arginine residues in a CPP as well as the position of fluorophore with respect to the CPP dramatically affect the photolytic activity of a fluorophore‐CPP conjugate. These factors should therefore be considered for the development of effective photoinducible delivery agents.
Photophysics, Excited‐state Double‐Proton Transfer and Hydrogen‐bonding Properties of 5‐Deazaalloxazines
Authors: Prukala Dorota , Khmelinskii Igor , Koput Jacek , Gierszewski Mateusz , Pędziński Tomasz , Sikorski Marek 
Published: May 2014

AbstractThe photophysical properties of 5‐deazaalloxazine and 1,3‐dimethyl‐5‐deazaalloxazine were studied in different solvents. These compounds have higher values of fluorescence quantum yields and longer fluorescence lifetimes, compared to those obtained for their alloxazine analogs. Electronic structure and S0–Si transitions were investigated using the ab initio methods [MP2, CIS(D), EOM‐CCSD] with the correlation‐consistent basis sets. Also the time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) has been employed. The lowest singlet excited states of 5‐deazaalloxazine and 1,3‐dimethyl‐5‐deazaalloxazine are predicted to have the π, π* character, whereas similar alloxazines have two close‐lying π, π* and n, π* transitions. Experimental steady‐state and time‐resolved spectral studies indicate formation of an isoalloxazinic excited state via excited‐state double‐proton transfer (ESDPT) catalyzed by an acetic acid molecule that forms a hydrogen bond complex with the 5‐deazaalloxazine molecule. Solvatochromism of both 5‐deazaalloxazine and its 1,3‐dimethyl substituted derivative was analyzed using the Kamlet–Taft scale and four‐parameter Catalán solvent scale. The most significant result of our studies is that the both scales show a strong influence of solvent acidity (hydrogen bond donating ability) on the emission properties of these compounds, indicating the importance of intermolecular solute–solvent hydrogen‐bonding interactions in their excited state.
Can Nitrogen Fertilization Aid Restoration of Mature Tree Productivity in Degraded Dryland Riverine Ecosystems?
Authors: Andersen Douglas C. , Adair Elizabeth Carol , Nelson Sigfrid Mark , Binkley Dan 
Published: May 2014

AbstractRestoration of riparian forest productivity lost as a consequence of flow regulation is a common management goal in dryland riverine ecosystems. In the northern hemisphere, dryland river floodplain trees often include one or another species of Populus, which are fast‐growing, nutrient‐demanding trees. Because the trees are phreatophytic in drylands, and have water needs met in whole or in part by a shallow water table, their productivity may be limited by nitrogen (N) availability, which commonly limits primary productivity in mesic environments. We added 20 g N m−2 in a 2‐m radius around the base of mature Populus fremontii along each of a regulated and free‐flowing river in semiarid northwest Colorado, USA (total n = 42) in order to test whether growth is constrained by low soil N. Twelve years after fertilization, we collected increment cores from these and matched unfertilized trees and compared radial growth ratios (growth in the 3‐year post‐fertilization period/growth in the 3‐year pre‐fertilization period) in paired t tests. We expected a higher mean ratio in the fertilized trees. No effect from fertilization was detected, nor was a trend evident on either river. An alternative test using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) produced a similar result. Our results underscore the need for additional assessment of which and to what extent factors other than water control dryland riverine productivity. Positive confirmation of adequate soil nutrients at these and other dryland riparian sites would bolster the argument that flow management is necessary and sufficient to maximize productivity and enhance resilience in affected desert riverine forests.
HIV Vaccines: A Brief Overview
Authors: Lema D. , Garcia A. , De Sanctis J. B. 
Published: May 2014

AbstractThe scope of the article is to review the different approaches that have been used for HIV vaccines. The review is based on articles retrieved by PubMed and clinical trials from 1990 up to date. The article discusses virus complexity, protective and non‐protective immune responses against the virus, and the most important approaches for HIV vaccine development.
Interleukin‐17 Facilitates the Immune Suppressor Capacity of High‐Grade Glioma‐Derived CD4 (+) CD25 (+) Foxp3 (+) T Cells Via Releasing Transforming Growth Factor Beta
Authors: Liang H. , Yi L. , Wang X. , Zhou C. , Xu L. 
Published: May 2014

AbstractHigh‐grade glioma is a malignant tumour; the pathogenesis is to be further investigated. Interleukin (IL)‐17 is an inflammatory cytokine. Chronic inflammation is a pathological feature of cancer. This study aimed to characterize the glioma‐derived IL‐17+ regulatory T cells (Treg). In this study, single cells were isolated from surgically removed high‐grade glioma tissue and examined by flow cytometry. The immune suppressor effect of IL‐17+ Tregs on CD8+ T cells was assessed in vitro. The results showed that abundant IL‐17+ Tregs were found in high‐grade glioma tissue. The immune suppressor molecule, transforming growth factor (TGF)‐beta, was detected in the IL‐17+ Tregs. The proliferation of CD8+ T cells was suppressed by culturing with the IL‐17+ Tregs, which was partially abrogated by neutralizing antibodies of either TGF‐beta or IL‐17 and completely abrogated by neutralizing antibodies against both TGF‐beta and IL‐17. In conclusion, IL‐17+ Tregs exist in the high‐grade glioma tissue; this subset of T cells can suppress CD8+ T cell activities via releasing TGF‐beta and IL‐17.
Stimulation of Duodenal Biopsies and Whole Blood from Dogs with Food‐Responsive Chronic Enteropathy and Healthy Dogs with Toll‐Like Receptor Ligands and Probiotic Enterococcus faecium
Authors: Schmitz S. , Henrich M. , Neiger R. , Werling D. , Allenspach K. 
Published: May 2014

AbstractThe composition of the microbiome plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in humans and chronic enteropathies (CE) in dogs. The administration of probiotic micro‐organisms is one way of modulating the microbiome, but experiments elucidating mechanisms of action of probiotics in the intestine of healthy and CE dogs are lacking. The aim of our study was to investigate the effects of different Toll‐like receptor (TLR) ligands and Enterococcus faecium (EF) on ex vivo cultured duodenal samples and whole blood (WB) from dogs with food‐responsive chronic enteropathy (FRE) when compared to healthy dogs. Biopsy stimulation was performed in 17 FRE and 11 healthy dogs; WB stimulation was performed in 16 FRE and 16 healthy dogs. Expression of TLR2, 4, 5 and 9, IL‐17A, IL‐22, IFNy, TNFα, IL‐4, IL‐10, TGFβ and PPARy was determined in biopsies by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, production of TNFα, IL‐10, IFNy and IL‐17A protein in WB and biopsy supernatants was assessed by ELISA. Treatment with individual TLR ligands or EF induced a variety of changes in the expression of different TLRs and cytokines, but not necessarily a consistent change with a single stimulating agent. Even though cytokine protein could not be detected in supernatants from ex vivo stimulated biopsies, we found TNFα protein responses in blood to be opposite of the transcriptional responses seen in the biopsies. Stimulation of canine duodenal biopsies with TLR ligands can potentially induce anti‐inflammatory gene expression, especially in healthy tissue, whereas the effects of EF were limited.
Clinically significant hemolytic disease of the newborn secondary to passive transfer of anti‐D from maternal RhIG
Authors: Cohen Daniel N. , Johnson Mary S. , Liang Wayne H. , McDaniel Heather L. , Young Pampee P. 
Published: May 2014

BackgroundRhIG is used worldwide to reduce the incidence of alloimmunization to D during pregnancy. We report a case of clinically significant neonatal hemolysis mediated by maternally administered RhIG.Case ReportA 25‐year‐old, O–, primigravid mother with a negative antenatal antibody screen delivered a 6‐lb 4‐oz, blood group A, D+ baby girl at 36.5 weeks' gestation. Prenatal care included a dose of intramuscular RhIG at 28 weeks' gestation. At delivery, the newborn was markedly jaundiced with a total bilirubin of 6.3 mg/dL, which reached more than 20 mg/dL after 6 days. The newborn's lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was 485 U/L (normal, <226 U/L) and further laboratory studies revealed reticulocytosis (17.2%; normal range, 0.36%‐1.9%) and a hemoglobin (Hb) of 14.3 g/dL (normal for age range, 13.4‐19.8 g/dL) that decreased to 11.5 g/dL (normal for age range, 13.5‐22.6 g/dL) by Day‐of‐life 7. Although the maternal antibody screen was negative, the newborn's direct antiglobulin test (DAT) was positive for immunoglobulin (Ig)G, with an anti‐D identified by elution studies. The possibility of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) due to anti‐A was considered, but ultimately ruled out by the absence of anti‐A1 in the eluate. The newborn's hyperbilirubinemia was adequately managed with phototherapy. Analysis of the mother's plasma 10 days postpartum revealed an anti‐D titer of 8. Two months after birth, the child's laboratory studies, DAT, antibody screen, and peripheral smear were unremarkable.ConclusionIn the context of neonatal anemia, elevated LDH, and reticulocytosis, a positive IgG DAT with anti‐D identified in the eluate suggests RhIG‐mediated HDN. This appears to be a rarely reported event.
Coagulation management with factor concentrates in liver transplantation: a single‐center experience
Authors: Kirchner Carmen , Dirkmann Daniel , Treckmann Jürgen W. , Paul Andreas , Hartmann Matthias , Saner Fuat H. , Görlinger Klaus 
Published: May 2014

BackgroundAllogeneic blood products transfusion during liver transplantation (LT) can be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Data on thromboelastometry (ROTEM)‐guided coagulation management with coagulation factor concentrates (CFCs)—fibrinogen concentrate and/or prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC)—are sparse. We aimed to retrospectively evaluate the safety events observed with this approach in our clinic.Study Design and MethodsLT patients from January 2009 to December 2010 (n = 266) were identified by chart review. A ROTEM‐based algorithm with CFC guided the hemostatic therapy. Doppler ultrasound was used to evaluate thrombosis in the hepatic artery, portal vein, and hepatic veins. Stroke, myocardial ischemia, pulmonary embolism, and transfusion variables were recorded. Patients receiving CFC were included in the CFC group (n = 156); those not receiving CFC were included in the non‐CFC group (n = 110). Safety events were compared between these two groups.ResultsAllogeneic transfusion(s) in the 266 patients was low, with medians of 2 (interquartile range [IQR], 0‐5), 0 (IQR 0‐0), and 0 (IQR 0‐1) units for red blood cells (RBCs), fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP), and platelets (PLTs), respectively. Ninety‐seven of 266 LTs (36.5%) were performed without RBCs transfusion, 227 (85.3%) without FFP, and 190 (71.4%) without PLTs. There were no significant differences in thrombotic, thromboembolic, and ischemic adverse events occurrence between the CFC group and the non‐CFC group (11/156 patients vs. 5/110; p = 0.31).ConclusionIn LT, ROTEM‐guided treatment with fibrinogen concentrate and/or PCC did not appear to increase the occurrence of thrombosis and ischemic events compared to patients who did not receive these concentrates.
Step-Rate Recommendations for Moderate-Intensity Walking in Overweight/Obese and Healthy Weight Children
Authors: Morgan Charles F. , Tsuchida Allison R. , Beets Michael William , Hetzler Ronald K. , Stickley Christopher D. 
Published: May 2014

Background:Physical activity guidelines for youth and adults include recommendations for moderate intensity activity to attain health benefits. Indirect calorimetry studies have consistently reported a 100 ste·min−1 threshold for moderate intensity walking in adults. No indirect calorimetry studies have investigated step-rate thresholds in children and therefore the primary purpose of the study was to determine preliminary step-rate thresholds for moderate physical activity walking in children.Methods:Oxygen consumption was measured at rest and used to determine 3 and 4 age-adjusted metabolic equivalents (A-AMETs) for 4 treadmill trials (self-selected, 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 MPH). Two trained observers simultaneously counted children’s steps during each walking trial. Step-rate thresholds associated with moderate-intensity activity, defined as 3 and 4 A-AMETs, were determined using hierarchical linear modeling.Results:Regression analysis determined an overall step rate of 112 and 134 step·min-1 for 3 and 4 A-AMETs respectively. Body mass index (BMI) weight status and age were positively related to A-AMETs.Conclusions:We suggest age and BMI weight status specific recommendations that range from a low of 100 step·min-1 threshold (3 A-AMETs) for overweight/obese 11- to 12-year-olds to a high of 140 step·min-1 threshold (4 A-AMETs) for healthy weight 9- to 10-year-old children.
Draft Genome Sequences of Two Isolates of the
Roseobacter
Group,
Sulfitobacter
sp. Strains 3SOLIMAR09 and 1FIGIMAR09, from Harbors of Mallorca Island (Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Mas-Lladó Maria , Piña-Villalonga Joana Maria , Brunet-Galmés Isabel , Nogales Balbina , Bosch Rafael 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACT

We present the draft genome sequences of two isolates of the
Roseobacter
lineage, 3SOLIMAR09 and 1FIGIMAR09, which were obtained from harbors of Mallorca Island, Spain, and are affiliated with the
Sulfitobacter
genus. Both isolates harbor the complete gene set for protocatechuate catabolism and incomplete pathways for several additional monoaromatic compounds.
Draft Genome Sequence of Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strain CWCFVRF MDRTB 670, Isolated from the Sputum of a Patient from Chennai, India, with Clinically Suspected Tuberculosis
Authors: Lakshmipathy Dhanurekha , Vetrivel Umashankar , Irudayam Lily Therese , Ramasubban Gayathri , Madhavan H. N. , Sridhar R. , Meenakshi N. 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACT

We announce the draft genome sequence of a multidrug-resistant
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
strain (CWCFVRF MDRTB 670) isolated from sputum from a patient with clinically suspected tuberculosis.
A Shared Population of Epidemic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus 15 Circulates in Humans and Companion Animals
Authors: Harrison Ewan M. , Weinert Lucy A. , Holden Matthew T. G. , Welch John J. , Wilson Katherine , Morgan Fiona J. E. , Harris Simon R. , Loeffler Anette , Boag Amanda K. , Peacock Sharon J. , Paterson Gavin K. , Waller Andrew S. , Parkhill Julian , Holmes Mark A. 
Published: May 2014

ABSTRACT

Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is a global human health problem causing infections in both hospitals and the community. Companion animals, such as cats, dogs, and horses, are also frequently colonized by MRSA and can become infected. We sequenced the genomes of 46 multilocus sequence type (ST) 22 MRSA isolates from cats and dogs in the United Kingdom and compared these to an extensive population framework of human isolates from the same lineage. Phylogenomic analyses showed that all companion animal isolates were interspersed throughout the epidemic MRSA-15 (EMRSA-15) pandemic clade and clustered with human isolates from the United Kingdom, with human isolates basal to those from companion animals, suggesting a human source for isolates infecting companion animals. A number of isolates from the same veterinary hospital clustered together, suggesting that as in human hospitals, EMRSA-15 isolates are readily transmitted in the veterinary hospital setting. Genome-wide association analysis did not identify any host-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or virulence factors. However, isolates from companion animals were significantly less likely to harbor a plasmid encoding erythromycin resistance. When this plasmid was present in animal-associated isolates, it was more likely to contain mutations mediating resistance to clindamycin. This finding is consistent with the low levels of erythromycin and high levels of clindamycin used in veterinary medicine in the United Kingdom. This study furthers the “one health” view of infectious diseases that the pathogen pool of human and animal populations are intrinsically linked and provides evidence that antibiotic usage in animal medicine is shaping the population of a major human pathogen.

IMPORTANCE
Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is major problem in human medicine. Companion animals, such as cats, dogs, and horses, can also become colonized and infected by MRSA. Here, we demonstrate that a shared population of an important and globally disseminated lineage of MRSA can infect both humans and companion animals without undergoing host adaptation. This suggests that companion animals might act as a reservoir for human infections. We also show that the isolates from companion animals have differences in the presence of certain antibiotic resistance genes. This study furthers the “one health” view of infectious diseases by demonstrating that the pool of MRSA isolates in the human and animal populations are shared and highlights how different antibiotic usage patterns between human and veterinary medicine can shape the population of bacterial pathogens.
An elusive cause of hypoxaemia in a paediatric patient
Authors: Bola Sundeep Singh , Narang Indra 
Published: May 2014

SummaryA 5-year-old girl presented to an ambulatory cardiology clinic with shortness of breath, described by the patient's mother and chest discomfort on exertion. At this visit, she was noted to have low baseline room air oxygen saturations of 89%. Subsequent cardiac, respiratory and haematological investigations including contrast echocardiography, CT scan of the chest, polysomnography and haemoglobin electrophoresis were unhelpful in yielding a diagnosis. A CT scan of the chest with contrast was performed which revealed a persistent left-sided superior vena cava that appeared to be draining into the left atrium, creating a right-to-left shunt. This was not revealed on contrast echocardiography as contrast (micro bubbles) had been injected into the right arm. This case report highlights the nuances of diagnostic investigations, which without a high index of suspicion may exclude a timely diagnosis and therapeutic intervention.
Facilitators and barriers to quality of care in maternal, newborn and child health: a global situational analysis through metareview
Authors: Nair Manisha , Yoshida Sachiyo , Lambrechts Thierry , Boschi-Pinto Cynthia , Bose Krishna , Mason Elizabeth Mary , Mathai Matthews 
Published: May 2014

ObjectiveConduct a global situational analysis to identify the current facilitators and barriers to improving quality of care (QoC) for pregnant women, newborns and children.Study designMetareview of published and unpublished systematic reviews and meta-analyses conducted between January 2000 and March 2013 in any language. Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) is used to assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews.SettingsHealth systems of all countries. Study outcome: QoC measured using surrogate indicators––effective, efficient, accessible, acceptable/patient centred, equitable and safe.AnalysisConducted in two phases (1) qualitative synthesis of extracted data to identify and group the facilitators and barriers to improving QoC, for each of the three population groups, into the six domains of WHO's framework and explore new domains and (2) an analysis grid to map the common facilitators and barriers.ResultsWe included 98 systematic reviews with 110 interventions to improve QoC from countries globally. The facilitators and barriers identified fitted the six domains of WHO's framework––information, patient–population engagement, leadership, regulations and standards, organisational capacity and models of care. Two new domains, ‘communication’ and ‘satisfaction’, were generated. Facilitators included active and regular interpersonal communication between users and providers; respect, confidentiality, comfort and support during care provision; engaging users in decision-making; continuity of care and effective audit and feedback mechanisms. Key barriers identified were language barriers in information and communication; power difference between users and providers; health systems not accounting for user satisfaction; variable standards of implementation of standard guidelines; shortage of resources in health facilities and lack of studies assessing the role of leadership in improving QoC. These were common across the three population groups.ConclusionsThe barriers to good-quality healthcare are common for pregnant women, newborns and children; thus, interventions targeted to address them will have uniform beneficial effects. Adopting the identified facilitators would help countries strengthen their health systems and ensure high-quality care for all.