bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Impact of the Fiscal Crisis on Greek and Portuguese Welfare States: Retrenchment before the Catch‐up?
Authors: Zartaloudis Sotirios 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis article examines the impact of the ongoing (2008–13) economic crisis on Greek and Portuguese welfare state reforms in a comparative perspective with a particular focus on the public sector, labour markets and social protection. It is argued that the recent crisis caused ‘shock and awe’ in Greece and Portugal resulting in an unprecedented wave of cuts, tax rises and labour market reforms. In particular, public sector remuneration and jobs were cut, pensions were significantly curtailed and pension rights significantly restricted, successive tax hikes were implemented and welfare benefits became less generous and more conditional. It is argued that these reforms constitute a critical juncture and a considerable effort towards welfare retrenchment, which is which is implemented before converging with the more advanced welfare states of the EU15. Both countries appeared to be significantly more vulnerable to the crisis than the richer countries of Northern Europe (e.g. Germany, Austria, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands) and their larger Southern counterparts (Italy and Spain). Yet, the latter had to implement similar measures, albeit in a less abrupt and extensive fashion. In other words, it may be that size is less important than economic and political power for coping with the effects of the current crisis.
The null hypothesis: globally steady rates of erosion, weathering fluxes and shelf sediment accumulation during Late Cenozoic mountain uplift and glaciation
Authors: Willenbring Jane K. , Jerolmack Douglas J. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAt the largest time and space scales, the pace of erosion and chemical weathering is determined by tectonic uplift rates. Deviations from equilibrium arise from the transient response of landscape denudation to climatic and tectonic perturbations. We posit that the constraint of mass balance, however, makes it unlikely that such disequilibrium persists at the global scale over millions of years, as has been proposed for late Cenozoic erosion. We synthesize weathering fluxes, global sedimentation rates, sediment yields and tectonic motions to show a remarkable constancy in the pace of Earth‐surface evolution over the last 10 Ma and support the null hypothesis – that global rates of landscape change have remained constant over this time period, despite global climate change and mountain building events. This work undermines the hypothesis that increased weathering due to mountain building or climate change was the primary agent for a decrease in global temperatures.
Plio‐Pleistocene increase of erosion rates in mountain belts in response to climate change
Authors: Herman Frédéric , Champagnac Jean‐Daniel 
Published: October 2015

AbstractHere, we review an ensemble of observations that point towards a global increase of erosion rates in regions of elevated mountain belts, or otherwise high relief, since the onset of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation about 2–3 Ma. During that period of Earth's history, atmospheric CO2 concentrations may have dropped, and global climate cooled and evolved towards high‐amplitude oscillating conditions that are associated with the waxing and waning of continental ice sheets in the Northern Hemisphere. We argue for a correlation between climate change and increased erosion rates and relief production, which we attribute to some combination of the observed cooling, onset of glaciation, and climatic oscillation at orbital timescales. In our view, glacial erosion played a major role and is driven by the global cooling. Furthermore, analyses of the sedimentary fluxes of many mountain belts show peaks of erosion during the transitions between glacial and inter‐glacial periods, suggesting that the variable climatic conditions have also played a role.
Epidemiology and outcomes of carbapenem‐resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae bacteriuria in kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Pouch S.M. , Kubin C.J. , Satlin M.J. , Tsapepas D.S. , Lee J.R. , Dube G. , Pereira M.R. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBackgroundLittle is known about the epidemiology of carbapenem‐resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) bacteriuria following kidney transplantation. We determined the incidence of post‐transplant CRKP bacteriuria in adults who underwent kidney transplant from 2007 to 2010 at 2 New York City centers.MethodsWe conducted a case–control study to identify factors associated with CRKP bacteriuria compared with carbapenem‐susceptible K. pneumoniae (CSKP) bacteriuria, assessed whether CRKP bacteriuria was associated with mortality or graft failure, and compared outcomes of treated episodes of CRKP and CSKP bacteriuria.ResultsOf 1852 transplants, 20 (1.1%) patients developed CRKP bacteriuria. Factors associated with CRKP bacteriuria included receipt of multiple organs (odds ratio [OR] 4.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–20.4), deceased‐donor allograft (OR 5.9, 95% CI 1.3–26.8), transplant admission length of stay (OR 1.1 per day, 95% CI 1.0–1.1), pre‐transplant CRKP infection or colonization (OR 18.3, 95% CI 2.0–170.5), diabetes mellitus (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.0–7.8), and receipt of antimicrobials other than trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.6–11.2).ConclusionCompared to CSKP bacteriuria, CRKP bacteriuria was associated with increased mortality (30% vs. 10%, P = 0.03) but not graft failure. Treated episodes of CRKP bacteriuria were less likely to achieve microbiologic clearance (83% vs. 97%; P = 0.05) and more likely to recur within 3 months (50% vs. 22%, P = 0.02) than CSKP episodes. CRKP bacteriuria after kidney transplant is associated with mortality and antimicrobial failure after treatment.
Prolonged norovirus infection after pancreas transplantation: a case report and review of chronic norovirus
Authors: Echenique I.A. , Stosor V. , Gallon L. , Kaufman D. , Qi C. , Zembower T.R. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractNorovirus is a major cause of self‐limited gastroenteritis worldwide. Prevention and treatment are thwarted by rapid viral evolution, and thus supportive care remains the mainstay of therapy. Chronic infection in immunocompromised hosts is increasingly described. We report a case of norovirus infection lasting 2543 days in a pancreas transplant recipient. Serial fecal specimens were obtained, from which a map of genetic relatedness was derived. The clinical course was complicated by renal failure that progressed to end‐stage renal disease. Minimization of immunosuppression was associated with resolution of the infection. Subsequently, the patient experienced a suspected allograft rejection that did not compromise pancreas function. The patient later underwent living‐related renal transplantation without recurrence of enteritis.
Secondary dengue virus infections during the 2009 outbreak in Buenos Aires
Authors: Tittarelli E. , Barrero P. R. , Mistchenko A. S. , Valinotto L. E. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate the occurrence of secondary dengue virus (DENV) infections during the 2009 outbreak in a non‐endemic area. Viral loads were evaluated in serum from acute‐phase patients, comparing primary and secondary infection.MethodsSerum samples from patients with clinical diagnosis of suspected dengue were referred to the Virology Laboratory at ‘Ricardo Gutiérrez’ Children's Hospital. Dengue‐positive samples were classified as primary or secondary DENV infections through serological methods (anti‐DENV IgM and IgG). Viral loads were measured by quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR) in samples obtained in the first 5 days of infection. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate factors that might correlate with differences in the viral load of primary or secondary infection.ResultsA total of 229 DENV cases were confirmed; among them, 22.7% were secondary infections. No significant differences were found between the viral load of primary and secondary infections.ConclusionWe detected a high percentage of secondary DENV infections in a non‐endemic area; this finding might correspond to socio‐demographic characteristics of the group under study or indicate a previous cryptic DENV circulation causing inapparent infections.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Grown on Vancomycin-Supplemented Screening Agar Displays Enhanced Biofilm Formation
Authors: Chang Wenjiao , Ding Ding , Zhang Shanshan , Dai Yuanyuan , Pan Qing , Lu Huaiwei , Luo Qingli , Shen Jilong , Ma Xiaoling 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Brain heart infusion agar containing 3 mg/liter vancomycin (BHI-V3) was used to screen for heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate
Staphylococcus aureus
(hVISA). There was markedly greater biofilm formation by isolates that grew on BHI-V3 than by strains that did not grow on BHI-V3. Increased biofilm formation by hVISA may be mediated by FnbA- and polysaccharide intercellular adhesin-dependent pathways, and upregulation of
atlA
and
sarA
may also contribute to enhanced biofilm formation by hVISA upon prolonged exposure to vancomycin.
Serum Levels of Antituberculosis Drugs and Their Effect on Tuberculosis Treatment Outcome
Authors: Park Jong Sun , Lee Jae-Yeon , Lee Yeon Joo , Kim Se Joong , Cho Young-Jae , Yoon Ho Il , Lee Choon-Taek , Song Junghan , Lee Jae Ho 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Therapeutic drug monitoring in tuberculosis remains controversial. We evaluated the relationship between antituberculosis drug levels in blood and clinical outcome. Serum concentrations of first-line antituberculosis drugs were measured in tuberculosis patients between March 2006 and April 2013. Venous blood was drawn 2 h after drug ingestion and was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. We retrospectively reviewed the data and determined the association of serum drug levels with clinical outcome. Among 413 patients, the prevalences of low serum concentrations of isoniazid (INH), rifampin (RMP), ethambutol (EMB), and pyrazinamide (PZA) were 59.9%, 27.8%, 12.8%, and 8.7%, respectively. The low INH group had a greater percentage of patients with a history of tuberculosis treatment (19.2% versus 11.0%;
P
= 0.026) and was more likely to present with drug-resistant strains (17.6% versus 8.8%;
P
= 0.049) than the normal INH group; however, low levels of INH, RMP, EMB, and PZA were not related to treatment outcome. Low INH level had a tendency to be associated with 2-month culture positivity, but it was not statistically significant (
P
= 0.072) in multivariate analysis. Seventeen (4.1%) patients experienced a recurrence. However, the recurrence rate was not statistically different between the low and normal INH groups. Low serum INH may play a role in recurrence and in acquired drug resistance. However, the serum level of INH was not directly related to either treatment response or recurrence rate. The role and usefulness of therapeutic drug monitoring should be evaluated in further prospective studies.
Antibiotic Resistance among Clinical Ureaplasma Isolates Recovered from Neonates in England and Wales between 2007 and 2013
Authors: Beeton Michael L. , Chalker Victoria J. , Jones Lucy C. , Maxwell Nicola C. , Spiller O. Brad 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Ureaplasma
spp. are associated with numerous clinical sequelae with treatment options being limited due to patient and pathogen factors. This report examines the prevalence and mechanisms of antibiotic resistance among clinical strains isolated from 95 neonates, 32 women attending a sexual health clinic, and 3 patients under investigation for immunological disorders, between 2007 and 2013 in England and Wales. MICs were determined by using broth microdilution assays, and a subset of isolates were compared using the broth microdilution method and the Mycoplasma IST2 assay. The underlying molecular mechanisms for resistance were determined for all resistant isolates. Three isolates carried the
tet
(M) tetracycline resistance gene (2.3%; confidence interval [CI], 0.49 to 6.86%); two isolates were ciprofloxacin resistant (1.5%; CI, 0.07 to 5.79%) but sensitive to levofloxacin and moxifloxacin, while no resistance was seen to any macrolides tested. The MIC values for chloramphenicol were universally low (2 μg/ml), while inherently high-level MIC values for gentamicin were seen (44 to 66 μg/ml). The Mycoplasma IST2 assay identified a number of false positives for ciprofloxacin resistance, as the method does not conform to international testing guidelines. While antibiotic resistance among
Ureaplasma
isolates remains low, continued surveillance is essential to monitor trends and threats from importation of resistant clones.
Escherichia coli Overexpressing a Baeyer-Villiger Monooxygenase from Acinetobacter radioresistens Becomes Resistant to Imipenem
Authors: Minerdi Daniela , Zgrablic Ivan , Castrignanò Silvia , Catucci Gianluca , Medana Claudio , Terlizzi Maria Elena , Gribaudo Giorgio , Gilardi Gianfranco , Sadeghi Sheila J. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Antimicrobial resistance is a global issue currently resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people a year worldwide. Data present in the literature illustrate the emergence of many bacterial species that display resistance to known antibiotics;
Acinetobacter
spp. are a good example of this. We report here that
Acinetobacter radioresistens
has a Baeyer-Villiger monooxygenase (Ar-BVMO) with 100% amino acid sequence identity to the ethionamide monooxygenase of multidrug-resistant (MDR)
Acinetobacter baumannii
. Both enzymes are only distantly phylogenetically related to other canonical bacterial BVMO proteins. Ar-BVMO not only is capable of oxidizing two anticancer drugs metabolized by human FMO3, danusertib and tozasertib, but also can oxidize other synthetic drugs, such as imipenem. The latter is a member of the carbapenems, a clinically important antibiotic family used in the treatment of MDR bacterial infections. Susceptibility tests performed by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method demonstrate that imipenem-sensitive
Escherichia coli
BL21 cells overexpressing Ar-BVMO become resistant to this antibiotic. An agar disk diffusion assay proved that when imipenem reacts with Ar-BVMO, it loses its antibiotic property. Moreover, an NADPH consumption assay with the purified Ar-BVMO demonstrates that this antibiotic is indeed a substrate, and its product is identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to be a Baeyer-Villiger (BV) oxidation product of the carbonyl moiety of the β-lactam ring. This is the first report of an antibiotic-inactivating BVMO enzyme that, while mediating its usual BV oxidation, also operates by an unprecedented mechanism of carbapenem resistance.
Active-Site Plasticity Is Essential to Carbapenem Hydrolysis by OXA-58 Class D β-Lactamase of Acinetobacter baumannii
Authors: Pratap Shivendra , Katiki Madhusudhanarao , Gill Preet , Kumar Pravindra , Golemi-Kotra Dasantila 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Carbapenem-hydrolyzing class D β-lactamases (CHDLs) are a subgroup of class D β-lactamases, which are enzymes that hydrolyze β-lactams. They have attracted interest due to the emergence of multidrug-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
, which is not responsive to treatment with carbapenems, the usual antibiotics of choice for this bacterium. Unlike other class D β-lactamases, these enzymes efficiently hydrolyze carbapenem antibiotics. To explore the structural requirements for the catalysis of carbapenems by these enzymes, we determined the crystal structure of the OXA-58 CHDL of
A. baumannii
following acylation of its active-site serine by a 6α-hydroxymethyl penicillin derivative that is a structural mimetic for a carbapenem. In addition, several point mutation variants of the active site of OXA-58, as identified by the crystal structure analysis, were characterized kinetically. These combined studies confirm the mechanistic relevance of a hydrophobic bridge formed over the active site. This structural feature is suggested to stabilize the hydrolysis-productive acyl-enzyme species formed from the carbapenem substrates of this enzyme. Furthermore, our structural studies provide strong evidence that the hydroxyethyl group of carbapenems samples different orientations in the active sites of CHDLs, and the optimum orientation for catalysis depends on the topology of the active site allowing proper closure of the active site. We propose that CHDLs use the plasticity of the active site to drive the mechanism of carbapenem hydrolysis toward efficiency.
Biofilms of Pathogenic Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Targeted by New Therapeutic Approaches
Authors: Aung Thet Tun , Yam Joey Kuok Hoong , Lin Shuimu , Salleh Shuhaida Mohamed , Givskov Michael , Liu Shouping , Lwin Nyein Chan , Yang Liang , Beuerman Roger W. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Microbial infections of the cornea are potentially devastating and can result in permanent visual loss or require vision-rescuing surgery. In recent years, there has been an increasing number of reports on nontuberculous mycobacterial infections of the cornea. Challenges to the management of nontuberculous mycobacterial keratitis include delayed laboratory detection, low index of clinical suspicion, poor drug penetration, slow response to therapy, and prolonged use of antibiotic combinations. The ability of nontuberculous mycobacteria to evade the host immune response and the ability to adhere and to form biofilms on biological and synthetic substrates contribute to the issue. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new antimicrobial compounds that can overcome these problems. In this study, we evaluated the biofilm architectures for
Mycobacterium chelonae
and
Mycobacterium fortuitum
in dynamic flow cell chamber and 8-well chamber slide models. Our results showed that mycobacterial biofilms were quite resistant to conventional antibiotics. However, DNase treatment could be used to overcome biofilm resistance. Moreover, we successfully evaluated a new antimicrobial compound (AM-228) that was effective not only for planktonic mycobacterial cells but also for biofilm treatment and was compared favorably with the most successful “fourth-generation” fluoroquinolone, gatifloxacin. Finally, a new treatment strategy emerged: a combination of DNase with an antibiotic was more effective than an antibiotic alone.
Preservation of Acquired Colistin Resistance in Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Lee Ji-Young , Choi Myung-Jin , Choi Hyeon Jin , Ko Kwan Soo 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Colistin-resistant mutants were obtained from 17 colistin-susceptible strains of
Acinetobacter baumannii
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
, and
Escherichia coli
. The stability of colistin resistance in these mutants was investigated. Three of four colistin-resistant
P. aeruginosa
mutants recovered colistin susceptibility in colistin-free medium; however, colistin-susceptible revertants were obtained from only one strain each of
A. baumannii
and
E. coli
. No susceptible revertants were obtained from
K. pneumoniae
mutants.
In Vitro
Biochemical Study of CYP51-Mediated Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Warrilow Andrew G. S. , Parker Josie E. , Price Claire L. , Nes W. David , Kelly Steven L. , Kelly Diane E. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

The incidence of triazole-resistant
Aspergillus
infections is increasing worldwide, often mediated through mutations in the CYP51A amino acid sequence. New classes of azole-based drugs are required to combat the increasing resistance to existing triazole therapeutics. In this study, a CYP51 reconstitution assay is described consisting of eburicol, purified recombinant
Aspergillus fumigatus
CPR1 (AfCPR1), and
Escherichia coli
membrane suspensions containing recombinant
A. fumigatus
CYP51 proteins, allowing
in vitro
screening of azole antifungals. Azole-CYP51 studies determining the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC
50
) showed that
A. fumigatus
CYP51B (Af51B IC
50
, 0.50 μM) was 34-fold more susceptible to inhibition by fluconazole than
A. fumigatus
CYP51A (Af51A IC
50
, 17 μM) and that Af51A and Af51B were equally susceptible to inhibition by voriconazole, itraconazole, and posaconazole (IC
50
s of 0.16 to 0.38 μM). Af51A-G54W and Af51A-M220K enzymes were 11- and 15-fold less susceptible to inhibition by itraconazole and 30- and 8-fold less susceptible to inhibition by posaconazole than wild-type Af51A, confirming the azole-resistant phenotype of these two Af51A mutations. Susceptibility to voriconazole of Af51A-G54W and Af51A-M220K was only marginally lower than that of wild-type Af51A. Susceptibility of Af51A-L98H to inhibition by voriconazole, itraconazole, and posaconazole was only marginally lower (less than 2-fold) than that of wild-type Af51A. However, Af51A-L98H retained 5 to 8% residual activity in the presence of 32 μM triazole, which could confer azole resistance in
A. fumigatus
strains that harbor the Af51A-L98H mutation. The AfCPR1/Af51 assay system demonstrated the biochemical basis for the increased azole resistance of
A. fumigatus
strains harboring G54W, L98H, and M220K Af51A point mutations.
Nonimpact of Decolonization as an Adjunctive Measure to Contact Precautions for the Control of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Transmission in Acute Care
Authors: Peterson Lance R. , Wright Marc O. , Beaumont Jennifer L. , Komutanon Vanida , Patel Parul A. , Schora Donna M. , Schmitt Bryan H. , Robicsek Ari 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

This was an observational study comparing methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) transmission with no decolonization of medical patients to required decolonization of all MRSA carriers during two consecutive periods: baseline with no decolonization of medical patients (16 months) and universal MRSA carrier decolonization (13 months). The setting was a one-hospital, 156-bed facility with 9,200 annual admissions. Regression models were used to compare rates of MRSA acquisition. The chi-square test was used to compare event frequencies. We used rates of MRSA clinical disease as an outcome monitor of the program. Analysis was done on 15,666 patients who had admission and discharge tests; 27.9% of inpatient days were occupied by a MRSA-positive patient (colonized patient-days) who received decolonization while hospitalized during the baseline period (this 27.9% represented those who had planned surgery) compared to 76.0% during the intervention period (
P
< 0.0001). The rate of MRSA transmission was 97 events (1.0%) for 9,415 admissions (2.0 transmission events/1,000 patient-days) during baseline and was 87 (1.4%) for 6,251 admissions (2.7 transmission events/1,000 patient-days) during intervention (
P
= 0.06; rate ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55 to 1.00). The MRSA nosocomial clinical disease rate was 5.9 infections/10,000 patient-days in the baseline period and was 7.2 infections/10,000 patient-days for the intervention period (rate ratio, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.46 to 1.45;
P
= 0.49). Decolonization of MRSA patients does not add benefit when contact precautions are used for patients colonized with MRSA in acute (hospital) care.