bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and Characterization of Fusarium Species Associated with Wilt of Eleocharis dulcis (Chinese water chestnut) in China
Authors: Zhu Zhixian , Zheng Lu , Pan Li , Hsiang Tom , Huang Junbin
Published: February 2014

Fusarium wilt is one of the most important diseases of Eleocharis dulcis (Chinese water chestnut) in China. In order to characterize the pathogens responsible, 69 Fusarium isolates were collected from diseased plants in E. dulcis production areas of the Chinese provinces Anhui, Fujian, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. These were then identified based on morphological and molecular characteristics. F. commune was the most common species (92.8%) and was widely distributed in the six provinces. A novel species within the Gibberella fujikuroi species complex (GFSC) was found in Hubei and Zhejiang provinces (5.8%), and an unidentified Fusarium sp. was found only in Hubei province (1.4%). Thirty F. commune isolates from different provinces and four GFSC isolates were selected for sequence analyses of the translation elongation factor 1-α (EF-1α), the mitochondrial small subunit (mtSSU) ribosomal DNA, and the nuclear ribosomal intergenic spacer region (IGS). Maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the multilocus sequence data of these two species plus other taxa showed that the two species formed two distinct, well-supported clades among the three individual and combined gene genealogies. Isolates from different locations were scattered, with no evidence of geographic specialization. Pathogenicity assays showed that the two Fusarium spp., including the unidentified Fusarium sp., were pathogenic to E. dulcis ‘Tuanfeng seven’. There was no relationship between the source of isolates and their pathogenicity. This is the first description of F. commune, a novel species within the GFSC, and an unidentified Fusarium sp. as causal agents of Fusarium wilt of E. dulcis in China.
Live Population Dynamics of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’, the Bacterial Agent Associated with Citrus Huanglongbing, in Citrus and Non-Citrus Hosts
Authors: Hu H. , Roy Avijit , Brlansky R. H.
Published: February 2014

Citrus huanglongbing (HLB) is a century-old destructive disease which presents an unprecedented challenge to citrus industries worldwide. In Florida, HLB is associated with the phloem-limited bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ and is mainly transmitted by Asian citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri). Quantification of the pathogen population in a host aids in investigation of virulence mechanisms and disease management. Recently a procedure was developed to detect live bacterial populations using a novel DNA-binding dye, propidium monoazide, in conjunction with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PMA-qPCR). Chinese box orange (Severinia buxifolia) is a common ornamental present in Florida which could host D. citri and ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’. For 20 months, the change of the live ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ populations in graft- and psyllid-transmitted Valencia sweet orange (Citrus sinensis ‘Valencia’) and S. buxifolia plants was monitored by PMA-qPCR. Our results showed that the live ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ population was significantly lower in the months of December, January, and February than the rest of the year in both hosts. No statistically significant pattern in the total bacterial population was observed in either host. This pattern may indicate a seasonal growth of ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ along with the growth of both plants. These new findings should provide useful information on HLB management.
A First Generation Heterobasidion Hybrid Discovered in Larix lyalli in Montana
Authors: Lockman B. , Mascheretti S. , Schechter S. , Garbelotto M.
Published: February 2014

On September 25, 2010, a wood sample was collected from an entirely decayed root ball of an alpine larch (Larix lyallii Parl.), 10 cm in diameter at breast height, recently downed, but still green. No attempts were made to determine whether the decay progressed into the stem. The discovery occurred in a stand in the Bitterroot Mountains, south of Darby, Montana (elev. 2,530 m; 45.893528° N, 114.278322° W). Several adjacent alpine larches were either dead or displayed thin crowns, and an old Heterobasidion basidiocarp was found on the decayed root ball of a neighboring dead tree, suggesting the presence of a root disease pocket. The stand is mature and composed of alpine larch, whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.), and a few subalpine firs (Abies lasiocarpa (Hooker) Nuttall), but only larches were symptomatic. No stumps were visible, and the site is in a designated wilderness area characterized by minimal forest management. Wood chips displaying a white rot with bleached speckles were plated on 2% malt agar, and cultures displaying the typical Heterobasidion anamorph (Spiniger meineckellus) were visible after 7 days. DNA was extracted from two distinct cultures, and the sequences of three nuclear loci, namely the internal transcribed spacer, the elongation factor 1-alpha, and the glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, were analyzed. The sequence of the mitochondrial ATPase was also sequenced. All loci were amplified using the primers indicated in Linzer et al. (2). Sequences of all three nuclear loci (GenBank Accession Nos. KF811480 to 82) unequivocally indicated both isolates to be first generation hybrids between H. irregulare (Underw.) Garbel. & Otrosina and H. occidentale Otrosina & Garbel. Cumulatively, sequences were heterozygous at over 40 positions in all three loci, and for the presence of two indels (one in ITS, one in EF 1-alpha). Polymorphisms and indels indicated alleles from both species were present in these heterokaryotic (ploidy n+n) isolates. The mitochondrial ATPase (KF811483 to 84) indicated instead the cytoplasm belonged to H. occidentale, suggesting that species was the first to be established in the infected tree and was either dikaryotized by a basidiopsore of the other species, or subject to nuclear re-assortment through di-mon mating with a genotype of H. irregulare. This is the first report of a Heterobasidion sp. in L. lyalli, and it is the second report of a natural Heterobasidion hybrid in North America (1). This finding indicates Alpine larch may be a host for both Heterobasidion species, as described for pine stumps in California (1). Thus, this conifer may have provided a substrate for the hybridization and interspecific gene introgression documented to have occurred before stumps were generated in high frequency by modern forestry practices (2).

References: (1) M. Garbelotto et al. Phytopathology 86:543, 1996. (2) R. Linzer et al. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 46:844, 2008.
Surface Barriers of Mandarin ‘Okitsu’ Leaves Make a Major Contribution to Canker Disease Resistance
Authors: Favaro María A. , Micheloud Norma G. , Roeschlin Roxana A. , Chiesa María A. , Castagnaro Atilio P. , Vojnov Adrián A. , Gmitter Fred G. , Gadea José , Rista Luis M. , Gariglio Norberto F. , Marano María R.
Published: February 2014

Field evaluations have shown that Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu) ‘Okitsu’ is one of the mandarin cultivars that shows substantial resistance to Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (X. citri), the causal agent of citrus bacterial canker disease. However, the mechanisms underlying this resistance are not well understood. In this study, we have shown that ‘Okitsu’ leaves are nevertheless susceptible to X. citri infection during a period of their development; however, this period is shorter than that seen in the susceptible mandarin ‘Clemenules’ (C. clementina). Under controlled growth conditions, the resistance of ‘Okitsu’ to X. citri was associated with the age of the leaf and was evident in spray-inoculated plants but not in those inoculated by infiltration. Furthermore, X. citri showed reduced attachment and biofilm formation in ‘Okitsu’ leaves compared with ‘Clemenules’. Taken together, our data suggest that structural features of the ‘Okitsu’ leaf surface, such as the physical properties of the cuticle, are involved in the resistance to X. citri.
A test for a shift in the boundary of the geographical range of a species
Authors: Solow Andrew , Beet Andrew , Roll Uri , Stone Lewi
Published: February 2014

One predicted impact of climate change is a poleward shift in the boundaries of species ranges. Existing methods for identifying such a boundary shift based on changes in the observed pattern of occupancy within a grid of cells are sensitive to changes in the overall rate of sightings and their latitudinal distribution that are unconnected to a boundary shift. A formal test for a boundary shift is described that allows for such changes. The test is applied to detect northward shifts in the northern boundary of the Essex skipper (
Thymelicus lineola
) butterfly and the European goldfinch (
Carduelis carduelis
) in Great Britain. A shift is detected in the latter case but not in the former. Results from a simulation study are presented showing that the test performs well.
Food security and sustainable intensification
Authors: Godfray H. Charles J. , Garnett Tara
Published: February 2014

The coming decades are likely to see increasing pressures on the global food system, both on the demand side from increasing population and
per capita
consumption, and on the supply side from greater competition for inputs and from climate change. This paper argues that the magnitude of the challenge is such that action is needed throughout the food system, on moderating demand, reducing waste, improving governance and producing more food. It discusses in detail the last component, arguing that more food should be produced using sustainable intensification (SI) strategies, and explores the rationale behind, and meaning of, this term. It also investigates how SI may interact with other food policy agendas, in particular, land use and biodiversity, animal welfare and human nutrition.
Building political and financial support for science and technology for agriculture
Authors: Beachy Roger N.
Published: February 2014

The high rate of return on investments in research and development in agriculture, estimated at between 20- and 40-fold, provides a strong rationale for increasing financial support for such research. Furthermore, the urgency to provide sufficient nutrition for a growing population amid growing demands for an expanding bioeconomy, while facing population growth and changing global weather patterns heightens the urgency to expand research and development in this field. Unfortunately, support by governments for research has increased at a fraction of the rate of increases in support of research for health, energy, etc. Although there have been significant increases in investments by the private sector over the past two decades, much of the foundational research that supports private-sector activities is generated in the public sector. To achieve the greatest benefits of breakthroughs in research, it may be necessary to reconfigure research funding and technology transfer mechanisms in order to more rapidly apply discoveries to local needs as well as to global challenges. Some changes will likely require significant organizational, administrative and operational changes in education and research institutions.
The prospect of applying chemical elicitors and plant strengtheners to enhance the biological control of crop pests
Authors: Sobhy Islam S. , Erb Matthias , Lou Yonggen , Turlings Ted C. J.
Published: February 2014

An imminent food crisis reinforces the need for novel strategies to increase crop yields worldwide. Effective control of pest insects should be part of such strategies, preferentially with reduced negative impact on the environment and optimal protection and utilization of existing biodiversity. Enhancing the presence and efficacy of native biological control agents could be one such strategy. Plant strengthener is a generic term for several commercially available compounds or mixtures of compounds that can be applied to cultivated plants in order to ‘boost their vigour, resilience and performance’. Studies into the consequences of boosting plant resistance against pests and diseases on plant volatiles have found a surprising and dramatic increase in the plants' attractiveness to parasitic wasps. Here, we summarize the results from these studies and present new results from assays that illustrate the great potential of two commercially available resistance elicitors. We argue that plant strengtheners may currently be the best option to enhance the attractiveness of cultivated plants to biological control agents. Other options, such as the genetic manipulation of the release of specific volatiles may offer future solutions, but in most systems, we still miss fundamental knowledge on which key attractants should be targeted for this approach.
Achieving food security for one million sub-Saharan African poor through push–pull innovation by 2020
Authors: Khan Zeyaur R. , Midega Charles A. O. , Pittchar Jimmy O. , Murage Alice W. , Birkett Michael A. , Bruce Toby J. A. , Pickett John A.
Published: February 2014

Food insecurity is a chronic problem in Africa and is likely to worsen with climate change and population growth. It is largely due to poor yields of the cereal crops caused by factors including stemborer pests, striga weeds and degraded soils. A platform technology, ‘push–pull’, based on locally available companion plants, effectively addresses these constraints resulting in substantial grain yield increases. It involves intercropping cereal crops with a forage legume, desmodium, and planting Napier grass as a border crop. Desmodium repels stemborer moths (push), and attracts their natural enemies, while Napier grass attracts them (pull). Desmodium is very effective in suppressing striga weed while improving soil fertility through nitrogen fixation and improved organic matter content. Both companion plants provide high-value animal fodder, facilitating milk production and diversifying farmers’ income sources. To extend these benefits to drier areas and ensure long-term sustainability of the technology in view of climate change, drought-tolerant trap and intercrop plants are being identified. Studies show that the locally commercial brachiaria cv mulato (trap crop) and greenleaf desmodium (intercrop) can tolerate long droughts. New on-farm field trials show that using these two companion crops in adapted push–pull technology provides effective control of stemborers and striga weeds, resulting in significant grain yield increases. Effective multi-level partnerships have been established with national agricultural research and extension systems, non-governmental organizations and other stakeholders to enhance dissemination of the technology with a goal of reaching one million farm households in the region by 2020. These will be supported by an efficient desmodium seed production and distribution system in eastern Africa, relevant policies and stakeholder training and capacity development.
New perspectives in ecosystem services science as instruments to understand environmental securities
Authors: Villa Ferdinando , Voigt Brian , Erickson Jon D.
Published: February 2014

As societal demand for food, water and other life-sustaining resources grows, the science of ecosystem services (ES) is seen as a promising tool to improve our understanding, and ultimately the management, of increasingly uncertain supplies of critical goods provided or supported by natural ecosystems. This promise, however, is tempered by a relatively primitive understanding of the complex systems supporting ES, which as a result are often quantified as static resources rather than as the dynamic expression of human–natural systems. This article attempts to pinpoint the minimum level of detail that ES science needs to achieve in order to usefully inform the debate on environmental securities, and discusses both the state of the art and recent methodological developments in ES in this light. We briefly review the field of ES accounting methods and list some
desiderata
that we deem necessary, reachable and relevant to address environmental securities through an improved science of ES. We then discuss a methodological innovation that, while only addressing these needs partially, can improve our understanding of ES dynamics in data-scarce situations. The methodology is illustrated and discussed through an application related to water security in the semi-arid landscape of the Great Ruaha river of Tanzania.
Riparian ecosystem resilience and livelihood strategies under test: lessons from Lake Chilwa in Malawi and other lakes in Africa
Authors: Kafumbata Dalitso , Jamu Daniel , Chiotha Sosten
Published: February 2014

This paper reviews the importance of African lakes and their management challenges. African inland lakes contribute significantly to food security, livelihoods and national economies through direct exploitation of fisheries, water resources for irrigation and hydropower generation. Because of these key contributions, the ecosystem services provided are under significant stress mainly owing to high demand by increasing populations, negative anthropogenic impacts on lake catchments and high levels of poverty which result in unsustainable use. Climate variability exacerbates the stress on these ecosystems. Current research findings show that the lakes cannot sustain further development activities on the scale seen over the past few decades. Millions of people are at risk of losing livelihoods through impacts on livestock and wildlife. The review further shows that the problems facing these lakes are beyond the purview of current management practices. A much better understanding of the interactions and feedbacks between different components of the lake socio-ecological systems is needed to address the complex challenges of managing these ecosystem services. This review suggests that the three small wetlands of Chad, Chilwa and Naivasha provide an opportunity for testing novel ideas that integrate sustainability of natural resource management with livelihoods in order to inform policy on how future land use and climatic variability will affect both food security and the ecosystem services associated with it.
Rb2Lu[Si4O10]F, a tubular chain silicate
Authors: Kahlenberg Volker , Manninger Tanja
Published: February 2014

Single crystals of Rb2Lu[Si4O10]F (dirubidium lutetium tetrasilicate fluoride) were obtained in flux-synthesis experiments in the system SiO2–Lu2O3–RbF. The compound belongs to the group of tubular chain silicates,i.e.it is based on multiple chains of condensed [SiO4] tetrahedra forming closed columns. The periodicity of the unbranched multiple chains is four and corresponds to the length of thebaxis. Adjacent columns are connected by Lu3+cations, which are coordinated by four oxide and two fluoride anions in the form of slightly distorted octahedra. By sharing common fluoride corners, the single octahedra are linked into chains running parallel to the silicate tubes. Electroneutrality is achieved by the incorporation of additional Rb+cations. All four symmetrically independent rubidium ions, four out of twelve oxide as well as the two fluoride anions are located on mirror planes. The remaining atoms reside on general positions.
3-(1H-Imidazol-1-yl)propanaminium 2-carboxy-4,6-dinitrophenolate
Authors: Yamuna Thammarse S. , Kaur Manpreet , Anderson Brian J. , Jasinski Jerry P. , Yathirajan H.S.
Published: February 2014

In the title salt, C6H12N3+·C7H3N2O7−, the imidazole ring is planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.0013 (14) Å for the N attached to the propanaminium group. In the anion, a single intramolecular O—H...O hydrogen bond is observed. The mean planes of the nitro groups in the anion are twisted from the benzene ring mean plane making dihedral angles of 24.7 (9) and 3.9 (6)°. In the crystal, the ammonium H atoms form N—H...N and N—H...O hydrogen bonds, resulting in an infinite chain along [111]. In addition to the classical hydrogen bonds, weak C—H...O and π–π [centroid–centroid distance = 3.7124 (9) Å] interactions are also observed, which lead to the formation a three-dimensional supramolecular structure that links the chains into layers along thebcplane.
Novel compound heterozygous mutation in LAMC2 genes (c.79G>A and 382insT) in Herlitz junctional epidermolysis bullosa
Authors: Jeon In Kyung , Kim Song‐Ee , Kim Soo‐Chan
Published: February 2014

Junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) is a heritable blistering skin disease characterized by separation within the lamina lucida. It is caused by mutations in the LAMA3, LAMB3 and LAMC2 genes encoding the α3‐, β3‐ and γ2‐chains, respectively, of laminin‐332. JEB Herlitz type (JEB‐H) is a lethal blistering disease with severe cutaneous and extracutaneous involvements caused by null mutations in the gene encoding laminin‐332. Here, we report a proband with JEB‐H who is a compound heterozygote for two novel mutations in LAMC2; a missense mutation (c.79G>A) and an insertion mutation (382insT) leading to a premature termination codon.
Topical valproic acid increases the hair count in male patients with androgenetic alopecia: A randomized, comparative, clinical feasibility study using phototrichogram analysis
Authors: Jo Seong Jin , Shin Hyoseung , Park Young Woon , Paik Seung Hwan , Park Won Seok , Jeong Yeon Su , Shin Hong Ju , Kwon Ohsang
Published: February 2014

Valproic acid (VPA), a widely used anticonvulsant, inhibits glycogen synthase kinase 3β and activates the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway, which is associated with hair growth cycle and anagen induction. To assess the efficacy of topical VPA for treating androgenetic alopecia (AGA), we performed a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled clinical trial. Male patients with moderate AGA underwent treatment with either VPA (sodium valproate, 8.3%) or placebo spray for 24 weeks. The primary end‐point for efficacy was the change in hair count during treatment, which was assessed by phototrichogram analysis. Of the 40 patients enrolled in the study, 27 (n = 15, VPA group; n = 12, placebo group) completed the entire protocol with good compliance. No statistical differences in age, hair loss duration and total hair count at baseline were found between the groups. The mean change in total hair count was significantly higher in the VPA group than in the placebo group (P = 0.047). Both groups experienced mostly mild and self‐limited adverse events, but their differences in prevalence rates were similar between the two groups (P = 0.72). A subject treated with topical VPA developed ventricular tachycardia, but it did not seem to be related to the VPA spray. Topical VPA increased the total hair counts of our patients; therefore, it is a potential treatment option for AGA.
Interactions among herbivory, climate, topography and plant age shape riparian willow dynamics in northern Yellowstone National Park, USA
Authors: Marshall Kristin N. , Cooper David J. , Hobbs N. Thompson
Published: February 2014

Understanding how the environmental context modifies the strength of trophic interactions within food webs forms a central challenge in community ecology.

Here, we demonstrate the necessity of considering the influence of climate, landscape heterogeneity and demographics for understanding trophic interactions in a well‐studied food web in Yellowstone National Park, USA. We studied riparian willow (Salix spp.) establishment and stem growth reconstructed from tree rings on the northern range of Yellowstone over a 30‐year period that included the reintroduction of a top predator, the grey wolf (Canis lupus).

We used climate variables (annual precipitation, stream flow and growing season length), herbivore abundance and landscape descriptors (elevation and topographic wetness index) to predict establishment and growth processes through time before and after the reintroduction of wolves. We fitted Bayesian hierarchical models to establishment data and time series of individual stem heights from 1980 to 2008.

Explaining variability in establishment required models with stream flow, annual precipitation and elk abundance.

Climate, trophic and landscape covariates interacted with stem age to determine stem height and growth rate through time. Growth rates of most stems ages (2+) declined after the reintroduction of wolves. However, stem growth rates naturally declined with age, and the decline we observed was coincident with faster growth rates for the youngest stems. Mean stem heights at age have remained relatively stable through time for most age classes. Estimated effects of landscape topography had approximately the same magnitude of effect on stem growth rate at age as elk abundance.

Synthesis. We show that the effects of modification of a food web cannot be predicted by studying trophic dynamics in isolation. No single driver explained patterns of willow establishment and growth over the past three decades in Yellowstone. Instead, interactions among trophic forces, interannual climate variability and landscape topography together shaped how the ecosystem responded to perturbations. Top‐down effects of ungulates on riparian woody vegetation must be considered in the context of plant age, and climate and landscape heterogeneity.
Rebels Without a Pause: Hip‐hop and Resistance in the City
Authors: Lamotte Martin
Published: February 2014

At the outset of the 1970s, with the city of New York deep in financial crisis, the Bronx was the scene of violent conflict between rival gangs. In 1971, however, the South Bronx gangs came together to sign a truce. Afrika Bambaataa, a young warlord from the Black Spade gang, emerged as a peacemaker. In 1975 he created his own organization, the Universal Zulu Nation, which brought together the four components of hip‐hop culture (DJing, MCing, Bboying and graffiti). Bambaataa organized the first block parties, informal gatherings where DJs illegally ran sound systems off the municipal power supply. The block parties catalysed the South Bronx youth, for a time contributing to a more peaceful gang culture. Using the resistance paradigm, and Cornel West's substantial conception of cultural democracy, this essay questions whether hip‐hop engages and potentially challenges American democracy in creating an autonomous space for putting citizenship into practice. The essay concludes by arguing firstly that hip‐hop can be seen as a hidden transcript emerging from places of exclusion, and secondly that its diffusion is inscribed in struggles for space in the city.
Hip‐hop and Urban Studies
Authors: Jaffe Rivke
Published: February 2014

How can urban studies research engage fruitfully with hip‐hop? This contribution responds to the essays by David Beer and Martin Lamotte on ‘street music’, urban ethnography and ghettoized communities. It discusses how a social science engagement with hip‐hop texts might differ from cultural studies approaches, and how the study of hip‐hop culture can contribute to social movements studies. The essay argues that academics can utilize this form of ‘urban’ culture in various ways when undertaking urban research, teaching urban studies and engaging a broader public in academic research.
Viability and Resistance of Lactobacilli Isolated from Cocoa Fermentation to Simulated Gastrointestinal Digestive Steps in Soy Yogurt
Authors: Saito V.S.T. , dos Santos T.F. , Vinderola C.G. , Romano C. , Nicoli J.R. , Araújo L.S. , Costa M.M. , Andrioli J.L. , Uetanabaro A.P.T.
Published: February 2014

To study the potential probiotic characteristics such as decrease of pH, microbial viability, and tolerance to simulated digestive steps of fermented soy beverage (“soy yogurt”) produced with lactobacilli isolated from cocoa fermentation (Lactobacillus fermentum TcUESC01 and Lactobacillus plantarum TcUESC02) during fermentation and refrigerated storage. The sensory acceptance of the yogurts was also tested. Samples of soy yogurt produced with L. fermentum TcUESC01 or L. plantarum TcUESC02 were collected during fermentation (0, 4, 8, and 12 h) and refrigerated storage (1, 9, 18, and 27 d), and submitted to pH and bacterial viability determinations. Tolerance to simulated digestion steps was done with refrigerated storage samples at 9 °C. Simulated digestion was performed in 3 successive steps: exposure to pepsin‐HCl solution, bile shock, and simulated small intestinal juice. During storage, a decrease in pH and lactobacillus viability was observed. L. fermentum TcUESC01 showed to be more resistant than L. plantarum TcUESC02 to simulated gastrointestinal digestion. All soy yogurts showed acceptable hedonic scores (greater than 5 in a 9‐point hedonic scale ranging from “like extremely” to “dislike extremely”) in sensory evaluation for flavor, aroma, color, consistency, and overall impression. L. plantarum TcUESC02 and, especially, L. fermentum TcUESC01 showed potential probiotic characteristics when considering pH, cell viability, and tolerance to simulated digestive steps and did not affect the sensory characteristics when supplemented to soy yogurt during storage.
High‐Pressure Thermal Sterilization: Food Safety and Food Quality of Baby Food Puree
Authors: Sevenich Robert , Kleinstueck Elke , Crews Colin , Anderson Warwick , Pye Celine , Riddellova Katerina , Hradecky Jaromir , Moravcova Eliska , Reineke Kai , Knorr Dietrich
Published: February 2014

The benefits that high‐pressure thermal sterilization offers as an emerging technology could be used to produce a better overall food quality. Due to shorter dwell times and lower thermal load applied to the product in comparison to the thermal retorting, lower numbers and quantities of unwanted food processing contaminants (FPCs), for example, furan, acrylamide, HMF, and MCPD‐esters could be formed. Two spore strains were used to test the technique; Geobacillus stearothermophilus and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, over the temperature range 90 to 121 °C at 600 MPa. The treatments were carried out in baby food puree and ACES‐buffer. The treatments at 90 and 105 °C showed that G. stearothermophilus is more pressure‐sensitive than B. amyloliquefaciens. The formation of FPCs was monitored during the sterilization process and compared to the amounts found in retorted samples of the same food. The amounts of furan could be reduced between 81% to 96% in comparison to retorting for the tested temperature pressure combination even at sterilization conditions of F0‐value in 7 min.
Prolonging Storage Time of Baby Ginger by Using a Sand‐Based Storage Medium and Essential Oil Treatment
Authors: Liu Ji , Sui Guoliang , He Yongzhou , Liu Dongjie , Yan Jing , Liu Shuxiang , Qin Wen
Published: February 2014

Wilt and rot occur readily during storage of baby ginger because of its tender skin and high moisture content (MC). A storage medium, which consisted of sand, 20% water, and 3.75% super absorbent polymers delayed weight loss and loss of firmness at 12 °C and 90% relative humidity. Microorganisms were isolated and purified from decayed rhizomes; among these, 3 fungi were identified as pathogens. The results of 18S rDNA sequence analysis showed that these fungi belonged to Penicillium, Fusarium, and Mortierella genera. The use of essential oil for controlling these pathogens was then investigated in vitro. Essential oils extracted from Cinnamomum zeylanicum (cinnamon) and Thymus vulgaris (thyme) completely inhibited the growth of all of the above pathogens at a concentration of 2000 ppm. Cinnamon oil showed higher antifungal activity in the drug sensitivity test with minimal fungicidal concentration (<500 ppm against all pathogens). In the in vivo test, cinnamon fumigation at a concentration of 500 ppm reduced infection rates of Penicillium, Fusarium, and Mortierella by 50.3%, 54.3%, and 60.7%, respectively. We recommended cinnamon oil fumigation combined with medium storage at 12 °C as an integrated approach to baby ginger storage.
Assessment of Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf Essential Oil as Herbal Preservatives Based on Antifungal, Antiaflatoxin, and Antiochratoxin Activities and In Vivo Efficacy during Storage
Authors: Sonker Nivedita , Pandey Abhay K. , Singh Pooja , Tripathi N.N.
Published: February 2014

Thirty‐five randomly collected samples of stored table grapes (Vitis vinifera L.) from different markets of Gorakhpur city, Uttar Pradesh, India, revealed occurrence of 11 types of fungi. Of which, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus ochraceus were dominant causing severe decay of grapes with 58%, 52%, and 67% incidence, respectively. On screening of 15 essential oils at 0.33 μL/mL, Cymbopogon citratus oil caused 100% mycelial inhibition against aforesaid dominant fungi. Oil was fungistatic at 0.29 μL/mL and exhibited broad fungitoxicity against other fruit rotting fungi associated with collected samples. C. citratus oil completely inhibited the growth and mycotoxin (AFB1 and OTA) secretion of the aflatoxigenic and ochratoxigenic strains of A. flavus, A. niger, and A. ochraceus at 0.8 μL/mL. E‐Citral (52.9%) and Z‐Citral (39.38%) were the major components of C. citratus oil during gas chromatography and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis. Application of 200 and 300 μL of C. citratus oil on 1 kg of stored grapes showed enhancement of shelf life up to 10 d. The oil did not exhibit any phytotoxic effect on fruits. These results confirm that C. citratus oil could be a natural alternative to commercial fungicide for control of fruit rotting fungi of stored grapes.
Variable effects of gender and Western diet on lipid and glucose homeostasis in aged PCSK9‐deficient C57BL/6 mice 性别与西方饮食对CSK9基因缺陷的PC57BL/6老龄小鼠的脂质以及葡萄糖内稳态的不同影响
Authors: Mbikay Majambu , Sirois Francine , Gyamera‐Acheampong Charles , Wang Gen‐Sheng , Rippstein Peter , Chen Andrew , Mayne Janice , Scott Fraser.W. , Chrétien Michel
Published: February 2014

Background

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin‐type 9 (PCSK9) downregulates clearance of plasma cholesterol by liver. Its inactivation increases this clearance, reducing cardiovascular risk. However, a lack of PCSK9 could also lead to cholesterol accumulation in pancreatic islet beta cells, impairing insulin secretion. We reported earlier that 4‐month‐old male PCSK9‐deficient (KO) C57BL/6 mice were hyperglycemic and insulin‐insufficient relative to their wild‐type (WT) counterparts. Here, we examined how gender and diet affect lipid and glucose homeostasis in these mice at 8 months of age.

Methods

After being fed a normal diet or a Western diet for over 6 months, KO mice were compared with same‐gender WT mice for fasting plasma levels of total cholesterol (TC), high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C), low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), glucose, and insulin; for glucose disposal and glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS); and for pancreatic islet morphology.

Results

A. Females: On normal diet, KO mice showed lower plasma TC, HDL‐C, and LDL‐C, higher plasma glucose, and normal glucose disposal despite impaired GSIS. On Western diet, they showed comparable plasma TC and HDL‐C, but lower LDL‐C, higher plasma glucose, and normal glucose disposal despite impaired GSIS. B. Males: On normal and Western diets, KO mice showed lower plasma TC, HDL‐C, and LDL‐C, similarly elevated plasma glucose, glucose intolerance, and impaired GSIS. C. Both: KO mice on either diet showed pancreatic islet dysmorphism, with larger, possibly immature secretory granules.

Conclusions

Lower LDL‐C and impaired GSIS are two major phenotypes in aged PCSK9‐deficient C57BL/6 mice. These phenotypes are modulated by gender and diet.
Trophoblasts and Decidual Stromal Cells Regulate Decidual NK Cell Functions Via Interaction between Collagen and LAIR‐1
Authors: Fu Qiang , Tao Yu , Piao Hailan , Du Mei‐Rong , Li Da‐Jin
Published: February 2014

Problem

To determine the effect of collagen from maternal–fetal interface on decidual natural killer cell (dNK) function.

Method of study

Decidual and villous samples were collected from normal pregnancy and miscarriage. The phenotype and cytokine production were analyzed, respectively, by flow cytometry and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Co‐culture was established to investigate the effect of trophoblasts and decidual stromal cells (DSCs) on dNKs.

Results

Maternal–fetal interface of normal pregnancy showed higher collagen and LAIR‐1 expression than that of miscarriage. Co‐culture of dNKs with HTR‐8/DSCs up‐regulated LAIR‐1 on dNKs that could be attenuated by pre‐treatment with LAIR‐2, a competitive inhibitor of LAIR‐1. Collagen down‐regulated expression of cell surface receptor activity and intracellular perforin, while it up‐regulated expression of suppressive receptor on dNKs. Co‐culture of dNKs with HTR‐8/DSCs decreased perforin expression and Th1‐type cytokines production by dNKs, which could be abrogated by LAIR‐2. In addition, silence of collagen in HTR‐8/DSCs by shRNA significantly attenuated regulation on dNKs.

Conclusion

Trophoblasts and DSCs regulate decidual NK cell functions via secreting collagen, which is involved in the maintenance of human pregnancy.
Bougie‐related airway trauma: dangers of the hold‐up sign
Authors: Marson B. A. , Anderson E. , Wilkes A. R. , Hodzovic I.
Published: February 2014

The bougie is a popular tool in difficult intubations. The hold‐up sign is used to confirm tracheal placement of a bougie. This study aimed to establish the potential for airway trauma when using this sign with an Eschmann re‐usable bougie or a Frova single‐use bougie. Airways were simulated using a manikin (hold‐up force) and porcine lung model (airway perforation force). Mean (SD) hold‐up force (for airway lengths over the range 25–45 cm) of 1.0 (0.4) and 5.2 (1.1) N were recorded with the Eschmann and Frova bougies, respectively (p < 0.001). The mean (SD) force required to produce airway perforation was 0.9 (0.2) N with the Eschmann bougie and 1.1 (0.3) N with the Frova bougie (p = 0.11). It is possible to apply a force at least five times greater than the force required to produce significant trauma with a Frova single‐use bougie. We recommend that the hold‐up sign should no longer be used with single‐use bougies. Clinicians should be cautious when eliciting this sign using the Eschmann re‐usable bougie.
Medication reviews for nursing home residents to reduce mortality and hospitalization: systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Wallerstedt Susanna M. , Kindblom Jenny M. , Nylén Karin , Samuelsson Ola , Strandell Annika
Published: February 2014

Aims

Medication reviews by a third party have been introduced as a method to improve drug treatment in older people. We assessed whether this intervention reduces mortality and hospitalization for nursing home residents.

Methods

Systematic literature searches were performed (from January 1990 to June 2012) in Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Sources and Health Technology Assessment databases. We included randomized and nonrandomized controlled trials (RCTs and non‐RCTs) of medication reviews compared with standard care or other types of medication reviews in nursing home residents. The outcome variables were mortality and hospitalization. Study quality was assessed systematically. We performed meta‐analyses using random‐effects models.

Results

Seven RCTs and five non‐RCTs fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean age of included patients varied between 78 and 86 years. They were treated with a mean of 4–12 drugs. The study quality was assessed as high (n = 1), moderate (n = 4) or low (n = 7). Eight studies compared medication reviews with standard care. In six of them, pharmacists were involved in the intervention. Meta‐analyses of RCTs revealed a risk ratio (RR) for mortality of 1.03 [medication reviews vs. standard care; five trials; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–1.23]. The corresponding RR for hospitalization was 1.07 (two trials; 95% CI 0.61–1.87).

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that medication reviews for nursing home residents do not reduce mortality or hospitalization. More research in the setting of controlled trials remains to be done in order to clarify how drug treatment can be optimized for these patients.
Inhibition of phosphodiesterase‐3 by levosimendan is sufficient to account for its inotropic effect in failing human heart
Authors: Ørstavik Ø , Ata S H , Riise J , Dahl C P , Andersen G Ø , Levy F O , Skomedal T , Osnes J‐B , Qvigstad E
Published: February 2014

Background and Purpose

Levosimendan is known as a calcium sensitizer, although it is also known to inhibit PDE3. We aimed to isolate each component and estimate their contribution to the increased cardiac contractility induced by levosimendan.

Experimental Approach

Contractile force was measured in electrically stimulated ventricular strips from explanted failing human hearts and left ventricular strips from normal male Wistar rats. PDE activity was measured in a two‐step PDE activity assay on failing human ventricle.

Key Results

Levosimendan exerted a positive inotropic effect (PIE) reaching maximum at 10−5 M in ventricular strips from failing human hearts. In the presence of the selective PDE3 inhibitor cilostamide, the PIE of levosimendan was abolished. During treatment with a PDE4 inhibitor and a supra‐threshold concentration of isoprenaline, levosimendan generated an amplified inotropic response. This effect was reversed by β‐adrenoceptor blockade and undetectable in strips pretreated with cilostamide. Levosimendan (10−6 M) increased the potency of β‐adrenoceptor agonists by 0.5 log units in failing human myocardium, but not in the presence of cilostamide. Every inotropic response to levosimendan was associated with a lusitropic response. Levosimendan did not affect the concentration–response curve to calcium in rat ventricular strips, in contrast to the effects of a known calcium sensitizer, EMD57033 [5‐(1‐(3,4‐dimethoxybenzoyl)‐1,2,3,4‐tetrahydroquinolin‐6‐yl)‐6‐methyl‐3,6‐dihydro‐2H‐1,3,4‐thiadiazin‐2‐one]. PDE activity assays confirmed that levosimendan inhibited PDE3 as effectively as cilostamide.

Conclusions and Implications

Our results indicate that the PDE3‐inhibitory property of levosimendan was enough to account for its inotropic effect, leaving a minor, if any, effect to a calcium‐sensitizing component.
Resveratrol decreases fructose‐induced oxidative stress, mediated by NADPH oxidase via an AMPK‐dependent mechanism
Authors: Cheng Pei‐Wen , Ho Wen‐Yu , Su Yu‐Ting , Lu Pei‐Jung , Chen Bo‐Zone , Cheng Wen‐Han , Lu Wen‐Hsien , Sun Gwo‐Ching , Yeh Tung‐Chen , Hsiao Michael , Tseng Ching‐Jiunn
Published: February 2014

Background and Purpose

Oxidative stress is an important pathogenic factor in the development of hypertension. Resveratrol, the main antioxidant in red wine, improves NO bioavailability and prevents cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to examine whether resveratrol decreases the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby reducing BP in rats with fructose‐induced hypertension.

Experimental Approach

Rats were fed 10% fructose with or without resveratrol (10 mg·kg−1·day−1) for 1 week or for 4 weeks with resveratrol treatment beginning at week 2; systolic BP (SBP) was measured by tail‐cuff method. Endogenous in vivo O2− production in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) was determined with dihydroethidium. Real‐time PCR and immunoblotting analyses were used to quantify RNA and protein expression levels.

Key Results

In fructose‐fed rats, ROS levels in the NTS were higher, whereas the NO level was significantly decreased. Also, RNA and protein levels of NADPH oxidase subunits (p67, p22‐phox) were elevated, superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) reduced and AMP‐activated PK (AMPK) T172 phosphorylation levels in the NTS were lower in fructose‐fed rats. Treatment with the AMPK activator resveratrol decreased levels of NADPH oxidase subunits and ROS, and increased NO and SOD2 levels in the NTS of fructose‐fed rats. Administration of resveratrol, in combination with fructose at week 0 and later at week 2, significantly reduced the SBP of fructose‐fed rats.

Conclusions and Implications

Collectively, resveratrol decreased BP through the phosphorylation of AMPK, Akt and neuronal NOS in fructose‐fed rats. These novel findings suggest that resveratrol may be a potential pharmacological candidate for the treatment of hypertension.
Anti-dsDNA antibodies as a classification criterion and a diagnostic marker for systemic lupus erythematosus: critical remarks
Authors: Rekvig O P
Published: February 2014

Antibodies to mammalian dsDNA have, for decades, been linked to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and particularly to its most serious complication, lupus nephritis. This canonical view derives from studies on its strong association with disease. The dogma was particularly settled when the antibody was included in the classification criteria for SLE that developed during the 1970s, most prominently in the 1982 American College of Rheumatology (ACR), and recently in The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) classification criteria. There are several problems to be discussed before the anti-dsDNA antibody can be accepted without further distinction as a criterion to classify SLE. Old and contemporary knowledge make it clear that an anti-dsDNA antibody is not a unifying term. It embraces antibodies with a wide spectrum of fine molecular specificities, antibodies that are produced transiently in context of infections and persistently in the context of true autoimmunity, and also includes anti-dsDNA antibodies that have the potential to bind chromatin (accessible DNA structures) and not (specificity for DNA structures that are embedded in chromatin and therefore unaccessible for the antibodies). This critical review summarizes this knowledge and questions whether or not an anti-dsDNA antibody, as simply that, can be used to classify SLE.
Genotype phenotype correlations for hearing impairment: Approaches to management
Authors: Hoefsloot L. H. , Feenstra I. , Kunst H. P. M. , Kremer H.
Published: February 2014

Hearing impairment is an extremely heterogeneous disorder, with both environmental as well as genetic causes. This review describes the known genes involved in non‐syndromic hearing impairment and their genotype–phenotype correlations where possible. Furthermore, some of the more frequent syndromic forms of hearing impairment are described, in particular where they overlap with the non‐syndromic forms. Given the heterogeneity of the disorder, together with the indistinguishable phenotypes for many of the genes, it is suggested that testing for mutations is performed using massive parallel sequencing techniques, either by a large targeted set of genes or by an exome wide analysis.
Effectiveness and clinical results of endoscopic management of sigmoid volvulus using unsedated water‐immersion colonoscopy
Authors: Sugimoto Shinya , Hosoe Naoki , Mizukami Takeshi , Tsunoda Yuya , Ito Tsuyoshi , Imamura Satoshi , Tamura Toshihide , Nagakubo Shuichi , Morohoshi Yuichi , Koike Yuji , Fujita Yuriko , Komatsu Hirokazu , Ogata Haruhiko , Kanai Takanori
Published: February 2014

Background and Aim

Although intestinal obstruction as a result of sigmoid volvulus (SV) may be successfully resolved using endoscopic detorsion, surgical treatment remains the main therapeutic strategy. We evaluated the endoscopic detorsion procedure using unsedated water‐immersion colonoscopy for the treatment of SV.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted on the clinical background and prognosis of 21 SV patients who underwent 71 endoscopic detorsion procedures using unsedated, water‐immersion colonoscopy.

Results

In all, 14 (67%) male and seven (33%) female patients, with a mean age of 73 years (range, 54–95 years) were enrolled; 86% were >70 years of age. Among these patients, 90% had a background of key predisposing factors. In the 21 patients, endoscopic detorsion was successfully done using unsedated water‐immersion colonoscopy. SV recurred in 10 patients at a median of 180 days. Endoscopic detorsion for recurrent SV was successfully achieved in all cases, and none of the secondary cases became severe. Only male patients were observed to experience three or more recurrent episodes of SV.

Conclusions

SV occurred most commonly in elderly patients with a surgical risk. Our experience suggests that conservative endoscopic treatment using unsedated water‐immersion colonoscopy is a safe, reasonable, conservative endoscopic approach for elderly patients in the absence of necrotic findings. We currently use this procedure in most of our cases.