bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica protects wheat from fusarium crown rot disease in simulated UK autumn conditions
Authors: Rabiey M. , Ullah I. , Shaw M. W. 
Published: December 2014

The root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica (Sebacinacea) forms mutualistic symbioses with a broad range of host plants, increasing their biomass production and resistance to fungal pathogens. This study evaluated the effect of P. indica on fusarium crown rot disease of wheat, under in vitro and glasshouse conditions. Interaction of P. indica and Fusarium isolates under axenic culture conditions indicated no direct antagonistic activity of P. indica against Fusarium isolates. Seedlings of wheat were inoculated with P. indica and pathogenic Fusarium culmorum or F. graminearum and grown in sterilized soil‐free medium or in a non‐sterilized mix of soil and sand. Fusarium alone reduced emergence and led to visible browning and reduced root growth. Roots of seedlings in pots inoculated with both Fusarium isolates and P. indica were free of visible symptoms; seed emergence and root biomass were equivalent to the uninoculated. DNA was quantified by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The ratio of FusariumDNA to wheat DNA rose rapidly in the plants inoculated with Fusarium alone; isolates and species were not significantly different. Piriformospora indica inoculation reduced the ratio of Fusarium to host DNA in the root systems. The reduction increased with time. The ratio of P. indica to wheat DNA initially rose but then declined in root systems without Fusarium. With Fusarium, the ratio rose throughout the experiment. The absolute amount of FusariumDNA in root systems increased in the absence of P. indica but was static in plants co‐inoculated with P. indica.
Turning defiance into compliance with procedural justice: Understanding reactions to regulatory encounters through motivational posturing
Authors: Murphy Kristina 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThis paper usesBraithwaite's motivational posturing framework to explain how individuals react to encounters with regulatory authorities. Of interest is whetherprocedural justicecan reduce defiance and improve self‐reported compliance among individuals who are either resistant or dismissive of regulatory authority. Using longitudinal survey data collected from tax offenders (Study 1), and individuals who had a recent police‐citizen interaction (Study 2), it will be shown that procedural justice can promote compliance behavior. Procedural justice is also found to be effective for reducing resistant forms of defiance over time, but not dismissive defiance. Further, the results reveal that neither resistant defiance nor dismissive defiance moderate the effect of procedural justice on compliance, suggesting procedural justice works equally well for both low and high resisters and low and high disengagers. Finally, an unexpected result reveals that resistance, but not dismissive defiance, mediates the effect of procedural justice on self‐reported compliance behavior. The findings have implications for procedural justice research and for the regulation of defiance.
Innovation and public space: The developmental possibilities of regulation in the global south
Authors: Samford Steven 
Published: December 2014

AbstractImportant product and process innovations are often developed in “public spaces” that promote collaboration and provide shelter from market competition. Given that most collaborative spaces are costly to establish, the possible implications are bleak for economically strapped developing countries. This paper highlights a less conspicuous – if not unknown – source of collaborative space: the regulatory process. Regulators can induce innovation by promoting collaboration across organizational, sectoral, and disciplinary boundaries in the interest of regulatory compliance. This paper documents the innovative consequences of efforts to regulate the use of lead‐based glazes in the Mexican ceramics industry and reconsiders several recent studies of upgrading in other countries that appear to have been driven, at least in part, by the regulatory process. Drawing on these cases, this paper makes four primary points: (i) that innovation in regulatory spaces is more common than previously acknowledged and is producing meaningful improvements in product quality and working conditions in developing economies; (ii) that promoting innovation in these regulatory spaces is an important developmental tool for countries that are “regulation‐takers” and have many low‐tech sectors; (iii) that this dynamic extends current conceptions of regulatory discretion, as well as development literature on state‐society synergies; and (iv) that establishing collaborative public spaces as a common conceptual framework is a critical step toward understanding the consequences of social regulation on upgrading.
Laws, the Inference Problem, and Uninstantiated Universals
Authors: Rives Bradley 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThe difficulties facing Humean regularity accounts of laws have led some philosophers to a theory that takes laws to be necessitation relations between universals. In this paper I evaluate David Armstrong's version of this theory by considering two of its key elements: its solution to the so‐called “Inference Problem” and its denial of uninstantiated universals. After considering some potential problems with each of these elements on their own, I argue that Armstrong's solution to the Inference Problem and his denial of uninstantiated universals are not two independent aspects of his view. His solution to the Inference Problem depends upon his denial of uninstantiated universals.
Kantian Moral Retributivism: Punishment, Suffering, and the Highest Good
Authors: O'Connell Eoin 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAgainst the view of some contemporary Kantians who wish to downplay Kant's retributivist commitments, I argue that Kant's theory of practical of reason implies a retributive conception of punishment. I trace this view to Kant's distinction between morality and well‐being and his attempt to synthesize these two concerns in the idea of the highest good. Well‐being is morally valuable only insofar as it is proportional to virtue, and the suffering inflicted on wrongdoers as punishment for wrongdoing is morally good so long as it is proportional to the wrongdoing. According to Kantian retributivism, punishment is warranted as a means to promote proportionality between well‐being and virtue.
Can Policy Be Risk‐Based? The Cultural Theory of Risk and the Case of Livestock Disease Containment
Authors: Duckett Dominic , Wynne Brian , Christley Rob M. , Heathwaite A. Louise , Mort Maggie , Austin Zoe , Wastling Jonathan M. , Latham Sophia M. , Alcock Ruth , Haygarth Philip 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThis article explores the nature of calls for risk‐based policy present in expert discourse from a cultural theory perspective. Semi‐structured interviews with professionals engaged in the research and management of livestock disease control provide the data for a reading proposing that the real basis of policy relating to socio‐technical hazards is deeply political and cannot be purified through ‘escape routes’ to objectivity. Scientists and risk managers are shown calling, on the one hand, for risk‐based policy approaches while on the other acknowledging a range of policy drivers outside the scope of conventional quantitative risk analysis including group interests, eventualities such as outbreaks, historical antecedents, emergent scientific advances and other contingencies. Calls for risk‐based policy are presented, following cultural theory, as ideals connected to a reductionist epistemology and serving particular professional interests over others rather than as realistic proposals for a paradigm shift.
Cross‐evaluation of optimal glycerol concentration to enhance optical tissue clearing efficacy
Authors: Son T. , Jung B. 
Published: December 2014

Background/aimsThe efficacy of light therapeutic and diagnostic applications can be enhanced by employing optical tissue clearing (OTC) agents to minimize light scattering in tissue. This study aimed to investigate the optimal concentration of glycerol, so that it can be efficiently used as an OTC agent in dermatology.MethodsGlycerol was topically applied to avoid the possibility of edema that could be caused by dermal injection. The efficacy of glycerol was quantitatively evaluated for various concentrations using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to evaluate light scattering and ultrasound imaging modality to evaluate collagen dissociation.ResultsThe intensity in the OCT images in the deeper regions increased over time after glycerol application owing to enhanced light penetration caused by glycerol permeation into the sample. A comparable decrease over time in the collagen distribution was observed in the ultrasound images after glycerol application.ConclusionThe optimal concentration of glycerol to maximize OTC was found to be 70%. The finding of this study may provide a guideline regarding the use of glycerol for efficient light diagnosis and therapy in dermatology.
Effects of dexmedetomidine on pulse pressure variation changes induced by hemorrhage followed by volume replacement in isoflurane‐anesthetized dogs
Authors: Diniz Miriely S. , Teixeira‐Neto Francisco J. , Cândido Thaísa D. , Zanuzzo Felipe S. , Teixeira Lívia R. , Klein Adriana V. , do Nascimento Paulo 
Published: December 2014

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate the effects of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on changes in pulse pressure variation (PPV) induced by hemorrhage followed by volume replacement (VR) during isoflurane (ISO) anesthesia.DesignProspective, randomized, crossover study.SettingResearch laboratory at a veterinary teaching hospital.AnimalsEight adult dogs.InterventionsAnesthesia was maintained with 1.3 times the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of ISO alone or ISO with DEX (ISO‐DEX, 1.6 μg/kg [bolus], followed by 2 μg/kg/h). Atropine was administered 30 minutes prior to hemorrhage in the ISO‐DEX treatment. Ventilation was controlled (tidal volume of 12 mL/kg, positive end‐expiratory pressure of 7 cm H2O, respiratory rate of 16–20/min) under neuromuscular blockade. After recording baseline data, progressive withdrawal of 10%, 20%, and 30% of blood volume (HV10, HV20, and HV30, respectively [measurements during hemorrhage, indicating x% of blood volume removed]) was followed by VR with autologous blood.Measurements and Main ResultsIn 4 of 8 ISO dogs, hemorrhage decreased mean arterial pressure (MAP) < 60 mm Hg. Based on mean arterial pressure after hemorrhage, dogs were assigned to hypotensive (HG) and normotensive (NG) groups post hoc. During ISO, stroke index and cardiac index decreased with hemorrhage (P < 0.05), while VR normalized or increased these variables. The PPV (%, mean [range]) was increased by hemorrhage from 7 (5–9) to 20 (12–27) and 27 (17–40) at HV20 and HV30, respectively, only in ISO dogs in the HG; PPV returned to baseline after VR. Dexmedetomidine caused increases in systemic vascular resistance (in dogs in HG and NG), and prevented the increase in PPV with hemorrhage.ConclusionsDuring ISO anesthesia, PPV increases in individuals prone to developing hypotension from hypovolemia. Because DEX prevents the increase in PPV associated with hypovolemia, PPV should not be used to guide VR in dogs that have been given DEX.
A study on the ability of quaternary ammonium groups attached to a polyurethane foam wound dressing to inhibit bacterial attachment and biofilm formation
Authors: Tran Phat L. , Hamood Abdul N. , de Souza Anselm , Schultz Gregory , Liesenfeld Bernd , Mehta Dilip , Reid Ted W. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractBacterial infection of acute and chronic wounds impedes wound healing significantly. Part of this impediment is the ability of bacterial pathogens to grow in wound dressings. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of a polyurethane (PU) foam wound dressings coated with poly diallyl‐dimethylammonium chloride (pDADMAC‐PU) to inhibit the growth and biofilm development by three main wound pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumannii, within the wound dressing. pDADMAC‐PU inhibited the growth of all three pathogens. Time‐kill curves were conducted both with and without serum to determine the killing kinetic of pDADMAC‐PU. pDADMAC‐PU killed S. aureus, A. baumannii, and P. aeruginosa. The effect of pDADMAC‐PU on biofilm development was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative analysis, colony‐forming unit assay, revealed that pDADMAC‐PU dressing produced more than eight log reduction in biofilm formation by each pathogen. Visualization of the biofilms by either confocal laser scanning microscopy or scanning electron microscopy confirmed these findings. In addition, it was found that the pDADMAC‐PU‐treated foam totally inhibited migration of bacteria through the foam for all three bacterial strains. These results suggest that pDADMAC‐PU is an effective wound dressing that inhibits the growth of wound pathogens both within the wound and in the wound dressing.
Clinical Severity of Visceral Leishmaniasis Is Associated with Changes in Immunoglobulin G Fc N-Glycosylation
Authors: Gardinassi Luiz Gustavo , Dotz Viktoria , Hipgrave Ederveen Agnes , de Almeida Roque Pacheco , Nery Costa Carlos Henrique , Costa Dorcas Lamounier , de Jesus Amélia Ribeiro , Mayboroda Oleg A. , Garcia Gustavo Rocha , Wuhrer Manfred , de Miranda Santos Isabel Kinney Ferreira 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACT

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) has a high fatality rate if not treated; nevertheless, the majority of human infections with the causative agent,
Leishmania infantum chagasi
, are asymptomatic. Although VL patients often present with increased levels of serum immunoglobulins, the contribution of antibodies to resistance or progression to disease remains unknown. Effector and regulatory functions of antibodies rely on their interactions with type I and II Fc receptors, and these interactions are tuned by the patterns of antibody Fc N-glycosylation. In view of these facts, we applied a robust method of IgG Fc N-glycopeptide profiling of serum samples from 187 patients with VL, 177 asymptomatic individuals, 116 endemic controls (individuals residing in areas where VL is endemic) and 43 nonendemic controls (individuals living in an area where VL is not endemic). We show that, in comparison to the overall IgG Fc N-glycan profiles of asymptomatic or uninfected healthy individuals, those of patients with VL are profoundly altered. These changes correlate with levels of serum cytokines and the inflammation marker C-reactive protein. We also fitted univariate and multivariate ordinal logistic regression models to demonstrate the ability of IgG Fc N-glycosylation features and immunity regulators present in serum to predict disease severity in VL patients. Importantly, we show that Fc N-glycosylation profiles change after treatment of VL. This study introduces important concepts contributing to the understanding of antibody responses in infections with
Leishmania
parasites and provides new insights into the pathology of human VL.

IMPORTANCE
Immunoglobulins (Ig) have been shown to present pro- and anti-inflammatory functions according to the profile of carbohydrates attached to their Fc region. Glycosylation features of serum IgG have been examined in relation to several autoimmune and infectious diseases and provide a mechanistic basis for the protective or pathogenic role of antibodies.
Leishmania infantum chagasi
is the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in South America, and we show that VL patients produce IgG with patterns of Fc glycans similar to those found in other inflammatory conditions. Specific Fc N-glycosylation features and levels of serum cytokines and C-reactive protein are significantly associated with the development of severe clinical symptoms and, notably, Fc glycosylation changes after treatment. The modifications detected in the N-glycosylation features of IgG Fc from VL patients raise new perspectives on the effector or regulatory role of antibodies in immune responses elicited by infection with
Leishmania
parasites.
Candida albicans Hypha Formation and Mannan Masking of β-Glucan Inhibit Macrophage Phagosome Maturation
Authors: Bain Judith M. , Louw Johanna , Lewis Leanne E. , Okai Blessing , Walls Catriona A. , Ballou Elizabeth R. , Walker Louise A. , Reid Delyth , Munro Carol A. , Brown Alistair J. P. , Brown Gordon D. , Gow Neil A. R. , Erwig Lars P. 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACT

Candida albicans
is a major life-threatening human fungal pathogen in the immunocompromised host. Host defense against systemic
Candida
infection relies heavily on the capacity of professional phagocytes of the innate immune system to ingest and destroy fungal cells. A number of pathogens, including
C. albicans
, have evolved mechanisms that attenuate the efficiency of phagosome-mediated inactivation, promoting their survival and replication within the host. Here we visualize host-pathogen interactions using live-cell imaging and show that viable, but not heat- or UV-killed
C. albicans
cells profoundly delay phagosome maturation in macrophage cell lines and primary macrophages. The ability of
C. albicans
to delay phagosome maturation is dependent on cell wall composition and fungal morphology. Loss of cell wall
O
-mannan is associated with enhanced acquisition of phagosome maturation markers, distinct changes in Rab GTPase acquisition by the maturing phagosome, impaired hyphal growth within macrophage phagosomes, profound changes in macrophage actin dynamics, and ultimately a reduced ability of fungal cells to escape from macrophage phagosomes. The loss of cell wall
O
-mannan leads to exposure of β-glucan in the inner cell wall, facilitating recognition by Dectin-1, which is associated with enhanced phagosome maturation.

IMPORTANCE
Innate cells engulf and destroy invading organisms by phagocytosis, which is essential for the elimination of fungal cells to protect against systemic life-threatening infections. Yet comparatively little is known about what controls the maturation of phagosomes following ingestion of fungal cells. We used live-cell microscopy and fluorescent protein reporter macrophages to understand how
C. albicans
viability, filamentous growth, and cell wall composition affect phagosome maturation and the survival of the pathogen within host macrophages. We have demonstrated that cell wall glycosylation and yeast-hypha morphogenesis are required for disruption of host processes that function to inactivate pathogens, leading to survival and escape of this fungal pathogen from within host phagocytes. The methods employed here are applicable to study interactions of other pathogens with phagocytic cells to dissect how specific microbial features impact different stages of phagosome maturation and the survival of the pathogen or host.
Developing a new model for patient recruitment in mental health services: a cohort study using Electronic Health Records
Authors: Callard Felicity , Broadbent Matthew , Denis Mike , Hotopf Matthew , Soncul Murat , Wykes Til , Lovestone Simon , Stewart Robert 
Published: December 2014

ObjectivesTo develop a new model for patient recruitment that harnessed the full potential of Electronic Health Records (EHRs). Gaining access to potential participants’ health records to assess their eligibility for studies and allow an approach about participation (‘consent for contact’) is ethically, legally and technically challenging, given that medical data are usually restricted to the patient's clinical team. The research objective was to design a model for identification and recruitment to overcome some of these challenges as well as reduce the burdensome (and/or time consuming) gatekeeper role of clinicians in determining who is appropriate or not to participate in clinical research.SettingLarge secondary mental health services context, UK.Participants2106 patients approached for ‘consent for contact’. All patients in different services within the mental health trust are gradually and systematically being approached by a member of the clinical care team using the ‘consent for contact’ model. There are no exclusion criteria.Primary and secondary outcome measuresProvision of ‘consent for contact’.ResultsA new model (the South London and Maudsley NHS Trust Consent for Contact model (SLaM C4C)) for gaining patients’ consent to contact them about research possibilities, which is built around a de-identified EHR database. The model allows researchers to contact potential participants directly. Of 2106 patients approached by 25 October 2013, nearly 3 of every 4 gave consent for contact (1560 patients; 74.1%).ConclusionsThe SLaM C4C model offers an effective way of expediting recruitment into health research through using EHRs. It reduces the gatekeeper function of clinicians; gives patients greater autonomy in decisions to participate in research; and accelerates the development of a culture of active research participation. More research is needed to assess how many of those giving consent for contact subsequently consent to participate in particular research studies.
Validation of the automatic image analyser to assess retinal vessel calibre (ALTAIR): a prospective study protocol
Authors: Garcia-Ortiz Luis , Gómez-Marcos Manuel A , Recio-Rodríguez Jose I , Maderuelo-Fernández Jose A , Chamoso-Santos Pablo , Rodríguez-González Sara , de Paz-Santana Juan F , Merchan-Cifuentes Miguel A , Corchado-Rodríguez Juan M 
Published: December 2014

IntroductionThe fundus examination is a non-invasive evaluation of the microcirculation of the retina. The aim of the present study is to develop and validate (reliability and validity) theALTAIRsoftware platform (Automatic image analyser to assess retinal vessel calibre) in order to analyse its utility in different clinical environments.Methods and analysisA cross-sectional study in the first phase and a prospective observational study in the second with 4 years of follow-up. The study will be performed in a primary care centre and will include 386 participants. The main measurements will include carotid intima-media thickness, pulse wave velocity by Sphygmocor, cardio-ankle vascular index through the VASERA VS-1500, cardiac evaluation by a digital ECG and renal injury by microalbuminuria and glomerular filtration. The retinal vascular evaluation will be performed using a TOPCON TRCNW200 non-mydriatic retinal camera to obtain digital images of the retina, and the developed software (ALTAIR) will be used to automatically calculate the calibre of the retinal vessels, the vascularised area and the branching pattern. For software validation, the intraobserver and interobserver reliability, the concurrent validity of the vascular structure and function, as well as the association between the estimated retinal parameters and the evolution or onset of new lesions in the target organs or cardiovascular diseases will be examined.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the clinical research ethics committee of the healthcare area of Salamanca. All study participants will sign an informed consent to agree to participate in the study in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and the WHO standards for observational studies. Validation of this tool will provide greater reliability to the analysis of retinal vessels by decreasing the intervention of the observer and will result in increased validity through the use of additional information, especially in the areas of vascularisation and vessel branching patterns.Trial registration numberClinical Trials.gov Identifier:NCT02087605.