bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Paternity analyses in wild‐caught and laboratory‐reared Caribbean cricket females reveal the influence of mating environment on post‐copulatory sexual selection
Authors: Oneal E. , Knowles L. L. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractPolyandry is ubiquitous in insects and provides the conditions necessary for male‐ and female‐driven forms of post‐copulatory sexual selection to arise. Populations of Amphiacusta sanctaecrucis exhibit significant divergence in portions of the male genitalia that are inserted directly into the female reproductive tract, suggesting that males may exercise some post‐copulatory control over fertilization success. We examine the potential for male–male and male–female post‐copulatory interactions to influence paternity in wild‐caught females of A. sanctaecrucis and contrast our findings with those obtained from females reared in a high‐density laboratory environment. We find that female A. sanctaecrucis exercise control by mating multiple times (females mount males), but that male–male post‐copulatory interactions may influence paternity success. Moreover, post‐copulatory interactions that affect reproductive success of males are not independent of mating environment: clutches of wild‐caught females exhibit higher sire diversity and lower paternity skew than clutches of laboratory‐reared females. There was no strong evidence for last male precedence in either case. Most attempts at disentangling the contributions of male–male and male–female interactions towards post‐copulatory sexual selection have been undertaken in a laboratory setting and may not capture the full context in which they take place – such as the relationship between premating and post‐mating interactions. Our results reinforce the importance of designing studies that can capture the multifaceted nature of sexual selection for elucidating the role of post‐copulatory sexual selection in driving the evolution of male and female reproductive traits, especially when different components (e.g. precopulatory and post‐copulatory interactions) do not exert independent effects on reproductive outcomes.
Trichogramma parasitoids for control of Lepidopteran borers in Taiwan: species, life‐history traits and Wolbachia infections
Authors: Wu L. H. , Hoffmann A. A. , Thomson L. J. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractTrichogramma, polyphagous endoparasitoids of lepidopteran eggs, are used against a variety of crop pests throughout the world including those of sugar cane and corn in south‐eastern Asia. Their ability to be easily and economically reared on factitious hosts and their wide host range have contributed to their widespread use in pest control. The overall aim of this study was to select strains for eventual release in crop areas for control of lepidopteran borer pests of sugar cane and corn. To this end, we identified common Trichogramma species emerging from corn borer egg masses throughout south‐western Taiwan, compared their life‐history characteristics, assessed their thermal limits and identified the Wolbachia infection status of collected Trichogramma parasitoids. Trichogramma ostriniae was the most commonly collected species on corn, with occasional detection of T. chilonis and an unidentified species designated as T. sp. y. Although the sex ratio varied widely between sites, Wolbachia infection was detected only at a single site in one species (T. ostriniae). Wolbachia‐infected T. ostriniae were tolerant to high temperature stress. Trichogramma chilonis had lowest fecundity of the three species tested, and a Wolbachia‐infected T. ostriniae strain had lower fecundity than an uninfected strain. Given the limited availability of distribution and historical data for Trichogramma species in Taiwan, the current study provides a baseline for future work and also highlights the importance of accurately identifying species when establishing colonies of natural enemies for biocontrol.
Distribution and influence of grazing on wheat curl mites (Aceria tosichella Keifer) within a wheat field
Authors: Umina P. A. , Schiffer M. , Parker P. , Hoffmann A. A. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractWheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) is a serious disease of wheat and is primarily transmitted from infected to healthy plants by the wheat curl mite, Aceria tosichella Keifer. Although wheat is the primary plant host of A. tosichella, wheat curl mites have been recorded on more than 60 different plant hosts; this broad host range allows mites to survive outside the wheat‐growing season by providing a ‘green bridge’. Despite the fact that A. tosichella can only crawl short distances, the mites can disperse via wind and thus have the capacity to readily infest wheat crops from neighbouring refuges. In this study, we undertook field trials to investigate the temporal movement of A. tosichella, as well as the importance of wind and livestock grazing on mite dispersal late in the cropping season. We demonstrate there is a window in spring when A. tosichella undergo significant movement in south‐eastern Australia, and this is likely related to the development stage of wheat plants, and may also be influenced by wind direction. We found that grazing wheat crops reduced mite numbers, suggesting that any increase in WSMV issues in ‘grain and graze’ crops is likely due to the longer season wheat varieties used in these systems rather than the direct effects of grazing. These results emphasize the importance of crop management strategies in the control of A. tosichella.
Perspectives of orthopaedic surgeons on patients' appropriateness for total joint arthroplasty: a qualitative study
Authors: Frankel Lucy , Sanmartin Claudia , Hawker Gillian , De Coster Carolyn , Dunbar Michael , Bohm Eric , Noseworthy Tom 
Published: September 2015

AbstractRationale, aims and objectivesAs total joint arthroplasty (TJA) rates rise, there is need to ensure appropriate use. Our objective was to elucidate surgeons' perspectives on appropriateness for TJA.MethodsSemi‐structured telephone interviews were conducted in a sample of orthopaedic surgeons that perform TJA in three Canadian Provinces. Surgeons were asked to discuss their criteria for TJA appropriateness for osteoarthritis; potential value of a decision‐support tool to select appropriate candidates; and the role of other stakeholders in assessing appropriateness.ResultsOf 17 surgeons approached for participation, 14 completed interviews (12 males; 7 aged <50 years; 5 academic; 8 in urban practices). Surgeons agreed that pain and pain impact on patients' quality of life and function were the key criteria to assess appropriateness for TJA, but that these concepts were difficult to assess and not always congruent with structural changes on joint radiography. Some used a wider range of criteria, including their assessments of patient expectations, ability to cope and readiness for surgery. While patient age was not identified as a criterion itself, surgeons did acknowledge that appropriateness criteria may differ for younger versus older patients. Most agreed that a decision‐support tool would help ensure that all elements of appropriateness are assessed in a standardized manner, albeit the ultimate decision to offer surgery must be left to the discretion of surgeons, within the context of the doctor–patient relationship.ConclusionsSurgeons recognized the need for a tool to support decision making for TJA, particularly in the context of increasing surgical demand in younger patients with less severe arthritis. The work to develop and test such a decision‐support tool is underway.
miR‐122‐5p as a plasma biomarker of liver injury in fish exposed to microcystin‐LR
Authors: Florczyk M , Brzuzan P , Krom J , Woźny M , Łakomiak A 
Published: September 2015

AbstractRecent studies have shown the presence of large amounts of microRNAs (miRNAs; miRs) from damaged cells in the peripheral blood. In this study, we investigated the levels of miRNAs circulating in the blood plasma of whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) after exposure to microcystin‐LR. We used real‐time PCR to examine the relative expression of plasma levels of 4 miRNAs (miR‐122‐5p and let‐7c‐5p, the liver‐enriched microRNAs, miR‐148a‐3p which promotes the hapatospecific phenotype in mammals, and miR‐92a‐3p, a cell proliferation and angiogenesis promoter, potentially hepatocarcinogenic) during the first 48 h after exposure to MC‐LR. We observed a rapid increase of miR‐122‐5p levels 8 h after exposure (P < 0.05), which continued to the end of the experiment. Our results demonstrated that the plasma miR‐122‐5p was indicative of MC‐LR‐induced liver injury, exhibiting areas under the curve close to 1 in ROC analysis (AUC = 0.976, P < 0.001). Although plasma levels of miR‐148a‐3p and miR‐92a‐3p were significantly elevated by the end of the experiment, their discriminative power was lower than reported for the miR‐122‐5p. Based on these results and reports on miRNA‐based diagnosis of liver injuries in mammals, plasma miR‐122‐5p could be considered as a robust, new generation diagnostic biomarker in fish, helpful for the non‐invasive diagnosis of liver damage.
Rheology and Fluid Dynamic of Egg White: Effect of Thixotropy on Engineering Design
Authors: Polachini Tiago Carregari , Basso Rodrigo Corrêa , Telis‐Romero Javier 
Published: September 2015

AbstractThe wide application of egg products by food industries reinforces the importance of dealing with egg white properties, such as thermophysical ones, for correct processing and equipment design. Therefore, rheological properties, density and pressure drops were studied from 0.5 to 53.4C, as well as their influence on the energy pump required in a hypothetical pipeline configuration. Egg white presented Power–Law behavior, with thixotropy. Consistency coefficient and apparent viscosity were estimated by an Arrhenius‐type equation for downward and upward curves. Densities were obtained as a linear function of temperature. Fanning friction factors could be calculated and correlated with generalized Reynolds number. The use of Rabinowitsch–Mooney equation resulted in good similarity with the rheological behavior obtained using the rheometer. Different cases of pipeline simulation showed a deviation of until 2.8% in the required energy pump.Practical ApplicationsEgg white is a very useful product of food industry, but its processing requires the knowledge of some thermophysical properties. Among them, there are rheological properties and flow behavior which could present thixotropy. Studying how transport properties are affected by shear rate is valid for the correct equipment design. In order to evaluate this behavior deviation on industrial plant designs, thixotropy and friction factors of egg white are discussed in this work through the aid of a hypothetical pipeline. Rheograms obtained from pressure drops (along a pipe) and shear stress (by rheometer) were compared to provide information about the similarity between different ways for data acquisition.
Effect of Thermal Processing on Antibacterial Activity of Multifloral Honeys
Authors: Pimentel‐González D.J. , Basilio‐Cortes U.A. , Hernández‐Fuentes A.D. , Figueira A.C. , Quintero‐Lira A. , Campos‐Montiel R.G. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractIn this study, the effects of thermal processing in the antibacterial activity of four multifloral honeys were determined. The thermal treatments were carried out at 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80C, and the following characteristics were determined: total phenols and antibacterial activity of three gram‐positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes) and three gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The results showed that the behavior of total phenols in relation to temperature depended on the floral sources of honey. The honeys presented curves of either linear or quadratic responses of the antibacterial activity in relation to the thermal process, depending on the honey's floral sources and the kind of bacterium to inhibit. The results suggest that the honey's antibacterial activities and behavior with the temperature are different depending on the honey's floral sources and the kind of bacteria that they inhibit.Practical ApplicationsThe consumer trend to search for minimally processed foods has increased in recent years due to the perception that food processing decreases its health benefits and antibacterial activities. Honey can inhibit pathogenic bacteria, but this inhibition is determined by the floral source from which the honey is collected. In this study, it was shown that thermal processing has a different effect on the antibacterial activities of each honey. These effects were linear or quadratic according to the bacteria (Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and the floral source of the honey. This effect did not depend on the Gram (the inhibition against Salmonella typhimurium was linear with respect to the thermal process in all honey), in contrast to E. coli (where the effect was quadratic with a peak at 60C in all of the honey). The results led to the conclusion that the thermal processing of each honey must be different to maximize their beneficial health effects as well as their antibacterial activities.
Detection of Prototheca zopfii in Raw Milk and Cheese with Special Reference to Their Antibiogram
Authors: AbdelHameed Karima G. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractMilk and cheese contaminated with Prototheca sp. have zoonotic importance and constitute public health significance to the consumers. In this study, a total of 300 random raw milk and cheese samples were collected from Qena city markets, Egypt, to detect Prototheca sp. Fifty‐five of the total 58 isolates of Prototheca were isolated from raw milk and cheese, respectively. The isolates were identified conventionally and microscopically. API system and biochemical tests divided the isolates into four species as follows: P. zopfii, P. blaschkeae, P. stagnora and P. wickerhamii. The most prevalent isolated species was P. zopfii, which was isolated from 12% of buffalo's milk, 16% of cow's milk, 20% of Damietta and 22% of Kareish cheese samples. Polymerase chain reaction assay for P. zopfii confirmation was carried out by amplification of 18S rDNA that classified P. zopfii as genotypes I (28.88%) and II (71.11%). P. zopfii show in vitro resistance to almost all tested types of antimicrobial except for gentamicin and kanamycin. However, nystatin and ketoconazole showed the highest activity among the antifungal.Practical ApplicationsIn this study, high prevalence of Prototheca sp. in the examined raw milk and cheese samples constitutes a public health hazard to consumers. Therefore, sanitary measures during production, storage and processing, as well as sufficient heat treatment, should be recommended. In addition, the present research contributes to increase the knowledge on the diffusion of antibiotic resistance of P. zopfii strains.
Interleukin‐18 gene polymorphisms and risk of recurrent pregnancy loss: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Chen Hui , Yang Xiaorong , Du Jinge , Lu Ming 
Published: September 2015

AbstractInterleukin‐18 (IL‐18) plays a potential pathological role in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). The results of published studies on the relationship between IL‐18 gene promoter polymorphisms (‐137G/C and‐607C/A) and RPL risk remain controversial. This meta‐analysis was performed to evaluate the association of IL‐18, ‐137G/C and‐607C/A gene polymorphisms with the risk of RPL under recessive, dominant and additive genetic models. A literature search was conducted in Medline, Embase and Web of Science for studies that described the effect of IL‐18 gene polymorphisms on RPL risk. The numbers of each ‐137G/C and‐607C/A genotype in the case and control groups were extracted. Quality of the original studies’ methodology was also assessed. Meta‐analysis was performed using Stata 13.1 software and the fixed effect model was used. Five articles were included in this meta‐analysis. No significant heterogeneity between the studies was noted. The IL‐18 ‐137 G/C polymorphism was significantly associated with an increased risk of RPL under a recessive genetic model (CC vs. GG + CG: odds ratio = 1.56, 95% confidence interval = 1.13 ~ 2.15). For the ‐607C/A mutation, we failed to find any association under any genetic models. The Egger's regression asymmetry test showed no publication bias. Our present study indicates a positive association between the CC genotype of the IL‐18 ‐137G/C gene and RPL risk. Future well‐designed large studies are needed to validate the association between IL‐18 gene polymorphisms and the risk of RPL.
Evaluation of Safety and Feasibility of Percutaneous Balloon Pericardiotomy in Hemodynamically Significant Pericardial Effusion (Review of 10‐Years Experience in Single Center)
Authors: Bhardwaj Ravindra , Gharib Walid , Gharib Wissam , Warden Bradford , Jain Abnash 
Published: September 2015

BackgroundPercutaneous balloon pericardiotomy (PBP) has been successful in managing large pericardial effusions, particularly in patients with malignant conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate safety and feasibility of this procedure (PBP) in patients who had recurrent life threatening pericardial effusion at West Virginia University Hospital (WVUH).MethodsThis is retrospective review of consecutive series of pericardial windows by PBP. This report entails our experience of 36 procedures performed from November 2002 to November 2012 by PBP.ResultsThirty‐six percutaneous balloon pericardiotomies were performed (20 males and 16 females) with a mean age of 58 ± 15 years. Lung cancer (50%) was the most common diagnosis with small cell type (29%) being most frequent. Other causes of pericardial effusion requiring PBP procedure included breast cancer (13.2%) and gastrointestinal cancer (15.7). Five patients had previously required pericardiocentesis in the past, and 31 patients had PBP as the first treatment for the pericardial effusion. There were no acute complications. The procedures were successful and well tolerated. Technical success of procedure was 100%. The 30‐day survival was 81 percent and there were no infectious complications during follow‐up.ConclusionPercutaneous balloon pericardiotomy is safe and effective technique for the management of patients with severe recurrent life threatening pericardial effusion. (J Interven Cardiol 2015;28:409–414)
ADO II in Percutaneous VSD Closure in Pediatric Patients
Authors: Narin Nazmi , Baykan Ali , Pamukcu Ozge , Argun Mustafa , Ozyurt Abdullah , Mese Timur , Yilmazer Murat Muhtar , Gunes Isin , Kazım Uzum 
Published: September 2015

ObjectivesMain aim of our study to show that ADO II device can be used for the small ventricular septal defects successfully and safely with low complication rates in pediatric population.BackgroundIt is hard to find an ideal device to use for every VSD successfully. If inappropriate device was chosen; complication rate increases, procedure time gets longer that prolongs exposure to ionizing radiation. Therefore interventionalists are in the search for new ideal devices.MaterialBetween the dates April 2011–October 2014, 21 VSD closures with ADO‐II device. were performed. Twenty patients were included, age ranged between 4 months 18 years. Weight of the patients was between 5–76 kg.ResultsVSD diameter ranges between 2–6 mm (3.75 ± 1.25). VSD types were muscular in 2 patients, rest of them were perimembranous type. Most of the perimembranous defects (19/21) were aneursymatic and tunnel shaped. All the cases were successfully closed, no major complications were reported. There was no incidence of left bundle branch block, P‐R prolongation, or complete heart block.ConclusionConsidering perimembraneous ventricular septal defects as difficult and risky for percutaneous closure because of its proximity to aortic, atrioventricular valves and conduction tissue, we suggest that ADO II device can be safely and effectively used for such defects in particular if an aneurysm formation is present which is also compatible with the literature. (J Interven Cardiol 2015;28:479–484)
The Impact of Rurality on 30‐Day Preventable Readmission, Illness Severity, and Risk of Mortality for Heart Failure Medicare Home Health Beneficiaries
Authors: Chen Hsueh‐Fen , Carlson Erin , Popoola Taiye , Suzuki Sumihiro 
Published: September 2015

AbstractPurposeTo examine the impact of rurality on 30‐day preventable readmission, and the illness severity and risk of mortality for 30‐day preventable readmissions.MethodsWe analyzed heart failure Medicare beneficiaries who received home health services for postacute care after hospital discharge in 2009. The study was a cross‐sectional design with the unit of analysis as the home health episode for postacute care. Data sources included the following: Medicare Beneficiary Summary File, Medicare Provider Analysis Review, Outcome Assessment Information Set, Home Health Agency Research Identifiable File, and Area Health Resources File. The dependent variables were 30‐day preventable readmission, and the extreme/major level of illness severity and of risk of mortality for a 30‐day preventable readmission. The key independent variable was rurality defined as remote rural, adjacent rural, and micropolitan areas, with urban areas in the reference group.FindingsHome health beneficiaries in remote rural areas had 27% lower 30‐day preventable readmission than those in urban areas. Home health beneficiaries in adjacent rural areas were 33% less likely to have high illness severity at readmission due to a preventable condition than those in urban areas.ConclusionsGeographical location affects preventable readmission and illness severity of preventable readmission. Patients’ geographic location along with patients’ risk factors should be taken into consideration in the risk adjustment model for the financial incentive program that penalizes home health agencies with high preventable readmissions.