bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The rapid A–Ci response: photosynthesis in the phenomic era
Authors: Stinziano Joseph R. , Morgan Patrick B. , Lynch Douglas J. , Saathoff Aaron J. , McDermitt Dayle K. , Hanson David T.
Published: March 2017

Phenotyping for photosynthetic gas exchange parameters is limiting our ability to select plants for enhanced photosynthetic carbon gain and to assess plant function in current and future natural environments. This is due, in part, to the time required to generate estimates of the maximum rate of ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (Rubisco) carboxylation (Vc,max) and the maximal rate of electron transport (Jmax) from the response of photosynthesis (A) to the CO2 concentration inside leaf air spaces (Ci). To relieve this bottleneck, we developed a method for rapid photosynthetic carbon assimilation CO2 responses [rapid A–Ci response (RACiR)] utilizing non‐steady‐state measurements of gas exchange. Using high temporal resolution measurements under rapidly changing CO2 concentrations, we show that RACiR techniques can obtain measures of Vc,max and Jmax in ~5 min, and possibly even faster. This is a small fraction of the time required for even the most advanced gas exchange instrumentation. The RACiR technique, owing to its increased throughput, will allow for more rapid screening of crops, mutants and populations of plants in natural environments, bringing gas exchange into the phenomic era.
Questioning Kaufman: How Cross‐Level Political Coalitions Interact with Organizational Structure
Authors: Fleischman Forrest
Published: March 2017

Herbert Kaufman's The Forest Ranger is considered a landmark study of how organizations can be structured to elicit compliance from field officials, yet there have been few attempts to validate Kaufman's claims. The author argues that the outcomes observed by Kaufman resulted from interplay between organizational structure and political context—a variable that Kaufman ignored. This argument is supported by case studies of two agencies with structures similar to Kaufman's U.S. Forest Service but poorer outcomes: the same agency today and India's forest departments. Both differences in organizational structure and poorer outcomes are found to be the result of political context. Specifically, coalitions assembled around agencies use the implementation process to shape outcomes in ways that could not be accomplished solely through changing laws or formal administrative structure. This points to the importance of building supportive field‐level coalitions to complement administrative reforms.
Time, space, place, and the Bonn Challenge global forest restoration target
Authors: Verdone Michael , Seidl Andrew
Published: March 2017

The Bonn Challenge, a global effort to begin restoring 350 million hectares of degraded forest landscapes by 2030, was launched in 2011. To date countries have committed to restore more than 60 million hectares as part of the Bonn Challenge. As global decision‐makers, governments, and communities join the effort to restore degraded land, new questions about the economics of restoration have emerged. Critics argue that restoration takes too long, costs too much, and produces too few benefits to justify public or private expenditures. This paper addresses these concerns by presenting a methodology for valuing the net benefits of large‐scale ecosystem restoration initiatives by estimating the net benefit of achieving the Bonn Challenge. This paper also estimates the net benefit of achieving the Bonn Challenge restoration target under different social discounting regimes, different valuations of public goods, and different time horizons to see how they affect the argument for investing society's scarce resources in restoration. The results suggest that achieving the Bonn Challenge would generate a net benefit of between U.S.$0.7 and U.S.$9 trillion. The results show that restoration can create benefits that exceed its costs and that the value of these benefits might differ depending on the discount rate. The results show that lower social discount rates correspond to higher restoration rates. This suggests that the Bonn Challenge target is more likely to be met when a low social discount rate is used to discount the benefits and costs of restoration.
Old age rational suicide
Authors: Richards Naomi
Published: March 2017

In the societal debate surrounding voluntary euthanasia or physician‐assisted suicide, there is a concern that older people will be left exposed to any legislation, subject to either faint suggestion or outright coercion from familial or professional carers. Whilst it is critical to take account of older people's potential vulnerability to any current or proposed assisted suicide legislation, there is a parallel strand of research exploring another relationship which older people can have with this debate: one of activism. Sociological research has shown that older people make up the “rank and file” of those active within the right‐to‐die movement. One of the stated motivations of some older people requesting hastened death has been that, in spite of an absence of life‐threatening disease, they feel “tired of life” or that they have lived a “completed life” and feel ready to die. The notion of suicide for reasons of longevity and being tired of life are becoming increasingly significant given the fact of global ageing. This article brings together empirical and theoretical research on the phenomenon of old age rational suicide in order to develop an underexplored area in both the sociology of death and the sociology of ageing.
WikiLeaks: Between disclosure and whistle‐blowing in digital times
Authors: Brevini Benedetta
Published: March 2017

The 2010 WikiLeaks' disclosures of U.S. war logs were the first megaleaks to shake the world of international diplomacy and political elites. Since then, more leaks followed, from the Snowden to the Panama Papers. As this phenomenon continues to evolve, a significant body of scholarly work has analysed the emergence, the struggle, and the history of WikiLeaks .This article aims to provide a cross disciplinary overview of the research that has explored the rise and the legacy of the disclosure platform and whistle‐blowing website WikiLeaks. It identifies four scholarship approaches to research focusing on Julian Assange's platform in order to understand its impact on various aspects of the media and of public life.

The approaches considered range from the effect WikiLeaks has had on traditional journalism to the platform's challenge to power in the realm of the balance between openness and secrecy in domestic and international politics; further scholarships use WikiLeaks as a case study to understand the relationship between media and social movements and to study the platform's ethics and the legal consequences of its operations.

The impact of WikiLeaks's revelations still poses relevant questions the media, politics, and regulators must address in such a pivotal time that sees a change in news consumption and an increasingly bitter debate between online privacy and transparency.

The conclusion reflects upon current development of what the author calls “new digital culture of disclosure.” Future research should explore questions about the opportunities, challenges, and obstacles for this emerging culture of disclosure. What are the socio‐political‐economic conditions that have enabled this new culture? Are these leaks becoming a renewed example of democratic accountability? Is this culture of disclosure replacing public interest journalism in times of crisis?
Logistics labor: Insights from the sociologies of globalization, the economy, and work
Authors: Sowers Elizabeth A.
Published: March 2017

This article identifies the origins of the rise of the logistics industry to highlight the powerful structural position that this endows on the industry and its workers. I begin by analyzing an often‐neglected aspect of globalization by describing the logistics, or goods movement industry, and identifying the role that the “logistics revolution” plays within the contemporary capitalist system. Then, synthesizing insights from global, economic, and labor sociology, I argue that the structural “brokerage” position of logistics workers in the global economy offers them key advantages on which labor and political movements might capitalize in struggles for economic justice and worker rights. I examine empirical research regarding labor organizing within logistics to determine if workers leverage this powerful position into concrete gains. Finally, I argue that more attention needs to be paid to how logistics workers recognize, articulate, and utilize their potentially powerful position in globalization flows. Future research should endeavor to understand how this can be achieved among wide groups of logistics workers to achieve the most success in labor and political movements.
A Role and Reference Grammar Account of Clause Linkage Development in Second Language: An Application to English and French
Authors: Buysse Manon , Housen Alex , Pierrard Michel
Published: March 2017

Clause linkage, or the combination of multiple propositions in one complex syntactic unit, is an important concept to be mastered by anyone acquiring a language. Though its role in both first (L1) and second (L2) language acquisition has been studied before (Diessel & Tomasello , Véronique , Klein & Perdue ), an overarching approach to its development is still lacking. This paper proposes a unified model of clause linkage and its development based on Role and Reference Grammar (Van Valin ) and tests this model's applicability to L2 acquisition by analyzing oral L2 English and French productions by Dutch‐speaking learners, focusing on the syntactic and the semantic aspect of clause linkage and on their interaction.
The image‐schematic basis of causation and concession in English and Spanish
Authors: Castaño Emilia
Published: March 2017

Cognitive linguistics holds that meaning in language is the mapping between linguistic expressions and cognitive structures that arise from our direct sensory experience and interactions with the world. Taking as a starting point the notions of image schema (Lakoff & Johnson ) and force dynamics (Talmy ), in two experiments, we tested naïve subjects’ intuitions about the image‐schematic basis of causal and concessive discourse markers. In the first experiment, conducted in English and Spanish, subjects were confronted with a series of animation that depicted forceful interactions between two entities and were asked to make a force‐choice response indicating the sentences that best described the animations that they had watched. English and Spanish participants showed a general preference for descriptions with causal connectives when one of the entities involved in the interaction was overcome by the other. On the contrary, sentences with concessive connectors were favored when the attempts of one of the entities to control the other were unsuccessful. Similar results were obtained in a second experiment where subjects’ judgments were explicitly guided by the sentence connectors given that the linguistic descriptions that accompanied the animations included a nonce verb in their coda such that literal references to the notion of force were avoided. Altogether, these results support the hypothesis that there is consistency across‐ subjects in the imagistic basis of causal and concessive connectives, which seem to recruit our experiential knowledge about forces as part of their meaning.
Reduced Relatives and Extended Phases: A Phase‐Based Analysis of the Inflectional Restrictions on English Reduced Relative Clauses
Authors: Harwood William
Published: March 2017

This article aims to provide an analysis for a curious fact about reduced relative clauses in Standard English: while full relative clauses permit all forms of inflection, reduced relative clauses are restricted to passive and progressive inflections. This puzzle is explained by claiming that, while full relative clauses are comprised of both phases of the clausal spine, reduced relative clauses are comprised solely of the clause‐internal phase. Following the claim that the clause‐internal phase in English in fact extends as far as the progressive aspectual layer (Harwood,; Wurmbrand,; Ramchand & Svenonius; Aelbrecht & Harwood) this fully accounts for the inflectional restrictions on reduced relative clauses in Standard English.
Cytologic features of cutaneous follicular tumors and cysts in dogs
Authors: Adedeji Adeyemi O. , Affolter Verena K. , Christopher Mary M.
Published: March 2017

Background

Follicular tumors and cysts are common skin lesions in dogs. Both are distinguished based on their cellular origin (matrical, isthmus, or infundibular cells) and the type of keratin they produce. Typically, differentiation requires histopathology, as all these lesions often have similar cytologic features.

Objectives

The goal of this retrospective study was to identify unique cytologic features that may assist differentiation of canine benign follicular tumors and cysts at cytology, using histopathology as gold standard.

Methods

Electronic medical records of the University of California–Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital were searched for diagnoses of follicular tumors and cysts in dogs that had both histopathologic and cytologic diagnoses between January 2000 and December 2013. Cytologic specimens were reassessed in a blinded manner for the presence and type of background, cells, noncellular elements, and inflammation.

Results

Forty‐six samples were included in the study. Follicular cysts (n = 25) and infundibular keratinizing acanthomas (n = 5) contained sheets of keratinized anucleate to nucleated squamous cells. Trichoepitheliomas (n = 8) had 2 primary cytologic presentations: those with primarily basaloid cells that appeared to be undergoing keratinization (3/8; 38%) and those with keratinizing anucleate to nucleated squamous cells (5/8; 63%). Trichoblastomas (n = 8) had pink matrix with spindle cells and contained cohesive clusters of basaloid cells.

Conclusion

Trichoblastomas, and to a lesser extent, trichoepitheliomas, have unique cytologic features with the potential to distinguish them from other benign follicular tumors and cysts. These results are an important first step toward improving the diagnostic specificity of cytologic examination of cutaneous follicular lesions.
CRACKING PROCESS OF REINFORCED CONCRETE INDUCED BY NON-UNIFORM REINFORCEMENT CORROSION
Authors: Sutrisno Wahyuniarsih , Hartana I Ketut , Suprobo Priyo , Wahyuni Endah , Iranata Data
Published: March 2017

Expansion of rust, as a result of reinforcement corrosion, can cause additional internal expansive pressure and initiate cracking to the concrete. This paper presents experimental test and numerical modeling of concrete cracking induced by reinforcement corrosion. The simulation was performed using finite element based program Abaqus CAE using concrete smeared cracking approach. The numerical modeling used non-uniform and uniform corrosion assumption to get more accurate result. Based on the result, the numerical modeling has 3.01% lower stress than the experimental test. The result of the simulation using non-uniform assumption showed more similar cracking pattern with the experimental test compared with uniform assumption.
FACTORS INFLUENCING FACE MASK SELECTION AND DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS: RESULTS FROM PILOT STUDY AMONGST MALAYSIAN UMRAH PILGRIMS
Authors: Azman Mohamad Asyraf , Mohamed Yusof Shahrul Anuwar , Abdullah Imran , Mohamad Irfan , Shaikh Mohammed Javeed
Published: March 2017

Hajj is the largest annual gathering of Muslims during which time over two million people from different parts of the world are gathered within a small area, leading to very high risks of acute respiratory infections (ARI) for the pilgrims. Therefore, preventive measures and controls should be implemented, including the implementation of non-pharmaceutical prevention methods such as the use of appropriate face masks, hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette, social distancing, and quarantine. A pilot study was conducted in 2013 to identify the types of face masks used by Malaysian Umrah pilgrims as well as to identify the problems pertaining to the face masks being used and to understand the factors influencing the selection of face masks by Malaysian pilgrims. Observations and survey methods were used in the pilot study. Data was collected from thirty respondents through a survey. This paper presents the results of the pilot study. Based on the knowledge of factors influencing face mask usage and selection from the pilot study, new face mask design(s) will be proposed for the Malaysian pilgrims. It is anticipated that the use of new face mask design(s) can reduce the risk of acute respiratory infections in Hajj and Umrah pilgrims.
La estética de los videoclips: propuesta metodológica para la caracterización de los productos audiovisuales musicales
Authors: Roncallo Dow Sergio , Uribe-Jongbloed Enrique
Published: March 2017

La expansión de MTV y de los videos musicales a nivel mundial se ha presentado como evidencia de la globalización de los mercados internacionales y de su supuesta homogenización estética. Desde sus inicios en los años 80, con su punto más alto en los 90s y ahora con su transformación en la era de YouTube, el videoclip se ha catalogado como el referente estético de toda una generación. Sin embargo, más allá de clasificarlo como un producto rápido, delirante y espasmódico, se le ha anunciado como la esencia misma de esta nueva cultura globalizada, sin un reconocimiento específico de sus características estéticas. Es en ese punto donde hacemos nuestro aporte. A través del presente artículo presentamos una matriz de análisis para estudiar las características estéticas de los videos musicales. Para hacerlo nos adentramos en debates estéticos sobre las relaciones entre imagen y sonido, asumiendo la canción como el texto subyacente que motiva una construcción audiovisual que la complementa. Aunque el producto final pueda resultar en solo una gran estructura en la cual se clasifiquen distintos productos, sirve como herramienta para evitar generalizaciones sobre el contenido audiovisual. En futuras propuestas de análisis, valdría la pena ver reflejado un acucioso uso de estas categorías que sirvan para complementar argumentaciones sobre el impacto cultural de los videoclips en estéticas internacionales. Ofrecemos, de este modo, una herramienta para mejorar, que nos permite escapar interpretaciones genéricas, aportando rigurosidad a la búsqueda estética.
Distributed Control of Two-Dimensional Navier–Stokes Equations in Fourier Spectral Simulations
Authors: Rahmani Behrooz , Moosaie Amin
Published: March 2017

A method for distributed control of nonlinear flow equations is proposed. In this method, first, Takagi–Sugeno (T–S) fuzzy model is used to substitute the nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs) governing the system by a set of linear PDEs, such that their fuzzy composition exactly recovers the original nonlinear equations. This is done to alleviate the mode-interaction phenomenon occurring in spectral treatment of nonlinear equations. Then, each of the so-obtained linear equations is converted to a set of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) technique. Thus, the combination of T–S method and FFT technique leads to a number of ODEs for each grid point. For the stabilization of the dynamics of each grid point, the use is made of the parallel distributed compensation (PDC) method. The stability of the proposed control method is proved using the second Lyapunov theorem for fuzzy systems. In order to solve the nonlinear flow equation, a combination of FFT and Runge–Kutta methodologies is implemented. Simulation studies show the performance of the proposed method, for example, the smaller settling time and overshoot and also its relatively robustness with respect to the measurement noises.
Analysis of Entropy Generation Due to Micropolar Fluid Flow in a Rectangular Duct Subjected to Slip and Convective Boundary Conditions
Authors: Srinivasacharya D. , Himabindu K.
Published: March 2017

The entropy generation due to steady, incompressible micropolar fluid flow in a rectangular duct with slip and convective boundary conditions (CBCs) is calculated. An external uniform magnetic field is applied which is directed arbitrarily in a plane perpendicular to the flow direction. The governing partial differential equations of momentum, angular momentum, and energy are solved numerically using finite-difference method. The obtained velocity, microrotation, and temperature distributions are then used to evaluate the entropy generation and Bejan number. The effects of various parameters on the entropy generation and Bejan number are discussed through graphs.
Commissioning a fast Monte Carlo dose calculation algorithm for lung cancer treatment planning
Authors: Craig Jeff , Oliver Mike , Gladwish Adam , Mulligan Matt , Chen Jeff , Wong Eugene
Published: March 2017

A commercial Monte Carlo simulation package, NXEGS 1.12 (NumeriX LLC, New York, NY), was commissioned for photon‐beam dose calculations. The same sets of measured data from 6‐MV and 18‐MV beams were used to commission NXEGS and Pinnacle 6.2b (Philips Medical Systems, Andover, MA). Accuracy and efficiency were compared against the collapsed cone convolution algorithm implemented in Pinnacle 6.2b, together with BEAM simulation (BEAMnrc 2001: National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa, ON). We investigated a number of options in NXEGS: the accuracy of fast Monte Carlo, the re‐implementation of EGS4, post‐processing technique (dose de‐noising algorithm), and dose calculation time. Dose distributions were calculated with NXEGS, Pinnacle, and BEAM in water, lung‐slab, and air‐cylinder phantoms and in a lung patient plan. We compared the dose distributions calculated by NXEGS, Pinnacle, and BEAM. In a selected region of interest (7725 voxels) in the lung phantom, all but 1 voxel had a γ (3% and 3 mm thresholds) of 1 or less for the dose difference between the NXEGS re‐implementation of EGS4 and BEAM, and 99% of the voxels had a γ of 1 or less for the dose difference between NXEGS fast Monte Carlo and BEAM. Fast Monte Carlo with post‐processing was up to 100 times faster than the NXEGS re‐implementation of EGS4, while maintainingstatistical uncertainty. With air inhomogeneities larger than 1 cm, post‐processing preserves the dose perturbations from the air cylinder. When 3 or more beams were used, fast Monte Carlo with post‐processing was comparable to or faster than Pinnacle 6.2b collapsed cone convolution.

PACS numbers: 87.18.Bb, 87.53.Wz
Application of distance transformation on parameter optimization of inverse planning in intensity‐modulated radiation therapy
Authors: Yan Hui , Yin Fang‐Fang
Published: March 2017

In inverse planning for intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), the dose specification and related weighting factor of an objective function for involved organs is usually predefined by a single value and then iteratively optimized, subject to a set of dose—volume constraints. Because the actual dose distribution is essentially non‐uniform and considerably affected by the geometric shape and distribution of the anatomic structures involved, the spatial information regarding those structures should be incorporated such that the predefined parameter distribution is made to approach the clinically expected distribution. Ideally, these parameter distributions should be predefined on a voxel basis in a manual method. However, such an approach is too time‐consuming to be feasible in routine use.

In the present study, we developed a computer‐aided method to achieve the goal described above, producing a non‐uniform parameter distribution based on spatial information about the anatomic structures involved. The method consists of two steps:

Use distance transformation technique to calculate the distance distribution of the structures.

Based on the distance distribution, produce the parameter distribution via a conversion function guided by prior knowledge.

We use two simulated cases to examine the effectiveness of the method. The results indicate that application of a non‐uniform parameter distribution produced by distance transformation clearly improves dose‐sparing of critical organs without compromising dose coverage of the planning target.

PACS numbers: 87.53.Jw
Science Signaling
Podcast for 28 February 2017: Balancing autophagy in the stressed heart
Authors: Das Saumya , VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: March 2017

The protein DDiT4L protects the heart from pathological hypertrophy by stimulating autophagy (Simonson
et al
. in 28 February 2017 issue).
Astrocytes light up glial heterogeneity
Authors: Venere Monica
Published: March 2017

Functionally diverse subpopulations of astrocytes have correlates in the neoplastic adult brain.
Differential Antibody Responses to Conserved HIV-1 Neutralizing Epitopes in the Context of Multivalent Scaffolds and Native-Like gp140 Trimers
Authors: Morris Charles D. , Azadnia Parisa , de Val Natalia , Vora Nemil , Honda Andrew , Giang Erick , Saye-Francisco Karen , Cheng Yushao , Lin Xiaohe , Mann Colin J. , Tang Jeffrey , Sok Devin , Burton Dennis R. , Law Mansun , Ward Andrew B. , He Linling , Zhu Jiang
Published: March 2017

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) have provided valuable insights into the humoral immune response to HIV-1. While rationally designed epitope scaffolds and well-folded gp140 trimers have been proposed as vaccine antigens, a comparative understanding of their antibody responses has not yet been established. In this study, we probed antibody responses to the N332 supersite and the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) in the context of heterologous protein scaffolds and native-like gp140 trimers. Ferritin nanoparticles and fragment crystallizable (Fc) regions were utilized as multivalent carriers to display scaffold antigens with grafted N332 and MPER epitopes, respectively. Trimeric scaffolds were also identified to stabilize the MPER-containing BG505 gp140.681 trimer in a native-like conformation. Following structural and antigenic evaluation, a subset of scaffold and trimer antigens was selected for immunization in BALB/c mice. Serum binding revealed distinct patterns of antibody responses to these two bNAb targets presented in different structural contexts. For example, the N332 nanoparticles elicited glycan epitope-specific antibody responses that could also recognize the native trimer, while a scaffolded BG505 gp140.681 trimer generated a stronger and more rapid antibody response to the trimer apex than its parent gp140.664 trimer. Furthermore, next-generation sequencing (NGS) of mouse splenic B cells revealed expansion of antibody lineages with long heavy-chain complementarity-determining region 3 (HCDR3) loops upon activation by MPER scaffolds, in contrast to the steady repertoires primed by N332 nanoparticles and a soluble gp140.664 trimer. These findings will facilitate the future development of a coherent vaccination strategy that combines both epitope-focused and trimer-based approaches.

IMPORTANCE
Both epitope-focused and trimer-based strategies are currently being explored in HIV-1 vaccine development, which aims to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) targeting conserved epitopes on the viral envelope (Env). However, little is known about the differences in antibody response to these bNAb targets presented by foreign scaffolds and native Env. In this study, a systematic effort was undertaken to design multivalent epitope scaffolds and soluble gp140.681 trimers with a complete antigenic surface, and to comparatively analyze the antibody responses elicited by these antigens to the N332 supersite and MPER in a mouse model. This study will inform both epitope-focused and trimer-based vaccine design and will facilitate integration of the two vaccine strategies.
Lethal Consequences of Overcoming Metabolic Restrictions Imposed on a Cooperative Bacterial Population
Authors: Goo Eunhye , Kang Yongsung , Lim Jae Yun , Ham Hyeonheui , Hwang Ingyu
Published: March 2017

Quorum sensing (QS) controls cooperative activities in many
Proteobacteria
. In some species, QS-dependent specific metabolism contributes to the stability of the cooperation. However, the mechanism by which QS and metabolic networks have coevolved to support stable public good cooperation and maintenance of the cooperative group remains unknown. Here we explored the underlying mechanisms of QS-controlled central metabolism in the evolutionary aspects of cooperation. In
Burkholderia glumae
, the QS-dependent glyoxylate cycle plays an important role in cooperativity. A bifunctional QS-dependent transcriptional regulator, QsmR, rewired central metabolism to utilize the glyoxylate cycle rather than the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Defects in the glyoxylate cycle caused metabolic imbalance and triggered high expression of the stress-responsive chaperonin GroEL. High-level expression of GroEL in glyoxylate cycle mutants interfered with the biosynthesis of a public resource, oxalate, by physically interrupting the oxalate biosynthetic enzyme ObcA. Under such destabilized cooperativity conditions, spontaneous mutations in the
qsmR
gene in glyoxylate cycle mutants occurred to relieve metabolic stresses, but these mutants lost QsmR-mediated pleiotropy. Overcoming the metabolic restrictions imposed on the population of cooperators among glyoxylate cycle mutants resulted in the occurrence and selection of spontaneous
qsmR
mutants despite the loss of other important functions. These results provide insight into how QS bacteria have evolved to maintain stable cooperation via QS-mediated metabolic coordination.

IMPORTANCE
We address how quorum sensing (QS) has coevolved with metabolic networks to maintain bacterial sociality. We found that QS-mediated metabolic rewiring is critical for sustainable bacterial cooperation in
Burkholderia glumae
. The loss of the glyoxylate cycle triggered the expression of the stress-responsive molecular chaperonin GroEL. Excessive biosynthesis of GroEL physically hampered biosynthesis of a public good, oxalate. This is one good example of how molecular chaperones play critical roles in bacterial cooperation. In addition, we showed that metabolic restrictions in the glyoxylate cycle acted as a selection pressure on metabolic networks; there were spontaneous mutations in the
qsmR
gene to relieve such stresses. However, the presence of spontaneous
qsmR
mutants had tragic consequences for a cooperative population of
B. glumae
due to failure of
qsmR
-dependent activation of public good biosynthesis. These results provide a good example of a bacterial strategy for robust cooperation via QS-mediated metabolic rewiring.
Comparative Genome Analyses of
Vibrio anguillarum
Strains Reveal a Link with Pathogenicity Traits
Authors: Castillo Daniel , Alvise Paul D. , Xu Ruiqi , Zhang Faxing , Middelboe Mathias , Gram Lone
Published: March 2017

Comparative genome analysis of strains of a pathogenic bacterial species can be a powerful tool to discover acquisition of mobile genetic elements related to virulence. Here, we compared 28
V. anguillarum
strains that differed in virulence in fish larval models. By pan-genome analyses, we found that six of nine highly virulent strains had a unique core and accessory genome. In contrast,
V. anguillarum
strains that were medium to nonvirulent had low genomic diversity. Integration of genomic and phenotypic features provides insights into the evolution of
V. anguillarum
and can also be important for survey and diagnostic purposes.
Community-Level Differences in the Microbiome of Healthy Wild Mallards and Those Infected by Influenza A Viruses
Authors: Ganz Holly H. , Doroud Ladan , Firl Alana J. , Hird Sarah M. , Eisen Jonathan A. , Boyce Walter M.
Published: March 2017

Seasonal influenza causes 3 to 5 million severe illnesses and 250,000 to 500,000 human deaths each year. While pandemic influenza viruses emerge only periodically, they can be devastating—for example, the 1918 H1N1 pandemic virus killed more than 20 million people. IAVs infect the respiratory tract and cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans. In contrast, IAVs infect the gastrointestinal tract of waterfowl, producing little pathology. Recent studies indicated that viruses can alter the microbiome at the respiratory and gastrointestinal mucosa, but there are no reports of how the microbiota of the natural host of influenza is affected by infection. Here we find that the mallard microbiome is altered during IAV infection. Our results suggest that detailed examination of humans and animals infected with IAVs may reveal individualized microbiome profiles that correspond to health and disease. Moreover, future studies should explore whether the altered microbiome facilitates maintenance and transmission of IAVs in waterfowl populations.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy secondary to spontaneous right-sided pneumothorax
Authors: Abu Ghanimeh Mouhanna , Bhardwaj Bhaskar , Aly Abdelrahman , Baweja Paramdeep
Published: March 2017

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is a unique type of cardiomyopathy characterised by left ventricular systolic dysfunction in association with stressful conditions. Patients with this condition usually present with chest pain and dyspnoea, and the presentation can mimic acute coronary syndrome. We present a case of a woman aged 58 years who presented with progressive dyspnoea and cough. Her initial evaluation was suggestive of acute myocardial infarction with elevated serum troponin T and ST segment elevation. Her chest radiograph showed a large right-sided pneumothorax, which was treated with chest tube insertion. Coronary angiography and echocardiogram did not show any evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease but did show a large area of akinesis consistent with TCM. The patient was managed medically with supportive care. Her pneumothorax resolved, and her follow-up echocardiogram also showed improvement. The association between pneumothorax and TCM is rare, and only four other cases have been reported so far in the English literature.
Reactions on Twitter to updated alcohol guidelines in the UK: a content analysis
Authors: Stautz Kaidy , Bignardi Giacomo , Hollands Gareth J , Marteau Theresa M
Published: March 2017

Objectives

In January 2016, the 4 UK Chief Medical Officers released a public consultation regarding updated guidelines for low-risk alcohol consumption. This study aimed to assess responses to the updated guidelines using comments made on Twitter.

Methods

Tweets containing the hashtag #alcoholguidelines made during 1 week following the announcement of the updated guidelines were retrieved using the Twitter Archiver tool. The source, sentiment and themes of the tweets were categorised using manual content analysis.

Results

A total of 3061 tweets was retrieved. 6 sources were identified, the most prominent being members of the public. Of 821 tweets expressing sentiment specifically towards the guidelines, 80% expressed a negative sentiment. 11 themes were identified, 3 of which were broadly supportive of the guidelines, 7 broadly unsupportive and 1 neutral. Overall, more tweets were unsupportive (49%) than supportive (44%). While the most common theme overall was sharing information, the most common in tweets from members of the public encouraged alcohol consumption (15%) or expressed disagreement with the guidelines (14%), reflecting reactance, resistance and misunderstanding.

Conclusions

This descriptive analysis revealed a number of themes present in unsupportive comments towards the updated UK alcohol guidelines among a largely proalcohol community. An understanding of these may help to tailor effective communication of alcohol and health-related policies, and could inform a more dynamic approach to health communication via social media.
An unusual presentation of actinomycosis in a dairy cow
Authors: Gillespie Amy , Bortolami Alessio , Crosby‐Durrani Hayley , Verin Ranieri
Published: March 2017

A first lactation dairy cow (in late gestation) presented with a hard round swelling of the right olecranon and slight lameness. A lateromedial radiograph of the right olecranon had a mottled appearance with indistinct borders.

Bone biopsy was performed post calving. Histology showed fibrosis and reactive changes, however this sample was considered too superficial and not representative of the whole lesion.

Based on the differential diagnoses treatment was not possible and the cow was culled at the end of her lactation. At slaughter the forelimb was retained for further analysis. Grossly, the olecranon was severely enlarged, irregular with multiple yellow granulomas in the cortex and medulla of the bone. Histology showed multifocal pyogranulomas containing bacteria, Splendore‐Hoeppli material and surrounded by remodelled bone and fibrosis.

Despite displaying biochemical properties characteristic of Actinomycesspecies this could not be confirmed by partial 16s rRNA sequencing and the organism could not be definitively speciated.
Enhanced task-related brain activation and resting perfusion in healthy older adults after chronic blueberry supplementation
Authors: Bowtell Joanna L. , Aboo-Bakkar Zainie , Conway Myra E. , Adlam Anna-Lynne R. , Fulford Jonathan
Published: March 2017

Blueberries are rich in flavonoids, which possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. High flavonoid intakes attenuate age-related cognitive decline, but data from human intervention studies are sparse. We investigated whether 12 weeks of blueberry concentrate supplementation improved brain perfusion, task-related activation, and cognitive function in healthy older adults. Participants were randomised to consume either 30 mL blueberry concentrate providing 387 mg anthocyanidins (5 female, 7 male; age 67.5 ± 3.0 y; body mass index, 25.9 ± 3.3 kg·m−2) or isoenergetic placebo (8 female, 6 male; age 69.0 ± 3.3 y; body mass index, 27.1 ± 4.0 kg·m−2). Pre- and postsupplementation, participants undertook a battery of cognitive function tests and a numerical Stroop test within a 1.5T magnetic resonance imaging scanner while functional magnetic resonance images were continuously acquired. Quantitative resting brain perfusion was determined using an arterial spin labelling technique, and blood biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress were measured. Significant increases in brain activity were observed in response to blueberry supplementation relative to the placebo group within Brodmann areas 4/6/10/21/40/44/45, precuneus, anterior cingulate, and insula/thalamus (p < 0.001) as well as significant improvements in grey matter perfusion in the parietal (5.0 ± 1.8 vs –2.9 ± 2.4%, p = 0.013) and occipital (8.0 ± 2.6 vs –0.7 ± 3.2%, p = 0.031) lobes. There was also evidence suggesting improvement in working memory (2-back test) after blueberry versus placebo supplementation (p = 0.05). Supplementation with an anthocyanin-rich blueberry concentrate improved brain perfusion and activation in brain areas associated with cognitive function in healthy older adults.
Simulation of hydromechanical behaviour of bentonite seals for containment of radioactive wastes
Authors: Nasir O. , Nguyen T.S. , Barnichon J.D. , Millard A.
Published: March 2017

Geological disposal of radioactive wastes relies on a multiple barrier system to provide long-term containment and isolation of the wastes. The excavation of the repository creates openings and disturbed zones in the host rock formations that need to be properly sealed. Bentonite-based materials are being considered worldwide as a preferred type of sealing material, since they possess desirable characteristics such as low permeability, high sorption capability, and swelling potential allowing them to close internal cracks and gaps at interfaces with other materials. The French Institute for Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) has led an experimental program consisting of a series of laboratory and large in situ experiments to assess the hydromechanical behaviour of bentonite seals. The experiments consisted of the forced re-saturation of pre-fabricated blocks of bentonite–sand mixture, with technological voids between bentonite seals and the walls of the steel cell (in the laboratory tests) and between bentonite seals and the host rock (in the in situ experiment). Relative humidity and total stress were monitored during both tests. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) collaborated with Geofirma Engineering, IRSN, and Commissariat à l’énergie atomique (CEA) to develop a mathematical model to simulate the experiments. The model was developed within the framework of poromechanics, with the inclusion of partial saturation characteristics and swelling potential to simulate the behaviour of the bentonite-based material. The model results were in good agreement with the experimental measurements for relative humidity and swelling stresses. The model also predicted the closure of technological voids and gaps due to swelling. Although swelling into the technological voids leads to an increase in permeability, that permeability remains low and insignificant from a safety perspective.
Exploring the effects of interlamellar binding modes on the hardness of ReB2 and MoB2 with laminar structure
Authors: Wang Changchun , Song Lele
Published: March 2017

The properties of structure, elasticity, and electron for ReB2 and MoB2 are investigated, using first-principles calculations, as well as the role of chemical bonds between metal layer and boron layer in determining the hardness. The weakest shear crystalline plane of two diborides is determined by the bonding force of adhesive layers. The interlamellar bonding force in ReB2 is stronger than that in MoB2, resulting in a higher hardness for ReB2. The hardness of ReB2 (about 31 GPa) is still far below the threshold value for superhard materials because of the weak interlamellar covalent hybridization.
Studies on Polyakov and Nambu–Goto random surface path integrals on QCD(SU(∞)): Interquark potential and phenomenological scattering amplitudes
Authors: botelho Luiz C. L.
Published: March 2017

We present new path integral studies on the Polyakov noncritical and Nambu–Goto critical string theories and their applications to [Formula: see text] interquark potential. We also evaluate the long distance asymptotic behavior of the interquark potential on the Nambu–Goto string theory with an extrinsic term in Polyakov’s string at [Formula: see text]. We also propose an alternative and a new view to covariant Polyakov’s string path integral with a fourth-order two-dimensional quantum gravity, is an effective stringy description for [Formula: see text] at the deep infrared region.
A resurgence analysis for cubic and quartic anharmonic potentials
Authors: Gahramanov Ilmar , Tezgin Kemal
Published: March 2017

In this work, we explicitly show resurgence relations between perturbative and one instanton sectors of the resonance energy levels for cubic and quartic anharmonic potentials in one-dimensional quantum mechanics. Both systems satisfy the Dunne–Ünsal relation and hence we are able to derive one-instanton nonperturbative contributions with the fluctuation terms to the energy merely from the perturbative data. We confirm our results with previous results obtained in the literature.
Tachyon inflation in an AdS braneworld with backreaction
Authors: Bilić Neven , Dimitrijevic Dragoljub D. , Djordjevic Goran S. , Milosevic Milan
Published: March 2017

We analyze the inflationary scenario based on the tachyon field coupled with the radion of the second Randall–Sundrum model (RSII). The tachyon Lagrangian is derived from the dynamics of a 3-brane moving in the five-dimensional bulk. The AdS5 geometry of the bulk is extended to include the radion. Using the Hamiltonian formalism we find four nonlinear field equations supplemented by the modified Friedmann equations of the RSII braneworld cosmology. After a suitable rescaling we reduce the parameters of our model to only one free parameter related to the brane tension and the AdS5 curvature. We solve the equations numerically assuming a reasonably wide range of initial conditions determined by physical considerations. Varying the free parameter and initial conditions we confront our results with the Planck 2015 data.
Structural stability of alloyed and core–shell Cu–Pt bimetallic nanoparticles
Authors: Peng Hongcheng , Qi Weihong , Ji Wenhai , Li Siqi , He Jieting
Published: March 2017

Combining the bond-energy model and Debye theory, we generalized the Gibbs free energy model for Cu–Pt nanoparticles (NPs) by introducing a shape factor considering the shape effect. We studied the structural stability of the Cu–Pt NPs and plotted the corresponding composition-, shape- and size-dependent phase diagrams. It is shown that the Cu–Pt NPs can form alloyed structure in a large size range. But when the particle size continues to decrease, the NPs will form the core–shell structure due to surface segregation. Meanwhile, the composition segregation could make the atoms of less-content element to gather in the surface. The predictions from the present calculated phase diagrams are consistent with a series of experimental results in literatures. To further prove the efficiency of the phase diagrams, we synthesized the alloyed Cu–Pt NPs of 4–15 nm by a co-reduction method, which is in agreement with the predictions from the phase diagrams.
Amorphization in an Ising nanowire
Authors: Kaneyoshi T.
Published: March 2017

The phase diagrams and magnetizations of an Ising nanowire with an amorphization are investigated by the use of the effective field theory with correlations. Some characteristic phenomena have been found in them. The reduced total magnetization falls below that of its corresponding crystalline ferromagnetic nanowire. The reentrant phenomena have been obtained, when the value of amorphization [Formula: see text] becomes larger than a critical value ([Formula: see text]).
Vacancy-induced elastic properties and hardness of CrB4: A DFT calculation
Authors: Pan Yong , Chen Song , Lin Yuanhua
Published: March 2017

Vacancy plays a crucial role in mechanical properties of transition metal borides (TMBs). However, the influence of vacancy on hardness of TMBs is unknown. In this paper, the relationship between boron vacancy and mechanical properties of CrB4 is investigated by first-principle calculations. Two different vacancies including boron monovacancy (MV) and boron bivacancy (BV) are considered. We find that CrB4 with boron MV is more stable than that of boron BV. The removed atom weakens the deformation resistances, and reduces the elastic stiffness and hardness. The calculated shear modulus, Young’s modulus and theoretical hardness of boron MV are larger than that of boron BV. The reason is that the removed atom weakens the localized hybridization between B and B atoms, and damages the 3D-network B–B covalent bond. However, the bulk modulus of B[Formula: see text] is slightly larger than that of perfect CrB4. This reason is attributed to the formation of triangular pyramid bonding in B[Formula: see text] vacancy.
Solitary wave solution to a class of higher-order viscous traffic flow model
Authors: Wu Chun-Xiu , Zhang Peng
Published: March 2017

Traveling waves of a class of higher-order traffic flow models with viscosity are studied with the reduction perturbation method, which leads to the well-known Kortweg–de Vries equation and the approximate solitary wave solution to the model. The fifth-order accuracy weighted essentially nonoscillatory scheme is adopted for comparison between the analytical and numerical results. The numerical tests show that the solitary wave evolves with little deformation of its profile and that a globally perturbed equilibrium traffic state is able to evolve into a profile similar to that of a solitary wave, which is identified by the same total number of vehicles on the ring road. These results are compared with those in the literature and demonstrate that the approximation to the model is more accurate.