bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
INACTIVATION OF LISTERIA INNOCUA AND PSEUDOMONAS FLUORESCENS BY PULSED ELECTRIC FIELDS IN SKIM MILK: ENERGY REQUIREMENTS
Authors: FERNÁNDEZ‐MOLINA JUAN J. , BERMÚDEZ‐AGUIRRE DANIELA , ALTUNAKAR BILGE , SWANSON BARRY G. , BARBOSA‐CÁNOVAS GUSTAVO V. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT Pulsed electric field energy applied over a short duration of time was effective in the inactivation of Listeria innocua and Pseudomonas fluorescens inoculated into 0.2% skim milk. Additionally, the energy consumption was reasonable for industry applications compared with the alternative of thermal pasteurization. The energy densities required to achieve three log reductions of the microorganisms were 120, 212 and 270 kJ/L for L. innocua corresponding to input voltages of 30, 35 and 40 kV, and 88, 105 and 128 kJ/L for P. fluorescens under the same input conditions. Treatment times were, respectively, 145 µs and 290 µs, and exponentially decaying wave pulses with time duration of 3 µs were selected. For L. innocua, the inactivation of viable cells was significantly different (P < 0.05) between energy inputs of 120, 212 and 270 kJ/L. Meanwhile, the inactivation of P. fluorescens exhibited significant differences (P < 0.05) between energy inputs of 88 and 128 kJ/L, but not between inputs of 105 and 128 kJ/L. These results consistently indicated that microbial inactivation in skim milk increased as the energy intensity and the treatment time increased.
IN‐LINE MONITORING OF TOMATO CONCENTRATE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES DURING EVAPORATION
Authors: JIN CHOI YOUNG , MILCZAREK REBECCA R. , FLECK CHARLES E. , CASEY GARVEY T. , MCCARTHY KATHRYN L. , MCCARTHY MICHAEL J. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT This work continues the development of an ultrasonic sensor system for in‐line measurement of the physical properties of fluid foods. The test system was a semi‐batch evaporator in which juice from three varieties of processing tomatoes was concentrated from 5 to 24 Brix. The physical properties of the tomato concentrates were measured and correlated to ultrasound properties. Speed of sound was linearly correlated with density, soluble solids content and total solids content of the tomato concentrates. Shear viscosity of the tomato concentrates flowing in viscometric pipe flow was evaluated using ultrasonic Doppler velocimetry (UDV). The UDV technique combines a fluid velocity profile and a simultaneous pressure drop to create a rheogram. Simple shear viscosity was modeled as power law behavior for tomato concentrates as a function of solids content for the three processing varieties. Off‐line measurements of apparent viscosity were well correlated to the in‐line measurements.
CONTROL OF A FOOD PROCESS BASED ON SENSORY EVALUATIONS
Authors: KUPONGSAK S. , TAN J. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT Sensory evaluation is often the ultimate measure of food quality, but food process control relies on instrumental measurements. In this research, a strategy for using sensory evaluations in food process control was explored on the basis of a rice cake production process. Important sensory attributes were first modeled as functions of instrumental variables (manipulated or instrumentally measurable variables) to determine the potential controllability of the sensory variables. Neural networks were used to convert sensory quality targets into process control set points. Trained neural networks effectively predicted the instrumental measurements or process set points that resulted in certain sensory qualities. The neural networks were used to determine the best process set points for a given set of sensory targets, and the set point values were used to produce new product samples. The sensory attributes of the new rice cakes were close to those defined as the targets. The results demonstrated the effectiveness and potential of the method.
A Dimension-Independent Representation for Multiresolution
Nonmanifold Meshes
Authors: De Floriani Leila , Hui Annie 
Published: November 2006

Abstract
We consider the problem of representing and manipulating nonmanifold objects of any dimension and at multiple resolutions. We present a modeling scheme based on (1) a multiresolution representation, called the vertex-based nonmanifold multitessellation, (2) a compact and dimension-independent data structure, called the Simplified Incidence Graph (SIG), and (3) an atomic mesh update operator, called vertex-pair contraction/vertex expansion. We propose efficient algorithms for performing the vertex-pair contraction on a simplicial mesh encoded as a SIG, and an effective representation for encoding this multiresolution model based on a compact encoding of vertex-pair contractions and vertex expansions.
Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Concentrations of Linezolid in Neurosurgical Patients
Authors: Myrianthefs Pavlos , Markantonis Sophia L. , Vlachos Konstantinos , Anagnostaki Maria , Boutzouka Eleni , Panidis Dimitris , Baltopoulos Georgios 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT
Linezolid is a new antimicrobial agent effective against drug-resistant gram-positive pathogens commonly responsible for central nervous system (CNS) infections in neurosurgical patients hospitalized in intensive care units. In order to study the penetration of this antimicrobial into the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of such patients, the disposition of linezolid in serum and CSF was studied in 14 neurosurgical patients given linezolid at 600 mg twice daily (1-h intravenous infusion) for the treatment of CNS infections caused by gram-positive pathogens or for prophylactic chemotherapy. Serum and CSF linezolid steady-state concentrations were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and the concentration-time profiles obtained were analyzed to estimate pharmacokinetic parameters. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) linezolid maximum and minimum measured concentrations were 18.6 ± 9.6 μg/ml and 5.6 ± 5.0 μg/ml, respectively, in serum and 10.8 ± 5.7 μg/ml and 6.1 ± 4.2 μg/ml, respectively, in CSF. The mean ± SD areas under the concentration-time curves (AUCs) were 128.7 ± 83.9 μg · h/ml for serum and 101.6 ± 59.6 μg · h/ml for CSF, with a mean penetration ratio for the AUC for CSF to the AUC for serum of 0.66. The mean elimination half-life of linezolid in CSF was longer than that in serum (19.1 ± 19.0 h and 6.5 ± 3.6 h, respectively). The serum and CSF linezolid concentrations exceeded the pharmacodynamic breakpoint of 4 μg/ml for susceptible target pathogens for the entire dosing interval in the majority of patients. These findings suggest that linezolid may achieve adequate concentrations in the CSF of patients requiring antibiotics for the management or prophylaxis of CNS infections caused by gram-positive pathogens.
Mutations in the E9L Polymerase Gene of Cidofovir-Resistant Vaccinia Virus Strain WR Are Associated with the Drug Resistance Phenotype
Authors: Kornbluth Richard S. , Smee Donald F. , Sidwell Robert W. , Snarsky Victoria , Evans David H. , Hostetler Karl Y. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACTCidofovir (CDV) is an effective drug against viruses of theOrthopoxviridaefamily and is active in vitro against variola virus, the cause of smallpox. However, CDV-resistant poxviruses can be generated by repeated in vitro passage in the presence of suboptimal concentrations of CDV. To determine if mutations in the E9L polymerase gene could confer resistance to this nucleoside analog, this gene was sequenced from CDV-resistant vaccinia virus and found to encode five amino acid changes, centered on an N-terminal region associated with 3′→5′ exonuclease activity. Transfer of this mutant E9L gene into wild-type vaccinia virus by marker rescue sufficed to confer the resistance phenotype. E9L polymerase mutations occurred sequentially during passage in CDV, and an H296Y/S338F double mutant that conferred an intermediate CDV resistance phenotype was identified. In vitro, the marker-rescued CDV-resistant vaccinia virus containing all five mutations grew nearly as well as wild-type vaccinia virus. However, the virulence of this virus for mice was reduced, as 10- to 30-fold more CDV-resistant virus than wild-type virus was required for lethality following intranasal challenge. Cidofovir and hexadecyloxypropyl-cidofovir gave partial protection to mice infected with the virus when used at 50 and 100 mg/kg of body weight given as single treatments 24 h after virus exposure, whereas 2-amino-7-[(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxy)methyl]purine (compound S2242) was completely protective at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day when given daily for 5 days. These findings suggest that drug therapy for poxviruses may be complicated by drug resistance but that treatment of the infection with currently known compounds is possible.
Pharmacokinetics of CS-023 (RO4908463), a Novel Parenteral Carbapenem, in Healthy Male Caucasian Volunteers
Authors: Shibayama Takahiro , Matsushita Yoko , Hirota Takashi , Ikeda Toshihiko , Kuwahara Shogo 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT
The CS-023 concentration in plasma after administration by infusion to healthy volunteers at a dose of 700 mg was decreased, with a half-life of 1.7 h, and the cumulative urinary excretion was 59.4% of the dose. The total clearance, renal clearance, and volume of distribution were 8.12 liters/h, 4.14 liters/h, and 17.2 liters, respectively.
Utility of Alkylaminoquinolinyl Methanols as New Antimalarial Drugs
Authors: Dow G. S. , Heady T. N. , Bhattacharjee A. K. , Caridha D. , Gerena L. , Gettayacamin M. , Lanteri C. A. , Obaldia N. , Roncal N. , Shearer T. , Smith P. L. , Tungtaeng A. , Wolf L. , Cabezas M. , Yourick D. , Smith K. S. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT
Mefloquine has been one of the more valuable antimalarial drugs but has never reached its full clinical potential due to concerns about its neurologic side effects, its greater expense than that of other antimalarials, and the emergence of resistance. The commercial development of mefloquine superseded that of another quinolinyl methanol, WR030090, which was used as an experimental antimalarial drug by the U.S. Army in the 1970s. We evaluated a series of related 2-phenyl-substituted alkylaminoquinolinyl methanols (AAQMs) for their potential as mefloquine replacement drugs based on a series of appropriate in vitro and in vivo efficacy and toxicology screens and the theoretical cost of goods. Generally, the AAQMs were less neurotoxic and exhibited greater antimalarial potency, and they are potentially cheaper than mefloquine, but they showed poorer metabolic stability and pharmacokinetics and the potential for phototoxicity. These differences in physiochemical and biological properties are attributable to the “opening” of the piperidine ring of the 4-position side chain. Modification of the most promising compound, WR069878, by substitution of an appropriate N functionality at the 4 position, optimization of quinoline ring substituents at the 6 and 7 positions, and deconjugation of quinoline and phenyl ring systems is anticipated to yield a valuable new antimalarial drug.
Molecular Analysis of a Chromosome-Carried
erm
(B) Gene and Its Flanking Insertion Points in
Lactobacillus johnsonii
G41
Authors: Flórez Ana Belén , Ammor Mohammed Salim , Delgado Susana , Mayo Baltasar 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT

An
erm
(B) gene carried on the
Lactobacillus johnsonii
G41 chromosome and the upstream and downstream regions were fully sequenced. Apparently, a 1,495-bp segment of pRE25 from
Enterococcus faecalis
carrying the
erm
(B) gene became inserted, by an unknown mechanism, into the
L. johnsonii
chromosome.
Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Multidrug-Resistant
Acinetobacter
sp. Isolates from Military and Civilian Patients Treated at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center
Authors: Hujer Kristine M. , Hujer Andrea M. , Hulten Edward A. , Bajaksouzian Saralee , Adams Jennifer M. , Donskey Curtis J. , Ecker David J. , Massire Christian , Eshoo Mark W. , Sampath Rangarajan , Thomson Jodi M. , Rather Philip N. , Craft David W. , Fishbain Joel T. , Ewell Allesa J. , Jacobs Michael R. , Paterson David L. , Bonomo Robert A. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT

Military medical facilities treating patients injured in Iraq and Afghanistan have identified a large number of multidrug-resistant (MDR)
Acinetobacter baumannii
isolates. In order to anticipate the impact of these pathogens on patient care, we analyzed the antibiotic resistance genes responsible for the MDR phenotype in
Acinetobacter
sp. isolates collected from patients at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC). Susceptibility testing, PCR amplification of the genetic determinants of resistance, and clonality were determined. Seventy-five unique patient isolates were included in this study: 53% were from bloodstream infections, 89% were resistant to at least three classes of antibiotics, and 15% were resistant to all nine antibiotics tested. Thirty-seven percent of the isolates were recovered from patients nosocomially infected or colonized at the WRAMC. Sixteen unique resistance genes or gene families and four mobile genetic elements were detected. In addition, this is the first report of
bla
OXA-58
-like and
bla
PER
-like genes in the U.S. MDR
A. baumannii
isolates with at least eight identified resistance determinants were recovered from 49 of the 75 patients. Molecular typing revealed multiple clones, with eight major clonal types being nosocomially acquired and with more than 60% of the isolates being related to three pan-European types. This report gives a “snapshot” of the complex genetic background responsible for antimicrobial resistance in
Acinetobacter
spp. from the WRAMC. Identifying genes associated with the MDR phenotype and defining patterns of transmission serve as a starting point for devising strategies to limit the clinical impact of these serious infections.
A New Evolutionary Variant of the Streptogramin A Resistance Protein, Vga(A)
LC
, from
Staphylococcus haemolyticus
with Shifted Substrate Specificity towards Lincosamides
Authors: Novotna G. , Janata J. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT

We found a new variant of the streptogramin A resistance gene,
vga
(A)
LC
, in clinical isolates of
Staphylococcus haemolyticus
resistant to lincomycin and clindamycin but susceptible to erythromycin and in which no relevant lincosamide resistance gene was detected. The gene
vga
(A)
LC
, differing from the gene
vga
(A) at the protein level by seven amino acid substitutions, was present exclusively in
S. haemolyticus
strains resistant to both lincosamides and streptogramin A (LS
A
phenotype). Antibiotic resistance profiles of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) proteins Vga(A)
LC
and Vga(A) in the antibiotic-susceptible host
S. aureus
RN4220 were compared. It was shown that Vga(A)
LC
conferred resistance to both lincosamides and streptogramin A, while Vga(A) conferred significant resistance to streptogramin A only. Detailed analysis of the seven amino acid substitutions, distinguishing the two related ABC proteins with different substrate specificities, identified the substrate-recognizing site: four clustered substitutions (L212S, G219V, A220T, and G226S) in the spacer between the two ATP-binding cassettes altered the substrate specificity and constituted the lincosamide-streptogramin A resistance phenotype. A transport experiment with radiolabeled lincomycin demonstrated that the mechanism of lincosamide resistance in
S. haemolyticus
was identical to that of the reported macrolide-streptogramin B resistance conferred by Msr(A).
Expression of Phosphorylcholine by
Histophilus somni
Induces BovinePlatelet Aggregation
Authors: Kuckleburg Christopher J. , Elswaifi Shaadi F. , Inzana Thomas J. , Czuprynski Charles J. 
Published: November 2006

ABSTRACT

Histophilus somni
-induced platelet aggregation was inhibited by antagonists of
the platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptor but not inhibitors of PAF
synthesis. In addition,
H. somni
cells expressing phosphorylcholine (ChoP) induced aggregation, while ChoP
−
H. somni
cells did not. This suggests
that
H. somni
ChoP may induce platelet aggregation via
interactions with the PAF receptor.
Nomograms Provide Improved Accuracy for Predicting Survival after Radical Cystectomy
Authors: Shariat Shahrokh F. , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Palapattu Ganesh S. , Amiel Gilad E. , Lotan Yair , Rogers Craig G. , Vazina Amnon , Bastian Patrick J. , Gupta Amit , Sagalowsky Arthur I. , Schoenberg Mark , Lerner Seth P. 
Published: November 2006

Abstract
Aims: To develop multivariate nomograms that determine the probabilities of all-cause and bladder cancer–specific survival after radical cystectomy and to compare their predictive accuracy to that of American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging.
Methods: We used Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to model variables of 731 consecutive patients treated with radical cystectomy and bilateral pelvic lymphadenectomy for bladder transitional cell carcinoma. Variables included age of patient, gender, pathologic stage (pT), pathologic grade, carcinoma in situ, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), lymph node status (pN), neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACH), adjuvant chemotherapy (ACH), and adjuvant external beam radiotherapy (AXRT). Two hundred bootstrap resamples were used to reduce overfit bias and for internal validation.
Results: During a mean follow-up of 36.4 months, 290 of 731 (39.7%) patients died; 196 of 290 patients (67.6%) died of bladder cancer. Actuarial all-cause survival estimates were 56.3% [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 51.8-60.6%] and 42.9% (95% CI, 37.3-48.4%) at 5 and 8 years after cystectomy, respectively. Actuarial cancer-specific survival estimates were 67.3% (62.9-71.3%) and 58.7% (52.7-64.2%) at 5 and 8 years, respectively. The accuracy of a nomogram for prediction of all-cause survival (0.732) that included patient age, pT, pN, LVI, NACH, ACH, and AXRT was significantly superior (P = 0.001) to that of AJCC staging–based risk grouping (0.615). Similarly, the accuracy of a nomogram for prediction of cancer-specific survival that included pT, pN, LVI, NACH, and AXRT (0.791) was significantly superior (P = 0.001) to that of AJCC staging–based risk grouping (0.663).
Conclusions: Multivariate nomograms provide a more accurate and relevant individualized prediction of survival after cystectomy compared with conventional prediction models, thereby allowing for improved patient counseling and treatment selection.
A Novel HSV-1 Virus, JS1/34.5−/47−, Purges Contaminating Breast Cancer Cells From Bone Marrow
Authors: Hu Jennifer C. , Booth Matthew J. , Tripuraneni Gopichand , Davies Derek , Zaidi Syed A.A. , Tamburo de Bella Manuela , Slade Martin J. , Marley Stephen B. , Gordon Myrtle Y.A. , Coffin Robert S. , Coombes R. Charles , Kamalati Tahereh 
Published: November 2006

Abstract
Purpose: Oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) vectors show considerable promise as agents for cancer therapy. We have developed a novel recombinant HSV-1 virus (JS1/34.5−/47−) for purging of occult breast cancer cells from bone marrow of patients. Here, we evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of this oncolytic virus.
Experimental Design: Electron microscopy was used to determine whether human breast cancer and bone marrow cells are permissive for JS1/34.5−/47− infection. Subsequently, the biological effects of JS1/34.5−/47− infection on human breast cancer cells and bone marrow were established using cell proliferation and colony formation assays, and the efficiency of cell kill was evaluated. Finally, the efficiency of JS1/34.5−/47− purging of breast cancer cells was examined in cocultures of breast cancer cells with bone marrow as well as bone marrow samples from high-risk breast cancer patients.
Results: We show effective killing of human breast cancer cell lines with the JS1/34.5−/47− virus. Furthermore, we show that treatment with JS1/34.5−/47− can significantly inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell lines without affecting cocultured mononuclear hematopoietic cells. Finally, we have found that the virus is effective in destroying disseminated tumors cells in bone marrow taken from breast cancer patients, without affecting the hematopoietic contents in these samples.
Conclusion: Collectively, our data show that the JS1/34.5−/47− virus can selectively target breast cancer cells while sparing hematopoietic cells, suggesting that JS1/34.5−/47− can be used to purge contaminating breast cancer cells from human bone marrow in the setting of autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation.
Diallyl Trisulfide Suppresses Growth of PC-3 Human Prostate Cancer Xenograft In vivo in Association with Bax and Bak Induction
Authors: Xiao Dong , Lew Karen L. , Kim Young-Ae , Zeng Yan , Hahm Eun-Ryeong , Dhir Rajiv , Singh Shivendra V. 
Published: November 2006

Abstract
Purpose: The present study was undertaken to determine the effect of garlic constituent diallyl trisulfide (DATS) on growth of PC-3 human prostate cancer xenograft in vivo.
Experimental Design: DATS was given orally (6 μmoL, thrice weekly) to male athymic mice s.c. implanted with PC-3 cells. Tumor sections from control and DATS-treated mice were examined for apoptotic bodies by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay. Protein levels of apoptosis and cell cycle regulating proteins in tumor tissues of control and DATS-treated mice were determined by immunoblotting. The effect of DATS treatment on in vivo angiogenesis was determined by immunohistochemical analysis of CD31 in tumors.
Results: Oral gavage of DATS significantly retarded growth of PC-3 xenografts in athymic mice without causing weight loss. For instance, 20 days after starting therapy, the average tumor volume in control mice was ∼3-fold higher compared with DATS-treated mice. Tumors from DATS-treated mice exhibited a markedly higher count of apoptotic bodies compared with control tumors. Consistent with the results in cultured PC-3 cells, the DATS-mediated suppression of PC-3 xenograft growth correlated with induction of proapoptotic proteins Bax and Bak. Although DATS treatment inhibited migration of cultured PC-3 cells in association with down-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 protein, formation of new blood vessels was comparable in tumors of control and DATS-treated mice as judged by CD31 immunostaining.
Conclusions: The present study indicates that DATS administration inhibits growth of PC-3 xenografts in vivo in association with induction of Bax and Bak.
Of Spiders and Crabs: The Emergence of Lysophospholipids and Their Metabolic Pathways as Targets for Therapy in Cancer
Authors: Murph Mandi , Tanaka Tamotsu , Liu Shuying , Mills Gordon B. 
Published: November 2006

Abstract
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P), two small lysophospholipids, are potent inducers of many of the hallmarks of cancer including cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and neovascularization in in vitro and in vivo tumor models. Furthermore, the enzymes metabolizing LPA and S1P and their receptors are aberrant in multiple cancer lineages and exhibit transforming activity altering patterns and targets for metastasis. Several recent studies show the remarkable activity of new chemical genomics and/or potential novel drugs in preclinical models. Combined with the physiologic and pathophysiologic activities of LPA and S1P, these studies suggest the implementation of preclinical and clinical evaluation of LPA and S1P as therapeutic targets.