bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modulation of Cell Wall Structure and Antimicrobial Susceptibility by a
Staphylococcus aureus
Eukaryote-Like Serine/Threonine Kinase and Phosphatase
Authors: Beltramini Amanda M. , Mukhopadhyay Chitrangada D. , Pancholi Vijay 
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACT

It is well established that prokaryotes and eukaryotes alike utilize phosphotransfer to regulate cellular functions. One method by which this occurs is via eukaryote-like serine/threonine kinase (ESTK)- and phosphatase (ESTP)-regulated pathways. The role of these enzymes in
Staphylococcus aureus
has not yet been examined. This resilient organism is a common cause of hospital-acquired and community-associated infections, infecting immunocompromised and immunocompetent hosts alike. In this study, we have characterized a major functional ESTK (STK) and ESTP (STP) in
S. aureus
and found them to be critical modulators of cell wall structure and susceptibility to cell wall-acting β-lactam antibiotics. By utilizing gene knockout strategies, we created
S. aureus
N315 mutants lacking STP and/or STK. The strain lacking both STP and STK displayed notable cell division defects, including multiple and incomplete septa, bulging, and irregular cell size, as observed by transmission electron microscopy. Mutants lacking STP alone displayed thickened cell walls and increased resistance to the peptidoglycan-targeting glycylglycine endopeptidase lysostaphin, compared to the wild type. Additionally, mutant strains lacking STK or both STK and STP displayed increased sensitivity to cell wall-acting cephalosporin and carbapenem antibiotics. Together, these results indicate that
S. aureus
STK- and STP-mediated reversible phosphorylation reactions play a critical role in proper cell wall architecture, and thus the modulation of antimicrobial resistance, in
S. aureus
.
RICK Promotes Inflammation and Lethality after Gram-Negative Bacterial Infection in Mice Stimulated with Lipopolysaccharide
Authors: Park Jong-Hwan , Kim Yun-Gi , Núñez Gabriel 
Published: February 2009

ABSTRACT

RICK (receptor-interacting protein-like interacting caspase-like apoptosis regulatory protein kinase), a serine-threonine kinase, functions downstream of the pattern recognition receptors Nod1 and Nod2 to mediate NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation in response to specific microbial stimuli. However, the function of RICK in the recognition and host defense of gram-negative bacteria remains poorly understood. We report here that infection of wild-type and RICK-deficient macrophages with
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
and
Escherichia coli
elicited comparable activation of NF-κB and MAPKs as well as secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. However, production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-1β induced by these gram-negative bacteria was impaired in RICK-deficient macrophages when the cells had previously been stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or
E. coli
. The diminished proinflammatory response of RICK-deficient macrophages to bacteria was associated with reduced activation of NF-κB and MAPKs. Importantly, mutant mice deficient in RICK were less susceptible than wild-type mice to
P. aeruginosa
infection when the animals had previously been stimulated with LPS. The reduced lethality of RICK-deficient mice infected with
P. aeruginosa
was independent of pathogen clearance but was associated with diminished production of proinflammatory molecules in vivo. These results demonstrate that RICK contributes to the induction of proinflammatory responses and susceptibility to gram-negative bacteria after exposure to LPS, a condition that is associated with reduced Toll-like receptor signaling.
Impact of helmets on injuries to riders of all-terrain vehicles
Authors: Bowman S M , Aitken M E , Helmkamp J C , Maham S A , Graham C J 
Published: February 2009

Background:Although helmet use has been shown to be effective in reducing traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) due to motorcycle and bicycle crashes, it is unknown whether helmet use is associated with different injury patterns and severity for users of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).Objectives:To compare likelihood of injury and death between helmeted and unhelmeted riders of ATVs.Methods:The National Trauma Data Bank for years 2002–2006 was used to examine the records of 11 589 patients hospitalized for injuries resulting from ATV use. The likelihood of receiving a TBI diagnosis or a significant injury to other body regions and differences in injury severity and in-hospital mortality between helmeted and unhelmeted ATV riders were compared.Results:After multivariable adjustment, compared with helmeted riders, unhelmeted riders were significantly more likely to sustain any TBI (OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.49 to 1.76, p<0.001) and major/severe TBI (OR 3.19, 95% CI 2.39 to 4.25, p<0.001). Unhelmeted riders were significantly more likely to die while in hospital than were helmeted riders (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.79 to 3.71, p<0.001). Significant injuries to the neck and face regions were also significantly more likely in unhelmeted riders (OR 3.53, 95% CI 1.28 to 9.71, p = 0.015, and OR 1.94, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.84, p = 0.001, respectively).Conclusions:ATV riders who do not wear helmets are more likely to receive significant injuries to the head, face, and neck. Prevention strategies and enforceable policy interventions to increase helmet use among ATV riders appear warranted.
Descriptive epidemiological study of sites of suicide jumps in Taipei, Taiwan
Authors: Chen Y-Y , Gunnell D , Lu T-H 
Published: February 2009

Objective:To identify locations to target for suicide preventive measures to reduce suicide by jumping in Taipei city, Taiwan.Method:A descriptive study of suicide by jumping from a height was conducted in Taipei, 2002–2005. Information on sites from which suicide jumps occurred was obtained from death certificates as well as ambulance, medical and newspaper records.Results:Of the 210 jumping suicide deaths with sufficient information on the site of the jump, private residential buildings comprised the highest proportion (67%) of all jumping sites, followed by business office buildings (13%), hospitals (8%) and shopping malls (5%). However, the number of jumping suicides per 1000 sites was highest for hospitals (307 per 1000 hospitals) and shopping malls (275 per 1000 shopping malls) compared with 2 per 1000 for residential buildings. Women and older people who died by jumping were more likely to have jumped from buildings where they lived, compared with men and other age groups.Conclusion:Although two-thirds of suicides occurred from residential buildings, the sites with the greatest number of jumps per location were hospitals and shopping malls, making them the most cost-effective focus for preventive efforts.
Accuracy of external cause-of-injury coding in hospital records: Table 1
Authors: McKenzie K , Enraght-Moony E L , Walker S M , McClure R J , Harrison J E 
Published: February 2009

Objective:To appraise the published evidence regarding the accuracy of external cause-of-injury codes in hospital records.Design:Systematic review.Data sources:Electronic databases searched included PubMed, PubMed Central, Medline, CINAHL, Academic Search Elite, Proquest Health and Medical Complete, and Google Scholar. Snowballing strategies were used by searching the bibliographies of retrieved references to identify relevant associated articles.Selection criteria:Studies were included in the review if they assessed the accuracy of external cause-of-injury coding in hospital records via a recoding methodology.Methods:The papers identified through the search were independently screened by two authors for inclusion. Because of heterogeneity between studies, meta-analysis was not performed.Results:Very limited research on the accuracy of external cause coding for injury-related hospitalisation using medical record review and recoding methodologies has been conducted, with only five studies matching the selection criteria. The accuracy of external cause coding using ICD-9-CM ranged from ∼ 64% when exact code agreement was examined to ∼85% when agreement for broader groups of codes was examined.Conclusions:Although broad external cause groupings coded in ICD-9-CM can be used with some confidence, researchers should exercise caution for very specific codes until further research is conducted to validate these data. As all previous studies have been conducted using ICD-9-CM, research is needed to quantify the accuracy of coding using ICD-10-AM, and validate the use of these data for injury surveillance purposes.
Workplace social capital and co-occurrence of lifestyle risk factors: the Finnish Public Sector Study
Authors: Väänänen A , Kouvonen A , Kivimäki M , Oksanen T , Elovainio M , Virtanen M , Pentti J , Vahtera J 
Published: February 2009

Objective:The aim of this prospective study was to examine the link between individual and ecological workplace social capital and the co-occurrence of adverse lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, heavy drinking, physical inactivity and overweight.Methods:Data on 25 897 female and 5476 male public sector employees were analysed. Questionnaire surveys conducted in 2000–2002 (baseline) and 2004–2005 (follow-up) were used to assess workplace social capital, lifestyle risk factors and other characteristics. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations between individual and ecological social capital and the co-occurrence of lifestyle risk factors.Results:In the cross-sectional analysis adjusted for age, sex, marital status and employer, low social capital at work at both the individual and ecological level was associated with at least a 1.3 times higher odds of having more than two lifestyle risk factors versus having no risk factors. Similar associations were found in the prospective setting. However, additional adjustment for the co-occurrence of risk factors and socioeconomic status at baseline attenuated the result to non-significant.Conclusion:Social capital at work seems to be associated with a lowered risk of co-occurrence of multiple lifestyle risk factors but does not clearly predict the future risk of this co-occurrence.
Risk of hypertension from exposure to road traffic noise in a population-based sample
Authors: Barregard L , Bonde E , Öhrström E 
Published: February 2009

Objectives:To assess the association between hypertension and traffic noise.Methods:The prevalence and incidence of hypertension were examined in a Swedish municipality partly affected by noise from a highway (20 000 vehicles/24 h) and a railway (200 trains/24 h). A-weighed 24 h average sound levels (LAeq,24h) from road and railway traffic were calculated at each residential building using a geographical information system and a validated model. Physician-diagnosed hypertension, antihypertensive medication and background factors were evaluated in 1953 individuals using postal questionnaires (71% response rate). Prevalence ratios and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for different noise categories. Based on year of moving into the residence and year of diagnosis, person-years and incidence rates of hypertension were estimated, as well as relative risks including covariates, using Poisson and Cox regression.Results:When road traffic noise, age, sex, heredity and body mass index were included in logistic regression models, and allowing for >10 years of latency, the OR for hypertension was 1.9 (95% CI 1.1 to 3.5) in the highest noise category (56−70 dBA) and 3.8 (95% CI 1.6 to 9.0) in men. The incidence rate ratio was increased in this group of men, and the relative risk of hypertension in a Poisson regression model was 2.9 (95% CI 1.4 to 6.2). There were no clear associations in women or for railway noise.Conclusions:The study shows a positive association between residential road traffic noise and hypertension among men, and an exposure–response relationship. While prevalence ratios were increased, findings were more pronounced when incidence was assessed.
Antibiotic resistance among bacteria isolated from seawater and penguin fecal samples collected near Palmer Station, AntarcticaThis article is one of a selection of papers in the Special Issue on Polar and Alpine Microbiology.
Authors: Miller Robert V. , Gammon Katharine , Day Martin J. 
Published: February 2009

Antibiotic resistance in aquatic bacteria has increased steadily as a consequence of the widespread use of antibiotics, but practice and international treaty should have limited antibiotic contamination in Antarctica. We estimated antibiotic resistance in microorganisms isolated from the Antarctic marine waters and a penguin rookery, for 2 reasons: (i) as a measure of human impact and (ii) as a potential “snapshot” of the preantibiotic world. Samples were taken at 4 established sampling sites near Palmer Station, which is situated at the southern end of the Palmer Archipelago (64°10′S, 61°50′W). Sites were chosen to provide different potentials for human contamination. Forty 50 mL samples of seawater were collected and colony-forming units (CFU)/mL were determined at 6 and 20 °C. For this study, presumed psychrophiles (growth at 6 °C) were assumed to be native to Antarctic waters, whereas presumed mesophiles (growth at 20 °C but not at 6 °C) were taken to represent introduced organisms. The 20–6 °C CFU/mL ratio was used as a measure of the relative impact to the ecosystem of presumably introduced organisms. This ratio was highest at the site nearest to Palmer Station and decreased with distance from it, suggesting that human presence has impacted the natural microbial flora of the site. The frequency of resistance to 5 common antibiotics was determined in each group of isolates. Overall drug resistance was higher among the presumed mesophiles than the presumed psychrophiles and increased with proximity to Palmer Station, with the presumed mesophiles showing higher frequencies of single and multiple drug resistance than the psychrophile population. The frequency of multidrug resistance followed the same pattern. It appears that multidrug resistance is low among native Antarctic bacteria but is increased by human habitation.
The water-borne protein signals (pheromones) of the Antarctic ciliated protozoan Euplotes nobilii: structure of the gene coding for the En-6 pheromoneThis article is one of a selection of papers in the Special Issue on Polar and Alpine Microbiology.
Authors: La Terza Antonietta , Dobri Nicoleta , Alimenti Claudio , Vallesi Adriana , Luporini Pierangelo 
Published: February 2009

The marine Antarctic ciliate, Euplotes nobilii , secretes a family of water-borne signal proteins, denoted as pheromones, which control vegetative proliferation and mating in the cell. Based on the knowledge of the amino acid sequences of a set of these pheromones isolated from the culture supernatant of wild-type strains, we designed probes to identify their encoding genes in the cell somatic nucleus (macronucleus). The full-length gene of the pheromone En-6 was determined and found to contain an open-reading frame specific for the synthesis of the En-6 cytoplasmic precursor (pre-pro-En-6), which requires 2 proteolytic cleavages to remove the signal peptide (pre) and the prosegment before secretion of the mature protein. In contrast to the sequence variability that distinguishes the secreted pheromones, the pre- and pro-sequences appear to be tightly conserved and useful for the construction of probes to clone every other E. nobilii pheromone gene. Potential intron sequences in the coding region of the En-6 gene imply the synthesis of more En-6 isoforms.
Benthic macrofauna variations and community structure in Cenomanian cyclic chalk–marl from Southerham Grey Pit, SE England
Authors: Lauridsen B.W. , Gale A.S. , Surlyk F. 
Published: February 2009

Abstract:
Cenomanian chalk–marl couplets from England represent the 20 ka Milankovitch precession cycle. Fossil communities from both chalk and marl are identified to test if the orbital fluctuations and the associated changes in substrate lithology and climate exerted any control on the benthic macrofauna. The material comprises washing residues of 24 bulk samples collected from chalk and marl half-cycles. A total of 5055 invertebrate specimens were retrieved and referred to 68 species, forming the basis for the recognition of six guilds. In general, the fauna is more diverse in marl than in chalk, but it is remarkable and somewhat surprising that the guild assemblages of marl and chalk show no difference. Thus the substrate character of the two lithologies did not exert any influence on the modes of life of the benthic fauna in spite of a difference in clay content of about 20%. The fauna was clearly well adapted to both facies and thus to the fine grain size of the substrate rather than to lithology. The systematic difference in diversity between chalk and marl samples was possibly caused by long-term climatic and oceanographic changes and thus could represent a biological response to Milankovitch cyclicity.
Post-collisional tectonomagmatic evolution in the northern Arabian–Nubian Shield: time constraints from ion-probe U–Pb dating of zircon
Authors: Be'eri-Shlevin Yaron , Katzir Yaron , Whitehouse Martin 
Published: February 2009

Abstract:

Ion-probe U–Pb dating of plutonic rocks from the northern Arabian–Nubian Shield in Sinai and southern Israel constrains the timing of late East African batholithic post-collisional calc-alkaline (CA2) magmatism and within-plate alkaline to peralkaline (AL) magmatism to
c
. 635–590 Ma and
c
. 608–580 Ma, respectively. The earliest dated CA2 rocks are slightly deformed to undeformed, indicating that penetrative deformation ceased by
c
. 630 Ma. Within the CA2 suite a change from mafic to felsic magmatism is manifested in most of the region, peaking in a voluminous pulse of granodiorite to granite intrusion at 610–600 Ma. The AL magmatism started contemporaneously with the peak in CA2 felsic activity at
c
. 608 Ma and lasted until 580 Ma. It includes mostly alkaline and peralkaline granites, probably representing variable degrees of differentiation of similar parental magmas. Thus CA2 and AL granites do not represent different tectonic settings, but coeval derivation from variable sources during crustal extension. The majority of rocks dated in this study show minor to non-existent zircon inheritance and thus indicate very minor interaction with previously formed felsic crust. The rare zircon xenocrysts span a typical East African age range (900–607 Ma) and confirm the absence of older crustal components in the juvenile Arabian–Nubian Shield.

Supplementary material:

Geochemical and geochronological methods, sample descriptions and data are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18327
.
The Eocene bimodal Piranshahr massif of the Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone, NW Iran: a marker of the end of the collision in the Zagros orogen
Authors: Mazhari S.A. , Bea F. , Amini S. , Ghalamghash J. , Molina J.F. , Montero P. , Scarrow J.H. , Williams I.S. 
Published: February 2009

Abstract:

The bimodal Piranshahr massif is composed of coeval but geochemically unrelated mafic (40.7 ± 0.2 Ma zircon U–Pb sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe (SHRIMP) age) and A-type felsic rocks (41 ± 0.5 Ma Rb–Sr and 41.3 ± 0.8 Ma zircon U–Pb SHRIMP age). The mafic rocks consist of two geochemical types of gabbros that derived from different magmas. The more abundant gabbros are moderately alkaline, have ratios of large ion lithophile elements to REE and high field strength elements to REE similar to those of intraplate mantle magmas,
87
Sr/
86
Sr
41 Ma
≈ 0.7036 and ε(Nd)
41 Ma
≈ +7.2. The less abundant gabbros have calc-alkaline affinities,
87
Sr/
86
Sr
41 Ma
≈ 0.7043 and ε(Nd)
41 Ma
≈ +4.78. Felsic rocks are metaluminous A2-type annite–fayalite–hedenbergite, hypersolvus, leucocratic, coarse-grained agpaitic syenites, pulaskites and granites, with
87
Sr/
86
Sr
41 Ma
≈ 0.7048 and ε(Nd)
41 Ma
≈ +3.6–4.5. Syenites, pulaskites and granites are genetically related. Pulaskites probably represent alkali-enriched water-rich residual melts from which an F-rich vapour phase was later separated. Granites were probably generated during open-system processes, in which F-rich hydrous alkaline fluids released from the syenites acted upon pre-existing felsic rocks. The
c
. 41 Ma age of the post-collisional Piranshahr massif indicates that the related collision probably occurred at 50–60 Ma (i.e. Late Palaeocene or Early Eocene), thus resolving a much debated question.
Timing of migmatization and granite genesis in the Northwestern Terrane of Svalbard, Norway: implications for regional correlations in the Arctic Caledonides
Authors: Pettersson C.H. , Tebenkov A.M. , Larionov A.N. , Andresen A. , Pease V. 
Published: February 2009

Abstract:

U–Pb ion microprobe investigations of zircons from gneisses, granites and migmatites of the pre-Devonian Smerenburgfjorden and Richarddalen Complexes constrain the tectonic evolution and origin of Svalbard's Northwestern Terrane. Field relationships combined with U–Pb age data indicate that a late Meso- to Neoproterozoic metapelitic protolith was intruded by Tonian (
c
. 960 Ma) granitoids and suggest that the entire Northwestern Terrane is underlain by early Neoproterozoic granitoids intruding older metasediments. Both rock types were later involved in Caledonian deformation, with subsequent migmatization and granite genesis at
c
. 435–420 Ma. Ages of inherited zircons in granites and migmatites reflect anatexis of this late Meso- to Neoproterozoic protolith, with zircon xenocrysts ranging in age from
c
. 1030 to 1820 Ma. Pronounced lithological, geochronological and tectonothermal similarities to NE Svalbard (Nordaustlandet) and the Krummedal supracrustal sequence of East Greenland suggest a strong correlation between Svalbard and East Greenland prior to Caledonian orogenesis.

Supplementary material:

Ion microprobe analytical methods, data table and zircon descriptions are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18326
.
U–Pb zircon ages for post-Variscan volcanism in the Ligurian Alps(Northern Italy)
Authors: Dallagiovanna Giorgio , Gaggero Laura , Maino Matteo , Seno Silvio , Tiepolo Massimo 
Published: February 2009

Abstract:

Ages of Permian volcanic rocks from the Ligurian Briançonnais domain (Western Italian Alps) have been determined by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry U–Pb dating of zircon. Three major volcanic units yielded zircons that were dated: calc-alkaline rhyolites (285.6 ± 2.6 Ma), andesites (with inherited cores yielded ages
c
. 476 Ma and older) and voluminous rhyodacites–rhyolites (272.7 ± 2.2 Ma). Following an amagmatic, sediment-starved time gap of
c
. 14 Ma, alkaline volcanic activity is recorded, at the top of the sequence, by K-alkaline rhyolites dated at 258.5 ± 2.8 Ma. The Ligurian segment of the Southern Variscan belt records transtensional and then extensional tectonics associated with the volcanic activity. The switch from calc-alkaline to alkaline activity corresponds to the transition from a post-orogenic to an anorogenic setting in the Southern Variscides; it may represent progressive and increasing delamination of the continental lithosphere, accompanied by partial melting of the lithospheric mantle.

Supplementary material:

Technical and data acquisition parameters, U–Th–Pb isotope analyses and calculated ages of zircons from samples and standard, and trace element compositions of selected zircons are available at:
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18322
.