bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparative Evaluation of Antifungal Activity of Melaleuca Oil and Fluconazole when Incorporated in Tissue Conditioner: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Sharma Sunanda , Hegde Veena 
Published: January 2014

AbstractPurposeThis in vitro study sought to compare the antifungal activity of melaleuca alternifolia oil and fluconazole mixed with a tissue conditioner.Materials and MethodsBy testing several concentrations of fluconazole and melaleuca oil in Visco‐gel, the minimum most effective concentration of each antifungal agent against Candida albicans was determined. Mean inhibition diameter (MID) was used to measure the antifungal activity, and data were analyzed statistically for significance of findings. To determine the minimum most effective concentration of fluconazole, different concentrations of 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10% w/w in Visco‐gel were tested on Sabouraud dextrose agar pregrown with C. albicans. MIDs were measured at 24 hours and on day 7, while carrying out the monitoring every day. Similarly, the minimum most effective concentration of melaleuca oil in Visco‐gel was found by testing it in several concentrations (1%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 25%, 27.5%, 30%, 35% w/w). Subsequently, the minimum most effective concentration of each antifungal agent was used to compare the antifungal activity against C. albicans over 7 days using the same procedure and using plain tissue conditioner as the control.ResultThe minimum most effective concentrations of melaleuca oil in Visco‐gel and fluconazole in Visco‐gel were 30% w/w and 5% w/w, respectively. Thirty percent w/w melaleuca oil was found to be the most effective (p < 0.001) and superior to 5% fluconazole in Visco‐gel, as it retained substantial antifungal activity (MID), even on day 7 when fluconazole had lost its antifungal effect completely as evidenced by regrowth of C. albicans by day 7.ConclusionThirty percent melaleuca oil in tissue‐conditioner Visco‐gel was superior to 5% fluconazole in Visco‐gel as an antifungal agent. Though both showed comparable antifungal activity at 24 hours against C. albicans, fluconazole had completely lost it by day 7, whereas melaleuca oil had substantially retained its antifungal action.
High intention to fall asleep causes sleep fragmentation
Authors: Rasskazova Elena , Zavalko Irina , Tkhostov Alexander , Dorohov Vladimir 
Published: January 2014

SummaryThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of intention to fall asleep on sleep quality in good sleepers using polysomnographic and subjective nap parameters. We hypothesized that high intention to sleep would lead to arousal, worsening sleep quality. A counterbalanced 2 × 2 experimental design with one intra‐individual (neutral versus motivating instruction) and one inter‐individual (instruction sequence) variable was used. Thirty‐three good sleepers (22 females; mean age: 24.1 ± 8.4 years) each attended two 1‐h daytime polysomnographic recording sessions in the laboratory. When providing motivating instruction, the experimenter insisted on the importance of falling asleep as quickly as possible and promised a financial reward. Compared with neutral instruction, motivating instruction was associated with increased waking after sleep onset, number of awakenings and arousal index during napping. No relationship between instruction and subjective nap appraisal was found. The effect of high intention on sleep fragmentation remained significant after controlling for habitual napping, depression, anxiety and sleepiness. Thus, our findings suggest that high intention to fall asleep worsened sleep quality, especially in terms of sleep fragmentation, in good sleepers.
Do bacterial and fungal communities assemble differently during primary succession?
Authors: Schmidt S. K. , Nemergut D. R. , Darcy J. L. , Lynch R. 
Published: January 2014

High‐throughput sequencing technologies are now allowing us to study patterns of community assembly for diverse microbial assemblages across environmental gradients and during succession. Here we discuss potential explanations for similarities and differences in bacterial and fungal community assembly patterns along a soil chronosequence in the foreland of a receding glacier. Although the data are not entirely conclusive, they do indicate that successional trajectories for bacteria and fungi may be quite different. Recent empirical and theoretical studies indicate that smaller microbes (like most bacteria) are less likely to be dispersal limited than are larger microbes – which could result in a more deterministic community assembly pattern for bacteria during primary succession. Many bacteria are also better adapted (than are fungi) to life in barren, early‐successional sediments in that some can fix nitrogen and carbon from the atmosphere – traits not possessed by any fungi. Other differences between bacteria and fungi are discussed, but it is apparent from this and other recent studies of microbial succession that we are a long way from understanding the mechanistic underpinnings of microbial community assembly during ecosystem succession. We especially need a better understanding of global and regional patterns of microbial dispersal and what environmental factors control the development of microbial communities in complex natural systems.
Phenotypic differentiation and phylogenetic signal of wing shape in western European biting midges, Culicoides spp., of the subgenus Avaritia
Authors: MUÑOZ‐MUÑOZ F. , TALAVERA S. , CARPENTER S. , NIELSEN S. A. , WERNER D. , PAGÈS N. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractIn the past decade biting midges of the subgenus Avaritia (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) have been popular subjects of applied entomological studies in Europe owing to their implication as biological vectors in outbreaks of bluetongue and Schmallenberg viruses. This study uses a combination of cytochrome oxidase subunit I barcode sequencing and geometric morphometric analyses to investigate wing shape as a means to infer species identification within this subgenus. In addition the congruence of morphological data with different phylogenetic hypotheses is tested. Five different species of the subgenus Avaritia were considered in the study (C. obsoletus (Meigen); C. scoticus Kettle and Lawson; C. chiopterus (Meigen); C. dewulfi Goetghebuer and C. imicola (Kieffer)). The study demonstrated that over 90% of individuals could be separated correctly into species by their wing shape and that patterns of morphological differentiation derived from the geometric morphometric analyses were congruent with phylogenies generated from sequencing data. Morphological data produced are congruent with monophyly of the subgenus Avaritia and the exclusion of C. dewulfi from the group containing C. obsoletus, C. scoticus and C. chiopterus. The implications of these results and their importance in a wider context of integrating multiple data types to interpret both phylogeny and species characterization is discussed.
Histopathologic findings in patients with idiopathic megacolon: a comparison between dilated and non‐dilated loops
Authors: Ohkubo H. , Masaki T. , Matsuhashi N. , Kawahara H. , Yokoyama T. , Nakajima A. , Ohkura Y. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractBackgroundIdiopathic megacolon (IMC) is an intractable motility disorder in which chronic symptoms of colonic dysmotility appear with no mechanical cause. Although a pathological analysis is essential to understand the mechanism of IMC, no study has compared the histopathologic findings between dilated and non‐dilated loops in IMC cases, and little is known about the proportion of each disease subtype.MethodsFifty‐three full‐thickness samples (dilated loops, n = 31; non‐dilated loops, n = 22) from 31 IMC cases and 16 samples (dilated loops; n = 8, non‐dilated loops; n = 8) from eight controls were collected. All the samples were stained with hematoxylin‐eosin (HE), Hu C/D antibody, and CD117 antibody to assess degenerative myopathy, degenerative neuropathy, inflammatory neuropathy, hypoganglionosis, and mesenchymopathy according to the London Classification. Findings of the dilated and non‐dilated loop samples were compared, and the proportions of each subtype were analyzed.Key ResultsBased on a control study, <60 ganglion cells/cm was defined as hypoganglionosis in our series. Myopathy was observed in 11 patients (35.5%), neuropathy was in 19 patients (61.3%), and mesenchymopathy was in 10 patients (32.2%). An overlap between subtypes was observed in some cases. Surprisingly, the non‐dilated loop samples exhibited very similar histopathologic abnormalities to those observed in the dilated loop samples in most cases.Conclusions & InferencesOur study is the first to compare the histopathologic findings between dilated and non‐dilated loops in IMC patients. Histopathologic abnormalities precede the clinical manifestation of IMC, and may consequently lead to gradual colonic dilatation; however, detailed mechanism including dilation triggering factor needs further elucidation.
To open or to close: species‐specific stomatal responses to simultaneously applied opposing environmental factors
Authors: Merilo Ebe , Jõesaar Indrek , Brosché Mikael , Kollist Hannes 
Published: January 2014

Summary

Plant stomatal responses to single environmental factors are well studied; however, responses to a change in two (or more) factors – a common situation in nature – have been less frequently addressed. We studied the stomatal responses to a simultaneous application of opposing environmental factors in six evolutionarily distant mono‐ and dicotyledonous herbs representing different life strategies (ruderals, competitors and stress‐tolerators) to clarify whether the crosstalk between opening‐ and closure‐inducing pathways leading to stomatal response is universal or species‐specific.

Custom‐made gas exchange devices were used to study the stomatal responses to a simultaneous application of two opposing factors: decreased/increased CO2 concentration and light availability or reduced air humidity.

The studied species responded similarly to changes in single environmental factors, but showed species‐specific and nonadditive responses to two simultaneously applied opposing factors. The stomata of the ruderals Arabidopsis thaliana and Thellungiella salsuginea (previously Thellungiella halophila) always opened, whereas those of competitor‐ruderals either closed in all two‐factor combinations (Triticum aestivum), remained relatively unchanged (Nicotiana tabacum) or showed a response dominated by reduced air humidity (Hordeum vulgare).

Our results, indicating that in changing environmental conditions species‐specific stomatal responses are evident that cannot be predicted from studying one factor at a time, might be interesting for stomatal modellers, too.
Monitoring food and non‐alcoholic beverage promotions to children
Authors: Kelly B. , King L. , Baur L. , Rayner M. , Lobstein T. , Monteiro C. , Macmullan J. , Mohan S. , Barquera S. , Friel S. , Hawkes C. , Kumanyika S. , L'Abbé M. , Lee A. , Ma J. , Neal B. , Sacks G. , Sanders D. , Snowdon W. , Swinburn B. , Vandevijvere S. , Walker C. ,   INFORMAS
Published: January 2014

SummaryFood and non‐alcoholic beverage marketing is recognized as an important factor influencing food choices related to non‐communicable diseases. The monitoring of populations' exposure to food and non‐alcoholic beverage promotions, and the content of these promotions, is necessary to generate evidence to understand the extent of the problem, and to determine appropriate and effective policy responses. A review of studies measuring the nature and extent of exposure to food promotions was conducted to identify approaches to monitoring food promotions via dominant media platforms. A step‐wise approach, comprising ‘minimal’, ‘expanded’ and ‘optimal’ monitoring activities, was designed. This approach can be used to assess the frequency and level of exposure of population groups (especially children) to food promotions, the persuasive power of techniques used in promotional communications (power of promotions) and the nutritional composition of promoted food products. Detailed procedures for data sampling, data collection and data analysis for a range of media types are presented, as well as quantifiable measurement indicators for assessing exposure to and power of food and non‐alcoholic beverage promotions. The proposed framework supports the development of a consistent system for monitoring food and non‐alcoholic beverage promotions for comparison between countries and over time.
Developmental coordination disorder and overweight and obesity in children: a systematic review
Authors: Hendrix C. G. , Prins M. R. , Dekkers H. 
Published: January 2014

SummaryChildren with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) find themselves less competent than typically developing children with regard to their physical abilities and often experience failure. They are therefore likely to avoid physical activity. Physical inactivity is considered an important risk factor for developing overweight and obesity. The aim of this study is to assess the association between DCD and overweight and obesity in children and whether this association is influenced by age and/or gender. Six electronic databases were systematically searched. Titles and abstracts were screened for relevance. Remaining studies were subjected to full paper review. The quality of the included articles was assessed and relevant data were extracted for comparison. The search yielded 273 results. Twenty‐one studies, based on 10 cohorts, were included. Participants' ages ranged from 4 to 14 years. In all cohorts, children with DCD had higher body mass index scores, larger waist circumference and greater percentage body fat compared with controls. Seven studies assessed the effect of gender and four studies provided information on the effect of age. Children with DCD seem to be at greater risk for overweight and obesity. This risk may be higher for boys and seems to increase with age and with the severity of motor impairment.
Middle Ordovician Aporthophyla brachiopod fauna from the roof of the World, southern Tibet
Authors: Zhan Renbin , Harper David A. T. , Jin Jisuo , Liang Yan , Liu Jianbo , Stemmerik Lars , Stouge Svend 
Published: January 2014

AbstractA Darriwilian (late Middle Ordovician) brachiopod fauna from the Lower Formation of the Chiatsun Group at Jiacun, northern Nyalam, southern Tibet, consists of ten brachiopod species, forming a distinct Aporthophyla–Paralenorthis Association. Its taxonomic composition is typical of the Aporthophyla Fauna that occupied lower BA2 to upper BA3 benthic environments on sandy lime mud substrates. The occurrence of Paralenorthis in southern Tibet is confirmed for the first time, represented by P. costata sp. nov. Numerical analyses (PCA and CA) of 18 Darriwilian brachiopod faunas from ten palaeoplates or terranes indicate that: (1) the Aporthophyla Fauna was confined to a specific latitudinal belt although it had a wide lateral distribution from the large palaeocontinents of Gondwana to Laurentia; (2) the Saucrorthis Fauna, a typical late Middle Ordovician regional fauna, is limited to a much smaller area, marginal to the Gondwana supercontinent; (3) the strong provincialism persistent in the late Middle Ordovician contributed to increased gamma biodiversity during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event.
Paul de Man's Philosophical Poetics
Authors: Eyers Tom 
Published: January 2014

AbstractWhen details of the literary critic Paul de Man's anti‐Semitic wartime journalism surfaced in the 1980s, enemies of deconstruction in the academy claimed that the always‐controversial style of thought tended inherently towards nihilism in its tight focus on the paradoxes of language and in its relative indifference to truth claims. More recently, ‘speculative realists’ in philosophy have lambasted deconstruction and critical theory more generally with neglecting the reality of the physical world as it exists outside language and human comprehension. But what if Paul de Man's own engagements with Kant and the European philosophical tradition in the latter years of his life reveal a side of deconstruction that was as concerned with the intransigence of the material world as it was with the paradoxes of language? In this article, I take the measure of recent debates in Continental philosophy around realism and language, with the aim of bringing to light a less visible side of de Man's philosophical poetics, one that has nonetheless been pursued by scholars critically concerned with the precisely philosophical resonances of de Man's bracing theories of language and materiality.
Restructuring of the Financial Industry: The Disappearance of Locally Owned Traditional Financial Services in Rural America
Authors: Tolbert Charles M. , Mencken F. Carson , Riggs T. Lynn , Li Jing 
Published: January 2014

AbstractRestructuring in the financial services industry has altered the relationship between small business owners and capital. In the past small businesses have relied on relational, or soft data, lending from locally owned banks for capital. The proliferation of absentee‐owned local branch networks brought standardized practices, thus eliminating the autonomy of local loan officers to utilize soft data in loan decisions. In this article we examine the changes in the percentage of traditional financial services that are locally owned in three county types: metropolitan, micropolitan, and noncore. We utilize the Longitudinal Business Database at the U.S. Census Bureau Center for Economic Studies. We examine changes in local ownership of traditional financial services between 1976 and 2007. We find that the rate of decline of local ownership has been greatest in the noncore (most rural) counties. We also explore to what extent these patterns are related to the emergence of alternative financial services during the same period. We find that such alternative services are growing in all three county types, but at rates not significantly different than the population growth for these county types. We supplement our analysis with data from qualitative interviews with small business owners throughout rural Texas. We conclude with a discussion of implications and plans for future research.
Nurses' experiences with the implementation of the Kinaesthetics movement competence training into elderly nursing care: a qualitative focus group study
Authors: Fringer André , Huth Martina , Hantikainen Virpi 
Published: January 2014

BackgroundSupporting the movement of older people is one among the daily duties of geriatric nurses. Nurses exhibit a high risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. Nurses should also possess interaction skills to support active participation of older people in their own daily activities. Kinaesthetics movement competence training claims to be a recommendable approach that benefits both nurses and nursing home residents. However, implementing Kinaesthetics into daily practice is a challenging process.AimThis study aimed to examine nurses' experiences with regard to the implementation of Kinaesthetics movement competence training into a nursing home.DesignQualitative descriptive design with focus groups' interviews.MethodThirty‐two (three men) geriatric nurses from a Swiss nursing home who participated first time in Kinaesthetics training were interviewed in three focus groups (average 79 minutes). Interviews were analysed using inductive coding, categorisation and abstraction. The ethics committees of the cantons Basel‐Stadt and Basel‐Land (Switzerland) approved the study on 16 September 2010 (reference no. 224/10).FindingsNurses' experiences with the implementation of Kinaesthetics were divided into two categories: nurses' attitudes with regard to the implementation of Kinaesthetics and nurses experience of Kinaesthetics with regard to integration into daily practice. Even though the participants showed a positive attitude towards the design and structure of the Kinaesthetics training, its implementation into daily practice initially posed a noticeable challenge for the participating nurses. The results indicate that various factors exist that may either promote or impede the implementation of Kinaesthetics in nursing.ConclusionThe successful implementation of Kinaesthetics can be promoted by the structural integration of the concept at various levels of nursing home as well as complementary supporting measures. Regular professional support and education after Kinaesthetics training appears to be a necessary approach to sustainably implement the concepts into daily nursing practice.
A new transfectant panel cell line‐based MoAb‐independent antigen capture assay system for detection of CD36 antibody
Authors: Amakishi E. , Hayashi T. , Koh Y. , Matsuyama N. , Ishii H. , Matsukura H. , Yasui K. , Hirayama F. 
Published: January 2014

Background and ObjectivesCD36 antibody (Ab) causes several disorders: neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia, platelet transfusion refractoriness and non‐haemolytic transfusion reactions. However, there is no gold‐standard test for CD36 Ab.Materials and MethodsWe developed a transfectant panel cell line‐based MoAb‐independent antigen capture assay system for detection of CD36 Ab and compared it with the monoclonal antibody‐specific immobilization of platelet antigens (MAIPA) system in terms of sensitivity and specificity.ResultsOur new system was characterized by (1) gene‐transfected cell lines, but not panel platelets; (2) not being hampered by HLA Abs; and (3) no need to use CD36 MoAbs to ensure the antigen specificity of this detection system. In addition, it showed a much better receiver operating characteristic curve than the MAIPA system.ConclusionsThe present results indicate that our new system permits highly sensitive and specific detection of CD36 Ab.
Expression of modulators of extracellular matrix structure after anterior cruciate ligament injury
Authors: Haslauer Carla M. , Proffen Benedikt L. , Johnson Victor M. , Murray Martha M. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractThe ability of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) to heal after injury declines within the first 2 weeks after ACL rupture. To begin to explore the mechanism behind this finding, we quantified the expression of genes for collagen I and III, decorin, tenascin‐C, and alpha smooth muscle actin, as well as matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐1 and ‐13 gene expression within multiple tissues of the knee joint after ACL injury in a large animal model over a 2‐week postinjury period. Gene expression of collagen I and III, decorin, and MMP‐1 was highest in the synovium, whereas the highest MMP‐13 gene expression levels were found in the ACL. The gene expression for collagen and decorin increased over the 2 weeks to levels approaching that in the ligament and synovium; however, no significant increase in either of the MMPs was found in the provisional scaffold. This suggests that although the ACL and synovium up‐regulate both anabolic and catabolic factors, the provisional scaffold is primarily anabolic in function. The relative lack of provisional scaffold formation within the joint environment may thus be one of the key reasons for ACL degradation after injury.