bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SystemicScedosporium prolificansinfection in an 11‐month‐old Border collie with cobalamin deficiency secondary to selective cobalamin malabsorption (canine Imerslund‐Gräsbeck syndrome)
Authors: Erles K. , Mugford A. , Barfield D. , Leeb T. , Kook P. H.
Published: April 2017

An 11‐month‐old Border collie presented collapsed and continued to deteriorate rapidly despite supportive treatment. The dog had a history of failure to thrive and recurring respiratory infection. Laboratory abnormalities included neutrophilic leucocytosis, Heinz body anaemia, hyperammonaemia, hyperbilirubinaemia, proteinuria and hypocobalaminaemia. Post‐mortem examination revealed multi‐focal necrosis within the heart, kidneys, pancreas, liver, meninges and cerebral cortex. Fungal hyphae in lesions were identified asScedosporium prolificansfollowing culture. Subsequent genotyping confirmed that the dog carried theCUBN:c.8392delCmutation in a homozygous state, verifying hereditary cobalamin deficiency (a.k.a. Imerslund‐Gräsbeck syndrome). Cobalamin deficiency may have been a predisposing factor for the development of systemic fungal infection in this dog.
Characterization of the Fecal Bacterial Microbiota of Healthy and Diarrheic Dairy Calves
Authors: Gomez D.E. , Arroyo L.G. , Costa M.C. , Viel L. , Weese J.S.
Published: April 2017

Background

Neonatal diarrhea accounts for more than 50% of total deaths in dairy calves. Few population‐based studies of cattle have investigated how the microbiota is impacted during diarrhea.

Objectives

To characterize the fecal microbiota and predict the functional potential of the microbial communities in healthy and diarrheic calves.

Methods

Fifteen diarrheic calves between the ages of 1 and 30 days and 15 age‐matched healthy control calves were enrolled from 2 dairy farms. The Illumina MiSeq sequencer was used for high‐throughput sequencing of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene (Illumina, San Diego, CA).

Results

Significant differences in community membership and structure were identified among healthy calves from different farms. Differences in community membership and structure also were identified between healthy and diarrheic calves within each farm. Based on linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe), the genera Bifidobacterium, Megamonas, and a genus of the family Bifidobacteriaceae were associated with health at farm 1, whereas Lachnospiraceae incertae sedis, Dietzia and an unclassified genus of the family Veillonellaceae were significantly associated with health at farm 2. The Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) analysis indicated that diarrheic calves had decreased abundances of genes responsible for metabolism of various vitamins, amino acids, and carbohydrate.

Clinical Relevance

The fecal microbiota of healthy dairy calves appeared to be farm specific as were the changes observed during diarrhea. The differences in microbiota structure and membership between healthy and diarrheic calves suggest that dysbiosis can occur in diarrheic calves and it is associated with changes in predictive metagenomic function.
Suspected aspirin resistance in individual healthy adult warmblood horses
Authors: Roscher K. A. , Failing K. , Schenk I. , Moritz A.
Published: April 2017

The reasons for this prospective experimental study were to determine a dosing scheme with loading and maintenance dose of aspirin inducing inhibition of platelet function measured by whole blood impedance aggregometry. Ten horses received aspirin orally in the morning with one loading dose of 4.7–5 mg/kg and maintenance doses of 1–1.3 mg/kg daily the following 4 days. Aggregometries (COLtest,ASPItest,ADPtest) and serum salicylic acid were measured.ASPItest showed significant difference in inhibition at 24 and 48 hr (p < .05) and 96 hr (p < .01). Significant change forADPtest andCOLtest couldn't be detected. Serum salicylic acid concentrations were significantly (p < .01) increased at 6 and 12 hr. Despite this, three horses failed any inhibitory effect of platelet function, suspecting an aspirin resistance. Regarding the other seven horses platelet aggregation induced byASPItest was reduced between 37% and 100% from baseline at 6 and 12 hr and between 0 and 98% during the next 4 days. Correlations of serum concentration of salicylic acid and aggregometries couldn't be detected. It can be presumed that equine platelets are less susceptible to aspirin what may compromise eventually the anticoagulatory effects and efficacy in preventing and treating diseases with increased platelet activation as endotoxaemia or laminitis.
Copy number increases of transposable elements and protein‐coding genes in an invasive fish of hybrid origin
Authors: Dennenmoser Stefan , Sedlazeck Fritz J. , Iwaszkiewicz Elzbieta , Li Xiang‐Yi , Altmüller Janine , Nolte Arne W.
Published: April 2017

Evolutionary dynamics of structural genetic variation in lineages of hybrid origin is not well explored, although structural mutations may increase in controlled hybrid crosses. We therefore tested whether structural variants accumulate in a fish of recent hybrid origin, invasive Cottus, relative to both parental species Cottus rhenanus and Cottus perifretum. Copy‐number variation in exons of 10,979 genes was assessed using comparative genome hybridization arrays. Twelve genes showed significantly higher copy numbers in invasive Cottus compared to both parents. This coincided with increased expression for three genes related to vision, detoxification and muscle development, suggesting possible gene dosage effects. Copy number increases of putative transposons were assessed by comparative mapping of genomic DNA reads against a de novo assembly of 1,005 repetitive elements. In contrast to exons, copy number increases of repetitive elements were common (20.7%) in invasive Cottus, whereas decrease was very rare (0.01%). Among the increased repetitive elements, 53.8% occurred at higher numbers in C. perifretum compared to C. rhenanus, while only 1.4% were more abundant in C. rhenanus. This implies a biased mutational process that amplifies genetic material from one ancestor. To assess the frequency of de novo mutations through hybridization, we screened 64 laboratory‐bred F2 offspring between the parental species for copy‐number changes at five candidate loci. We found no evidence for new structural variants, indicating that they are too rare to be detected given our sampling scheme. Instead, they must have accumulated over more generations than we observed in a controlled cross.
Sweet vernal grasses (Anthoxanthum) colonized African mountains along two fronts in the Late Pliocene, followed by secondary contact, polyploidization and local extinction in the Pleistocene
Authors: Tusiime Felly Mugizi , Gizaw Abel , Wondimu Tigist , Masao Catherine Aloyce , Abdi Ahmed Abdikadir , Muwanika Vincent , Trávníček Pavel , Nemomissa Sileshi , Popp Magnus , Eilu Gerald , Brochmann Christian , Pimentel Manuel
Published: April 2017

High tropical mountains harbour remarkable and fragmented biodiversity thought to a large degree to have been shaped by multiple dispersals of cold‐adapted lineages from remote areas. Few dated phylogenetic/phylogeographic analyses are however available. Here, we address the hypotheses that the sub‐Saharan African sweet vernal grasses have a dual colonization history and that lineages of independent origins have established secondary contact. We carried out rangewide sampling across the eastern African high mountains, inferred dated phylogenies from nuclear ribosomal and plastid DNA using Bayesian methods, and performed flow cytometry and AFLP (amplified fragment length polymorphism) analyses. We inferred a single Late Pliocene western Eurasian origin of the eastern African taxa, whose high‐ploid populations in one mountain group formed a distinct phylogeographic group and carried plastids that diverged from those of the currently allopatric southern African lineage in the Mid‐ to Late Pleistocene. We show that Anthoxanthum has an intriguing history in sub‐Saharan Africa, including Late Pliocene colonization from southeast and north, followed by secondary contact, hybridization, allopolyploidization and local extinction during one of the last glacial cycles. Our results add to a growing body of evidence showing that isolated tropical high mountain habitats have a dynamic recent history involving niche conservatism and recruitment from remote sources, repeated dispersals, diversification, hybridization and local extinction.
Do ecological communities disperse across biogeographic barriers as a unit?
Authors: Satler Jordan D. , Carstens Bryan C.
Published: April 2017

Biogeographic barriers have long been implicated as drivers of biological diversification, but how these barriers influence co‐occurring taxa can vary depending on factors intrinsic to the organism and in their relationships with other species. Due to the interdependence among taxa, ecological communities present a compelling opportunity to explore how interactions among species may lead to a shared response to historical events. Here we collect single nucleotide polymorphism data from five commensal arthropods associated with the Sarracenia alata carnivorous pitcher plant, and test for codiversification across the Mississippi River, a major biogeographic barrier in the southeastern United States. Population genetic structure in three of the ecologically dependent arthropods mirrors that of the host pitcher plant, with divergence time estimates suggesting two of the species (the pitcher plant moth Exyra semicrocea and a flesh fly Sarcophaga sarraceniae) dispersed synchronously across this barrier along with the pitcher plant. Patterns in population size and genetic diversity suggest the plant and ecologically dependent arthropods dispersed from east to west across the Mississippi River. In contrast, species less dependent on the plant ecologically show discordant phylogeographic patterns. This study demonstrates that ecological relationships may be an important predictor of codiversification, and supports recent suggestions that organismal trait data should be prominently featured in comparative phylogeographic investigations.
Preponderance of clonality triggers loss of sex in Bulbophyllum bicolor, an obligately outcrossing epiphytic orchid
Authors: Hu Ai‐Qun , Gale Stephan W. , Kumar Pankaj , Saunders Richard M. K. , Sun Mei , Fischer Gunter A.
Published: April 2017

Vegetative propagation (clonal growth) conveys several evolutionary advantages that positively affect life history fitness and is a widespread phenomenon among angiosperms that also reproduce sexually. However, a bias towards clonality can interfere with sexual reproduction and lead to sexual extinction, although a dearth of effective genetic tools and mathematical models for clonal plants has hampered assessment of these impacts. Using the endangered tropical epiphytic or lithophytic orchid Bulbophyllum bicolor as a model, we integrated an examination of breeding system with 12 microsatellite loci and models valid for clonal species to test for the “loss of sex” and infer likely consequences for long‐term reproductive dynamics. Bagging experiments and field observations revealed B. bicolor to be self‐incompatible and pollinator‐dependent, with an absence of fruit‐set over 4 years. Challenging the assumptions that clonal populations can be as genotypically diverse as sexually reproducing ones and that clonality does not greatly influence genetic structure, just 22 multilocus genotypes were confirmed among all 15 extant natural populations, 12 of the populations were found to be monoclonal, and all three multiclonal ones exhibited a distinct phalanx clonal architecture. Our results suggest that all B. bicolor populations depend overwhelmingly on clonal growth for persistence, with a concomitant loss of sex due to an absence of pollinators and a lack of mating opportunities at virtually all sites, both of which are further entrenched by habitat fragmentation. Such cryptic life history impacts, potentially contributing to extinction debt, could be widespread among similarly fragmented, outcrossing tropical epiphytes, demanding urgent conservation attention.
Molecular and pathobiological characterization of 61 Potato mop‐top virus full‐length cDNAs reveals great variability of the virus in the centre of potato domestication, novel genotypes and evidence for recombination
Authors: Kalyandurg Pruthvi , Gil Jose Fernando , Lukhovitskaya Nina I. , Flores Betty , Müller Giovanna , Chuquillanqui Carlos , Palomino Ladislao , Monjane Aderito , Barker Ian , Kreuze Jan , Savenkov Eugene I.
Published: April 2017

The evolutionary divergence of Potato mop‐top virus (PMTV), a tri‐partite, single‐stranded RNA virus, is exceptionally low, based on the analysis of sequences obtained from isolates from Europe, Asia and North America. In general, RNA viruses exist as dynamic populations of closely related and recombinant genomes that are subjected to continuous genetic variation. The reason behind the low genetic variation of PMTV remains unclear. The question remains as to whether the low variability is a shared property of all PMTV isolates or is a result of the limited number of isolates characterized so far. We hypothesized that higher divergence of the virus might exist in the Andean regions of South America, the centre of potato domestication. Here, we report high variability of PMTV isolates collected from 12 fields in three locations in the Andean region of Peru. To evaluate PMTV genetic variation in Peru, we generated full‐length cDNA clones, which allowed reliable comparative molecular and pathobiological characterization of individual isolates. We found significant divergence of the CP‐RT and 8K sequences. The 8K cistron, which encodes a viral suppressor of RNA silencing, was found to be under diversifying selection. Phylogenetic analysis determined that, based on the CP‐RT sequence, all PMTV isolates could be categorized into three separate lineages (clades). Moreover, we found evidence for recombination between two clades. Using infectious cDNA clones of the representatives of these two clades, as well as reassortants for the RNA‐CP genomic component, we determined the pathobiological differences between the lineages, which we coined as S (for severe) and M (for mild) types. Interestingly, all isolates characterized previously (from Europe, Asia and North America) fall into the S‐type clade, whereas most of the Peruvian isolates belong to the M‐type. Taken together, our results support the notion of the single introduction of PMTV from the centre of potato origin to Europe, and subsequent spread of the S‐type into Asia and USA. This is also supported by the suggested novel classification of isolates based on genetic constellations.
Involvement of salicylic acid, ethylene and jasmonic acid signalling pathways in the susceptibility of tomato to Fusarium oxysporum
Authors: Di Xiaotang , Gomila Jo , Takken Frank L. W.
Published: April 2017

Phytohormones, such as salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET) and jasmonic acid (JA), play key roles in plant defence following pathogen attack. The involvement of these hormones in susceptibility following Fusarium oxysporum (Fo) infection has mostly been studied in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, Fo causes vascular wilt disease in a broad range of crops, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Surprisingly little is known about the involvement of these phytohormones in the susceptibility of tomato towards Fo f. sp. lycopersici (Fol). Here, we investigate their involvement by the analysis of the expression of ET, JA and SA marker genes following Fol infection, and by bioassays of tomato mutants affected in either hormone production or perception. Fol inoculation triggered the expression of SA and ET marker genes, showing the activation of these pathways. NahG tomato, in which SA is degraded, became hypersusceptible to Fol infection and showed stronger disease symptoms than wild‐type. In contrast, ACD and Never ripe (Nr) mutants, in which ET biosynthesis and perception, respectively, are impaired, showed decreased disease symptoms and reduced fungal colonization on infection. The susceptibility of the def1 tomato mutant, and a prosystemin over‐expressing line, in which JA signalling is compromised or constitutively activated, respectively, was unaltered. Our results show that SA is a negative and ET a positive regulator of Fol susceptibility. The SA and ET signalling pathways appear to act synergistically, as an intact ET pathway is required for the induction of an SA marker gene, and vice versa.
Pitfalls of diagnosing urinary tract infection in infants and young children
Authors: Yamasaki Yasuhito , Uemura Osamu , Nagai Takuhito , Yamakawa Satoshi , Hibi Yoshiko , Yamamoto Masaki , Nakano Masaru , Kasahara Katsuaki , Bo Zhang
Published: April 2017

Background

The aim of this study was to examine the sensitivity and specificity of pyuria‐based diagnosis of urinary tract infection (UTI) in urine collected by transurethral catheterization, and the reliability of diagnosis of pyuria in urine collected in a perineal bag. The gold standard for UTI diagnosis is significant colony counts of a single organism in urine obtained in a sterile manner.

Methods

We enrolled 301 patients who underwent medical examination at the present hospital for possible UTI between January 2005 and December 2009. We collected 438 urine samples by transurethral catheterization. We investigated the accuracy of pyuria‐based diagnosis of UTI using transurethral catheterization urine specimens, and the reliability of diagnosis of pyuria using bag‐collected urine specimens.

Results

The false‐negative rate of UTI diagnosis based on pyuria in transurethral catheterization urine sediments was 9.0%; there was no significant difference in the false‐negative rate of UTI diagnosis between boys and girls. Approximately 28% of pyuria‐positive bag‐collected urine specimens were pyuria negative on transurethral catheterization; this rate was significantly higher in girls than in boys (56.7% vs. 8.9%, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

The absence of pyuria in transurethral catheterization urine sediments does not rule out UTI. Pyuria in bag‐collected urine specimens frequently consists of urine leukocytes from external genitalia as well as from the urinary tract.
Acute effects of exercise posture on executive function in transient ischemic attack patients
Authors: Faulkner James , Stoner Lee , Grigg Rebecca , Fryer Simon , Stone Keeron , Lambrick Danielle
Published: April 2017

In patients with stroke or transient ischemic attacks (TIA), a decline in executive function may limit an individual's ability to process motor tasks and relearn motor skills. The purpose of this study was to assess the acute effect of exercise posture (seated vs. supine cycle ergometry) on executive function and prefrontal cortex perfusion in patients with TIA. Eleven TIA patients (65 ± 10 years) and 15 age‐matched, healthy controls (HC; 62 ± 7 years) completed two exercise tests to maximal capacity (one seated, one supine) and two 30‐min submaximal exercise tests (one seated, one supine). Executive function was assessed prior to and following (1.5 min post, 15 min post) the submaximal exercise tests using a Stroop task. Prefrontal cortex perfusion (total hemoglobin) was continuously recorded using near‐infrared spectroscopy. There was no Posture (seated, supine) × Group (TIA, HC) interaction for the Stroop task (p > .05). HC completed Stroop tasks significantly faster than TIA (51.9[SD = 10.3] vs. 64.2[8.5] s, respectively), while Stroop completion time significantly improved between baseline and 1.5 min post (61.3[10] vs. 58.1[9.4] s, respectively) and 1.5 min post and 15 min post (54.8[8.9] s). Posture and group had no significant influence on prefrontal cortex perfusion (p > .05). In summary, executive function improves to a similar extent in TIA and age‐matched, healthy controls following an acute bout of exercise, regardless of exercise posture. As acute improvements in executive function were maintained for 15 min, there could be an important window of opportunity for assigning executive tasks following exercise rehabilitation for patients with TIA.
Prepotent motor activity and inhibitory control demands in different variants of the go/no‐go paradigm
Authors: Wessel Jan R.
Published: April 2017

Inhibitory control enables humans to stop prepotent motor activity, and is commonly studied using go/no‐go or stop‐signal tasks. In stop‐signal tasks, prepotent motor activity is elicited by delaying stop signals relative to go signals. In go/no‐go tasks, however, trials include only one signal—go or no‐go. Hence, prepotent motor activity has to be ensured differently—for example, by using rare no‐go trials and short trial durations. However, a literature survey shows that ∼40% of studies use equiprobable go/no‐go trials and ∼20% use long stimulus‐stimulus intervals (> 4 s). It is unclear whether such slow‐paced, equiprobable go/no‐go tasks elicit prepotent motor activity and probe inhibitory control. We recorded EEG during four go/no‐go tasks, varying in no‐go probability and trial duration. We quantified prepotent motor activity on successfully inhibited no‐go trials using the lateralized readiness potential. Only fast‐paced go/no‐go tasks with rare no‐go trials reliably evoked such activity. We then used a stop‐signal task and independent component analysis to isolate an established neural signature of inhibitory control, and investigated this signature's activity across the go/no‐go tasks. Across tasks, increased prepotent motor activity on individual no‐go trials was accompanied by greater frontocentral P3 amplitudes, confirming it as an index of inhibition. Crucially, this inhibition‐related activity showed a 75% reduction in slow‐paced, equiprobable go/no‐go tasks compared to fast‐paced, rare no‐go versions. Therefore, since many common go/no‐go task configurations do not reliably evoke prepotent motor activity, their inhibitory requirements are greatly reduced. This has major implications for the usage of go/no‐go tasks in psychological experiments.
The Embodied Countryside: Methodological Reflections in Place
Authors: Rodriguez Castro Laura
Published: April 2017

This article contributes to conceptualisations of the countryside as an embodied space through a reflective engagement with the use of participatory methods with the campesinas (peasant women) of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range in Colombia. The key aim of the article is to explore how the embodied everyday experiences of the field and the methodologies associated to these are marked by place. To do so, I focus on two empirical aspects of my research. Firstly, I examine how engaging with place is pivotal to understanding the countryside as a relational and embodied space. Secondly, I demonstrate how the participatory methods I engaged with can provide place‐based insights to understanding the rural as embodied. Overall, this article contributes to the literature on how researchers perform and enact rural research, while aiming to de(s)colonise knowledge production.
Sugar and hexokinase suppress expression of PIP aquaporins and reduce leaf hydraulics that preserves leaf water potential
Authors: Kelly Gilor , Sade Nir , Doron‐Faigenboim Adi , Lerner Stephen , Shatil‐Cohen Arava , Yeselson Yelena , Egbaria Aiman , Kottapalli Jayaram , Schaffer Arthur A. , Moshelion Menachem , Granot David
Published: April 2017

Sugars affect central aspects of plant physiology, including photosynthesis, stomatal behavior and the loss of water through the stomata. Yet, the potential effects of sugars on plant aquaporins (AQPs) and water conductance have not been examined. We used database and transcriptional analyses, as well as cellular and whole‐plant functional techniques to examine the link between sugar‐related genes and AQPs. Database analyses revealed a high level of correlation between the expression of AQPs and that of sugar‐related genes, including the Arabidopsis hexokinases 1 (AtHXK1). Increased expression of AtHXK1, as well as the addition of its primary substrate, glucose (Glc), repressed the expression of 10 AQPs from the plasma membrane‐intrinsic proteins (PIP) subfamily (PIP‐AQPs) and induced the expression of two stress‐related PIP‐AQPs. The osmotic water permeability of mesophyll protoplasts of AtHXK1‐expressing plants and the leaf hydraulic conductance of those plants were significantly reduced, in line with the decreased expression of PIP‐AQPs. Conversely, hxk1 mutants demonstrated a higher level of hydraulic conductance, with increased water potential in their leaves. In addition, the presence of Glc reduced leaf water potential, as compared with an osmotic control, indicating that Glc reduces the movement of water from the xylem into the mesophyll. The production of sugars entails a significant loss of water and these results suggest that sugars and AtHXK1 affect the expression of AQP genes and reduce leaf water conductance, to coordinate sugar levels with the loss of water through transpiration.
Surgical management of ectopic ureters in dogs: Clinical outcome and prognostic factors for long‐term continence*
Authors: Noël Stéphanie M. , Claeys Stéphanie , Hamaide Annick J.
Published: April 2017

Objective

To determine outcomes after surgical correction of ectopic ureters (EU) and identify prognostic factors for long‐term continence.

Study design

Retrospective study.

Animals

Forty‐seven dogs (36 females and 11 males).

Methods

Medical records (1999‐2016) of dogs with surgical correction of EU were reviewed. A continence score (1 = incontinent, 2 = sporadic incontinence, 3 = continent) was attributed preoperatively, at discharge, 1 month postoperatively, and at long‐term evaluation.

Results

Twenty‐eight dogs had unilateral and 19 dogs had bilateral EU (57 intramural and 9 extramural). Nineteen dogs had a pelvic bladder. Neoureterostomy with dissection (n = 50), ureteroneocystotomy (n = 9), or nephroureterectomy (n = 7) were performed. Thirty‐three dogs were neutered: 32 before or during the surgery and 1 after surgery. Colposuspension was performed during surgical correction in 15 dogs. Adjuvant medical treatment improved postoperative continence scores. Median continence scores were greater at discharge (3), at 1 month postoperatively (3), and at long‐term evaluation (3) than before surgery (1). At long‐term evaluation (mean 46.1 months), a score of 1 was observed in 19%, a score of 2 in 7%, and a score of 3 in 74% of the dogs.

Conclusion

Overall, good (score 2) to excellent (score 3) long‐term outcome was achieved in 81% of dogs. Long‐term continence was improved with medical treatment and neutering was not associated with an increased risk of recurrence of incontinence in this population of dogs.
Outcome of laparoscopic adrenalectomy for resection of unilateral noninvasive adrenocortical tumors in 11 cats
Authors: Mitchell Jeffrey W. , Mayhew Philipp D. , Culp William T. N. , Brad Case J. , Singh Ameet , Fuller Mark C. , Della Maggiore Ann
Published: April 2017

Objective

To describe the technique and outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) in cats with adrenocortical neoplasia.

Study design

Retrospective case series.

Animals

Eleven client‐owned cats with unilateral adrenal tumors.

Methods

Medical records of cats that underwent LA for unilateral functional adrenal tumors at 3 veterinary teaching hospitals were reviewed. Data collected included signalment, clinical signs, physical examination findings, diagnostic imaging results, preoperative laboratory tests, laparoscopic port placement and techniques, duration of anesthesia and surgery, complications, concomitant procedures, need for conversion to an open celiotomy, histopathological diagnosis, and postoperative survival.

Results

Eleven cats were included, 5 with right‐sided and 6 with left‐sided tumors. Tumors were aldosterone‐secreting (n = 8), progesterone‐secreting (n = 2), or testosterone‐secreting (n = 1). Adrenalectomy was successfully performed in all 11 cats although 4 cases required conversion to an open celiotomy, due to poor visualization (n = 2), close adherence of the tumor to the caudal vena cava (n = 1), and inability to maintain adequate pneumoperitoneum (n = 1). Ten of the 11 cats were discharged from the hospital, with a median survival time of 803 days (range 467‐1123 days). One cat died from severe pancreatitis and cardiogenic pulmonary edema.

Conclusion

Adrenalectomy can be performed in cats via laparoscopy but is technically challenging, and associated with a relatively high conversion rate (36%).
Mechanical properties of 6 finger‐trap suture techniques*
Authors: Earley Naomi F. , Meakin Lee B. , Parsons Kevin J. , Tarlton John , Hall Jon L.
Published: April 2017

Objective

To identify the most common methods used by surgeons to place finger‐trap sutures (FTS), and determine their influence on the biomechanical properties of constructs.

Study design

Questionnaire and experimental study.

Methods

Six commonly used FTS methods (A‐F) were identified from literature review and questionnaire. Constructs made with 3‐metric nylon suture and 18‐French polyurethane esophagostomy tubing were tested in axial loading to failure. Two patterns (B and D) selected based on common use and biomechanical performance were further tested, with 2, 4, and 8 repeats along the tube. Displacement, load, and energy at failure were compared between constructs, and failure mode was video recorded.

Results

Patterns E and F were susceptible to slipping (P < .001). Patterns A and D were stiffer than pattern E, and patterns A‐D were stiffer than pattern F (P = .012). Patterns A and B had less extension than pattern E and F, and patterns A‐D had less extension than pattern F (P = .002). 87.5% of FTS failed by breaking at the first suture knot. The number of repeats had no effect on FTS performance, but catastrophic failure occurred in 2 constructs with 2 repeats.

Conclusion

The mechanical behavior of suture‐tube constructs and failure mode is affected by the FTS pattern. Patterns E and F are not advocated due to suture slippage. The number of repeats may not affect the FTS performance, but a minimum of 4 repeats is recommended. Overall, patterns B, C, and D performed the best in axial loading.
A dynamic hydrophobic core orchestrates allostery in protein kinases
Authors: Kim Jonggul , Ahuja Lalima G. , Chao Fa-An , Xia Youlin , McClendon Christopher L. , Kornev Alexandr P. , Taylor Susan S. , Veglia Gianluigi
Published: April 2017

The synchronized motions of inner core residues allosterically modulate the activity of the protein kinase A catalytic subunit.
Recovery of an oxidized majorite inclusion from Earth’s deep asthenosphere
Authors: Xu Cheng , Kynický Jindřich , Tao Renbiao , Liu Xi , Zhang Lifei , Pohanka Miroslav , Song Wenlei , Fei Yingwei
Published: April 2017

Novel discovered majorite from a depth of at least 380 km provides unique window into the redox state and dynamics of the mantle.
Unraveling self-assembly pathways of the 468-kDa proteolytic machine TET2
Authors: Macek Pavel , Kerfah Rime , Erba Elisabetta Boeri , Crublet Elodie , Moriscot Christine , Schoehn Guy , Amero Carlos , Boisbouvier Jerome
Published: April 2017

Real-time NMR, EM, and native MS studies revealed intermediates and parallel pathways in the assembly of a dodecameric peptidase.
Role of damping in spin Seebeck effect in yttrium iron garnet thin films
Authors: Chang Houchen , Praveen Janantha P. A. , Ding Jinjun , Liu Tao , Cline Kevin , Gelfand Joseph N. , Li Wei , Marconi Mario C. , Wu Mingzhong
Published: April 2017

We report an experimental study on how the spin Seebeck effect in magnetic insulators depends on damping.
Toward garnet electrolyte–based Li metal batteries: An ultrathin, highly effective, artificial solid-state electrolyte/metallic Li interface
Authors: Fu Kun (Kelvin) , Gong Yunhui , Liu Boyang , Zhu Yizhou , Xu Shaomao , Yao Yonggang , Luo Wei , Wang Chengwei , Lacey Steven D. , Dai Jiaqi , Chen Yanan , Mo Yifei , Wachsman Eric , Hu Liangbing
Published: April 2017

Strategy to change the wettability of the solid-state electrolyte against Li and reduce interface resistance.
Mandrills use olfaction to socially avoid parasitized conspecifics
Authors: Poirotte Clémence , Massol François , Herbert Anaïs , Willaume Eric , Bomo Pacelle M. , Kappeler Peter M. , Charpentier Marie J. E.
Published: April 2017

Mandrills use olfactory cues from feces of conspecifics to evaluate parasite status and avoid social contact with infectious animals.
Robust quantum optimizer with full connectivity
Authors: Nigg Simon E. , Lörch Niels , Tiwari Rakesh P.
Published: April 2017

A superconducting circuit of parametric oscillators realizes a robust quantum optimizer with full connectivity and zero overhead.
Geochemical evidence for mélange melting in global arcs
Authors: Nielsen Sune G. , Marschall Horst R.
Published: April 2017

Arc lavas form from melting of mélange rocks; sediment melts and slab-derived fluids are not major contributors.
Eomesodermin promotes the development of type 1 regulatory T (T
R
1) cells
Authors: Zhang Ping , Lee Jason S. , Gartlan Kate H. , Schuster Iona S. , Comerford Iain , Varelias Antiopi , Ullah Md Ashik , Vuckovic Slavica , Koyama Motoko , Kuns Rachel D. , Locke Kelly R. , Beckett Kirrilee J. , Olver Stuart D. , Samson Luke D. , Montes de Oca Marcela , de Labastida Rivera Fabian , Clouston Andrew D. , Belz Gabrielle T. , Blazar Bruce R. , MacDonald Kelli P. , McColl Shaun R. , Thomas Ranjeny , Engwerda Christian R. , Degli-Esposti Mariapia A. , Kallies Axel , Tey Siok-Keen , Hill Geoffrey R.
Published: April 2017

T
R
1 cells are the major regulatory population generated after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
Distinct oxysterol requirements for positioning naïve and activated dendritic cells in the spleen
Authors: Lu Erick , Dang Eric V. , McDonald Jeffrey G. , Cyster Jason G.
Published: April 2017

Two ligands modulate chemoattractant receptor EBI2-dependent positioning of splenic dendritic cells.
Nurture trumps nature!
Authors: Demissie Ezana , Pillai Shiv
Published: April 2017

Mutation-associated infections in one individual are prevented in relatives with the same mutation by a compensatory adaptive immune response.
Barrier busting yeast brew trouble in the gut
Authors: Clark Rachael A.
Published: April 2017

Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, a common yeast in the gut, induces uric acid production by intestinal epithelium, leading to decreased barrier function and increased colitis in mouse models.
Five Fatty Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Enzymes from Marinobacter and Acinetobacter spp. and Structural Insights into the Aldehyde Binding Pocket
Authors: Bertram Jonathan H. , Mulliner Kalene M. , Shi Ke , Plunkett Mary H. , Nixon Peter , Serratore Nicholas A. , Douglas Christopher J. , Aihara Hideki , Barney Brett M.
Published: April 2017

Enzymes involved in lipid biosynthesis and metabolism play an important role in energy conversion and storage and in the function of structural components such as cell membranes. The fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase (FAldDH) plays a central function in the metabolism of lipid intermediates, oxidizing fatty aldehydes to the corresponding fatty acid and competing with pathways that would further reduce the fatty aldehydes to fatty alcohols or require the fatty aldehydes to produce alkanes. In this report, the genes for four putative FAldDH enzymes from
Marinobacter aquaeolei
VT8 and an additional enzyme from
Acinetobacter baylyi
were heterologously expressed in
Escherichia coli
and shown to display FAldDH activity. Five enzymes (Maqu_0438, Maqu_3316, Maqu_3410, Maqu_3572, and the enzyme reported under RefSeq accession no.
WP_004927398
) were found to act on aldehydes ranging from acetaldehyde to hexadecanal and also acted on the unsaturated long-chain palmitoleyl and oleyl aldehydes. A comparison of the specificities of these enzymes with various aldehydes is presented. Crystallization trials yielded diffraction-quality crystals of one particular FAldDH (Maqu_3316) from
M. aquaeolei
VT8. Crystals were independently treated with both the NAD
+
cofactor and the aldehyde substrate decanal, revealing specific details of the likely substrate binding pocket for this class of enzymes. A likely model for how catalysis by the enzyme is accomplished is also provided.

IMPORTANCE
This study provides a comparison of multiple enzymes with the ability to oxidize fatty aldehydes to fatty acids and provides a likely picture of how the fatty aldehyde and NAD
+
are bound to the enzyme to facilitate catalysis. Based on the information obtained from this structural analysis and comparisons of specificities for the five enzymes that were characterized, correlations to the potential roles played by specific residues within the structure may be drawn.
Experimental Evaluation of Host Adaptation of Lactobacillus reuteri to Different Vertebrate Species
Authors: Duar Rebbeca M. , Frese Steven A. , Lin Xiaoxi B. , Fernando Samodha C. , Burkey Thomas E. , Tasseva Guergana , Peterson Daniel A. , Blom Jochen , Wenzel Cory Q. , Szymanski Christine M. , Walter Jens
Published: April 2017

The species
Lactobacillus reuteri
has diversified into host-specific lineages, implying a long-term association with different vertebrates. Strains from rodent lineages show specific adaptations to mice, but the processes underlying the evolution of
L. reuteri
in other hosts remain unknown. We administered three standardized inocula composed of strains from different host-confined lineages to mice, pigs, chickens, and humans. The ecological performance of each strain in the gastrointestinal tract of each host was determined by typing random colonies recovered from fecal samples collected over five consecutive days postadministration. Results revealed that rodent strains were predominant in mice, confirming previous findings of host adaptation. In chickens, poultry strains of the lineage VI (poultry VI) and human isolates from the same lineage (human VI) were recovered at the highest and second highest rates, respectively. Interestingly, human VI strains were virtually undetected in human feces. These findings, together with ancestral state reconstructions, indicate poultry VI and human VI strains share an evolutionary history with chickens. Genomic analysis revealed that poultry VI strains possess a large and variable accessory genome, whereas human VI strains display low genetic diversity and possess genes encoding antibiotic resistance and capsular polysaccharide synthesis, which might have allowed temporal colonization of humans. Experiments in pigs and humans did not provide evidence of host adaptation of
L. reuteri
to these hosts. Overall, our findings demonstrate host adaptation of
L. reuteri
to rodents and chickens, supporting a joint evolution of this bacterial species with several vertebrate hosts, although questions remain about its natural history in humans and pigs.

IMPORTANCE
Gut microbes are often hypothesized to have coevolved with their vertebrate hosts. However, the evidence is sparse and the evolutionary mechanisms have not been identified. We developed and applied an experimental approach to determine host adaptation of
L. reuteri
to different hosts. Our findings confirmed adaptation to rodents and provided evidence of adaptation to poultry, suggesting that
L. reuteri
evolved via natural selection in different hosts. By complementing phylogenetic analyses with experimental evidence, this study provides novel information about the mechanisms driving host-microbe coevolution with vertebrates and serve as a basis to inform the application of
L. reuteri
as a probiotic for different host species.
Airborne Pathogens inside Automobiles for Domestic Use: Assessing In-Car Air Decontamination Devices Using Staphylococcus aureus as the Challenge Bacterium
Authors: Sattar Syed A. , Zargar Bahram , Wright Kathryn E. , Rubino Joseph R. , Ijaz M. Khalid
Published: April 2017

Family cars represent ∼74% of the yearly global output of motorized vehicles. With a life expectancy of ∼8 decades in many countries, the average person spends >100 min daily inside the confined and often shared space of the car, with exposure to a mix of potentially harmful microbes. Can commercial in-car microbial air decontamination devices mitigate the risk? Three such devices (designated devices 1 to 3) with HEPA filters were tested in the modified passenger cabin (3.25 m
3
) of a four-door sedan housed within a biosafety level 3 containment facility.
Staphylococcus aureus
(ATCC 6538) was suspended in a soil load to simulate the presence of body fluids and aerosolized into the car's cabin with a 6-jet Collison nebulizer. A muffin fan (80 mm by 80 mm, with an output of 0.17 m
3
/min) circulated the air inside. Plates (150 mm diameter) of Trypticase soy agar (TSA), placed inside a programmable slit-to-agar sampler, were held at 36 ± 1°C for 18 to 24 h and examined for CFU. The input dose of the test bacterium, its rate of biological decay, and the log
10
reductions by the test devices were analyzed. The arbitrarily set performance criterion was the time in hours a device took for a 3-log
10
reduction in the level of airborne challenge bacterium. On average, the level of
S. aureus
challenge in the air varied between 4.2 log
10
CFU/m
3
and 5.5 log
10
CFU/m
3
, and its rate of biological decay was −0.0213 ± 0.0021 log
10
CFU/m
3
/min. Devices 1 to 3 took 2.3, 1.5, and 9.7 h, respectively, to meet the performance criterion. While the experimental setup was tested using
S. aureus
as an archetypical airborne pathogen, it can be readily adapted to test other types of pathogens and technologies.

IMPORTANCE
This study was designed to test the survival of airborne pathogens in the confined and shared space of a family automobile as well as to assess claims of devices marketed for in-car air decontamination. The basic experimental setup and the test protocols reported are versatile enough for work with all major types of airborne human pathogens and for testing a wide variety of air decontamination technologies. This study could also lay the foundation for a standardized test protocol for use by device makers as well as regulators for the registration of such devices.
High Levels of the Xenorhabdus nematophila Transcription Factor Lrp Promote Mutualism with the Steinernema carpocapsae Nematode Host
Authors: Cao Mengyi , Patel Tilak , Rickman Tara , Goodrich-Blair Heidi , Hussa Elizabeth A.
Published: April 2017

Xenorhabdus nematophila
bacteria are mutualistic symbionts of
Steinernema carpocapsae
nematodes and pathogens of insects. The
X. nematophila
global regulator Lrp controls the expression of many genes involved in both mutualism and pathogenic activities, suggesting a role in the transition between the two host organisms. We previously reported that natural populations of
X. nematophila
exhibit various levels of Lrp expression and that cells expressing relatively low levels of Lrp are optimized for virulence in the insect
Manduca sexta
. The adaptive advantage of the high-Lrp-expressing state was not established. Here we used strains engineered to express constitutively high or low levels of Lrp to test the model in which high-Lrp-expressing cells are adapted for mutualistic activities with the nematode host. We demonstrate that high-Lrp cells form more robust biofilms in laboratory media than do low-Lrp cells, which may reflect adherence to host tissues. Also, our data showed that nematodes cultivated with high-Lrp strains are more frequently colonized than are those associated with low-Lrp strains. Taken together, these data support the idea that high-Lrp cells have an advantage in tissue adherence and colonization initiation. Furthermore, our data show that high-Lrp-expressing strains better support nematode reproduction than do their low-Lrp counterparts under both
in vitro
and
in vivo
conditions. Our data indicate that heterogeneity of Lrp expression in
X. nematophila
populations provides diverse cell populations adapted to both pathogenic (low-Lrp) and mutualistic (high-Lrp) states.

IMPORTANCE
Host-associated bacteria experience fluctuating conditions during both residence within an individual host and transmission between hosts. For bacteria that engage in evolutionarily stable, long-term relationships with particular hosts, these fluctuations provide selective pressure for the emergence of adaptive regulatory mechanisms. Here we present evidence that the bacterium
Xenorhabdus nematophila
uses various levels of the transcription factor Lrp to optimize its association with its two animal hosts, nematodes and insects, with which it behaves as a mutualist and a pathogen, respectively. Building on our previous finding that relatively low cellular levels of Lrp are optimal for pathogenesis, we demonstrate that, conversely, high levels of Lrp promote mutualistic activities with the
Steinernema carpocapsae
nematode host. These data suggest that
X. nematophila
has evolved to utilize phenotypic variation between high- and low-Lrp-expression states to optimize its alternating behaviors as a mutualist and a pathogen.
Genetic Stability and Evolution of thesigBAllele, Used for Listeria Sensu Stricto Subtyping and Phylogenetic Inference
Authors: Liao Jingqiu , Wiedmann Martin , Kovac Jasna
Published: April 2017

Sequencing of single genes remains an important tool that allows the rapid classification of bacteria. Sequencing of a portion ofsigB, which encodes a stress-responsive alternative sigma factor, has emerged as a commonly used molecular tool for the initial characterization of diverseListeriaisolates. In this study, evolutionary approaches were used to assess the validity ofsigBallelic typing forListeria. For a data set of 4,280 isolates,sigBallelic typing showed a Simpson's index of diversity of 0.96. Analyses of 164sigBallelic types (ATs) found among the 6Listeriasensu strictospecies, representing these 4,280 isolates, indicate that neither frequent homologous recombination nor positive selection significantly contributed to the evolution ofsigB, confirming its genetic stability. The molecular clock test provided evidence for unequal evolution rates across clades;Listeria welshimeridisplayed the lowestsigBdiversity and was the only species in whichsigBevolved in a clocklike manner, implying a unique natural history. Among the fourL. monocytogeneslineages,sigBevolution followed a molecular clock only in lineage IV. Moreover,sigBdisplayed a significant negative TajimaDvalue in lineage II, suggesting a recent population bottleneck followed by lineage expansion. The absence of positive selection along with the violation of the molecular clock suggested a nearly neutral mechanism ofListeriasensu strictosigBevolution. While comparison with a whole-genome sequence-based phylogeny revealed that thesigBphylogeny did not correctly reflect the ancestry ofL. monocytogeneslineage IV, the availability of a largesigBAT database allowed accurate species classification.

IMPORTANCEsigBallelic typing has been widely used for species delineation and subtyping ofListeria. However, an informative evaluation of this method from an evolutionary perspective was missing. Our data indicate that the genetic stability ofsigBis affected by neither frequent homologous recombination nor positive selection, which supports thatsigBallelic typing provides reliable subtyping and classification ofListeria sensu strictostrains. However, multigene data are required for accurate phylogeny reconstruction ofListeria. This study thus contributes to a better understanding of the evolution ofsigBand confirms the robustness of thesigBsubtyping system forListeria.