bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Microbial Community Analysis of Water, Foregut, and Hindgut during Growth of Pacific White Shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, in Closed‐System Aquaculture
Authors: Johnson Crystal N. , Barnes Sue , Ogle John , Grimes D. Jay , Chang Yun‐Juan , Peacock Aaron D. , Kline Liz 
Published: April 2008

Abstract In closed recirculating systems, a particulate matter consisting of bacteria, algae, fungi, and detritus develops spontaneously. This microbial floc can serve as a high‐protein food source for finfish and shellfish and has the potential to supplement the protein required in shrimp feed. To advance the use of microbial floc as a feed supplement, it is necessary to manipulate its microbial components, which requires thorough characterization of the bacterial components. Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, were raised in a closed recirculating system, and water was compared to the contents of shrimp foreguts and hindguts. Water consistently contained less microbial biomass than did shrimp guts, but 16S rDNA sequences indicated that water was more diverse than shrimp guts. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequences retrieved from water and shrimp foregut grouped these sequences into various unrelated generic clusters. Fatty acid analysis demonstrated that shrimp feed was not a major contributor of microbial fatty acids to shrimp tanks, as the feed mostly contained polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are typically found only in eukaryotes. It is hoped that elucidating more details about the various components of microbial floc will help in understanding its development and will lead to its use as a high‐protein feed supplement.
Effects of Restricted Feeding Regimes on Growth and Feed Utilization of Juvenile Gilthead Sea Bream, Sparus aurata
Authors: Eroldoğan Orhan Tufan , Taşbozan O. , Tabakoğlu S. 
Published: April 2008

Abstract.—The effect of restricted feeding on growth, feed efficiency, and body composition was studied in juveniles of gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata. Juveniles (6.4 g) were stocked into 12 tanks at a density of 16 fish per tank. Four different feeding schedules were tested on triplicate groups of juvenile fish: (1) control fed for 48 d without deprivation, (2) starvation for 1 d and then refed for 2 d (S1), (3) 50% satiation for 2 d and then refed to apparent satiation for 2 d (R2), and (4) 50% satiation for 6 d and then refed to apparent satiation for another 6 d (R6). Results indicated that all fish subjected to cycled restricted feeding regimes were unable to achieve catching up with control group. The specific growth rate of fish in the control was significantly higher than those in S1, R2, and R6, which were not significantly different from each other. Protein efficiency and protein productive value were significantly higher in R2 compared to control, S1, and R6. Fish in R2 had lowest feed conversion ratio (1.12) compared to the control (1.17). Body protein composition in R6 was less than that of the control, S1, and R2, while moisture, lipid, and ash content were not significantly different compared to the control.
Biochemical Composition of Six Seahorse Species, Hippocampus sp., from the Chinese Coast
Authors: Lin Qiang , Lin Junda , Lu Junyi , Li Bingji 
Published: April 2008

Abstract The biochemical composition of six seahorse species from the Chinese coast was analyzed in this study. The crude protein content (% dry weight) of Hippocampus kuda, Hippocampus trimaculatus, Hippocampus kelloggi, Hippocampus spinosissimus, Hippocampus histrix, and Hippocampus comes was 70.70 ± 2.12%, 77.59 ± 1.06%, 78.31 ± 1.74%, 71.15 ± 1.32%, 68.07 ± 1.96%, and 76.59 ± 3.25%, respectively. The major amino acids (>5% of the total) in seahorses were arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine, and glycine, and there were significant differences in essential amino acids (EAA) (as % of total protein) among the six species (P
<
0.05). The scores of EAA were balanced in the seahorse species, and the essential amino acid indexes of the six species were 41.63, 40.89, 44.84, 39.60, 39.31 and 45.45, respectively. The content of flavor‐enhancing amino acids of the six seahorse species was generally high, ranging from 28.16 ± 1.12% in H. histrix to 32.90 ± 2.17% in H. kelloggi (P
<
0.05). The total lipid content was generally low, ranging from 0.96 ± 0.08% in H. histrix to 2.02 ± 0.24% in H. comes. The most abundant fatty acid was C16:0, ranging from 15.04 ± 0.67% in H. trimaculatus to 31.04 ± 4.32% in H. spinosissimus. The combination of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid as the fraction of the total fatty acids was high (0.14–0.35). The polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid ratio ranged from 0.40 in H. kuda to 1.19 in H. histrix. The trace metal concentrations in the seahorses were generally low. The six seahorse species examined provide a food source for humans with low fat, high protein, good levels of EAA, and high beneficial trace elements. These results are valuable in developing diets for culturing seahorse species.
Effects of an Extended Hatchery Phase and Vaccination against Enteric Septicemia of Catfish on the Production of Channel Catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, Fingerlings
Authors: Carrias Abel A. , Terhune Jeffery S. , Sayles Christopher A. , Chappell Jesse A. 
Published: April 2008

Abstract.—The present study was conducted to evaluate production management methods to improve overall survival of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, fry to the fingerling stage by incorporating the use of a live, attenuated vaccine against Edwardsiella ictaluri and employing an extended hatchery phase. In this experiment, four treatments were used. In Treatment 1, 10‐d posthatch (PH) fry were vaccinated and then directly stocked into earthen ponds. In Treatments 2 and 3, 10‐d PH fry were sham‐vaccinated (control) and vaccinated, respectively, kept in nursery tanks for 22 d, and then stocked into earthen ponds. Fry in Treatment 4 were sham‐vaccinated at 10 d PH, kept in nursery tanks for 22 d, and then vaccinated prior to stocking into earthen ponds. Mean fingerling yield at harvest ranged from 4716 kg/ha in Treatment 1 to 8112 kg/ha in Treatment 4. Mean individual fish weight ranged from 38.8 g in Treatment 1 to 40.9 g in Treatment 4, and feed conversion ratios (FCR) ranged from 1.15 in Treatment 4 to 1.51 in Treatment 1. Mean survival ranged from 47.5% in Treatment 1 to 73.4% in Treatment 4. In specific comparisons to evaluate the nursery effect (Treatments 1 and 3), yield and overall survival were significantly different (P < 0.05) between these two treatments. In specific comparisons to evaluate the effect of the use of the vaccine (Treatments 2, 3, and 4), overall survival was significantly different (P < 0.05) between Treatment 2 (sham‐vaccinated control with nursery phase) and Treatment 4 (vaccinated at 32 d PH with nursery phase). No significant differences (P > 0.05) in yield, average weight, and FCR were observed between treatments. Results indicate that implementing an extended hatchery phase and vaccination strategy with older fry can improve overall survival of fingerling fish.
Promoter methylation of P15INK4B gene is possibly associated with parvovirus B19 infection in adult acute leukemias
Authors: YALCIN A. , SERIN M. S. , EMEKDAS G. , TIFTIK N. , ASLAN G. , ESKANDARI G. , TEZCAN S. 
Published: April 2008

SummaryIn this study, we examined the P15INK4B gene promoter methylation in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute leukemia and its possible relationship with parvovirus B19 and Epstein–Barr virus infections. P15INK4B methylation frequency was significantly higher in acute leukemia patients than in that of non‐malignant patients (P < 0.05). When the patients with myelodysplastic syndrome were included, no significant difference was found between these groups regarding the methylation status. The possible correlation between P15INK4B promoter methylation and parvovirus B19 infection was observed in adult acute leukemia patients (P < 0.05). However, no similar relationship in EBV‐infected patients was observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report showing the possible association between P15INK4B promoter methylation and parvovirus B19 infection in acute leukemia.
Incidence, clinical findings and management of intraoperative floppy iris syndrome associated with tamsulosin
Authors: Keklikci Ugur , Isen Kenan , Unlu Kaan , Celik Yusuf , Karahan Mine 
Published: April 2008

Abstract.Purpose:  To determine the risk ratios and incidence of intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) during cataract surgery in patients using tamsulosin, and to assess management strategies for IFIS.Methods:  We performed a non‐randomized, observational, prospective study, in which 594 eyes of 579 patients undergoing cataract surgery were enrolled. Surgeons were masked to the patients’ drug history. Usage or non‐usage of tamsulosin, duration of tamsulosin use, presence or absence of IFIS, management of IFIS and intraoperative complications were recorded in the patients’ theatre notes.Results:  Twelve of 15 (80%) IFIS patients were taking systemic tamsulosin. Twelve of 23 (52%) patients using tamsulosin showed features of IFIS. The odds ratios (ORs) and relative risk (RR) ratios show strong positive correlations between tamsulosin use and IFIS. The ORs and RR ratios and the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are as follows: OR 206.5 (95% CI 50.9–836.5); RR 99.3 (95% CI 30.0–327.8). There were no statistically significant differences between patients with or without IFIS, who were using tamsulosin, in terms of age or duration of tamsulosin use (p > 0.05). Seven eyes (46.6%) with IFIS were successfully managed with epinephrine. Eight eyes (53.4%) with IFIS needed iris hooks.Conclusions:  Patients using tamsulosin appear to be at high risk of IFIS during cataract surgery. The occurrence of IFIS may not be affected by duration of tamsulosin use or age. Epinephrine may be effective in approximately 50% of eyes with IFIS. The iris hook procedure represents an effective management strategy in IFIS.
Growth and development of Potamogeton malaianus in SW Japan
Authors: Wiegleb Gerhard , Kadono Yasuro 
Published: April 2008

Growth and development of a population of Potamogeton malaianus were studied over an annual cycle.An ample description of the morphological structure of this poorly known species is given. In the study site the plants reached their maximum size with up to 13 g dry weight/shoot complex in October. The plant exhibits a complicated growth cycle which is illustrated here by following the development of biomass and number of different plant parts, the successive development of new generations of vertical shoots, and the extension of horizontal shoots. The life cycle is mainly influenced by the water regime of the river which reflects the distribution of rainfall over the year. Both regrowth and constant loss of plant material occur all over the vegetation period. The main portion of standing crop is found in the vertical shoots (between 32.0 and 42.3% in stems and between 44.5 and 71.3% in submersed leaves). Besides vertical growth also horizontal extension (up to 1.2 m from the starting point) is important. The maximum contribution of horizontal shoots was 10.2% of total biomass. Flowering occurred several times over the year, but was never abundant. A very low number of ripe fruits were produced. The maximum proportion of biomass allocated to flowering structures was reached in September with 3.7%. Regrowth in spring starts from tubers or from buds on relic stems, depending on winter temperatures. The plant has several effective means of vegetative reproduction that also contribute to quick regrowth after the spates during the rainy season.
Systemic lupus erythematosus in a tertiary, east Malaysian hospital: admission, readmission and death
Authors: TEH C. L. , CHAN G. Y. L. , LEE J. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractObjective:  There are limited data on hospitalization of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients in Asian countries. Our aim of this study is to describe the characteristics and poor prognostic factors in our patients.Method:  We performed a retrospective study of SLE hospitalization during a 1‐year period (2006) in our centre.Results:  There were 125 episodes of hospitalization of 79 patients with SLE. This is the first report of SLE patients from the native population of east Malaysia. The cause of admission was flare of SLE (80.8%), infection (23.2%), renal biopsy (22.4%) and others (4%). There was only one admission for thromboembolism. Patients with both flare of SLE and infection have the longest median length of stay of 11 days (IQR 5,24) requiring more intensive care therapy (P < 0.01). Readmission occurred in 31.4% and was associated with admission for other reasons during the first admission. Flare of SLE was protective against readmission (P < 0.05, OR = 0.36). There were six deaths (4.8% of admissions). The deaths were due to infection in three patients, active SLE in two and acute myocardial infarction in one. The deaths have a higher cumulative prednisolone dose than the survivals (P < 0.01). In multivariate modelling, the only predictor of death was high Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index score (P < 0.05, OR = 9.61 per increase of 1 score).Conclusion:  Active disease and infection remains the main cause of admission, readmission and death in SLE patients.
Evidence‐based recommendations for the monitoring and treatment of ankylosing spondylitis: results from the Australian 3E initiative in rheumatology
Authors: KAIN Tracey , ZOCHLING Jane , TAYLOR Andrew , MANOLIOS Nicholas , SMITH Malcolm D. , REED Mark D. , BROWN Matthew A. , SCHACHNA Lionel 
Published: April 2008

AbstractAim:  To develop a set of Australian recommendations for the monitoring and treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) through systematic literature review combined with the opinion of practicing rheumatologists.Methods:  A set of eight questions, four in each domain of monitoring and treatment, were formulated by voting and the Delphi method. The results of a systematic literature review addressing each question were presented to the 23 participants of the Australian 3E meeting. All participants were clinical rheumatologists experienced in the daily management of AS.Results:  After three rounds of breakout sessions to discuss the findings of the literature review, a set of recommendations was finalized after discussion and voting. The category of evidence and strength of recommendation were determined for each proposal. The level of agreement among participants was excellent (mean 84%, range 64–100%).Conclusions:  The 12 recommendations developed from evidence and expert opinion provide guidance for the daily management of AS patients. For most recommendations, we found a paucity of supportive evidence in the literature highlighting the need for additional clinical studies.
Improvement of juvenile dermatomyositis with calcinosis universalis after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin
Authors: YANG Ming‐Chun , LEE Jyh‐Hong , YANG Yao‐Hsu , CHIANG Bor‐Luen 
Published: April 2008

AbstractJuvenile dermatomyositis is a chronic multisystemic disease. It is believed to be of autoimmune aetiology and is characterized by the presence of vasculitis affecting striated muscle and skin. Calcinosis occurs in about 40% of cases. We report a case of a 10‐year‐old girl diagnosed with juvenile dermatomyositis who presented with difficulty in walking and inability to completely extend the four extremities due to calcinosis universalis. Calcinosis had progressed despite a 3‐year administration of diltiazem, hydroxychloroquine, aluminium hydroxide, cyclosporin, and probenecid. The introduction of monthly intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for 15 months lessened disease activity, and markedly regressed calcinosis, and improved functional outcome.
Differential Antibiotic Susceptibility of
Mycobacterium abscessus
Variants in Biofilms and Macrophages Compared to That of Planktonic Bacteria
Authors: Greendyke Rebecca , Byrd Thomas F. 
Published: April 2008

ABSTRACT

Mycobacterium abscessus
causes refractory pulmonary infections requiring surgery for cure. It exists as a smooth biofilm-forming phenotype which is noninvasive and a rough, non-biofilm-forming phenotype which can invade macrophages and cause persistent pulmonary infection in mice. We have postulated that the dissociation of the smooth phenotype to the rough phenotype may lead to invasive lung disease following initial colonization of the airways. Amikacin, cefoxitin, and clarithromycin are standard therapies for this infection. We determined the MICs of these antibiotics against this pathogen in biofilms and macrophages, the niches that it likely occupies in the human host. Our results demonstrate that even though the MICs indicate sensitivity to these antibiotics, the minimal bactericidal concentrations for amikacin and clarithromycin were substantially higher and were out of the range of the concentrations achievable in serum. Cefoxitin demonstrated only bacteriostatic activity. In addition, although amikacin had modest activity against
M. abscessus
in biofilms, clarithromycin demonstrated only minimal activity at the highest concentrations tested. Our results indicate that
M. abscessus
in mature biofilms is in a stationary-phase state and that clarithromycin is relatively inactive against stationary-phase
M. abscessus
. In human macrophages, all three antibiotics were only bacteriostatic for
M. abscessus
variants at 10 times their MICs. These results suggest why treatment failure with antibiotics alone is common in the clinical setting of
M. abscessus
pulmonary infection. Determination of the efficacies of new antibiotics should include an assessment of their activities against the smooth and rough
M. abscessus
morphotypes in biofilms and macrophages.
Potent Synergistic Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Effects Using Combinations of the CCR5 Inhibitor Aplaviroc with Other Anti-HIV Drugs
Authors: Nakata Hirotomo , Steinberg Seth M. , Koh Yasuhiro , Maeda Kenji , Takaoka Yoshikazu , Tamamura Hirokazu , Fujii Nobutaka , Mitsuya Hiroaki 
Published: April 2008

ABSTRACT

Aplaviroc (AVC), an experimental CCR5 inhibitor, potently blocks in vitro the infection of R5-tropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (R5-HIV-1) at subnanomolar 50% inhibitory concentrations. Although maraviroc is presently clinically available, further studies are required to determine the role of CCR5 inhibitors in combinations with other drugs. Here we determined anti-HIV-1 activity using combinations of AVC with various anti-HIV-1 agents, including four U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs, two CCR5 inhibitors (TAK779 and SCH-C) and two CXCR4 inhibitors (AMD3100 and TE14011). Combination effects were defined as synergistic or antagonistic when the activity of drug A combined with B was statistically greater or less, respectively, than the additive effects of drugs A and A combined and drugs B and B combined by using the Combo method, described in this paper, which provides (i) a flexible choice of interaction models and (ii) the use of nonparametric statistical methods. Synergistic effects against R5-HIV-1
Ba-L
and a 50:50 mixture of R5-HIV-1
Ba-L
and X4-HIV-1
ERS104pre
(HIV-1
Ba-L/104pre
) were seen when AVC was combined with zidovudine, nevirapine, indinavir, or enfuvirtide. Mild synergism and additivity were observed when AVC was combined with TAK779 and SCH-C, respectively. We also observed more potent synergism against HIV-1
Ba-L/104pre
when AVC was combined with AMD3100 or TE14011. The data demonstrate a tendency toward greater synergism with AVC plus either of the two CXCR4 inhibitors compared to the synergism obtained with combinations of AVC and other drugs, suggesting that the development of effective CXCR4 inhibitors may be important for increasing the efficacies of CCR5 inhibitors.
The Thymidine-Dependent Small-Colony-Variant Phenotype Is Associated with Hypermutability and Antibiotic Resistance in Clinical
Staphylococcus aureus
Isolates
Authors: Besier Silke , Zander Johannes , Kahl Barbara C. , Kraiczy Peter , Brade Volker , Wichelhaus Thomas A. 
Published: April 2008

ABSTRACT

Thymidine-dependent small-colony variants (TD-SCVs) of
Staphylococcus aureus
can be isolated from the airway secretions of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis (CF) and are implicated in persistent and treatment-resistant infections. These characteristics, as well as the variety of mutations in the thymidylate synthase-encoding
thyA
gene which are responsible for thymidine dependency, suggest that these morphological variants are hypermutable. To prove this hypothesis, we analyzed the mutator phenotype of different
S. aureus
phenotypes, in particular CF-derived TD-SCVs, CF-derived isolates with a normal phenotype (NCVs), and non-CF NCVs. The comparative analysis revealed that the CF isolates had significantly higher mutation rates than the non-CF isolates. The TD-SCVs, in turn, harbored significantly more strong hypermutators (mutation rate ≥ 10
−7
) than the CF and non-CF NCVs. In addition, antimicrobial resistance to non-beta-lactam antibiotics, including gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, fosfomycin, and rifampin, was significantly more prevalent in TD-SCVs than in CF and non-CF NCVs. Interestingly, macrolide resistance, which is usually mediated by mobile genetic elements, was conferred in half of the macrolide-resistant TD-SCVs by the point mutation A2058G or A2058T in the genes encoding the 23S rRNA. Sequence analysis of
mutS
and
mutL
, which are involved in DNA mismatch repair in gram-positive bacteria, revealed that in hypermutable CF isolates and especially in TD-SCVs,
mutL
was often truncated due to frameshift mutations. In conclusion, these data provide direct evidence that TD-SCVs are hypermutators. This hypermutability apparently favors the acquisition of antibiotic resistance and facilitates bacterial adaptation during long-term persistence.
Transfer of
embB
Codon 306 Mutations into Clinical
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Strains Alters Susceptibility to Ethambutol, Isoniazid, and Rifampin
Authors: Safi Hassan , Sayers Brendan , Hazbón Manzour H. , Alland David 
Published: April 2008

ABSTRACT

Implicated as a major mechanism of ethambutol (EMB) resistance in clinical studies of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, mutations in codon 306 of the
embB
gene (
embB
306) have also been detected in EMB-susceptible clinical isolates. Other studies have found strong associations between
embB
306 mutations and multidrug resistance, but not EMB resistance. We performed allelic exchange studies in EMB-susceptible and EMB-resistant clinical
M. tuberculosis
isolates to identify the role of
embB
306 mutations in any type of drug resistance. Replacing wild-type
embB
306 ATG from EMB-susceptible clinical
M. tuberculosis
strain 210 with
embB
306 ATA, ATC, CTG, or GTG increased the EMB MIC from 2 μg/ml to 7, 7, 8.5, and 14 μg/ml, respectively. Replacing
embB
306 ATC or GTG from two high-level EMB-resistant clinical strains with wild-type ATG lowered EMB MICs from 20 μg/ml or 28 μg/ml, respectively, to 3 μg/ml. All parental and isogenic mutant strains had identical isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RIF) MICs. However,
embB
306 CTG mutants had growth advantages compared to strain 210 at sub-MICs of INH or RIF in monocultures and at sub-MICs of INH in competition assays. CTG mutants were also more resistant to the additive or synergistic activities of INH, RIF, or EMB used in different combinations. These results demonstrate that
embB
306 mutations cause an increase in the EMB MIC, a variable degree of EMB resistance, and are necessary but not sufficient for high-level EMB resistance. The unusual growth property of
embB
306 mutants in other antibiotics suggests that they may be amplified during treatment in humans and that a single mutation may affect antibiotic susceptibility against multiple first-line antibiotics.