bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A large outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning associated with eating yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) at a military mass catering in Dakar, Senegal
Authors: DEMONCHEAUX J.-P. , MICHEL R. , MAZENOT C. , DUFLOS G. , IACINI C. , DELAVAL F. , SAWARE E. M. , RENARD J.-C. 
Published: August 2011

SUMMARYOn 26 November 2010, an outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning occurred in the French Armed Forces in Dakar, Senegal. This chemical intoxication, due to high histamine concentration in fish, is often mistaken for an allergic reaction. A case-control study was undertaken including the 71 cases and 78 randomly selected controls among lunch attendees. The usual symptoms for scombroid fish poisoning were observed in cases, i.e. flushing (85·9%), headache (83·1%), rapid/weak pulse (59·1%) and diarrhoea (47·9%). Symptoms occurred from within a few minutes to up to 3 h following the meal. Most patients quickly recovered with antihistamine and/or symptomatic treatment. Tuna was the only food item positively associated with illness (odds ratio 36·3, 95% confidence interval 6·3–210·0), with the risk of illness increasing with the quantity of fish consumed. No bacterial contamination was found in leftover food, but histamine concentration in tuna was found to be 4900 mg/kg, almost 50-fold higher than the concentration allowed by European regulations. This report is unique because of the large size of the case series – to our knowledge, the largest event of scombroid fish poisoning ever reported – and the chemical and bacteriological analyses results obtained on leftover food.
Seed dormancy and germination inVitis amurensisand its variation
Authors: Wang W.Q. , Song S.Q. , Li S.H. , Gan Y.Y. , Wu J.H. , Cheng H.Y. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThere is little information about seed dormancy release and germination behaviour inVitis amurensis, which is one of the most important wildVitisspecies. This work aimed to investigate the dormancy release and germination characteristics and their variation inV. amurensisseed. Seed dormancy was released by: (1) stratification at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 15/5°C, respectively; (2) stratification at 25°C followed by stratification at 5°C; (3) 5°C stratification before or after seed drying; and (4) stratification at a series of relative humidities (RHs) at 5 and 25°C. The freshly harvested and dormancy-released seeds were germinated at three fluctuating and four constant temperatures. InV. amurensis: (1) dormancy release could occur at temperature ≤ 25°C, but was maximal at 5°C for all varieties; (2) dormancy release and induction occurred simultaneously during stratification; (3) the rates of dormancy release and induction were dependent on temperature; (4) seed moisture content affected dormancy release with a temperature-dependent pattern; (5) seeds germinated better at fluctuating temperature than at constant temperature. However, the optimum condition for stratification and germination, the rates of dormancy release and induction, and the response of seeds to warm stratification, to drying and to germination temperature varied significantly among theV. amurensisvarieties. Our data imply that seed dormancy and germination inV. amurensisnot only have intra-species similarity, but also vary within species, which may be due to differences in environmental conditions at the original growth and cultivated sites.
Wirksamkeit von schulbasierten Gruppeninterventionen zur Depressionsprävention
Authors: Passon Anna Marie , Gerber Andreas , Schröer-Günther Milly 
Published: August 2011

Fünf bis zehn Prozent aller Kinder und Jugendlichen in Deutschland leiden an depressiven Symptomen. Chronische Depressionen gehen regelmäßig mit ersten Erkrankungssymptomen im Kindes- und Jugendalter einher. Der frühen Prävention depressiver Störungen kommt folglich eine hohe Bedeutung zu. Wir untersuchten die Wirksamkeit nichtpharmakologischer schulbasierter Gruppeninterventionen zur Depressionsprävention anhand eines systematischen Literaturreviews. Signifikante Verbesserungen depressiver Störungen konnten in 61 Prozent der eingeschlossenen Studien festgestellt werden. Aufgrund der Heterogenität von Studiendurchführung und –design können keine eindeutigen Aussagen abgeleitet werden, welche Faktoren zu einem Erfolg oder Misserfolg der Programme beitragen. Eine flächendeckende Umsetzung erscheint aufgrund der offenen Fragen zur optimalen Ausgestaltung verfrüht.
Methodological and Epistemological Issues Raised by the Use of the Rorschach Comprehensive System in Cross-Cultural Research
Authors: Franchi Vijé , Andronikof-Sanglade Anne 
Published: August 2011

L’intérêt du Rorschach en Système Intégré pour la recherche interculturelle réside dans la possibilité qu’il offre de (a)accéder à des aspects de la structure du psychisme et du fonctionnement psychologique que des approches conventionnelles ne peuvent atteindre; (b)fournir une clé pour comprendre les données obtenues par d’autres techniques en situant ces données dans le contexte de la culture, de l’histoire personnelle et du fonctionnement psychologique global de l’individu. Outre sa pertinence pour la recherche, le Rorschach fournit une description étendue du monde de référence interne du sujet, quels que soit son origine ethnique, ses assises culturelles ou son statut socio-économique. Une telle description phénoménologique capture “l’être au monde” particulier du sujet, notamment ses modèles internes, ses habitudes de fonctionnement (tant cognitifs qu’affectifs), ses modes de relation aux autres, et les thèmes qui, résonant avec le passé du sujet, provoquent des situations de conflit et des réactions défensives actuelles. Le Rorschach facilite aussi l’étude du contexte culturel dans lequel une personne se reconstruit de manière constante et dynamique, en interaction avec les aspects favorisateurs ou inhibiteurs de la culture. Dans la tradition herméneutique, le Rorschach permet de reconstruire le monde du sens culturel appartenant à un événement, amenant l’investigateur à comprendre l’événement du point de vue de structure intrinsèque du monde dont l’événement tire son sens. Cette façon de procéder implique toutefois que le chercheur renonce à conceptualiser les aspects “déviants” d’un protocole comme indicateurs de psychopathologie pour les considérer au contraire comme une clé pour comprendre les caractéristiques fondamentales de la personnalité dans une culture donnée. Cela demande qu’on ne pense plus la culture en terme de biais qui menacent d’obscurcir la personnalité du sujet. Il faut au contraire faire porter son attention sur la richesse que les aspects culturels du fonctionnement psychique introduisent dans un protocole. Ces réflexions nous ont été suggérées par une étude pilote portant sur les aspects du fonctionnement de la personnalité qui pourraient expliquer la participation de femmes dans la pratique de l’excision. Le groupe étudié, en 1995) était composé de 17 femmes originaires d’Afrique de l’Ouest qui vivent dans la région parisienne. Le Rorschach nous a fournit des données pertinentes concernant (1) un style particulier de fonctionnement cognitif et (2) l’émergence de l’excision comme thème essentiellement culturel.
Novel phytosynthesis of nanoparticles using Indigeneous Australian Plants
Authors: Tollamadugu N V K V Prasad , Kambala S R Venkata , Convery Benjamin , Naidu Ravi 
Published: August 2011

AbstractNanoparticles are considered to be the building blocks of nanotechnology. Biosynthesis of nanoparticles using plant material is an exciting and relatively new developing research area in nanobiotechnology. In the present study, Eucalyptus leaves were collected from Olive pink botanical garden, Alice Springs, Australia and were used to synthesize silver nanoparticles. Cubical structured and well monodispersed silver nanoparticles were formed with an average size of 50nm. The formed silver nanoparticles are found to have promising applications in medicine as good antimicrobial agents. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on exploiting indigeneous Australian plant sources for the synthesis of metallic nanoparticles.
Blow-up criteria for a parabolic problem due to a concentrated nonlinear source on a semi-infinite interval
Authors: Chan C. , Treeyaprasert T. 
Published: August 2011

Let

α
\alpha

,

b
b

and

T
T

be positive numbers,

D
=

(
0
,
∞
)

D=\left ( 0,\infty \right )

,

D
¯

=

[
0
,
∞
)

\bar {D}=\left [0,\infty \right )

, and

Ω
=
D
×

(
0
,
T
]

\Omega =D\times \left (0,T\right ]

. This article studies the first initial-boundary value problem,
\[

u

t

−

u

x
x

=
α
δ
(
x
−
b
)
f

(
u
(
x
,
t
)
)

in
Ω
,

u
(
x
,
0
)
=
ψ
(
x
)
on

D
¯

,

u
(
0
,
t
)
=
0
=

lim

x
→
∞

u
(
x
,
t
)
for
0
>
t
≤
T
,

\begin {array} [c]{c} u_{t}-u_{xx}=\alpha \delta (x-b)f\left ( u(x,t)\right ) \text { in }\Omega ,\\ u(x,0)=\psi (x)\text { on }\bar {D},\\ u(0,t)=0=\lim _{x\rightarrow \infty }u(x,t)\text { for }0>t\leq T, \end {array}

\]
where

δ

(
x
)

\delta \left ( x\right )

is the Dirac delta function, and

f
f

and

ψ
\psi

are given functions. We assume that

f

(
0
)

≥
0

f\left ( 0\right ) \geq 0

,

f
(
u
)

f(u)

and its derivatives

f

′

(
u
)

f^{\prime }(u)

and

f

′
′

(
u
)

f^{\prime \prime }\left ( u\right )

are positive for

u
>
0

u>0

, and

ψ
(
x
)

\psi (x)

is nontrivial, nonnegative and continuous such that

ψ

(
0
)

=
0
=

lim

x
→
∞

ψ

(
x
)

\psi \left ( 0\right ) =0=\lim _{x\rightarrow \infty }\psi \left ( x\right )

, and
\[

ψ

′
′

+
α
δ
(
x
−
b
)
f

(
ψ
)

≥
0
in
D
.

\psi ^{\prime \prime }+\alpha \delta (x-b)f\left ( \psi \right ) \geq 0\text { in } D\text {.}

\]
It is shown that if

u
u

blows up, then it blows up in a finite time at the single point

b
b

only. A criterion for

u
u

to blow up in a finite time and a criterion for

u
u

to exist globally are given. It is also shown that there exists a critical position

b

∗

b^{\ast }

for the nonlinear source to be placed such that no blowup occurs for

b
≤

b

∗

b\leq b^{\ast }

, and

u
u

blows up in a finite time for

b
>

b

∗

b>b^{\ast }

. This also implies that

u
u

does not blow up in infinite time. The formula for computing

b

∗

b^{\ast }

is also derived. For illustrations, two examples are given.
Fast and accurate prediction of protein side-chain conformations
Authors: Liang Shide , Zheng Dandan , Zhang Chi , Standley Daron M. 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
Summary: We developed a fast and accurate side-chain modeling program [Optimized Side Chain Atomic eneRgy (OSCAR)-star] based on orientation-dependent energy functions and a rigid rotamer model. The average computing time was 18 s per protein for 218 test proteins with higher prediction accuracy (1.1% increase for χ1 and 0.8% increase for χ1+2) than the best performing program developed by other groups. We show that the energy functions, which were calibrated to tolerate the discrete errors of rigid rotamers, are appropriate for protein loop selection, especially for decoys without extensive structural refinement.
Availability: OSCAR-star and the 218 test proteins are available for download at http://sysimm.ifrec.osaka-u.ac.jp/OSCAR
Contact: standley@ifrec.osaka-u.ac.jp
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
COCOMAPS: a web application to analyze and visualize contacts at the interface of biomolecular complexes
Authors: Vangone Anna , Spinelli Raffaele , Scarano Vittorio , Cavallo Luigi , Oliva Romina 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
Summary: Herein we present COCOMAPS, a novel tool for analyzing, visualizing and comparing the interface in protein–protein and protein–nucleic acids complexes. COCOMAPS combines traditional analyses and 3D visualization of the interface with the effectiveness of intermolecular contact maps.
Availability: COCOMAPS is accessible as a public web tool at http://www.molnac.unisa.it/BioTools/cocomaps
Contact: romina.oliva@uniparthenope.it; lcavallo@unisa.it
SCLpred: protein subcellular localization prediction by N-to-1 neural networks
Authors: Mooney Catherine , Wang Yong−Hong , Pollastri Gianluca 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
Summary: Knowledge of the subcellular location of a protein provides valuable information about its function and possible interaction with other proteins. In the post-genomic era, fast and accurate predictors of subcellular location are required if this abundance of sequence data is to be fully exploited. We have developed a subcellular localization predictor (SCLpred), which predicts the location of a protein into four classes for animals and fungi and five classes for plants (secreted, cytoplasm, nucleus, mitochondrion and chloroplast) using machine learning models trained on large non-redundant sets of protein sequences. The algorithm powering SCLpred is a novel Neural Network (N-to-1 Neural Network, or N1-NN) we have developed, which is capable of mapping whole sequences into single properties (a functional class, in this work) without resorting to predefined transformations, but rather by adaptively compressing the sequence into a hidden feature vector. We benchmark SCLpred against other publicly available predictors using two benchmarks including a new subset of Swiss-Prot Release 2010_06. We show that SCLpred surpasses the state of the art. The N1-NN algorithm is fully general and may be applied to a host of problems of similar shape, that is, in which a whole sequence needs to be mapped into a fixed-size array of properties, and the adaptive compression it operates may shed light on the space of protein sequences.
Availability: The predictive systems described in this article are publicly available as a web server at http://distill.ucd.ie/distill/.
Contact: gianluca.pollastri@ucd.ie
Feature-based 3D motif filtering for ribosomal RNA
Authors: Shen Ying , Wong Hau−San , Zhang Shaohong , Yu Zhiwen 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
Motivation: RNA 3D motifs are recurrent substructures in an RNA subunit and are building blocks of the RNA architecture. They play an important role in binding proteins and consolidating RNA tertiary structures. RNA 3D motif searching consists of two steps: candidate generation and candidate filtering. We proposed a novel method, known as Feature-based RNA Motif Filtering (FRMF), for identifying motifs based on a set of moment invariants and the Earth Mover's Distance in the second step.
Results: A positive set of RNA motifs belonging to six characteristic types, with eight subtypes occurring in HM 50S, is compiled by us. The proposed method is validated on this representative set. FRMF successfully finds most of the positive fragments. Besides the proposed new method and the compiled positive set, we also recognize some new motifs, in particular a π-turn and some non-standard A-minor motifs are found. These newly discovered motifs provide more information about RNA structure conformation.
Availability: Matlab code can be downloaded from www.cs.cityu.edu.hk/~yingshen/FRMF.html
Contact: cshswong@cityu.edu.hk
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Root-Localized Phytochrome Chromophore Synthesis Is Required for Photoregulation of Root Elongation and Impacts Root Sensitivity to Jasmonic Acid in Arabidopsis
Authors: Costigan Stephanie E. , Warnasooriya Sankalpi N. , Humphries Brock A. , Montgomery Beronda L. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractPlants exhibit organ- and tissue-specific light responses. To explore the molecular basis of spatial-specific phytochrome-regulated responses, a transgenic approach for regulating the synthesis and accumulation of the phytochrome chromophore phytochromobilin (PΦB) was employed. In prior experiments, transgenic expression of the BILIVERDIN REDUCTASE (BVR) gene was used to metabolically inactivate biliverdin IXα, a key precursor in the biosynthesis of PΦB, and thereby render cells accumulating BVR phytochrome deficient. Here, we report analyses of transgenic Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) lines with distinct patterns of BVR accumulation dependent upon constitutive or tissue-specific, promoter-driven BVR expression that have resulted in insights on a correlation between root-localized BVR accumulation and photoregulation of root elongation. Plants with BVR accumulation in roots and a PΦB-deficient elongated hypocotyl2 (hy2-1) mutant exhibit roots that are longer than those of wild-type plants under white illumination. Additional analyses of a line with root-specific BVR accumulation generated using a GAL4-dependent bipartite enhancer-trap system confirmed that PΦB or phytochromes localized in roots directly impact light-dependent root elongation under white, blue, and red illumination. Additionally, roots of plants with constitutive plastid-localized or root-specific cytosolic BVR accumulation, as well as phytochrome chromophore-deficient hy1-1 and hy2-1 mutants, exhibit reduced sensitivity to the plant hormone jasmonic acid (JA) in JA-dependent root inhibition assays, similar to the response observed for the JA-insensitive mutants jar1 and myc2. Our analyses of lines with root-localized phytochrome deficiency or root-specific phytochrome depletion have provided novel insights into the roles of root-specific PΦB, or phytochromes themselves, in the photoregulation of root development and root sensitivity to JA.
Bovine Intestinal Bacteria Inactivate and Degrade Ceftiofur and Ceftriaxone with Multiple β-Lactamases
Authors: Wagner R. Doug , Johnson Shemedia J. , Cerniglia Carl E. , Erickson Bruce D. 
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACT

The veterinary cephalosporin drug ceftiofur is rapidly degraded in the bovine intestinal tract. A cylinder-plate assay was used to detect microbiologically active ceftiofur, and high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was used to quantify the amount of ceftiofur remaining after incubation with bovine intestinal anaerobic bacteria, which were isolated from colon contents or feces from 8 cattle. Ninety-six percent of the isolates were able to inactivate ceftiofur to some degree, and 54% actually degraded the drug. None of 9 fungal isolates inactivated or degraded ceftiofur. Facultative and obligate anaerobic bacterial species that inactivated or degraded ceftiofur were identified with Vitek and Biolog systems, respectively. A subset of ceftiofur degraders also degraded the chemically similar drug ceftriaxone. Most of the species of bacteria that degraded ceftiofur belonged to the genera
Bacillus
and
Bacteroides
. PCR analysis of bacterial DNA detected specific β-lactamase genes.
Bacillus cereus
and
B. mycoides
isolates produced extended-spectrum β-lactamases and metallo-β-lactamases. Seven isolates of
Bacteroides
spp. produced multiple β-lactamases, including possibly CepA, and metallo-β-lactamases. Isolates of
Eubacterium biforme
,
Bifidobacterium breve
, and several
Clostridium
spp. also produced ceftiofur-degrading β-lactamases. An agar gel overlay technique on isoelectric focusing separations of bacterial lysates showed that β-lactamase enzymes were sufficient to degrade ceftiofur. These results suggest that ceftiofur is inactivated nonenzymatically and degraded enzymatically by multiple β-lactamases from bacteria in the large intestines of cattle.
Spider Venom Peptides for Gene Therapy of Chlamydia Infection
Authors: Lazarev Vassili N. , Polina Nadezhda F. , Shkarupeta Marina M. , Kostrjukova Elena S. , Vassilevski Alexander A. , Kozlov Sergey A. , Grishin Eugene V. , Govorun Vadim M. 
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACT

Spider venoms are vast natural pharmacopoeias selected by evolution. The venom of the ant spider
Lachesana tarabaevi
contains a wide variety of antimicrobial peptides. We tested six of them (latarcins 1, 2a, 3a, 4b, 5, and cytoinsectotoxin 1a) for their ability to suppress
Chlamydia trachomatis
infection. HEK293 cells were transfected with plasmid vectors harboring the genes of the selected peptides. Controlled expression of the transgenes led to a significant decrease of
C. trachomatis
viability inside the infected cells.
SMB-1, a Novel Subclass B3 Metallo-β-Lactamase, Associated with IS
CR1
and a Class 1 Integron, from a Carbapenem-Resistant Serratia marcescens Clinical Isolate
Authors: Wachino Jun-ichi , Yoshida Hiroyuki , Yamane Kunikazu , Suzuki Satowa , Matsui Mari , Yamagishi Takuya , Tsutsui Atsuko , Konda Toshifumi , Shibayama Keigo , Arakawa Yoshichika 
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACT

A carbapenem-resistant
Serratia marcescens
strain, 10mdr148, was identified in a Japanese hospital in 2010. The carbapenem resistance of this strain was attributed to the production of a novel metallo-β-lactamase (MBL), named SMB-1 (

S
erratia

m
etallo-
β
-lactamase). SMB-1 possessed a zinc binding motif, H(Q)XHXDH (residues 116 to 121), H196, and H263 and was categorized as a member of subclass B3 MBL. SMB-1 has 75% amino acid identity with the most closely related MBL, AMO1, of uncultured bacterium, recently identified through the metagenomic analysis of apple orchard soil. The introduction of
bla
SMB-1
into
Escherichia coli
conferred resistance to a variety of β-lactam antibiotics, penicillins, cephalosporins, and carbapenems, but not aztreonam, a resistance pattern consistent with those of other MBLs. SMB-1 demonstrated high
k
cat
values of >500 s
−1
for carbapenems, resulting in the highest hydrolyzing efficiency (
k
cat
/

K
m

) among the agents tested. The hydrolyzing activity of SMB-1 was well inhibited by chelating agents. The
bla
SMB-1
gene was located on the chromosome of
S. marcescens
strain 10mdr148 and at the 3′ end of the IS
CR1
element in complex with a typical class 1 integron carrying
aac
(
6′
)
-Ib
and
catB3
gene cassettes. Downstream of
bla
SMB-1
, the second copy of the 3′conserved segment and IS
CR1
were found. To our knowledge, this is the first subclass B3 MBL gene associated with an IS
CR1
element identified in an
Enterobacteriaceae
clinical isolate. A variety of antibiotic resistance genes embedded with IS
CR1
have been widely spread among
Enterobacteriaceae
clinical isolates, thus the further dissemination of
bla
SMB-1
mediated by IS
CR1
transposition activity may become a future concern.
Survival of Adhering Staphylococci during Exposure to a Quaternary Ammonium Compound Evaluated by Using Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging
Authors: Crismaru Mihaela , Asri Lia A. T. W. , Loontjens Ton J. A. , Krom Bastiaan P. , de Vries Joop , van der Mei Henny C. , Busscher Henk J. 
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACT

Effects of a quaternary ammonium compound (QAC) on the survival of adhering staphylococci on a surface were investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM). Four strains with different minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentrations (MBC) for the QAC were exposed to three different concentrations of the QAC in potassium phosphate buffer (0.5×, 1×, and 2× MBC) while adhering to glass. Adhering staphylococci were repeatedly imaged with AFM in the contact mode, and the cell surface was found to wrinkle upon progressive exposure to the QAC until bacteria disappeared from the substratum. Higher concentrations of QAC yielded faster wrinkling and the disappearance of bacteria during imaging. Two slime-producing staphylococcal strains survived longer on the surface than two non-slime-producing strains despite similar MICs and MBCs. All staphylococci adhering in unscanned areas remained adhering during exposure to QAC. Since MICs and MBCs did not relate to bacterial cell surface hydrophobicities and zeta potentials, survival on the surface is probably not determined by the direct interaction of QAC molecules with the cell surface. Instead, it is suggested that the pressure of the AFM tip assists the incorporation of QAC molecules in the membrane and enhances their bactericidal efficacy. In addition, the prolonged survival under pressure from slime-producing strains on a surface may point to a new protective role of slime as a stress absorber, impeding the incorporation of QAC molecules. The addition of Ca
2+
ions to a QAC solution yielded longer survival of intact, adhering staphylococci, suggesting that Ca
2+
ions can impede the exchange of membrane Ca
2+
ions required for QAC incorporation.