bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification of the Zn Substitution Sites in La–Zn Substituted SrAl12O19 from 27Al Solid‐State NMR Studies
Authors: Baby Bindhu , Dey Krishna K. , Ajithkumar Thalasseril G. , Joy Pattayil A. 
Published: June 2014

The La–Zn substituted hexagonal strontium aluminate, Sr1−xLaxAl12−xZnxO19, with the magnetoplumbite structure and having five different coordination environments for Al with different symmetries, is investigated using 27Al solid‐state NMR to get detailed information on the sites of substitution of Zn and the associated changes in the local coordination environments of Al. The objective of the study was to get information on the local structural variations in the isostructural La–Co substituted strontium ferrite, Sr1−xLaxFe12−xCoxO19, showing enhanced magnetic performance on substitution. The NMR studies on the aluminate give direct evidence for the sites of substitution and the changes in the local coordination environments. It is found that Zn is substituted at the 2a and 4f2 AlO6 octahedral sites. However, an interesting observation from the NMR studies is the stabilization of the Al site occupancy at the penta‐coordinated 2b site over the distorted tetrahedral 4eAl site, without any substitution at these sites. Large changes in the quadrupolar coupling constant of the 2a and 4e sites are observed between x = 0.2 and 0.3, corresponding to the compositional region showing higher performance in the case of Sr1−xLaxFe12−xCoxO19, indicating the role of distortion of local coordination environments on suitable substitution in controlling the performance parameters.
Immunohistological expression of human ß‐defensin‐1 and human ß‐defensin‐2 in exacerbation of acute and secondary chronic osteomyelitis of the mandible
Authors: Beck‐Broichsitter Benedicta E. , Dau Heino , Moest Tobias , Jochens Arne , Stockmann Philipp , Wiltfang Jörg , Becker Stephan T. 
Published: June 2014

BackgroundThe majority of patients diagnosed with osteomyelitis of the jaw have severe complaints. Unfortunately, the pathogenesis still remains unclear. Human ß‐defensins expressed in epithelial and bone tissues as a part of the innate immunity may be involved in disease development. In this study, we hypothesize that expression levels of human ß‐defensin‐1 and ‐2 in the acute and secondary chronic osteomyelitis may be altered in comparison with healthy bone and with bisphosphonate‐associated necrosis as well as irradiation from a previous study.MethodsBone samples were collected during surgical debridement in a total of eight patients suffering from acute or secondary chronic osteomyelitis of the jaw. Expression levels of hBD‐1 and ‐2 were quantified and related to non‐stained cells. Ratios were compared by one‐way ANOVA and multiple tests by Holm–Bonferroni.ResultsMultiple testing revealed no significant differences for expression levels of human ß‐defensin‐1 between all groups, whereas labeling index of human ß‐defensin‐2 was significantly different between specimens of bisphosphonate‐associated osteonecrosis of the jaws and all other groups. No significant difference occurred between samples of floride osteomyelitis and healthy bone for expression of hBD‐1 and ‐2.ConclusionsAlthough the affected patients showed all clinical signs of acute inflammation, expression levels in acute and secondary chronic osteomyelitis in the jaws did not reveal statistically significant differences compared with healthy bone samples. The weak immunological host response in terms of a putative genetically predisposition should be further discussed as pathogenesis factor for osteomyelitis in the future.
Patients’ Perceptions of Benefits and Risks of Complete Denture Therapy
Authors: Miranda Bárbara Barbério , dos Santos Mateus Bertolini Fernandes , Marchini Leonardo 
Published: June 2014

AbstractPurposeThe aim of this study was to assess patients’ perceptions of benefits and risks concerning complete denture therapy. A secondary objective was to assess the influence of clinical and sociodemographic variables on patients’ perceptions.Materials and MethodsThe sample was composed of 104 volunteers who presented themselves for complete denture treatment at a dental school. The average age of the volunteers was 69.2 years (±) 9.3. Patient opinions concerning the benefits of complete denture therapy were recorded using a previously reported questionnaire. The answers were evaluated in three domains: (1) benefits (positive perceptions); (2) risks (negative perceptions); and (3) consequences of no treatment.ResultsThe average time of use of the previous dentures was 20 years (SD ±12.9). Risk factors (negative perceptions) received lower scores by the patients, while the consequences of no treatment received higher scores. No association was found among evaluations of the previous dentures and educational level, marital status, and gender; however, patients’ evaluation about their previous dentures was significantly different depending on age (p = 0.001) and previous dentures’ time of use (p = 0.038).ConclusionsPatients presented a positive perception of complete denture therapy, and the risk factors (negative perceptions) received the lowest scores. Patient perception regarding complete denture therapy was not influenced by educational level, evaluation of the previous dentures, or marital status.
Mucosal leishmaniasis with primary oral involvement: a case series and a review of the literature
Authors: Mignogna MD , Celentano A , Leuci S , Cascone M , Adamo D , Ruoppo E , Favia G 
Published: June 2014

ObjectiveTo analyze retrospectively a case series of primary oral leishmaniasis and to review the literature on head–neck primary mucosal leishmaniasis (ML) in immunocompetent patients.Subjects and methodsA PUBMED search was carried out from 1950 to 2013. Clinical records of patients with primary head–neck mucosal manifestations of leishmaniasis were analyzed. In addition, clinical records between 2001 and 2012 of patients with primary oral manifestations were collected in two independent hospitals.ResultsOur multicenter case series revealed seven patients with oral leishmaniasis. The most commonly affected site was the tongue (four patients, 57%), and the most common clinical presentation was an exophytic lesion (six patients, 85%). The literature review showed 11 reports published between 2005 and 2013, describing 13 patients (100% male) affected by head–neck primary ML (54% laryngeal, 31% oral, 23% pharyngeal, and 15% endonasal). The most common clinical presentation was an exophytic lesion (69%).ConclusionsThe literature analysis revealed that in immunocompetent patients, the oral mucosa is the second most frequently affected site of the head and neck region. In the oral cavity, the tongue is the most affected site. Diagnosis of oral leishmaniasis represents a challenge but must be considered in any differential diagnosis of exophytic lesions of oral mucosa.
Maternal and Cord Blood 25(OH)‐Vitamin D Concentrations in Relation to Child Development and Behaviour
Authors: Keim Sarah A. , Bodnar Lisa M. , Klebanoff Mark A. 
Published: June 2014

AbstractBackgroundAnimal studies have linked in utero vitamin D exposure to various aspects of offspring brain development. Limited research has translated these findings to humans, and none have employed cord blood to measure exposure late in gestation.MethodsOur objective was to examine the associations between maternal 25(OH)D measured at ≤26 weeks' gestation or cord blood 25(OH)D and offspring global development, IQ, achievement, and behaviour in the US Collaborative Perinatal Project (1959–73). This was a secondary analysis of data from a case‐cohort study, with 3896 women and children who participated in at least one outcome assessment. Psychologists assessed global development at 8 months, IQ and behaviour at 4 and 7 years, and achievement at 7 years. Multiple linear and logistic regression was used to examine the associations between 25(OH)D and child outcomes, controlling for maternal education, age, parity, race, maternal body mass index, marital status, smoking, gestational age and month of blood draw, and study site.ResultsPositive associations for many outcomes were greatly attenuated upon adjustment for confounders and were generally null. Only IQ at age 7 was associated with both maternal and cord blood 25(OH)D, but the effect estimates were very small (β for 5 nmol/L increment of maternal 25(OH)D = 0.10; [95% CI 0.00, 0.19]).ConclusionWe observed very little indication that maternal or cord blood 25(OH)D are associated with cognitive development, achievement, and behaviour between 8 months and 7 years of age.
Endobronchial ultrasound‐guided transbronchial needle biopsy for the diagnosis of intrathoracic lymph node metastases from extrathoracic malignancies: A meta‐analysis and systematic review
Authors: Yang Bo , Li Fang , Shi Weiwei , Liu Hui , Sun Shengjie , Zhang Guoqing , Jiao Shunchang 
Published: June 2014

AbstractIntrathoracic lymph node metastases in patients with extrathoracic malignancies are a common clinical manifestation. Several studies evaluating intrathoracic lymph node metastases in patients with extrathoracic malignancy by using the endobronchial ultrasound‐guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS‐TBNA) have been reported. The objective of this meta‐analysis is to investigate the diagnostic value of EBUS‐TBNA for diagnosing intrathoracic lymph node metastases in patients with extrathoracic malignancies. We systematically searched Cochrane Library, Medline and Embase for relevant studies published prior to May 2013. Studies specifically designed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of EBUS‐TBNA for intrathoracic lymph node metastases in patients with an extrathoracic malignancy were selected. Diagnostic accuracy meta‐analysis was conducted by pooling estimates of sensitivity, specificity, negative likelihood ratio (NLR), positive likelihood ratio (PLR) and diagnostic odds ratios (DOR) derived from a summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) analysis of the original studies. Six studies were included, which provided a dataset of 533 patients. EBUS‐TBNA pooled estimates had 0.85 sensitivity (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.80–0.89), 0.99 specificity (95% CI: 0.95–1.00), PLR 28.63 (95% CI: 11.51–71.22) and NLR 0.16 (95% CI: 0.12–0.21). The overall DOR was 179.77 (95% CI: 66.29–487.50). The area under the SROC curve and the diagnostic accuracy were 0.9247 and 0.8588, respectively. Evidence gathered from studies of moderate quality reveals a high degree of diagnostic accuracy of EBUS‐TBNA for diagnosing intrathoracic lymph node metastases in patients with extrathoracic malignancies.
Micromorphology of ice keel scour in pebbly sandy mud and fine‐grained sands: Scarborough Bluffs, Ontario, Canada
Authors: Linch Lorna D. , van der Meer Jaap J. M. 
Published: June 2014

AbstractThe keels of icebergs and ice‐pressure ridges plough through unconsolidated sea/lake sediments gouging out long grooves known as ice keel scour marks. Although the surface and (more recently) subsurface morphology of scours are well‐documented, little is known of the effect of grain size on the detectability, style and intensity of sub‐scour deformation. This investigation macroscopically and microscopically (two‐dimensional thin sections) examines suspected ice keel scour in: (i) glaciolacustrine pebbly sandy mud and (ii) fine‐grained sands at Scarborough Bluffs, Ontario, Canada. In this investigation, there is an almost identical suite of deformation structures (individual structures and overprinted structural patterns) to those identified in iceberg‐scoured clays from former Glacial Lake Agassiz (Manitoba, Canada); this confirms that deformation in the pebbly sandy mud and fine‐grained sands at Scarborough Bluffs is likely to be indicative of ice keel scour. Discrete differences in the detectability, style and intensity of deformation between the Scarborough Bluffs and Glacial Lake Agassiz sediments are probably a function of grain size in response to ice keel scour. This research provides additional information on the types of structures that are associated with sediment deformation by processes of ice keel scour in a variety of grain sizes. This information is particularly valuable to inform palaeoenvironmental reconstruction and offshore engineering in areas where ice keel scour occurs in a variety of grain sizes. It also demonstrates the potential value of micromorphology where, for example, the study of cores is necessary.
Topological Self‐Organization and Prediction Learning Support Both Action and Lexical Chains in the Brain
Authors: Chersi Fabian , Ferro Marcello , Pezzulo Giovanni , Pirrelli Vito 
Published: June 2014

AbstractA growing body of evidence in cognitive psychology and neuroscience suggests a deep interconnection between sensory‐motor and language systems in the brain. Based on recent neurophysiological findings on the anatomo‐functional organization of the fronto‐parietal network, we present a computational model showing that language processing may have reused or co‐developed organizing principles, functionality, and learning mechanisms typical of premotor circuit. The proposed model combines principles of Hebbian topological self‐organization and prediction learning. Trained on sequences of either motor or linguistic units, the network develops independent neuronal chains, formed by dedicated nodes encoding only context‐specific stimuli. Moreover, neurons responding to the same stimulus or class of stimuli tend to cluster together to form topologically connected areas similar to those observed in the brain cortex. Simulations support a unitary explanatory framework reconciling neurophysiological motor data with established behavioral evidence on lexical acquisition, access, and recall.
Comparison of Cefazolin versus Oxacillin for Treatment of Complicated Bacteremia Caused by Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Li Julius , Echevarria Kelly L. , Hughes Darrel W. , Cadena Jose A. , Bowling Jason E. , Lewis James S. 
Published: June 2014

ABSTRACT

Contrary to prior case reports that described occasional clinical failures with cefazolin for methicillin-susceptible
Staphylococcus aureus
(MSSA) infections, recent studies have demonstrated no difference in outcomes between cefazolin and antistaphylococcal penicillins for the treatment of MSSA bacteremia. While promising, these studies described low frequencies of high-inoculum infections, such as endocarditis. This retrospective study compares clinical outcomes of cefazolin versus oxacillin for complicated MSSA bacteremia at two tertiary care hospitals between January 2008 and June 2012. Fifty-nine patients treated with cefazolin and 34 patients treated with oxacillin were included. Osteoarticular (41%) and endovascular (20%) sources were the predominant sites of infection. The rates of clinical cure at the end of therapy were similar between cefazolin and oxacillin (95% versus 88%;
P
= 0.25), but overall failure at 90 days was higher in the oxacillin arm (47% versus 24%;
P
= 0.04). Failures were more likely to have received surgical interventions (63% versus 40%;
P
= 0.05) and to have an osteoarticular source (57% versus 33%;
P
= 0.04). Failures also had a longer duration of bacteremia (7 versus 3 days;
P
= 0.0002), which was the only predictor of failure. Antibiotic selection was not predictive of failure. Rates of adverse drug events were higher in the oxacillin arm (30% versus 3%;
P
= 0.0006), and oxacillin was more frequently discontinued due to adverse drug events (21% versus 3%;
P
= 0.01). Cefazolin appears similar to oxacillin for the treatment of complicated MSSA bacteremia but with significantly improved safety. The higher rates of failure with oxacillin may have been confounded by other patient factors and warrant further investigation.
Identification of Mechanisms for Attenuation of the FSC043 Mutant of Francisella tularensis SCHU S4
Authors: Lindgren Marie , Tancred Linda , Golovliov Igor , Conlan Wayne , Twine Susan M. , Sjöstedt Anders 
Published: June 2014

ABSTRACTPreviously, we identified a spontaneous, essentially avirulent mutant, FSC043, of the highly virulent strain SCHU S4 ofFrancisella tularensissubsp.tularensis. We have now characterized the phenotype of the mutant and the mechanisms of its attenuation in more detail. Genetic and proteomic analyses revealed that thepdpEgene and most of thepdpCgene were very markedly downregulated and, as previously demonstrated, that the strain expressed partially deleted and fusedfupAandfupBgenes. FSC043 showed minimal intracellular replication and induced no cell cytotoxicity. The mutant showed delayed phagosomal escape; at 18 h, colocalization with LAMP-1 was 80%, indicating phagosomal localization, whereas the corresponding percentages for SCHU S4 and the ΔfupAmutant were <10%. However, a small subset of the FSC043-infected cells contained up to 100 bacteria with LAMP-1 colocalization of around 30%. The unusual intracellular phenotype was similar to that of the ΔpdpCand ΔpdpCΔpdpEmutants. Complementation of FSC043 with the intactfupAandfupBgenes did not affect the phenotype, whereas complementation with thepdpCandpdpEgenes restored intracellular replication and led to marked virulence. Even higher virulence was observed after complementation with both double-gene constructs. After immunization with the FSC043 strain, moderate protection against respiratory challenge with the SCHU S4 strain was observed. In summary, FSC043 showed a highly unusual intracellular phenotype, and based on our findings, we hypothesize that the mutation in thepdpCgene makes an essential contribution to the phenotype.
Unique Helicase Determinants in the Essential Conjugative TraI Factor from Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Plasmid pCU1
Authors: McLaughlin Krystle J. , Nash Rebekah P. , Redinbo Mathew R. 
Published: June 2014

ABSTRACT

The widespread development of multidrug-resistant bacteria is a major health emergency. Conjugative DNA plasmids, which harbor a wide range of antibiotic resistance genes, also encode the protein factors necessary to orchestrate the propagation of plasmid DNA between bacterial cells through conjugative transfer. Successful conjugative DNA transfer depends on key catalytic components to nick one strand of the duplex DNA plasmid and separate the DNA strands while cell-to-cell transfer occurs. The TraI protein from the conjugative
Salmonella
plasmid pCU1 fulfills these key catalytic roles, as it contains both single-stranded DNA-nicking relaxase and ATP-dependent helicase domains within a single, 1,078-residue polypeptide. In this work, we unraveled the helicase determinants of
Salmonella
pCU1 TraI through DNA binding, ATPase, and DNA strand separation assays. TraI binds DNA substrates with high affinity in a manner influenced by nucleic acid length and the presence of a DNA hairpin structure adjacent to the nick site. TraI selectively hydrolyzes ATP, and mutations in conserved helicase motifs eliminate ATPase activity. Surprisingly, the absence of a relatively short (144-residue) domain at the extreme C terminus of the protein severely diminishes ATP-dependent strand separation. Collectively, these data define the helicase motifs of the conjugative factor TraI from
Salmonella
pCU1 and reveal a previously uncharacterized C-terminal functional domain that uncouples ATP hydrolysis from strand separation activity.
Hypoxia-Activated Cytochrome
bd
Expression in Mycobacterium smegmatis Is Cyclic AMP Receptor Protein Dependent
Authors: Aung Htin Lin , Berney Michael , Cook Gregory M. 
Published: June 2014

ABSTRACT

Mycobacteria are obligate aerobes and respire using two terminal respiratory oxidases, an
aa
3
-type cytochrome
c
oxidase and a cytochrome
bd
-type menaquinol oxidase. Cytochrome
bd
is encoded by
cydAB
from the
cydABDC
gene cluster that is conserved throughout the mycobacterial genus. Here we report that
cydAB
and
cydDC
in
Mycobacterium smegmatis
constitute two separate operons under hypoxic growth conditions. The transcriptional start sites of both operons were mapped, and a series of
cydA-lacZ
and
cydD-lacZ
transcriptional reporter fusions were made to identify regulatory promoter elements. A 51-bp region was identified in the
cydAB
promoter that was required for maximal
cydA-lacZ
expression in response to hypoxia. A cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP)-binding site (
viz
. GTGAN
6
CCACC) was identified in this region, and mutation of this site to CCCAN
6
CTTTC abolished
cydA-lacZ
expression in response to hypoxia. Binding of purified CRP (MSMEG_0539) to the
cydAB
promoter DNA was analyzed using electrophoretic mobility shift assays. CRP binding was dependent on GTGAN
6
CCACC and showed cyclic AMP (cAMP) dependency. No CRP site was present in the
cydDC
promoter, and a 10-bp inverted repeat (CGGTGGTACCGGTACCACCG) was required for maximal
cydD-lacZ
expression. Taken together, the data indicate that CRP is a direct regulator of
cydAB
expression in response to hypoxia and that the regulation of
cydDC
expression is CRP independent and under the control of an unknown regulator.
Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Protects against Amphotericin B Induced Nephrotoxicity in Rat Model
Authors: Altuntaş Atila , Yılmaz H. Ramazan , Altuntaş Ayşegül , Uz Efkan , Demir Murat , Gökçimen Alparslan , Aksu Oğuzhan , Bayram Dilek Şenol , Sezer Mehmet Tuğrul 
Published: June 2014

The present study was conducted to investigate whether caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis extract, has a protective effect on amphotericin B induced nephrotoxicity in rat models. Male Wistar-Albino rats were randomly divided into four groups: (I) control group (n = 10), (II) CAPE group (n = 9) which received 10 μmol/kg CAPE intraperitoneally (i.p.), (III) amphotericin B group (n = 7) which received one dose of 50 mg/kg amphotericin B, and (IV) amphotericin B plus CAPE group (n = 7) which received 10 μmol/kg CAPE i.p. and one dose of 50 mg/kg amphotericin B. The left kidney was evaluated histopathologically for nephrotoxicity. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), enzyme activities including catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in the right kidney. Histopathological damage was prominent in the amphotericin B group compared to controls, and the severity of damage was lowered by CAPE administration. The activity of SOD, MDA, and NO levels increased and catalase activity decreased in the amphotericin B group compared to the control group (P=0.0001,P=0.003,P=0.0001, andP=0.0001, resp.). Amphotericin B plus CAPE treatment caused a significant decrease in MDA, NO levels, and SOD activity (P=0.04,P=0.02, andP=0.0001, resp.) and caused an increase in CAT activity compared with amphotericin B treatment alone (P=0.005). CAPE treatment seems to be an effective adjuvant agent for the prevention of amphotericin B nephrotoxicity in rat models.
Laboratory to Community: Chemoprevention Is the Answer
Authors: Olden Kenneth , Vulimiri Suryanarayana V. 
Published: June 2014

Abstract
In the current issue, Johnson and colleagues present exciting results, using biomarkers involved in aflatoxin B1 (AFB1)–induced hepatocarcinogenesis, as an example of a conceptual framework to target mechanisms of action in developing chemopreventive agents. Their innovative approach offers considerable promise for a field that has long been neglected. Proof-of-principle was demonstrated using a synthetic triterpenoid (CDDO-Im), which activates Nrf2 signal transduction pathway, inhibits formation of AFB1-induced DNA adducts and neoplastic hepatic foci, and alters the expression of genes associated with aflatoxin-mediated toxicity. Cancer Prev Res; 7(7); 648–52. ©2014 AACR.