bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Divergent Pathways of Successional Recovery for In Situ Oil Sands Exploration Drilling Pads on Wooded Moderate‐Rich Fens in Alberta, Canada
Authors: Caners Richard T. , Lieffers Victor J. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractPeatlands in northern Alberta, Canada, are being rapidly impacted by oil sands activities, with potentially long‐term consequences for their recovery. In situ oil sands extraction requires exploration of oil resources on a dense network of drilling pads across the landscape. This study examined the recovery of wooded moderate‐rich (WMR) fens 10 years after abandonment of these sites with minimal restorative measures. Bryophyte and vascular plant diversity, site microtopography, and water chemistry were assessed on drilling pads and in adjacent areas of undisturbed reference habitat. WMR fens affected by drilling activities were divided a priori into two groups based on strongly divergent trends in their successional development. One group represented the majority of WMR fens observed on the land base; at these sites hummock‐forming mosses including minerotrophic Sphagnum species were infrequent and tree recruitment was almost absent. The other group was dominated by Sphagnum species, had Picea mariana and Larix laricina recruitment, and appeared to recover more quickly. Both groups had high abundance of wetland sedges, notably Carex aquatilis. Further, drilling pads belonging to the first group had a high water table, limited elevated microsites, and had surface flooding over a portion of the growing season, in contrast to Sphagnum‐dominated sites. Development of the aquatic, bryophyte‐poor wetland type is comparable to early stages of wetland succession and these systems will recover relatively slowly, likely from decades to more than a century. Restoring part of the vertical distribution of microhabitats before abandonment of these pads could stimulate the successional recovery of vegetation.
Dependence of bronchoconstrictor and bronchodilator responses on thoracic gas compression volume
Authors: Pellegrino Riccardo , Antonelli Andrea , Crimi Emanuele , Gulotta Carlo , Torchio Roberto , Dutto Luca , Pedersen Ole F. , Brusasco Vito 
Published: July 2014

AbstractBackground and objectiveDuring forced expiration, alveolar pressure (PALV) increases and intrathoracic gas is compressed. Thus, 1‐s forced expiratory volume measured by spirometry (FEV1‐sp) is smaller than 1‐s forced expiratory volume measured by plethysmography (FEV1‐pl). Thoracic gas compression volume (TGCV) depends on the amount of gas within the lung when expiratory flow limitation occurs in the airways. We therefore tested the hypothesis that bronchoconstrictor and bronchodilator responses using FEV1‐sp are biased by height and gender, which are major determinants of lung volume.MethodsWe studied 54 asthmatics during methacholine challenge and 55 subjects with airway obstruction (FEV1‐sp increase >200 mL and >12% after salbutamol) measuring at the same time FEV1‐sp or FEV1‐pl.ResultsDuring methacholine challenge, TGCV increased more in males than females, correlated with PALV, total lung capacity (TLC) and height, and the provocative dose was lower using FEV1‐sp than FEV1‐pl. With salbutamol, FEV1‐pl increased <200 mL and <12% in 28 subjects, predominantly tall males, with larger TLC, TGCV and PALV.ConclusionsBronchoconstrictor and bronchodilator responses are overestimated by standard spirometry in subjects with larger lungs because of TGCV.
Successful hyperbaric oxygen therapy for refractory BK virus‐associated hemorrhagic cystitis after cord blood transplantation
Authors: Hosokawa K. , Yamazaki H. , Nakamura T. , Yoroidaka T. , Imi T. , Shima Y. , Ohata K. , Takamatsu H. , Kotani T. , Kondo Y. , Takami A. , Nakao S. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractBK virus‐associated hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV‐HC) is a common and major cause of morbidity in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. A 32‐year‐old woman developed severe BKV‐HC on day 24 after cord blood transplantation (CBT). Despite supportive therapies – such as hyperhydration, forced diuresis, and urinary catheterization – macroscopic hematuria and bladder irritation persisted for over a month. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy at 2.1 atmospheres for 90 min per day was started on day 64 after CBT. Macroscopic hematuria resolved within a week, and microscopic hematuria was no longer detectable within 2 weeks. Hematuria did not recur after 11 sessions of HBO therapy, and no significant side effects were observed during or after treatment. HBO therapy could thus be useful in controlling refractory BKV‐HC after CBT.
AP‐1A Controls Secretory Granule Biogenesis and Trafficking of Membrane Secretory Granule Proteins
Authors: Bonnemaison Mathilde , Bäck Nils , Lin Yimo , Bonifacino Juan S. , Mains Richard , Eipper Betty 
Published: July 2014

AbstractThe adaptor protein 1A complex (AP‐1A) transports cargo between the trans‐Golgi network (TGN) and endosomes. In professional secretory cells, AP‐1A also retrieves material from immature secretory granules (SGs). The role of AP‐1A in SG biogenesis was explored using AtT‐20 corticotrope tumor cells expressing reduced levels of the AP‐1A μ1A subunit. A twofold reduction in μ1A resulted in a decrease in TGN cisternae and immature SGs and the appearance of regulated secretory pathway components in non‐condensing SGs. Although basal secretion of endogenous SG proteins was unaffected, secretagogue‐stimulated release was halved. The reduced μ1A levels interfered with the normal trafficking of carboxypeptidase D (CPD) and peptidylglycine α‐amidating monooxygenase‐1 (PAM‐1), integral membrane enzymes that enter immature SGs. The non‐condensing SGs contained POMC products and PAM‐1, but not CPD. Based on metabolic labeling and secretion experiments, the cleavage of newly synthesized PAM‐1 into PHM was unaltered, but PHM basal secretion was increased in sh‐μ1A PAM‐1 cells. Despite lacking a canonical AP‐1A binding motif, yeast two‐hybrid studies demonstrated an interaction between the PAM‐1 cytosolic domain and AP‐1A. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments with PAM‐1 mutants revealed an influence of the luminal domains of PAM‐1 on this interaction. Thus, AP‐1A is crucial for normal SG biogenesis, function and composition.
AS‐7 improved in vitro quality of red blood cells prepared from whole blood held overnight at room temperature
Authors: Veale Margaret F. , Healey Geraldine , Sran Amrita , Payne Katherine A. , Zia Majid , Sparrow Rosemary L. 
Published: July 2014

BackgroundExtended room temperature (RT) hold of whole blood (WB) may affect the quality of red blood cell (RBC) components produced from these donations. The availability of betterRBCadditive solutions (ASs) may help reduce the effects. A newAS,AS‐7 (SOLX,HaemoneticsCorporation), was investigated for improved in vitro quality ofRBCs prepared fromWBheld overnight atRT.Study Design and MethodsSixteenWBunits were held for 21.4 hours ± 40 minutes at 22°C on cooling plates before processing. Each pair ofABO‐matchedWBunits were pooled, divided into aWBfilter pack containing saline‐adenine‐glucose‐mannitol (control) and aLEUKOSEP WB‐filter pack containingSOLX, and processed according to manufacturer's instructions.RBCs were stored at 2 to 6°Cand sampled weekly until expiry. GlycophorinA(GPA+) and annexinV–binding microparticles (MPs) were quantitated using flow cytometry. Osmotic fragility, intracellular pH(pHi), adenosine triphosphate (ATP), 2,3‐diphosphoglycerate (2,3‐DPG), and routine quality variables were measured. Adhesion ofRBCs to human endothelial cells (ECs) was evaluated by flow perfusion under low shear stress (0.5 dyne/cm2), similar to low blood flow in microvessels.ResultsATPand 2,3‐DPGlevels were improved forSOLX‐RBCs.SOLX‐RBCs maintained higher pHi, increased resistance to hypotonic stress, and reduced numbers ofGPA+MPs. No significant difference was observed between annexinVbinding toMPs or adhesion ofRBCs toECs under shear stress.ConclusionSOLX‐storedRBCs showed increased osmotic resistance, pHi, and reducedGPA+MPs and together with higherATPand 2,3‐DPGlevels demonstrated improved in vitroRBCquality measures during 42 days of storage.
Multilateralisation of Preferences versus Reciprocity when FTAs are Underutilized
Authors: Menon Jayant 
Published: July 2014

AbstractMost studies worldwide, and all on East Asia on the impact of free trade agreements (FTAs), have assumed full utilisation of preferences. The evidence suggests that this assumption is seriously in error, with the estimated uptake particularly low in East Asia. In this paper, we assume a more realistic utilisation rate in estimating impacts. We find that actual utilisation rates significantly diminish the benefits from preferential liberalisation, but in a non‐linear way. Reciprocity is an important motivation for pursuing FTAs over unilateral actions, such as multilateralisation of preferences. We isolate the impact of reciprocity, but find that the additional benefits also depend on utilisation rates. Furthermore, the potential for trade deflection combined with possible retaliatory actions could negatively affect members and non‐members. In the absence of Doha, unilateral multilateralism or non‐reciprocal multilateralisation of preferences is the practical route that is most likely to deliver the greatest benefits.
Cambodia: Rapid Growth in an Open, Post‐conflict Economy
Authors: Hill Hal , Menon Jayant 
Published: July 2014

AbstractThis study provides an analytical review of World Trade Organization, Trade Policy Review: Cambodia, the first such report undertaken for the country. The report highlights Cambodia's rapid economic growth after one of the world's worst cases of genocide in the second half of the twentieth century. This growth has been underpinned by open trade and investment policies, in the context of dynamic neighbourhood growth effects. The trade regime is mainly tariff‐based, with modest intersectoral variations in rates. Cambodia has limited trade policy space. It is a signatory to the 10‐nation ASEAN Free Trade Agreement, soon to become the ASEAN Economic Community. Moreover, given its long and porous borders with the much larger, dynamic economies of Thailand and Vietnam, any major cross‐border price differences will quickly result in informal trade with these economies, and nearby China. Most of the country's trade policy challenges are to do with ‘behind–the‐border’ issues, a legacy of its generation of civil war and conflict. These include weak bureaucratic capacity, high levels of corruption, poor infrastructure and limited human capital.
Development of dialysis disequilibrium‐like clinical signs during postobstructive management of feline urethral obstruction
Authors: Ostroski Cassandra J. , Cooper Edward S. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo describe the clinical features, treatment, and outcome of a cat with acute neurologic signs subsequent to relief of urethral obstruction and rapid resolution of severe azotemia, suggesting a process similar to dialysis disequilibrium syndrome.Case SummaryA male castrated domestic short‐hair cat was presented for weakness and dull mentation. Initial physical examination was consistent with urethral obstruction and laboratory data demonstrated severe azotemia, hyperkalemia, and acidemia. Interventions for hyperkalemia and urethral catheterization were performed without complication. The patient demonstrated a marked postobstructive diuresis and 7 hours after presentation suffered a grand mal seizure and was neurologically inappropriate. These changes corresponded with marked decreases in blood urea nitrogen (from 89.25 mmol/L to 19.99 mmol/L [250 mg/dL to 56 mg/dL]) and calculated serum osmolality (429 mOsm/kg to 359 mOsm/kg) from initial presentation without other apparent cause for seizure activity. The patient was treated with hypertonic saline (bolus and continuous infusion) for presumed osmotic injury (dialysis disequilibrium‐like clinical signs) along with other supportive care. All neurologic signs resolved within 48 hours, the urinary catheter was removed, and the patient was discharged after 24 hours of observation of spontaneous urination.New or Unique Information ProvidedDialysis disequilibrium syndrome has been documented in small animals, but similar signs have not been reported as a sequelae of treatment of feline urethral obstruction. Urethral obstruction is a common emergency and practitioners should be aware of this potential complication as a cause of delayed neurologic recovery or seizures in the postobstructive period.
Therapeutic potential of Pirfenidone for treating equine corneal scarring
Authors: Fink Michael K. , Giuliano Elizabeth A. , Tandon Ashish , Mohan Rajiv R. 
Published: July 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of Pirfenidone (PFD) in the treatment of equine corneal fibrosis using an in vitro model.MethodsHealthy donor equine corneas were collected and used to generate primary equine corneal fibroblasts (ECFs) by growing cultures in minimal essential medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum. Equine corneal myofibroblasts (ECMs), used as a model of equine corneal fibrosis, were produced by growing ECF cultures in serum‐free medium containing transforming growth factor β1 (1 ng/mL). Trypan blue viability assays and changes in ECF morphology were utilized to determine the optimal PFD dose for this in vitro model. Trypan blue viability, phase‐contrast microscopy, and TUNEL assays were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of PFD. Scratch and MTT assays were used to evaluate the effect of PFD on cellular migration and proliferation. Real‐time PCR, immunoblot analysis, and immunocytochemistry were employed to determine the efficacy of PFD to inhibit ECM formation in vitro.ResultsTopical PFD application at 200 μg/mL successfully decreased αSMA expression when compared to the TGFβ1 only treatment group (P < 0.01). PFD application ≤200 μg/mL did not affect ECF phenotype or cellular viability and did not result in significant cytotoxicity.ConclusionsPirfenidone safely and effectively inhibits TGFβ1‐induced equine corneal fibrosis in vitro. In vivo studies are warranted.
Signaling of Chloroquine-Induced Stress in the Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae Requires the Hog1 and Slt2 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Pathways
Authors: Baranwal Shivani , Azad Gajendra Kumar , Singh Vikash , Tomar Raghuvir S. 
Published: July 2014

ABSTRACT

Chloroquine (CQ) has been under clinical use for several decades, and yet little is known about CQ sensing and signaling mechanisms or about their impact on various biological pathways. We employed the budding yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
as a model organism to study the pathways targeted by CQ. Our screening with yeast mutants revealed that it targets histone proteins and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Here, we also describe the novel role of mitogen-activated protein kinases Hog1 and Slt2, which aid in survival in the presence of CQ. Cells deficient in Hog1 or Slt2 are found to be CQ hypersensitive, and both proteins were phosphorylated in response to CQ exposure. CQ-activated Hog1p is translocated to the nucleus and facilitates the expression of GPD1 (glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), which is required for the synthesis of glycerol (one of the major osmolytes). Moreover, cells treated with CQ exhibited an increase in intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and the effects were rescued by addition of reduced glutathione to the medium. The deletion of SOD1, the superoxide dismutase in yeast, resulted in hypersensitivity to CQ. We have also observed P38 as well as P42/44 phosphorylation in HEK293T human cells upon exposure to CQ, indicating that the kinds of responses generated in yeast and human cells are similar. In summary, our findings define the multiple biological pathways targeted by CQ that might be useful for understanding the toxicity modulated by this pharmacologically important molecule.
Comparison of Different Drug Susceptibility Test Methods To Detect Rifampin Heteroresistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Zhang Zhijian , Wang Yufeng , Pang Yu , Liu Changting 
Published: July 2014

ABSTRACT

We compared the efficiencies of different drug susceptibility testing methods in detecting rifampin (RIF) heteroresistance in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. Our data revealed that the broth dilution method found more resistance than MGIT did (
P
= 0.046) for the low-resistance group. Similarly, the broth dilution method was more sensitive in detecting RIF heteroresistance in subpopulations with low growth rates than was MGIT (
P
= 0.033). In conclusion, our data demonstrated that the broth dilution method was more sensitive than MGIT in detecting RIF heteroresistance.
Microscopic and Spectroscopic Analyses of Chlorhexidine Tolerance in Delftia acidovorans Biofilms
Authors: Rema Tara , Lawrence John R. , Dynes James J. , Hitchcock Adam P. , Korber Darren R. 
Published: July 2014

ABSTRACT

The physicochemical responses of
Delftia acidovorans
biofilms exposed to the commonly used antimicrobial chlorhexidine (CHX) were examined in this study. A CHX-sensitive mutant (MIC, 1.0 μg ml
−1
) was derived from a CHX-tolerant (MIC, 15.0 μg ml
−1
)
D. acidovorans
parent strain using transposon mutagenesis.
D. acidovorans
mutant (MT51) and wild-type (WT15) strain biofilms were cultivated in flow cells and then treated with CHX at sub-MIC and inhibitory concentrations and examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Specific morphological, structural, and chemical compositional differences between the CHX-treated and -untreated biofilms of both strains were observed. Apart from architectural differences, CLSM revealed a negative effect of CHX on biofilm thickness in the CHX-sensitive MT51 biofilms relative to those of the WT15 strain. STXM analyses showed that the WT15 biofilms contained two morphochemical cell variants, whereas only one type was detected in the MT51 biofilms. The cells in the MT51 biofilms bioaccumulated CHX to a similar extent as one of the cell types found in the WT15 biofilms, whereas the other cell type in the WT15 biofilms did not bioaccumulate CHX. STXM and IR spectral analyses revealed that CHX-sensitive MT51 cells accumulated the highest levels of CHX. Pretreating biofilms with EDTA promoted the accumulation of CHX in all cells. Thus, it is suggested that a subpopulation of cells that do not accumulate CHX appear to be responsible for greater CHX resistance in
D. acidovorans
WT15 biofilm in conjunction with the possible involvement of bacterial membrane stability.
Antibiotic Resistance Mechanisms Inform Discovery: Identification and Characterization of a Novel Amycolatopsis Strain Producing Ristocetin
Authors: Truman Andrew W. , Kwun Min Jung , Cheng Jinhua , Yang Seung Hwan , Suh Joo-Won , Hong Hee-Jeon 
Published: July 2014

ABSTRACT

Discovering new antibiotics is a major scientific challenge, made increasingly urgent by the continued development of resistance in bacterial pathogens. A fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of bacterial antibiotic resistance will be vital for the future discovery or design of new, more effective antibiotics. We have exploited our intimate knowledge of the molecular mechanism of glycopeptide antibiotic resistance in the harmless bacterium
Streptomyces coelicolor
to develop a new two-step cell wall bioactivity screen, which efficiently identified a new actinomycete strain containing a previously uncharacterized glycopeptide biosynthetic gene cluster. The screen first identifies natural product extracts capable of triggering a generalized cell wall stress response and then specifically selects for glycopeptide antibacterials by assaying for the induction of glycopeptide resistance genes. In this study, we established a diverse natural product extract library from actinomycete strains isolated from locations with widely varying climates and ecologies, and we screened them using the novel two-step bioassay system. The bioassay ultimately identified a single strain harboring the previously unidentified biosynthetic gene cluster for the glycopeptide ristocetin, providing a proof of principle for the effectiveness of the screen. This is the first report of the ristocetin biosynthetic gene cluster, which is predicted to include some interesting and previously uncharacterized enzymes. By focusing on screening libraries of microbial extracts, this strategy provides the certainty that identified producer strains are competent for growth and biosynthesis of the detected glycopeptide under laboratory conditions.
Case-Case-Control Study of Patients with Carbapenem-Resistant and Third-Generation-Cephalosporin-Resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae Bloodstream Infections
Authors: Gallagher Jason C. , Kuriakose Safia , Haynes Kevin , Axelrod Peter 
Published: July 2014

ABSTRACT

Strains of third-generation-cephalosporin-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
(3GCRKP) and carbapenem-resistant
K. pneumoniae
(CRKP) are rapidly spreading. Evidence is needed to establish whether differences exist between patients at risk for 3GCRKP and those at risk for CRKP bloodstream infections (BSIs); thus, this retrospective case-case-control study was conducted to determine if the risk factors for these two infections differ. The inclusion criteria for cases were positive blood cultures for
K. pneumoniae
, first episode of BSI, age of ≥18 years, and susceptibility results indicating resistance to either third-generation cephalosporins (3GCRKP group) or carbapenems and cephalosporins (CRKP group). Controls were patients admitted for ≥72 h and were matched to cases by month/year and medical unit. Variables of interest were analyzed by univariate analysis, and those of significance were analyzed by logistic regression. In total, 111 patients with 3GCRKP BSIs and 43 patients with CRKP BSIs were matched to 154 controls. Multivariate analyses of 3GCRKP case and control groups demonstrated that a length of stay (LOS) of >40 days (odds ratio [OR], 17.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.7 to 84.3), the use of antibiotics in the past 90 days (OR, 4.3; 95% CI, 1.5 to 11.9), and the presence of a central venous catheter (OR, 4.1; 95% CI, 1.3 to 13.4) were independent risk factors. Multivariate analyses of the CRKP case and control groups demonstrated that a LOS of >40 days (OR, 13.5; 95% CI, 2.9 to 62.8) and the use of antibiotics in the past 90 days (OR, 5.9; 95% CI, 1.3 to 26.5) were independent risk factors. Similar factors put patients at risk for these two types of
K. pneumoniae
BSIs.