bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PATTI E TRANSIZIONI: MEZZI NON-DEMOCRATICI A FINI DEMOCRATICI?
Authors: Schmitter Philippe C.
Published: May 2019

Introduzione

Mutamenti fondamentali nella configurazione delle più importanti istituzioni politiche di un dato regime sono eventi rari. Di certo, tali mutamenti non hanno le stesse origini, non seguono percorsi simili e non producono identici risultati. E ciò si deve, se non altro, al gran numero dei fattori coinvolti oltre che alla complessità della loro successione temporale. Ne deriva che tali transizioni di regime non possono essere analizzate con i metodi induttivi delle scienze sociali probabilistiche. Né possono essere spiegate facendo ricorso ai principi deduttivi della teoria razionale delle scelte sociali.
PARTITI E SISTEMA PENSIONISTICO IN ITALIA. UN'ANALISI DELL'AZIONE PARLAMENTARE DELLA DC E DEL PCI (1953–1975)
Authors: Maestri Ezio G.
Published: May 2019

Introduzione

Il welfare state si è in questi ultimi anni imposto come un campo d'indagine eminentemente interdisciplinare. Sempre più numerosi sono infatti i lavori ad esso dedicati da sociologi, economisti e politologi. La ormai vasta letteratura ha esplorato gran parte dell'orizzonte tematico implicito nel concetto e da questo convergente sforzo di ricerca teorica ed empirica sono emersi i capisaldi analitici dei possibili diversi approcci allo studio del welfare state. La tesi che emerge da queste ricerche con il maggiore potenziale esplicativo è quella che — sia pure con sfumature ed accentuazioni non sempre collimanti — ipotizza l'esistenza — a livello macrostrutturale — di una relazione di dipendenza (più o meno lineare) tra apparizione, diffusione ed affermazione del processo di industrializzazione delle economie e il parallelo processo di democratizzazione da un lato, e l'emergenza del welfare state, dall'altro.
Political Mobilization and the Underground Literature of the Quit India Movement, 1942–44
Authors: Greenough Paul R.
Published: May 2019

For nearly 100 years the Indian Congress organization has flourished in and through the press. Of the 72 representatives who gathered in Bombay at the first Congress meeting in 1885, more than a dozen were professional journalists. Not only did the early and subsequent nationalist leaders collect news for, editorialize in, or own outright, important vernacular and English-language newspapers—one thinks of, among others, Tilak's Kesari, Surendranath Banerjea's Bengalee, Motilal Nehru's Leader and Mahatma Gandhi's Young India and Harijan—but they readily submitted themselves to the curious, often naive probings of foreign correspondents from Europe and America. It was Gandhi who taught the Congress both how to spin its cotton and how, when it served a purpose, to wash its linen in public. Jawaharlal Nehru, when prime minister, brought to a high art the interview granted to the favored Indian or foreign correspondent.
Life and Work in Colonial Cities: Harbour Workers in Java in the 1910s and 1920s
Authors: Ingleson John
Published: May 2019

The study of Indonesian history is still very much in its infancy. There is as yet nothing like the breadth or depth of historical writing on Indonesia that there is on China or India, let alone on Europe or the United States. Nowhere is this more evident than in the dearth of urban history. Certainly, Indonesia was, and is, predominantly an agricultural society, but since the 1870s an increasing number of Indonesians have lived in towns and cities, earning their living from the urban economy. In the colonial period many worked in the Indies bureaucracy, while others formed a small but growing professional class of doctors, lawyers, engineers and teachers. From this group came most of the intellectual and organizational leadership of the nationalist movement. Through their writings and speeches we have a reasonably clear picture of their changing perceptions of the world and their struggle to work out what it meant to be an Indonesian in the last three decades of colonial rule.
From Slave to Sharecropper in the French Soudan: an Effort at Controlled Social Change
Authors: Klein Martin A.
Published: May 2019

At the time of conquest, one of the major problems facing the French colonial administration was the massive number of slaves in West Africa. In some districts, they were as much as three fourths of the population. Early on, the slave trade was restricted. Slavery itself was a more complex problem. The administration wanted to ignore or, at best, regulate it, but from the first, the issue threatened embarrassment at home and social conflict in the colonies. The French depended on slave-owning elites to govern West Africa. The desire to protect their control over their slaves often tied these elites to the French. Slavery could not exist without the support of the state, but few colonial administrations dependent on metropolitan parliaments for their budgets could admit that openly. Local administrators were very hostile to any proposal to act against slavery, probably because they feared for their own safety. Both continuing enslavement and the frequent flight of slaves posed problems.
The Construction of Citizenship and the Creation of American Common Law
in Illinois, 1850–1861
Authors: Schweber Howard
Published: May 2019

In the middle of the nineteenth century, the vocabulary and analytical organization
of American common law underwent a profound and far-reaching transformation in a
process that began in the northern industrial states around 1850. The language and
categories of pleading cases, the burdens of proof, and the standards for the
adjudication of cases, all were transformed. This was not merely a matter of
revision, it was a reconfiguration of the basic reasoning process that defined the
logic of the law. The result was the displacement of the inherited English common-
law system, which until that time had undergone only minor modifications. In its
place, a unified system of specifically American common law emerged, constructed
around a model of American public citizenship that replaced private rights with
public duties as its lodestone.
Valuing Natural Resource and Environmental Amenities: Can Economic Valuation Be Made Defensible?
Authors: Bockstael Nancy E.
Published: May 2019

The topic of this address may seem somewhat remote from the traditional interests of agricultural economists. Yet it has been of central concern to those of us involved in natural resource and environmental issues. Given the direction in which agricultural economics is currently moving, it may soon prove to be as perplexing a problem in that arena as well.
A General, Dynamic, Supply-Response Model
Authors: Chambers Robert G. , Lopez Ramon E.
Published: May 2019

This paper is divided into two parts which are somewhat independent. The first part of this paper discusses certain properties of a general autonomous control model that appears promising for the analysis of general dynamic supply response models in agricultural economics, resource economics, and related fields. The second part of the paper, which can be read somewhat independently of the first, emphasizes the potential empirical applications of special cases of the general model discussed in the first part. In what follows, we always deal with continuous time and infinite horizon models because of their analytical tractability. Extension and modification of our results for discrete-time, finite-horizon problems should be fairly obvious and are left to the interested reader.
Variable Interest Rates and the Financial Performance of Dairy Farm Businesses
Authors: LaDue Eddy L. , Zook Gordon A.
Published: May 2019

The increased variability of interest rates experienced during the early 1980s led many commercial banks to shift the interest rate they charge on farm loans from a fixed to a variable rate (Zook and LaDue). Although the Farm Credit System had used variable rates for a number of years, the index for their rate was the average cost of funds, which is less volatile than some of the rate indices used by commercial banks. Further, in contrast to the situation when the Farm Credit Service switched to variable rates, the shift of commercial banks to variable rates left most farmers with no fixed rate general credit source, no matter how important a fixed debt service commitment might be to their business.
Apple Price and Production Forecasts for Maine and the United States
Authors: Hayward Russell A. , Criner George K. , Skinner Steven P.
Published: May 2019

An econometric model of U.S. and Maine apple production and prices was estimated with ordinary least squares multiple regression. A Gauss-Seidel solution technique was used to examine the equation system goodness of fit and to forecast endogenous variable values. Results indicate that supply expansion in the U.S. and Maine will continue, but Maine's slower rate of increase will erode its market share. Apple prices for the U.S. and Maine are predicted to decline in real terms by the year 2000 if inflation rates exceed 3 percent annually during the period 1982 to 2000.
On c-cyclical monotonicity for optimal transport problem with Coulomb cost
Authors: DE PASCALE LUIGI
Published: May 2019

It is proved that c-cyclical monotonicity is a sufficient condition for optimality in the multi-marginal optimal transport problem with Coulomb repulsive cost. The notion of c-splitting set and some mild regularity property are the tools. The result may be extended to Coulomb like costs.
The Makaton Vocabulary: From Britain to the Antipodes
Authors: Walker Margaret
Published: May 2019

The Makaton Vocabulary was devised by the author over ten years ago. It began as a small piece of work in response to a clinical need and is now extensively used all over the U.K. with children and adults who have communication and language difficulties.

Surveys carried out over the past five years (Reid, Jones & Kiernan) into the use of signing and symbols in schools for children who are mentally handicapped throughout the U.K. have shown the following growth of the scheme.
The Current Status of Classification, Assessment, Programming, and Service Delivery Issues Relating to Children with Externalizing Behavior Disorders in the School Setting
Authors: Walker Hill M.
Published: May 2019

Children who are classified as either emotionally disturbed or behavior disordered appear to stress school systems perhaps more intensely than any other handicapping condition. The behavioral characteristics of this population of students are extremely aversive to peers and adult social agents (teachers, parents) who must interact with them on a daily basis. Frequently, these children disrupt the instructional process for themselves and others, defy the teacher, and engage in forms of social behavior that are considered either inappropriate to the school setting (tantrumming, disturbing others, fighting) or are severe violations of social norms (stealing, self abuse).
Instructional Assistance in First Grade Remedial Group Instruction
Authors: Fields Barry A.
Published: May 2019

Several recent reviews of research on teaching and in particular research on teacher effectiveness have identified three variables: pupil engaged time, direct instruction and efficient classroom management as the most significant instructional factors related to pupil achievement (Barnes, 1981; Brophy, 1979, 1980; Good, 1979, 1982; and Rosenshine, 1976, 1979). While these findings, within the context of basic skill instruction, are unequivocal and now largely accepted within the educational community, their overemphasis to the virtual exclusion of other important classroom variables has led a number of researchers and teacher educators to express some concern (Griffin, Webb and Confrey, 1981; Roehler and Duffy, 1981).
Using Volunteer Mothers to Tutor Poor Readers Within a School Context
Authors: Cooper Bryce E.
Published: May 2019

Ten Year 3 children from a Sydney primary school, identified by testing as the poorest readers out of the five classes in the grade, received remedial tutoring using a set of highly structured remedial materials. The tutoring involved twenty one volunteer mothers, and each mother worked with a child for two sessions a week to allow the child to receive four sessions of tutoring each week. The tutoring sessions involved (1) drill of single sounds and digraphs (2) tutoring and practice of word attack skills, and (3) reading practice using an appropriate reader, with verbal comprehension questions relevant to the reader. The volunteers kept records of each child’s performance during each session. After an average of one term of tutoring, the children demonstrated considerable improvement on test gains in comparison with gains made by a control group from the same classes.
Bidirectional Glenn for residual outflow obstruction in Tetralogy of Fallot
Authors: Saleem Kamal , Ahmed Iftikhar , Sultan Mehboob , Haq Intisar ul , Younus Umair , Novick William M
Published: May 2019

Background:

Residual right ventricular outflow obstruction during Tetralogy of Fallot repair necessitates peri-operative revision often requiring trans-annular patch with its negative sequels. Bidirectional Glenn shunt in this setting reduces trans-pulmonary gradient to avoid revision.

Methods:

Bidirectional Glenn shunt was added during Tetralogy repair in patients with significant residual obstruction. A total of 53 patients between January, 2011 and June, 2018 were included. Final follow-up was conducted in July, 2018.

Results:

Mean age at operation was 5.63±3.1 years. Right to left ventricular pressure ratio reduced significantly (0.91±0.09 versus 0.68±0.05; p<0.001) after bidirectional Glenn, avoiding revision in all cases. Glenn pressures at ICU admission decreased significantly by the time of ICU discharge (16.7±3.02 versus 13.5±2.19; p<0.001). Pleural drainage ≥ 7 days was seen in 14 (26.4%) patients. No side effects related to bidirectional Glenn-like facial swelling or veno-venous collaterals were noted. Mortality was 3.7%. Discharge echocardiography showed a mean trans-pulmonary gradient of 32.11±5.62 mmHg that decreased significantly to 25.64±5 (p<0.001) at the time of follow-up. Pulmonary insufficiency was none to mild in 45 (88.2%) and moderate in 6 (11.8%). Mean follow-up was 36.12±25.15 months (range 0.5–90). There was no interim intervention or death. At follow-up, all the patients were in NYHA functional class 1 with no increase in severity of pulmonary insufficiency.

Conclusion:

Supplementary bidirectional Glenn shunt significantly reduced residual right ventricular outflow obstruction during Tetralogy of Fallot repair avoiding revision with satisfactory early and mid-term results.
Low loss, fully-printed, ferroelectric varactors for high-power impedance matching at low ISM band frequency
Authors: Kienemund Daniel , Bohn Nicole , Fink Thomas , Abrecht Mike , Bigler Walter , Binder Joachim R. , Jakoby Rolf , Maune Holger
Published: May 2019

Low loss, ferroelectric, fully-printed varactors for high-power matching applications are presented. Piezoelectric-induced acoustic resonances reduce the power handling capabilities of these varactors by lowering the Q-factor at the operational frequency of 13.56 MHz. Here, a quality factor of maximum 142 is achieved with an interference-based acoustic suppression approach utilizing double metal–insulator–metal structures. The varactors show a tunability of maximum 34% at 300 W of input power. At a power level of 1 kW, the acoustic suppression technique greatly reduces the dissipated power by 62% from 37 W of a previous design to 14.2 W. At this power level, the varactors remain tunable with maximum 18.2% and 200 V of biasing voltage.
Long‐Term Impacts of the 1997–1998 Bleaching Event on the Growth and Resilience of Massive Porites Corals From the Central Red Sea
Authors: D'Olivo Juan P. , Georgiou Lucy , Falter Jim , DeCarlo Thomas M. , Irigoien Xabier , Voolstra Christian R. , Roder Cornelia , Trotter Julie , McCulloch Malcolm T.
Published: May 2019

This study investigates the impact of extreme heat wave events on long‐lived massive corals (Porites spp.) from the central Saudi Arabian Red Sea using trace element (Sr/Ca, Li/Mg, Mg/Ca, U/Ca, B/Ca, and Li/Ca) records preserved in the coral skeleton for the period between 1992 and 2012. Prior to 1998, the trace element records show strong correlations with sea surface temperature. However, during the prolonged high temperature phase associated with the 1998 El Niño event, the seasonal trace element signals were disrupted, which also coincided with a reduction in extension rates. This disruption in normally highly correlated seasonal trace element ratios‐sea surface temperature relationships was unusually long, lasting for approximately 2 years in the inner‐shelf reef site and nearly 4 years in the outer‐shelf reef site. Although the seasonal signal of trace element ratios in both cores eventually stabilized, for the inner‐shelf core the amplitude and absolute values in most trace element ratios remained significantly different compared to pre‐1998 levels. This suggests that prolonged thermal stress can induce subtle but potentially long‐lasting physiological changes that affect the elemental composition of the coral's calcifying fluid. The lack of indication of stress in the core records during later bleaching events (2003, 2005, and 2010) suggests that some of these physiological changes could have induced increased thermal tolerance, particularly for inner‐shelf corals, lending support to the capacity for corals to acclimatize.
Phased Response of the Subpolar Southern Ocean to Changes in Circumpolar Winds
Authors: Naveira Garabato A. C. , Dotto T. S. , Hooley J. , Bacon S. , Tsamados M. , Ridout A. , Frajka‐Williams E. E. , Herraiz‐Borreguero L. , Holland P. R. , Heorton H. D. B. S. , Meredith M. P.
Published: May 2019

The response of the subpolar Southern Ocean (sSO) to wind forcing is assessed using satellite radar altimetry. sSO sea level exhibits a phased, zonally coherent, bimodal adjustment to circumpolar wind changes, involving comparable seasonal and interannual variations. The adjustment is effected via a quasi‐instantaneous exchange of mass between the Antarctic continental shelf and the sSO to the north, and a 2‐month‐delayed transfer of mass between the wider Southern Ocean and the subtropics. Both adjustment modes are consistent with an Ekman‐mediated response to variations in surface stress. Only the fast mode projects significantly onto the surface geostrophic flow of the sSO; thus, the regional circulation varies in phase with the leading edge of sSO sea level variability. The surface forcing of changes in the sSO system is partly associated with variations of surface winds linked to the Southern Annular Mode and is modulated by sea ice cover near Antarctica.
Steady State Characteristics of the Terrestrial Geopauses
Authors: Trung Huy‐Sinh , Liemohn Michael W. , Ilie Raluca
Published: May 2019

The boundary separating solar wind plasma from ionospheric plasma is typically thought to be the magnetopause. A generalization of the magnetopause concept called the geopause was developed by Moore and Delcourt (1995,https://doi.org/10.1029/95RG00872). The geopause is a surface defined where solar wind quantities equal the ionospheric quantities. Geopause studies have helped characterize magnetospheric systems. However, comparative studies between the geopauses to the magnetopause have not been conducted. In this paper, we analyze the influence of inner boundary composition and interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation on the steady state terrestrial geopauses and the magnetopause. This study simulates the Earth's magnetosphere by using the multifluid capabilities of the Block Adaptive Tree Solar wind Roe‐type Upwind Scheme magnetohydrodynamics model within the Space Weather Modeling Framework. The simulations show that the dayside magnetopause was not influenced by the presence of oxygen in the outflow for both IMF orientations and was larger than the other geopauses. In contrast, the nightside magnetopause was sensitive to the conditions in the outflow. The nightside magnetopause was smaller than the other geopauses with southward IMF. With northward IMF, the nightside magnetopause was the largest structure in comparison with the plasma‐based geopauses. Our results indicate that no single boundary surface dictates the transition from a solar wind dominated plasma to ionosphere dominated plasma.
Multiple Scattering Effects in the Interplanetary Medium: Evaluation Using SOHO SWAN and MAVEN EUVM Lyman α Measurements
Authors: Quémerais Eric , Thiemann Edward , Snow Martin , Ferron Stéphane , Schmidt Walter
Published: May 2019

Interplanetary background measurements can be used to derive the solar flux that is illuminating the atoms in the interplanetary medium. We present a new algorithm combining measurements from the Solar Wind ANisotropies (SWAN)‐Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) Lyman α photometer with Earth‐based solar flux measurements to derive the solar illuminating flux at Lyman α in any direction along the ecliptic plane. The modulations of the solar flux and the interplanetary background intensity are proportional. The proportionality coefficient is a direct measurement of the fraction of the interplanetary brightness that is due to single scattering in the interplanetary medium. We find that for an observer at 1 AU from the Sun, single scattering photons represent roughly 70% of the total brightness. This new algorithm is tested by a comparison with actual measurements from the Extreme Ultraviolet Monitor (EUVM)‐Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) solar monitor in orbit around Mars since 2014.
Observations of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current Over the Udintsev Fracture Zone, the Narrowest Choke Point in the Southern Ocean
Authors: Park Y.‐H. , Park T. , Kim T.‐W. , Lee S.‐H. , Hong C.‐S. , Lee J.‐H. , Rio M.‐H. , Pujol M.‐I. , Ballarotta M. , Durand I. , Provost C.
Published: May 2019

An up‐to‐date map of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) fronts is constructed from the latest version of mean dynamic topography (MDT) from satellite altimetry and reveals the narrowest ACC width in the Udintsev Fracture Zone (UFZ), with the strongest concentration of the three major ACC fronts within a limited distance as short as 170 km, about 40% narrower than that at Drake Passage. At 144°W, at the entrance of the UFZ, which lies between the Pacific‐Antarctic Ridge (PAR) and its eastwardly offset segment (offset PAR segment), there is a triple confluence of the Subantarctic Front, Polar Front, and Southern ACC Front . Downstream of this longitude, the Subantarctic Front progressively meanders northward over the relatively shallow offset PAR segment before channeling through the Eltanin Fracture Zone, thus diverging from the Polar Front which proceeds through the UFZ. In situ observations from two recent cruises at 144°W confirm the satellite altimetry‐derived frontal circulation in the UFZ region and yield a baroclinic transport relative to the bottom of 113 × 106 m3/s, comparable to that through Drake Passage. The hydrographic sections show no Antarctic bottom water colder than 0.2 °C. Characteristics of major water masses are described, and the implications for their potential downstream modifications at Drake Passage are discussed in terms of the meridional overturning circulation across the ACC. Mesoscale eddy activity with periods shorter than 90 days is predominantly concentrated in the immediate downstream area of the offset PAR segment, suggesting a substantial poleward eddy heat flux there.
Genetic variant in SLC1A2 is associated with elevated anterior cingulate cortex glutamate and lifetime history of rapid cycling
Authors: Veldic Marin , Millischer Vincent , Port John D. , Ho Ada Man-Choi , Jia Yun-Fang , Geske Jennifer R. , Biernacka Joanna M. , Backlund Lena , McElroy Susan L. , Bond David J. , Villaescusa J. Carlos , Skime Michelle , Choi Doo-Sup , Lavebratt Catharina , Schalling Martin , Frye Mark A.
Published: May 2019

Glutamatergic dysregulation is implicated in the neurobiology of mood disorders. This study investigated the relationship between the anterior cingulate cortex (AC) glutamate, as measured by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from four genes (GLUL,SLC1A3,SLC1A2, andSLC1A7) that regulate the extracellular glutamate in 26 depressed patients with major depressive disorder (MDD;n = 15) and bipolar disorder (BD;n = 11). Two SNPs (rs3812778 and rs3829280), in perfect linkage disequilibrium, in the 3′ untranslated region of the EAAT2 geneSLC1A2, were associated with AC glutamate, with minor allele carriers having significantly higher glutamate levels (p < 0.001) in comparison with common allele homozygotes. In silico analysis revealed an association of minor allele carriers of rs3812778/rs382920 with an upregulation of the astrocytic markerCD44localized downstream ofSLC1A2on chromosome 11. Finally, we tested the disease relevance of these SNPs in a large group of depressed patients [MDD (n = 458); BD (n = 1473)] and found that minor allele carriers had a significantly higher risk for rapid cycling (p = 0.006). Further work is encouraged to delineate the functional impact of excitatory amino acid transporter genetic variation on CD44 associated physiology and glutamatergic neurotransmission, specifically glutamate–glutamine cycling, and its contribution to subphenotypes of mood disorders.
Acoustomicrofluidic assembly of oriented and simultaneously activated metal–organic frameworks
Authors: Ahmed Heba , Rezk Amgad R. , Richardson Joseph J. , Macreadie Lauren K. , Babarao Ravichandar , Mayes Edwin L. H. , Lee Lillian , Yeo Leslie Y.
Published: May 2019

The high surface area and porosity, and limitless compound and network combinations between the metal ions and organic ligands making up metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) offer tremendous opportunities for their use in many applications. While numerous methods have been proposed for the synthesis of MOF powders, it is often difficult to obtain oriented crystals with these techniques. Further, the need for additional post-synthesis steps to activate the crystals and release them from the substrate presents a considerable production challenge. Here, we report an acoustically-driven microcentrifugation platform that facilitates fast convective solutal transport, allowing the synthesis of MOF crystals in as short as five minutes. The crystals are not only oriented due to long-range out-of-plane superlattice ordering aided by molecular dipole polarization under the acoustoelectric coupling, but also simultaneously activated during the synthesis process.
Loss-cone instability modulation due to a magnetohydrodynamic sausage mode oscillation in the solar corona
Authors: Carley Eoin P. , Hayes Laura A. , Murray Sophie A. , Morosan Diana E. , Shelley Warren , Vilmer Nicole , Gallagher Peter T.
Published: May 2019

Solar flares often involve the acceleration of particles to relativistic energies and the generation of high-intensity bursts of radio emission. In some cases, the radio bursts can show periodic or quasiperiodic intensity pulsations. However, precisely how these pulsations are generated is still subject to debate. Prominent theories employ mechanisms such as periodic magnetic reconnection, magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) oscillations, or some combination of both. Here we report on high-cadence (0.25 s) radio imaging of a 228 MHz radio source pulsating with a period of 2.3 s during a solar flare on 2014-April-18. The pulsating source is due to an MHD sausage mode oscillation periodically triggering electron acceleration in the corona. The periodic electron acceleration results in the modulation of a loss-cone instability, ultimately resulting in pulsating plasma emission. The results show that a complex combination of MHD oscillations and plasma instability modulation can lead to pulsating radio emission in astrophysical environments.
The AvrPm3-Pm3 effector-NLR interactions control both race-specific resistance and host-specificity of cereal mildews on wheat
Authors: Bourras Salim , Kunz Lukas , Xue Minfeng , Praz Coraline Rosalie , Müller Marion Claudia , Kälin Carol , Schläfli Michael , Ackermann Patrick , Flückiger Simon , Parlange Francis , Menardo Fabrizio , Schaefer Luisa Katharina , Ben-David Roi , Roffler Stefan , Oberhaensli Simone , Widrig Victoria , Lindner Stefan , Isaksson Jonatan , Wicker Thomas , Yu Dazhao , Keller Beat
Published: May 2019

The wheat Pm3 resistance gene against the powdery mildew pathogen occurs as an allelic series encoding functionally different immune receptors which induce resistance upon recognition of isolate-specific avirulence (AVR) effectors from the pathogen. Here, we describe the identification of five effector proteins from the mildew pathogens of wheat, rye, and the wild grass Dactylis glomerata, specifically recognized by the PM3B, PM3C and PM3D receptors. Together with the earlier identified AVRPM3A2/F2, the recognized AVRs of PM3B/C, (AVRPM3B2/C2), and PM3D (AVRPM3D3) belong to a large group of proteins with low sequence homology but predicted structural similarities. AvrPm3b2/c2 and AvrPm3d3 are conserved in all tested isolates of wheat and rye mildew, and non-host infection assays demonstrate that Pm3b, Pm3c, and Pm3d are also restricting the growth of rye mildew on wheat. Furthermore, divergent AVR homologues from non-adapted rye and Dactylis mildews are recognized by PM3B, PM3C, or PM3D, demonstrating their involvement in host specificity.
Effects of Soils and Irrigation Volume on Maize Yield, Irrigation Water Productivity, and Nitrogen Uptake
Authors: Fang Jing , Su Yongzhong
Published: May 2019

In the newly cultivated oases of northwestern China, the soil properties of farmlands with different cultivation periods show a high degree of spatial heterogeneity on the field scale. However, the irrigation water allocation at the irrigation district scale was based mainly on cultivated area but soil conditions were not considered, which resulted in the shortage or super abound of the irrigation water in the farmlands with different soils. A deeper understanding of the effects of soils on crop IWP and irrigation water requirement is an essential prerequisite to accurately assessing regional irrigation water needs and water-saving potential. Therefore, measurements were taken of the yield, irrigation water productivity (IWP), and nitrogen (N) uptake of maize grown in sandy soils (S1, S2), loamy sand soil (S3), and sandy loam soils (S4, S5) and subjected to three irrigation treatments (full, medium, and low irrigation) in an arid oasis farming system in northwestern China. The results show that the highest yield was obtained under full irrigation in sandy loam. Medium and low irrigation reduced the maize yield by 12.5–21.8% and 13.5–20.6%, respectively, relative to full irrigation, with the greatest decrease in sandy loam. Maize IWP ranged from 1.06–1.20 kg m−3 for sand to 2.27–2.58 kg m−3 for sandy loam and was influenced by soil properties but not irrigation treatments. Soil properties also influenced crop N uptake, with sandy loam having a significantly higher such uptake than loamy sand or sand. Under a conventional flooding irrigation pattern, reduced irrigation does not appear to increase IWP in well-drained sandy soils. Crop irrigation water requirement and IWP were mainly influenced by soil texture and fertility. Soil management to improving water productivity should be addressed. In agricultural water management, reasonable irrigation water allocation based on soil conditions should be considered.
Thymol Affects Congruency Between Olfactory and Gustatory Stimuli in Bees
Authors: Chapuy Clara , Ribbens Lisa , Renou Michel , Dacher Matthieu , Armengaud Catherine
Published: May 2019

Honey bees learn to associate sugars with odorants in controlled laboratory conditions and during foraging. The memory of these associations can be impaired after exposure to contaminants such as pesticides. The sub-lethal effects of acaricides such as 5-methyl-2-(propan-2-yl)-phenol (thymol) introduced into colonies to control varroa mites are of particular concern to beekeeping, due to detrimental effects of some acaricides on bees. Here we assess whether various odorant/sugar pairs are identically memorized in a differential appetitive olfactory conditioning experiment and whether this learning is affected by thymol exposure. Responses to odorants in retrieval tests varied according to the sugar they were paired with, a property called congruency. Interestingly, congruency was altered by pre-exposure to some thymol concentrations during retrieval tests, although electroantennography recordings showed it left odorant detection intact. This highlights the importance of taking into account subtle effects such as odor/sugar congruency in the study of the effect of pesticides on non-target insects, in addition to the simpler question of memory impairment.
High sensitivity NH3 gas sensor with electrical readout made on paper with perovskite halide as sensor material
Authors: Maity Avisek , Raychaudhuri A. K. , Ghosh Barnali
Published: May 2019

In this paper we report a cheap, paper electronics based solid state gas sensor to detect NH3 gas selectively with a detection capability of better than 1 ppm. The sensor uses perovskite halide CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPI) as the active sensor material grown on a paper. This paper based sensor works at room temperature. The current through the paper sensor increases by one order on exposure to only 10 ppm NH3 gas. The calibrated sensitivity is ~55% for 1 ppm of NH3 gas in Nitrogen or Air. The current noise limited resolution estimated to be ~10 ppb. This work establishes perovskite halide as a new solid state gas sensing material that can reach sub ppm sensitivity using simple paper electronics. Use of paper and also solution method used to grow the active material makes the sensor cost effective and easy to manufacture. This type of disposable high sensitive paper sensor can be used for detection of NH3 as a marker in exhaled breathes for non-invasive diagnosis. The sensor formed on the paper, since it supports unheated operation, needs less than few nanowatt power for its operation.
Clinical application of noninvasive prenatal screening for sex chromosome aneuploidies in 50,301 pregnancies: initial experience in a Chinese hospital
Authors: Deng Cechuan , Zhu Qian , Liu Sha , Liu Jianlong , Bai Ting , Jing Xiaosha , Xia Tianyu , Liu Yunyun , Cheng Jing , Li Zhunduo , Wei Xiang , Xing Lingling , Luo Yuan , Liu Hongqian
Published: May 2019

To evaluate the clinical performance of noninvasive prenatal screening (NIPS) for fetal sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs), pregnant women were recruited in this retrospective observational study. The NIPS test was undertaken using high-throughput gene sequencing. In total,50,301 pregnant women were analysed for demographic characteristics and medical history. Of them, 308 women (0.61%) had high risk for fetal SCAs, including 138 for 45,X, 111 for 47,XXY, 42 for 47,XXX, and 17 for 47,XYY. After the pre-test counselling, 182 participants chose to undergo invasive prenatal diagnosis, confirming 59 positive cases. The combined positive predictive value of NIPS was 32.42% (59/182), 18.39% (16/87), 44.4% (12/27), 39.29% (22/56), and 75% (9/12) for detecting SCAs, 45,X, 47,XXX, 47,XXY, and 47,XYY, respectively. NIPS can be a useful method to detect the fetal SCAs using high-throughput gene sequencing, though accuracy can still be improved, especially for 45,X. Although the value of NIPS compare favorably with those seen in traditional screening approaches for SCAs, it is important to highlight the limitations of NIPS while educating clinicians and patients.
Synthetic, non-intoxicating 8,9-dihydrocannabidiol for the mitigation of seizures
Authors: Mascal Mark , Hafezi Nema , Wang Deping , Hu Yuhan , Serra Gessica , Dallas Mark L. , Spencer Jeremy P. E.
Published: May 2019

There can be a fine line between therapeutic intervention and substance abuse, and this point is clearly exemplified in herbal cannabis and its products. Therapies involving cannabis have been the treatment of last resort for some cases of refractory epilepsy, and this has been among the strongest medical justifications for legalization of marijuana. In order to circumvent the narcotic effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), many studies have concentrated on its less intoxicating isomer cannabidiol (CBD). However, CBD, like all natural cannabinoids, is a controlled substance in most countries, and its conversion into THC can be easily performed using common chemicals. We describe here the anticonvulsant properties of 8,9-dihydrocannibidiol (H2CBD), a fully synthetic analogue of CBD that is prepared from inexpensive, non-cannabis derived precursors. H2CBD was found to have effectiveness comparable to CBD both for decreasing the number and reducing the severity of pentylenetetrazole-induced seizures in rats. Finally, H2CBD cannot be converted by any reasonable synthetic route into THC, and thus has the potential to act as a safe, noncontroversial drug for seizure mitigation.
Physico-chemical properties and catalytic activity of the sol-gel prepared Ce-ion doped LaMnO3 perovskites
Authors: Ansari Anees A. , Ahmad Naushad , Alam Manawwer , Adil Syed F. , Ramay Shahid M. , Albadri Abdulrahman , Ahmad Ashfaq , Al-Enizi Abdullah M. , Alrayes Basel F. , Assal Mohamed E. , Alwarthan Abdulrahman A.
Published: May 2019

Ce-doped LaMnO3 perovskite ceramics (La1−xCexMnO3) were synthesized by sol-gel based co-precipitation method and tested for the oxidation of benzyl alcohol using molecular oxygen. Benzyl alcohol conversion of ca. 25–42% was achieved with benzaldehyde as the main product. X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), BET surface area, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR), temperature-programmed oxidation (O2-TPO), FT-IR and UV-vis spectroscopic techniques were used to examine the physiochemical properties. XRD analysis demonstrates the single phase crystalline high purity of the perovskite. The Ce-doped LaMnO3 perovskite demonstrated reducibility at low-temperature and higher mobility of surface O2-ion than their respective un-doped perovskite. The substitution of Ce3+ ion into the perovskite matrix improve the surface redox properties, which strongly influenced the catalytic activity of the material. The LaMnO3 perovskite exhibited considerable activity to benzyl alcohol oxidation but suffered a slow deactivation with time-on-stream. Nevertheless, the insertion of the A site metal cation with a trivalent Ce3+ metal cation led to an enhanced in catalytic performance because of atomic-scale interactions between the A and B active site. La0.95Ce0.05MnO3 catalyst demonstrated the excellent catalytic activity with a selectivity of 99% at 120 °C.
Metastatic Tumor Burden and Loci as Predictors of First Line Sunitinib Treatment Efficacy in Patients with Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Czarnecka Anna M. , Brodziak Anna , Sobczuk Pawel , Dendek Cezary , Labochka Dominika , Korniluk Jan , Bartnik Ewa , Szczylik Cezary
Published: May 2019

The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic impact of baseline tumor burden and loci on the efficacy of first line renal cancer treatment with sunitinib. Baseline and on-treatment CT scans were evaluated. Both the Kaplan-Meier and Weibull modelling survival estimators have been used to describe sunitinib treatment response. Logistic regression was used to confirm associations between tumor site, burden and survival. Additionally, analysis of the metastases co-occurrence was conducted using the Bayesian inference on treated and external validation cohorts. 100 patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma were treated with sunitinib in this study. Presence of metastases in the abdominal region (HR = 3.93), and the number of brain metastases correlate with shorter PFS, while the presence of thoracic metastases (HR = 0.47) with longer PFS. Localization of metastases in the abdominal region significantly impacts risk of metastases development in other locations including bone and brain metastases. Biology of metastases, in particular their localization, requires further molecular and clinical investigation.
Genetic structure and forensic characteristics of Tibeto-Burman-speaking Ü-Tsang and Kham Tibetan Highlanders revealed by 27 Y-chromosomal STRs
Authors: He Guanglin , Wang Zheng , Su Yongdong , Zou Xing , Wang Mengge , Chen Xu , Gao Bo , Liu Jing , Wang Shouyu , Hou Yiping
Published: May 2019

Culturally diverse Tibetans (Ü-Tsang, Kham and Ando) harboring a unique molecular mechanism that allows them to successfully adapt to hypoxic environments in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have been a subject of great interest in medical genetics, linguistics, archeology and forensic science. However, forensic characteristics and genetic variations of the Y-chromosomal 27-marker haplotype included in the Yfiler Plus system in the Ü-Tsang and Kham Tibeto-Burman-speaking Tibetans remain unexplored. Thus, we genotyped 27 Y-STRs in 230 Shigatse Ü-Tsang Tibetans (SUT) and 172 Chamdo Kham Tibetans (CKT) to investigate the forensic characterization and genetic affinity of Chinese Tibetan Highlanders. The haplotype diversities were 0.999962028 in SUT and 0.999796002 in CKT. Forensic diversity measures indicated that this 27-Y-STR amplification system is appropriate for routine forensic applications, such as identifying and separating unrelated males in deficiency paternity cases, male disaster victims and missing person identification and determining male components in sexual assault cases. Moreover, the genetic relationships among 63 worldwide populations (16,282 individuals), 16 Asian populations, and 21 Chinese populations were analyzed and reconstructed using principal component analysis, multidimensional scaling plots and a phylogenetic tree. Considerable genetic differences were observed between Tibetan populations and other geographically/ethnically diverse populations (Han Chinese). Our studied SUT and CKT have a genetically closer relationship with Gansu Ando Tibetans than with other Asians. In total, our analyses indicated that subpopulation structures exist among Asian and Chinese populations, and population-specific reference databases should be established for forensic applications.
Differential effects of alkyl gallates on quorum sensing in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Kim Bomin , ParK Ji-Su , Choi Ha-Young , Kwak Jin-Hwan , Kim Won-Gon
Published: May 2019

Virulence factors and biofilms constitute attractive targets for the prevention of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria. Among alkyl gallates, propyl gallate (PG) and octyl gallate (OG) are used as food preservatives. Here we found that alkyl gallates differentially affect virulence, biofilm formation, and quorum sensing (QS) in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Ethyl gallate (EG), PG, and butyl gallate (BG) inhibited biofilm formation and virulence factors including elastase, pyocyanin, and rhamnolipid, in P. aeruginosa without affecting cell viability by antagonizing the QS receptors LasR and RhlR. PG exhibited the most potent activity. Interestingly, hexyl gallate (HG) inhibited the production of rhamnolipid and pyocyanin but did not affect elastase production or biofilm formation. Notably, OG inhibited the production of rhamnolipid and pyocyanin but stimulated elastase production and biofilm formation. Analysis of QS signaling molecule production and QS gene expression suggested that HG inhibited RhlR, while OG activated LasR but inhibited PqsR. This mechanism was confirmed using QS mutants. Additionally, PG prevented the virulence of P. aeruginosa in Caenorhabditis elegans and a mouse model. This is the first report of the differential effects of alkyl gallates on QS systems and PG has great potential as an inhibitor of the virulence and biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa.
Inter-amphibian predation in the Early Cretaceous of China
Authors: Xing Lida , Niu Kecheng , Evans Susan E.
Published: May 2019

For most fossil taxa, dietary inference relies primarily on indirect evidence from jaw morphology and the dentition. In rare cases, however, preserved gut contents provide direct evidence of feeding strategy and species interaction. This is important in the reconstruction of food webs and energy flow through ancient ecosystems. The Early Cretaceous Chinese Jehol Biota has yielded several such examples, with lizards, birds, small dinosaurs, and mammals as both predator and prey. Here we describe an Early Cretaceous fossil frog specimen, genusGenibatrachus, that contains an adult salamander within its body cavity. The salamander is attributed to the hynobiid-like genusNuominerpeton. The salamander skeleton is complete and articulated, suggesting it was caught and swallowed shortly before the frog itself died and was buried.
Seed targeted RNAi-mediated silencing of GmMIPS1 limits phytate accumulation and improves mineral bioavailability in soybean
Authors: Kumar Awadhesh , Kumar Varun , Krishnan Veda , Hada Alkesh , Marathe Ashish , C. Parameswaran , Jolly Monica , Sachdev Archana
Published: May 2019

Phytic acid (PA), the major phosphorus reserve in soybean seeds (60–80%), is a potent ion chelator, causing deficiencies that leads to malnutrition. Several forward and reverse genetics approaches have ever since been explored to reduce its phytate levels to improve the micronutrient and phosphorous availability. Transgenic technology has met with success by suppressing the expression of the PA biosynthesis-related genes in several crops for manipulating their phytate content. In our study, we targeted the disruption of the expression of myo-inositol-3-phosphate synthase (MIPS1), the first and the rate limiting enzyme in PA biosynthesis in soybean seeds, by both antisense (AS) and RNAi approaches, using a seed specific promoter, vicilin. PCR and Southern analysis revealed stable integration of transgene in the advanced progenies. The transgenic seeds (T4) of AS (MS14-28-12-29-3-5) and RNAi (MI51-32-22-1-13-6) soybean lines showed 38.75% and 41.34% reduction in phytate levels respectively, compared to non-transgenic (NT) controls without compromised growth and seed development. The electron microscopic examination also revealed reduced globoid crystals in the Protein storage vacoules (PSVs) of mature T4 seeds compared to NT seed controls. A significant increase in the contents of Fe2+ (15.4%, 21.7%), Zn2+ (7.45%, 11.15%) and Ca2+ (10.4%, 15.35%) were observed in MS14-28-12-29-3-5 and MI51-32-22-1-13-6 transgenic lines, respectively, compared to NT implicating improved mineral bioavailability. This study signifies proof-of-concept demonstration of seed-specific PA reduction and paves the path towards low phytate soybean through pathway engineering using the new and precise editing tools.