bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Newly rare or newly common: evolutionary feedbacks through changes in population density and relative species abundance, and their management implications
Authors: Lankau Richard A. , Strauss Sharon Y. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractEnvironmental management typically seeks to increase or maintain the population sizes of desirable species and to decrease population sizes of undesirable pests, pathogens, or invaders. With changes in population size come long‐recognized changes in ecological processes that act in a density‐dependent fashion. While the ecological effects of density dependence have been well studied, the evolutionary effects of changes in population size, via changes in ecological interactions with community members, are underappreciated. Here, we provide examples of changing selective pressures on, or evolution in, species as a result of changes in either density of conspecifics or changes in the frequency of heterospecific versus conspecific interactions. We also discuss the management implications of such evolutionary responses in species that have experienced rapid increases or decreases in density caused by human actions.
Consequences of immunopathology for pathogen virulence evolution and public health: malaria as a case study
Authors: Long Gráinne H. , Graham Andrea L. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractEvolutionary theories explaining virulence—the fitness damage incurred by infected hosts—often focus on parasite strategies for within‐host exploitation. However, much virulence can be caused by the host’s own immune response: for example, pro‐inflammatory cytokines, although essential for killing malaria parasites, also damage host tissue. Here we argue that immune‐mediated virulence, or ‘immunopathology,’ may affect malaria virulence evolution and should be considered in the design of medical interventions. Our argument is based on the ability of immunopathology to disrupt positive virulence‐transmission relationships assumed under the trade‐off theory of virulence evolution. During rodent malaria infections, experimental reduction of inflammation using reagents approved for field use decreases virulence but increases parasite transmission potential. Importantly, rodent malaria parasites exhibit genetic diversity in the propensity to induce inflammation and invest in transmission‐stage parasites in the presence of pro‐inflammatory cytokines. If immunopathology positively correlates with malaria parasite density, theory suggests it could select for relatively low malaria virulence. Medical interventions which decrease immunopathology may therefore inadvertently select for increased malaria virulence. The fitness consequences to parasites of variations in immunopathology must be better understood in order to predict trajectories of parasite virulence evolution in heterogeneous host populations and in response to medical interventions.
Evolution in agriculture: the application of evolutionary approaches to the management of biotic interactions in agro‐ecosystems
Authors: Thrall Peter H. , Oakeshott John G. , Fitt Gary , Southerton Simon , Burdon Jeremy J. , Sheppard Andy , Russell Robyn J. , Zalucki Myron , Heino Mikko , Ford Denison R. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAnthropogenic impacts increasingly drive ecological and evolutionary processes at many spatio‐temporal scales, demanding greater capacity to predict and manage their consequences. This is particularly true for agro‐ecosystems, which not only comprise a significant proportion of land use, but which also involve conflicting imperatives to expand or intensify production while simultaneously reducing environmental impacts. These imperatives reinforce the likelihood of further major changes in agriculture over the next 30–40 years. Key transformations include genetic technologies as well as changes in land use. The use of evolutionary principles is not new in agriculture (e.g. crop breeding, domestication of animals, management of selection for pest resistance), but given land‐use trends and other transformative processes in production landscapes, ecological and evolutionary research in agro‐ecosystems must consider such issues in a broader systems context. Here, we focus on biotic interactions involving pests and pathogens as exemplars of situations where integration of agronomic, ecological and evolutionary perspectives has practical value. Although their presence in agro‐ecosystems may be new, many traits involved in these associations evolved in natural settings. We advocate the use of predictive frameworks based on evolutionary models as pre‐emptive management tools and identify some specific research opportunities to facilitate this. We conclude with a brief discussion of multidisciplinary approaches in applied evolutionary problems.
Nanotechnology applications in medicine and dentistry
Authors: Gupta Jyoti 
Published: February 2011

AbstractNanotechnology, or nanoscience, refers to the research and development of an applied science at the atomic, molecular, or macromolecular levels (i.e. molecular engineering, manufacturing). The prefix “nano” is defined as a unit of measurement in which the characteristic dimension is one billionth of a unit. Although the nanoscale is small in size, its potential is vast. As nanotechnology expands in other fields, clinicians, scientists, and manufacturers are working to discover the uses and advances in biomedical sciences. Applications of nanotechnology in medical and dental fields have only approached the horizon with opportunities and possibilities for the future that can only be limited by our imagination. This paper provides an early glimpse of nanotechnology applications in medicine and dentistry to illustrate their potentially far‐reaching impacts on clinical practice. It also narrates the safety issues concerning nanotechnology applications.
Changes in the oral cavity might reflect psychological disorders in some patients
Authors: Abetz Lanny M. , Savage Neil W. , Kenardy Justin 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAim:  The treatment of oral dysesthesias, such as burning mouth syndrome, can be challenging. Patient acceptance of the role of psychological etiological factors might be improved if there are clinical signs that patients could confirm themselves, which could be used as reinforcement of clinical discussions. Published associations between psychological disorder and various oral signs and symptoms are not suited to this purpose, as they are ambiguous in origin and implication. Others, used clinically in this situation, are not supported by published literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine if a demonstrable relationship could be established between psychological profile and the appearance and function of the oral cavity.Methods:  Seventy‐nine participants underwent an oral examination and completed a Depression Anxiety Stress Scale‐21 questionnaire. Correlations were calculated between clinical variables and the raw Depression Anxiety Stress Scale scores. Univariate analyses determined variables with significant differences between a high‐risk and normal group, and multiple logistic regression models were calculated for these.Results:  Various oral signs and symptoms were found to correlate with depression, anxiety, and/or stress, with some predictive of psychological disturbance.Conclusions:  These signs and symptoms might be used to reinforce the psychological aspects of an oral dysesthesia.
Development and Evaluation of a Latex Agglutination Test for the Serodiagnosis of Paracoccidioidomycosis
Authors: Silveira-Gomes Fabíola , Sarmento Dayse Nogueira , Pinto Thifany Mendes , Pimentel Rosiane Ferreira , Nepomuceno Lívia Barreto , Espírito Santo Elaine Patrícia T. , Mesquita-da-Costa Maurimélia , Camargo Zoilo Pires , Marques-da-Silva Silvia Helena 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACTParacoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is the most prevalent systemic mycosis in Latin America. It is caused by the dimorphic fungusParacoccidioides brasiliensis. The immunodiffusion (ID) test is one of the most widely used techniques for PCM serologic diagnosis due to the simplicity and low costs of its execution. However, it requires trained and qualified people to execute it. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a latex particle agglutination (LA) test for the detection of anti-P. brasiliensisantibodies by using pooled crude exoantigens from the fungus. Fifty-one serum samples obtained from patients with PCM were tested. Positivity was observed in 84% (43/51) of these patients, and the agglutination patterns varied from small clumps with a cloudy background to large clumps with a clear background. The antibody titer reactivity ranged from 1:2 to 1:64. Cross-reactivity was observed in sera from patients with aspergillosis, histoplasmosis, and nonfungal disease. Serum samples obtained from healthy donors were not reactive. The sensitivity and specificity of the LA test were 84% and 81%, respectively. When comparing the LA test with the double-immunodiffusion test, we found an agreement of 92%. Further work is needed to improve the performance of the LA assay before it can be proposed as a reliable diagnostic tool, mainly in laboratories with little infrastructure.
Increased Cell-Mediated Immune Responses in Patients with Recurrent Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Meningitis
Authors: Franzen-Röhl Elisabeth , Schepis Danika , Lagrelius Maria , Franck Kristina , Jones Petra , Liljeqvist Jan-Åke , Bergström Tomas , Aurelius Elisabeth , Kärre Klas , Berg Louise , Gaines Hans 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACTThe clinical picture of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection includes genital blisters and less frequently meningitis, and some individuals suffer from recurrent episodes of these manifestations. We hypothesized that adaptive and/or innate immune functional deficiencies may be a major contributing factor in susceptibility to recurrent HSV-2 meningitis. Ten patients with recurrent HSV-2 meningitis were studied during clinical remission. For comparison, 10 patients with recurrent genital HSV infections as well as 21 HSV-seropositive and 19 HSV-seronegative healthy blood donors were included. HSV-specific T cell blasting and cytokine secretion were evaluated in whole blood cultures. HSV-2-induced NK cell gamma interferon production, dendritic cell Toll-like receptor (TLR) expression, and TLR agonist-induced alpha interferon secretion were analyzed. Patients with recurrent HSV-2 meningitis had elevated T cell blasting and Th1 and Th2 cytokine production in response to HSV antigens compared to those of patients with recurrent genital infections. A somewhat increased NK cell response, increased dendritic cell expression of TLR3 and -9, and increased TLR-induced alpha interferon responses were also noted. Contrary to our expectation, recurrent HSV-2 meningitis patients have increased HSV-specific adaptive and innate immune responses, raising the possibility of immune-mediated pathology in the development of recurrent HSV2 meningitis.
Modulation of Plasmid DNA Vaccine Antigen Clearance by Caspase 12 RNA Interference Potentiates Vaccination
Authors: Geiben-Lynn Ralf , Frimpong-Boateng Kwesi , Letvin Norman L. 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACTThe magnitude of the immune responses elicited by plasmid DNA vaccines might be limited, in part, by the duration of vaccine antigen expressionin vivo. To explore strategies for improving plasmid DNA vaccine efficacy, we studied the apoptotic process in myocytes of mice vaccinated intramuscularly. We found that after vaccination, the proapoptotic protein caspase 12 (Casp12) was upregulated in myocytes coincident with the loss of vaccine antigen expression. To harness this observation to improve plasmid DNA vaccine efficacy, we used RNA interference technology, coadministering plasmid DNA expressing a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) of Casp12 with plasmid DNA vaccine constructs. This treatment with shRNA Casp12, administered twice within the first 10 days following vaccine administration, increased antigen expression 7-fold, the antigen-specific CD8+T cell immune response 6-fold, and antigen-specific antibody production 5-fold. This study demonstrates the critical role for Casp12 in plasmid DNA vaccine-induced immune responses and shows that increased antigen expression mediated by down-modulation of Casp12 can be used to potentiate vaccine efficacy.
Rapid Genotyping of Human Papillomavirus by Post-PCR Array-Based Hybridization Techniques
Authors: Pierik Anke , Zwanenburg Chris , Moerland Elna , Broer Dirk , Stapert Henk , van den Brule Adriaan J. C. 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACT

Kinetic hybridization measurements on a microarray are expected to become a valuable tool for genotyping applications. A method has been developed that enables kinetic hybridization measurements of PCR products on a low-density microarray. This is accomplished by pumping a solution containing PCR products up and down through a porous microarray substrate. After every pumping cycle, the fluorescently labeled PCR products hybridized to capture probes immobilized on the solid surface of the porous microarray substrate are measured. By this method, both binding curves and high-resolution melting curves are obtained instead of the single endpoint hybridization intensities as with commonly used post-PCR array-based hybridization techniques. We used 20 subtypes of the human papillomavirus (HPV) as a model system to test our detection method and blindly analyzed 216 clinical samples. We compared our microarray flowthrough method with a reference method, PCR followed by a
r
everse
l
ine
b
lot (RLB). Real-time hybridization measurements followed by high-resolution melting curves of low concentrations of fluorescently labeled HPV targets on a microarray were successfully carried out without any additional chemical signal amplification. The results of our new method were in good agreement (93%, with a kappa coefficient of κ = 0.88 [95% CI, 0.81 to 0.94]) with the RLB results. All discrepant samples were analyzed by a third method, enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Furthermore, in a number of cases, we were able to identify false-positive samples by making use of the information contained in the kinetic binding and melting curves. This clearly demonstrates the added value of the use of kinetic measurements and high-resolution melting curves, especially for highly homologous targets.
Clinical and Laboratory Characteristics of Invasive Infections Due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates Demonstrating a Vancomycin MIC of 2 Micrograms per Milliliter: Lack of Effect of Heteroresistant Vancomycin-Intermediate S. aureus Phenotype
Authors: Satola S. W. , Lessa F. C. , Ray S. M. , Bulens S. N. , Lynfield R. , Schaffner W. , Dumyati G. , Nadle J. , Patel J. B. ,   for the Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs) MRSA Investigators
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACT

We describe clinical and laboratory characteristics of invasive methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) infections with vancomycin MICs of 2 μg/ml and compare heteroresistant-intermediate
S. aureus
(hVISA) to non-hVISA. Health care-associated community-onset infections were the most common and resulted in frequent complications and relapses. hVISA-infected patients were more likely to have been hospitalized in the year prior to MRSA culture.
Development and Validation of a Multiplex PCR for Detection of Scedosporium spp. in Respiratory Tract Specimens from Patients with Cystic Fibrosis
Authors: Harun Azian , Blyth Christopher C. , Gilgado Felix , Middleton Peter , Chen Sharon C.-A. , Meyer Wieland 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACT

The emergence of
Scedosporium
infections in diverse groups of individuals, which are often treatment refractory, warrants timely and accurate laboratory diagnosis. Species- or group-specific primers based on internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence polymorphisms were designed for
Scedosporium aurantiacum
,
Scedosporium dehoogii
,
Scedosporium prolificans
,
Pseudallescheria boydii
species complex (former clade 5)
/Pseudallescheria apiosperma
(formerly classified as
S. apiospermum
sensu lato) and
Pseudallescheria minutispora
. Primers for
S. aurantiacum
,
S. prolificans
, and
P. boydii
species complex/
P. apiosperma
were incorporated into a multiplex PCR assay for the detection and identification of the three major clinically important
Scedosporium
species and validated using sputum specimens collected from patients seen at a major Australian cystic fibrosis clinic. The multiplex PCR assay showed 100% specificity in identifying the three major clinically relevant
Scedosporium
species from pure culture. When evaluated using DNA extracts from sputa, sensitivity and specificity of the multiplex PCR assay were 62.1% and 97.2%, respectively. This highly species-specific multiplex PCR assay offers a rapid and simple method of detection of the most clinically important
Scedosporium
species in respiratory tract specimens.
First Cases of Microsporidiosis in Transplant Recipients in Spain and Review of the Literature
Authors: Galván A. L. , Martín Sánchez A. M. , Pérez Valentín M. A. , Henriques-Gil N. , Izquierdo F. , Fenoy S. , del Aguila C. 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACT

Microsporidia are currently considered emerging pathogens responsible for life-threatening infections in organ transplant recipients. Here, we describe the first cases of intestinal microsporidiosis by
Enterocytozoon bieneusi
genotype D in two non-HIV-infected renal transplant recipients from Spain. Previously reported cases of microsporidiosis in organ transplant recipients have also been reviewed, highlighting the necessity of considering organ transplant recipients a risk group for microsporidiosis. A systematic search for these parasites is recommended in cases of persistent diarrhea and in the differential diagnosis of other syndromes, such as chronic fever of unknown etiology.
Evaluation of the Abbott RealTi
m
e CT/NG Assay in Comparison to the Roche Cobas Amplicor CT/NG Assay
Authors: Cheng Annie , Qian Qinfang , Kirby James E. 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACT

Several commercial methods exist for the molecular detection of
Chlamydia trachomatis
and
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
in clinical samples. Here we evaluated the performance characteristics of the newly FDA-cleared Abbott RealTi
m
e CT/NG assay (where “CT” stands for
Chlamydia trachomatis
and “NG” stands for
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
) that uses the automated
m
2000 molecular platform. Results were compared to those of the Roche Cobas Amplicor CT/NG assay. A total of 926 cervical swab, 45 female urine, 6 male urethral swab, and 407 male urine specimens from 1,384 patients were examined. After resolving all Roche
N. gonorrhoeae
-positive results with two additional real-time PCR assays, we found that the agreement between the assays was excellent. For urine samples, there was 99.6% positive agreement and 97.7% negative agreement for
C. trachomatis
, and for male urine samples, there was 100% positive agreement and 99.7% negative agreement for
N. gonorrhoeae
. For cervical swab samples, there was 98.8% positive agreement and 98.5% negative agreement for
C. trachomatis
, and there was 96.6% positive agreement and 99.8% negative agreement for
N. gonorrhoeae
. In limiting dilution analyses, we found that the Abbot assay was more sensitive than the Roche assay for both
C. trachomatis
and
N. gonorrhoeae
. In addition, there appeared to be an enhanced ability of the Abbott assay to detect dual infections, especially in the presence of large amounts of
N. gonorrhoeae
and small amounts of
C. trachomatis
organisms. In summary, we conclude that the Abbott RealTi
m
e CT/NG assay is an accurate and automated new addition to the available testing options for
C. trachomatis
and
N. gonorrhoeae
.
Evaluation of a DNA Microarray (Check-MDR CT102) for Rapid Detection of TEM, SHV, and CTX-M Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamases and of KPC, OXA-48, VIM, IMP, and NDM-1 Carbapenemases
Authors: Naas Thierry , Cuzon Gaelle , Bogaerts Pierre , Glupczynski Youri , Nordmann Patrice 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACT
The Check-MDR CT102 microarray, aimed at identifying bacteria producing extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) (SHV, TEM, and CTX-M) and carbapenemase (KPC, OXA-48, VIM, IMP, and NDM-1), was evaluated on a total of 144 Gram-negative strains expressing various β-lactamases. The sensitivity and specificity were 100% for most tested genes, suggesting that this assay allows accurate identification of common ESBL and carbapenemase producers from bacterial cultures.
Impact of Amino Acid Mutations in PB2, PB1-F2, and NS1 on the Replication and Pathogenicity of Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 Influenza Viruses
Authors: Ozawa Makoto , Basnet Sarmila , Burley Lisa M. , Neumann Gabriele , Hatta Masato , Kawaoka Yoshihiro 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACT
Here, we assessed the effects of PB1-F2 and NS1 mutations known to increase the pathogenicity of influenza viruses on the replication and pathogenicity in mice of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza viruses. We also characterized viruses possessing a PB1-F2 mutation that was recently identified in pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus isolates, with and without simultaneous mutations in PB2 and NS1. Our results suggest that some NS1 mutations and the newly identified PB1-F2 mutation have the potential to increase the replication and/or pathogenicity of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza viruses.
Severe Restriction of Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus-Related Virus Replication and Spread in Cultured Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Authors: Chaipan Chawaree , Dilley Kari A. , Paprotka Tobias , Delviks-Frankenberry Krista A. , Venkatachari Narasimhan J. , Hu Wei-Shau , Pathak Vinay K. 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACT
Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) is a gammaretrovirus recently isolated from human prostate cancer and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). We and others have shown that host restriction factors APOBEC3G (A3G) and APOBEC3F (A3F), which are expressed in human PBMCs, inhibit XMRV in transient-transfection assays involving a single cycle of viral replication. However, the recovery of infectious XMRV from human PBMCs suggested that XMRV can replicate in these cells despite the expression of APOBEC3 proteins. To determine whether XMRV can replicate and spread in cultured PBMCs even though it can be inhibited by A3G/A3F, we infected phytohemagglutinin-activated human PBMCs and A3G/A3F-positive and -negative cell lines (CEM and CEM-SS, respectively) with different amounts of XMRV and monitored virus production by using quantitative real-time PCR. We found that XMRV efficiently replicated in CEM-SS cells and viral production increased by >4,000-fold, but there was only a modest increase in viral production from CEM cells (<14-fold) and a decrease in activated PBMCs, indicating little or no replication and spread of XMRV. However, infectious XMRV could be recovered from the infected PBMCs by cocultivation with a canine indicator cell line, and we observed hypermutation of XMRV genomes in PBMCs. Thus, PBMCs can potentially act as a source of infectious XMRV for spread to cells that express low levels of host restriction factors. Overall, these results suggest that hypermutation of XMRV in human PBMCs constitutes one of the blocks to replication and spread of XMRV. Furthermore, hypermutation of XMRV proviruses at GG dinucleotides may be a useful and reliable indicator of human PBMC infection.