bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors for Development of Multiple-Class Resistance to
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Strains in Belgium over a 10-Year Period: Antimicrobial Consumption, Population Density, and Geographic Location
Authors: Van Eldere Johan , Mera Robertino M. , Miller Linda A. , Poupard James A. , Amrine-Madsen Heather 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

We investigated the impact of the usage of antibiotics in ambulatory patients in Belgium in 147 defined geographical circumscriptions and at the individual isolate level. The study included 14,448
Streptococcus pneumoniae
strains collected by the Belgium national reference lab from 1994 to 2004. Additional risk factors for resistance, such as population density/structure and day care attendance, were investigated for the same time-space window. A statistical model that included resistance to two or more antimicrobial classes offered the best fit for measuring the changes in nonsusceptibility to penicillin, macrolides, and tetracycline over time and place in Belgium. Analysis at the geographic level identified antimicrobial consumption with a 1-year lag (0.5% increase per additional defined daily dose) and population density as independent predictors of multiple resistance. Independent risk factors at the isolate level were age (odds ratio [OR], 1.55 for children aged <5 years), population density (7% increase in multiple resistance per 100 inhabitants/km
2
), conjugate 7-valent vaccine serotype (OR, 14.3), location (OR, 1.55 for regions bordering high-resistance France), and isolate source (OR, 1.54 for ear isolates). The expansion of multiple-resistant strains explains most of the overall twofold increase and subsequent decrease in single antimicrobial resistance between 1994 and 2004. We conclude that factors in addition to antibiotic use, such as high population density and proximity to high-resistance regions, favor multiple resistance. Regional resistance rates are not linearly related to actual antibiotic use but are linked to past antibiotic use plus a combination of demographic and geographic factors.
Role of Interleukin-1β in Activating the CD11chighCD45RB−Dendritic Cell Subset and PrimingLeishmania amazonensis- Specific CD4+T Cells In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Xin Lijun , Li Yongguo , Soong Lynn 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACTCutaneous leishmaniasis associated withLeishmania amazonensisinfection is characterized by uncontrolled parasite replication and profound immunosuppression; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. One possibility is that theL. amazonensisparasite modulates antigen-presenting cells, favoring the generation of pathogenic Th cells that are capable of recruiting leukocytes but insufficient to fully activate their microbicidal activities. To test this possibility, we infected bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) of C57BL/6 mice withL. amazonensisorLeishmania majorpromastigotes and assessed the activation of DC subsets and their capacity in priming CD4+T cells in vitro. In comparison toL. majorcontrols,L. amazonensis-infected DCs secreted lower levels of interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and IL-1β, were less potent in activating the IL-12p40-producing CD11chighCD45RB−CD83+CD40+DC subset, and preferentially activated CD4+T cells with a IFN-γlowIL-10highIL-17highphenotype. Although the addition of IL-1β at the time of infection markedly enhanced DC activation and T-cell priming, it did not skew the cytokine profile of DCs and pathogenic Th cells, as local injection of IL-1β followingL. amazonensisinfection accelerated Th cell activation and disease progression. This study suggests that intrinsic defects at the level of DC activation are responsible for the susceptible phenotype inL. amazonensis-infected hosts and that this parasite may have evolved unique mechanisms to interfere with innate and adaptive immunity.
Dynamics of
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Attachment: Microcolony Development, Cortical Plaque Formation, and Cytoprotection
Authors: Higashi Dustin L. , Lee Shaun W. , Snyder Aurelie , Weyand Nathan J. , Bakke Antony , So Magdalene 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

Neisseria gonorrhoeae
is the bacterium that causes gonorrhea, a major sexually transmitted disease and a significant cofactor for human immunodeficiency virus transmission. The retactile
N. gonorrhoeae
type IV pilus (Tfp) mediates twitching motility and attachment. Using live-cell microscopy, we reveal for the first time the dynamics of twitching motility by
N. gonorrhoeae
in its natural environment, human epithelial cells. Bacteria aggregate into microcolonies on the cell surface and induce a massive remodeling of the microvillus architecture. Surprisingly, the microcolonies are motile, and they fuse to form progressively larger structures that undergo rapid reorganization, suggesting that bacteria communicate with each other during infection. As reported, actin plaques form beneath microcolonies. Here, we show that cortical plaques comigrate with motile microcolonies. These activities are dependent on
pilT
, the Tfp retraction locus. Cultures infected with a
pilT
mutant have significantly higher numbers of apoptotic cells than cultures infected with the wild-type strain. Inducing
pilT
expression with isopropyl-β-
d
-thiogalactopyranoside partially rescues cells from infection-induced apoptosis, demonstrating that Tfp retraction is intrinsically cytoprotective for the host. Tfp-mediated attachment is therefore a continuum of microcolony motility and force stimulation of host cell signaling, leading to a cytoprotective effect.
External Quality Assessment of a DNA Sequence-Based Scheme for Epidemiological Typing of
Legionella pneumophila
by an International Network of Laboratories
Authors: Afshar Baharak , Fry Norman K. , Bellamy William , Underwood Anthony P. , Harrison Timothy G. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

We report the results of an international external quality assessment (EQA) program to assess the performance of laboratories in genotyping
Legionella pneumophila
isolates using the standard European Working Group for
Legionella
Infections sequence-based typing protocol. Three coded distributions of
L. pneumophila
isolates were sent to laboratories in 12, 14, and 20 countries, respectively. The data were returned by 11 of 16, 18 of 19, and 27 of 29 centers, respectively. Incomplete submission of data resulted in exclusion from certain aspects of the analyses. The number of centers achieving 100% score, for all loci tested, rose successively from 50% (5 of 10) for the first EQA distribution, to 56% (9 of 16) for the second EQA distribution, to 76% (19 of 25) for the third EQA distribution. A number of additional centers made only a few errors (one to three) in each distribution. Sequence data from the first two distributions were collected in flat text file format and using specially developed software, the sequence quality tool (SQT), in the third distribution. The SQT allows users to upload trace files in standard file formats, automates basecalling using phred and phrap software, contig assembly, trimming, and matching against a reference library. The program described here allow users an independent measure of sequence quality, and such schemes are vital in order to identify strengths and weakness in centers responsible for the generation of genotyping data in legionella outbreak investigation. The present study demonstrates that DNA sequence data can be highly reproducible but, when independently assessed, in practice frequently falls short of this goal. However, experience and training in the methodology results in increased performance.
Measles Virus N Protein Inhibits Host Translation by Binding to eIF3-p40
Authors: Sato Hiroki , Masuda Munemitsu , Kanai Moeko , Tsukiyama-Kohara Kyoko , Yoneda Misako , Kai Chieko 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT

The nonsegmented, negative-sense RNA genome of measles virus (MV) is encapsidated by the virus-encoded nucleocapsid protein (N). In this study, we searched for N-binding cellular proteins by using MV-N as bait and screening the human T-cell cDNA library by yeast two-hybrid assay and isolated the p40 subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 3 (eIF3-p40) as a binding partner. The interaction between MV-N and eIF3-p40 in mammalian cells was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation. Since eIF3-p40 is a translation initiation factor, we analyzed the potential inhibitory effect of MV-N on protein synthesis. Glutathione
S
-transferase (GST)-fused MV-N (GST-N) inhibited translation of reporter mRNAs in rabbit reticulocyte lysate translation system in a dose-dependent manner. Encephalomyocarditis virus internal ribosomal entry site-mediated translation, which requires canonical initiation factors to initiate translation, was also inhibited by GST-N. In contrast, a unique form of translation mediated by the intergenic region of
Plautia stali
intestine virus, which can assemble 80S ribosomes in the absence of canonical initiation factors, was scarcely affected by GST-N. In vivo expression of MV-N induced by the Cre/
lox
P switching system inhibited the synthesis of a transfected reporter protein, as well as overall protein synthesis. These results suggest that MV-N targets eIF3-p40 and may be involved in inhibiting MV-induced host translation.
Genetic and Phenotypic Variation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus during Serial Passages in a Natural Host
Authors: Carrillo C. , Lu Z. , Borca M. V. , Vagnozzi A. , Kutish G. F. , Rock D. L. 
Published: August 2007

ABSTRACT
Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), like other RNA viruses, exhibits high mutation rates during replication that have been suggested to be of adaptive value. However, even though genetic variation in RNA viruses and, more specifically, FMDV has been extensively examined during virus replication in a wide variety of in vitro cell cultures, very little is known regarding the generation and effects of genetic variability of virus replication in the natural host under experimental conditions and no genetic data are available regarding the effects of serial passage in natural hosts. Here, we present the results of 20 serial contact transmissions of the highly pathogenic, pig-adapted O Taiwan 97 (O Tw97) isolate of FMDV in swine. We examined the virus genomic consensus sequences for a total of 37 full-length viral genomes recovered from 20 in vivo passages. The characteristics and distributions of changes in the sequences during the series of pig infections were analyzed in comparison to the O Tw97 genomes recovered from serially infected BHK-21 cell cultures. Unexpectedly, a significant reduction of virulence upon pig passages was observed, and finally, interruption of the viral transmission chain occurred after the14th pig passage (T14). Virus was, however, isolated from the tonsils and nasal swabs of the asymptomatic T15 pigs at 26 days postcontact, consistent with a natural establishment of the carrier state previously described only for ruminants. Surprisingly, the region encoding the capsid protein VP1 (1D) did not show amino acid changes during in vivo passages. These data demonstrate that contact transmission of FMDV O Tw97 in pigs mimics the fitness loss induced by the bottleneck effect, which was previously observed by others during plaque-to-plaque FMDV passage in vitro, suggesting that unknown mechanisms of virulence recovery might be necessary during the evolution and perpetuation of FMDV in nature.
Exposure to particulate matter on an Indian stone-crushing site
Authors: Semple S , Green D A , McAlpine G , Cowie H , Seaton A 
Published: August 2007

Background/objectives:A large number of labourers work in the stone-crushing industry in India. Many of these workers are also exposed to high levels of particulate matter in their homes from the use of biomass fuels. As part of our investigations to examine the health of these workers we characterised their exposure to respirable crystalline silica and a number of other particulate matter exposure metrics in both occupational and domestic settings.Methods:We used a combination of direct reading and gravimetric sampling of respirable dust, total inhalable dust and particulate matter <2.5 μm in diameter (PM2.5) at work (n = 19), within the general environment (n = 6) and inside the home (n = 7). We used x-ray diffraction to quantify the level of crystalline silica in the respirable dust samples.Results:After correcting for the length of the working week, the arithmetic mean 8-hour time-weighted average (TWA) total inhalable dust exposure for this group was 143 mg/m3, the mean 8-hour TWA respirable dust exposure was 39.7 mg/m3and the 8-hour TWA crystalline silica exposure was 2.29 mg/m3. Our real-time data showed peaks in exposure under certain environmental and/or working conditions. General environmental and domestic PM2.5exposures were also high.Conclusions:Particulate matter exposures experienced by this group of workers and their families are likely to produce impaired lung function within a short time-frame. There is a need to introduce simple measures to reduce particulate matter exposure from both occupational sources and the use of biomass fuels in homes on this and similar sites.
The ammonoid time-scale and ammonoid evolution
Authors: House M. R. 
Published: August 2007

Summary
For a period of some 330 x 106 years* from the early Devonian to the late Cretaceous, ammonoid zones and subzones in marine rocks provide a time discrimination of the order of 0.25-1.0 x 106 years or a resolving power of 1:100 to under 1:500. Several time intervals show much better results. The progressive improvement of these techniques is illustrated.
The evolutionary tree of the Ammonoidea is as well documented as for any group. The record, with its periods of extinction and diversification at several taxonomic levels can be viewed as a bio-seismograph of the factors controlling evolution. The role of early stage modifications in evolutionary strategy is emphasized. A relationship between environmental change and critical events in ammonoid history is examined. Examples illustrate punctuated as well as gradualist mode confirming Darwin's view on the broad range of evolutionary mechanism. The ammonoids show no evidence supporting an hypothesis of regular diversity decay. The case is made for a more collaborative and systematic study of evolutionary fluctuations as a key to documentation of primary causations which may be global or cosmic.
Rate of Neogene depositional and deformational processes, north-west Himalayan foredeep margin, Pakistan
Authors: Raynolds Robert G. H. , Johnson Gary D. 
Published: August 2007

Summary
The dynamics of molasse accumulation and the subsequent structural displacement of a foredeep basin during orogenesis have rarely been chronometrically defined. The Himalayan foothill belt of northern Pakistan and India constitutes a detailed record of molasse sedimentation in a classical foredeep setting. Subsequent deformation of this sedimentary sequence has resulted in the exposure of over 3000 metres of the Neogene and Quaternary aged Siwalik Group. Recently, the development of a magnetic polarity stratigraphy constrained by the fission-track dating of numerous intercalated volcanic ashes has permitted a precise chronostratigraphic statement to be made concerning the accumulation and deformational history of this non-marine sedimentary sequence. Data from numerous localities in northern Pakistan and India document the onset, development, and termination of various events in this sedimentation history with a precision of from ~20000 to ~50000 yrs. Sediment accumulation rates associated with the progressive migration of the foredeep depocentre have been determined to range from -20 to -50 cm/1000 yrs. The southward progradation of lateral facies changes at rates of up to 30 m/1000 yrs together with the southward advance of the basin depocentre at rates of over 20 m/1000 yrs suggest a rough equilibrium between the modelled northward plate motion of the Indian subcontinent and the southward displacement of depositional processes within the foredeep. This illustration of the dynamic involvement of proximal foredeep terraine in the continuing Himalayan orogenesis yields a model potentially useful in similar tectonic settings.
Weak and Strong Convergence of Multistep Iteration for Finite Family of Asymptotically Nonexpansive Mappings
Authors: Thakur Balwant Singh , Jung Jong Soo 
Published: August 2007

AbstractStrong and weak convergence theorems for multistep iterative scheme with errors for finite family of asymptotically nonexpansive mappings are established in Banach spaces. Our results extend and improve the corresponding results of Chidume and Ali (2007), Cho et al. (2004), Khan and Fukhar-ud-din (2005), Plubtieng et al.(2006), Xu and Noor (2002), and many others.
A Pilot and Feasibility Study on the Effects of Naturopathic Botanical and Dietary Interventions on Sex Steroid Hormone Metabolism in Premenopausal Women
Authors: Greenlee Heather , Atkinson Charlotte , Stanczyk Frank Z. , Lampe Johanna W. 
Published: August 2007

AbstractNaturopathic physicians commonly make dietary and/or dietary supplement recommendations for breast cancer prevention. This placebo-controlled, parallel-arm, pilot study tested the effects of two naturopathic interventions over five menstrual cycles on sex steroid hormones and metabolic markers in 40 healthy premenopausal women. The intervention arms were as follows: combination botanical supplement (Curcuma longa, Cynara scolymus, Rosmarinus officinalis, Schisandra chinensis, Silybum marinum, and Taraxacum officinalis; n = 15), dietary changes (3 servings/d crucifers or dark leafy greens, 30 g/d fiber, 1-2 liters/d water, and limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption to 1 serving each/wk; n = 10), and placebo (n = 15). Early-and late-follicular phase serum samples from cycles 1 and 5 were analyzed for estrogens (estrone, estrone-sulfate, total estradiol, and free estradiol), androgens (dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate, androstenedione, total testosterone, and free testosterone), sex hormone-binding globulin, and metabolic markers (insulin, insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3, and leptin). Serum samples collected during the mid-luteal phase of cycles 1 and 5 were analyzed for total estradiol, free estradiol, and sex hormone-binding globulin. Urine samples collected during the late follicular phase of cycles 1 and 5 were analyzed for 2-hydroxyestrone and 16α-hydroxyestrone. During the early follicular phase, compared with placebo, the botanical supplement decreased dehydroepiandrosterone (−13.2%; P = 0.02), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (−14.6%; P = 0.07), androstenedione (−8.6%; P = 0.05), and estrone-sulfate (−12.0%; P = 0.08). No other trends or statistically significant changes were observed. When comparing dietary changes with placebo, no statistically significant differences were observed. Overall, in this pilot study, the naturopathic interventions had no substantial effects on estrogen measures. Early-follicular phase androgens decreased with the botanical supplement. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(8):1601–9)
Etiology of Familial Aggregation in Melanoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Skin
Authors: Lindström Linda S. , Yip Benjamin , Lichtenstein Paul , Pawitan Yudi , Czene Kamila 
Published: August 2007

Abstract
Background: Melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (SCC) have been previously shown to coaggregate in families. To shed light on the etiology, we estimated the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors on the occurrence of each disease, in addition to their influence on coaggregation of the two diseases. Because the malignancies are dependent on UV radiation, we did separate analyses for sun-covered and sun-exposed sites.
Methods: Our Swedish population-based data included 11 million individuals in 3 million families. We used an extended generalized linear mixed model to estimate the genetic and environmental contribution.
Results: In melanoma, the genetic contribution was 18% [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 13-22%] in the all-sites analysis, whereas the family-shared contribution was slightly higher in the sun-covered compared with sun-exposed sites analysis. SCC revealed very similar estimates in all analyses for both the genetic effects estimated to 8% (95% CI, 4-12%) and family-shared environmental factors at 18% (95% CI, 16-19%), respectively. In the coaggregation analysis, genetic and family-shared environmental components were estimated at 47% (95% CI, 43-51%) and 36% (95% CI, 33-39%), respectively.
Conclusions: Genetic factors are important in familial aggregation of melanoma and the higher sun-covered compared with sun-exposed site estimate of family-shared environment may convey benefit from cautious sunbathing. In SCC, we observed the highest contribution of family-shared environmental effects in cancer to date, implicating the importance of familial habits. Moreover, we elucidate the potential involvement of genetic variability in the familial coaggregation of melanoma and SCC. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(8):1639–43)
Cigarette Smoking and Risk of Hodgkin Lymphoma: A Population-Based Case-Control Study
Authors: Hjalgrim Henrik , Ekström-Smedby Karin , Rostgaard Klaus , Amini Rose-Marie , Molin Daniel , Hamilton-Dutoit Stephen , Schöllkopf Claudia , Chang Ellen T. , Ralfkiaer Elisabeth , Adami Hans-Olov , Glimelius Bengt , Melbye Mads 
Published: August 2007

Abstract
Background: Studies have inconsistently reported an association between tobacco smoking and Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) risk. The conflicting findings may reflect etiologic heterogeneity between HL subtypes, warranting further characterization of the relationship.
Methods: We collected information on tobacco-smoking habits in 586 classic HL cases and 3,187 population controls in a Danish-Swedish case-control study. HL EBV status was established for 499 cases by standard techniques. Odds ratios (OR) for an association with cigarette smoking were calculated by logistic regression for HL overall and stratified by age, sex, major histology subtypes, and tumor EBV status, adjusting for known confounders.
Results: Compared with never smokers, current cigarette smokers were at an increased overall HL risk (adjusted OR, 1.57; 95% confidence interval (95% CI), 1.22-2.03). The association was strongest for EBV-positive HL (adjusted OR, 2.36; 95% CI, 1.51-3.71), but also applied to EBV-negative HL (adjusted OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.05-1.97; Phomogeneity EBV-pos versus EBV-neg = 0.04). The association did not vary appreciably by age, sex, or histologic subtype, the apparent EBV-related difference present in all strata. There was no evidence of a dose-response pattern, whether by age at smoking initiation, daily cigarette consumption, number of years smoking, or cumulative number of cigarettes smoked. Similar results were obtained in analyses using non-HL patients (n = 3,055) participating in the founding study as comparison group.
Conclusion: The observed association between cigarette smoking and HL risk is consistent with previous findings and biologically plausible. Although not easily dismissed as an artifact, the limited evidence of a dose-response pattern renders the overall evidence of causality weak. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007;16(8):1561–6)