bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Occurrence of Co-colonization or Co-Infection with Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci and Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusin a Medical Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Warren David K. , Nitin Anand , Hill Cheri , Fraser Victoria J. , Kollef Marin H. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractObjective:To determine the occurrence of co-colonization or co-infection with VRE and MRSA among medical patients requiring intensive care.Design:Prospective, single-center, observational study.Setting:A 19-bed medical ICU in an urban teaching hospital.Patients:Adult patients requiring at least 48 hours of intensive care and having at least one culture performed for microbiologie evaluation.Results:Eight hundred seventy-eight consecutive patients were evaluated. Of these patients, 402 (45.8%) did not have microbiologie evidence of colonization or infection with either VRE or MRSA 355 (40.4%) were colonized or infected with VRE, 38 (4.3%) were colonized or infected with MRSA, and 83 (9.5%) had co-colonization or co-infection with VRE and MRSA. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that increasing age, hospitalization during the preceding 6 months, and admission to a long-term-care facility were independently associated with colonization or infection due to VRE and co-colonization or co-infection with VRE and MRSA. The distributions of positive culture sites for VRE (stool, 86.7%; blood, 6.5%; urine, 4.8%; soft tissue or wound, 2.0%) and for MRSA (respiratory secretions, 34.1%; blood, 32.6%; urine, 17.1%; soft tissue or wound, 16.2%) were statistically different (P< .001).Conclusions:Co-colonization or co-infection with VRE and MRSA is common among medical patients requiring intensive care. The recent emergence of vancomycin-resistantStaphylococcus aureusand the presence of a patient population co-colonized or co-infected with VRE and MRSA support the need for aggressive infection control measures in the ICU.
Carriage of Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusAmong Hospital Employees: Prevalence, Duration, and Transmission to Households
Authors: Eveillard Matthieu , Martin Yolaine , Hidri Nadia , Boussougant Yves , Joly-Guillou Marie-Laure 
Published: April 2006

AbstractObjective:To assess the prevalence and duration of methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) carriage among hospital employees and transmission to their households.Design:A point-prevalence survey of MRSA carriage (nasal swabbing) of staff and patients throughout the hospital; a prevalence survey of MRSA carriage in 2 medical wards, with carriers observed to estimate carriage duration; and evaluation of transmission to MRSA-positive workers' families. All MRSA isolates were analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. During the study, no MRSA outbreak was detected among hospitalized patients.Setting:A 600-bed, public tertiary-care teaching hospital near Paris.Results:Sixty MRSA carriers were identified among 965 healthcare providers (prevalence, 6.2%; CL,, 4.7%-7.7%). Prevalence was higher in staff from clinical wards than from elsewhere (9.0% vs 2.1%;P< .0001). Identity of isolates from employees and patients varied from 25% in medical wards to 100% in the long-term-care facility. MRSA carriage was identified in 14 employees from 2 medical wards (prevalence, 19.4%; CI95, 10.3%-28.5%). Prevalence depended on the length of service in these wards. Transmission to households was investigated in 10 MRSA-positive workers' families and was found in 4. All isolates from each family were identical.Conclusions:Few data are available concerning the prevalence of MRSA carriers among hospital employees in the absence of an outbreak among patients. MRSA transmission between patients and employees likely depends on the frequency and duration of exposure to MRSA-positive patients and infection control measures employed. Frequent transmission of MRSA from colonized healthcare workers to their households was documented.
A Longitudinal Analysis of Methicillin-ResistantStaphylococcus aureusin a Hong Kong Teaching Hospital
Authors: Ip Margaret , Lyon D. J. , Chio F. , Cheng A. F. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractObjectives:To review the incidence and trends of MRSA during a 12-year (1989-2000) period at a university teaching hospital and the relationship between strain distribution by antibiogram and molecular typing.Design:Retrospective review of laboratory-based surveillance records on MRSA isolation and characterization of strains by antimicrobial susceptibility and PFGE. A patient episode was counted at the time when MRSA was first isolated.Setting:A 1,350-bed university teaching hospital in Hong Kong.Patients:Those with clinical isolates of MRSA.Results:During 1989 to 2000, the hospital recorded 1,203,175 deaths and discharges (D&D) and encountered 5,707 patient episodes of new MRSA isolation. The overall incidence of patient episodes of MRSA was 0.47/100 D&D. In 1989, the incidence was 0.81/100 D&D and fell to a low of 0.33/100 D&D in 1995, but then rose to 0.50/100 D&D in 2000. Antibiogram and DNA typing identified 5 major types. PFGE type A constituted 68% (211/312) of isolates and was present throughout the 12-year period. PFGE type B constituted 13% (40/312) of isolates and was only present from 1995 to 2000. These isolates form a distinct clone and had unique antibiotic resistance profiles.Conclusions:The study showed the establishment of a dominant MRSA clone (PFGE type A group) in the intensive care, medical, and surgical units and the appearance of a new MRSA strain in 1995 (PFGE type B), which partly explained the rise in incidence of MRSA cases and a disproportionate rise in MRSA bacteremia from 1995 to 2000.
Health System Preparedness for Bioterrorism: Bringing the Tabletop to the Hospital
Authors: Henning Kelly J. , Brennan Patrick J. , Hoegg Cindy , O'Rourke Eileen , Dyer Bernard D. , Grace Thomas L. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractObjective:To evaluate the acceptance and usefulness of a hospital-based tabletop bioterrorism exercise.Design:A descriptive study of responses to a smallpox scenario delivered as a tabletop exercise in three modules.Setting:A large, multi-institutional urban health System.Participants:Healthcare workers representing 16 hospital departments.Results:Thirty-nine (78%) of 50 invited employees from 4 hospitals participated. Key responses highlighted the importance of pre-event planning in intra-departmental communication, identification of resources for the dependents of health-care workers, clarification of the chain of command within the hospital, establishment of a link to key governmental agencies, and advanced identification of negative pressure rooms for cohorting large numbers of patients. Almost one-fourth of the participants described their hospital departaient as poorly prepared for a bioterrorism event of moderate size. At the conclusion of the tabletop, 79% of the participants stated that the exercise had increased their knowledge of preplanning activities. Seventy-nine percent of all participants, 94% of physicians and nurses, and 95% of participants from non-university hospitals ranked the exercise as extremely or very useful. The exercise was completed in 3% hours and its total direct cost (excluding lost time from work) was $225 (U.S.).Conclusions:Tabletop exercises are a feasible, well-accepted modality for hospital bioterrorism preparedness training. Hospital employees, including physicians and nurses, rank this method as highly useful for guiding preplanning activities. Infection control staff and hospital epidemiologists should play a lead role in hospital preparedness activities. Further assessment of the optimal duration, type, and frequency of tabletop exercises is needed.
Acquisition of Nosocomial Pathogens on Hands After Contact With Environmental Surfaces Near Hospitalized Patients
Authors: Bhalla Anita , Pultz Nicole J. , Gries Delores M. , Ray Amy J. , Eckstein Elizabeth C. , Aron David C. , Donskey Curtis J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractWe examined the frequency of acquisition of bacterial pathogens on investigators' hands after contacting environmental surfaces near hospitalized patients. Hand imprint cultures were positive for one or more pathogens after contacting surfaces near 34 (53%) of 64 study patients, withStaphylococcus aureusand vancomycin-resistantEnterococcusbeing the most common isolates.
Descriptive Analysis of Patients With Community-Onset and Hospital-Onset Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections
Authors: Rosario-Rosado Rosa V. , René Antonio A. , Jones Bobby 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThree hundred sixty-seven hospital- and community-onset methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections diagnosed in a Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex community hospital are described. Differences in age, gender, ethnicity, and susceptibility to four antibiotics between the two groups of patients are explored.
Facility-Level Correlates of Antimicrobial Use in Nursing Homes
Authors: Loeb Mark , McGeer Allison , Simor Andrew , Walter Stephen D. , Bradley Suzanne , Low Donald E. , Moss Lorraine 
Published: April 2006

AbstractWe assessed the contribution of facility-Ievel variables to antimicrobial use in a cohort of 50 nursing homes and found that antimicrobial use was significantly correlated with the percentage of nursing home residents with feeding tubes, the number of healthcare aides, and the country of origin of the facility.
MEKHLA, a Novel Domain with Similarity to PAS Domains, Is Fused to Plant Homeodomain-Leucine Zipper III Proteins
Authors: Mukherjee Krishanu , Bürglin Thomas R. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractHomeodomain (HD) proteins play important roles in the development of plants, fungi, and animals. Here we identify a novel domain, MEKHLA, in the C terminus of HD-Leu zipper (HD-ZIP) III plant HD proteins that shares similarity with a group of bacterial proteins and a protein from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The group of bacterial MEKHLA proteins is found in cyanobacteria and other bacteria often found associated with plants. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that a MEKHLA protein transferred, possibly from a cyanobacterium or an early chloroplast, into the nuclear genome of an early plant in a first step, and attached itself to the C terminus of an HD-ZIP IV homeobox gene in a second step. Further position-specific iterated-BLAST searches with the bacterial MEKHLA proteins revealed a subregion within the MEKHLA domain that shares significant similarity with the PAS domain. The PAS domain is a sensory module found in many proteins through all kingdoms of life. It is involved in light, oxygen, and redox potential sensation. The fact that HD-ZIP III proteins are transcription factors that have this sensory domain attached to their C terminus uncovers a potential new signaling pathway in plants.
Previous land use alters plant allocation and growth in forest herbs
Authors: FRATERRIGO JENNIFER M. , TURNER MONICA G. , PEARSON SCOTT M. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryFormer human practices can persistently influence forest ecosystems, particularly by altering the distribution and abundance of vegetation. Previous research has focused on the role of colonization success in governing plant community patterns in abandoned forests, but few studies have explored how changes in the performance of adult plants may contribute to changes in plant populations.We examined patterns of biomass allocation and growth of 12 herbaceous plant species in southern Appalachian forest stands that have developed after agricultural abandonment or logging at least 55 years ago, to determine whether plant performance varied with land‐use history. Soil nutrient availability and canopy closure were also investigated.Adult plant biomass allocation varied appreciably among stands with different histories. Herbs in farmed stands generally allocated the most to leaves and the least to stems, while reference stands showed the opposite pattern. Plants in previously farmed sites had the highest rate of growth, although we observed considerable interspecific variation in plant performance. Stem allocation and relative growth rate were positively correlated in reference stands, but not in farmed or logged stands. Similarly, the growth of plants was clearly associated with soil nutrient concentration in reference stands but not in farmed or logged stands.Differences in understorey density and soil nutrient availability may account for the observed patterns. Total herbaceous cover was appreciably lower in farmed and logged stands (58% and 51%) than in reference stands (78%), and soil phosphorus was higher in farmed stands than in logged and reference stands. Thus, competition for light and nutrients may be lower in farmed and logged stands than in reference stands, despite there being no difference in canopy closure with land‐use history.Overall, these results suggest that land‐use history may influence environmental variables in ways that can enhance the performance of some herbaceous species. However, not all species may respond similarly to these changes.
Self‐organized vegetation patterning as a fingerprint of climate and human impact on semi‐arid ecosystems
Authors: BARBIER NICOLAS , COUTERON PIERRE , LEJOLY JEAN , DEBLAUWE VINCENT , LEJEUNE OLIVIER 
Published: April 2006

SummarySpatially periodic vegetation patterns are well known in arid and semi‐arid regions around the world.Mathematical models have been developed that attribute this phenomenon to a symmetry‐breaking instability. Such models are based on the interplay between competitive and facilitative influences that the vegetation exerts on its own dynamics when it is constrained by arid conditions, but evidence for these predictions is still lacking. Moreover, not all models can account for the development of regularly spaced spots of bare ground in the absence of a soil prepattern.We applied Fourier analysis to high‐resolution, remotely sensed data taken at either end of a 40‐year interval in southern Niger. Statistical comparisons based on this textural characterization gave us broad‐scale evidence that the decrease in rainfall over recent decades in the sub‐Saharan Sahel has been accompanied by a detectable shift from homogeneous vegetation cover to spotted patterns marked by a spatial frequency of about 20 cycles km−1.Wood cutting and grazing by domestic animals have led to a much more marked transition in unprotected areas than in a protected reserve.Field measurements demonstrated that the dominant spatial frequency was endogenous rather than reflecting the spatial variation of any pre‐existing heterogeneity in soil properties.All these results support the use of models that can account for periodic vegetation patterns without invoking substrate heterogeneity or anisotropy, and provide new elements for further developments, refinements and tests.This study underlines the potential of studying vegetation pattern properties for monitoring climatic and human impacts on the extensive fragile areas bordering hot deserts. Explicit consideration of vegetation self‐patterning may also improve our understanding of vegetation and climate interactions in arid areas.
The epidemiology of Argulus spp. (Crustacea: Branchiura) infections in stillwater trout fisheries
Authors: Taylor N G H , Sommerville C , Wootten R 
Published: April 2006

AbstractProblem infections caused by species of the crustacean ectoparasite, Argulus, in UK stillwater trout fisheries appear to have increased in recent years. A cross‐sectional study of 77 such fisheries was conducted to establish the perceived problem and the extent and severity of this problem, and to identify associated risk factors. An interview‐based study was conducted in 2001 using a standardized questionnaire based on the management and infection status of each fishery in the previous year. Logistic regression was used to identify potential risk factors. Argulus spp. were perceived to cause economic losses in infected fisheries through a reduction in the number of anglers due to reduced aesthetic appeal and catchability of fish. Of the sites studied, 29% experienced such a problem infection in 2000. Argulus foliaceus was identified in all but one case and was found to be widely distributed throughout the UK. The remaining case was identified as Argulus coregoni. Three risk factors were associated with problem infections: the presence of an algal bloom, slow rates of stock turnover and whether water level dropped by <1 m during the summer months.
Application of annatto dye formulations in different fruit and vegetable products
Authors: Satyanarayana Akula , Prabhakara Rao Pamidighantam , Balaswamy Karakala , Velu Veeraputhiran , Rao Dubasi Govardhana 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe orange‐yellow colour extracted from annatto (Bixa orellana L.) seeds is mainly used as a food colourant. Spray‐dried water‐soluble and acid‐stable annatto dye formulations were used to colour the fruit and vegetable products such as lime squash, orange squash, mixed fruit jam and tooty‐fruity (papaya candy). Spray‐dried acid‐stable annatto (ASA) dye formulation has shown more stability than the spray‐dried water‐soluble annatto (WSA) dye formulation during the 180 days of storage period in lime and orange squashes. The levels of norbixin concentrations in different fruit and vegetable products were standardised as 12.5 (lime squash); 50 (orange squash); 150 (mixed fruit jam) and 50–100 mg/kg (tooty‐fruity). In the case of tooty‐fruity, only 36% norbixin was observed to penetrate into the fruit matrix irrespective of the concentration of the norbixin present in the sugar syrup during processing. The ASA dye formulation was not exempt from degradation of norbixin formulation, but has shown good compatibility by preventing the precipitation of the dye during storage in the high‐acidic products of lime and orange squashes stored in transparent glass bottles. The WSA dye formulation has shown good compatibility and stability in products like jams and tooty‐fruity during the storage period.
Consumer information on hygiene inspections of food premises
Authors: Worsfold Denise 
Published: April 2006

AbstractThe purpose of this investigation was to learn more about the public's perceptions of hygiene standards in eating places and their interest in the provision of more consumer information on the inspection of food premises. A telephone survey found that people who eat out regularly claimed that the standard of food hygiene of food premises was important to them when deciding where to dine. A minority had concerns/complaints about the hygiene standards of eating places they had used. Consumers believe that they have the right to know the results of a hygiene inspection. Most would welcome a reliable system to help them judge hygiene standards. Half of them thought that it was difficult to find information on the hygiene standards of eating places. If access to information was made easier, some consumers claimed they would eat out more often. Respondents preferred the use of ‘stars’ to inform them on hygiene standards. Although current public awareness of hygiene award schemes is low, respondents were in favour of them. Independent evaluation of existing award schemes and hygiene inspection report scores should be carried out before a national scheme is launched.
Regulatory Domains of Snf1-Activating Kinases Determine Pathway Specificity
Authors: Rubenstein Eric M. , McCartney Rhonda R. , Schmidt Martin C. 
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACT

In
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, the Snf1 kinase can be activated by any one of three upstream kinases, Sak1, Tos3, or Elm1. All three Snf1-activating kinases contain serine/threonine kinase domains near their N termini and large C-terminal domains with little sequence conservation and previously unknown function. Deletion of the C-terminal domains of Sak1 and Tos3 greatly reduces their ability to activate the Snf1 pathway. In contrast, deletion of the Elm1 C-terminal domain has no effect on Snf1 signaling but abrogates the ability of Elm1 to participate in the morphogenetic-checkpoint signaling pathway. Thus, the C-terminal domains of Sak1, Tos3, and Elm1 help to determine pathway specificity. Additional deletion mutants of the Sak1 kinase revealed that the N terminus of the protein is essential for Snf1 signaling. The deletion of 43 amino acids from within the N terminus of Sak1 (residues 87 to 129) completely blocks Snf1 signaling and activation loop phosphorylation in vivo. The Sak1 kinase domain (lacking both N-terminal and C-terminal domains) is catalytically active and specific in vitro but is unable to promote Snf1 signaling in vivo when expressed at normal levels. Our studies indicate that the kinase domains of the Snf1-activating kinases are not sufficient by themselves for their proper function and that the nonconserved N-terminal and C-terminal domains are critical for the biological activities of these kinases.
Conserved Fungal Genes as Potential Targets for Broad-Spectrum Antifungal Drug Discovery
Authors: Liu Mengping , Healy Matthew D. , Dougherty Brian A. , Esposito Kim M. , Maurice Trina C. , Mazzucco Charles E. , Bruccoleri Robert E. , Davison Daniel B. , Frosco Marybeth , Barrett John F. , Wang Ying-Kai 
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACT

The discovery of novel classes of antifungal drugs depends to a certain extent on the identification of new, unexplored targets that are essential for growth of fungal pathogens. Likewise, the broad-spectrum capacity of future antifungals requires the target gene(s) to be conserved among key fungal pathogens. Using a genome comparison (or concordance) tool, we identified 240 conserved genes as candidates for potential antifungal targets in 10 fungal genomes. To facilitate the identification of essential genes in
Candida albicans
, we developed a repressible
C. albicans MET3
(Ca
MET3
) promoter system capable of evaluating gene essentiality on a genome-wide scale. The Ca
MET3
promoter was found to be highly amenable to controlled gene expression, a prerequisite for use in target-based whole-cell screening. When the expression of the known antifungal target
C. albicans ERG1
was reduced via down-regulation of the Ca
MET3
promoter, the Ca
ERG1
conditional mutant strain became hypersensitive, specifically to its inhibitor, terbinafine. Furthermore, parallel screening against a small compound library using the Ca
ERG1
conditional mutant under normal and repressed conditions uncovered several hypersensitive compound hits. This work therefore demonstrates a streamlined process for proceeding from selection and validation of candidate antifungal targets to screening for specific inhibitors.
The C-Module DNA-Binding Factor Mediates Expression of the
Dictyostelium
Aggregation-Specific Adenylyl Cyclase ACA
Authors: Siol Oliver , Dingermann Theodor , Winckler Thomas 
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACT

Aggregation of
Dictyostelium discoideum
amoebae into multicellular structures is organized by cyclic AMP (cAMP), which acts as a chemoattractant, as a second messenger, and as a morphogen. Aggregation of
D. discoideum
cells depends on the expression of adenylyl cyclase ACA, which provides extracellular cAMP for signal relay and intracellular cAMP for the induction of genes required at multicellular stages. We have identified a DNA-binding activity specific for a highly A+T-enriched motif in the upstream region of the ACA-encoding gene,
acaA
. The factor shows DNA-binding characteristics very similar to those of C-module-binding factor (CbfA). Although CbfA was originally identified as a putative regulator of the activity of
D. discoideum
retrotransposon TRE5-A, it also was found to be essential for aggregation of
D. discoideum
cells. The identified DNA-binding activity was absent in mutant cells depleted of CbfA, and CbfA could be precipitated using an
acaA
promoter fragment. We propose that CbfA binds to the
acaA
promoter to provide a basal transcription activity that is required for induction of ACA expression after the onset of
D. discoideum
development.