bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Uncaria tomentosa Gel against Denture Stomatitis: Clinical Report
Authors: Tay Lidia Y. , dos Santos Fabio A. , Jorge Janaina H. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe objective of this study is to report the clinical use of 2% Uncaria tomentosa gel against denture stomatitis (DS) as an alternative treatment. The patient was a 65‐year‐old, denture‐wearing woman. At the clinical examination, her palate showed hyperplasic and erythematous mucosa indicating DS type II. DS is a chronic oral disease that affects denture wearers. It occurs as an inflammatory reaction in denture‐wearing patients under maxillary prostheses. Candida albicans has been reported as the principal etiological agent. An alternative treatment, the topical application of a gel of 2% U. tomentosa three times a day for 1 week was given to the patient. After 1 week of this treatment, she had significantly reduced signs of the disease. Despite the existence of a great number of antifungal agents, treatment failure is observed frequently. Phytotherapy is becoming more popular worldwide. Currently, the most promising medicinal Amazonian herb is U. tomentosa (Willd.) DC., known as Cat's Claw. Studies of the chemical and pharmacological properties of this medicinal plant have allowed researchers to develop indications for its use. This report demonstrates the effectiveness of U. tomentosa against DS.
Trait Mindfulness Predicts Efficient Top‐Down Attention to and Discrimination of Facial Expressions
Authors: Quaglia Jordan T. , Goodman Robert J. , Brown Kirk Warren 
Published: February 2015

AbstractIn social situations, skillful regulation of emotion and behavior depends on efficiently discerning others' emotions. Identifying factors that promote timely and accurate discernment of facial expressions can therefore advance understanding of social emotion regulation and behavior. The present research examined whether trait mindfulness predicts neural and behavioral markers of early top‐down attention to, and efficient discrimination of, socioemotional stimuli. Attention‐based event‐related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral responses were recorded while participants (N = 62; White; 67% female; Mage = 19.09 years, SD = 2.14 years) completed an emotional go/no‐go task involving happy, neutral, and fearful facial expressions. Mindfulness predicted larger (more negative) N100 and N200 ERP amplitudes to both go and no‐go stimuli. Mindfulness also predicted faster response time that was not attributable to a speed‐accuracy trade‐off. Significant relations held after accounting for attentional control or social anxiety. This study adds neurophysiological support for foundational accounts that mindfulness entails moment‐to‐moment attention with lower tendencies toward habitual patterns of responding. Mindfulness may enhance the quality of social behavior in socioemotional contexts by promoting efficient top‐down attention to and discrimination of others' emotions, alongside greater monitoring and inhibition of automatic response tendencies.
The determination of crystal structures of active pharmaceutical ingredients from X-ray powder diffraction data: a brief, practical introduction, with fexofenadine hydrochloride as example
Authors: Brüning Jürgen , Schmidt Martin U 
Published: February 2015

Abstract

Objectives
This study describes the general method for the determination of the crystal structures of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) from powder diffraction data and demonstrates its use to determine the hitherto unknown crystal structure of fexofenadine hydrochloride, a third-generation antihistamine drug.

Methods
Fexofenadine hydrochloride was subjected to a series of crystallisation experiments using re-crystallisation from solvents, gas diffusion, layering with an antisolvent and gel crystallisation. Powder diffraction patterns of all samples were recorded and inspected for polymorphism and for crystallinity.

Key findings
All samples corresponded to the same polymorph. The crystal structure was determined from an X-ray powder diffraction pattern using a real-space method with subsequent Rietveld refinement. The structure exhibits a two-dimensional hydrogen bond network.

Conclusion
Crystal structures of API can be determined from X-ray powder diffraction data with good reliability. Fexofenadine exhibits only one polymorphic form, which is stabilised in the crystal by strong hydrogen bonds of the type +N–H···Cl–, O–H···Cl–, and between COOH groups.
Use of Response Surface Methodology to Describe the Combined Effect of Temperature and Fiber on the Rheological Properties of Orange Juice
Authors: Siche Raúl , Falguera Víctor , Ibarz Albert 
Published: February 2015

AbstractThe rheological properties of orange juice were studied by means of the response surface methodology (RSM). The influence of both fiber concentration (0–12.5% [w/w]) and temperature (0–40C) on the parameters of the Herschel–Bulkley model were evaluated using a composed central rotatable design. The flow behavior of the juice at 20C changed due to the addition of fiber, from Newtonian to pseudoplastic when this content exceeded 2.5% (w/w) and from this to Herschel–Bulkley when contained fiber exceeded 9% (w/w). The increase in fiber content resulted in a progressive increase in the consistency index (k) and a decrease in the flow behavior index (n), both of which were well fitted by polynomial models (R2 > 0.95).Practical ApplicationsResponse surface methodology allows obtaining one single equation for each response variable (even with better predictive results) instead of several equations by using the traditional way.
Analysis of the Effect of High‐Pressure Homogenization (HPH) on the Settling Velocity of Particles in an Alcoholic Rice Beverage Using Video Recording, Turbidity and Computational Fluid Dynamic Simulation
Authors: Moon Ji Hoon , Yoon Won Byong 
Published: February 2015

AbstractHigh‐pressure homogenization (HPH) was applied to an alcoholic rice beverage (ARB). The effects of pressure (48–172 MPa) and the number of passes (1–3) on the fluid properties of the ARB, such as particle size, viscosity, turbidity and settling velocity, were investigated. Mean diameters continuously decreased with increasing homogenization pressure (P) and pass number (PN) until it reached a saturated condition (172 MPa with PN = 2). The viscosity and volume fraction of ARBs proportionally increased with increasing P and PN. The turbidity of HPH‐treated samples had stable characteristic until approximately 40 min. The settling velocities estimated by three different methods, including video recording, computational fluid dynamics simulation and analytic solutions (free and hindered flow). The free and hindered settling velocity of nonhomogenized and HPH‐treated samples were in the range of 1.2 × 10−4 to 1.7 × 10−4 and 0.3 × 10−7 to 4.3 × 10−7 m/s, respectively.Practical ApplicationFor alcoholic rice beverages (ARB), the unique translucent milky color differentiates ARB from distilled alcoholic beverage. The translucency is mainly due to the solid particles in the ARB, which could not be completely separated by the coarse filtration. Settling of solid particles caused a phase separation of ARB during storage or even serving in the glass. Our study showed that the high‐pressure homogenization (HPH) dramatically reduced the particle size of the ARB. Consequently, the settling velocity of HPH‐treated samples were significantly lower than that of nonhomogenized (NH) sample. The phase separation of ARB was delayed significantly after HPH.
Preparation and Characterization of Xanthan‐Modified Konjac Gel
Authors: Ding Baomiao , Xu Yanchun , Xiong Honglu , Xu Zhenming , Tian Zhihong 
Published: February 2015

AbstractXanthan‐modified konjac gel was successfully prepared using the synergistic effect between the two polysaccharides konjac glucomannan (KGM) and xanthan gum (XG). The effects of XG‐to‐KGM ratio, total polysaccharide concentration, Na2CO3 concentration, stirring time and KCl concentration on the properties of konjac gel were investigated by single factor experiment. The xanthan‐modified konjac gel was characterized, and the gel strength, gel elasticity and gel water‐holding capacity were used as the indicators. The properties of konjac gel were significantly improved by the addition of XG because of the synergistic effect between KGM and XG. The result showed that the high‐quality konjac gel could be obtained under the conditions of XG‐to‐KGM ratio, 1:5; total polysaccharide concentration, 3%; Na2CO3 concentration, 1.5%; stirring time, 90 min; and KCl concentration, 0.6%. The results indicate that XG could be used to effectively modify and improve the quality of konjac gel, and it may expand the konjac gel application in food field.Practical ApplicationsAs a water‐soluble neutral heteropolysaccharide, konjac glucomannan (KGM) is regarded as a non‐caloric food and a high‐quality dietary fiber in East Asia, the role of which has been displayed in blood cholesterol and sugar reduction, weight loss, promote intestinal activity and immune function, etc. In the current study, the properties of KGM gel were modified by xanthan gel using the synergistic effect between KGM gel and xanthan gum. Then, the gel quality of KGM gel was improved, and the water‐holding capacity was enhanced, and the alkali odor and bitter would be decreased, respectively. Xanthan‐modified KGM gel could be used to improve and obtain products with the desired texture, and it could also be used in functional foods and dietary or health product.
Gendering the Burden of Care: Health Reform and the Paradox of Community Participation in Western Belize
Authors: Uzwiak Beth A. , Curran Siobhan 
Published: February 2015

Belizean health policy supports a primary health care (PHC) strategy of universal access, community participation, and multisectoral collaboration. The principals of PHC were a key part of Belize's emergent national identity and built on existing community‐based health strategies.Ethnographic research in western Belize, however, reveals that ongoing health reform is removing providers from participatory arenas. In this article, we foreground a particular moment in Belizean health history—the rise and demise of multisectoral collaboration—to question what can constitute meaningful community participation in the midst of health reform. Many allied health providers continue to believe in the potential of PHC to alleviate the structural causations of poor health and to invest in PHC despite a lack of state support. This means that providers, the majority women, are palliating the consequences of neoliberal reform; it also means that they provide spaces of contestation to the consumer “logic” of this reform.
Novel evidence suggests that a ‘Rickettsia felis‐like’ organism is an endosymbiont of the desert flea, Xenopsylla ramesis
Authors: Rzotkiewicz Sabine , Gutiérrez Ricardo , Krasnov Boris R. , Morick Danny , Khokhlova Irina S. , Nachum‐Biala Yaarit , Baneth Gad , Harrus Shimon 
Published: February 2015

AbstractFleas are acknowledged vectors and reservoirs of various bacteria that present a wide range of pathogenicity. In this study, fleas collected from wild rodents from the Negev desert in southern Israel were tested for RickettsiaDNA by targeting the 16S rRNA (rrs) gene. Thirty‐eight Xenopsylla ramesis, 91 Synosternus cleopatrae and 15 Leptopsylla flea pools (a total of 568 fleas) were screened. RickettsiaDNA was detected in 100% of the X. ramesis and in one S. cleopatrae flea pools. None of L. algira flea pools was found positive. All positive flea pools were further characterized by sequencing of five additional genetic loci (gltA, ompB, ompA, htrA and fusA). The molecular identification of the positive samples showed all sequences to be closely related to the ‘Rickettsia felis‐like’ organisms (99–100% similarities in the six loci). To further investigate the association between ‘R. felis‐like’ and X. ramesis fleas, ten additional single X. ramesis adult fleas collected from the wild and five laboratory‐maintained X. ramesis imago, five larva pools (2–18 larvae per pool) and two egg pools (18 eggs per pool) were tested for the presence of ‘R. felis‐like’ DNA. All samples were found positive by a specific ompAPCR assay, confirming the close association of this Rickettsia species with X. ramesis in all its life stages. These results suggest a symbiotic association between ‘Rickettsia felis‐like’ and X. ramesis fleas.
The evolution of phylogeographic data sets
Authors: Garrick Ryan C. , Bonatelli Isabel A. S. , Hyseni Chaz , Morales Ariadna , Pelletier Tara A. , Perez Manolo F. , Rice Edwin , Satler Jordan D. , Symula Rebecca E. , Thomé Maria Tereza C. , Carstens Bryan C. 
Published: February 2015

Empirical phylogeographic studies have progressively sampled greater numbers of loci over time, in part motivated by theoretical papers showing that estimates of key demographic parameters improve as the number of loci increases. Recently, next‐generation sequencing has been applied to questions about organismal history, with the promise of revolutionizing the field. However, no systematic assessment of how phylogeographic data sets have changed over time with respect to overall size and information content has been performed. Here, we quantify the changing nature of these genetic data sets over the past 20 years, focusing on papers published in Molecular Ecology. We found that the number of independent loci, the total number of alleles sampled and the total number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) per data set has improved over time, with particularly dramatic increases within the past 5 years. Interestingly, uniparentally inherited organellar markers (e.g. animal mitochondrial and plant chloroplast DNA) continue to represent an important component of phylogeographic data. Single‐species studies (cf. comparative studies) that focus on vertebrates (particularly fish and to some extent, birds) represent the gold standard of phylogeographic data collection. Based on the current trajectory seen in our survey data, forecast modelling indicates that the median number of SNPs per data set for studies published by the end of the year 2016 may approach ~20 000. This survey provides baseline information for understanding the evolution of phylogeographic data sets and underscores the fact that development of analytical methods for handling very large genetic data sets will be critical for facilitating growth of the field.
Coupling Response Surface and Differential Evolution for Parameter Identification Problems
Authors: Vincenzi Loris , Savoia Marco 
Published: February 2015

AbstractIn the present article, a new surrogate‐assisted evolutionary algorithm for dynamic identification problems with unknown parameters is presented. It is based on the combination of the response surface (RS) approach (the surrogate model) with differential evolution algorithm for global search. Differential evolution (DE) is an evolutionary algorithm where N different vectors collecting the parameters of the system are chosen randomly or by adding weighted differences between vectors obtained from two populations. In the proposed algorithm (called DE‐Q), the RS is introduced in the mutation operation. The new parameter vector is defined as the one minimizing the second‐order polynomial function (RS), approximating the objective function. The performances in terms of speed rate are improved by introducing the second‐order approximation; nevertheless, robustness of DE algorithm for global minimum search of objective function is preserved, because multiple search points are used simultaneously. Numerical examples are presented, concerning: search of the global minimum of analytical benchmark functions; parameter identification of a damaged beam; parameter identification of mechanical properties (masses and member stiffnesses) of a truss‐girder steel bridge starting from frequencies and eigenvectors obtained from an experimental field test.
The role of thionins in rice defence against root pathogens
Authors: Ji Hongli , Gheysen Godelieve , Ullah Chhana , Verbeek Ruben , Shang Chenjing , De Vleesschauwer David , Höfte Monica , Kyndt Tina 
Published: February 2015

SummaryThionins are antimicrobial peptides that are involved in plant defence. Here, we present an in‐depth analysis of the role of rice thionin genes in defence responses against two root pathogens: the root‐knot nematodeMeloidogyne graminicolaand the oomycetePythium graminicola. The expression of rice thionin genes was observed to be differentially regulated by defence‐related hormones, whereas all analysed genes were consistently down‐regulated inM. graminicola‐induced galls, at least until 7 days post‐inoculation (dpi). Transgenic lines ofOryza sativacv. Nipponbare overproducingOsTHI7revealed decreased susceptibility toM. graminicolainfection andP. graminicolacolonization. Taken together, these results demonstrate the role of rice thionin genes in defence against two of the most damaging root pathogens attacking rice.
A PCR assay for the quantification of growth of the oomycete pathogen Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Anderson Ryan G. , McDowell John M. 
Published: February 2015

SummaryThe accurate quantification of disease severity is important for the assessment of host–pathogen interactions in laboratory or field settings. The interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana and its naturally occurring downy mildew pathogen, Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis (Hpa), is a widely used reference pathosystem for plant–oomycete interactions. Current methods for the assessment of disease severity in the Arabidopsis–Hpa interaction rely on measurements at the terminal stage of pathogen development; namely, visual counts of spore‐producing structures or the quantification of spore production with a haemocytometer. These assays are useful, but do not offer sensitivity for the robust quantification of small changes in virulence or the accurate quantification of pathogen growth prior to the reproductive stage. Here, we describe a quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay for the monitoring of Hpa growth in planta. The protocol is rapid, inexpensive and can robustly distinguish small changes in virulence. We used this assay to investigate the dynamics of early Hpa mycelial growth and to demonstrate the proof of concept that this assay could be used in screens for novel oomycete growth inhibitors.
Analysis of the nasal vestibule mycobiome in patients with allergic rhinitis
Authors: Jung Won Hee , Croll Daniel , Cho Jae Hoon , Kim Yu Ri , Lee Yang Won 
Published: February 2015

SummaryAdvances in culture‐independent sequencing methods have been utilised in recent studies to understand the phylogenetic composition of the human microbiome of healthy and diseased skin. Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an inflammatory condition of the nasal cavity caused by environmental allergens. Although nasal microbial communities have been considered important contributors in human health, no studies to date have comprehensively compared fungal communities (mycobiome) of the nasal vestibule using the culture‐independent pyrosequencing method. This study aimed to investigate how fungal communities of the nasal vestibule skin surface are influenced by AR. The phylogenetic composition of the nasal vestibule mycobiome of patients with AR was analysed by culture‐independent pyrosequencing methods and compared with healthy individuals. A total of 69 fungal genera were identified from both AR samples and healthy controls, and the genus Malassezia predominated in the nasal vestibule. Species‐level analysis classified eight different Malassezia species including M. pachydermatis and M. cuniculi, which were normally isolated from animals, and revealed M. restricta to be the most abundant species in the nasal vestibule. Although high interpersonal variation was observed, some of the AR samples displayed significantly higher diversities than healthy controls at both the genus and species level.
Hxt1, a monosaccharide transporter and sensor required for virulence of the maize pathogen Ustilago maydis
Authors: Schuler David , Wahl Ramon , Wippel Kathrin , Vranes Miroslav , Münsterkötter Martin , Sauer Norbert , Kämper Jörg 
Published: February 2015

Summary

The smut Ustilago maydis, a ubiquitous pest of corn, is highly adapted to its host to parasitize on its organic carbon sources. We have identified a hexose transporter, Hxt1, as important for fungal development during both the saprophytic and the pathogenic stage of the fungus.

Hxt1 was characterized as a high‐affinity transporter for glucose, fructose, and mannose; ∆hxt1 strains show significantly reduced growth on these substrates, setting Hxt1 as the main hexose transporter during saprophytic growth.

After plant infection, ∆hxt1 strains show decreased symptom development. However, expression of a Hxt1 protein with a mutation leading to constitutively active signaling in the yeast glucose sensors Snf3p and Rgt2p results in completely apathogenic strains. Fungal development is stalled immediately after plant penetration, implying a dual function of Hxt1 as transporter and sensor.

As glucose sensors are only known for yeasts, ‘transceptor’ as Hxt1 may constitute a general mechanism for sensing of glucose in fungi. In U. maydis, Hxt1 links a nutrient‐dependent environmental signal to the developmental program during pathogenic development.
The fasciclin‐like arabinogalactan protein family of Eucalyptus grandis contains members that impact wood biology and biomechanics
Authors: MacMillan Colleen P. , Taylor Lynette , Bi Yingdong , Southerton Simon G. , Evans Rob , Spokevicius Antanas 
Published: February 2015

Summary

Fasciclin‐like arabinogalactan protein (FLA) families have been identified and characterised in key plant species, with some members exhibiting functional specialization. Here we identify the FLA family of Eucalyptus grandis, and investigate the roles of three single‐FAS domain FLAs, with particular focus on secondary cell‐wall formation and wood properties.

We use various in‐silico approaches to identify and characterise E. grandis genome FLAs, and perform phylogenetic comparisons with other species. For three key FLAs, we perform functional testing including promoter‐reporter and overexpression transgenic approaches using eucalypts, poplar and tobacco.

Of the 18 eucalypt FLAs identified, several were specifically and highly expressed in stems. The specificity to stem xylem vessel and fibre development was demonstrated with EniFLA1promoter:GUS studies in several species. Testing of select eucalypt FLAs resulted in altered wood development and properties, for example 35S:EgrFLA2 led to a 3 degree reduction in cellulose microfibril angle in eucalypt xylem fibres, and 35S:EgrFLA3 to a reduction in tobacco stem flexural strength.

These results indicate that the eucalypt FLA family contains diverse members, and particular members with single FAS domains that are functionally specialized for secondary cell wall growth and properties.