bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of flow in complex terrain using multi-Doppler lidar retrievals
Authors: Bell Tyler M. , Klein Petra , Wildmann Norman , Menke Robert
Published: March 2020

Abstract. Strategically placed Doppler lidars (DLs) offer insights into flow processes that are not observable with meteorological towers. For this study we use intersecting range height indicator (RHI) scans of scanning DLs to create four virtual towers. The measurements were performed during the Perdigão experiment, which set out to study atmospheric flows in complex terrain and to collect a high-quality dataset for the validation of meso- and microscale models. Here we focus on a period of 6 weeks from 1 May 2017 through 15 June 2017. During this Intensive Observation Period (IOP) data of six intersecting RHI scans are used to calculate wind speeds at four virtual towers located along the valley at Perdigão with a temporal resolution of 15 min. While meteorological towers were only up to 100 m tall, the virtual towers cover heights from 50 to 600 m above the valley floor. Thus, they give additional insights into the complex interactions between the flow inside the valley and higher up across the ridges. Along with the wind speed and direction, uncertainties of the virtual-tower retrieval were analyzed. A case study of a nighttime stable boundary layer flow with wave features in the valley is presented to illustrate the usefulness of the virtual towers in analyzing the spatially complex flow over the ridges during the Perdigão campaign. This study shows that, despite having uncoordinated scans, the retrieved virtual towers add value in observing flow in and above the valley. Additionally, the results show the virtual towers can more accurately capture the flow in areas where the assumptions for more traditional DL scan strategies break down.
The Narrative Dynamics of a Counter-Surveillant Child Gaze in Langston Hughes's “Red-Headed Baby”
Authors: Greenwell Amanda M.
Published: March 2020

Langston Hughes's “Red-Headed Baby” offers a case study wherein a child's counter-surveillant gaze resonates narratively and culturally to confront racist authority and claim African American belonging in the United States. Playing overtly with the subject/object relation that positions gazer and gazee in a power hierarchy ultimately destabilized by a mixed-race child, the story wraps the potential for defeat of white oppression and spatializing demands for belonging in the body and gaze of the child of color. Thus, Hughes constructs his titular red-headed baby as a disruptive force to the texture of the narrative itself, calling attention to the child gaze as an incisive tool for social critique.
Simple Variations on The Tower of Hanoi
Authors: Mneimneh Saad
Published: March 2020

The Tower of Hanoi problem was formulated in 1883 by mathematician Edouard Lucas. For over a century, this problem has become familiar to many of us in disciplines such as computer programming, algorithms, and discrete mathematics. Several variations to Lucas' original problem exist today, and interestingly some remain unsolved and continue to ignite research questions. Nevertheless, simple variations can still lead to interesting recurrences, which in turn are associated with exemplary proofs by induction. We explore this richness of the Tower of Hanoi beyond its classical setting to compliment the study of recurrences and proofs by induction, and clarify their pitfalls. Both topics are essential components of any typical introduction to algorithms or discrete mathematics.

Subject Classification: A20, C30, D40, D50, E50, M10, N70, P20, Q30, R20
Report of Meeting Researches in Didactics of Mathematics and Computer Sciences
Authors: Kónya E. , Szanyi Gy.
Published: March 2020

The meeting Researches in Didactics of Mathematics and Computer Sciences was held in Sárospatak, Hungary, on the Comenius Campus of the Eszterházy Károly University, from the 24th to the 26th of February, 2020. It was organized by the Doctoral School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences of University of Debrecen and the Eszterházy Károly University. The 76 participants – including 15 PhD students – came from 9 countries, 23 cities and represented 33 institutions of higher and secondary education. There were 4 plenary, 48 session talks and 4 poster presentations in the program.
Freedom of association
Authors: Fleszer Dorota
Published: March 2020

Everyone is guaranteed freedom of association. Its characteristic feature is that it is the source of a number of subjective rights. These include, in particular, the freedom to join existing associations, the freedom of unhampered association, the freedom of organization and the activities of associations. The essence of freedom of association is therefore the right to self-organize citizens, which is a possibility for the functioning of civil society.
Protection of the permanence of employment in the international arena
Authors: Świętnicki Tomasz
Published: March 2020

The aim of this article is to present the evolution of employment protection in the international arena. I have discussed the diversity of universal protection of the permanence of the employment relationship at the international level with particular emphasis on the UN, the ILO, the Council of Europe and on the level of EU law. I pointed out the
problems that exist to this day and the opinions of lawyers on how to solve the situation
Entre a cruz e o terreiro: uma análise em torno da integração entre a religiosidade afro-brasileira e o Ensino de História no Museu do Negro do Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Silva Jessika Rezende Souza da
Published: March 2020

Nos últimos anos, a formação de professores e a produção de materiais didáticos tem se aperfeiçoado no sentido de atender as demandas inauguradas pela Lei 10.639/03. Entretanto, percebe-se que, apesar do esforço para evitar o eurocentrismo, compreender africanos e afro-brasileiros enquanto agentes históricos ativos e valorizar a cultura de matriz africana, os temas ligados à religiosidade africana e afro-brasileira seguem silenciados nas salas de aula. Neste trabalho, problematizamos a persistente marginalização das manifestações culturais ligadas à temática religiosa no Ensino de História. Tomamos por objeto, como estudo de caso, a exposição do Museu do Negro do Rio de Janeiro para explicitar a possibilidade de uma abordagem histórica que integre aspectos culturais, atribuindo historicidade aos mesmos, visto que, o Museu do Negro aciona a cultura afro-brasileira, como espaço de resistência, para construir narrativas históricas sobre a população negra em diferentes períodos.  Palavras-chave: Museu do Negro (Rio de Janeiro, RJ). História – Estudo e Ensino. Antirracismo. Educação Multicultural.
The Place of Translation in Nigerian Cultural Diplomacy and its Impact on Translation Exchanges1
Authors: Madueke Sylvia I. C.
Published: March 2020

This paper focuses on the translation of Nigerian literature into French from the perspective of cultural diplomacy and as a cultural product (Flotow, 2007; Córdoba Serrano, 2013). It reviews Nigerian cultural diplomacy initiatives to determine if translation is highlighted as part of cultural export and as a means through which the Nigerian image and culture are promoted. Even though translation exchanges are not promoted by the Nigerian government, there is a field of translation of Nigerian texts into French. Data from a list of Nigerian novels translated into French between 1953 and 2017 provide contextual and historical information on the circulation of translations as well as on the works that are selected for translation into French.
LemonQuest
Authors: Rodríguez René , Córcoles César , Giménez Ferran
Published: March 2020

LemonQuest es una multinacional española de juegos para móviles, que se creó a mediados de 2006. En esta entrevista, Roberto Martín â€“representante de la firmaâ€“ explicó los orígenes de la compañía, el objetivo de posicionarse en el mercado internacional, así como aspectos técnicos en la creación de juegos para móviles.
Fluendo
Authors: Beneito Roser , Rodríguez René
Published: March 2020

Fluendo es un grupo de empresas españolas que ofrecen servicios multimedia para usuarios finales, operadoras, proveedores de contenidos y fabricantes del sector audiovisual. Entre los clientes más importantes de esta compañía destacan la BBC y Televisión Española. En esta entrevista conversamos con Jean Noel, gerente general de la división Flumotion.
IPTV versus Internet TV
Authors: Vallori Jaime
Published: March 2020

Jaime Vallori, jefe de proyectos de Fresh Interactive Technologies, analiza en este artículo las diferencias entre la IPTV y la Internet TV. Ambos entornos están basados en las mismas tecnologías, pero difieren en el modelo de negocio y en su transmisión.
The Different Perspectives of Saudi Female Undergraduate Students Towards Linguistic Violence
Authors: Alshalan Khawater
Published: March 2020

This paper explored the relationship between linguistic violence and attitudes of 90 Saudi female undergraduate students in the English department of King Saud University. The study was conducted to identify the most frequent abusive types of phrases and investigate its effectiveness on students’ attitudes by recording their responses. Students were able to identify 270 phrases that evoked their emotions. Quantitative measures were used to analyze the student’s attitudes when being exposed to verbal violence. Results confirm that labeling the person negatively (n=90) was more likely to trigger anger (n=114) and less likely to elicit frustration (n=67), which was the opposite in phrases implied threats that evoked the emotion of frustration more than anger. Regarding the hidden struggle among women in an abusive environment, findings suggest enrolling students in classes that motivate them to take action towards any form of verbal abuse. In addition, this research would raise awareness and decrease the rate of linguistic violence.
Application of Mobile Teaching Mode Based on MosoTeach: Benefits and Challenges
Authors: Li Chen , Jianbin Huang
Published: March 2020

With the development of mobile Internet and the popularity of smart devices, mobile teaching is considered to be a trend of future teaching. As one of teaching softwares based on mobile terminal, MosoTeach enjoys great popularity in China. With the information collected through literature research as well as authors’ experiences of applying MosoTeach in classroom teaching, the present paper introduces a mobile teaching mode based on MosoTeach, and addresses functions of MosoTeach, the application of mobile teaching mode based on MosoTeach, and its benefits and challenges. Three benefits are pointed out, which are diversification, personalization and liberalization of learning; timely, all-sided and formative assessment system; and the convenience of collecting data and doing statistic analysis. Meanwhile, there are also some arguments about this mode such as the efficiency of participation, balancing between activities in and out of the classroom, balancing between face-to-face interaction and interaction through MosoTeach as well as the popularization in poverty-stricken areas, and some suggestions are put forward to solve these problems. Teachers should plan and organize the teaching materials well, and differentiate activities according to different phases in which those activities are carried out and keep balance between face-to-face interaction and interaction through MosoTeach.
Chinua Achebe’s Girls at War and other Stories: A Relevance-Theoretical Interpretation
Authors: Igwedibia Adaoma , Anieke Christian , Kelechi Virginia Ezeaku
Published: March 2020

Relevance Theory (RT), which is a theory that takes the Gricean approach to communication as a starting point of linguistic or literary analysis, is an influential theory in Pragmatics that was developed by D. Sperber and D. Wilson (1986, 1995). As a cognitive theory of meaning (which claims that semantic meaning is the result of linguistic decoding processes, whereas pragmatic meaning is the result of inferential processes constrained by one single principle, Principle of Relevance), its main assumption is that human beings are endowed with a biologically rooted ability to maximize the relevance of incoming stimuli. RT unifies the Gricean cooperative principle and his maxims into a single principle of relevance that motivates the hearer’s inferential strategy. Based on the classic code model of communication and Grice’s inferential model, RT holds that ‘every act of ostensive communication communicates a presumption of its own optimal relevance’. Literary texts which present us with a useful depth of written data that serve as repositions of language in use can be analyzed linguistically. This is because writers use language in a particular way in their works to reveal their concerns. A literary work, just like the spoken language, contains information that enables the reader or hearer to get the intended message. The use of language is therefore not mode specific. It can be in a text or can be spoken, and either mode can portray the practices, values and aspirations of a particular speech community. With the analysis of Achebe’s Girls at War and Other Stories in the frame of RT, this paper shows that literary text communication ‘communicates a presumption of its own optimal relevance’. The deployment of the relevance theory in the interpretation of Achebe’s Girls at War and Other Stories will certainly yield new insights in the understanding of the language and literary elements of the works. Chinua Achebe is regarded as the father of African modern literature.His works are being read in many schools and universities. It is therefore important to open new doors of interpretation for a better understanding of these works.
A Critical Discourse Analysis of Iranian Sport Media: A Case Study
Authors: Dabir-Moghadam Mohammad , Raeesi Hossein
Published: March 2020

Sport media can go beyond reflecting sport events and shape and direct public opinions. However, few, if any, studies have addressed this area in an Iranian context. Therefore, the present study sought to critically analyze Iranian sport media texts by focusing on a particular subject. To do so, a corpus of sampled texts, which reflected official and semi-official stances on the two Iranian footballers’ act of playing against an Israeli team, was analyzed using Fairclough’s three-dimensional model. The findings of the study indicated how speakers use linguistic means to highlight the desired points of view, establish power relations, and control readers’ mind and thinking. The findings also revealed that sport media can be used to strengthen dominant ideologies already legitimatized and approved by sportspeople.
The Discursive Mechanisms of Nigerianisms and “Trancultured” Identities in Mary Specht’s Migratory Animals
Authors: Aboh Romanus , Fred Ononye Chuka
Published: March 2020

The study of literary texts from the purely formal-sentence linguistics is less helpful because it undermines contextual effects on the use of language in literature. Discourse analysis, unlike formal sentence-level linguistics, is more robust in its analysis of literary texts since it provides insights into how sociocultural and historical factors influence, to a large extent, writers’ use of language. Against this backdrop, we examine Mary Specht’s use of “Nigerianisms” in her novel, Migratory Animals (Migratory), to account for the context-specific ways through which language has been used, and how these articulate transcultural identity. The analysis draws deeply from the theoretical provisions of literary discourse analysis (LDA), a branch of discourse analysis devoted to the analysis of literary texts. From the analysis, three major forms of Nigerianisms which play up specific transcultured identities have been identified: code-switching, semantic shift/extension and Nigerian pidgin (NP) expressions. Code-switching, for example, allows characters in Migratory to switch from one code to another, thereby providing information about their “multiple” selves. By broadening different communicative contexts, semantic extension transforms the characters’ settings, drawing attention to their fragmented identities. Through NP expressions, Specht showcases the different linguistic backgrounds manifest in the English community in the text, which reflects the different the socio-cultural identities in Nigeria. From these, we argue that Specht’s use of “Nigerianisms” in her novel discursively depicts the present reality of existence – people’s “transcultured selves”. Hence, Nigerianisms are exquisite examples of how contextualised uses of language reveal the very polygonal cultural existence of humanity.
Persepolis and Human Rights: Unveiling Westernized Globalization Strategies in Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis
Authors: Ezzatikarami Mahdiyeh , Ameri Firouzeh
Published: March 2020

Persepolis is one of the significant memoirs published by Iranian émigré women in the tumultuous post-September 11 era. In the Euro-American context, critics embrace Satrapi’s emphasis on universal human rights; however, they have neglected her Orientalist discourse which problematizes her representation of Iranian Muslim women. The present paper looks into Satrapi’s Orientalist discourse in Persepolis mainly drawing upon Lacan’s theory of the object’s gaze. It concludes that Satrapi’s Orientalist discourse has been disguised through her emphasis on the intercultural momentum toward human rights, which makes her role as a ‘comprador intellectual’ much more destructive than that of her counterparts. Her peculiar style and wise choice of narration have unquestionably rendered the book to a wide-ranging audience, as a result of which, Persepolis has played a critical role representing Iranian Muslim woman in the post-September 11 era.
Podcasting for Saudi EFL Learners: Evaluating New Strategies for Pronunciation Enhancement
Authors: Ghunaim Al-Harbi Badr
Published: March 2020

Saudi EFL students find English pronunciation a major obstacle to their learning experience. The reason is partly the favoured pedagogy which is grammar translation, and majorly, little or no exposure to spoken language. In this scenario, podcasts have been proven to be of a great use for providing to the learners readily available listening materials. However, such interventions are rare in Saudi learning environments. The current study aimed to fill this gap and examined the attitudes of twenty three Saudi students of English at Qassim University towards podcasts as a facilitator for proper pronunciation. Five podcasts related to the current English listening and speaking textbook were given to the learners who were to use these over a period of six weeks with a follow- up questionnaire administered at the end of the experiment. Responses indicated that students had positive attitudes and a high acceptance rate to the use of the podcasts and reported that the intervention was helpful in both learning of new pronunciation and practice of language they already knew. Though CALL as a language learning strategy is highly recommended by institutions in Saudi Arabia, micro studies on specific aspects are still few, and therefore, the findings of the current study will aid in introducing pedagogical changes for the larger good of the student community and their specific needs.
Potential of the economic valuation of soil-based ecosystem services to inform sustainable soil management and policy
Authors: Bartkowski Bartosz , Bartke Stephan , Helming Katharina , Paul Carsten , Techen Anja-Kristina , Hansjürgens Bernd
Published: March 2020

The concept of ecosystem services, especially in combination with economic valuation, can illuminate trade-offs involved in soil management, policy and governance, and thus support decision making. In this paper, we investigate and highlight the potential and limitations of the economic valuation of soil-based ecosystem services to inform sustainable soil management and policy. We formulate a definition of soil-based ecosystem services as basis for conducting a review of existing soil valuation studies with a focus on the inclusion of ecosystem services and the choice of valuation methods. We find that, so far, the economic valuation of soil-based ecosystem services has covered only a small number of such services and most studies have employed cost-based methods rather than state-of-the-art preference-based valuation methods, even though the latter would better acknowledge the public good character of soil related services. Therefore, the relevance of existing valuation studies for political processes is low. Broadening the spectrum of analyzed ecosystem services as well as using preference-based methods would likely increase the informational quality and policy relevance of valuation results. We point out options for improvement based on recent advances in economic valuation theory and practice. We conclude by investigating the specific roles economic valuation results can play in different phases of the policy-making process, and the specific requirements for its usefulness in this context.
Transcriptome sequencing and analysis reveals the molecular response to selenium stimuli in Pueraria lobata (willd.) Ohwi
Authors: Guo Kunyuan , Yao Yiwei , Yang Meng , Li Yanni , Wu Bin , Lin Xianming
Published: March 2020

Pueraria lobata (willd.) Ohwi is a consumable selenium-enriched plant used for medicinal purposes. The molecular response to selenium (Se) stimuli in P. lobata is currently unknown. We used RNA-Seq to identify potential genes involved in selenite metabolism and analyzed their expression profiles. We obtained a total of 150,567 unigenes, of which 90,961 were annotated, including 16 structural genes, 14 sulfate transporters, and 13 phosphate transporters that may be involved in Se metabolism, and 33 candidate structural genes involved in isoflavone biosynthesis. The genes with a —foldchange— >2 and q value <0.05 after sodium selenite treatment were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). We obtained a total of 4,246 DEGs, which were enriched in GO terms that included “response to stimulus”, “response to stress”, “signal transduction”, “response to abiotic stimulus”, and “response to chemical”. Of the 4,246 DEGs, one sulfate transporter and five phosphate transporter genes involved Se metabolism, and nine structural genes involved in isoflavone biosynthesis were up-regulated. The expression patterns of 10 DEGs were selected randomly and validated using qRT-PCR. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient (r) was 0.86, indicating the reliability of RNA-Seq results. 22 Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) scavenging DEGs were found, 11 of which were up-regulated. 436, 624 transcription factors (TFs) correlated with structural genes were identified that may be involved in Se and isoflavone biosynthesis, respectively, using r (r > 0.7 or r <  − 0.7). 556 TFs were related to at least one sulfate and phosphate transporter. Our results provided a comprehensive description of gene expression and regulation in response to Se stimuli in P. lobata.
Cirripectes matatakaro, a new species of combtooth blenny from the Central Pacific, illuminates the origins of the Hawaiian fish fauna
Authors: Hoban Mykle L. , Williams Jeffrey T.
Published: March 2020

Included among the currently recognized 23 species of combtooth blennies of the genusCirripectes(Blenniiformes: Blenniidae) of the Indo-Pacific are the Hawaiian endemicC. vanderbilti, and the widespreadC. variolosus. During the course of a phylogeographic study of these species, a third species was detected, herein described asC. matatakaro. The new species is distinguished primarily by the configuration of the pore structures posterior to the lateral centers of the transverse row of nuchal cirri in addition to 12 meristic characters and nine morphometric characters documented across 72 specimens and ∼4.2% divergence in mtDNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I. The new species is currently known only from the Marquesas, Gambier, Pitcairns, Tuamotus, and Australs in the South Pacific, and the Northern Line Islands and possibly Johnston Atoll south of Hawaiʻi. Previous researchers speculated that the geographically widespreadC. variolosuswas included in an unresolved trichotomy with the Hawaiian endemic and other species based on a morphological phylogeny. Our molecular-phylogenetic analysis resolves many of the previously unresolved relationships within the genus and revealsC. matatakaroas the sister lineage to the HawaiianC. vanderbilti. The restricted geographic distribution ofCirripectes matatakarocombines with its status as sister toC. vanderbiltito indicate a southern pathway of colonization into Hawaiʻi.
Visible Laser on Silicon Optofluidic Microcavity
Authors: Omran Haitham , Sameh Mohab , Mahfouz Ahmed , Saad Omar , Abou Kana Maram T. H. , Marty Frédéric , Khalil Diaa , Bourouina Tarik , Sabry Yasser M.
Published: March 2020

Optical readout within microfluidic chips is a bottleneck limiting their industrial development. The integration of lasers operating in the visible range within a microfluidic platform is crucial for enabling in situ optical measurements in lab‐on‐a‐chip applications. In principle, microstructured single‐crystal silicon is an excellent optofluidic platform, which allows integration of microfluidic channels together with optical circuits including micro‐optics, waveguides, and resonant cavities. However, the silicon absorption below 1.1 µm is a fundamental limit that prohibits the use of silicon‐based microcavities as the feedback element for visible lasers and restricts their use to the infrared only. In this work, an ultra‐wide band silicon cavity enabled by two deeply etched hollow‐core planar waveguides is demonstrated. The proposed microcavity shows a broad bandwidth extending from 500 to 1600 nm with quality factors up to 2067. A tubular microfluidic channel is inserted between the mirrors of the optofluidic cavity. The microfluidic channel is filled with Rhodamine 6G (R6G) at 20 µL min−1 flow rate allowing successful demonstration of lasing on silicon at 562.4 nm. The laser beam propagates in‐plane (along the chip surface) and is handled with monolithically integrated input/output optical fiber grooves. This provides a unique silicon platform integrating hollow core optofluidic channels together with optical cavities, which is suitable for implementing optical readout in lab‐on‐a‐chip devices.
Visual assessment of the impact of agricultural management practices on soil quality
Authors: Alaoui Abdallah , Barão Lúcia , Ferreira Carla S. S. , Schwilch Gudrun , Basch Gottlieb , Garcia‐Orenes Fuensanta , Morugan Alicia , Mataix‐Solera Jorge , Kosmas Costas , Glavan Matjaž , Szabó Brigitta , Hermann Tamás , Vizitiu Olga Petrutza , Lipiec Jerzy , Frąc Magdalena , Reintam Endla , Xu Minggang , Di Jiaying , Fan Hongzhu , Sukkel Wijnand , Lemesle Julie , Geissen Violette , Fleskens Luuk
Published: March 2020

The intensification of agricultural practices to increase food and feed outputs is a pressing challenge causing deterioration of soil quality and soil functions. Such a challenge demands provision of empirical evidence to provide context‐sensitive guidance on agricultural management practices (AMPs) that may enhance soil quality. The objectives of this study are to identify the most promising AMPs (and their combinations) applied by farmers with the most positive effects on soil quality and to evaluate the sensitivity of the soil quality indicators to the applied AMPs. The effect of selected AMPs on soil quality was assessed using a visual soil assessment tool in a total of 138 pairs of plots spread across 14 study site areas in Europe and China covering representative pedo‐climatic zones. The inventory and scoring of soil quality were conducted together with landowners. Results show that 104 pairs show a positive effect of AMPs on soil quality. Higher effects of the AMPs were observed in lower fertile soils (i.e., Podzols and Calcisols) as opposed to higher fertile soils (i.e., Luvisols and Fluvisols). For the single use applications, the AMPs with positive effects were crop rotation; manuring, composting, and no‐tillage; followed by organic agriculture and residue maintenance. Cluster analysis showed that the most promising combinations of AMPs with the most positive effects on soil quality are composed of crop rotation, mulching, and min‐till. The agreement between scientific skills and empirical knowledge in the field identified by the farmers confirm our findings and ensures their applicability.
The anatomy of abscission zones is diverse among grass species
Authors: Yu Yunqing , Leyva Patricia , Tavares Rachel L. , Kellogg Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2020

Premise

Abscission zones (AZ) are specialized cell layers that separate plant parts at the organ junction upon developmental or environmental signals. Fruit or seed abscission has been well studied in model species because of its crucial role for seed dispersal. Previous work showed that AZ localization differs among species of Poaceae and that AZ formation is histologically and genetically distinct in three distantly related grass species, refuting the idea of a broadly conserved module. However, whether AZ structure is consistent within subfamilies is unknown.

Methods

Eleven species were selected from six subfamilies of Poaceae, and their AZ was investigated using paraffin‐embedded, stained material. Observations were added from the literature for an additional six species. Data were recorded on AZ location and whether cells in the AZ were distinguishable by size or lignification. Characteristics of the AZ were mapped on the phylogeny using maximum likelihood.

Results

Abscission zone anatomy and histology vary among species, and characteristics of the AZ do not correlate with phylogeny. Twelve of the seventeen studied species have an AZ in which the cells are significantly smaller than surrounding cells. Of these, eight have differential lignification. Differential lignification is often associated with differential cell size, but not vice versa.

Conclusions

Neither smaller cells in the AZ nor differential lignification between the AZ and surrounding cells is required for abscission, although differential cell size and lignification are often correlated. Abscission zone anatomy does not correlate with phylogeny, suggesting its rapid change over evolutionary time.
Congenital hypothyroidism, cardiac defects, and pancreatic agenesis in an infant with GATA6 mutation
Authors: Raghuram Nikhil , Marwaha Ashish , Greer Mary‐Louise C. , Gauda Estelle , Chitayat David
Published: March 2020

GATA6 pathogenic variants primarily manifest a phenotype with pancreatic agenesis and cardiac malformations. However, additional congenital malformations affecting the biliary system, congenital diaphragmatic hernia and developmental delay have been reported. We report a newborn, prenatally diagnosed with truncus arteriosus and intrauterine growth restriction, who was postnatally found to have pancreatic agenesis associated with neonatal diabetes and hepatobiliary abnormalities. Whole exome sequencing identified a de novo, heterozygous mutation in the GATA6 gene (c.1366C>T; p.Arg456Cys). Further investigations revealed abnormalities not previously associated with GATA6 mutation, including unilateral thyroid lobe agenesis associated with congenital hypothyroidism, absent gall bladder, possible adrenal insufficiency, thrombocytopenia, and neonatal stroke.
In Situ Raman Monitoring and Manipulating of Interfacial Hydrogen Spillover by Precise Fabrication of Au/TiO2/Pt Sandwich Structures
Authors: Wei Jie , Qin Si‐Na , Liu Jing‐Li , Ruan Xiang‐Yu , Guan Zhiqiang , Yan Hao , Wei Di‐Ye , Zhang Hua , Cheng Jun , Xu Hongxing , Tian Zhong‐Qun , Li Jian‐Feng
Published: March 2020

The spillover of hydrogen species and its role in tuning the activity and selectivity in catalytic hydrogenation have been investigated in situ using surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) with 10 nm spatial resolution through the precise fabrication of Au/TiO2/Pt sandwich nanostructures. In situ SERS study reveals that hydrogen species can efficiently spillover at Pt‐TiO2‐Au interfaces, and the ultimate spillover distance on TiO2 is about 50 nm. Combining kinetic isotope experiments and density functional theory calculations, it is found that the hydrogen spillover proceeds via the water‐assisted cleavage and formation of surface hydrogen–oxygen bond. More importantly, the selectivity in the hydrogenation of the nitro or isocyanide group is manipulated by controlling the hydrogen spillover. This work provides molecular insights to deepen the understanding of hydrogen activation and boosts the design of active and selective catalysts for hydrogenation.
Consecutive Charging of a Perylene Bisimide Dye by Multistep Low‐Energy Solar‐Light‐Induced Electron Transfer Towards H2 Evolution
Authors: Xu Yucheng , Zheng Jiaxin , Lindner Joachim O. , Wen Xinbo , Jiang Nianqiang , Hu Zhicheng , Liu Linlin , Huang Fei , Würthner Frank , Xie Zengqi
Published: March 2020

A photocatalytic system containing a perylene bisimide (PBI) dye as a photosensitizer anchored to titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles through carboxyl groups was constructed. Under solar‐light irradiation in the presence of sacrificial triethanolamine (TEOA) in neutral and basic conditions (pH 8.5), a reaction cascade is initiated in which the PBI molecule first absorbs green light, giving the formation of a stable radical anion (PBI.−), which in a second step absorbs near‐infrared light, forming a stable PBI dianion (PBI2−). Finally, the dianion absorbs red light and injects an electron into the TiO2 nanoparticle that is coated with platinum co‐catalyst for hydrogen evolution. The hydrogen evolution rates (HERs) are as high as 1216 and 1022 μmol h−1 g−1 with simulated sunlight irradiation in neutral and basic conditions, respectively.
A Multi‐component All‐DNA Biosensing System Controlled by a DNAzyme
Authors: Zhou Zhixue , Brennan John D. , Li Yingfu
Published: March 2020

We report on a programmable all‐DNA biosensing system that centers on the use of a 4‐way junction (4WJ) to transduce a DNAzyme reaction into an amplified signal output. A target acts as a primary input to activate an RNA‐cleaving DNAzyme, which then cleaves an RNA‐containing DNA substrate that is designed to be a component of a 4WJ. The formation of the 4WJ controls the release of a DNA output that becomes an input to initiate catalytic hairpin assembly (CHA), which produces a second DNA output that controls assembly of a split G‐quadruplex as a fluorescence signal generator. The 4WJ can be configured to produce either a turn‐off or turn‐on switch to control the degree of CHA, allowing target concentration to be determined in a quantitative manner. We demonstrate this approach by creating a sensor for E. coli that could detect as low as 50 E. coli cells mL−1 within 85 min and offers an amplified bacterial detection method that does not require a protein enzyme.
Preparation and optical parameter characterization of two aldehyde derivative thin films for photonic applications by drop casting method
Authors: Melavanki Raveendra , Vaijayanthimala S. , Yallur Basappa Chanabasappa , Shelar Vikas M. , Singh Diksha , Sadasivuni Kishor Kumar , Patil N.R.
Published: March 2020

In this study, thin films of polymer poly(methyl methacrylate) were prepared using a drop casting method. Two newly synthesized aldehyde derivatives, 2‐bromomalonaldehyde and 5,6‐dihydroimidazo[2,1‐b]thiazole‐2‐carbaldehyde, were used at different concentrations to dope the films. The prepared films were transparent and therefore studied for application in photonics. Optical characterization of the samples was carried out using different spectroscopy techniques. Absorption spectra for both samples were obtained using a UV–vis light spectrophotometer. Other significant optical parameters, such as refractive index, extinction coefficient, and band gap energies, were calculated from the absorption spectra. The effect of doping concentration on these parameters was studied. Emission spectra were obtained using a fluorescence spectrophotometer and the effect of doping was observed. Fourier transform infrared spectra of the doped films were obtained and compared with the pure compound to note changes in peak values and peak intensity. This present work studied the effect of doping on optical properties and examined the application of the samples for photonics.
Impact of technically qualified surgeons on laparoscopic colorectal resection outcomes: results of a propensity score-matching analysis
Authors: Ichikawa N , Homma S , Funakoshi T , Ohshima T , Hirose K , Yamada K , Nakamoto H , Kazui K , Yokota R , Honma T , Maeda Y , Yoshida T , Ishikawa T , Iijima H , Aiyama T , Taketomi A
Published: March 2020

Background

The Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification System (ESSQS) was introduced in Japan to improve the quality of laparoscopic surgery. This cohort study investigated the short- and long-term postoperative outcomes of colorectal cancer laparoscopic procedures performed by or with qualified surgeons compared with outcomes for unqualified surgeons.

Methods

All laparoscopic colorectal resections performed from 2010 to 2013 in 11 Japanese hospitals were reviewed retrospectively. The procedures were categorized as performed by surgeons with or without the ESSQS qualification and patients' clinical, pathological and surgical features were used to match subgroups using propensity scoring. Outcome measures included postoperative and long-term results.

Results

Overall, 1428 procedures were analysed; 586 procedures were performed with ESSQS-qualified surgeons and 842 were done by ESSQS-unqualified surgeons. Upon matching, two cohorts of 426 patients were selected for comparison of short-term results. A prevalence of rectal resection (50·3 versus 40·5 per cent; P < 0·001) and shorter duration of surgery (230 versus 238 min; P = 0·045) was reported for the ESSQS group. Intraoperative and postoperative complication and reoperation rates were significantly lower in the ESSQS group than in the non-ESSQS group (1·2 versus 3·6 per cent, P = 0·014; 4·6 versus 7·5 per cent, P = 0·025; 1·9 versus 3·9 per cent, P = 0·023, respectively). These findings were confirmed after propensity score matching. Cox regression analysis found that non-attendance of ESSQS-qualified surgeons (hazard ratio 12·30, 95 per cent c.i. 1·28 to 119·10; P = 0·038) was independently associated with local recurrence in patients with stage II disease.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic colorectal procedures performed with ESSQS-qualified surgeons showed improved postoperative results. Further studies are needed to investigate the impact of the qualification on long-term oncological outcomes.
Searching for safety: Building meaning bridges using digital imagery in school counselling with a female adolescent, ‘Sally’
Authors: van Rijn Biljana , Stiles William B. , Chryssafidou Evi
Published: March 2020

Objectives

According to the assimilation model, psychotherapeutic progress involves building semiotic meaning bridges between disconnected parts of the person. Previous research with a young male client, who was diagnosed with ASP, showed that digital imagery can serve to build inter and intrapersonal relating during counselling. This project aimed to further elaborate that theory with a client of a different gender and with different presenting issues.

Design

This was a qualitative theory‐building case study.

Method

The client was a 16‐year‐old teenager seen in school counselling for 10 sessions who presented with a range of issues: problems with eating, depression and anxiety. She self‐harmed and had suicidal ideation and continued using counselling services after the end of the research project. Assimilation analysis used screen and accompanying voice recordings of the ten sessions, during the research project where she participated in an evaluation of cybertherapy software designed for therapy and coaching.

Results

The client created three main digital scenes. The first scene represented difficulties she experienced in her everyday life; the second scene represented a longed for experience of safety, and the third her attempts to connect the two. The imagery and meanings evolved across this segment of treatment, providing a channel of interpersonal and intra‐personal communication.

Conclusions

Observations showed how digital imagery can serve as meaning bridges between client and counsellor and between internal parts of the client.
Generalized granuloma annulare associated with essential thrombocythemia
Authors: Polineni Sai P. , Lawyer Steven
Published: March 2020

The only myeloproliferative neoplasm associated with generalized granuloma annulare (GA) is chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). We present the first reported case of GA in a patient with essential thrombocythemia (ET). Future work investigating the shared pathophysiology of GA‐associated CML and ET may improve our understanding of GA pathophysiology and treatment.
Response of St. Augustinegrass cultivars to pinoxaden alone and in combination with select fungicides
Authors: Peppers John M. , Harris James , McElroy J. Scott
Published: March 2020

Pinoxaden is a herbicide inhibiting acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase recently introduced for use in turfgrass. Currently, pinoxaden is labeled for use in all bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] and zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) turfgrass areas except putting greens. However, pinoxaden is only labeled for use in St. Augustinegrass [Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walter) Kuntze] sod production because of injury concerns. Tank mixtures of two or more herbicides can reduce injury to turfgrass species. Injury reduction can also occur when fungicides are tank‐mixed with herbicides. Research was conducted between 2018 and 2019 to determine the effect that pinoxaden alone and tank mixtures of pinoxaden with one of two common fungicides, chlorothalonil and propiconazole, would have on four different cultivars of St. Augustinegrass: ‘Classic’, ‘Floratam’, ‘Palmetto’, and ‘Raleigh’. At the conclusion of the study, we determined that there is differential susceptibility to pinoxaden between cultivars of St. Augustinegrass and that both chlorothalonil and propiconazole have a safening effect on pinoxaden applications to St Augustinegrass, regardless of cultivar. The cultivars Classic and Raleigh were more susceptible to pinoxaden than Floratam and Palmetto. All four cultivars were less susceptible to pinoxaden when chlorothalonil and propiconazole were applied in combination with pinoxaden. These results suggest that pinoxaden can be applied in a tank mixture with either chlorothalonil or propiconazole to reduce pinoxaden injury to St. Augustinegrass. However, the effect that these tank mixtures may have on weed control is currently unknown.
Molecular Interrogation to Crack the Case of O‐GlcNAc
Authors: Estevez Arielis , Zhu Dongsheng , Blankenship Connor , Jiang Jiaoyang
Published: March 2020

The O‐linked β‐N‐acetylglucosamine (O‐GlcNAc) modification, termed O‐GlcNAcylation, is an essential and dynamic post‐translational modification in cells. O‐GlcNAc transferase (OGT) installs this modification on serine and threonine residues, whereas O‐GlcNAcase (OGA) hydrolyzes it. O‐GlcNAc modifications are found on thousands of intracellular proteins involved in diverse biological processes. Dysregulation of O‐GlcNAcylation and O‐GlcNAc cycling enzymes has been detected in many diseases, including cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Here, recent advances in the development of molecular tools to investigate OGT and OGA functions and substrate recognition are discussed. New chemical approaches to study O‐GlcNAc dynamics and its potential roles in the immune system are also highlighted. It is hoped that this minireview will encourage more research in these areas to advance the understanding of O‐GlcNAc in biology and diseases.
Widely Electronically Tunable 2,6‐Disubstituted Dithieno[1,4]thiazines—Electron‐Rich Fluorophores Up to Intense NIR Emission
Authors: May Lars , Müller Thomas J. J.
Published: March 2020

2,6‐Difunctionalized dithieno[1,4]thiazines were efficiently synthesized by (pseudo)five‐ or (pseudo)three‐component one‐pot processes based on lithiation‐electrophilic trapping sequences. As supported by structure–property relationships, the thiophene anellation mode predominantly controls the photophysical and electrochemical properties and the electronic structures (as obtained by DFT calculations). From molecular geometries and redox potentials to fluorescence quantum yields in solution, the interaction of the dithieno[1,4]thiazine‐core with the substituents causes striking differences within the series of regioisomers. Most interestingly, strong acceptors introduced in anti–anti dithieno[1,4]thiazines nearly induce a planarization of the ground‐state geometry and a highly intense NIR fluorescence (ΦF=0.52), whereas an equally substituted syn–syn dithieno[1,4]thiazine exhibits a much stronger folded molecular structure and fluoresces poorly (ΦF=0.01). In essence, electrochemical and photophysical properties of dithieno[1,4]thiazines can be tuned widely and outscore the compared phenothiazine with cathodically shifted oxidation potentials and redshifted and more intense absorption bands.
Active Metal Template Synthesis and Characterization of a Nanohoop [c2]Daisy Chain Rotaxane
Authors: Van Raden Jeff M. , Jarenwattananon Nanette N. , Zakharov Lev N. , Jasti Ramesh
Published: March 2020

Molecules and materials that demonstrate large amplitude responses to minor changes in their local environment play an important role in the development of new forms of nanotechnology. Molecular daisy chains are a type of a mechanically interlocked molecule that are particularly sensitive to such changes in which, in the presence of certain stimuli, the molecular linkage enables muscle‐like movement between a reduced‐length contracted form and an increased‐length expanded form. To date, all reported syntheses of molecular daisy chains are accomplished via passive‐template methods, resulting in a majority of structures being switchable only through the addition of an exogenous stimuli such as metal ions or changes in pH. Here, we describe a new approach to these structural motifs that exploits a multi‐component active‐metal template synthesis to mechanically interlock two pi‐rich nanohoop macrocycles into a molecular daisy chain that undergoes large conformational changes using thermal energy.
Supervised Learning of Gene Regulatory Networks
Authors: Razaghi‐Moghadam Zahra , Nikoloski Zoran
Published: March 2020

Identifying the entirety of gene regulatory interactions in a biological system offers the possibility to determine the key molecular factors that affect important traits on the level of cells, tissues, and whole organisms. Despite the development of experimental approaches and technologies for identification of direct binding of transcription factors (TFs) to promoter regions of downstream target genes, computational approaches that utilize large compendia of transcriptomics data are still the predominant methods used to predict direct downstream targets of TFs, and thus reconstruct genome‐wide gene‐regulatory networks (GRNs). These approaches can broadly be categorized into unsupervised and supervised, based on whether data about known, experimentally verified gene‐regulatory interactions are used in the process of reconstructing the underlying GRN. Here, we first describe the generic steps of supervised approaches for GRN reconstruction, since they have been recently shown to result in improved accuracy of the resulting networks? We also illustrate how they can be used with data from model organisms to obtain more accurate prediction of gene regulatory interactions. © 2020 The Authors.

Basic Protocol 1: Construction of features used in supervised learning of gene regulatory interactions

Basic Protocol 2: Learning the non‐interacting TF‐gene pairs

Basic Protocol 3: Learning a classifier for gene regulatory interactions