bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multilayer scaffold of electrospun PLA–PCL–collagen nanofibers as a dural substitute
Authors: Wang Yu‐fei , Guo Hong‐feng , Ying Da‐jun 
Published: May 2013

AbstractDural closure after the neurosurgery can prevent postoperative complications. Although many types of dural substitute have been developed, most of them lack functional and structural characteristics compared with the natural dura mater. In this study, we used electrospinning method to fabricate a multilayer scaffold to promote dural repair. The inner layer of the scaffold that faces the brain tissue is composed of poly‐lactic acid (PLA) to reduce tissue adhesion. The middle layer of the scaffold is composed of poly‐ɛ‐caprolactone and PLA, which provides a watertight seal. The outer layer of the scaffold contains a large amount of collagen to promote cell attachment and proliferation. The results from in vitro study and an animal model have shown that this multilayer fibrous scaffold has sufficient mechanic strength and biochemical properties to enhance dural repair. Therefore, fabrication of scaffold with multiple functional and structural layers may provide a novel approach for tissue engineering. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 101B: 1359–1366, 2013.
Embedding Partial k‐Star Designs
Authors: Hoffman D. G. , Roberts Dan 
Published: May 2013

AbstractA k‐star is the complete bipartite graph . Let G and H be graphs, and let be a partial H‐decomposition of G. A partial H‐decomposition, , of another graph is called an embedding of provided that and G is a subgraph of . We find an embedding of a partial k‐star decomposition of into a k‐star decomposition of , where s is at most if k is odd, and if k is even.
Identification of Daqingye and Banlangen including crude drugs and decoction dregs from three plant species by normal light and fluorescence microscopy
Authors: Xiaojing Wan , Liang Zhitao , Chen Hu-biao , Zhao Zhongzhen , Li Ping 
Published: May 2013

ABSTRACTDaqingye and Banlangen are commonly used Chinese medicinal materials derived from the leaves and roots of Isatis indigotica Fort., respectively, which clinical effects have been confirmed by many studies in recent years. However, many problems have arisen concerning the quality and identity of materials sold in the market under these two names. Thus, the identification of Daqingye and Banlangen has drawn public attention. In this work, transverse sections of Daqingye and Banlangen from I. indigotica Fort. and two easily confused species, namely Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Bremek. and Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum Turcz., were investigated with normal light and fluorescence microscopy. The distinguishing features were 7–9 vascular bundles, cystoliths and nonglandular hairs in the leaves of I. indigotica, B. cusia, and C. cyrtophyllum, respectively. The Banlangen could be distinguished according to the characteristics of parenchymous cells, cystoliths, and stone cells. Moreover, the fluorescence features of Daqingye and Banlangen investigated in this study can provide direct points for differentiating those samples. Importantly, whether the crude drugs were decocted could be easily identified by their different fluorescence features, which can ensure their quality in clinical application. This is the first report to distinguish the three species that are commonly found in the market sold as Daqingye and Banlangen by normal light and fluorescence microscopy. This work indicates that the combination of normal light and fluorescence microscopy could be powerful, convenient, and economical for authenticating Daqingye and Banlangen from the three species, including crude drugs and decoction dregs. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:774–782, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A place for ultrastructural analysis of platelets in cerebral ischemic research
Authors: Van Der Spuy Wendy Jeannette , Pretorius Etheresia 
Published: May 2013

ABSTRACTIt is well known that estrogen is neuroprotective through various mechanisms which suggest that sex hormone levels, thrombotic mechanisms, and inflammatory processes are strongly interconnected in predicting the outcome and consequences of cerebral ischemia. Because platelet ultrastructure is altered in conditions like thrombosis and associated with stroke, the question arises whether ultrastructural analyses of platelet morphology may provide further insight into the role of estrogen during ischemic insult. In the current study, a hyperglycemic modification to the two‐vessel occlusion model for inducing experimental cerebral ischemia was employed, in order to correlate neural tissue integrity levels between three experimental groups to corresponding platelet ultrastructure so as to determine whether there is an association between cerebral ischemia and the presence of inflammatory or necrotic platelet ultrastructure. It is apparent in the results that under the influence of estrogen in cyclic or intact females, there is lesser neural tissue damage as well as a reduced degree of inflammation evident in platelet activation morphology when compared to males and acyclic or ovariectomized females. It is unmistakable that neural injury is closely shadowed, if not preceded, by inflammatory changes in the coagulation system, particularly manifested in platelet ultrastructure. It is therefore suggested that platelets may indeed be used successfully to follow the progression of events of cerebral ischemia and possibly assist in the assessment of treatment strategies and their effects on hemostasis. Microsc. Res. Tech. 76:795–802, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The lightning activity associated with the dry and moist convections in the Himalayan Regions
Authors: Penki R. K. , Kamra A. K. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractLightning activity in the dry environment of northwest India and Pakistan (NW) and in the moist environment of northeast India (NE) has been examined from the Optical Transient Detector and Lightning Imaging Sensor data obtained from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite during 1995–2010. In the NW region, seasonal variation of flash rate is annual with a maximum in July but is semi‐annual with a primary maximum in April and a secondary maximum in September, in the NE region. On diurnal scale, flash rate is the maximum in the afternoons, in both the NE and NW regions. The correlation of flash rate with convective parameters, viz. surface temperature, convective available potential energy (CAPE) and outgoing long‐wave radiation is better with convective activity in the NW than in the NE region. Mean value of aerosol optical depth at 550 nm is ~ 26% higher and is highly correlated with flash rate in NW as compared to that in NE. Results indicate that CAPE is ~ 120 times more efficient in NW than in the NE region for production of lightning. The empirical orthogonal function analysis of flash rate, surface temperature, and CAPE shows that variance of lightning activity in these regions cannot be fully explained by the variance in the surface temperature and CAPE alone, and that some other factors, such as orographic lifting, precipitation, topography, etc., may also contribute to this variance in these mountainous regions. Further, the increase in CAPE due to orographic lifting in the Himalayan foothills in the NE region may contribute to ~ 7.5% increase in lightning activity. Relative roles of the thermally induced and moisture‐induced changes in CAPE are examined in these regions. This study merely raises the questions, and that additional research is required for explaining the fundamental reasons for the reported observations here.
The Average Degree of Minimally Contraction‐Critically 5‐Connected Graphs
Authors: Ando Kiyoshi , Egawa Yoshimi , Kriesell Matthias 
Published: May 2013

AbstractAn edge of a 5‐connected graph is said to be 5‐removable (resp. 5‐contractible) if the removal (resp. the contraction) of the edge results in a 5‐connected graph. A 5‐connected graph with neither 5‐removable edges nor 5‐contractible edges is said to be minimally contraction‐critically 5‐connected. We show the average degree of every minimally contraction‐critically 5‐connected graph is less than . This bound is sharp in the sense that for any positive real number ε, there is a minimally contraction‐critically 5‐connected graph whose average degree is greater than .
Genetic and functional diversity of fluorescent Pseudomonas from rhizospheric soils of wheat crop
Authors: Yadav Subhash , Yadav Shivani , Kaushik Rajeev , Saxena Anil K. , Arora Dilip K. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractWheat rhizospheric soils were collected from different part of northern and eastern Indo‐Gangetic plains, which is being irrigated from water of Ganga River. Isolation of fluorescent Pseudomonas species was carried out from the soil samples collected. The percentage of isolates positive for indolic compound, P‐solubilisation, siderophore production and ACC deaminase activity were 64.0, 38.6, 63.5, and 19.7, respectively. A total of 543 isolates were randomly selected for studies based on the genus specific confirmation by the Pseudomonas specific primer. Among the 543 isolates, 26 different clusters were formed from 16S rDNA‐RFLP whereas 27 clusters were generated by the rpoB‐RFLP with similarity percent ranging from 3 to 100%. 16S rDNA sequencing showed 9 different species of Pseudomonas whereas, rpoB sequencing showed 13 different species of Pseudomonas. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA gene sequences generated 15 branches showing the more than 70% of boot strap value, whereas 18 branches in the rpoB based phylogenetic tree were supported by bootstrap values above 70%. Diversity indices based on rpoB were higher than the ribosomal RNA gene.
Fungal communities in the garden chamber soils of leaf‐cutting ants
Authors: Rodrigues Andre , Passarini Michel R. Z. , Ferro Milene , Nagamoto Nilson S. , Forti Luiz C. , Bacci Maurício , Sette Lara D. , Pagnocca Fernando C. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractLeaf‐cutting ants modify the properties of the soil adjacent to their nests. Here, we examined whether such an ant‐altered environment impacts the belowground fungal communities. Fungal diversity and community structure of soil from the fungus garden chambers of Atta sexdens rubropilosa and Atta bisphaerica, two widespread leaf‐cutting ants in Brazil, were determined and compared with non‐nest soils. Culture‐dependent methods revealed similar species richness but different community compositions between both types of soils. Penicillium janthinellum and Trichoderma spirale were the prevalent isolates in fungus chamber soils and non‐nest soils, respectively. In contrast to cultivation methods, analyses of clone libraries based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region indicated that richness of operational taxonomic units significantly differed between soils of the fungus chamber and non‐nest soils. FastUnifrac analyses based on ITS sequences further revealed a clear distinction in the community structure between both types of soils. Plectania milleri and an uncultured Clavariaceae fungus were prevalent in fungus chamber soils and non‐nest soils, respectively. FastUnifrac analyses also revealed that fungal community structures of soil from the garden chambers markedly differed among ant species. Our findings suggest that leaf‐cutting ants affect fungal communities in the soil from the fungus chamber in comparison to non‐nest soils.
Mechanisms of plant growth promotion and disease suppression by Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 2apa
Authors: Hariprasad P. , Chandrashekar S. , Singh S. Brijesh , Niranjana S. R. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractA new Pseudomonas strain, designated as 2apa was isolated from tomato rhizosphere and identified as a member of species Pseudomonas aeruginosa based on its morphology, conventional, biochemical, cell wall fatty acid methyl ester analysis, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The strain 2apa was positive for root colonization, indole acetic acid (IAA), salicylic acid and siderophore production and inhibited the growth of wide range of microorganisms. Antimicrobial substances produced by this strain with further purification and structure elucidation proved to be phenazine. Under laboratory and greenhouse conditions the strain promoted plant growth and suppressed a wide range of foliar and root pathogens in tomato. The protection offered by strain 2apa to foliar pathogens is considered as induced systemic resistance and was further confirmed by enhanced accumulation of phenolics, elicitation of lipoxygenas activity, and jasmonic acid levels. The broad‐spectrum antimicrobial and induced systemic resistance exhibiting strain P. aeruginosa 2apa can be used as an effective biological control candidate against devastating fungal and bacterial pathogens, which attack both root and foliar portions of tomato plant. Production of other functional traits such as IAA and siderophore may enhance its potential as biofertilizer.
Susceptibility of species within the Sporothrix schenckii complex to a panel of killer yeasts
Authors: Stopiglia Cheila Denise Ottonelli , Heidrich Daiane , Sorrentino Julia Medeiros , Vieira Fabiane Jamono , Landell Melissa Fontes , Valente Patrícia , Scroferneker Maria Lúcia 
Published: May 2013

AbstractThe Sporothrix schenckii complex is the etiologic agent of sporotrichosis, a subacute or chronic mycosis which can affect humans and animals. Killer yeasts have been used in the medical field for development of novel antimycotics and biotyping of pathogenic fungi. The action of 18 killer yeasts on the growth of 88 characterized S. schenckii, Sporothrix globosa, Sporothrix brasiliensis, and Sporothrix mexicana clinical and environmental isolates was evaluated. Killer studies were performed on Petri dishes containing cheese black starch agar. The yeasts Candida catenulata (QU26, QU31, QU127, LV102); Trichosporon faecale (QU100); Trichosporon japonicum (QU139); Kluyveromyces lactis (QU30, QU99, QU73); Kazachstania unispora (QU49), Trichosporon insectorum (QU89), and Kluyveromyces marxianus (QU103) showed activity against all strains of the S. schenckii complex tested. Observation by optical microscopy of S. brasiliensis 61 within the inhibition haloes around the colonies of the killer yeasts QU100, QU139, and LV102 showed that there was no conidiation, but there was hyphal proliferation. The toxins were fungistatic against S. brasiliensis 61. There was no difference in susceptibility to the toxins among the S. schenckii species complex. Further investigations are necessary to clearly establish the mechanism of action of the toxins.
Human methicillin‐sensitive Staphylococcus aureus biofilms: potential associations with antibiotic resistance persistence and surface polysaccharide antigens
Authors: Babra Charlene , Tiwari Jully , Costantino Paul , Sunagar Raju , Isloor Shrikrishna , Hegde Nagendra , Mukkur Trilochan 
Published: May 2013

AbstractThe development of persistent antibiotic resistance by human methicillin‐sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) strains and substantial association with poly‐N‐acetyl glucosamine (PNAG) in biofilms is reported in this investigation. Sixteen of 31 MSSA strains under study were found to have developed resistance to one or more antibiotics, with four strains, two of which did not produce biofilms, showing resistance to cefoxitin, undetectable by mecA amplification. Antibiotic resistance displayed by 13/14 biofilm‐forming S. aureus isolates remained persistent for 4 weeks prior to reverting back to the original antibiotic susceptibility, prompting a suggestion of determining antibiograms for clinical S. aureus isolates subcultured from biofilms developed in vitro as well as planktonic subcultures prepared from the site of infection. While there was correlation of antibiotic resistance with biofilm formation confirming previous reports, this is the first time that persistence of the biofilm‐associated antibiotic resistance by S. aureus as planktonic cells is reported. Among the two methods used for assessment of biofilm formation, the tissue culture plate (TCP) method revealed that almost all strains were strong or moderate biofilm producers whereas only 19/31 strains were biofilm producers using the Congo Red agar (CRA) method indicating the superiority of the TCP method in detecting biofilm producers. We also observed no association between biofilm formation and major capsule types. However, substantial, although not absolute, association of biofilm formation with PNAG was observed, warranting continued identification of additional surface‐associated polysaccharide and/or protein antigens associated with biofilm formation for development of an effective vaccine against S. aureus infections regardless of capsular phenotype.
Rural Tourism Partnerships and Actor Mobility
Authors: Saxena Gunjan 
Published: May 2013

ABSTRACTIn this paper, I examine actor mobility within the context of rural tourism partnerships (RTPs). The term ‘actor’ refers to those who have a stake in tourism planning, promotion and development such as policy makers, businesses, non‐profit making sector and community groups. Mobility is embedded in personal and social histories of actors as well as the policy framework that impacts their daily lives and informs their motives for being (dis)associated with RTPs. While exploring how actors' journeys transform rural localities' socio‐economic fabric, I find the writings of Lefebvre and de Certeau particularly useful because of their focus on counter‐hegemonic practices that shape the ‘everyday life’. Given that most rural societies in current times comprise an intricate mix of long‐term residents, seasonal‐home owners and migrants, each with their distinct set of life stories and value preferences with regard to their place of dwelling, my thrust in this paper on actor mobility is likely to identify new areas of future research on RTPs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outcomes in head and neck reconstruction by surgical site and donor site
Authors: Frederick John W. , Sweeny Larissa , Carroll William R. , Peters Glenn E. , Rosenthal Eben L. 
Published: May 2013

Objectives/HypothesisDefine surgical outcomes of specific donor sites for free tissue transfer in head and neck reconstruction.Study DesignRetrospective cohort review at an academic tertiary care center.MethodsA review was made of free tissue transfer procedures performed at a university‐based tertiary care facility from October 2004 to April 2011. A total of 1,051 patients underwent six types of free flaps: fasciocutaneous radial forearm (53%), osteocutaneous radial forearm (16%), rectus abdominis (11%), fibula (10%), anterior lateral thigh (7%), and latissimus dorsi (2%). Demographic data were collected, and outcomes measured were: length of hospital stay, flap viability, and major complications (infection, fistula, and hematoma).ResultsOf the 1,051 flaps performed, the most common operative site was oral cavity (40%, n = 414) followed by hypopharynx/larynx (22%, n = 234), cutaneous (20%, n = 206), oropharynx (9%, n = 98), midface (7%, n = 76), and skull base (2%, n = 23). The median hospital stay was 7.9 days (range, 1–76), and the overall failure rate was 2.8%. Cutaneous defects required the shortest length of hospitalization (5.8 days, P < .0001), a low free flap failure rate (1.5%, n = 3), and limited major complications (6%, n = 12). Conversely, oropharynx defects were associated with the longest hospitalization (8.9 days). Midface defects had a high incidence of complications (15%, n = 11, P = .10). Defects above the angle of the mandible had higher overall complications when compared to below. Similarly, reconstruction for primary or recurrent cancer had a total failure rate of 2.5%, whereas secondary reconstruction and radionecrosis had a failure rate of 4.0% (P = .29). Additionally, there was no statistical difference between outcomes based on donor site.ConclusionsThis review demonstrates that certain subsets of patients are at higher risk for complications after free tissue transfer. Patients undergoing free flap reconstruction for cutaneous defects have substantially shorter hospital stays and are at lower risk of flap complications, whereas reconstruction for radionecrosis and secondary reconstruction tend to have higher overall flap failure rates.Level of Evidence2c. Laryngoscope, 2013
The Effect of tumor subsite on short‐term outcomes and costs of care after oral cancer surgery
Authors: Li Ryan , Fakhry Carole , Koch Wayne M. , Gourin Christine G. 
Published: May 2013

Objectives/HypothesisTo determine if epidemiologic differences exist between patients with oral tongue carcinoma compared to tumors arising from other oral cavity subsites, and the relationship between primary site and in‐hospital mortality, postoperative complications, length of stay, and costs in patients undergoing surgery for oral cavity cancer.Study DesignRetrospective cross‐sectional study.MethodsThe Nationwide Inpatient Sample was analyzed for patients who underwent an ablative procedure for a malignant oral cavity neoplasm in 2001 to 2008 using cross‐tabulations and multivariate regression modeling.ResultsOverall, there were 45,071 patients treated surgically for oral cavity cancer, with oral tongue cancer comprising 35% of all oral cavity tumors. Patients with oral tongue cancer were significantly more likely to be female (odds ratio [OR] = 1.4) and undergo neck dissection (OR = 1.4), and significantly less likely to be black (OR = 0.4), over 40 years of age (OR = 0.4), have Medicaid payer status (OR = 0.7), advanced comorbidity (OR = 0.7), receive care at a teaching hospital (OR = 0.5), and undergo pedicled or free flap reconstruction (OR = 0.6, P < .001). Oral tongue primary site was not associated with in‐hospital mortality or surgical complications, but was significantly associated with a reduced incidence of medical complications (OR = 0.8, P = .005). After controlling for all other variables, oral tongue primary site disease was associated with a significantly reduced length of hospitalization and hospital‐related costs.ConclusionsOral tongue cancer is associated with a distinct epidemiologic profile compared to other oral cavity cancer subsites, and is associated with lower postoperative morbidity, length of hospitalization, and hospital‐related costs. Further investigation is warranted to determine if biologic factors underlie these observations.Level of Evidence2c. Laryngoscope, 2013