bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Role of Plasmids in Lactobacillus brevis BSO 464 Hop Tolerance and Beer Spoilage
Authors: Bergsveinson Jordyn , Baecker Nina , Pittet Vanessa , Ziola Barry 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACT

Specific isolates of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can grow in the harsh beer environment, thus posing a threat to brew quality and the economic success of breweries worldwide. Plasmid-localized genes, such as
horA
,
horC
, and
hitA
, have been suggested to confer hop tolerance, a trait required for LAB survival in beer. The presence and expression of these genes among LAB, however, do not universally correlate with the ability to grow in beer. Genome sequencing of the virulent beer spoilage organism
Lactobacillus brevis
BSO 464 revealed the presence of eight plasmids, with plasmids 1, 2, and 3 containing
horA
,
horC
, and
hitA
, respectively. To investigate the roles that these and the other five plasmids play in
L. brevis
BSO 464 growth in beer, plasmid curing with novobiocin was used to derive 10 plasmid variants. Multiplex PCRs were utilized to determine the presence or absence of each plasmid, and how plasmid loss affected hop tolerance and growth in degassed (noncarbonated) beer was assessed. Loss of three of the eight plasmids was found to affect hop tolerance and growth in beer. Loss of plasmid 2 (
horC
and 28 other genes) had the most dramatic effect, with loss of plasmid 4 (120 genes) and plasmid 8 (47 genes) having significant, but smaller, impacts. These results support the contention that genes on mobile genetic elements are essential for bacterial growth in beer and that beer spoilage ability is not dependent solely on the three previously described hop tolerance genes or on the chromosome of a beer spoilage LAB isolate.
Geochemical Niches of Iron-Oxidizing Acidophiles in Acidic Coal Mine Drainage
Authors: Jones Daniel S. , Kohl Courtney , Grettenberger Christen , Larson Lance N. , Burgos William D. , Macalady Jennifer L. 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACT

A legacy of coal mining in the Appalachians has provided a unique opportunity to study the ecological niches of iron-oxidizing microorganisms. Mine-impacted, anoxic groundwater with high dissolved-metal concentrations emerges at springs and seeps associated with iron oxide mounds and deposits. These deposits are colonized by iron-oxidizing microorganisms that in some cases efficiently remove most of the dissolved iron at low pH, making subsequent treatment of the polluted stream water less expensive. We used full-cycle rRNA methods to describe the composition of sediment communities at two geochemically similar acidic discharges, Upper and Lower Red Eyes in Somerset County, PA, USA. The dominant microorganisms at both discharges were acidophilic
Gallionella
-like organisms, “
Ferrovum
” spp., and
Acidithiobacillus
spp.
Archaea
and
Leptospirillum
spp. accounted for less than 2% of cells. The distribution of microorganisms at the two sites could be best explained by a combination of iron(II) concentration and pH. Populations of the
Gallionella
-like organisms were restricted to locations with pH >3 and iron(II) concentration of >4 mM, while
Acidithiobacillus
spp. were restricted to pH <3 and iron(II) concentration of <4 mM.
Ferrovum
spp. were present at low levels in most samples but dominated sediment communities at pH <3 and iron(II) concentration of >4 mM. Our findings offer a predictive framework that could prove useful for describing the distribution of microorganisms in acid mine drainage, based on readily accessible geochemical parameters.
Bright Fluorescent Streptococcus pneumoniae for Live-Cell Imaging of Host-Pathogen Interactions
Authors: Kjos Morten , Aprianto Rieza , Fernandes Vitor E. , Andrew Peter W. , van Strijp Jos A. G. , Nijland Reindert , Veening Jan-Willem 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACT

Streptococcus pneumoniae
is a common nasopharyngeal resident in healthy people but, at the same time, one of the major causes of infectious diseases such as pneumonia, meningitis, and sepsis. The shift from commensal to pathogen and its interaction with host cells are poorly understood. One of the major limitations for research on pneumococcal-host interactions is the lack of suitable tools for live-cell imaging. To address this issue, we developed a generally applicable strategy to create genetically stable, highly fluorescent bacteria. Our strategy relies on fusing superfolder green fluorescent protein (GFP) or a far-red fluorescent protein (RFP) to the abundant histone-like protein HlpA. Due to efficient translation and limited cellular diffusion of these fusions, the cells are 25-fold brighter than those of the currently best available imaging
S. pneumoniae
strain. These novel bright pneumococcal strains are fully virulent, and the GFP reporter can be used for
in situ
imaging in mouse tissue. We used our reporter strains to study the effect of the polysaccharide capsule, a major pneumococcal virulence factor, on different stages of infection. By dual-color live-cell imaging experiments, we show that unencapsulated pneumococci adhere significantly better to human lung epithelial cells than encapsulated strains, in line with previous data obtained by classical approaches. We also confirm with live-cell imaging that the capsule protects pneumococci from neutrophil phagocytosis, demonstrating the versatility and usability of our reporters. The described imaging tools will pave the way for live-cell imaging of pneumococcal infection and help further understanding of the mechanisms of pneumococcal pathogenesis.
The Flagellar Set Fla2 in Rhodobacter sphaeroides Is Controlled by the CckA Pathway and Is Repressed by Organic Acids and the Expression of Fla1
Authors: Vega-Baray Benjamín , Domenzain Clelia , Rivera Anet , Alfaro-López Rocío , Gómez-César Elidet , Poggio Sebastián , Dreyfus Georges , Camarena Laura 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACT

Rhodobacter sphaeroides
has two different sets of flagellar genes. Under the growth conditions commonly used in the laboratory, the expression of the
fla1
set is constitutive, whereas the
fla2
genes are not expressed. Phylogenetic analyses have previously shown that the
fla1
genes were acquired by horizontal transfer from a gammaproteobacterium and that the
fla2
genes are endogenous genes of this alphaproteobacterium. In this work, we characterized a set of mutants that were selected for swimming using the Fla2 flagella in the absence of the Fla1 flagellum (Fla2
+
strains). We determined that these strains have a single missense mutation in the histidine kinase domain of CckA. The expression of these mutant alleles in a Fla1
−
strain allowed
fla2
-dependent motility without selection. Motility of the Fla2
+
strains is also dependent on ChpT and CtrA. The mutant versions of CckA showed an increased autophosphorylation activity
in vitro
. Interestingly, we found that
cckA
is transcriptionally repressed by the presence of organic acids, suggesting that the availability of carbon sources could be a part of the signal that turns on this flagellar set. Evidence is presented showing that reactivation of
fla1
gene expression in the Fla2
+
background strongly reduces the number of cells with Fla2 flagella.
MRI findings in soccer players with long-standing adductor-related groin pain and asymptomatic controls
Authors: Branci Sonia , Thorborg Kristian , Bech Birthe Højlund , Boesen Mikael , Nielsen Michael Bachmann , Hölmich Per 
Published: December 2014

BackgroundSoccer players are commonly affected by long-standing adductor-related groin pain (ARGP), but the clinical significance of MRI findings in these athletes is largely unknown. Our aims were (1) to evaluate whether MRI findings are associated with long-standing ARGP in soccer players, (2) to assess MRI findings in asymptomatic soccer players and non-soccer playing controls.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 28 male soccer players with long-standing ARGP, 17 male asymptomatic soccer players and 20 male asymptomatic non-soccer playing athletes of matching age and athletic exposure. Participants underwent identical standardised and reliable clinical examination, and MRI scans (3 T) of the pelvis performed by a blinded observer. Images were consensus rated by three blinded radiologists according to a standardised MRI evaluation protocol. The associations between clinical adductor-related findings and pathological MRI findings were investigated with χ2statistics and OR.ResultsCentral disc protrusion (p=0.027) and higher grades of pubic bone marrow oedema (BMO; p=0.027) were significantly more present in symptomatic players than asymptomatic players. However, up to 71% of asymptomatic soccer players displayed different positive MRI findings, and asymptomatic soccer players had significantly higher odds (OR ranging from 6.3 to 13.3) for BMO, adductor tendinopathy and degenerative changes than non-soccer players.ConclusionsARGP in soccer players was associated with central disc protrusion and higher grades of pubic BMO. Moreover, positive MRI findings were significantly more frequent in soccer players compared with non-soccer players irrespective of symptoms, suggesting that these MRI changes may be associated with soccer play itself rather than clinical symptoms.
Will a quadruple multiplexed point-of-care screening strategy for HIV-related co-infections be feasible and impact detection of new co-infections in at-risk populations? Results from cross-sectional studies
Authors: Pai Nitika Pant , Dhurat Rachita , Potter Martin , Behlim Tarannum , Landry Geneviève , Vadnais Caroline , Rodrigues Camilla , Joseph Lawrence , Shetty Anjali 
Published: December 2014

ObjectivesMultiplexed point-of-care (POC) devices can rapidly screen for HIV-related co-infections (eg, hepatitis C (HCV), hepatitis B (HBV), syphilis) in one patient visit, but global evidence for this approach remains limited. This study aimed to evaluate a multiplex POC testing strategy to expedite screening for HIV-related co-infections in at-risk populations.MethodsA multiplex strategy was developed with two subsequent versions of an investigational device Miriad. It was evaluated in two non-comparable settings and populations in two countries for feasibility of conduct, detection of new infections, preference and accuracy. Version 1 was evaluated in 375 sexually transmitted disease clinic attendees in Mumbai, India; version 2 was evaluated in 119 injection drug users in Montreal, Canada.ResultsFeasibility (completion rate) of the multiplex strategy was high (86.1% Mumbai; 92.4% Montreal). A total of 170 new infections were detected in Mumbai (56 HIV, 75 HBV, 37 syphilis, 2 HCV) versus 2 in Montreal. Preference was 60% in Mumbai and 97% in Montreal. Miriad version 1 specificities were high: HIV 99.7% (98.3% to 100%), HBV 99.3% (97.6% to 99.9%), HCV 99.7% (98.5% to 99.9%), syphilis 85.2% (80.9% to 88.8%); sensitivities were as follows: HIV 100% (94.8% to 100%), HBV 13.3% (6.6% to 23.2%), HCV 50% (1.3% to 98.7%), syphilis 86.1% (70.5% to 95.3%). With version 2, specificities improved: HIV 100% (97.2% to 100%), HBV 100% (97.3% to 100%), HCV 85.3% (73.8% to 93.0%), syphilis 98.1% (93.3% to 99.8%); sensitivities were: HIV 100% (47.3% to 100%), HCV 80.4% (66.1% to 90.6%), syphilis 100% (22.4% to 100%).ConclusionsA quad multiplex POC strategy for HIV and co-infections was feasible to operationalise and preferred by patients in both settings. Many new infections were identified in Mumbai and accuracy improved with version 2 of the assay. Such a strategy will help expedite screening for co-infections, particularly where baseline screening is low. These findings are valuable to practitioners, researchers, policymakers and funders involved in initiatives for all four diseases with implications for scale-up.
Denial of abortion in legal settings
Authors: Gerdts Caitlin , DePiñeres Teresa , Hajri Selma , Harries Jane , Hossain Altaf , Puri Mahesh , Vohra Divya , Foster Diana Greene 
Published: December 2014

BackgroundFactors such as poverty, stigma, lack of knowledge about the legal status of abortion, and geographical distance from a provider may prevent women from accessing safe abortion services, even where abortion is legal. Data on the consequences of abortion denial outside of the US, however, are scarce.MethodsIn this article we present data from studies among women seeking legal abortion services in four countries (Colombia, Nepal, South Africa and Tunisia) to assess sociodemographic characteristics of legal abortion seekers, as well as the frequency and reasons that women are denied abortion care.ResultsThe proportion of women denied abortion services and the reasons for which they were denied varied widely by country. In Colombia, 2% of women surveyed did not receive the abortions they were seeking; in South Africa, 45% of women did not receive abortions on the day they were seeking abortion services. In both Tunisia and Nepal, 26% of women were denied their wanted abortions.ConclusionsThe denial of legal abortion services may have serious consequences for women's health and wellbeing. Additional evidence on the risk factors for presenting later in pregnancy, predictors of seeking unsafe illegal abortion, and the health consequences of illegal abortion and childbirth after an unwanted pregnancy is needed. Such data would assist the development of programmes and policies aimed at increasing access to and utilisation of safe abortion services where abortion is legal, and harm reduction models for women who are unable to access legal abortion services.
Evaluation of the natural perinatal transmission of bovine leukaemia virus
Authors: Mekata Hirohisa , Sekiguchi Satoshi , Konnai Satoru , Kirino Yumi , Honkawa Kazuyuki , Nonaka Nariaki , Horii Yoichiro , Norimine Junzo 
Published: December 2014

The perinatal transmission of bovine leukaemia virus (BLV) plays a critical role in the spread and persistence of BLV infection in cattle herds. The purpose of this study was to examine the frequency of perinatal infections in an area in Japan and investigate some risk factors associated with infection. Altogether, 129 calves born to BLV‐infected cows in a herd in Japan were tested for infection immediately after birth and again at one month of age using nested PCR. Twenty‐four calves (18.6 per cent) were infected with BLV, of which 14 (10.8 per cent) and 10 (7.7 per cent) calves were infected via the transplacental and the birth canal routes, respectively. Maternal viral loads, breed, the presence or absence of assistance during parturition and the number of births per dam were evaluated to investigate risk factors associated with infection. Maternal viral load was significantly correlated with the frequency of perinatal infection, and more than 40 per cent of newborn calves born to dams with high viral loads were infected with BLV. The results of this study could contribute towards developing effective eradication programmes by providing necessary data for replacement of breeding cow in the field.
Phase I Dose-Escalation Trial of the Oral Investigational Hedgehog Signaling Pathway Inhibitor TAK-441 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors
Authors: Goldman Jonathan , Eckhardt S. Gail , Borad Mitesh J. , Curtis Kelly K. , Hidalgo Manuel , Calvo Emiliano , Ryan David P. , Wirth Lori J. , Parikh Asit , Partyka James , Faessel Helene , Gangolli Esha , Stewart Sally , Rosen Lee S. , Bowles Daniel W. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractPurpose: This first-in-human study assessed safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and preliminary clinical activity of single and multiple doses of TAK-441, an investigational inhibitor of the Hedgehog signaling pathway.Experimental Design: Patients with advanced, solid tumors received daily oral TAK-441 (50–1,600 mg/day); daily dose was doubled in each subsequent cohort until the maximum tolerated/feasible dose (MTD/MFD) was reached. Blood was collected to evaluate TAK-441 plasma concentrations. Skin biopsies were obtained to evaluate suppression of the Hedgehog-regulated gene Gli1.Results: Thirty-four patients were enrolled (median age 59). The most common diagnoses were colorectal cancer (26%), basal cell carcinoma (BCC, 21%), and pancreatic cancer (9%). The MFD of 1,600 mg/day (based on tablet size and strength) was considered the MTD. Dose-limiting toxicities included muscle spasms and fatigue. Grade ≥3 treatment-emergent adverse events, regardless of causality, occurred in 15 patients (44%), of which hyponatremia (n = 4) and fatigue (n = 3) were most common. Oral absorption was fairly rapid; median Tmax was 2.0 to 4.0 hours after a single dose. Mean elimination half-life was 13.5 to 22.6 hours. Systemic exposure of TAK-441 based on the area under the plasma concentration–time curve was linear across the dose range. Gli1 expression in skin biopsies was strongly inhibited at all dose levels. Best response was partial response (1 patient with BCC) and stable disease (7 patients with various solid tumors).Conclusions: TAK-441 was generally well tolerated up to MFD of 1,600 mg/day, with preliminary antitumor activity. Further study of TAK-441 may be appropriate in populations selected for tumors with ligand-dependent or independent Hedgehog signaling. Clin Cancer Res; 21(5); 1002–9. ©2014 AACR.
Age at Menarche and Risks of Coronary Heart and Other Vascular Diseases in a Large UK Cohort
Authors: Canoy Dexter , Beral Valerie , Balkwill Angela , Wright F. Lucy , Kroll Mary E. , Reeves Gillian K. , Green Jane , Cairns Benjamin J. 
Published: December 2014

Background—
Early menarche has been associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but most studies were relatively small and could not assess risk across a wide range of menarcheal ages; few have examined associations with other vascular diseases. We examined CHD, cerebrovascular disease, and hypertensive disease risks by age at menarche in a large prospective study of UK women.

Methods and Results—

In 1.2 million women (mean±SD age, 56±5 years) without previous heart disease, stroke, or cancer, menarcheal age was reported to be 13 years by 25%, ≤10 years by 4%, and ≥17 years by 1%. After 11.6 years of follow-up, 73 378 women had first hospitalization for or death from CHD, 25 426 from cerebrovascular disease, and 249 426 from hypertensive disease. Using Cox regression, we calculated relative risks for each vascular outcome by single year of menarcheal age. The relationship was U-shaped for CHD. Compared with women with menarche at 13 years, the adjusted relative risk for CHD for menarche at ≤10 years of age was 1.27 (95% confidence interval, 1.22–1.31;
P
<0.0001) and for menarche at ≥17 years of age was 1.23 (95% confidence interval, 1.16–1.30;
P
<0.0001). U-shaped relationships were also seen for cerebrovascular and hypertensive disease, although the magnitudes of these risks for early and late menarche were smaller than those for CHD.

Conclusions—
In this cohort, the relation of age at menarche to vascular disease risk was U shaped, with both early and late menarche being associated with increased risk. Associations were weaker for cerebrovascular and hypertensive disease than for CHD.
Relations of Digital Vascular Function, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Arterial Stiffness: The Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA‐Brasil) Cohort Study
Authors: Brant Luisa C. C. , Hamburg Naomi M. , Barreto Sandhi M. , Benjamin Emelia J. , Ribeiro Antonio L. P. 
Published: December 2014

Background

Vascular dysfunction is an early expression of atherosclerosis and predicts cardiovascular (
CV
) events. Peripheral arterial tonometry (
PAT
) evaluates basal pulse amplitude (
BPA
), endothelial function (
PAT
ratio), and wave reflection (
PAT
‐
AI
x) in the digital microvessels. In Brazilian adults, we investigated the correlations of
PAT
responses to
CV
risk factors and to carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (
PWV
), a measure of arterial stiffness.

Methods and Results

In a cross‐sectional study, 1535 participants of the
ELSA
‐Brasil cohort underwent
PAT
testing (52±9 years; 44% women). In multivariable analyses, more‐impaired
BPA
and
PAT
ratios were associated with male sex, higher body mass index (
BMI
), and total cholesterol/high‐density lipoprotein. Higher age and triglycerides were related to higher
BPA
, whereas lower systolic blood pressure, hypertension (
HTN
) treatment, and prevalent
CV
disease (
CVD
) were associated with lower
PAT
ratio.
PAT
‐
AI
x correlated positively with female sex, advancing age, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and smoking and inversely to heart rate, height,
BMI
, and prevalent
CVD
. Black race was associated with lower
BPA
, higher
PAT
ratio, and
PAT
‐
AI
x. Microvessel vasodilator function was not associated with
PWV
. Higher
PAT
‐
AI
x was modestly correlated to higher
PWV
and
PAT
ratio and inversely correlated to
BPA
.

Conclusion

Metabolic risk factors are related to impaired microvessel vasodilator function in Brazil. However, in contrast to studies from the United States, black race was not associated with an impaired microvessel vasodilator response, implying that vascular function may vary by race across populations.
PAT
‐
AI
x relates to
HTN
, may be a valid measure of wave reflection, and provides distinct information from arterial stiffness.
Disentangling the Role of Cortico-Basal Ganglia Loops in Top–Down and Bottom–Up Visual Attention: An Investigation of Attention Deficits in Parkinson Disease
Authors: Tommasi Giorgio , Fiorio Mirta , Yelnik Jérôme , Krack Paul , Sala Francesca , Schmitt Emmanuelle , Fraix Valérie , Bertolasi Laura , Le Bas Jean-François , Ricciardi Giuseppe Kenneth , Fiaschi Antonio , Theeuwes Jan , Pollak Pierre , Chelazzi Leonardo 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
It is solidly established that top–down (goal-driven) and bottom–up (stimulus-driven) attention mechanisms depend on distributed cortical networks, including prefrontal and frontoparietal regions. On the other hand, it is less clear whether the BG also contribute to one or the other of these mechanisms, or to both. The current study was principally undertaken to clarify this issue. Parkinson disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting the BG, has proven to be an effective model for investigating the contribution of the BG to different brain functions; therefore, we set out to investigate deficits of top–down and bottom–up attention in a selected cohort of PD patients. With this objective in mind, we compared the performance on three computerized tasks of two groups of 12 parkinsonian patients (assessed without any treatment), one otherwise pharmacologically treated and the other also surgically treated, with that of a group of controls. The main behavioral tool for our study was an attentional capture task, which enabled us to tap the competition between top–down and bottom–up mechanisms of visual attention. This task was suitably combined with a choice RT and a simple RT task to isolate any specific deficit of attention from deficits in motor response selection and initiation. In the two groups of patients, we found an equivalent increase of attentional capture but also comparable delays in target selection in the absence of any salient distractor (reflecting impaired top–down mechanisms) and movement initiation compared with controls. In contrast, motor response selection processes appeared to be prolonged only in the operated patients. Our results confirm that the BG are involved in both motor and cognitive domains. Specifically, damage to the BG, as it occurs in PD, leads to a distinct deficit of top–down control of visual attention, and this can account, albeit indirectly, for the enhancement of attentional capture, reflecting weakened ability of top–down mechanisms to antagonize bottom–up control.