bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inappropriate behaviors and hypersexuality in individuals with dementia: An overview of a neglected issue
Authors: Torrisi Michele , Cacciola Alberto , Marra Angela , De Luca Rosaria , Bramanti Placido , Calabrò Rocco Salvatore
Published: August 2016

Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia are very common in patients affected by dementia, and are associated with high rates of institutionalization. Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia consist of aggressive behavior, delusions, hallucinations, depression, apathy, wandering, stereotyped and inappropriate sexual behavior. Interestingly, the latter has been reported to be relatively uncommon, but causing immense distress to patients and their caregivers. The genesis of inappropriate behavior is considered a combination of neurological, psychological and social factors. Although assessment is mainly carried out by clinical observation and interviews with caregivers, the most appropriate management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, including hypersexuality, is a combination of pharmacological and non‐pharmacological interventions, according to specific symptoms, degree of cognitive dysfunction and subtype of dementia. The present narrative review will mainly focus on aggressiveness, disinhibition, aberrant motor, and sexually inappropriate behavior diagnostic work‐up and treatment, in an attempt to provide both the patients and their caregivers with useful information to better manage these symptoms and improve their quality of life. Space is particularly dedicated to inappropriate sexual behavior, which is still considered a neglected issue. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 865–874.
Undoing Whiteness: The Dao of Anti‐racist Diversity Practice
Authors: Liu Helena
Published: August 2016

As Australia propels towards a so‐called ‘Asian Century', pro‐diversity discourses have begun to permeate organizations and society. Yet despite this outward commitment to ethno‐cultural diversity, mainstream diversity discourses and practices have been critiqued for subordinating social justice agendas and reinforcing the dominance of whiteness. This article analyses in‐depth interviews with 18 Chinese Australian managers and local councillors engaged in various forms of diversity advocacy and practice. By reading their voices via the Chinese philosophy of Daoism, I offer an anti‐racist praxis of diversity that bears the potential to disrupt white supremacy through the strength of softness and the power of non‐action.
The MEEK technique: 10‐year experience at a tertiary burn centre
Authors: Almodumeegh Abdulaziz , Heidekrueger Paul I , Ninkovic Milomir , Rubenbauer Johannes , Hadjipanayi Ektoras , Broer P Niclas
Published: August 2016

Extensive full‐thickness burns pose a great challenge to the burn surgeon. Lack of autograft donor sites is an important limiting factor to achieving wound closure. To overcome this problem, various methods of treatment have been suggested in the past, including the MEEK technique. This study was carried out at the Bogenhausen Hospital Burn Unit, Munich, Germany from 2006 to 2015. There were a total of 148 skin grafting operations. The modified MEEK technique was performed on 67 patients. Patients included 34 males and 33 females, with an average age of 39·6 years. The mean percentage body surface burned was 65%, and full‐thickness injury occurred in 52%. The mean area graft per procedure was 20%. The viability of the graft as assessed between the 7th and 10th day was generally in the range of 60–90%. The average number of operations required was 2·21. The mean length of stay was 27 days. Infection was documented in five patients, and seven deaths occurred. The mean follow‐up was 3·2 years. When faced with large surface area burns and limited donor sites, the MEEK technique is a satisfactory method for coverage.
Heel ulcers do heal in patients with diabetes
Authors: Örneholm Hedvig , Apelqvist Jan , Larsson Jan , Eneroth Magnus
Published: August 2016

A heel ulcer is considered to be a serious complication in patients with diabetes, and there is limited information regarding outcome. In most of the literature, a poor prognosis is described. The aim of this study was to investigate a large cohort of ulcers located in the heel in patients with diabetes.

Seven hundred and sixty‐eight patients [median age 73 (17–98)], presenting with a heel ulcer at a multidisciplinary diabetes foot clinic, fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were followed‐up until final outcome.

Fifty‐eight per cent of the patients healed primarily; 7% healed after major debridement; 9% healed after amputation and 25% died unhealed. Median healing time was 17 weeks. Ulcer progression was seen in 19% of patients. Thirty‐one percent of patients had severe peripheral vascular disease. A creatinine level below 91 µmol/l was related to a higher probability for healing without major debridement or amputation, whereas vascular surgery, nephropathy and oedema were related to a lower probability for healing without major debridement or amputation.

Two thirds of heel ulcers do heal in patients with diabetes despite patients being elderly and with extensive comorbidity. The extent of peripheral vascular disease, nephropathy, oedema and decreased renal function are important factors influencing outcome.
Protistan predation interferes with bacterial long‐term adaptation to substrate restriction by selecting for defence morphotypes
Authors: Baumgartner M. , Neu T. R. , Blom J. F. , Pernthaler J.
Published: August 2016

Bacteria that are introduced into aquatic habitats face a low substrate environment interspersed with rare productive ‘hotspots’, as well as high protistan grazing. Whereas the former condition should select for growth performance, the latter should favour traits that reduce predation mortality, such as the formation of large cell aggregates. However, protected morphotypes often convey a growth disadvantage, and bacteria thus face a trade‐off between investing in growth or defence traits. We set up an evolutionary experiment with the freshwater isolate Sphingobium sp. strain Z007 that conditionally increases aggregate formation in supernatants from a predator–prey coculture. We hypothesized that low substrate levels would favour growth performance and reduce the aggregated subpopulation, but that the concomitant presence of a flagellate predator might conserve the defence trait. After 26 (1‐week) growth cycles either with (P+) or without (P−) predators, bacteria had evolved into strikingly different phenotypes. Strains from P− had low numbers of aggregates and increased growth yield, both at the original rich growth conditions and on various single carbon sources. By contrast, isolates from the P+ treatment formed elevated proportions of defence morphotypes, but exhibited lower growth yield and metabolic versatility. Moreover, the evolved strains from both treatments had lost phenotypic plasticity of aggregate formation. In summary, the (transient) residence of bacteria at oligotrophic conditions may promote a facultative oligotrophic life style, which is advantageous for survival in aquatic habitats. However, the investment in defence against predation mortality may constrain microbial adaptation to the abiotic environment.
Do Creditor Rights Increase Employment Risk? Evidence from Loan Covenants
Authors: FALATO ANTONIO , LIANG NELLIE
Published: August 2016

Using a regression discontinuity design, we provide evidence that there are sharp and substantial employment cuts following loan covenant violations, when creditors gain rights to accelerate, restructure, or terminate a loan. The cuts are larger at firms with higher financing frictions and with weaker employee bargaining power, and during industry and macroeconomic downturns, when employees have fewer job opportunities. Union elections that create new labor bargaining units lead to higher loan spreads, consistent with creditors requiring compensation when employees gain bargaining power. Overall, binding financial contracts have a large impact on employees and are an amplification mechanism of economic downturns.
Financial Contracting and Organizational Form: Evidence from the Regulation of Trade Credit
Authors: BREZA EMILY , LIBERMAN ANDRES
Published: August 2016

We present evidence that restrictions to the set of feasible financial contracts affect buyer‐supplier relationships and the organizational form of the firm. We exploit a regulation that restricted the maturity of the trade credit contracts that a large retailer could sign with some of its small suppliers. Using a within‐product difference‐in‐differences identification strategy, we find that the restriction reduces the likelihood of trade by 11%. The retailer also responds by internalizing procurement to its own subsidiaries and reducing overall purchases. Finally, we find that relational contracts can mitigate the inability to extend long trade credit terms.
Owning Up to Negative Ingroup Traits: How Personal Autonomy Promotes the Integration of Group Identity
Authors: Legault Lisa , Weinstein Netta , Mitchell Jahlil , Inzlicht Michael , Pyke Kristen , Upal Afzal
Published: August 2016

Objective

Our experiences, attributes, and behaviors are diverse, inconsistent, and often negative. Consequently, our capacity to assimilate divergent experiences—particularly negative aspects—is important to the development of a unified self. Whereas this process of integration has received attention at the level of personal identity, it has not been assessed at the level of group identity.

Objective

We examined the mechanisms involved in integrating positive and negative ingroup identities, as well as related outcomes.

Method

In three experiments, participants (N = 332) high and low in autonomy identified either positive or negative aspects of their ingroup and then indicated the extent to which they integrated the attribute.

Results

Those high in personal autonomy integrated both positive and negative identities, whereas those low in autonomy acknowledged only positive identities. Study 2 showed that, regardless of identity valence, those high in autonomy felt satisfied and close with their group. Conversely, those low in autonomy felt less close and more dissatisfied with their group after reflecting on negative identities. Finally, reflecting on a negative identity reduced prejudice, but only for those high in autonomy.

Conclusions

Owning up to negative group traits is facilitated by autonomy and demonstrates benefits for ingroup and intergroup processes.
Intestinal development of bovine foetuses during gestation is affected by foetal sex and maternal nutrition
Authors: Gionbelli T. R. S. , Rotta P. P. , Veloso C. M. , Valadares Filho S. C. , Carvalho B. C. , Marcondes M. I. , Ferreira M. F. L. , Souza J. V. F. , Santos J. S. A. A. , Lacerda L. C. , Duarte M. S. , Gionbelli M. P.
Published: August 2016

We aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal nutrition (MN) and foetal sex on the intestinal development of bovine foetuses throughout different days of gestation (DG). Forty‐four multiparous, dry Holstein × Gyr cows with average initial body weight of 480 ± 10 kg were fed the same diet of either restricted feeding at 1.15% of body weight (CO, n = 24) or fed ad libitum (overnourished, ON, n = 20). Six cows from CO group and five cows from ON group were slaughtered at 139, 199, 241 and 268 DG, and foetuses were necropsied to evaluate the intestinal development. The mass, length and density of foetal intestines were not affected by MN (p ≥ 0.260). An interaction between MN and DG was observed for the villi length of jejunum (p = 0.006) and ileum (p < 0.001). Villi length of jejunum and ileum was higher (p < 0.10) in foetuses from ON‐fed cows than in foetuses from CO‐fed cows at 139 DG. However, at 199 DG, the villi length of jejunum and ileum of foetuses from CO‐fed cows was higher than in foetuses from ON‐fed cows. Despite these differences, MN did not affect the villi length of jejunum and ileum at 268 DG (p > 0.10). Female foetuses had greater small intestine mass (p = 0.093), large intestine mass (p = 0.022), small intestine mass in proportion to body mass (p = 0.017) and large intestine mass in proportion to body mass (p < 0.001) than male foetuses. Female foetuses had also longer small intestine (p = 0.077) and greater small intestine density (p = 0.021) and villi length of jejunum (p = 0.001) and ileum (p = 0.010) than males. We conclude that MN affects the pathway for the development of foetal villi length throughout the gestation in bovine foetuses without changing the final villi length. Female foetuses had higher intestinal mass, density and villi length than males during the foetal phase in bovines.
“I Was a Muslim, But Now I Am a Christian”: Preaching, Legitimation, and Identity Management in a Southern Evangelical Church
Authors: Marti Gerardo
Published: August 2016

Established in 2005, “Life” is a suburban, nondenominational, evangelical church in Charlotte, North Carolina, with an almost entirely white membership, yet the lead pastor is an immigrant from the Middle East. As an ex‐Muslim ethnic Pakistani who was born and raised in Kuwait, Pastor Sameer Khalid does not “fit” into southern culture, and he did not convert to Christianity until he was enrolled in college in the United States. Ethnographic data from 14 months of fieldwork reveal how Pastor Sameer uses weekly sermons to negotiate racialized stigmas, emphasize his common religious identity with the congregation, and make his immigrant background a distinctive religious resource for the church. More specifically, while all pastors require legitimation of their charismatic authority, this research focuses on the dynamics of performance through preaching within the Sunday morning services of this congregation, a performance that negotiates this lead pastor's ethnic and religious identities and accentuates his strategic use of institutionalized evangelical narratives to subvert Islamophobic threats and buttress legitimation of his pastoral identity.
Comparative study of the effects of bupropion and escitalopram on Internet gaming disorder
Authors: Song Jinuk , Park Jeong Ha , Han Doug Hyun , Roh Sungwon , Son Ji Hyun , Choi Tae Young , Lee Hyuk , Kim Tae Ho , Lee Young Sik
Published: August 2016

Aim

We compared the efficacy of bupropion and escitalopram treatments in Internet gaming disorder (IGD) patients.

Methods

We recruited 119 adolescents and adults with IGD. We treated these participants for 6 weeks in three groups as follows: 44 participants were treated with bupropion SR (bupropion group), 42 participants were treated with escitalopram (escitalopram group), and 33 patients without any medication were observed in the community (observation group). At baseline and at the 6‐week follow‐up visit, all subjects were evaluated using the Clinical Global Impression‐Severity Scale, the Young Internet Addiction Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, the ADHD Rating Scale, and the Behavioral Inhibition and Activation Scales.

Results

Both the escitalopram group and the bupropion group showed improvement on all clinical symptom scales after 6 weeks of treatment compared to the observation group. Additionally, the bupropion group showed greater improvement on scores for the Clinical Global Impression‐Severity Scale, the Young Internet Addiction Scale, the ADHD Rating Scale, and the Behavioral Inhibition Scale than the escitalopram group.

Conclusion

Both bupropion and escitalopram were effective in treating and managing IGD symptoms. Moreover, bupropion appeared to be more effective than escitalopram in improving attention and impulsivity in IGD patients. In addition, attention and impulsivity seem to be important for the management of IGD.
Effects of ankyrin 3 gene risk variants on brain structures in patients with bipolar disorder and healthy subjects
Authors: Ota Miho , Hori Hiroaki , Sato Noriko , Yoshida Fuyuko , Hattori Kotaro , Teraishi Toshiya , Kunugi Hiroshi
Published: August 2016

Aim

The intronic single‐nucleotide polymorphism rs10994336 of the ankyrin 3 gene (ANK3
) is one of the genome‐wide supported risk variants for bipolar disorder (BD), and the T‐allele of rs10761482 is also reported to have relevance to BD. We investigated the effect of ANK3 rs10761482 genetic variation on brain structure.

Methods

Subjects were 43 BD patients and 229 healthy volunteers. We evaluated the effects of ANK3 rs10761482 genetic variation on diagnosis, and of the genotype‐by‐diagnosis interaction on the brain structure and the degree of age‐related brain atrophy on magnetic resonance imaging data evaluated by voxel‐based morphometry.

Results

BD patients showed significantly lower fractional anisotropy value in the bilateral parietal regions, left fronto‐occipital fasciculus, and corpus callosum, compared to healthy subjects. Further, we found considerable decreases of fractional anisotropy in the forceps minor in non‐T‐allele BD patients compared with the T‐carrier patient group. We also found significant lessening of age‐related brain atrophy in the T‐allele carrier groups compared with the non‐T‐allele carrier groups in the area around the cerebrospinal space, cingulate cortices, and cerebellum.

Conclusion

Our results suggest the influence of the ANK3 on age‐related brain atrophy. The ankyrin 3 genotype may be associated with pathogenesis of age‐related neurodegeneration, and, in part, of BD.
Intellectual Humility as Attitude
Authors: Tanesini Alessandra
Published: August 2016

Intellectual humility, I argue in this paper, is a cluster of strong attitudes (as these are understood in social psychology) directed toward one's cognitive make‐up and its components, together with the cognitive and affective states that constitute their contents or bases, which serve knowledge and value‐expressive functions. In order to defend this new account of humility I first examine two simpler traits: intellectual self‐acceptance of epistemic limitations and intellectual modesty about epistemic successes. The position defended here addresses the shortcomings of both ignorance and accuracy based accounts of humility.
Early silicification of leaves and roots of seedlings of a panicoid grass grown under different conditions: anatomical relations and structural role
Authors: Fernández Honaine M. , Benvenuto M. L. , Borrelli N. L. , Osterrieth M.
Published: August 2016

Grasses accumulate high amounts of silica deposits in tissues of all their organs, especially at mature stage. However, when and under which conditions do grass seedlings begin to produce these silica deposits and their relation with anatomy and development is little known. Here we investigated the silicification process in the first leaves and roots of seedlings of Bothriochloa laguroides grown in different substrate and Si treatments.

The distribution and content of silica deposits in the organs of the seedlings grown under different conditions were analyzed through staining techniques and SEM‐EDAX analyses.

Leaf silica deposits were accumulated 3–4 days after the first leaf emergence, also under low silica solution (0.17–0.2 mM). Their location was mainly restricted to short costal cells from basal sectors, and scarcely in trichomes and xylem at tips. Silica content in leaves increased with the age of the seedlings. Roots presented dome‐shaped silica aggregates, between 4–12 μm of diameter, located in the inner tangential wall of endodermal cells and similar to those produced at maturity.

Silicification begins early in the first photosynthetic leaf, and silica distribution is opposite to that found in mature plants, mainly restricted to basal sectors, probably acting as a reinforcing element. The fast incorporation of solid amorphous silica in leaves and roots, may be useful for farm applications in species that are Si‐fertilized.
Knowing when (not) to attempt ecological restoration
Authors: Johnson Craig R. , Chabot Rebecca H. , Marzloff Martin P. , Wotherspoon Simon
Published: August 2016

Here we argue that there are two important steps in the decision process to restore ecological system that are often ignored. First, consideration of restoration is in response to observed change in a system, but ecological systems can fluctuate widely in their normal dynamic. Thus, there is an imperative to interpret ecological change; shifts in community structure that represent “typical” fluctuations in a properly functioning ecosystem do not warrant restoration, while change associated with phase shift in the system may well demand restoration action. Second, where restoration effort is warranted, it needs to be determined whether management responses are likely to be successful within resource constraints. Where ecological change involves pronounced hysteresis, even massive effort may have little chance in effecting recovery to a preferred ecosystem state. Theory and models indicate that consideration of the characteristic length scales (CLSs) of ecological systems provides an unambiguous interpretation of ecological change, enabling differentiation of “typical” fluctuations from phase shift, and here we show that CLSs can be calculated for real communities from their species' dynamics, and that their behavior is as predicted from theory. We also show that for ecological systems where local interactions and forcings are well understood, validated simulation models can provide a ready means to identify hysteresis and estimate its magnitude. We conclude that there are useful tools available for ecologists to address the key questions of (1) whether restoration attempts are warranted in the first place and, if they are, (2) whether it is practical to pursue them.
The Contribution of Skills and Family Background to Educational Mobility
Authors: Rustichini Aldo , Iacono William G. , McGue Matt
Published: August 2016

We study the role of hard and soft skills in economic performance and social mobility in a sample of twins (N = 2,764) from the Minnesota Twin Family Study, combining classical economic models of parental investment with a complete and realistic equilibrium model of genetic transmission of skills. Hard and soft skills have comparable roles in affecting early educational success and college attainment. We then use the information on family background to estimate the determinants of social intergenerational mobility. The transmission of personality characteristics – in particular but not exclusively of intelligence – explains a substantial fraction of upward and downward mobility of children.
Conditional Akaike Information Criteria for a Class of Poisson Mixture Models with Random Effects
Authors: Yu Dalei
Published: August 2016

Focusing on the model selection problems in the family of Poisson mixture models (including the Poisson mixture regression model with random effects and zero‐inflated Poisson regression model with random effects), the current paper derives two conditional Akaike information criteria. The criteria are the unbiased estimators of the conditional Akaike information based on the conditional log‐likelihood and the conditional Akaike information based on the joint log‐likelihood, respectively. The derivation is free from the specific parametric assumptions about the conditional mean of the true data‐generating model and applies to different types of estimation methods. Additionally, the derivation is not based on the asymptotic argument. Simulations show that the proposed criteria have promising estimation accuracy. In addition, it is found that the criterion based on the conditional log‐likelihood demonstrates good model selection performance under different scenarios. Two sets of real data are used to illustrate the proposed method.
A double‐mutant collection targeting MAP kinase related genes in Arabidopsis for studying genetic interactions
Authors: Su Shih‐Heng , Krysan Patrick J.
Published: August 2016

Mitogen‐activated protein kinase cascades are conserved in all eukaryotes. In Arabidopsis thaliana there are approximately 80 genes encoding MAP kinase kinase kinases (MAP3K), 10 genes encoding MAP kinase kinases (MAP2K), and 20 genes encoding MAP kinases (MAPK). Reverse genetic analysis has failed to reveal abnormal phenotypes for a majority of these genes. One strategy for uncovering gene function when single‐mutant lines do not produce an informative phenotype is to perform a systematic genetic interaction screen whereby double‐mutants are created from a large library of single‐mutant lines. Here we describe a new collection of 275 double‐mutant lines derived from a library of single‐mutants targeting genes related to MAP kinase signaling. To facilitate this study, we developed a high‐throughput double‐mutant generating pipeline using a system for growing Arabidopsis seedlings in 96‐well plates. A quantitative root growth assay was used to screen for evidence of genetic interactions in this double‐mutant collection. Our screen revealed four genetic interactions, all of which caused synthetic enhancement of the root growth defects observed in a MAP kinase 4 (MPK4) single‐mutant line. Seeds for this double‐mutant collection are publicly available through the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center. Scientists interested in diverse biological processes can now screen this double‐mutant collection under a wide range of growth conditions in order to search for additional genetic interactions that may provide new insights into MAP kinase signaling.
Automated survey of 8000 plan checks at eight facilities
Authors: Halabi Tarek , Lu Hsiao‐Ming , Bernard Damian A. , Chu James C. H. , Kirk Michael C. , Hamilton Russell J. , Lei Yu , Driewer Joseph
Published: August 2016

Purpose:

To identify policy and system related weaknesses in treatment planning and plan check work‐flows.

Methods:

The authors’ web deployed plan check automation solution, PlanCheck, which works with all major planning and record and verify systems (demonstrated here for mosaiq only), allows them to compute violation rates for a large number of plan checks across many facilities without requiring the manual data entry involved with incident filings. Workflows and failure modes are heavily influenced by the type of record and verify system used. Rather than tackle multiple record and verify systems at once, the authors restricted the present survey to mosaiq facilities. Violations were investigated by sending inquiries to physicists running the program.

Results:

Frequent violations included inadequate tracking in the record and verify system of total and prescription doses. Infrequent violations included incorrect setting of patient orientation in the record and verify system. Peaks in the distribution, over facilities, of violation frequencies pointed to suboptimal policies at some of these facilities. Correspondence with physicists often revealed incomplete knowledge of settings at their facility necessary to perform thorough plan checks.

Conclusions:

The survey leads to the identification of specific and important policy and system deficiencies that include: suboptimal timing of initial plan checks, lack of communication or agreement on conventions surrounding prescription definitions, and lack of automation in the transfer of some parameters.
Detecting a fluid-filled borehole using elastic waves from a remote borehole
Authors: Tang Xiaoming , Cao Jingji , Li Zhen , Su Yuanda
Published: August 2016

The interaction of a fluid-filled borehole with incident elastic waves is an important topic for downhole acoustic measurements. By analyzing the wave phenomena of this problem, one can simulate the detection of a borehole target using a source-receiver system in a remote borehole. The analysis result shows that the wave signals from the target borehole are of sufficient amplitude even though the borehole size is small compared to wavelength. Consequently, the target borehole can be detected when the two boreholes are far away from each other. The result can be utilized to provide a method for testing downhole acoustic imaging tools.
Shock compression response of forsterite above 250 GPa
Authors: Sekine Toshimori , Ozaki Norimasa , Miyanishi Kohei , Asaumi Yuto , Kimura Tomoaki , Albertazzi Bruno , Sato Yuya , Sakawa Youichi , Sano Takayoshi , Sugita Seiji , Matsui Takafumi , Kodama Ryosuke
Published: August 2016

Shocked forsterite above 250 GPa indicates incongruent crystallization of MgO, its phase transition, and remelting.
Mechanized azobenzene-functionalized zirconium metal-organic framework for on-command cargo release
Authors: Meng Xiangshi , Gui Bo , Yuan Daqiang , Zeller Matthias , Wang Cheng
Published: August 2016

A simple strategy to construct a stimuli-responsive mechanized zirconium metal-organic framework for on-command cargo release.
Antiaging trial using young blood stirs concerns
Authors: Kaiser Jocelyn
Published: August 2016

Company plans to charge volunteers $8000 each for plasma transfusions from young donors.
Zika vaccine has a good shot
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: August 2016

Modest immune responses outwit virus in monkey studies, but trials will be complex.
China-U.S. cooperation to advance nuclear power
Authors: Cao Junji , Cohen Armond , Hansen James , Lester Richard , Peterson Per , Xu Hongjie
Published: August 2016

Mass-manufacturing and coordinated approvals are key
Circadian regulation of sunflower heliotropism, floral orientation, and pollinator visits
Authors: Atamian Hagop S. , Creux Nicky M. , Brown Robin Isadora , Garner Austin G. , Blackman Benjamin K. , Harmer Stacey L.
Published: August 2016

Searching for the Sun

The growth of immature sunflower plants tracks the Sun's movement. The young plants lean westward as the day progresses but reorient to the east each night. As the flowers mature and open, they settle into a stable east-facing orientation. Atamian
et al.
show how circadian rhythms regulate the east-west elongation of cells in the young plants' stems (see the Perspective by Briggs). They show that eastward-oriented flowers are warmer than westward-oriented flowers, and this warmth attracts pollinators. Auxin signaling pathways in the stem coordinate to fix the eastward orientation of the mature plant.

Science
, this issue p.
587
; see also p.
541
A nanoview of battery operation
Authors: Schougaard Steen B.
Published: August 2016

Single cathode particles for lithium-ion batteries are analyzed during cycling
How do sunflowers follow the Sun—and to what end?
Authors: Briggs Winslow R.
Published: August 2016

Solar tracking may provide sunflowers with an unexpected evolutionary benefit
JIFfy Pop
Authors: Berg Jeremy
Published: August 2016

Tools for judging the impact of publications are critical for scientific leaders, librarians, and individual investigators. An important, but certainly imperfect, measure of impact is the number of times that a paper is cited over time. Citation numbers for individual papers can be aggregated to develop indices that are used to evaluate the content of journals or productivity over the course of a career. Although these indices are convenient, it is important to examine them critically to avoid their misuse.
Characterization and Evaluation of a Salmonella enterica Serotype Senftenberg Mutant Created by Deletion of Virulence-Related Genes for Use as a Live Attenuated Vaccine
Authors: Kamble Nitin M. , Lee John Hwa
Published: August 2016

Natural infections of chickens with
Salmonella enterica
subsp.
enterica
serovar Senftenberg (
S.
Senftenberg) are characterized by low-level intestinal invasiveness and insignificant production of antibodies. In this study, we investigated the potential effects of
lon
and
cpxR
gene deletions on the invasiveness of
S
. Senftenberg into the intestinal epithelium of chickens and its ability to induce an immune response, conferring protection against
S
. Senftenberg infection. With the allelic exchange method, we developed JOL1596 (Δ
lon
), JOL1571 (Δ
cpxR
), and JOL1587 (Δ
lon
Δ
cpxR
) deletion mutants from wild-type
S
. Senftenberg. Deletion of the
lon
gene from
S
. Senftenberg produced increased frequency of elongated cells, with significantly greater amounts of exopolysaccharide (EPS) than in the
cpxR
-deleted strain and the wild-type strain. The
in vivo
intestinal loop invasion assay showed a significant increase in epithelial invasiveness for JOL1596 (Δ
lon
) and JOL1587 (Δ
lon
Δ
cpxR
), compared to JOL1571 (Δ
cpxR
) and the wild-type strain. Furthermore, the
S
. Senftenberg wild-type and mutant strains were internalized at high levels inside activated abdominal macrophages from chicken. The
in vivo
inoculation of JOL1587 (Δ
lon
Δ
cpxR
) into chickens led to colonization of the liver, spleen, and cecum for a short time. Chickens inoculated with JOL1587 (Δ
lon
Δ
cpxR
) showed significant increases in humoral, mucosal, and cellular immune responses specific to
S
. Senftenberg antigens. Postchallenge, compared to the control group, the JOL1587 (Δ
lon
Δ
cpxR
)-inoculated chickens showed not only lower persistence but also faster clearance of wild-type
S
. Senftenberg from the cecum. We conclude that the increased intestinal invasiveness and colonization of internal organs exhibited by JOL1587 (Δ
lon
Δ
cpxR
) led to the establishment of immunogenicity and conferred protective efficacy against
S
. Senftenberg infections in chickens.
Mutations That Determine Resistance Breaking in a Plant RNA Virus Have Pleiotropic Effects on Its Fitness That Depend on the Host Environment and on the Type, Single or Mixed, of Infection
Authors: Moreno-Pérez Manuel G. , García-Luque Isabel , Fraile Aurora , García-Arenal Fernando
Published: August 2016

Overcoming host resistance in gene-for-gene host-virus interactions is an important instance of host range expansion, which can be hindered by across-host fitness trade-offs. Trade-offs are generated by negative effects of host range mutations on the virus fitness in the original host, i.e., by antagonistic pleiotropy. It has been reported that different mutations in
Pepper mild mottle virus
(PMMoV) coat protein result in overcoming
L
-gene resistance in pepper. To analyze if resistance-breaking mutations in PMMoV result in antagonistic pleiotropy, all reported mutations determining the overcoming of
L

3

and
L

4

alleles were introduced in biologically active cDNA clones. Then, the parental and mutant virus genotypes were assayed in susceptible pepper genotypes with an
L

+

,
L

1

, or
L

2

allele, in single and in mixed infections. Resistance-breaking mutations had pleiotropic effects on the virus fitness that, according to the specific mutation, the host genotype, and the type of infection, single or mixed with other virus genotypes, were antagonistic or positive. Thus, resistance-breaking mutations can generate fitness trade-offs both across hosts and across types of infection, and the frequency of host range mutants will depend on the genetic structure of the host population and on the frequency of mixed infections by different virus genotypes. Also, resistance-breaking mutations variously affected virulence, which may further influence the evolution of host range expansion.

IMPORTANCE
A major cause of virus emergence is host range expansion, which may be hindered by across-host fitness trade-offs caused by negative pleiotropy of host range mutations. An important instance of host range expansion is overcoming host resistance in gene-for-gene plant-virus interactions. We analyze here if mutations in the coat protein of
Pepper mild mottle virus
determining
L
-gene resistance-breaking in pepper have associated fitness penalties in susceptible host genotypes. Results show that pleiotropic effects of resistance-breaking mutations on virus fitness depend on the specific mutation, the susceptible host genotype, and the type of infection, single or mixed, with other virus genotypes. Accordingly, resistance-breaking mutations can have negative, positive, or no pleiotropic effects on virus fitness. These results underscore the complexity of host range expansion evolution and, specifically, the difficulty of predicting the overcoming of resistance factors in crops.
Acute Liver Damage Associated with Innate Immune Activation in a Small Nonhuman Primate Model of Hepacivirus Infection
Authors: Manickam Cordelia , Rajakumar Premeela , Wachtman Lynn , Kramer Joshua A. , Martinot Amanda J. , Varner Valerie , Giavedoni Luis D. , Reeves R. Keith
Published: August 2016

Despite its importance in shaping adaptive immune responses, viral clearance, and immune-based inflammation, tissue-specific innate immunity remains poorly characterized for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection due to the lack of access to acutely infected tissues. In this study, we evaluated the impact of natural killer (NK) cells and myeloid (mDCs) and plasmacytoid (pDCs) dendritic cells on control of virus replication and virus-induced pathology caused by another, more rapidly resolving hepacivirus, GB virus B (GBV-B), in infections of common marmosets. High plasma and liver viral loads and robust hepatitis characterized acute GBV-B infection, and while viremia was generally cleared by 2 to 3 months postinfection, hepatitis and liver fibrosis persisted after clearance. Coinciding with peak viral loads and liver pathology, the levels of NK cells, mDCs, and pDCs in the liver increased up to 3-fold. Although no obvious numerical changes in peripheral innate cells occurred, circulating NK cells exhibited increased perforin and Ki67 expression levels and increased surface expression of CXCR3. These data suggested that increased NK cell arming and proliferation as well as tissue trafficking may be associated with influx into the liver during acute infection. Indeed, NK cell frequencies in the liver positively correlated with plasma (
R
= 0.698;
P
= 0.015) and liver (
R
= 0.567;
P
= 0.057) viral loads. Finally, soluble factors associated with NK cells and DCs, including gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and RANTES, were increased in acute infection and also were associated with viral loads and hepatitis. Collectively, the findings showed that mobilization of local and circulating innate immune responses was linked to acute virus-induced hepatitis, and potentially to resolution of GBV-B infection, and our results may provide insight into similar mechanisms in HCV infection.

IMPORTANCE
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has created a global health crisis, and despite new effective antivirals, it is still a leading cause of liver disease and death worldwide. Recent evidence suggests that innate immunity may be a potential therapeutic target for HCV, but it may also be a correlate of increased disease. Due to a lack of access to human tissues with acute HCV infection, in this study we evaluated the role of innate immunity in resolving infection with a hepacivirus, GBV-B, in common marmosets. Collectively, our data suggest that NK cell and DC mobilization in acute hepacivirus infection can dampen virus replication but also regulate acute and chronic liver damage. How these two opposing effects on the host may be modulated in future therapeutic and vaccine approaches warrants further study.
Changes in Structure and Antigenicity of HIV-1 Env Trimers Resulting from Removal of a Conserved CD4 Binding Site-Proximal Glycan
Authors: Liang Yu , Guttman Miklos , Williams James A. , Verkerke Hans , Alvarado Daniel , Hu Shiu-Lok , Lee Kelly K.
Published: August 2016

The envelope glycoprotein (Env) is the major target for HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs). One of the mechanisms that HIV has evolved to escape the host's immune response is to mask conserved epitopes on Env with dense glycosylation. Previous studies have shown that the removal of a particular conserved glycan at N197 increases the neutralization sensitivity of the virus to antibodies targeting the CD4 binding site (CD4bs), making it a site of significant interest from the perspective of vaccine design. At present, the structural consequences that result from the removal of the N197 glycan have not been characterized. Using native-like SOSIP trimers, we examine the effects on antigenicity and local structural dynamics resulting from the removal of this glycan. A large increase in the binding of CD4bs and V3-targeting antibodies is observed for the N197Q mutant in trimeric Env, while no changes are observed with monomeric gp120. While the overall structure and thermostability are not altered, a subtle increase in the flexibility of the variable loops at the trimeric interface of adjacent protomers is evident in the N197Q mutant by hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. Structural modeling of the glycan chains suggests that the spatial occupancy of the N197 glycan leads to steric clashes with CD4bs antibodies in the Env trimer but not monomeric gp120. Our results indicate that the removal of the N197 glycan enhances the exposure of relevant bNAb epitopes on Env with a minimal impact on the overall trimeric structure. These findings present a simple modification for enhancing trimeric Env immunogens in vaccines.

IMPORTANCE
The HIV-1 Env glycoprotein presents a dense patchwork of host cell-derived N-linked glycans. This so-called glycan shield is considered to be a major protective mechanism against immune recognition. While the positions of many N-linked glycans are isolate specific, some are highly conserved and are believed to play key functional roles. In this study, we examine the conserved, CD4 binding site-proximal N197 glycan and demonstrate that its removal both facilitates neutralizing antibody access to the CD4 binding site and modestly impacts the structural dynamics at the trimer crown without drastically altering global Env trimer stability. This indicates that surgical glycosylation site modification may be an effective way of sculpting epitope presentation in Env-based vaccines.
Env7p Associates with the Golgin Protein Imh1 at the
trans
-Golgi Network in Candida albicans
Authors: Rao Kongara Hanumantha , Ghosh Swagata , Datta Asis
Published: August 2016

A multitier regulation exists at the
trans
-Golgi network in all higher organisms. We report a palmitoylated protein kinase, Env7, that functions at the TGN interface by interacting with two more TGN-resident proteins, namely, Imh1 and Arl1. Palmitoylation seems to be important for the specific localization. This study focuses on the involvement of a ubiquitous protein kinase, whose substrates had not yet been reported from any organism, as an upstream signaling component that modulates the activity of the Imh1-Arl1 complex crucial for maintaining membrane asymmetry. Virulence is significantly diminished in an Env7 mutant. The functioning of this protein in
C. albicans
seems to be quite different from its nearest homologue in
S. cerervisiae
, which reflects the evolutionary divergence between these two organisms.
A COMPARISON OF THE LUMBOPELVIC-HIP COMPLEX MOVEMENT PATTERNS IN PEOPLE WITH AND WITHOUT NON-SPECIFIC LOW BACK PAIN DURING AN ACTIVE HIP TEST
Authors: SADEGHISANI MEISSAM , MANSHADI FARIDEH DEHGHAN , KALANTARI KHOSRO KHADEMI , RAHIMI ABBAS , RAFIEI AHMAD REZA , ASNAASHARI ALI , DEHGHAN MORTAZA
Published: August 2016

The current study aimed to compare the rhythm of complex lumbopelvic-hip movements in subjects with and without low back pain (LBP) during an active hip internal rotation (AHIR) test. Fifteen professional athletes with LBP were recruited in this analytical study and were compared with 20 age-sex matched healthy people with no history of sports-related rotational movements. A 3D optoelectronic motion analysis system recorded the kinematics of all subjects during an AHIR in the prone position. The outcome measures included the values of hip and pelvic rotation across the test, pelvic rotation during the first half of the test and timing of hip/pelvic rotation in the transverse plane. Then, variables were compared between the two groups. The amount of internal hip rotation of the lower extremities, pelvic rotation in either first half of the pathway or throughout whole path length were all significantly higher in subjects with LBP than the healthy group ([Formula: see text]). Additionally, subjects with LBP showed an earlier movement of the lumbopelvic area than healthy group during the task. Asymmetric movement was seen between the right and left sides of the subjects with LBP for lower limb and hip internal rotation (HIR) ROM. The results demonstrated that the athletes with LBP who use more repetitive movements of their trunk and lower extremities during sports, show increased tendency of lumbopelvic rotation motion during AHIR test.
Secure quantum communication with orthogonal states
Authors: Shukla Chitra , Banerjee Anindita , Pathak Anirban , Srikanth R.
Published: August 2016

In majority of protocols of secure quantum communication (such as, BB84, B92, etc.), the unconditional security of the protocols are obtained by using conjugate coding (two or more mutually unbiased bases (MUBs)). Initially, all the conjugate-coding-based protocols of secure quantum communication were restricted to quantum key distribution (QKD), but later on they were extended to other cryptographic tasks (such as, secure direct quantum communication and quantum key agreement). In contrast to the conjugate-coding-based protocols, a few completely orthogonal-state-based protocols of unconditionally secure QKD (such as, Goldenberg–Vaidman and N09) were also proposed. However, till the recent past, orthogonal-state-based protocols were only a theoretical concept and were limited to QKD. Only recently, orthogonal-state-based protocols of QKD are experimentally realized and extended to cryptographic tasks beyond QKD. This paper aims to briefly review the orthogonal-state-based protocols of secure quantum communication that are recently introduced by our group and other researchers.
Some applications of uncertainty relations in quantum information
Authors: Majumdar A. S. , Pramanik T.
Published: August 2016

We discuss some applications of various versions of uncertainty relations for both discrete and continuous variables in the context of quantum information theory. The Heisenberg uncertainty relation enables demonstration of the Einstein, Podolsky and Rosen (EPR) paradox. Entropic uncertainty relations (EURs) are used to reveal quantum steering for non-Gaussian continuous variable states. EURs for discrete variables are studied in the context of quantum memory where fine-graining yields the optimum lower bound of uncertainty. The fine-grained uncertainty relation is used to obtain connections between uncertainty and the nonlocality of retrieval games for bipartite and tripartite systems. The Robertson-Schrödinger (RS) uncertainty relation is applied for distinguishing pure and mixed states of discrete variables.
Maximizing
k
-Submodular Functions and Beyond
Authors: Ward Justin , Živný Stanislav
Published: August 2016

We consider the maximization problem in the value oracle model of functions defined on
k
-tuples of sets that are submodular in every orthant and
r
-wise monotone, where
k
⩾ 2 and 1 ⩽
r
⩽
k
. We give an analysis of a deterministic greedy algorithm that shows that any such function can be approximated to a factor of 1/(1 +
r
). For
r
=
k
, we give an analysis of a randomized greedy algorithm that shows that any such function can be approximated to a factor of 1/(1+√
k
/2.

In the case of
k
=
r
= 2, the considered functions correspond precisely to bisubmodular functions, in which case we obtain an approximation guarantee of 1/2. We show that, as in the case of submodular functions, this result is the best possible both in the value query model and under the assumption that
NP
≠
RP
.

Extending a result of Ando et al., we show that for any
k
⩾ 3, submodularity in every orthant and pairwise monotonicity (i.e.,
r
= 2) precisely characterize
k
-submodular functions. Consequently, we obtain an approximation guarantee of 1/3 (and thus independent of
k
) for the maximization problem of
k
-submodular functions.