bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measuring Syntactic Complexity in L2 Writing Using Fine‐Grained Clausal and Phrasal Indices
Authors: KYLE KRISTOPHER , CROSSLEY SCOTT A. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractSyntactic complexity is an important measure of second language (L2) writing proficiency (Larsen–Freeman, 1978; Lu, 2011). Large‐grained indices such as the mean length of T‐unit (MLTU) have been used with the most consistency in L2 writing studies (Ortega, 2003). Recently, indices such as MLTU have been criticized, both for the difficulty in interpretation (e.g., Norris & Ortega, 2009) and for a potentially misplaced focus on clausal subordination (e.g., Biber, Gray, & Poonpon, 2011). In this article, we attempt to address both of these criticisms by using traditional indices of syntactic complexity (e.g., MLTU), fine‐grained indices of clausal complexity, and fine‐grained indices of phrasal complexity to predict holistic scores of writing quality. In 4 studies, we used indices of each index type to predict holistic writing quality scores in independent essays on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). We then used all index types in a combined analysis to predict a holistic writing score. The results indicated that fine‐grained indices of phrasal complexity were better predictors of writing quality than either traditional or fine‐grained clausal indices, though a single fine‐grained index of clausal complexity contributed to the combined model. These results provide some support for Biber et al.’s (2011) claims regarding complexity and academic L2 writing proficiency.
YODA MAP3K kinase regulates plant immune responses conferring broad‐spectrum disease resistance
Authors: Sopeña‐Torres Sara , Jordá Lucía , Sánchez‐Rodríguez Clara , Miedes Eva , Escudero Viviana , Swami Sanjay , López Gemma , Piślewska‐Bednarek Mariola , Lassowskat Ines , Lee Justin , Gu Yangnan , Haigis Sabine , Alexander Danny , Pattathil Sivakumar , Muñoz‐Barrios Antonio , Bednarek Pawel , Somerville Shauna , Schulze‐Lefert Paul , Hahn Michael G. , Scheel Dierk , Molina Antonio 
Published: February 2018

Summary

Mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) cascades play essential roles in plants by transducing developmental cues and environmental signals into cellular responses. Among the latter are microbe‐associated molecular patterns perceived by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), which trigger immunity.

We found that YODA (YDA) – a MAPK kinase kinase regulating several Arabidopsis developmental processes, like stomatal patterning – also modulates immune responses. Resistance to pathogens is compromised in yda alleles, whereas plants expressing the constitutively active YDA (CA‐YDA) protein show broad‐spectrum resistance to fungi, bacteria, and oomycetes with different colonization modes. YDA functions in the same pathway as ERECTA (ER) Receptor‐Like Kinase, regulating both immunity and stomatal patterning.

ER‐YDA‐mediated immune responses act in parallel to canonical disease resistance pathways regulated by phytohormones and PRRs. CA‐YDA plants exhibit altered cell‐wall integrity and constitutively express defense‐associated genes, including some encoding putative small secreted peptides and PRRs whose impairment resulted in enhanced susceptibility phenotypes. CA‐YDA plants show strong reprogramming of their phosphoproteome, which contains protein targets distinct from described MAPKs substrates.

Our results suggest that, in addition to stomata development, the ER‐YDA pathway regulates an immune surveillance system conferring broad‐spectrum disease resistance that is distinct from the canonical pathways mediated by described PRRs and defense hormones.
Evaluating the kinetic basis of plant growth from organs to ecosystems
Authors: Michaletz Sean T. 
Published: February 2018

Contents

Summary
37

I.
Introduction
37

II.
Predictions for metabolic kinetics
38

III.
Kinetics of net photosynthesis
38

IV.
Kinetics of plant growth
40

V.
Hypotheses for higher‐level kinetic decoupling
41

VI.
Conclusions
42

Acknowledgements
42

References
42

SummaryUnderstanding how temperature influences the scaling of physiological rates through levels of biological organization is critical for predicting plant responses to climate. Metabolic theory predicts that many rates increase exponentially with temperature following an activation energy (E) of 0.32 eV for photosynthesis. Here, I evaluate this prediction for net photosynthesis and organ, individual, and ecosystem growth. Observed E for photosynthesis varied widely but was not statistically different from predictions, while E for organs was greater than predicted, and E for individuals and ecosystems only weakly characterized temperature responses. I review several hypotheses that may underlie these results. Understanding how multiple rate‐limiting processes coalesce into a single E that characterizes metabolic responses to temperature, and how to best estimate E from unimodal data, remain important challenges.
Phenological responses to multiple environmental drivers under climate change: insights from a long‐term observational study and a manipulative field experiment
Authors: Wadgymar Susana M. , Ogilvie Jane E. , Inouye David W. , Weis Arthur E. , Anderson Jill T. 
Published: February 2018

SummaryClimate change has induced pronounced shifts in the reproductive phenology of plants, yet we know little about which environmental factors contribute to interspecific variation in responses and their effects on fitness.We integrate data from a 43 yr record of first flowering for six species in subalpine Colorado meadows with a 3 yr snow manipulation experiment on the perennial forbBoechera stricta(Brassicaceae) from the same site. We analyze shifts in the onset of flowering in relation to environmental drivers known to influence phenology: the timing of snowmelt, the accumulation of growing degree days, and photoperiod.Variation in responses to climate change depended on the sequence in which species flowered, with early‐flowering species reproducing faster, at a lower heat sum, and under increasingly disparate photoperiods relative to later‐flowering species. Early snow‐removal treatments confirm that the timing of snowmelt governs observed trends in flowering phenology ofB. strictaand that climate change can reduce the probability of flowering, thereby depressing fitness.Our findings suggest that climate change is decoupling historical combinations of photoperiod and temperature and outpacing phenological changes for our focal species. Accurate predictions of biological responses to climate change require a thorough understanding of the factors driving shifts in phenology.
Factors influencing seedling emergence of three global invaders in greenhouses representing major eco‐regions of the world
Authors: Arfin‐Khan M. A. S. , Vetter V. M. S. , Reshi Z. A. , Dar P. A. , Jentsch A. 
Published: February 2018

Abstract

Successful germination and seedling emergence in new environments are crucial first steps in the life history of global plant invaders and thus play a key role in processes of range expansion.

We examined the germination and seedling emergence success of three global plant invaders – Lupinus polyphyllus, Senecio inaequidens and Verbascum thapsus – in greenhouses and climate chambers under climate regimes corresponding to seven eco‐regions. Seed materials were collected from one non‐native population for L. polyphyllus and S. inaequidens, and from 12 populations for V. thapsus (six natives and six non‐natives).

Experimental climates had significant effects on species responses. No species germinated in the dry (humidity ≤ 50%) and cool (≤ 5 °C) experimental climates. But all species germinated and emerged in two moderately cool (12–19 °C) and in three warm (24–27 °C) experimental climates. In general, V. thapsus showed higher fitness than S. inaequidens and L. polyphyllus. The climate of the seed source region influenced responses of native and non‐native populations of V. thapsus. Non‐native populations of V. thapsus, originating from the warmer seed source, showed higher performance in warm experimental climates and lower performance in moderately cool experimental climates compared to native populations. Responses of V. thapsus populations were also related to precipitation of the seed source region in moderately dry experimental climates.

The warm, semi‐arid and humid experimental climates are suitable for the crucial first steps of invasion success for L. polyphyllus, S. inaequidens and V. thapsus. The species adaptation to its source region modified the responses of our studied plants under different experimental climates representing major eco‐regions of the world.
Effect of flower orientation on the male and female traits ofMyrtillocactus geometrizans(Cactaceae)
Authors: Aguilar‐García S. A. , Figueroa‐Castro D. M. , Valverde P. L. , Vite F. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractIntra‐individual variation in the production and size of reproductive traits has been documented in columnar cacti, being higher in equator‐facing flowers. Such variation is attributed to the high amount of PAR intercepted by stems oriented towards the equator. Most studies focused on this phenomenon have documented the existence of intra‐individual variation on traits associated with the female function; however, its impact on traits associated with the male function has been neglected. We tested the hypothesis that equator‐facing flowers ofMyrtillocactus geometrizansexhibit higher values on traits associated with both male and female functions than flowers facing against it.Number and size of anthers and ovaries, pollen:ovule ratio and number and quality of pollen grains (diameter, germinability, viability and pollen tube length) were estimated from reproductive structures facing north and south, and compared witht‐tests between orientations.Number of anthers per flower, number of pollen grains per anther and per floral bud; pollen size, viability and germinability; pollen tube length; ovary length and pollen:ovule ratio were significantly higher in reproductive structures oriented towards the south (i.e. equator).These findings suggest that intra‐individual variation in floral traits ofM. geometrizansmight be associated with different availability of resources in branches with contrasting orientation. Our results provide new evidence of the existence of a response to an orientation‐dependent extrinsic gradient. To our knowledge, this is the first study documenting the existence of intra‐individual variation on pollen quality and P:O ratio in Cactaceae species.
Histological and immunohistochemical evaluation of granulosa cells during different stages of folliculogenesis in bovine ovaries
Authors: Teh APP , Izzati UZ , Mori K , Fuke N , Hirai T , Kitahara G , Yamaguchi R 
Published: February 2018

ContentsBovine granulosa cells (GC) vary in their morphological aspect during different stages of folliculogenesis. In this study, 10 morphologically normal bovine ovaries were collected to study the structural aspects of different stages of GC using intermediate filament protein antibodies including cytokeratin AE1/AE3 (AE1/AE3), vimentin, nectin‐4 and desmin. Hormonal immunolocalization was assessed using the immunomarkers anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) and inhibin alpha. In addition, tumour markers and proliferation markers using c‐erbB‐2 oncoprotein and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, respectively, were investigated. The immunolabelling of AE1/AE3 in GC was strongest in the early follicle stage and gradually decreased when reaching the Graafian follicle stage. Its immunolabelling increased again as the stage progressed from stage I to stage III. The immunolabelling of inhibin alpha was inversely proportional to that of AE1/AE3 in the developing ovarian follicles as their immunolabelling is opposite to each other during folliculogenesis. AMH was immunopositive in almost all GC stages in different intensities and percentages, except for some negative staining in the atretic IV follicles. The atretic IV follicle is a unique type of atretic follicle that shows Call‐Exner body formation, which was mainly found in older cows in this study. The distinct patterns of immunoreactivity for various types of immunomarkers in the different GC stages will play an important role in diagnostic assistance of various follicle conditions, including cystic ovaries and GC tumours.
The co‐developmental dynamic of sport and school burnout among student‐athletes: The role of achievement goals
Authors: Sorkkila M. , Aunola K. , Salmela‐Aro K. , Tolvanen A. , Ryba T. V. 
Published: February 2018

Student‐athletes who strive for success in high‐level sports while pursuing upper secondary education may be prone to sport and school burnout. This study examined the co‐developmental dynamic of sport and school burnout in Finnish adolescent student‐athletes (Ntime 1 = 391; Ntime 2 = 373) across the first year of upper secondary school using cross‐lagged structural equation modeling (SEM). Furthermore, we used sport and school‐related achievement goals as predictors of sport and school burnout, namely sport and school‐related exhaustion, cynicism, and feelings of inadequacy. The results showed that burnout dimensions in a particular domain were substantially stable within the same domain during the first year of upper secondary school and that school‐related exhaustion at the beginning of upper secondary school predicted sport‐related exhaustion at the end of the school year. Mastery goals in sport and school were negatively associated with cynicism and feelings of inadequacy within the same domain. Furthermore, performance goals in school were positively associated with school‐related cynicism. The results can be used by healthcare professionals for early prevention of student‐athletes' burnout.
Face cooling reveals a relative inability to increase cardiac parasympathetic activation during passive heat stress
Authors: Schlader Zachary J. , O'Leary Morgan C. , Sackett James R. , Johnson Blair D. 
Published: February 2018

New Findings
What is the central question of this study?
Does passive heat stress attenuate the increase in cardiac parasympathetic stimulation, vascular resistance and blood pressure evoked by face cooling?

What is the main finding and its importance?
Passive heat stress attenuates the capacity to increase cardiac parasympathetic activation and impairs the ability to increase vascular resistance during sympathoexcitation, which ultimately results in a relative inability to increase blood pressure. These findings cast doubt on the efficacy of face cooling at augmenting blood pressure during orthostasis while heat stressed.

AbstractWe tested the hypothesis that passive heat stress attenuates the increase in cardiac parasympathetic stimulation, vascular resistance and blood pressure evoked by face cooling. During normothermia and when intestinal temperature was elevated by 1.0 ± 0.2°C, 10 healthy young adults underwent 3 min of face cooling. Face cooling was accomplished by placing a 2.5 litre bag of ice water (0 ± 0°C) over the cheeks, eyes and forehead. Primary variables included forehead skin temperature, mean arterial pressure and systemic, forearm and cutaneous vascular resistances. Indices of heart rate variability in the time domain provided an index of cardiac parasympathetic activity. The magnitude of reduction in forehead skin temperature during face cooling was slightly greater during normothermia (−17.6 ± 1.9 versus −16.3 ± 3.0°C, P = 0.03). Increases in heart rate variability evoked by face cooling were attenuated during heat stress. Changes in systemic, forearm and cutaneous vascular resistances during face cooling were virtually abolished during heat stress (P < 0.01). However, when forearm and vascular data were reported as conductance, differences between normothermia and heat stress were not apparent (P ≥ 0.62). Nevertheless, the increase in mean arterial pressure was attenuated during heat stress with face cooling (at 3 min: 2 ± 7 mmHg) compared with normothermia (at 3 min: 19 ± 7 mmHg, P < 0.01). These data indicate that passive heat stress attenuates face cooling‐evoked increases in cardiac parasympathetic activation, vascular resistance and blood pressure. However, they also indicate that changes in indices of vascular resistance do not always reflect equivalent changes in conductance.
The Chlamydia trachomatis Plasmid and CT135 Virulence Factors Are Not Essential for Genital Tract Infection or Pathology in Female Pig-Tailed Macaques
Authors: Patton Dorothy L. , Sweeney Yvonne C. , Baldessari Audrey E. , Cles Linda , Kari Laszlo , Sturdevant Gail L. , Yang Chunfu , Caldwell Harlan D. 
Published: February 2018

ABSTRACT

The
Chlamydia trachomatis
plasmid and inclusion membrane protein CT135 are virulence factors in the pathogenesis of murine female genital tract infection. To determine if these virulence factors play a similar role in female nonhuman primates, we infected pig-tailed macaques with the same
C. trachomatis
strains shown to be important in the murine model. Wild-type
C. trachomatis
and its isogenic mutant strain deficient in both plasmid and CT135 were used to infect macaques. Macaques were given primary and repeated cervicovaginal challenges with the wild-type and mutant strains. The infection rate, infection duration, and antibody response were similar among macaques infected with both strains. Unexpectedly, colposcopy, laparoscopy, and histologic analysis revealed no substantial genital tract pathology following either primary or repeated cervicovaginal challenges. Cytokine analysis of cervicovaginal secretions from both challenged groups revealed low concentrations of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and elevated levels of the interleukin 1 receptor agonist (IL-1RA). We propose that an imbalance of IL-1β and IL-1RA in macaques is the reason for the mild inflammatory responses observed in infected urogenital tissues. Thus, understanding the pathobiology of chlamydial infection requires a better understanding of host epigenetic and chlamydial genetic factors. Our findings also have implications for understanding the high frequency of asymptomatic infections in humans.
Roger Hendrix: Gentle Provocateur
Authors: Casjens Sherwood R. , Hatfull Graham F. 
Published: February 2018

ABSTRACT
Roger W. Hendrix was at the forefront of bacteriophage biology for nearly 50 years and was central to our understanding of both viral capsid assembly and phage genomic diversity and evolution. Roger's warm and gentle demeanor belied a razor-sharp mind and warmed him to numerous highly productive collaborations that amplified his scientific impact. Roger was always completely open with scientific ideas while at the same time quietly agitating with a stream of new ways of thinking about problems and nudging our communities to search for innovative solutions: a gentle but highly effective provocateur.
Adaptation of Amoeba Plate Test To Recover Legionella Strains from Clinical Samples
Authors: Descours G. , Hannetel H. , Reynaud J. V. , Ranc A. G. , Beraud L. , Kolenda C. , Campese C. , Lina G. , Ginevra C. , Jarraud S. 
Published: February 2018

ABSTRACT

The isolation of
Legionella
from respiratory samples is the gold standard for diagnosis of Legionnaires' disease (LD) and enables epidemiological studies and outbreak investigations. The purpose of this work was to adapt and to evaluate the performance of an amoebic coculture procedure (the amoeba plate test [APT]) for the recovery of
Legionella
strains from respiratory samples, in comparison with axenic culture and liquid-based amoebic coculture (LAC). Axenic culture, LAC, and APT were prospectively performed with 133 respiratory samples from patients with LD. The sensitivities and times to results for the three techniques were compared. Using the three techniques,
Legionella
strains were isolated in 46.6% (
n
= 62) of the 133 respiratory samples. The sensitivity of axenic culture was 42.9% (
n
= 57), that of LAC was 30.1% (
n
= 40), and that of APT was 36.1% (
n
= 48). Seven samples were positive by axenic culture only; for those samples, there were <10 colonies in total. Five samples, all sputum samples, were positive by an amoebic procedure only (5/5 samples by APT and 2/5 samples by LAC); all had overgrowth by oropharyngeal flora with axenic culture. The combination of axenic culture with APT yielded a maximal isolation rate (i.e., 46.6%). Overall, the APT significantly reduced the median time for
Legionella
identification to 4 days, compared with 7 days for LAC (
P
< 0.0001). The results of this study support the substitution of LAC by APT, which could be implemented as a second-line technique for culture-negative samples and samples with microbial overgrowth, especially sputum samples. The findings provide a logical basis for further studies in both clinical and environmental settings.
Understanding the Complexities of Food Safety Using a “One Health” Approach
Authors: Kniel Kalmia E. , Kumar Deepak , Thakur Siddhartha 
Published: February 2018

ABSTRACTThe philosophy of One Health is growing in concept and clarity. The interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health is the basis for the concept of One Health. One Health is a comprehensive approach to ensure the health of people, animals, and the environment through collaborative efforts. Preharvest food safety issues align with the grand concept of One Health. Imagine any food production system, and immediately, parallel images from One Health emerge: for example, transmission of zoonotic diseases, antibiotic residues, or resistance genes in the environment; environmental and animal host reservoirs of disease; challenges with rearing animals and growing fresh produce on the same farm; application and transport of manure or diseased animals. During a recent celebration of #OneHealthDay, information was shared around the globe concerning scientists dedicated to One Health research systems. An ever-growing trade and global commerce system mixed with our incessant desire for food products during the whole year makes it all the more important to take a global view through the One Health lens to solve these growing challenges. The recent explosion of Zika virus around the globe renewed the need for assessing transmissible diseases through the eyes of One Health. It is not good enough to know how a disease affects the human population without a thorough understanding of the environment and vector reservoirs. If 60 to 75% of infectious diseases affecting humans are of animal origin, the need for better One Health research strategies and overdue solutions is imperative.