bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Case with pyoderma gangrenosum abruptly emerging around the wound of cesarean section for placenta previa with placenta accrete
Authors: Nonaka Taro , Yoshida Kunihiko , Yamaguchi Masayuki , Aizawa Atsuko , Fujiwara Hiroshi , Enomoto Takayuki , Takakuwa Koichi
Published: May 2016

A 39‐year‐old woman underwent emergency cesarean section (CS) due to placenta previa totalis with massive bleeding. Two major problems emerged in this patient after CS was carried out. One was partial retention of the placenta due to placenta accreta. Another major and more serious problem was pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) widely appearing at the skin of the abdomen around the CS wound. Conservative treatment was performed for the retained placenta, and it had completely disappeared by 76 days after the CS. The diagnosis of PG was promptly made in consultation with a plastic surgeon and a dermatologist when a wide ulcer emerged around the CS wound, and high‐dose prednisolone was administered as treatment. At 90 days following the CS, near‐complete epithelialization was achieved. This extremely rare case reflects the importance of rapid diagnosis and treatment of PG.
Late preterm birth is a strong predictor of maternal stress later in life: Retrospective cohort study in school‐aged children
Authors: Polic Branka , Bubic Andreja , Mestrovic Julije , Markic Josko , Kovacevic Tanja , Juric Milan , Tesija Roberta Andrea , Susnjar Helena , Kolcic Ivana
Published: May 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to compare the level of stress in mothers of school‐aged children born late preterm and admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with the level of maternal stress if a child was born late preterm and not admitted to the ICU as well as if a full‐term child was admitted to the ICU.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study the data were gathered via telephone interview with mothers. The Parenting Stress Index/Short Form was used to determine the level of stress in mothers. Background demographic characteristics, medically relevant variables, and the level of stress were tested using the chi‐square test and Kruskal‐Wallis test. Logistic regression was used in order to identify predictors of significant level of stress.

Results

Mothers of late preterm born children who were admitted to the ICU, as well as mothers of late preterm children who were not admitted had higher level of stress compared to mothers of full‐term children. Namely, mothers of late preterm born children admitted to the ICU had 18‐fold increase in risk for significant level of total stress (OR = 18.09; 95% CI 8.55 to 38.26) while 24‐fold greater risk was observed in mothers of late preterm children who were not admitted to the ICU (OR = 24.05; 95% CI 10.66 to 54.26) in comparison to mothers of full‐term born children.

Conclusion

Results indicate that preterm birth and its complications are associated with a higher level of stress in mothers, that persists to school age.
Does continuous positive airway pressure for extubation in congenital tracheoesophageal fistula increase the risk of anastomotic leak? A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Shah Piyush S , Gera Parshotam , Gollow Ian J , Rao Shripada C
Published: May 2016

Aim

Immediate post‐operative care of tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) and oesophageal atresia (EA) requires mechanical ventilation. Early extubation is preferred, but subsequent respiratory distress may warrant re‐intubation. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a well‐established modality to prevent extubation failures in preterm infants. However, it is not favoured in TEF/EA, because of the theoretical risk of oesophageal anastomotic leak (AL). The aim of this study was to find out if post‐extubation CPAP is associated with increased risk of AL.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study (2007–2014).

Results

Fifty‐one infants underwent primary repair in the newborn period. Median age at surgery was 24 h (interquartile range: 12, 24). In the post‐extubation period, 10 received CPAP, whereas 41 did not. The median post‐operative day at the commencement of CPAP was 2.5 days (interquartile range: 1, 6 days). Zero out of 10 in the CPAP group and 4/41 in the ‘no CPAP’ group developed AL on routine post‐operative contrast studies (P = 0.57). Zero out of 10 in the CPAP group and 1/41 in the ‘no CPAP group’ developed recurrence of TEF necessitating re‐surgery (P = 1.00). The neonate with recurrent fistula also had coarctation of aorta and needed protracted hospitalisation of 6 months, mainly because of the recurrence of TEF.

Conclusion

The use of CPAP in the immediate post‐extubation period after corrective surgery for TEF/EA appears to be safe and may not be associated with increased risk of AL or recurrence of the fistula. Information from other centres, surveys and large databases is needed to define the benefits and risks of use of CPAP in these infants.
Multiple paternity in the common long‐armed octopusOctopus minor(Sasaki, 1920) (Cephalopoda: Octopoda) as revealed by microsatelliteDNAanalysis
Authors: Bo Qi‐Kang , Zheng Xiao‐Dong , Gao Xiao‐Lei , Li Qi
Published: May 2016

Multiple paternity was assessed inOctopus minorusing microsatelliteDNAmarkers.Octopus minoradults were captured in traps and kept in indoor cement ponds. The females spawned after several days. Ten broods (B1–B10), each containing 15 embryos and the maternal octopus, were maintained until the embryos reached the stage at whichDNAcould be extracted and used for genotyping. Multiple paternity was tested using five microsatelliteDNAmarkers and the results proved the hypothesis that multiple paternity occurs inO. minor(observed in six out of the 10 broods). Analysis withGERUDsoftware gave the minimum number of fathers and showed that four broods were sired by a single male, three were sired by two different males and three were sired by three different males. In brood B10, the number of fathers identified by the single‐locus method was one fewer than that by theGERUDmethod. Of the six multiple paternity broods, four (66.7%) showed significant skew from equal paternal contributions, which indicated that sperm competition and/or cryptic female choice may be important for post‐copulatory paternity bias in this species.
Yoga Improves Academic Performance in Urban High School Students Compared to Physical Education: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Hagins Marshall , Rundle Andrew
Published: May 2016

Yoga programs within schools have become more widespread but research regarding the potential effect on academic achievement remains limited. This study cluster‐randomized 112 students within a single New York City public high school to participate in either school‐based yoga or physical education (PE) for an entire academic year. The primary outcome was mean annual grade point average (GPA). Psychosocial variables (self‐regulation, executive function, well‐being, and mindfulness) were examined as mediators. The study's primary hypothesis that yoga would improve academic performance was not supported by intent to treat analysis; however, a significant interaction was observed between class assignment and class participation. Among students with higher participation, those assigned to yoga classes had a significantly higher GPA. For example, at 49 classes of participation for both groups, students assigned to yoga classes had an estimated 2.70 higher mean GPA (effect size = 0.31) than students assigned to PE.
Swimming and twitching motility are essential for attachment and virulence of Pantoea ananatis in onion seedlings
Authors: Weller‐Stuart Tania , Toth Ian , De Maayer Pieter , Coutinho Teresa
Published: May 2016

Pantoea ananatis is a widespread phytopathogen with a broad host range. Despite its ability to infect economically important crops, such as maize, rice and onion, relatively little is known about how this bacterium infects and colonizes host tissue or spreads within and between hosts. To study the role of motility in pathogenicity, we analysed both swimming and twitching motility in P. ananatis LMG 20103. Genetic recombineering was used to construct four mutants affected in motility. Two flagellar mutants were disrupted in the flgK and motA genes, required for flagellar assembly and flagellar rotation, respectively. Similarly, two twitching motility mutants were generated, impaired in the structure (pilA) and functioning (pilT) of the type IV pili. The role of swimming and twitching motility during the infection cycle of P. ananatis in onion seedlings was determined by comparing the mutant‐ and wild‐type strains using several in vitro and in planta assays. From the results obtained, it was evident that flagella aid P. ananatis in locating and attaching to onion leaf surfaces, as well as in pathogenicity, whereas twitching motility is instrumental in the spread of the bacteria on the surface once attachment has occurred. Both swimming and twitching motility contribute towards the ability of P. ananatis to cause disease in onions.
Activism After DACA: Lessons from Chicago's Immigrant Youth Justice League
Authors: Mena Robles Jorge , Gomberg‐Muñoz Ruth
Published: May 2016

Scholars of unauthorized migration have generally agreed that a lack of legal status can constrain undocumented workers’ resistance to their marginalization and exploitative treatment. Yet in recent years, undocumented workers and youth have been at the forefront of immigrant rights mobilizations and have organized around their status as undocumented people. In this article, we explore how the conferral of a conditional immigration status has affected undocumented youth activism. In particular, we show that the implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012 had varied and complicated consequences for youth activism in Chicago—at once stifling the urgency of comprehensive immigration reform and galvanizing efforts to expand and strengthen protections against deportation. More broadly, we consider how prolonged states of liminal legality (Menjivar 2006) bring people more tightly under the purview of state surveillance without removing their vulnerability to deportation.
Not One More: Linking Civil Disobediences and Public Anti‐Deportation Campaigns
Authors: Marquez‐Benitez Gabriela , Pallares Amalia
Published: May 2016

This article analyzes the recent development of an anti‐deportation movement with distinct strategies and tactics that distinguish it from previous immigrant rights activism centered on immigration reform. We study the strategies and tactics of the anti‐deportation movement, focusing on the strategies of non‐staged civil disobediences and anti‐deportation campaigns. We argue that the specific tactics used in these alternative strategies a) depart from normative activism and b) challenge dominant perceptions about undocumented immigrants.
Good outcome case of anterior cerebral artery dissection that was treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and trapping with A3‐A3 anastomosis surgery
Authors: Sugimura Yusuke , Koike Kazunari , Terao Satoshi , Asada Hideo
Published: May 2016

A 41‐year‐old Japanese man was diagnosed with acute ischemic stroke in the emergency room. He was given recombinant tissue plasminogen activator within a suitable time frame and symptoms were improved. However, follow‐up magnetic resonance imaging showed asymptomatic expansion of the ischemic infarction, and 3‐D computed tomography angiography showed the pearl and string sign of the left anterior cerebral artery. Then, trapping with A3‐A3 anastomosis surgery was successfully carried out. This is a very rare case of a patient who was treated with recombinant tissue plasminogen activator and had a good outcome, and also had trapping with A3‐A3 anastomosis surgery for an anterior cerebral artery dissecting aneurysm. However, because the pathology was determined to be dissection to the outer membrane, there was a risk of subarachnoid hemorrhage during the recombinant tissue plasminogen activator treatment. Cerebral arterial dissection is a disease that should not be forgotten, and that treatment is very difficult.
Supplementary description of flowers and flowering branches of four Fargesia and one Drepanostachyum species (Bambusoideae, Poaceae), and notes on their taxonomy
Authors: Zhang Yu‐Qu , Ren Yi
Published: May 2016

Supplementary descriptions of the flowers and flowering branches of Fargesia qinlingensis T. P. Yi, F. funiushanensis T. P. Yi, F. canaliculata T. P. Yi, F. subflexuosa T. P. Yi and Drepanostachyum semiorbiculatum (T. P. Yi) Stapleton ( = F. semiorbiculata T. P. Yi) are presented. The characteristics of the flowers and flowering branches of F. qinlingensis and F. funiushanensis are similar to those of F. spathacea, the type species of Fargesia, while those of F. subflexuosa and F. canaliculata show a transitional state between Fargesia and Yushania. The characteristics of the flowers and flowering branches of F. semiorbiculata support its transfer to Drepanostachyum, previously suggested based on vegetative characteristics.
Genome sizes for 71 species of Zamia (Cycadales: Zamiaceae) correspond with three different biogeographic regions
Authors: Zonneveld B. J. M. , Lindström A. J.
Published: May 2016

Nuclear DNA contents (2C‐value) are reported for 71 out of 76 accepted species of Zamia (Zamiaceae) using flow cytometry with propidium iodide. Nuclear DNA content in Zamia ranges between 33.7 and 45.7 pg. Despite this small range, the largest genome contains roughly 1010 more base pairs than the smallest genome.

The results for Zamia point to two centers of biogeographic distribution: Mexico and Colombia. Nicaragua seems to be the biogeographic boundary for these two centres for Zamia. To the north, genome sizes of 33.7–38.0 pg (average 35.6 pg) are found and to the south (Costa Rica, Panama and South America) 41.2–45.7 pg (average 42.9 pg). Plants from the Caribbean islands (including Florida) have intermediate genome sizes with 37.3–40.9 pg (average 38.7 pg). Costa Rica and Panama are in a transition zone and its species can be divided into three subsections: four species with ‘Caribbean’ values of 38.4–39.5 pg (average 39.0 pg), six species with ‘South American’ values with 42.7–43.6 pg, (average 42.9 pg, and six species with intermediate values ranging between 40.1–41.0 pg (average 40.4 pg). The latter values are nearly absent in other areas, suggesting that they could be the products of (introgressive) hybridization. This study represents the first, nearly complete overview of the genome sizes of the genus Zamia and their relationship with biogeography.
The rising cost of hospital care for children with gastroparesis: 2004–2013
Authors: Lu P. L. , Moore‐Clingenpeel M. , Yacob D. , Di Lorenzo C. , Mousa H. M.
Published: May 2016

Background

The cost of hospital care for adults with gastroparesis (GP) is increasing. Our objective was to evaluate the cost of hospital care for children with GP.

Methods

Using the Pediatric Health Information System, we selected hospitalizations with a diagnosis of GP (ICD‐9 536.3), dyspepsia and other specified disorders of function of stomach (DYS, 536.8) and unspecified functional disorder of stomach (UFD, 536.9) from 2004 to 2013. We recorded dates of hospitalization, demographics, costs, and length of stay (LOS).

Key Results

From 2004 to 2013, 4015 patients were admitted for GP (54.2% female, median age 8 years). Total cost of hospitalization for GP increased 5.8 fold from $6 185 390 to $35 654 075 (p = 0.0001). Cost per hospitalization did not change. Cost of initial hospitalization was highest in patients 0–5 years and lowest in patients 16–21 years (p < 0.0001). Number of hospitalizations each year for GP increased from 252 to 1310 (p < 0.0001) and unique patients hospitalized increased from 174 to 723 (p < 0.0001). Number of hospitalizations and unique patients for DYS/UFD also increased (p < 0.0001). LOS for GP did not change with time. Females and younger GP patients had more repeat hospitalizations (p < 0.0001, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions & Inferences

The financial burden of hospitalization for pediatric GP has increased dramatically from 2004 to 2013, driven by a rise in number of hospitalizations and unique patients hospitalized each year. Cost and LOS per hospitalization remain stable. Unlike in adults, hospitalizations for DYS/UFD have also increased, suggesting that the increase in hospitalizations for GP is not secondary to changing diagnostic practices.
Continuous Cardiac Monitoring around Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Insights on Clinical Classifications and End Points
Authors: DEKKER LUKAS RC , POKUSHALOV EVGENY , SANDERS PRASHANTHAN , LINDBORG KATHERINE A. , MAUS BÄRBEL , PÜRERFELLNER HELMUT
Published: May 2016

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an arrhythmia that can be difficult to identify and classify with short‐term monitoring. However, current standard of practice requires only short‐term monitoring to determine AF classifications and identify symptom‐arrhythmia correlations prior to AF ablation procedures. Insertable cardiac monitors (ICMs) offer continuous arrhythmia monitoring, which could lead to a more accurate measurement of AF burden than standard of practice.

Methods

This analysis focused on 121 patients enrolled in the LINQ Usability Study indicated for an AF ablation. Patients were followed for up to 1 year after ICM insertion. Clinical AF classifications were made by physicians prior to ICM implantation based on available clinical information. Device‐detected AF burden and maximum daily burden were collected from device interrogations and remote transmissions. Device AF classifications were determined by categorizing the AF burden based on guidelines.

Results

Agreement between clinical and device AF classifications preablation was poor (48.3%, N = 58). The strongest agreement was in the paroxysmal AF group but still was only 61.8%. Furthermore, device‐detected preablation AF burden led to the decision to defer AF ablation procedures in 16 (13.2%) patients. The median AF burden in patients with ≥6 months follow‐up postablation (n = 71) was reduced from 7.8% (interquartile range [IQR]: 0–32.1%) to 0% (IQR: 0–0.7%).

Conclusions

ICM monitoring to determine AF burden pre‐ and post‐AF ablation may have clinical utility for management of ablation candidates through more accurate AF classification and guiding treatment decisions.
Phosphorus remobilization from rice flag leaves during grain filling: an RNA‐seq study
Authors: Jeong Kwanho , Baten Abdul , Waters Daniel L. E. , Pantoja Omar , Julia Cecile C. , Wissuwa Matthias , Heuer Sigrid , Kretzschmar Tobias , Rose Terry J.
Published: May 2016

The physiology and molecular regulation of phosphorus (P) remobilization from vegetative tissues to grains during grain filling is poorly understood, despite the pivotal role it plays in the global P cycle. To test the hypothesis that a subset of genes involved in the P starvation response are involved in remobilization of P from flag leaves to developing grains, we conducted an RNA‐seq analysis of rice flag leaves during the preremobilization phase (6 DAA) and when the leaves were acting as a P source (15 DAA). Several genes that respond to phosphate starvation, including three purple acid phosphatases (OsPAP3, OsPAP9b and OsPAP10a), were significantly up‐regulated at 15 DAA, consistent with a role in remobilization of P from flag leaves during grain filling. A number of genes that have not been implicated in the phosphate starvation response, OsPAP26, SPX‐MFS1 (a putative P transporter) and SPX‐MFS2, also showed expression profiles consistent with involvement in P remobilization from senescing flag leaves. Metabolic pathway analysis using the KEGG system suggested plastid membrane lipid synthesis is a critical process during the P remobilization phase. In particular, the up‐regulation of OsPLDz2 and OsSQD2 at 15 DAA suggested phospholipids were being degraded and replaced by other lipids to enable continued cellular function while liberating P for export to developing grains. Three genes associated with RNA degradation that have not previously been implicated in the P starvation response also showed expression profiles consistent with a role in P mobilization from senescing flag leaves.
Evaluation of tomato entries with different combinations of resistance genes to tomato yellow leaf curl disease in Tunisia
Authors: Elbaz Mounira , Hanson Peter , Fgaier Salah , Laarif Asma
Published: May 2016

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) is one of the most widespread begomoviruses transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci that cause tomato yellow leaf curl virus diseases (TYLCDs). TYLCD losses can be especially severe in open‐field tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) crops. TYLCV is particularly well known and widespread in the Mediterranean (Med) countries where TYLCD control is mostly based on insecticidal control of B. tabaci populations. Unfortunately, Tunisian B. tabaci populations include Middle East‐Asia Minor I and the Med species that have developed resistance to many classes of insecticides. Therefore, TYLCD‐resistant cultivars are essential for sustainable disease management. Six TYLCD resistance genes (Ty) have been introgressed from wild species into cultivated tomato and are available for breeding. Information on the Ty genes or gene combinations is useful for breeding resistant cultivars. To this end, 14 tomato lines carrying different Ty gene combinations and two susceptible tomato entries were evaluated for TYLCD incidence and severity in two field trials during late season in Tunisia. Entries with Ty‐1/Ty‐3 + Ty‐2 offered the highest levels of resistance in Tunisia.
Explaining the Inexplicable: Differences in Attributions for the Holocaust in Germany, Israel, and Poland
Authors: Imhoff Roland , Bilewicz Michał , Hanke Katja , Kahn Dennis T. , Henkel‐Guembel Naomi , Halabi Slieman , Sherman Tal‐Shani , Hirschberger Gilad
Published: May 2016

Seventy years have passed since the Holocaust, but this cataclysmic event continues to reverberate in the present. In this research, we examine attributions about the causes of the Holocaust and the influence of such attributions on intergroup relations. Three representative surveys were conducted among Germans, Poles, and Israeli Jews to examine inter‐ and intragroup variations in attributions for the Holocaust and how these attributions influence intergroup attitudes. Results indicated that Germans made more external than internal attributions and were especially low in attributing an evil essence to their ancestors. Israelis and Poles mainly endorsed the obedient essence attribution and were lowest on attribution to coercion. These attributions, however, were related to attitudes towards contemporary Germany primarily among Israeli Jews. The more they endorsed situationist explanations, and the less they endorsed the evil essence explanation, the more positive their attitude to Germany. Among Germans, attributions were related to a higher motivation for historical closure, except for the obedience attribution that was related to low desire for closure. Israelis exhibited a low desire for historical closure especially when attribution for evil essence was high. These findings suggest that lay perceptions of history are essential to understanding contemporary intergroup processes.
Foreign Direct Investment Determinants in OECD and Developing Countries
Authors: Economou Fotini , Hassapis Christis , Philippas Nikolaos , Tsionas Mike
Published: May 2016

In this paper we examine the foreign direct investment (FDI) inflow determinants in 24 Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) and 22 developing (non‐OECD) countries over 1980–2012, using the standard fixed effects as well as a dynamic panel approach. The most robust finding is that lagged FDI, market size, gross capital formation and corporate taxation significantly affect FDI inflows in OECD countries. We also examine a group of developing countries, taking into consideration the increased share of world FDI inflows that developing countries have attracted, and compare the results. In this case, lagged FDI, market size, labor cost and institutional variables provide the most robust results. The empirical results have important policy implications indicating the factors that host economies should emphasize in order to attract FDI inflows.
Could sand mining be a major threat for the declining endemic Labeobarbus species of Lake Tana, Ethiopia?
Authors: Mingist Minwyelet , Gebremedhin Shewit
Published: May 2016

Sand and gravel materials are often used in Ethiopia's construction sector. However, the impacts of sand mining on the water body's habitat and biodiversity are not yet considered in the country. In this paper, we study how sand mining activities at Lake Tana and its inflowing rivers affect the environment and spawning grounds of the endemic Labeobarbus species. We measured physico‐chemical parameters in‐situ and developed structured questionnaires to collect primary data on the fishery and sand mining. We found significant differences in conductivity, total dissolved solids and temperature among sampling sites (P < 0.05). Majority (>90 per cent) of the respondents confirmed the drastic physical changes in the rivers and a severe decline in fish production. The study revealed that the ecology of the mined rivers was seriously affected by sand mining, which interfered with migratory routes of fishes and resulted in loss of their spawning grounds. The unregulated sand mining also conflicted with the interests of the fisheries management and environment. Thus, urgent policy intervention is needed to protect the ever‐declining Labeobarbus species of Lake Tana and the environment.
Effects of cover crop growth and decomposition on the distribution of aggregate size fractions and soil microbial carbon dynamics
Authors: Linsler D. , Kaiser M. , Andruschkewitsch R. , Piegholdt C. , Ludwig B.
Published: May 2016

Although the effects of cover crops (CC) on various soil parameters have been fully investigated, less is known about the impacts at different stages in CC cultivation. The objective of this study was to quantify the influence of CC cultivation stages and residue placement on aggregates and microbial carbon (Cmic). Additionally, the influence of residue location and crop species on CO2 emissions and leached mineralized nitrogen (Nmin) during the plant degradation period was also investigated. Within an incubation experiment, four CC species were sown in soil columns, with additional columns being kept plant‐free. After plant growth, the columns were frozen (as occurs in winter under field conditions) and then incubated with the plant material either incorporated or surface‐applied. With CC, concentrations of large and medium macroaggregates were twice that of the fallow, confirming positive effects of root growth. Freezing led to a decrease in these aggregate size classes. In the subsequent incubation, the large macroaggregates decreased far more in the samples with CC than in the fallow, leading to similar aggregate size distributions. No difference in Cmic concentration was found among the CC cultivation stages. CO2 emissions were roughly equivalent to the carbon amounts added as plant residues. Comparison of columns with incorporated or surface‐applied residues indicated no consistent pattern of aggregate distribution, CO2 emission or Cmic and Nmin concentrations. Our results suggest that positive effects of CC cultivation are only short term and that a large amount of organic material in the soil could have a greater influence than CC cultivation.
The NnCenH3 protein and centromeric DNA sequence profiles of Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (sacred lotus) reveal the DNA structures and dynamics of centromeres in basal eudicots
Authors: Zhu Zhixuan , Gui Songtao , Jin Jing , Yi Rong , Wu Zhihua , Qian Qian , Ding Yi
Published: May 2016

Centromeres on eukaryotic chromosomes consist of large arrays of DNA repeats that undergo very rapid evolution. Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn. (sacred lotus) is a phylogenetic relict and an aquatic perennial basal eudicot. Studies concerning the centromeres of this basal eudicot species could provide ancient evolutionary perspectives. In this study, we characterized the centromeric marker protein NnCenH3 (sacred lotus centromere‐specific histone H3 variant), and used a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)‐based technique to recover the NnCenH3 nucleosome‐associated sequences of sacred lotus. The properties of the centromere‐binding protein and DNA sequences revealed notable divergence between sacred lotus and other flowering plants, including the following factors: (i) an NnCenH3 alternative splicing variant comprising only a partial centromere‐targeting domain, (ii) active genes with low transcription levels in the NnCenH3 nucleosomal regions, and (iii) the prevalence of the Ty1/copia class of long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons in the centromeres of sacred lotus chromosomes. In addition, the dynamic natures of the centromeric region showed that some of the centromeric repeat DNA sequences originated from telomeric repeats, and a pair of centromeres on the dicentric chromosome 1 was inactive in the metaphase cells of sacred lotus. Our characterization of the properties of centromeric DNA structure within the sacred lotus genome describes a centromeric profile in ancient basal eudicots and might provide evidence of the origins and evolution of centromeres. Furthermore, the identification of centromeric DNA sequences is of great significance for the assembly of the sacred lotus genome.
Alkaline phosphatase activity in airway fluid obtained by tracheal wash from adult horses
Authors: Viscardi Vanessa , Jorge Maria Luisa L. A. , Silva Katia M. , Sad Eliene P. , Fonseca Ana Beatriz M. , Alencar Nayro X. , Lessa Daniel Augusto B.
Published: May 2016

Background

Collection of fluid from the lower respiratory tract (LRT) plays an important role in both the pathophysiological investigation and diagnosis of respiratory tract disease. Enzymes such as ALP are, among others, indicators of cell damage or death, type II pneumocyte proliferation, and neutrophil invasion, and have been useful as biomarkers of respiratory disease in other species.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare tracheal wash (TW) ALP activity in healthy horses and horses with LRT inflammation (LRTI) determined by TW cytology profile.

Methods

Tracheal washes were collected from asymptomatic adult geldings to measure ALP activity. The horses were allocated to the healthy group or the group with LRT inflammation based on differential leukocyte counts of TW preparations. Horses with > 20% neutrophils and > 1% eosinophils were allocated to the LRTI group, the horses with < 20% neutrophils and < 1% eosinophils were the controls.

Results

Tracheal wash ALP activity, measured using a semiautomatic chemistry analyzer, was statistically significantly higher in 18 horses with LRTI (18.9 ± 11.2 × 103 U/L) than in healthy horses (10.3 ± 5.9 × 103 U/L) (P = .021).

Conclusions

Determining tracheal wash ALP activity is a simple, inexpensive and safe technique that can be used to facilitate the early diagnosis of equine respiratory disease, since it is higher in asymptomatic adult horses with a TW cytology profile consistent with LRT inflammation than in healthy adult horses with a normal TW cytology profile.
Underwater Superhydrophobicity: Stability, Design and Regulation, and Applications
Authors: Xue Yahui , Lv Pengyu , Lin Hao , Duan Huiling
Published: May 2016

Bioinspired superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted great interest from fundamental research to engineering applications. The stability, design, and regulation of superhydrophobicity, especially in a submerged environment, have been one of the main focuses of recent efforts. This review is dedicated to illustrating the fundamental characteristics of underwater superhydrophobicity, introducing novel and effective strategies for robust design and regulation, and to providing an overview of the state-of-the-art engineering applications in drag reduction and cavitation/boiling control. First, the underlying mechanisms of wetting transition on superhydrophobic surfaces submerged underwater induced by physical phenomena including pressurization, air diffusion, fluid flow, and condensation are reviewed. The influence of the closed/open state of entrapped air cavities is differentiated. Landmark experiments demonstrating wetting transition mechanisms are surveyed. Then, novel strategies for designing robust superhydrophobic surfaces are summarized, including hierarchical, reentrant, lubricant-infused, and mechanically durable structures. Moreover, strategies for superhydrophobicity regulation are introduced, which are classified into two types: self-healing and dewetting, based on the failure regime (surface damage or meniscus collapse). The current state-of-the-art engineering applications in drag reduction and cavitation/boiling control are comprehensively reviewed. Last but not least, remaining challenges for future research are given at the conclusion.
Atomic layer deposited nanocrystalline tungsten carbides thin films as a metal gate and diffusion barrier for Cu metallization
Authors: Kim Jun Beom , Kim Soo-Hyun , Han Won Seok , Lee Do-Joong
Published: May 2016

Tungsten carbides (WCx) thin films were deposited on thermally grown SiO2 substrates by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using a fluorine- and nitrogen-free W metallorganic precursor, tungsten tris(3-hexyne) carbonyl [W(CO)(CH3CH2C ≡ CCH2CH3)3], and N2 + H2 plasma as the reactant at deposition temperatures between 150 and 350 °C. The present ALD-WCx system showed an ALD temperature window between 200 and 250 °C, where the growth rate was independent of the deposition temperature. Typical ALD characteristics, such as self-limited film growth and a linear dependency of the film grown on the number of ALD cycles, were observed, with a growth rate of 0.052 nm/cycle at a deposition temperature of 250 °C. The ALD-WCx films formed a nanocrystalline structure with grains, ∼2 nm in size, which consisted of hexagonal W2C, WC, and nonstoichiometric cubic β-WC1−x phase. Under typical deposition conditions at 250 °C, an ALD-WCx film with a resistivity of ∼510 μΩ cm was deposited and the resistivity of the ALD-WCx film could be reduced even further to ∼285 μΩ cm by further optimizing the reactant pulsing conditions, such as the plasma power. The step coverage of ALD-WCx film was ∼80% on very small sized and dual trenched structures (bottom width of 15 nm and aspect ratio of ∼6.3). From ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, the work function of the ALD-WCx film was determined to be 4.63 eV. Finally, the ultrathin (∼5 nm) ALD-WCx film blocked the diffusion of Cu, even up to 600 °C, which makes it a promising a diffusion barrier material for Cu interconnects.
Impact of reduced graphene oxide on MoS2 grown by sulfurization of sputtered MoO3 and Mo precursor films
Authors: Pacley Shanee , Hu Jianjun , Jespersen Michael , Hilton Al , Waite Adam , Brausch Jacob , Beck-Millerton Emory , Voevodin Andrey A.
Published: May 2016

Monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a two dimensional semiconducting dichalcogenide material with a bandgap of 1.8–1.9 eV, has demonstrated promise for future use in field effect transistors and optoelectronics. Various approaches have been used for MoS2 processing, the most common being chemical vapor deposition. During chemical vapor deposition, precursors such as Mo, MoO3, and MoCl5 have been used to form a vapor reaction with sulfur, resulting in thin films of MoS2. Currently, MoO3 ribbons and powder, and MoCl5 powder have been used. However, the use of ribbons and powder makes it difficult to grow large area-continuous films. Sputtering of Mo is an approach that has demonstrated continuous MoS2 film growth. In this paper, the authors compare the structural properties of MoS2 grown by sulfurization of pulse vapor deposited MoO3 and Mo precursor films. In addition, they have studied the effects that reduced graphene oxide (rGO) has on MoS2 structure. Reports show that rGO increases MoS2 grain growth during powder vaporization. Herein, the authors report a grain size increase for MoS2 when rGO was used during sulfurization of both sputtered Mo and MoO3 precursors. In addition, our transmission electron microscopy results show a more uniform and continuous film growth for the MoS2 films produced from Mo when compared to the films produced from MoO3. Atomic force microscopy images further confirm this uniform and continuous film growth when Mo precursor was used. Finally, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that the MoS2 films produced using both precursors were stoichiometric and had about 7–8 layers in thickness, and that there was a slight improvement in stoichiometry when rGO was used.
The Effects of Elaboration on the Strength of Doping-Related Attitudes: Resistance to Change and Behavioral Intentions
Authors: Horcajo Javier , Luttrell Andrew
Published: May 2016

This experiment analyzed whether attitudes toward the legalization of several doping behaviors would resist change and predict behavioral intentions when they were initially formed through thoughtful (i.e., high elaboration) versus nonthoughtful (i.e., low elaboration) processes. Participants were randomly assigned first to a persuasive message either against or in favor of the legalization, which they read with relatively high or low degrees of deliberative thinking. Attitudes and intentions regarding legalization were assessed following that message. Next, each participant received a second message that was opposed to the first one, serving as an attack against the attitude that participants had just formed. Finally, attitudes were again assessed. As hypothesized, participants showed greater attitude-consistent intentions when they formed their initial attitudes through thoughtful (vs. nonthoughtful) consideration of the first message. Moreover, the second message resulted in greater resistance to attitude change when participants formed their initial attitudes through thoughtful (vs. nonthoughtful) processes.
Government ‘nudges’ prove their worth
Authors: Bohannon John
Published: May 2016

U.S. trials show low-cost interventions can influence choices by people needing help from state services.
Experimental reconstruction of the Berry curvature in a Floquet Bloch band
Authors: Fläschner N. , Rem B. S. , Tarnowski M. , Vogel D. , Lühmann D.-S. , Sengstock K. , Weitenberg C.
Published: May 2016

Cold atoms do geometry

Electrons in solids populate energy bands, which can be simulated in cold atom systems using optical lattices. The geometry of the corresponding wave functions determines the topological properties of the system, but getting a direct look is tricky. Fläschner
et al.
and Li
et al.
measured the detailed structure of the band wave functions in hexagonal optical lattices, one resembling a boron-nitride and the other a graphene lattice. These techniques will make it possible to explore more complex situations that include the effects of interactions.

Science
, this issue pp.
1091
and
1094
A force-generating machinery maintains the spindle at the cell center during mitosis
Authors: Garzon-Coral Carlos , Fantana Horatiu A. , Howard Jonathon
Published: May 2016

Forcing the spindle to the cell center

As a cell divides, the mitotic spindle segregates chromosomes to daughter cells. It does so while maintaining a centralized position; however, the mechanism for spindle placement is unclear. Garzon-Coral
et al.
used magnetic tweezers to show that the dynamical properties of the astral microtubules act as a force-generating machinery to keep the spindle at the cell center. The stiffness of the spring-like force increases during anaphase and also with decreasing cell size. This machinery is strong enough to quench thermal fluctuations to ensure precise localization of the spindle, but soft enough to allow molecular force generators to fine-tune the position of the mitotic spindle.

Science
, this issue p.
1124
Nuclear-localized cyclic nucleotide–gated channels mediate symbiotic calcium oscillations
Authors: Charpentier Myriam , Sun Jongho , Martins Teresa Vaz , Radhakrishnan Guru V. , Findlay Kim , Soumpourou Eleni , Thouin Julien , Véry Anne-Aliénor , Sanders Dale , Morris Richard J. , Oldroyd Giles E. D.
Published: May 2016

Calcium signals the making of symbiosis

Plant cell nuclei respond to signals from symbiotic nitrogenfixing rhizobial bacteria or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with oscillating Ca
2+
release. Charpentier
et al.
identified a trio of responsible Ca
2+
channels in a legume. These channels contain nuclear localization signals and are expressed in root cell nuclear envelopes. The channels function early in the establishment of symbiosis to produce oscillations in Ca
2+
release from nuclear stores.

Science
, this issue p.
1102
A Schrödinger cat living in two boxes
Authors: Wang Chen , Gao Yvonne Y. , Reinhold Philip , Heeres R. W. , Ofek Nissim , Chou Kevin , Axline Christopher , Reagor Matthew , Blumoff Jacob , Sliwa K. M. , Frunzio L. , Girvin S. M. , Jiang Liang , Mirrahimi M. , Devoret M. H. , Schoelkopf R. J.
Published: May 2016

Quantum cats here and there

The story of Schrödinger's cat being hidden away in a box and being both dead and alive is often invoked to illustrate the how peculiar the quantum world can be. On a twist of the dead/alive behavior, Wang
et al.
now show that the cat can be in two separate locations at the same time. Constructing their cat from coherent microwave photons, they show that the state of the “electromagnetic cat” can be shared by two separated cavities. Going beyond common-sense absurdities of the classical world, the ability to share quantum states in different locations could be a powerful resource for quantum information processing.

Science
, this issue p.
1087
Paying for future success in gene therapy
Authors: Orkin Stuart H. , Reilly Philip
Published: May 2016

We must consider potential value, pricing, and sustainability of emerging gene therapies
Navigating the cascades of circumstance
Serendipity An Ecologist's Quest to Understand Nature
James A. Estes
University of California Press, 2016. 291 pp.
Authors: Forbes Elizabeth , ter Kuile Ana Miller , Orr Devyn , Titcomb Georgia
Published: May 2016

An ecologist reflects on the unexpected twists and turns that shaped his scientific career
Unwinding inducible gene expression
Authors: Pope Scott D. , Medzhitov Ruslan
Published: May 2016

Relieving DNA torsional stress may follow chromatin remodeling to facilitate transcription
Induction of Unconventional T Cells by a Mutant Mycobacterium bovis BCG Strain Formulated in Cationic Liposomes Correlates with Protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infections of Immunocompromised Mice
Authors: Derrick Steven C. , Yabe Idalia , Morris Sheldon , Cowley Siobhan
Published: May 2016

Earlier studies aimed at defining protective immunity induced by
Mycobacterium bovis
BCG immunization have largely focused on the induction of antituberculosis CD4
+
and CD8
+
T cell responses. Here we describe a vaccine consisting of a BCGΔ
mmaA4
deletion mutant formulated in dimethyl dioctadecyl-ammonium bromide (DDA) with
d
-(+)-trehalose 6,6′-dibehenate (TDB) (DDA/TDB) adjuvant (A4/Adj) that protected TCRδ
−/−
mice depleted of CD4
+
, CD8
+
, and NK1.1
+
T cells against an aerosol challenge with
M. tuberculosis
. These mice were significantly protected relative to mice immunized with a nonadjuvanted BCGΔ
mmaA4
(BCG-A4) mutant and nonvaccinated controls at 2 months and 9 months postvaccination. In the absence of all T cells following treatment with anti-Thy1.2 antibody, the immunized mice lost the ability to control the infection. These results indicate that an unconventional T cell population was mediating protection in the absence of CD4
+
, CD8
+
, NK1.1
+
, and TCRγδ T cells and could exhibit memory. Focusing on CD4
−
CD8
−
double-negative (DN) T cells, we found that these cells accumulated in the lungs postchallenge significantly more in A4/Adj-immunized mice and induced significantly greater frequencies of pulmonary gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing cells than were seen in the nonvaccinated or nonadjuvanted BCG control groups. Moreover, pulmonary DN T cells from the A4/Adj group exhibited significantly higher IFN-γ integrated median fluorescence intensity (iMFI) values than were seen in the control groups. We also showed that enriched DN T cells from mice immunized with A4/Adj could control mycobacterial growth
in vitro
significantly better than naive whole-spleen cells. These results suggest that formulating BCG in DDA/TDB adjuvant confers superior protection in immunocompromised mice and likely involves the induction of long-lived memory DN T cells.
A Computationally Designed Serological Assay for Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus
Authors: Song Yunfeng , Singh Pankaj , Nelson Eric , Ramamoorthy Sheela
Published: May 2016

The periodic emergence of new infectious agents and the genetic and antigenic evolution of existing agents necessitate the improvement of technology for the rapid development of diagnostic assays. The porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) emerged in the United States in 2013, causing severe economic damage to the pork industry. The primary goal of this study was to develop methods to reduce the lead time for serological assay development. An approach involving the computational prediction of diagnostic targets, followed by a rapid synthesis of antigens, was adopted to achieve this objective. To avoid cross-reactivity with other closely related swine coronaviruses, the N protein sequences of PEDV were analyzed to identify sequences unique to PEDV. The potential antigenicity of the identified sequence was predicted computationally using the Jameson-Wolf method. A sequence with a high antigenic index was rapidly synthesized using an
in vitro
transcription and translation system to yield the diagnostic antigen. The computationally designed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was validated using 169 field sera, whose statuses were determined by a PEDV-specific immunofluorescence assay. Comparison of the computationally designed ELISA to a conventionally developed ELISA, using bacterially expressed N protein, and to the immunofluorescence assay showed a high degree of agreement among the three tests (mean kappa statistic, 0.842). The sensitivity and specificity, compared to the conventionally developed assay, were 90.62 and 95.18, respectively. Therefore, the described approach is useful in reducing the development time for serological assays in the face of an infectious disease outbreak.