bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Field-dependent molecular ionization and excitation energies: Implications for electrically insulating liquids
Authors: Davari N. , Åstrand P.-O. , Unge M. , Lundgaard L. E. , Linhjell D.
Published: March 2014

The molecular ionization potential has a relatively strong electric-field dependence as compared to the excitation energies which has implications for electrical insulation since the excited states work as an energy sink emitting light in the UV/VIS region. At some threshold field, all the excited states of the molecule have vanished and the molecule is a two-state system with the ground state and the ionized state, which has been hypothesized as a possible origin of different streamer propagation modes. Constrained density-functional theory is used to calculate the field-dependent ionization potential of different types of molecules relevant for electrically insulating liquids. The low singlet-singlet excitation energies of each molecule have also been calculated using time-dependent density functional theory. It is shown that low-energy singlet-singlet excitation of the type n → π* (lone pair to unoccupied π* orbital) has the ability to survive at higher fields. This type of excitation can for example be found in esters, diketones and many color dyes. For alkanes (as for example n-tridecane and cyclohexane) on the other hand, all the excited states, in particular the σ → σ* excitations vanish in electric fields higher than 10 MV/cm. Further implications for the design of electrically insulating dielectric liquids based on the molecular ionization potential and excitation energies are discussed.
Perspective: Detecting and measuring exciton delocalization in photosynthetic light harvesting
Authors: Scholes Gregory D. , Smyth Cathal
Published: March 2014

Photosynthetic units perform energy transfer remarkably well under a diverse range of demanding conditions. However, the mechanism of energy transfer, from excitation to conversion, is still not fully understood. Of particular interest is the possible role that coherence plays in this process. In this perspective, we overview photosynthetic light harvesting and discuss consequences of excitons for energy transfer and how delocalization can be assessed. We focus on challenges such as decoherence and nuclear-coordinate dependent delocalization. These approaches complement conventional spectroscopy and delocalization measurement techniques. New broadband transient absorption data may help uncover the difference between electronic and vibrational coherences present in two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy data. We describe how multipartite entanglement from quantum information theory allows us to formulate measures that elucidate the delocalization length of excitation and the details of that delocalization even from highly averaged information such as the density matrix.
Non-contact bimodal magnetic force microscopy
Authors: Schwenk J. , Marioni M. , Romer S. , Joshi N. R. , Hug H. J.
Published: March 2014

A bimodal magnetic force microscopy technique optimized for lateral resolution and sensitivity for small magnetic stray fields is discussed. A double phase-locked loop (PLL) system is used to drive a high-quality factor cantilever under vacuum conditions on its first mode and simultaneously on its second mode. The higher-stiffness second mode is used to map the topography. The magnetic force is measured with the higher-sensitivity first oscillation mode.
The carrier-generating analysis of MEMS gyroscope interface circuit
Authors: Yuan GuangMin , Yuan Weizheng , Zhu Xiaobo , Chang HongLong
Published: March 2014

In this paper, the main factors which influence the noise ratio of gyroscope output signal were analysed, according to the MEMS gyro interface circuit technology. A working principle of a carrier in the gyroscope circuit was discussed, the process formula of the carrier amplitude and frequency in the interface circuit of modulation and demodulation was deduced, and the error components lead-in from carrier to gyroscope circuit was distinguished. Several commonly used carrier-generating circuit schemes were analysed and compared, and a carrier-generating program in the interface circuits of the micro-gyroscope was designed, which was applied in a MEMS gyro developed by our laboratory. The measurement results show that the amplitude stability and frequency stability is 1.3 ppm and 12 ppm, respectively, meeting the performance requirements of carrier generating in the MEMS gyro circuit.
Pyroelectric aluminum nitride micro electromechanical systems infrared sensor with wavelength-selective infrared absorber
Authors: Yamamoto Kansho , Goericke Fabian , Guedes Andre , Jaramillo Gerardo , Hada Takuo , Pisano Albert P. , Horsley David
Published: March 2014

This paper describes a micro electromechanical systems type wavelength-selective pyroelectric sensor, with highly c-axis oriented Aluminum nitride film as the pyroelectric material. Wavelength-selective infrared absorption is realized via periodic structures of holes patterned into the top metal electrode that also collects pyroelectric charge signal. The periodic hole array results in optical absorption resonances whose wavelength is determined by the hole pitch, demonstrated experimentally using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and numerically calculated using the finite difference time domain method. A significant difference in infrared absorption between patterned and unpatterned detectors is demonstrated through optical experiments comparing the pyroelectric responses.
Foliar physiognomic climate estimates for the Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Turonian) Lark Quarry fossil flora, central-western Queensland, Australia
Authors: Fletcher Tamara L. , Moss Patrick T. , Salisbury Steven W.
Published: March 2014

Although there is a broad knowledge of Cretaceous climate on a global scale, quantitative climate estimates for terrestrial localities are limited. One source of terrestrial palaeoproxies is foliar physiognomy. The use of foliar physiognomy to explore Cretaceous assemblages has been limited, and some of its potential sources of error have not been fully explored. Although museum collections house a wealth of material, collection bias toward particular taxa or preservation qualities of specimens further magnifies existing taphonomic bias to cold temperatures. As a result, specific collection for foliar physiognomy can be necessary. Here, we conduct three foliar physiognomic analyses on the early Late Cretaceous Lark Quarry flora and assess the results in the context of other proxies from the same formation. Our results suggest that the climate at the Cenomanian–Turonian boundary in central western Queensland was warm and had high precipitation (leaf-area analysis: 1321 mm + 413 mm – 315 mm mean annual precipitation; leaf-margin analysis: 16.4°C mean annual temperature, 5.3°C binomial sample error; climate leaf-analysis multivariate program: 16 ± 2°C for mean annual temperature, 9-month growth season, 1073 ± 483 mm growth-season precipitation). Our analysis also gave higher mean annual temperature estimates than did a previous analysis by climate leaf-analysis multivariate program, based on museum collections for the Winton Formation.
Susceptibility to Teratosphaeria nubilosa and precocity of vegetative phase change in Eucalyptus globulus and E. maidenii (Myrtaceae)
Authors: Balmelli Gustavo , Simeto Sofía , Torres Diego , Castillo Alicia , Altier Nora , Diez Julio J.
Published: March 2014

Since the first report of Teratosphaeria nubilosa (Cooke) Crous & U.Braun in Uruguay in 2007, young plantations of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. and E. maidenii F.Muell. have been severely damaged by Mycosphaerella leaf disease. The genetic variation in disease resistance and in the timing of heteroblastic phase change was examined in 194 open-pollinated families of E. globulus and 86 families of E. maidenii growing in a field trial in south-eastern Uruguay, naturally infected by T. nubilosa. Disease severity, precocity of vegetative phase change and tree growth were assessed at 14 months. E. globulus was significantly more susceptible to T. nubilosa than was E. maidenii, presenting higher severity of leaf spots (10.6% and 5.6%, respectively), higher defoliation (31.9% and 22.9%, respectively) and higher crown-damage index (39.1% and 27.4%, respectively). However, the heteroblastic transition began significantly earlier in E. globulus than in E. maidenii, with 34.1% and 2.8% of the trees having some proportion of their crown with adult foliage at 14 months, respectively. Significant individual narrow-sense heritabilities were found in E. globulus for severity of leaf spots (0.40), defoliation (0.24), crown-damage index (0.30) and proportion of adult foliage (0.64). Additive genetic variation in E. maidenii was significant only for defoliation and crown-damage index, with a moderate heritability (0.21 and 0.20, respectively). Although E. maidenii was more resistant to T. nubilosa than was E. globulus, the degree of resistance was not enough to consider this species as an alternative to E. globulus for high-risk disease sites. In addition, the small genetic variability for resistance on the juvenile foliage and the late transition to adult foliage suggested that the chances for early selection in E. maidenii are quite limited. By contrast, the genetic variation in E. globulus clearly indicated that through selection for resistance of the juvenile foliage, and especially by selecting for early phase change, it is possible to obtain genetic stock suitable for sites with high risk of T. nubilosa infection.
Do leaf traits in two Dalbergia species present differential plasticity in relation to light according to their habitat of origin?
Authors: Moreira Ana Silvia Franco Pinheiro , Queiroz Ana Clara Luppi , Barros Fernanda de Vasconcelos , Goulart Maíra Figueiredo , Pires de Lemos-Filho José
Published: March 2014

The phenotypic plasticity to light of two congeneric species of leguminous trees from distinct habitats was evaluated in a common-garden experiment. For that, we assessed the following two groups of leaf morphological and anatomical traits of 1-year-old seedlings: (1) traits related to light interception (tissues thickness and leaflet mass per area), and (2) traits related to gas exchange (number of leaflets per leaf and measurements of stomatal size and density). Dalbergia nigra (Vell.) Allemão ex Benth. is an endemic Atlantic forest species, and D. miscolobium Benth. is a typical cerrado species. Both were grown under shade and full-sunlight conditions. The phenotypic plasticity of leaves was determined by a relative distance plasticity index (RDPI). For both species, sun leaflets were thicker than shade ones, and only D. nigra presented lower values for stomatal density (nst), percentage of the leaflet area occupied by stomatal pores (nast) and estimated stomatal conductance (gst) under shade conditions. The forest species (D. nigra) had higher plasticity for variables related to gas exchange (number of leaflets per leaf, nst, ast, nast and gst), whereas the cerrado species (D. miscolobium) had higher plasticity for variables related to light interception, such as leaflet mass per area, leaflet thickness and palisade and spongy parenchyma thickness. The degree of plasticity was different for each analysed parameter, and not used to define which species is more plastic. The leaf traits of D. nigra and D. miscolobium that showed high plasticity were related to resources that are not limiting to improve its photosynthesis in a changing light environment.
Impact of distance to mature forest on the recolonisation of bryophytes in a regenerating Tasmanian wet eucalypt forest
Authors: Baker Thomas P. , Jordan Gregory J. , Dalton Patrick J. , Baker Susan C.
Published: March 2014

Forest influence is a type of edge effect that occurs when mature forests affect the recolonisation of adjacent disturbed areas. This can be driven by changes in microclimate conditions near the edge or by an increase in establishment ability with proximity to a propagule source. Bryophyte recolonisation is sensitive to both microclimate and dispersal distance, therefore they are an ideal group to examine how strong forest influence is and over what distance it operates. Responses to forest influence are known to be highly species dependent; therefore, we tested whether distance affects the recolonisation ability of a range of bryophytes. As well as examining a range of species, we tested whether forest influence operated differently on two types of substrate used by bryophytes (logs and ground). For most of the species examined, establishment rates in disturbed forest diminished further away from the mature edge. The influence of unlogged mature forest on bryophyte establishment in harvested forest occurred up to 50 m. Species varied in their response to distance, and the relationships with distance were stronger on the ground compared with log substrates. These results support the concept of forest influence, with areas closer to mature forest experiencing more substantial re-establishment. These findings are relevant to conservation of bryophytes in managed native forests.
Mathematical approaches to modeling development and reprogramming
Authors: Morris Rob , Sancho-Martinez Ignacio , Sharpee Tatyana O. , Izpisua Belmonte Juan Carlos
Published: March 2014

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are created by the reprogramming of somatic cells via overexpression of certain transcription factors, such as the originally described Yamanaka factors: Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc (OSKM). Here we discuss recent advancements in iPSC reprogramming and introduce mathematical approaches to help map the landscape between cell states during reprogramming. Our modelization indicates that OSKM expression diminishes and/or changes potential barriers between cell states and that epigenetic remodeling facilitate these transitions. From a practical perspective, the modeling approaches outlined here allow us to predict the time necessary to create a given number of iPSC colonies or the number of reprogrammed cells generated in a given time. Additional investigations will help to further refine modeling strategies, rendering them applicable toward the study of the development and stability of cancer cells or even other reprogramming processes such as lineage conversion. Ultimately, a quantitative understanding of cell state transitions might facilitate the establishment of regenerative medicine strategies and enhance the translation of reprogramming technologies into the clinic.
ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA4 and chemical isomerization protect photoreceptor cells from the toxic accumulation of excess 11-
cis
-retinal
Authors: Quazi Faraz , Molday Robert S.
Published: March 2014

Significance

ABCA4 is an ATP-binding cassette transporter encoded by the gene responsible for Stargardt macular degeneration, an inherited retinopathy associated with severe vision loss. Previous studies have shown that ABCA4 facilitates the clearance of all-
trans
-retinal from photoreceptor disc membranes following photoexcitation. More recent studies implicate excess 11-
cis
-retinal in the etiology of Stargardt disease. In this study we show the ABCA4 can transport the
N
-11-
cis
-retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), the Schiff-base adduct of 11-
cis
-retinal and PE, across membranes. This transport activity together with chemical isomerization of
N
-11-
cis
-retinylidene-PE to its all-
trans
isomer and reduction to all-
trans
-retinol can prevent the accumulation of excess 11-
cis
-retinal and potentially toxic bisretinoid compounds implicated in Stargardt and related retinal degenerative diseases.
False Copies: Education, Imitation, and Citizenship in theSatyricon
Authors: Lamp Kathleen S.
Published: March 2014

Petronius’s Satyricon, long recognized as a commentary on rhetorical education, particularly declamation, forms a broad critique of (rhetorical) educational practices in the first century rooted in imitation—declamation, Greek Atticism, imperial rhetoric—and the types of citizens produced by such practices. Problematically, Petronius’s critique, which seeks to redefine class based on a certain cultivated taste or judgment as opposed to material wealth, assumes an elite perspective and falls into the long dismissed “decline narrative” of Roman rhetoric once prevalent in the history of rhetoric. This article seeks to move beyond “Trimalchio vision,” a term used by art historian Lauren Hackworth Peterson to classify derogatory attitudes toward freedmen, to suggest that rhetorical education in the first century reached its intended audience, producing upwardly socially mobile administrators and city patrons in the empire. In other words, rhetorical education was reaching a mass audience in first-century Rome.
OncomiRDB: a database for the experimentally verified oncogenic and tumor-suppressive microRNAs
Authors: Wang Dongfang , Gu Jin , Wang Ting , Ding Zijian
Published: March 2014

Summary: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small regulatory RNAs, play important roles in cancer initiation, progression and therapy. MiRNAs are found to regulate diverse cancer-related processes by targeting a large set of oncogenic and tumor-suppressive genes. To establish a high-confidence reference resource for studying the miRNA-regulated target genes and cellular processes in cancer, we manually curated 2259 entries of cancer-related miRNA regulations with direct experimental evidence from ∼9000 abstracts, covering more than 300 miRNAs and 829 target genes across 25 cancer tissues. A web-based portal named oncomiRDB, which provides both graphical and text-based interfaces, was developed for easily browsing and searching all the annotations. It should be a useful resource for both the computational analysis and experimental study on miRNA regulatory networks and functions in cancer.

Availability and implementation:  http://bioinfo.au.tsinghua.edu.cn/oncomirdb/

Contact:  jgu@tsinghua.edu.cn

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Warm dark matter does not do better than cold dark matter in solving small-scale inconsistencies
Authors: Schneider Aurel , Anderhalden Donnino , Macciò Andrea V. , Diemand Jürg
Published: March 2014

Over the last decade, warm dark matter (WDM) has been repeatedly proposed as an alternative scenario to the standard cold dark matter (CDM) one, potentially resolving several disagreements between the CDM model and observations on small scales. Here, we reconsider the most important CDM small-scale discrepancies in the light of recent observational constraints on WDM. As a result, we find that a conventional thermal (or thermal-like) WDM cosmology with a particle mass in agreement with Lyman α is nearly indistinguishable from CDM on the relevant scales and therefore fails to alleviate any of the small-scale problems. The reason for this failure is that the power spectrum of conventional WDM falls off too rapidly. To maintain WDM as a significantly different alternative to CDM, more evolved production mechanisms leading to multiple dark matter components or a gradually decreasing small-scale power spectrum have to be considered.
Suppression of Plant Defenses by a Myzus persicae (Green Peach Aphid) Salivary Effector Protein
Authors: Elzinga Dezi A. , De Vos Martin , Jander Georg
Published: March 2014

The complex interactions between aphids and their host plant are species-specific and involve multiple layers of recognition and defense. Aphid salivary proteins, which are released into the plant during phloem feeding, are a likely mediator of these interactions. In an approach to identify aphid effectors that facilitate feeding from host plants, eleven Myzus persicae (green peach aphid) salivary proteins and the GroEL protein of Buchnera aphidicola, a bacterial endosymbiont of this aphid species, were expressed transiently in Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco). Whereas two salivary proteins increased aphid reproduction, expression of three other aphid proteins and GroEL significantly decreased aphid reproduction on N. tabacum. These effects were recapitulated in stable transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Further experiments with A. thaliana expressing Mp55, a salivary protein that increased aphid reproduction, showed lower accumulation of 4-methoxyindol-3-ylmethylglucosinolate, callose and hydrogen peroxide in response to aphid feeding. Mp55-expressing plants also were more attractive for aphids in choice assays. Silencing Mp55 gene expression in M. persicae using RNA interference approaches reduced aphid reproduction on N. tabacum, A. thaliana, and N. benthamiana. Together, these results demonstrate a role for Mp55, a protein with as-yet-unknown molecular function, in the interaction of M. persicae with its host plants.
Pseudomonas syringae Evades Host Immunity by Degrading Flagellin Monomers with Alkaline Protease AprA
Authors: Pel Michiel J. C. , van Dijken Anja J. H. , Bardoel Bart W. , Seidl Michael F. , van der Ent Sjoerd , van Strijp Jos A. G. , Pieterse Corné M. J.
Published: March 2014

Bacterial flagellin molecules are strong inducers of innate immune responses in both mammals and plants. The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa secretes an alkaline protease called AprA that degrades flagellin monomers. Here, we show that AprA is widespread among a wide variety of bacterial species. In addition, we investigated the role of AprA in virulence of the bacterial plant pathogen P. syringae pv. tomato DC3000. The AprA-deficient DC3000 ΔaprA knockout mutant was significantly less virulent on both tomato and Arabidopsis thaliana. Moreover, infiltration of A. thaliana Col-0 leaves with DC3000 ΔaprA evoked a significantly higher level of expression of the defense-related genes FRK1 and PR-1 than did wild-type DC3000. In the flagellin receptor mutant fls2, pathogen virulence and defense-related gene activation did not differ between DC3000 and DC3000 ΔaprA. Together, these results suggest that AprA of DC3000 is important for evasion of recognition by the FLS2 receptor, allowing wild-type DC3000 to be more virulent on its host plant than AprA-deficient DC3000 ΔaprA. To provide further evidence for the role of DC3000 AprA in host immune evasion, we overexpressed the AprA inhibitory peptide AprI of DC3000 in A. thaliana to counteract the immune evasive capacity of DC3000 AprA. Ectopic expression of aprI in A. thaliana resulted in an enhanced level of resistance against wild-type DC3000, while the already elevated level of resistance against DC3000 ΔaprA remained unchanged. Together, these results indicate that evasion of host immunity by the alkaline protease AprA is important for full virulence of strain DC3000 and likely acts by preventing flagellin monomers from being recognized by its cognate immune receptor.
Phytophthora Populations in Nursery Irrigation Water in Relationship to Pathogenicity and Infection Frequency of Rhododendron and Pieris
Authors: Loyd A. L. , Benson D. M. , Ivors K. L.
Published: March 2014

Phytophthora spp. are waterborne plant pathogens that are commonly found in streams, rivers, and reclaimed irrigation water. Rhododendron and Pieris trap plants at two commercial nurseries were irrigated with water naturally infested with Phytophthora spp. during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons to assess the frequency of disease. Phytophthora spp. were consistently recovered from water samples at every collection time but detected on only 2 of the 384 trap plants during the two growing seasons. Pathogenicity assays proved that Phytophthora hydropathica and Phytophthora taxon PgChlamydo, commonly recovered taxa in irrigation water at the nurseries, were foliar pathogens of Rhododendron and Pieris; however, neither species was able to cause root rot on these same hosts. Overall, Phytophthora spp.-infested irrigation water did not act as a primary source of infection on Rhododendron and Pieris, even though foliar pathogenic species of Phytophthora were present in the water.
The Role of Primary and Secondary Infection in Host Response to Plasmodiophora brassicae
Authors: McDonald Mary Ruth , Sharma Kalpana , Gossen Bruce D. , Deora Abhinandan , Feng Jie , Hwang Sheau-Fang
Published: March 2014

The disease cycle of Plasmodiophora brassicae consists of a primary phase in root hairs followed by a secondary phase in the root cortex and adjacent tissues. However, the role of root hair infection in subsequent cortical infection and development of P. brassicae is not well understood. To examine the role of the primary and secondary stages separately, inoculation studies with resting spores (source of primary zoospores) and secondary zoospores of a virulent and avirulent pathotype were conducted on canola (Brassica napus). The size of secondary zoospores and number of nuclei were also examined. The zoospores were larger (≈9.6 to 14.4 μm) than in previous reports and all were uninucleate. Inoculation with secondary zoospores alone produced both primary and secondary infection, even with the avirulent pathotype. No symptoms developed from inoculation with avirulent primary zoospores but tiny, bead-shaped clubs developed from inoculation with avirulent secondary zoospores. Inoculation with virulent secondary zoospores alone resulted in lower disease severity than inoculation with virulent resting spores alone. The results indicate that recognition of infection by the host and initiation of a response (induction or suppression of resistance) occurs during primary infection, although recognition can also occur during cortical infection and development.
Rhodanobacter glycinis sp. nov., a yellow-pigmented gammaproteobacterium isolated from the rhizoplane of field-grown soybean
Authors: Madhaiyan Munusamy , Poonguzhali Selvaraj , Saravanan Venkatakrishnan Sivaraj , Kwon Soon-Wo
Published: March 2014

A novel, yellow-pigmented bacterium, designated strain MO64T, was isolated from the rhizoplane of field-grown soybean, collected from an experimental plot at Coimbatore, India. Cells were Gram-reaction-negative, motile, non-spore-forming rods that produced yellow-pigmented colonies on R2A agar. Phylogenetic analysis, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, showed that strain MO64T belonged to the genus

Rhodanobacter

. Strain MO64T was related most closely to

Rhodanobacter ginsengisoli

GR17-7T (98.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity),

Rhodanobacter spathiphylli

B39T (97.9 %),

Rhodanobacter panaciterrae

LnR5-47T (97.7 %),

Rhodanobacter terrae

GP18-1T (97.6 %),

Rhodanobacter soli

DCY45T (97.3 %) and

Rhodanobacter caeni

MJ01T (97.2 %); levels of similarity to the type strains of all other recognized species of the genus

Rhodanobacter

were less than 97.0 %. Chemotaxonomic data (Q-8 as the predominant ubiquinone, and iso-C16 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, C17 : 0 cyclo, iso-C17 : 1ω9c, iso-C17 : 0 and iso-C11 : 0 as the major fatty acids) also supported the affiliation of strain MO64T with the genus

Rhodanobacter

. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 64 mol%. The results of DNA–DNA hybridization and phenotypic analysis showed that strain MO64T can be distinguished from all known species of the genus

Rhodanobacter

and therefore represents a novel species of the genus, for which the name Rhodanobacter glycinis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MO64T ( = ICMP 17626T = NBRC 105007T).
Nocardioides soli sp. nov., a carbendazim-degrading bacterium isolated from soil under the long-term application of carbendazim
Authors: Sun Li-Na , Zhang Jun , Gong Fen-Fen , Wang Xiang , Hu Gang , Li Shun-Peng , Hong Qing
Published: March 2014

The taxonomic status of a carbendazim-degrading strain, mbc-2T, isolated from soil under the long-term application of carbendazim in China was determined by means of a polyphasic study. The cells were Gram-stain-positive, motile and rod-shaped. Strain mbc-2T grew optimally at pH 7.0, 30–35 °C and in the presence of 1 % (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain mbc-2T fell within the genus

Nocardioides

, forming a coherent cluster with the type strain of

Nocardioides hankookensis

, with which it exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 97.9 %. The chemotaxonomic properties of strain mbc-2T were consistent with those of the genus

Nocardioides

: the cell-wall peptidoglycan type was based on ll-2,6-diaminopimelic acid, the predominant menaquinone was MK-8 (H4) and the major fatty acid was iso-C16 : 0. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, unknown phospholipids and an unknown aminolipid. The DNA G+C content was 72 mol%. Strain mbc-2T exhibited DNA–DNA relatedness values of 12.5±1.5 %, 23.7±2.7 % and 26.3±3.2 % with respect to

Nocardioides hankookensis

DS-30T,

Nocardioides aquiterrae

GW-9T and

Nocardioides pyridinolyticus

OS4T. On the basis of the data obtained, strain mbc-2T represents a novel species of the genus

Nocardioides

, for which the name Nocardioides soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is mbc-2T ( = KACC 17152T = CCTCC AB 2012934T).
Divide and Conquer approach for Genome Classification based on subclass characterization
Authors: Patil S.S. , Murty M.N. , Angadi U.B.
Published: March 2014

Classification of large grass genome sequences has major challenges in functional genomes. The presence of motifs in grass genome chains can make the prediction of the functional behavior of grass genome possible. The correlation between grass genome properties and their motifs is not always obvious, since more than one motif may exist within a genome chain. Due to the complexity of this association most pattern classification algorithms are either vain or time consuming. Attempted to a reduction of high dimensional data that utilizes DAC technique is presented. Data are disjoining into equal multiple sets while preserving the original data distribution in each set. Then, multiple modules are created by using the data sets as independent training sets and classified into respective modules. Finally, the modules are combined to produce the final classification rules, containing all the previously extracted information. The methodology is tested using various grass genome data sets. Results indicate that the time efficiency of our algorithm is improved compared to other known data mining algorithms.
2,3-Diphenyl-2,3-dihydro-4H-1,3-benzothiazin-4-one
Authors: Yennawar Hemant P. , Bendinsky Ryan V. , Coyle David J. , Cali Aaron S. , Silverberg Lee J.
Published: March 2014

In the title compound, C20H15NOS, the dihedral angle between the phenyl rings is 74.25 (6)°. The six-membered 1,3-thiazine ring has an envelope conformation with the C atom at the 2-position forming the flap. The crystal structure features weak C—H...O interactions, which lead to the formation of a tape motif along [110].
Bis(μ-nitrato-κ2O:O)bis{[1,2-bis(diisopropylphosphanyl)-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane-κ2P,P′]silver(I)} dichloromethane disolvate
Authors: Yang Liguo
Published: March 2014

The title compound, [Ag2(NO3)2(C14H38B10P2)2]·2CH2Cl2, was synthesized by the reaction of 1,2-bis(diisopropylphosphanyl)-1,2-dicarba-closo-dodecaborane with AgNO3. The resulting dinuclear molecule has crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry. The diisopropylphosphanyl-closo-carborane ligand is coordinated in a bidentate manner to the AgIatom through the two P atoms. The distorted tetrahedral coordination of the metal is completed by two O atoms of two bridging nitrate anions. The separation between the two AgIatoms is 3.8913 (5) Å. C—H...O hydrogen bonds are observed involving the dichloromethane solvent molecule and the nitrate anion.
Early hearing loss and language abilities in children with Down syndrome
Authors: Laws Glynis , Hall Amanda
Published: March 2014

Background

Although many children with Down syndrome experience hearing loss, there has been little research to investigate its impact on speech and language development. Studies that have investigated the association give inconsistent results. These have often been based on samples where children with the most severe hearing impairments have been excluded and so results do not generalize to the wider population with Down syndrome. Also, measuring children's hearing at the time of a language assessment does not take into account the fluctuating nature of hearing loss in children with Down syndrome or possible effects of losses in their early years.

Aims

To investigate the impact of early hearing loss on language outcomes for children with Down syndrome.

Methods & Procedures

Retrospective audiology clinic records and parent report for 41 children were used to categorize them as either having had hearing difficulties from 2 to 4 years or more normal hearing. Differences between the groups on measures of language expression and comprehension, receptive vocabulary, a narrative task and speech accuracy were investigated.

Outcomes & Results

After accounting for the contributions of chronological age and nonverbal mental age to children's scores, there were significant differences between the groups on all measures.

Conclusions & Implications

Early hearing loss has a significant impact on the speech and language development of children with Down syndrome. Results suggest that speech and language therapy should be provided when children are found to have ongoing hearing difficulties and that joint audiology and speech and language therapy clinics could be considered for preschool children.
Long‐term effects of PECS on social–communicative skills of children with autism spectrum disorders: a follow‐up study
Authors: Lerna Anna , Esposito Dalila , Conson Massimiliano , Massagli Angelo
Published: March 2014

Background

The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a popular augmentative communication system frequently used with ‘nonverbal’ children with autism. Several studies suggested that PECS could represent an effective tool for promoting improvement of several social–communicative skills. Only sparse evidence is instead available on the long‐term effectiveness of this treatment system.

Aims

To test the long‐term effects of PECS, for which a follow‐up study was conducted by assessing social–communicative skills in nonverbal preschool children with autism after 12 months from treatment completion.

Methods & Procedures

Two groups of children (N = 14) were assessed; one group had completed the PECS training and the other conventional language therapy (CLT). At follow‐up all children received the same pre‐ and post‐treatment assessment. Outcome measures were the following: Communication and Social domains of Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS); Language and Personal–Social subscales of the Griffiths’ Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS); Communication and Social Abilities domains of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS); and several social–communicative variables coded in an unstructured setting.

Outcomes & Results

The PECS group showed significant improvements compared with the CLT group on ADOS severity scores (Communication, Social and Total), on GMDS Social domain and on VABS Communication and Social domains. PECS‐related gains on the VABS Social domain and on specific social–communicative measures coded during free‐play, i.e. frequency of joint attention and initiation, and duration of cooperative play, were stable after 1‐year follow‐up. Cooperative play continued to improve on follow‐up with respect to both post‐ and pre‐treatment assessment.

Conclusions & Implications

These findings demonstrated that PECS training can promote long‐term enhancement of specific socio‐communicative skills in children with autism.
MrEnt: an editor for publication‐quality phylogenetic tree illustrations
Authors: Zuccon Alessandro , Zuccon Dario
Published: March 2014

We developed MrEnt, a Windows‐based, user‐friendly software that allows the production of complex, high‐resolution, publication‐quality phylogenetic trees in few steps, directly from the analysis output. The program recognizes the standard Nexus tree format and the annotated tree files produced by BEAST and MrBayes. MrEnt combines in a single software a large suite of tree manipulation functions (e.g. handling of multiple trees, tree rotation, character mapping, node collapsing, compression of large clades, handling of time scale and error bars for chronograms) with drawing tools typical of standard graphic editors, including handling of graphic elements and images. The tree illustration can be printed or exported in several standard formats suitable for journal publication, PowerPoint presentation or Web publication.
Relative importance of redox buffers GSH and NAD(P)H in age‐related neurodegeneration and Alzheimer disease‐like mouse neurons
Authors: Ghosh Debolina , Levault Kelsey R. , Brewer Gregory J.
Published: March 2014

Aging, a major risk factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD), is associated with an oxidative redox shift, decreased redox buffer protection, and increased free radical reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, probably linked to mitochondrial dysfunction. While NADH is the ultimate electron donor for many redox reactions, including oxidative phosphorylation, glutathione (GSH) is the major ROS detoxifying redox buffer in the cell. Here, we explored the relative importance of NADH and GSH to neurodegeneration in aging and AD neurons from nontransgenic and 3xTg‐AD mice by inhibiting their synthesis to determine whether NADH can compensate for the GSH loss to maintain redox balance. Neurons stressed by either depleting NAD(P)H or GSH indicated that NADH redox control is upstream of GSH levels. Further, although depletion of NAD(P)H or GSH correlated linearly with neuron death, compared with GSH depletion, higher neurodegeneration was observed when NAD(P)H was extrapolated to zero, especially in old age, and in the 3xTg‐AD neurons. We also observed an age‐dependent loss of gene expression of key redox‐dependent biosynthetic enzymes, NAMPT (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase), and NNT (nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase). Moreover, age‐related correlations between brain NNT or NAMPT gene expression and NADPH levels suggest that these genes contribute to the age‐related declines in NAD(P)H. Our data indicate that in aging and more so in AD‐like neurons, NAD(P)H redox control is upstream of GSH and an oxidative redox shift that promotes neurodegeneration. Thus, NAD(P)H generation may be a more efficacious therapeutic target upstream of GSH and ROS.
A novel kinase regulates dietary restriction‐mediated longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Chamoli Manish , Singh Anupama , Malik Yasir , Mukhopadhyay Arnab
Published: March 2014

Although dietary restriction (DR) is known to extend lifespan across species, from yeast to mammals, the signalling events downstream of food/nutrient perception are not well understood. In Caenorhabditis elegans, DR is typically attained either by using the eat‐2 mutants that have reduced pharyngeal pumping leading to lower food intake or by feeding diluted bacterial food to the worms. In this study, we show that knocking down a mammalian MEKK3‐like kinase gene, mekk‐3 in C. elegans, initiates a process similar to DR without compromising food intake. This DR‐like state results in upregulation of beta‐oxidation genes through the nuclear hormone receptor NHR‐49, a HNF‐4 homolog, resulting in depletion of stored fat. This metabolic shift leads to low levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), potent oxidizing agents that damage macromolecules. Increased beta‐oxidation, in turn, induces the phase I and II xenobiotic detoxification genes, through PHA‐4/FOXA, NHR‐8 and aryl hydrocarbon receptor AHR‐1, possibly to purge lipophilic endotoxins generated during fatty acid catabolism. The coupling of a metabolic shift with endotoxin detoxification results in extreme longevity following mekk‐3 knock‐down. Thus, MEKK‐3 may function as an important nutrient sensor and signalling component within the organism that controls metabolism. Knocking down mekk‐3 may signal an imminent nutrient crisis that results in initiation of a DR‐like state, even when food is plentiful.
Absorption and Peak Blood Alcohol Concentration After Drinking Beer, Wine, or Spirits
Authors: Mitchell Mack C. , Teigen Erin L. , Ramchandani Vijay A.
Published: March 2014

Background

Both the amount and the rate of absorption of ethanol (EtOH) from alcoholic beverages are key determinants of the peak blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and exposure of organs other than gut and liver. Previous studies suggest EtOH is absorbed more rapidly in the fasting than in the postprandial state. The concentration of EtOH and the type of beverage may determine gastric emptying/absorption of EtOH.

Methods

The pharmacokinetics of EtOH were measured in 15 healthy men after consumption of 0.5 g of EtOH/kg body weight. During this 3‐session crossover study, subjects consumed in separate sessions, beer (5.1% v/v), white wine (12.5% v/v), or vodka/tonic (20% v/v) over 20 minutes following an overnight fast. BAC was measured by gas chromatography at multiple points after consumption.

Results

Peak BAC (Cmax) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) after vodka/tonic (77.4 ± 17.0 mg/dl) than after wine (61.7 ± 10.8 mg/dl) or beer (50.3 ± 9.8 mg/dl) and was significantly higher (p < 0.001) after wine than beer. The time to Cmax occurred significantly earlier (p < 0.01) after vodka/tonic (36 ± 10 minutes) compared to wine (54 ± 14 minutes) or beer (62 ± 23 minutes). Six subjects exceeded a Cmax of 80 mg/dl after vodka/tonic, but none exceeded this limit after beer or wine. The area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) was significantly greater after drinking vodka/tonic (p < 0.001) than after wine or beer. Comparison of AUCs indicated the relative bioavailability of EtOH was lower after drinking beer.

Conclusions

Findings indicate that BAC is higher after drinking vodka/tonic than beer or wine after fasting. A binge pattern is significantly more likely to result in BAC above 80 mg/dl after drinking vodka/tonic than beer or wine. Men drinking on an empty stomach should know BAC will vary depending on beverage type and the rate and amount of EtOH.
Postnatal Ethanol Exposure Simplifies the Dendritic Morphology of Medium Spiny Neurons Independently of Adenylyl Cyclase 1 and 8 Activity in Mice
Authors: Susick Laura L. , Lowing Jennifer L. , Provenzano Anthony M. , Hildebrandt Clara C. , Conti Alana C.
Published: March 2014

Background

Fetal exposure to alcohol can have multiple deleterious effects, including learning disorders and behavioral and executive functioning abnormalities, collectively termed fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Neonatal mice lacking both calcium‐/calmodulin‐stimulated adenylyl cyclases (ACs) 1 and 8 demonstrate increased vulnerability to ethanol (EtOH)‐induced neurotoxicity in the striatum compared with wild‐type (WT) controls. However, the developmental impact on surviving neurons is still unclear.

Methods

WT and AC1/8 double knockout (DKO) mice were administered 1 dose of EtOH (2.5 g/kg) between postnatal days 5 to 7 (P5–7). At P30, brains were removed and processed for Golgi–Cox staining. Medium spiny neurons (MSNs) from the caudate putamen were analyzed for changes in dendritic complexity; number of branches, branch points and terminals, total and average dendritic length; spine density and soma size.

Results

EtOH significantly reduced the dendritic complexity and soma size in surviving MSNs regardless of genotype without affecting spine density. In the absence of EtOH, genetic deletion of AC1/8 reduced the dendritic complexity, number of branch points, spine density, and soma size of MSNs compared with WT controls.

Conclusions

These data indicate that neonatal exposure to a single dose of EtOH is sufficient to cause long‐term alterations in the dendritic complexity of MSNs and that this outcome is not altered by the functional status of AC1 and AC8. Therefore, although deletion of AC1/8 demonstrates a role for the ACs in normal morphologic development and EtOH‐induced neurodegeneration, loss of AC1/8 activity does not exacerbate the effects of EtOH on dendritic morphology or spine density.
Nazism and Religion: The Problem of “Positive Christianity”
Authors: Koehne Samuel
Published: March 2014

Current debates on Nazism and religion are focused around the notion that the Nazis sought to promote a kind of Christian faith called “positive Christianity”. This article challenges such perspectives. It establishes that “positive Christianity” had an existing meaning in German society before the Nazi Party was formed — dogmatic Christian faith — and demonstrates that this was the same interpretation of religious faith that Hitler appeared to advocate in Mein Kampf. By contrast to recent revisionist accounts, the paper argues that “positive Christianity” had such a wide variety of interpretations that it cannot be considered as a cohesive construct.
Islam, Islamism, and Post‐Islamism: Rediscovering Politics after the War on Terror
Authors: Crowder George , Griffiths Martin , Hasan Mubashar
Published: March 2014

Over the past twenty years, an influential body of conservative scholarship has focused on the alleged conflict between Islam and the West. Following widespread criticism of this scholarship, a number of commentators have revived its core assumptions to claim that the real conflict is between liberal democracy within Muslim societies and the political ideology of Islamism. In this article we trace the evolution of this scholarship, and suggest that recent empirical developments in the Muslim world suggest the potential for post‐Islamist parties to successfully adapt to the demands of democratic competition within Muslim societies. In this context, the emerging conflict is not between Islam and the West, or Islamism and the West, but between two very different discursive practices within the Muslim world that invoke Islam for radically different purposes.

A traveler enters the world into which he travels, but a tourist brings his own world with him and never sees the one he's in.
Activation of histamine H1 receptors in the nucleus tractus solitarii attenuates cardiac baroreceptor reflex function in rats
Authors: Takagishi M. , Gouraud S. S. , Bhuiyan M. E. R. , Kohsaka A. , Maeda M. , Waki H.
Published: March 2014

Aim

The nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) is a central brainstem structure that plays an important role in regulating cardiovascular homeostasis. In this study, we examined whether H1 receptors in the NTS can control the baroreceptor reflex function by modulating synaptic transmission.

Methods

Cardiac baroreceptor reflex function was assessed before and after the microinjection of 2‐pyridylethylamine (10–25 nmol), a histamine H1 receptor‐specific agonist, into the NTS of urethane‐anaesthetized Wistar rats. The cardiovascular responses induced by l‐glutamate microinjection into the NTS were also examined before and after the NTS administration of 2‐pyridylethylamine.

Results

Nucleus tractus solitarii microinjections of 2‐pyridylethylamine significantly inhibited the gain of the cardiac baroreceptor reflex and bradycardiac/depressor responses induced by l‐glutamate microinjection into the NTS. These findings suggest that histamine H1 receptors regulate the cardiac baroreceptor reflex in a post‐synaptic manner to inhibit barosensitive NTS neurons.

Conclusion

Taken together with our previous findings, the present results provide further evidence that histamine may play a role within the NTS in regulating cardiovascular homeostasis.