bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Role of Class A Penicillin-Binding Proteins in the Expression of β-Lactam Resistance in
Enterococcus faecium
Authors: Rice Louis B. , Carias Lenore L. , Rudin Susan , Hutton Rebecca , Marshall Steven , Hassan Medhat , Josseaume Nathalie , Dubost Lionel , Marie Arul , Arthur Michel 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT

Peptidoglycan is polymerized by monofunctional
d
,
d
-transpeptidases belonging to class B penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) and monofunctional glycosyltransferases and by bifunctional enzymes that combine both activities (class A PBPs). Three genes encoding putative class A PBPs (
pbpF, pbpZ
, and
ponA
) were deleted from the chromosome of
Enterococcus faecium
D344R in all possible combinations in order to identify the glycosyltransferases that cooperate with low-affinity class B Pbp5 for synthesis of peptidoglycan in the presence of β-lactam antibiotics. The viability of the triple mutant indicated that glycan strands can be polymerized independently from class A PBPs by an unknown glycosyltranferase. The susceptibility of the Δ
pbpF
Δ
ponA
mutant and triple mutants to extended spectrum cephalosporins (ceftriaxone and cefepime) identified either PbpF or PonA as essential partners of Pbp5 for peptidoglycan polymerization in the presence of the drugs. Mass spectrometry analysis of peptidoglycan structure showed that loss of PonA and PbpF activity led to a minor decrease in the extent of peptidoglycan cross-linking by the remaining PBPs without any detectable compensatory increase in the participation of the
l,d
-transpeptidase in peptidoglycan synthesis. Optical density measurements and electron microscopy analyses showed that the Δ
pbpF
Δ
ponA
mutant underwent increased stationary-phase autolysis compared to the parental strain. Unexpectedly, deletion of the class A
pbp
genes revealed dissociation between the expression of resistance to cephalosporins and penicillins, although the production of Pbp5 was required for resistance to both classes of drugs. Thus, susceptibility of Pbp5-mediated peptidoglycan cross-linking to different β-lactam antibiotics differed as a function of its partner glycosyltransferase.
Three-dimensional reconstruction of sentinel lymph nodes with metastatic breast cancer indicates three distinct patterns of tumour growth
Authors: Paish E C , Green A R , Rakha E A , Macmillan R D , Maddison J R , Ellis I O 
Published: March 2009

Aim:A better understanding of the biology of nodal metastatic disease is of indisputable value. Three-dimensional (3D) serial section alignment and reconstruction techniques can be used for visualisation of nodal metastasis and could provide better understanding of disease growth patterns.Methods:19 tumour-involved sentinel nodes (SLNs) from breast cancer patients were serially sectioned, immunohistochemically stained, and digitally scanned. Digital image alignment and voxel-based rendering was used to construct informative 3D visual representations of metastatic tumour distribution within involved nodes.Results:The 3D reconstruction technique was successful and informative. The reconstructions of all 19 SLNs enabled the metastatic tumour cells to be viewed infiltrating normal SLN tissue from all angles. Metastases were present at the afferent lymphatic pole in 17/19 cases, confined to the afferent pole only in 7 cases, located at the efferent pole in 12/19 cases, and efferent pole only in just 2 cases. Finally, this study made the novel observation that metastatic growth occurs in three distinct patterns: sinusoidal, nodular and diffuse.Conclusions:This methodology provides improved understanding of metastatic disease development and potentially could be used to develop strategies to improve techniques for its routine detection. Further studies are required in order to evaluate the prognostic and biological significance of the growth patterns identified.
Relationships between alumina and bauxite dust exposure and cancer, respiratory and circulatory disease: Table 1
Authors: Friesen M C , Fritschi L , Del Monaco A , Benke G , Dennekamp M , de Klerk N , Hoving J L , MacFarlane E , Sim M R 
Published: March 2009

Objectives:To examine the associations between alumina and bauxite dust exposure and cancer incidence and circulatory and respiratory disease mortality among bauxite miners and alumina refinery workers.Methods:This cohort of 5770 males has previously been linked to national mortality and national and state cancer incidence registries (1983–2002). In this paper, Poisson regression was used to undertake internal comparisons within the cohort based on subgroups of cumulative exposure to inhalable bauxite and alumina dust. Exposure was estimated using job histories and historical air monitoring data.Results:There was no association between ever bauxite exposure and any of the outcomes. There was a borderline significant association between ever alumina exposure and cerebrovascular disease mortality (10 deaths, RR 3.8, 95% CI 1.1 to 13). There was some evidence of an exposure–response relationship between cumulative bauxite exposure and non-malignant respiratory disease mortality (seven deaths, trend p value: 0.01) and between cumulative alumina exposure and cerebrovascular disease mortality (trend p value: 0.04). These associations were based on very few cases and for non-malignant respiratory disease the deaths represented a heterogeneous mixture of causes. There was no evidence of an excess risk for any cancer type with bauxite or alumina exposure.Conclusions:These preliminary findings, based on very few cases, suggest that cumulative inhalable bauxite exposure may be associated with an excess risk of death from non-malignant respiratory disease and that cumulative inhalable alumina dust exposure may be associated with an excess risk of death from cerebrovascular disease. Neither exposure appears to increase the risk of incident cancers.
Txt2stop: a pilot randomised controlled trial of mobile phone-based smoking cessation support
Authors: Free C , Whittaker R , Knight R , Abramsky T , Rodgers A , Roberts I G 
Published: March 2009

Aim:To conduct a pilot randomised controlled trial of mobile phone-based smoking cessation support intervention for the UK population.Design:Randomised controlled trial (txt2stop).Setting:Community.Participants:200 participants responding to radio, poster and leaflet-based promotions regarding the trial.Main outcome measures:The response rate for the outcome measures planned for the main trial. Participants’ qualitative responses to open-ended questions about the intervention content. Secondary outcomes were the outcomes planned for the main trial including the point prevalence of self-reported smoking at 4 weeks and pooled effect estimate for the short-term results for the STOMP and txt2stop trials.Results:The response rate at 4 weeks was 96% and at 6 months was 92%. The results at 4 weeks show a doubling of self-reported quitting relative risk (RR) 2.08 (95% CI 1.11 to 3.89), 26% vs 12%. The pooled effect estimate combining txt2stop and a previous New Zealand trial in the short term is RR 2.18 (95% CI 1.79 to 2.65).Conclusions:Mobile phone-based smoking cessation is an innovative means of delivering smoking cessation support, which doubles the self-reported quit rate in the short term. It could represent an important, but as yet largely unused, medium to deliver age-appropriate public health measures. The long-term effect of this mobile phone-based smoking cessation support will be established by a large randomised controlled trial currently in recruitment.
Comparison between Nurse-Saul and Arrhenius equations
Authors: Jung Jong-Suk , Cho Yoon-Ho 
Published: March 2009

The primary objective of the present study is to assess the use of the maturity method to determine the joint sawing window and the traffic opening time on whitetopping construction in Korea. To determine the joint sawing time, it is necessary to determine the minimum strength not to have raveling and to identify the safe time of drying shrinkage. The present study found that the minimum compressive strength for joint sawing was 4.41 MPa (45 kg/cm2) and drying shrinkage occurred just after the concrete temperature peaked. The Nurse-Saul function was used for determining the joint sawing window and the traffic opening time because it better predicted in-place strength. The present study determined that the joint sawing window ranged from 210 °C·h to 310 °C·h (actual time of 6.5 to 9 h) and that the traffic opening time was after maturity values reached 390 °C·h for the mix at 20 °C.
Redescription of Butlerius butleri Goodey, 1929 (Nematoda: Diplogastridae) from South Korea
Authors: Yeon Il-Kweon , Singh Gaurav , Ahmad Irfan , Choi Chung-Don 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe type species of the genus Butlerius, viz., B. butleri Goodey, 1929, is redescribed and illustrated from specimens collected in South Korea. Additional information is provided for the cuticle, stoma structure, female reproductive system and the male caudal region. The Korean population is 1336-1857 μm long, a = 33.9-43.5, b = 5.41-6.34, c = 3.38-4.20, c′ = 14.13-19.0 and V = 40-45%. Males have spicules 39-49 μm long and a gubernaculum 25-33 μm long. There are nine pairs of genital papillae, three pairs precloacal and six pairs postcloacal. The v5,6,7 clusters are widely separated, one group situated just posterior to the phasmids and the other group at level of pd. Although there are some differences in morphometrics as compared with the type population, the species is easily identified by the similarities in the structure of the stoma, pharynx, spicules and gubernaculum. Butlerius singularis and B. filicaudatus are proposed as synonyms of the type species.
Description of Ektaphelenchoides spondylis n. sp. (Nematoda: Ektaphelenchinae) isolated from Spondylis buprestoides (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Japan
Authors: Kanzaki Natsumi , Giblin-Davis Robin , Center Barbara 
Published: March 2009

AbstractEktaphelenchoides spondylis n. sp. is described and figured from Spondylis buprestoides. The new species is characterised by the bipartite stylet conus, male spicule with rounded condylus, blunt rostrum and plate-like cucullus, long postuterine sac and long and smoothly tapering female tail. The new species is almost morphologically identical to E. compsi, but can be distinguished from it by stylet morphology, female tail shape, male ratio (a) and molecular sequence of the D2/D3 expansion segment of the large subunit of ribosomal DNA. In the molecular phylogenetic analysis, E. spondylis n. sp. formed a well supported clade with E. compsi within Ektaphelenchoides. Based upon molecular phylogenetic analysis with one locus, Ektaphelenchoides spp. formed a well supported clade and Ektaphelenchus and Cryptaphelenchus also formed a well supported clade. However, the molecular and morphological information available from our study are insufficient to revise the generic taxonomy of the subfamily. More sampling and an integrated taxonomic revision of the subfamily Ektaphelenchinae are needed.
Poikilolaimus floridensis n. sp. (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae) associated with termites (Kalotermitidae)
Authors: Scheffrahn Rudolf , Giblin-Davis Robin , Center Barbara , Kanzaki Natsumi 
Published: March 2009

AbstractA survey of termite-associated nematodes was done in southern Florida to compare the diversity of such associations with other latitudes in the Neotropics. Six species (15 colonies) of termites (Isoptera) were collected from the field and eight species (15 colonies) from laboratory populations were examined for nematode associates. All six field-collected termite species, Cryptotermes cavifrons, Incisitermes snyderi, Neotermes jouteli, N. castaneus, Prorhinotermes simplex and Reticulitermes flavipes, representing two families (Kalotermitidae and, for the latter two species, Rhinotermitidae), were associated with nematodes. Nematodes were also isolated from laboratory populations of I. snyderi and Coptotermes formosanus. In total, seven putative species of nematodes were discerned using molecular bar-coding and culturing (when successful) including four rhabditids, one diplogastrid, Rhabditis rainai and a nematode that we are describing herein as Poikilolaimus floridensis n. sp. This nematode was isolated as dauer juveniles in the foregut of N. jouteli, N. castaneus and I. snyderi. It was recovered from workers, a soldier and an alate, suggesting internal phoresy. It is characterised by six triangular cuticular flaps covering the stomatal opening, simple tube-like stomatal structure, i.e., absence of teeth and glottoid apparatus, cuticularised and refractile secretory-excretory pore, conical male tail lacking 'bursa' or spike, short and conical female tail and didelphic female reproductive system. Poikilolaimus floridensis n. sp. is morphologically characteristic and does not easily fit the current genus definition of Poikilolaimus which is redefined herein. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on near full length SSU ribosomal DNA sequence showed that the new species occupies a basal position in the genus.
Additional data on Enchodelus veletensis Guerrero, Liébanas & Peña-Santiago, 2007 (Dorylaimida: Nordiidae) from Iran, and phylogeny of the genus
Authors: Pedram Majid , Guerrero Pablo , Robbins Robert , Niknam Gholamreza , Ye Weimin 
Published: March 2009

AbstractAdditional information on the recently described species, Enchodelus veletensis, is provided, with females, males, intersex and juveniles being described from a population recovered from soil samples collected about grasses in a natural region of north-western Iran. This is the first report of this species for male, intersex and juveniles. Nearly full length of 1560 bp 18S rDNA and 828 bp ITS1 were sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis based on 18S rDNA supported two distinct monophyletic groups of Enchodelus species, those with rounded tail vs conical tail. Enchodelus veletensis is closely related to E. brevidentatus and E. arcuatus. It has identical sequences with E. brevidentatus in 638 bp partial 18S rDNA yet is morphologically distinct.
Trichodorus arasbaranensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Trichodoridae) from a natural forest in Arasbaran, north-west Iran
Authors: Niknam Gholamreza , Karegar Akbar , Zahedi Ebrahim , Decraemer Wilfrida 
Published: March 2009

AbstractTrichodorus arasbaranensis n. sp. is described from the rhizosphere of Carpinus betulus growing in forests in Arasbaran, north-west Iran. The new species is characterised by its large body length (1020-1520 μm in males; 1100-1500 μm in females), cuticle abnormally swollen upon fixation, onchiostyle medium-sized (41-66 μm in males; 49-65 μm in females) and secretory-excretory pore at level of pharyngeal bulb. Males have a single ventromedian cervical papilla varying in position from anterior to posterior to secretory-excretory pore, sperm cells with sausage-shaped nucleus, large (74-110 μm), smooth, ventrally curved spicules, manubrium wide, not offset from lamina, lamina narrowed in mid-region and with a distal ventral velum, and gubernaculum 25.5-34.5 μm long. Females have a short, but well developed, rounded vagina with large, rounded, triangular to oval-shaped, sclerotised vaginal pieces in lateral view. Because of its large body size, the new species most closely resembles T. magnus, T. elegans, T. obtusus, T. californicus and T. nanjingensis, from which the female can be differentiated by the short vagina length in relation to the corresponding body diam. and large size of the vaginal sclerotised pieces, and the male by the longer and differently shaped spicule which bears a velum. A key to the males and females of the Trichodorus spp. recorded from Iran is provided.
Characterisation of mjap genes encoding novel secreted proteins from the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica
Authors: Tzortzakakis Emmanuel , Blok Vivian , Adam Mohamed , Phillips Mark 
Published: March 2009

AbstractTwo homologues of map-1, which encodes a putative avirulence factor, were found in a single egg mass line of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica that was virulent to the Mi-resistant gene. The main difference between the two encoded proteins of these homologues, MJ-MAP-1 and MJ-MAP-2, was the position of a 13 amino acid repeat region. Genes encoding two related but novel proteins, MJAP-1 and MJAP-2 (290 and 283 amino acids, respectively, including a potential signal secretion peptide), were also isolated from M. javanica. They have high similarity to MAP at the C-terminus. MJAP-1 and MJAP-2 differ from each other in the number and position of a seven-amino-acid repeat and in five other amino acids. The mjap genes are expressed in the subventral pharyngeal glands of second-stage juveniles of M. javanica, and transcription analysis in different developmental stages showed expression in the juvenile stage but not in eggs or adult females. Both mjap-1 and mjap-2 were expressed in both Mi-virulent and avirulent lines of M. javanica.
Developmental and growth patterns in Xiphinema parasimile and X. simile (Nematoda: Dorylaimida), members of the X. americanum-group
Authors: Barsi László 
Published: March 2009

AbstractXiphinema parasimile and X. simile are morphologically and morphometrically very similar, yet molecularly different, species with different developmental and growth patterns, a different number of juvenile developmental stages (four vs three) and a different post-embryonic growth pattern. Body length, body volume and odontostyle and replacement odontostyle lengths served for comparison of the post-embryonic growth patterns in these species. A percentage method was used to make the data sets comparable between one population of X. parasimile and three populations of X. simile. The mean body lengths of the first, second and pre-adult stages in X. simile showed similarity with those of the second, third and pre-adult stages in X. parasimile. In X. simile there was no unique growth pattern of body length and body volume from stage to stage applicable for all populations, just a similar trend with more or less similar values. The difference between replacement odontostyle and functional odontostyle lengths in all juvenile stages was higher in X. simile and lower in X. parasimile, despite the very similar mean odontostyle length in the female stage of both species.
Rapid and accurate prediction of the frequencies of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and B. mucronatus in mixed nematode samples using real-time species-specific PCR
Authors: Lee Si Hyeock , Moon Il Sung , Kang Jae Soon , Shin Sang Chul , Lee Sang Gil 
Published: March 2009

AbstractAccurate detection of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and prediction of its frequency in crude nematode samples is often hindered by the coexistence of related nematode species, such as B. mucronatus, that are morphologically similar but non-pathogenic. To establish a detection system enabling determination of the relative frequencies of B. xylophilus and B. mucronatus from field nematode samples, we developed a real-time species-specific PCR (rtssPCR) protocol which targets the substantial sequence differences in the 5S rRNA marker gene between the two nematode species. Using standard DNA mixtures of B. xylophilus and B. mucronatus in various ratios, plots of percent species proportion vs cycle threshold value (Ct value) were generated for the prediction of species frequency. The rtssPCR protocol enables the detection of target nematode frequencies as low as 0.16% at the 95% confidence level. When nematode DNA samples were extracted from the mixed specimens of B. xylophilus and B. mucronatus in various ratios and analysed by rtssPCR, the semi-log plot was nearly identical to the plot generated from standard mixed DNA samples, demonstrating that field populations of the nematodes can be directly used for rtssPCR analysis. The rapid and accurate determination of B. xylophilus or B. mucronatus frequencies by this rtssPCR protocol makes it ideal for routine monitoring and quarantine of B. xylophilus in the field.
The use of thalidomide in the management of bleeding from a gastric cancer
Authors: Lambert K , Ward J 
Published: March 2009

Medical management of severe gastrointestinal bleeding can present a therapeutic challenge. We describe a case of bleeding secondary to gastric cancer that failed to settle, despite treatment with tranexamic acid, etamsylate and sucralfate. Thalidomide was prescribed for its antiangiogenic properties. Bleeding settled within 1 week of starting 300 mg of thalidomide nocte. The effect appeared to be dose dependant, with bleeding recurring only when the dose was reduced to 100 mg of thalidomide nocte.
Characteristics and implications of attrition in health-related quality of life studies in palliative care
Authors: Ahlner-Elmqvist M , Bjordal K , Jordhøy MS , Kaasa S , Jannert M 
Published: March 2009

In a longitudinal study of 297 palliative care patients, 280 patients were followed from inclusion to death. Characteristics and health-related quality of life (HRQL) of the participants and those who later dropped out were compared at inclusion, and 3 and 2 months before their death. At inclusion, the dropouts were older ( P = 0.001), had reduced Karnofsky performance score ( P < 0.001), received more help from the local authority ( P = 0.004) and had reduced HRQL compared with patients who continued in the study and completed the next questionnaire. There were no differences in any of the HRQL parameters between participants and dropouts 3 months before death. Two months before death, differences in HRQL were found, but in favour of the dropouts. Data from patients close to death may be representative of a larger group of patients, whereas initial dropouts may lead to a positive bias of reported HRQL.
Does palliative home oxygen improve dyspnoea? A consecutive cohort study
Authors: Currow DC , Agar M , Smith J , Abernethy AP 
Published: March 2009

Palliative oxygen for refractory dyspnoea is frequently prescribed, even when the criteria for long-term home oxygen (based on survival, rather than the symptomatic relief of breathlessness) are not met. Little is known about how palliative home oxygen affects symptomatic breathlessness. A 4 -year consecutive cohort from a regional community palliative care service in Western Australia was used to compare baseline breathlessness before oxygen therapy with dyspnoea sub-scales on the symptom assessment scores (SAS; 0–10) 1 and 2 weeks after the introduction of oxygen. Demographic and clinical characteristics of people who responded were included in a multi-variable logistic regression model. Of the study population ( n = 5862), 21.1% ( n = 1239) were prescribed oxygen of whom 413 had before and after data that could be included in this analysis. The mean breathlessness before home oxygen was 5.3 (SD 2.5; median 5; range 0–10). There were no significant differences overall at 1 or 2 weeks ( P = 0.28) nor for any diagnostic sub-groups. One hundred and fifty people (of 413) had more than a 20% improvement in mean dyspnoea scores. In multi-factor analysis, neither the underlying diagnosis causing breathlessness nor the demographic factors predicted responders at 1 week. Oxygen prescribed on the basis of breathlessness alone across a large population predominantly with cancer does not improve breathlessness for the majority of people. Prospective randomised trials in people with cancer and non-cancer are needed to determine whether oxygen can reduce the progression of breathlessness compared to a control arm.