bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Direct PCR of indigenous and invasive mosquito species: a time‐ and cost‐effective technique of mosquito barcoding
Authors: WERBLOW A. , FLECHL E. , KLIMPEL S. , ZITTRA C. , LEBL K. , KIESER K. , LACINY A. , SILBERMAYR K. , MELAUN C. , FUEHRER H.‐P. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractMillions of people die each year as a result of pathogens transmitted by mosquitoes. However, the morphological identification of mosquito species can be difficult even for experts. The identification of morphologically indistinguishable species, such as members of the Anopheles maculipennis complex (Diptera: Culicidae), and possible hybrids, such as Culex pipiens pipiens/Culex pipiens molestus (Diptera: Culicidae), presents a major problem. In addition, the detection and discrimination of newly introduced species can be challenging, particularly to researchers without previous experience. Because of their medical importance, the clear identification of all relevant mosquito species is essential. Using the direct polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method described here, DNA amplification without prior DNA extraction is possible and thus species identification after sequencing can be achieved. Different amounts of tissue (leg, head; larvae or adult) as well as different storage conditions (dry, ethanol, −20 and −80 °C) and storage times were successfully applied and showed positive results after amplification and gel electrophoresis. Overall, 28 different indigenous and non‐indigenous mosquito species were analysed using a gene fragment of the COX1 gene for species differentiation and identification by sequencing this 658‐bp fragment. Compared with standard PCR, this method is time‐ and cost‐effective and could thus improve existing surveillance and control programmes.
Common and divergent shoot–root signalling in legume symbioses
Authors: Foo Eloise , Heynen Eveline M. H. , Reid James B. 
Published: December 2015

Summary

The role of shoot–root signals in the control of nodulation and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) development were examined in the divergent legume species pea and blue lupin. These species were chosen as pea can host both symbionts, whereas lupin can nodulate but has lost the ability to form AM.

Intergeneric grafts between lupin and pea enabled examination of key long‐distance signals in these symbioses. The role of strigolactones, auxin and elements of the autoregulation of nodulation (AON) pathway were investigated. Grafting studies were combined with loss‐of‐function mutants to monitor symbioses (nodulation, AM) and hormone effects (levels, gene expression and application studies).

Lupin shoots suppress AM colonization in pea roots, in part by downregulating strigolactone exudation involving reduced expression of the strigolactone biosynthesis gene PsCCD8. By contrast, lupin shoots enhance pea nodulation, independently of strigolactones, possibly due to a partial incompatibility in AON shoot–root signalling between pea and lupin.

This study highlights that nodulation and AM symbioses can be regulated independently and this may be due to long‐distance signals, a phenomenon we were able to uncover by working with divergent legumes. We also identify a role for strigolactone exudation in determining the status of non‐AM hosts.
Exposure to mould allergens and rhinoconjunctivitis in Korean children
Authors: Hahm Myung‐Il , Kim Jihyun , Kwon Ho‐Jang , Chae Yoomi , Ahn Kangmo , Lee Hoo‐Yeon 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundAlthough rhinitis is the most common allergic disease in children, few studies have explored the causal relationships between mould allergens and rhinitis. Thus, this study aimed to identify factors, especially prior exposure to mould allergens, related to rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis in Korean children.MethodsSubjects in this study were 12‐ to 13‐year‐old children from 40 national middle schools who were participants of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) study in Korea. A total of 3852 children who completed the ISAAC questionnaire in 2010 and underwent a skin prick test (SPT) and blood test were enrolled in this study.ResultsThe prevalence of symptoms suggestive of rhinitis or rhinoconjunctivitis in last 12 months was 42.7% and 19.4%, respectively. A parental history of allergies (OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.75–2.35; OR = 2.55, 95% CI = 2.13–3.06), visible mould or dampness (OR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.09–1.51; OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.00–1.51), previous exposure to mould allergens (OR = 4.53, 95% CI = 2.32–8.84; OR = 4.98, 95% CI = 2.43–10.20), total IgE levels ≥78 kU/l (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.22–1.69; OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.60–2.48) were risk factors for rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis.ConclusionsThis study suggested that previous exposure to mould allergens more influenced rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis than visible mould or dampness, and that total IgE levels of ≥78 kU/l, which was the criterion suggested in a study of Asian children, were risk factors for rhinitis diseases.
Effect of indoor air quality of day care centers in children with different predisposition for asthma
Authors: Carreiro‐Martins Pedro , Papoila Ana Luisa , Caires Iolanda , Azevedo Susana , Cano Maria Manuela , Virella Daniel , Leiria‐Pinto Paula , Teixeira João Paulo , Rosado‐Pinto José , Annesi‐Maesano Isabella , Neuparth Nuno 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundScarce information is available about the relationships between indoor air quality (IAQ) at day care centers (DCC), the estimated predisposition for asthma, and the actual wheezing susceptibility.MethodsIn the Phase II of ENVIRH study, 19 DCC were recruited after cluster analysis. Children were evaluated firstly using the ISAAC questionnaire and later by a follow‐up questionnaire about recent wheezing. A positive asthma predictive index (API) was considered as predisposition for asthma. Every DCC was audited for IAQ and monitored for chemical and biologic contaminants.ResultsWe included 1191 children, with a median age of 43 (P25–P75: 25–58) months. Considering the overall sample, in the first questionnaire, associations were found between CO2 concentration (increments of 200 ppm) and diagnosis of asthma (OR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.00–1.20). Each increment of 100 μg/m3 of total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and 1 μg of Der p1/g of dust were associated with wheezing in the previous 12 months (OR: 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01–1.11 and OR: 1.06; 95% CI: 0.99–1.12, respectively). In the follow‐up questionnaire, TVOC were again associated with wheezing (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00–1.11). Children exposed to fungal concentration above the 75th percentile had also higher odds of wheezing at follow‐up. TVOC were associated with wheezing in children with either negative or positive API.ConclusionsIAQ in DCC seems to be associated with wheezing, in children with and without predisposition for asthma.
Alterations in the gut microbiotas of children with food sensitization in early life
Authors: Chen Chien‐Chang , Chen Kun‐Jei , Kong Man‐Shan , Chang Hung‐Ju , Huang Jing‐Long 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundWe hypothesized that food sensitization (FS) in children could be linked to specific gut microbiota. The aim of our study is to quantify and evaluate differences in gut microbiota composition between children with FS and healthy controls.MethodsA case–control study of 23 children with FS and 22 healthy children was performed. Individual microbial diversity and composition were analyzed via parallel barcoded 454 pyrosequencing targeting the 16S rRNA gene hypervariable V3–V5 regions.ResultsThe children with FS exhibited lower diversity of both the total microbiota (p = 0.01) and the bacterial phylum Bacteroidetes (p = 0.02). In these children, the number of Bacteroidetes bacteria was significantly decreased and that of Firmicutes were significantly increased compared with the healthy children. At the genus level, we observed significant increases in the numbers of Sphingomonas, Sutterella, Bifidobacterium, Collinsella, Clostridium sensu stricto, Clostridium IV, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Roseburia, Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, Subdoligranulum, and Akkermansia in the FS group. We also found significant decreases in the numbers of Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, Prevotella, Alistipes, Streptococcus, and Veillonella in this group. Furthermore, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) coupled with effect size measurements revealed the most differentially abundant taxa (increased abundances of Clostridium IV and Subdoligranulum and decreased abundances of Bacteroides and Veillonella), which could be used to identify FS.ConclusionsOur results showed that FS is associated with compositional changes in the gut microbiota. These findings could be useful for developing strategies to control the development of FS or atopy by modifying the gut microbiota.
Development and validation of asthma questionnaire for assessing and achieving best control in preschool‐age children
Authors: Sato Kazuki , Sato Yasunori , Nagao Mizuho , Shimojo Naoki , Yoshihara Shigemi , Adachi Yuichi , Kameda Makoto , Terada Akihiko , Fujisawa Takao 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundSeveral patient‐/caregiver‐completed questionnaires have been utilized for the assessment of asthma control. However, due to the diversity in medical/social circumstances, they may not be optimal for use in all countries. The Japanese pediatric asthma guideline (JPGL) aims at higher levels of control compared with other international guidelines, based on a strong social demand for best care. We developed a new control test to help meet that demand.MethodsA 34‐item working questionnaire was developed based on input from pediatric asthma specialists and the caregivers of preschool children with asthma. The questionnaire was administered to caregivers of 565 patients aged <6 years who had physician‐diagnosed asthma or β2‐agonist‐responsive recurrent wheeze. Then, 6 questions for assessing JPGL‐defined control levels were selected from the 34 questions by stepwise logistic regression methods using randomly selected questionnaires completed by two‐thirds of the caregivers. We named that set of questions the Best Asthma Control Test for Preschoolers (Best ACT‐P). Validation of Best ACT‐P was performed using the remaining completed questionnaires.ResultsThe 6 questions asked about the frequency/severity of cold‐induced wheeze, nighttime awakening, exercise‐induced symptoms, and disruption of family life due to asthma in the past 4 weeks and hospitalization in the past 12 months. The 6‐item logistic model showed good statistical fit, and the scores for the physicians' ratings of the asthma control differed significantly in the hypothetical direction.ConclusionsBest ACT‐P is a valid caregiver‐completed questionnaire of asthma control in preschoolers in whom total control needs to be achieved.
Allergen immunotherapy for the prevention of allergic disease: protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Dhami Sangeeta , Nurmatov Ulugbek , Halken Susanne , Calderón Moises A. , Muraro Antonella , Roberts Graham , Toit George Du , Kleine‐Tebbe Jörg , Larenas‐Linnemann Desiree , Lau Susanne , Matricardi Paolo Maria , Pajno Giovanni , Papadopoulos Nikolaos G. , Pfaar Oliver , Ryan Dermot , Santos Alexandra F. , Timmermanns Frans , Wahn Ulrich , Sheikh Aziz 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is in the process of developing the EAACI Guidelines for Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) for the Prevention of Allergic Disease. We seek to critically assess the effectiveness, cost‐effectiveness, and safety of AIT in the prevention of allergic disease.MethodsWe will undertake a systematic review, which will involve searching international biomedical databases for published, in progress and unpublished evidence. Studies will be independently screened against pre‐defined eligibility criteria and critically appraised using established instruments. Data will be descriptively and, if possible and appropriate, quantitatively synthesized.DiscussionThe findings from this review will be used to inform the development of recommendations for EAACI's Guidelines on AIT.
Interrelated responses of tomato plants and the leaf minerTuta absolutato nitrogen supply
Authors: Larbat R. , Adamowicz S. , Robin C. , Han P. , Desneux N. , Le Bot J. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractPlant–insect interactions are strongly modified by environmental factors. This study evaluates the influence of nitrogen fertilisation on the tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.) cv. Santa clara and the leafminer (Tuta absoluta(Meyrick), Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Greenhouse‐grown tomato plants were fed hydroponically on a complete nutrient solution containing either a high nitrogen concentration (HN) sustaining maximum growth or a low nitrogen concentration (LN) limiting plant growth. Insect‐free plants were compared with plants attacked byT. absoluta. Seven and 14 days after artificial oviposition leading to efficacious hatching and larvae development, we measured total carbon, nitrogen and soluble protein as well as defence compounds (phenolics, glycoalkaloids, polyphenol oxidase activity) in theHNversusLNplants. Only in theHNtreatment didT. absolutainfestation slightly impair leaf growth and induce polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity in the foliage. Neither the concentration of phenolic compounds and proteins nor the distribution of nitrogen within the plant was affected byT. absolutainfestation. In contrast,LNnutrition impairedT. absoluta‐inducedPPOactivity. It decreased protein and total nitrogen concentration of plant organs and enhanced the accumulation of constitutive phenolics and tomatine. Moreover,LNnutrition impairedT. absolutadevelopment by notably decreasing pupal weight and lengthening the development period from egg to adult. Adjusting the level of nitrogen nutrition may thus be a means of altering the life cycle ofT. absoluta. This study provides a comprehensive dataset concerning interrelated responses of tomato plants andT. absolutato nitrogen nutrition.
Tan spot of pyrethrum is caused by a Didymella species complex
Authors: Pearce T. L. , Scott J. B. , Crous P. W. , Pethybridge S. J. , Hay F. S. 
Published: December 2015

Tan spot is a disease of pyrethrum (Tanacetum cinerariifolium) in Australia. Recent increases in the severity and incidence of the disease have prompted a re‐evaluation of the pathogen, originally described as Microsphaeropsis tanaceti, including its phylogenetic relationships and morphology. Nucleotide comparison of partial sequences of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer, β‐tubulin, large subunit 28S nrDNA (LSU), actin and glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase loci identified two distinct haplotypes within the species. Haplotype differentiation was consistent for each locus, except for the LSU, within which sequences were identical across all isolates. Morphological variation, especially culture pigmentation and conidial size, consistently supported the phylogenetic data distinguishing two haplotypes. Phylogenetic comparisons of M. tanaceti incorporating 98 Didymellaceae species did not associate the M. tanaceti haplotypes with the genus Microsphaeropsis. The two M. tanaceti haplotypes were closely related, and clustered in the Didymella sensu stricto clade. Based on these phylogenetic results, supported by their distinct morphology and cultural characteristics, the two haplotypes of M. tanaceti are reclassified as two species of Didymella, namely D. rosea and D. tanaceti. The implications of two closely related species causing tan spot of pyrethrum are discussed.
Profile of Penicillium species in the pear supply chain
Authors: Scholtz I. , Korsten L. 
Published: December 2015

Postharvest fruit decay caused by Penicillium pathogens is considered to be one of the most important challenges in the pear industry resulting in market‐end losses. Moving export fruit through different environments exposes the product to extensive handling, temperature variations and microbes. Therefore, the profile of Penicillium spp. present in the pear export chain from South Africa (SA) to the UK was studied over a four‐year period. Sampling was done at two packhouse facilities, controlled atmosphere and cold storage areas in SA and at two repack facilities and cold storages as well as a distribution centre and a retailer in the UK. Sampling consisted of swabbing walls and floors and using active and passive air sampling. In total, 5056 isolates were obtained, purified and grouped into 282 morphological groups. Of these, 350 representative isolates were selected for further identification. The five most dominant species in the pear chain were: P. glabrum (23·40%), P. chrysogenum (15·13%), P. crustosum (14·16%), P. brevicompactum (8·96%) and P. expansum (8·39%), of which the latter three were confirmed pathogenic on pears. This study provides a framework to monitor the inoculum potential in environments that fruit move through while being exported.
The alluvial architecture of a suspended sediment dominated meandering river: the Río Bermejo, Argentina
Authors: Sambrook Smith Gregory H. , Best James L. , Leroy Jessica Z. , Orfeo Oscar 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe alluvial architecture of fine‐grained (silt‐bed) meandering rivers remains poorly understood in comparison to the extensive study given to sand‐bed and gravel‐bed channels. This paucity of knowledge stems, in part, from the difficulty of studying such modern rivers and deriving analogue information from which to inform facies models for ancient sediments. This paper employs a new technique, the parametric echosounder, to quantify the subsurface structure of the Río Bermejo, Argentina, which is a predominantly silt‐bed river with a large suspended sediment load. These results show that the parametric echosounder can provide high‐resolution (decimetre) subsurface imaging from fine‐grained rivers that is equivalent to the more commonly used ground‐penetrating radar that has been shown to work well in coarser‐grained rivers. Analysis of the data reveals that the alluvial architecture of the Río Bermejo is characterized by large‐scale inclined heterolithic stratification generated by point‐bar evolution, and associated large‐scale scour surfaces that result from channel migration. The small‐scale and medium‐scale structure of the sedimentary architecture is generated by vertical accretion deposits, bed sets associated with small bars, dunes and climbing ripples and the cut and fill from small cross‐bar channels. This style of alluvial architecture is very different from other modern fine‐grained rivers reported in the literature that emphasize the presence of oblique accretion. The Río Bermejo differs from these other rivers because it is much more active, with very high rates of bank erosion and channel migration. Modern examples of this type of highly active fine‐grained river have been reported rarely in the literature, although ancient examples are more prevalent and show similarities with the alluvial architecture of the Río Bermejo, which thus represents a useful analogue for their identification and interpretation. Although the full spectrum of the sedimentology of fine‐grained rivers has yet to be revealed, meandering rivers dominated by lateral or oblique accretion probably represent end members of such channels, with the specific style of sedimentation being controlled by grain size and sediment load characteristics.
Porosity and size gradation of saturated gravel with percolated fines
Authors: Núñez‐González Francisco , Martín‐Vide Juan Pedro , Kleinhans Maarten G. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractFine particles may infiltrate through coarse alluvial beds and eventually saturate the subsurface pore space. It is essential to understand the conditions that lead to bed saturation, and to forecast the packing characteristics of saturated beds to assess the effect of excess fine sediment supply on a number of processes that occur in the stream–sediment boundary. To address this problem, in this study, a new method is introduced to predict the grain‐size distribution for the saturated condition, and the resulting porosity decrease, given the characteristics of the bed and the supplied sediments. The new method consists of the numerical aggregation of infilling fines in a finite bed volume, during which the bed properties change to affect further infilling. An existing semi‐empirical, particle packing model is implemented to identify these properties. It is shown that these types of models are adequate to describe regimes of natural sediment fabric quantitatively, and are thus useful tools in the analysis of sediment infiltration processes. Unlike previous developments to quantify saturated bed conditions, which assume that the supplied material is uniform and finer than the bed pore openings, the method developed herein considers poorly sorted fines, and can identify size fractions that are able to ingress into the bed due to being smaller than the particles that form the bed structure. Application of the new method to published experimental data showed that the final content of infiltrated fines is strongly sensitive to the initial bed packing density, highlighting the need to measure and understand open‐work gravel deposits. In addition, the new method was shown to be suitable for assessing the degree of bed saturation, when it was applied to a published data set of field samples.
Delayed Valuation: A Reanalysis of Goal Features, “Upward” Complementizer Agreement, and the Mechanics of Case
Authors: Carstens Vicki 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThere are at least four opposing views on the directionality and configuration of Agree relations. In mainstream minimalism, Agree is strictly downward “probing” (Chomsky,; Bošković; Epstein & Seely), but some recent works argue that Agree always looks upward (Zeijlstra, Wurmbrand). A third perspective takes agreement to follow from the Spec–head configuration (Koopman), and under a fourth proposal, the directionality of Agree varies parametrically (Baker). Although each approach has some empirical support, none achieves the strict conceptual necessity that is a central goal of minimalist theory. I argue, following Epstein's () approach to c‐command, that a downward directionality for Agree follows automatically and necessarily from the bottom‐to‐top construction of syntactic objects. But if auFdoes not find any source of valuation in its c‐command domain at first Merge, directionality‐free matching anddelayed valuationare possible up to the point of cyclic Transfer. The approach eliminates several stipulations from agreement theory, deducing that theuFs making goals “active” in Agree relations are simply those that find no match in their c‐command domains at Merge.