bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk of placenta‐mediated pregnancy complications or pregnancy‐related VTE in VTE‐asymptomatic families of probands with VTE and heterozygosity for factor V Leiden or G20210 prothrombin mutation
Authors: Cordoba Iris , Pegenaute Carlota , González‐López Tomás José , Chillon Carmen , Sarasquete Maria Eugenia , Martin‐Herrero Francisco , Guerrero Carmen , Cabrero Mónica , Garcia Sanchez Maria Helena , Pabon Pedro , Lozano Francisco Santiago , Gonzalez Marcos , Alberca Ignacio , González‐Porras José Ramón 
Published: May 2012

AbstractBackgroundFew studies have evaluated the risk of pregnancy‐related adverse events in asymptomatic relatives of probands for VTE and factor V Leiden or the G20210A variant. The antepartum management of this population ranges from antepartum anticoagulation therapy to clinical surveillance.ObjectiveTo evaluate the risk of placenta‐mediated pregnancy complications and pregnancy‐related VTE in VTE‐asymptomatic families of probands with VTE and who are heterozygous carriers of either factor V Leiden or PT‐G20210A mutation.MethodsOne hundred and fifty‐eight relatives, who had 415 pregnancies, were retrospectively evaluated. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to compare pregnancy outcomes between women with and without thrombophilia.ResultsIn the factor V Leiden group, 22 placenta‐mediated pregnancy events of 152 pregnancies (14.4%) were reported, compared with 25 adverse events of 172 pregnancies in the G20210A prothrombin group (14.5%) and 13 adverse events of 91 pregnancies in the non‐carrier group (14.2%). Carriers of factor V Leiden or G20210A prothrombin were not associated with a higher risk of pregnancy‐adverse outcomes compared with non‐carriers: OR 1.02 (95% CI, 0.40–2.25) and 1.25 (95% CI, 0.48–3.24), respectively. Four episodes of pregnancy‐associated VTE of 415 pregnancies (0.96%) were recorded. Two episodes of VTE in the G20210A group, one in the factor V Leiden group, and one episode in the non‐carrier group were noted.ConclusionsIn VTE‐asymptomatic relatives of probands with VTE, the presence of factor V Leiden or the G20210A prothrombin mutation in heterozygosis should not lead to a decision to instigate antepartum prophylaxis.
Tacrolimus without or with the addition of conventional immunosuppressive treatment in juvenile autoimmune hepatitis
Authors: Marlaka Joanna Ramirez , Papadogiannakis Nikos , Fischler Björn , Casswall Thomas H. , Beijer Eva , Németh Antal 
Published: May 2012

AbstractAim:  To investigate tacrolimus (Tac)‐based treatment in juvenile autoimmune hepatitis (AIH). Twenty patients (13 girls; age, 8–17 years; median, 13.25 years) with AIH were treated with two daily oral doses of Tac. Six of them had advanced liver disease and/or cirrhosis.Methods:  Drug concentrations in blood were measured regularly, and the target trough levels were 2.5–5 ng/mL. The patients were followed up for 1 year. Their clinical, biochemical, immunological and histological status was obtained at baseline and after 1 year.Results:  In three cases, Tac alone led to complete remission. In 14 cases, additional low doses of prednisolone or azathioprine were used for a short time to achieve remission. In two cases, the treatment was discontinued: in one because of therapeutic failure, in another because of a suspected but unverified adverse event. Ten patients reported headache and/or recurrent abdominal pain. Two patients developed inflammatory bowel disease. Renal function remained intact.Conclusion:  Tac is a promising alternative first line of treatment for AIH. Although monotherapy with Tac is usually not sufficient to achieve complete remission, the prednisolone and azathioprine doses can be drastically reduced, and most of their side effects avoided.
Disturbance drives phylogenetic community structure in coastal dune vegetation
Authors: Brunbjerg Ane Kirstine , Borchsenius Finn , Eiserhardt Wolf L. , Ejrnæs Rasmus , Svenning Jens‐Christian 
Published: May 2012

AbstractQuestionCoastal dunes are a globally distributed ecosystem characterized by roughly linear geography, strong habitat connectivity, and strong small‐scale internal gradients in disturbance and stress. Disturbance, stress and competition are often considered the main ecological forces driving plant community assembly, but their relative importance in coastal dunes is not well elucidated. Phylogenetic community structure reflects the processes controlling community assembly across ecological and evolutionary time scales. We investigate for the first time how disturbance, competition and stress gradients shape phylogenetic community structure in coastal dune plant assemblages.LocationEurope's largest coastal dune area (1450 km2), west coast of Jutland, Denmark.MethodsAs a measure of phylogenetic community structure we calculated net relatedness index (NRI) for 2702 dune plots containing a total of 483 vascular plant species. To assess the assumption that closely related species resemble each other more than at random, we tested for phylogenetic signal in plant adaptations to stress, competition and disturbance, as represented by Grime's C‐S‐R values. We then used regression analyses of NRI against mean Grime C‐S‐R plot values to assess the influence of disturbance, competition and stress gradients on phylogenetic community structure. Finally, we assessed if these relationships reflected anthropogenic factors by computing species' anthropogenic affinity and then regressing mean anthropogenic affinity for each plot on NRI and Grime's C‐S‐R plot values.ResultsGrime's C‐S‐R values all showed a phylogenetic signal. Phylogenetic community structure was predominantly clustered at both local and regional scales. This clustering was related to disturbance, as high clustering was consistently associated with high dominance of disturbance‐adapted species (high Grime's R scores). Importantly, a strong correlation between these and mean anthropogenic affinity suggests that the disturbance effect on phylogenetic community structure was at least partially anthropogenic.ConclusionDune plant phylogenetic community structure is shaped by the phylogenetic signal in plant adaptations to the main ecological gradients in coastal dunes, with filtering by human‐associated disturbance playing the strongest role. Our study supports previous findings of a linkage between anthropogenic disturbance and phylogenetic clustering of species, and suggests that this may be a more general pattern.
Smoking and caesarean deliveries: major negative predictors for breastfeeding in the mother–child cohort in Crete, Greece (Rhea study)
Authors: Vassilaki Maria , Chatzi Leda , Bagkeris Emmanouil , Papadopoulou Eleni , Karachaliou Marianna , Koutis Antonis , Philalithis Anastas , Kogevinas Manolis 
Published: May 2012

AbstractAlthough benefits of breastfeeding have been widely promoted and accepted, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life is far from the norm in many countries. In a prospective mother–child cohort study in Crete, Greece (‘Rhea’ study), we assessed the frequency of breastfeeding and its socio‐demographic predictors. Information on breastfeeding was available for a period of 18 months post‐partum for a cohort of 1181 mothers and their 1208 infants. The frequency of exclusive and predominant breastfeeding in the first month post‐partum was 17.8% and 3.4%, respectively, with almost three‐quarters of women (73.6%) ceasing any breastfeeding after 4 months post‐partum. Women were less likely to initiate breastfeeding if they had a caesarean delivery (CD), whereas they were more likely to initiate breastfeeding if they had a higher education or gave birth to a private clinic. Among women breastfeeding, those who had a CD, were ex‐smokers or smokers during pregnancy had a statistically significant shorter duration of breastfeeding, whereas higher education and being on leave from work were associated with a longer duration of breastfeeding. Study findings suggest suboptimal levels of exclusive and any breastfeeding and difficulty maintaining longer breastfeeding duration. CD and smoking are common in Greece and are strong negative predictors for breastfeeding initiation and/or duration, necessitating targeting women at risk early in the prenatal period so as to have a meaningful increase of breastfeeding practices in future cohorts of mothers.
Dietary supplementation with Ipomoea aquatica (whole leaf powder) attenuates maternal and fetal oxidative stress in streptozotocin‐diabetic rats (饮食中添加蕹菜（整叶粉末）可以减弱链脲霉素诱导的糖尿病大鼠母体与胚胎的氧化应激)
Authors: SHIVANANJAPPA Mahesh M. , MURALIDHARA  
Published: May 2012

AbstractBackground:  The rate of congenital anomalies, as well as morbidity and mortality of both the mother and fetus, is increased in diabetic pregnancy. Oxidative stress (OS) has been implicated in these effects because of the beneficial effects of several antioxidants in diabetic embryopathy. In the present study, we assessed attenuation of maternal and fetal OS and diabetic embryopathy by Ipomoea aquatica Forsk. (Convolvulaceae).Methods:  Pregnant rats were divided into four groups: Group I, untreated non‐diabetic control; Group II, rats fed a 2%I. aquatica (IA)‐supplemented diet; Group III, streptozotocin (STZ)‐diabetic rats fed a normal diet; Group IV, STZ‐diabetic rats fed an IA‐supplemented diet. Rats were rendered diabetic with a single injection of STZ (40 mg/kg) on gestational day (GD) 4. Dams were killed on GD20 and markers of OS were determined in the maternal liver and fetal brain and liver.Results:  Embryopathy increased significantly in STZ‐diabetic rats (by 40% versus control), but IA supplementation provided significant protection (36% reduction in embryopathy in the IA group versus the STZ‐diabetic group). Interestingly, IA supplementation significantly offset diabetes‐associated OS in the maternal liver, as evidenced by reductions in malondialdehyde (MDA; 25% reduction versus STZ‐diabetes) and reactive oxygen species (ROS; 72% reduction) and increases in glutathione (53% reduction) and total thiols (45% reduction). In addition, IA supplementation offered significant protection against diabetes‐induced OS in the fetal brain and liver, as evidenced by increased levels of antioxidant molecules and enzymes and reductions in ROS and MDA compared with fetuses from STZ‐diabetic rats.Conclusions:  The data suggest that IA supplementation during pregnancy provides considerable protection against diabetes‐induced OS in the mother and fetus. Thus, I. aquatica may be an effective therapeutic supplement.
A novel digital telemetry system for tracking wild animals: a field test for studying mate choice in a lekking tropical bird
Authors: Mennill Daniel J. , Doucet Stéphanie M. , Ward Kara‐Anne A. , Maynard Dugan F. , Otis Brian , Burt John M. 
Published: May 2012

Summary1. Radiotelemetry provides a tool for monitoring animals that are difficult to observe directly. Recent technical advances have given rise to new systems that present expanded opportunities for field research. We report the results of the first field test of Encounternet, a new digital radiotelemetry system comprising portable receiver stations and digital tags designed for long‐term studies of the social behaviour and ecology of free‐living animals.2. We present results from a series of field tests designed to evaluate the utility of Encounternet for monitoring animals in a neotropical forest, with an emphasis on evaluating mate sampling behaviour in female long‐tailed manakins. In this tropical species, females visit leks where males perform elaborate dances on horizontal perches. Females are highly cryptic in both plumage and activities, and therefore, Encounternet might provide unique insights into female behaviour and ecology.3. Our first two tests revealed that pulse strength and probability of detection decrease with the distance between tag and receiver and that tags placed on a fixed perch near a receiver showed different patterns of reception than more distant tags. Our third test revealed that antenna angle had only a small influence on pulse strength.4. Blind analysis of simulated bird movements confirmed that the Encounternet system provides reliable information on animal activity. Data from multiple receivers permitted accurate reconstruction of simulated bird movements. Tag detections showed low levels of false negatives and false positives.5. Female manakins responded well to carrying Encounternet tags attached by an elastic leg harness. Birds flew well upon release and were detected for 7·5 ± 0·8 days after release. Recaptures and re‐sightings of females were rare in our large study population, yet there were two occasions where we confirmed that the tag fell off within 1 year.6. We conclude that Encounternet technology provides an effective tool for monitoring animal ecology and behaviour. We show that it is capable of providing accurate measures of distance and that it is a highly versatile system for studying the ecology and behaviour of free‐living animals. We discuss the unique opportunities facilitated by this technology for future ecological and behavioural studies.
The showup identification procedure: An exploration of systematic biases
Authors: Lawson Victoria Z. , Dysart Jennifer E. 
Published: May 2012

Purpose. Showups are common, yet little research has investigated the biasing factors that may influence showup identifications. We investigated the effects of cross‐race conditions and clothing bias on showup identification decisions. Additionally, we explored identification decisions made in a subsequent lineup dependent on race, clothing, and showup‐target‐presence.Methods. Participants watched a mock crime and were presented with a showup in which suspect race, target‐presence, and the clothing worn by the suspect were varied. Following a delay, participants viewed a target‐present or ‐absent lineup and were asked to make a second identification decision.Results. Presentation of the suspect in the clothing worn by the perpetrator increased choosing rates in both own‐race and other‐race conditions. Despite this, differential patterns of decision response latencies indicated that eyewitnesses may use clothing information differently when making own‐race compared to other‐race identification decisions. No evidence for an own‐race bias in showup identifications was found; however, other‐race lineup identifications were less accurate than own‐race lineup identifications. Further, participants in own‐race and other‐race conditions differed in the extent to which they were affected by multiple identification procedures. Viewing an own‐race innocent suspect in a showup increased subsequent false lineup identifications, while choosing the innocent suspect from the showup was necessary to increase false lineup identifications in other‐race conditions.Conclusions. Different situational factors may affect the identification accuracy of eyewitnesses in own‐race and other‐race conditions for both showup and lineup procedures. Particular caution is advised when showups are clothing‐biased and multiple identification procedures are used.
Resistance to a Novel Antichlamydial Compound Is Mediated through Mutations in
Chlamydia trachomatis secY
Authors: Sandoz Kelsi M. , Eriksen Steven G. , Jeffrey Brendan M. , Suchland Robert J. , Putman Timothy E. , Hruby Dennis E. , Jordan Robert , Rockey Daniel D. 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

A novel and quantitative high-throughput screening approach was explored as a tool for the identification of novel compounds that inhibit chlamydial growth in mammalian cells. The assay is based on accumulation of a fluorescent marker by intracellular chlamydiae. Its utility was demonstrated by screening 42,000 chemically defined compounds against
Chlamydia caviae
GPIC. This analysis led to the identification of 40 primary-hit compounds. Five of these compounds were nontoxic to host cells and had similar activities against both
C. caviae
GPIC and
Chlamydia trachomatis
. The inhibitory activity of one of the compounds, (3-methoxyphenyl)-(4,4,7-trimethyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-[1,2]dithiolo[3,4-C]quinolin-1-ylidene)amine (MDQA), was chlamydia specific and was selected for further study. Selection for resistance to MDQA led to the generation of three independent resistant clones of
C. trachomatis
. Amino acid changes in SecY, a protein involved in Sec-dependent secretion in Gram-negative bacteria, were associated with the resistance phenotype. The amino acids changed in each of the resistant mutants are located in the predicted central channel of a SecY crystal structure, based on the known structure of
Thermus thermophilus
SecY. These experiments model a process that can be used for the discovery of antichlamydial, anti-intracellular, or antibacterial compounds and has led to the identification of compounds that may have utility in both antibiotic discovery and furthering our understanding of chlamydial biology.
Characterization of RarA, a Novel AraC Family Multidrug Resistance Regulator in Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Veleba Mark , Higgins Paul G. , Gonzalez Gerardo , Seifert Harald , Schneiders Thamarai 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

Transcriptional regulators, such as SoxS, RamA, MarA, and Rob, which upregulate the AcrAB efflux pump, have been shown to be associated with multidrug resistance in clinically relevant Gram-negative bacteria. In addition to the multidrug resistance phenotype, these regulators have also been shown to play a role in the cellular metabolism and possibly the virulence potential of microbial cells. As such, the increased expression of these proteins is likely to cause pleiotropic phenotypes.
Klebsiella pneumoniae
is a major nosocomial pathogen which can express the SoxS, MarA, Rob, and RamA proteins, and the accompanying paper shows that the increased transcription of
ramA
is associated with tigecycline resistance (
M. Veleba and T. Schneiders
, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 56:4466–4467, 2012). Bioinformatic analyses of the available
Klebsiella
genome sequences show that an additional AraC-type regulator is encoded chromosomally. In this work, we characterize this novel AraC-type regulator, hereby called RarA (Regulator of antibiotic resistance A), which is encoded in
K. pneumoniae
,
Enterobacter
sp. 638,
Serratia proteamaculans
568, and
Enterobacter cloacae
. We show that the overexpression of
rarA
results in a multidrug resistance phenotype which requires a functional AcrAB efflux pump but is independent of the other AraC regulators. Quantitative real-time PCR experiments show that
rarA
(MGH 78578 KPN_02968) and its neighboring efflux pump operon
oqxAB
(KPN_02969_02970) are consistently upregulated in clinical isolates collected from various geographical locations (Chile, Turkey, and Germany). Our results suggest that
rarA
overexpression upregulates the
oqxAB
efflux pump. Additionally, it appears that
oqxR
, encoding a GntR-type regulator adjacent to the
oqxAB
operon, is able to downregulate the expression of the
oqxAB
efflux pump, where OqxR complementation resulted in reductions to olaquindox MICs.
Clinical and Antimicrobial Susceptibility Data of 140 Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae Isolates in France
Authors: Laurens C. , Michon A.-L. , Marchandin H. , Bayette J. , Didelot M.-N. , Jean-Pierre H. 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

We report retrospective analysis of the clinical and antimicrobial susceptibility data of 140
Streptococcus pseudopneumoniae
isolates. Strains were isolated mostly from respiratory tract samples from patients with underlying diseases. In the case of infection, pneumonia, mainly aspiration pneumonia, was the most frequent (27.1% of the patients). We documented high rates of decreased susceptibilities and resistance to erythromycin and tetracycline (57% and 43% of the isolates, respectively), as well as reduced susceptibility to penicillin in 21% of the isolates.
Localization of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Cytolethal Distending Toxin Subunits during Intoxication of Live Cells
Authors: Damek-Poprawa Monika , Jang Jae Yeon , Volgina Alla , Korostoff Jonathan , DiRienzo Joseph M. 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

The cytolethal distending toxin (Cdt), produced by some clinically important Gram-negative bacterial species, is related to the family of AB-type toxins. Three heterologous proteins (CdtA, CdtB, and CdtC) and a genotoxin mode of action distinguish the Cdt from others in this toxin class. Crystal structures of several species-specific Cdts have provided a basis for predicting subunit interactions and functions. In addition, empirical studies have yielded significant insights into the
in vivo
interactions of the Cdt subunits. However, there are still critical gaps in information about the intoxication process. In this study, a novel protein tagging technology was used to localize the subunits in Chinese hamster ovary cells (CHO-K1). A tetracysteine motif was engineered in each subunit, and in subunits with mutations in predicted functional domains, to permit detection with the fluorescein arsenical hairpin binding (FlAsH) dye Lumio green. Live-cell imaging, in conjunction with confocal microscopy, was used to capture the locations of the individual subunits in cells intoxicated, under various conditions, with hybrid heterotrimers. Using this approach, we observed the following. (i) The CdtA subunit remains on the cell surface of CHO cells in association with cholesterol-containing and cholesterol-depleted membrane. (ii) The CdtB subunit is exclusively in the cytosol and, after longer exposure times, localizes to the nucleus. (iii) The CdtC subunit is present on the cell surface and, to a greater extent, in the cytosol. These observations suggest that CdtC, but not CdtA, functions as a chaperone for CdtB entry into cells.
Legionella pneumophila Pathogenesis in the Galleria mellonella Infection Model
Authors: Harding Clare R. , Schroeder Gunnar N. , Reynolds Stuart , Kosta Artemis , Collins James W. , Mousnier Aurélie , Frankel Gad 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT

Legionella pneumophila
is a facultative intracellular human pathogen and the etiological agent of severe pneumonia known as Legionnaires' disease. Its virulence depends on protein secretion systems, in particular, the Dot/Icm type IV secretion system (T4SS), which is essential to establish a replication-permissive vacuole in macrophages. The analysis of the role of these systems and their substrates for pathogenesis requires easy-to-use models which approximate human infection. We examined the effectiveness of the larvae of the wax moth
Galleria mellonella
as a new model for
L. pneumophila
infection. We found that the
L. pneumophila
strains 130b, Paris, and JR32 caused mortality of the
G. mellonella
larvae that was strain, infectious dose, growth phase, and T4SS dependent. Wild-type
L. pneumophila
persisted and replicated within the larvae, whereas T4SS mutants were rapidly cleared.
L. pneumophila
strain Lp02, which is attenuated in the absence of thymidine but has a functional T4SS, resisted clearance in
G. mellonella
up to 18 h postinfection without inducing mortality. Immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy revealed that
L. pneumophila
resided within insect hemocytes in a vacuole that ultrastructurally resembled the
Legionella
-containing vacuole (LCV) observed in macrophages. The vacuole was decorated with the T4SS effector and LCV marker SidC. Infection caused severe damage to the insect organs and triggered immune responses, including activation of the phenoloxidase cascade leading to melanization, nodule formation, and upregulation of antimicrobial peptides. Taken together, these results suggest that
G. mellonella
provides an effective model to investigate the interaction between
L. pneumophila
and the host.