bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nitric oxide negatively regulates abscisic acid signaling in guard cells by S-nitrosylation of OST1
Authors: Wang Pengcheng , Du Yanyan , Hou Yueh-Ju , Zhao Yang , Hsu Chuan-Chih , Yuan Feijuan , Zhu Xiaohong , Tao W. Andy , Song Chun-Peng , Zhu Jian-Kang 
Published: December 2014

Significance
Drought stress induces the accumulation of the plant stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA). ABA then quickly activates the protein kinase OST1/SnRK2.6 to phosphorylate a number of proteins in guard cells, resulting in stomatal closure to reduce transpirational water loss. How SnRK2.6 is deactivated and how ABA signaling may be desensitized are unclear. This study found that nitric oxide (NO) resulting from ABA signaling causes S-nitrosylation of SnRK2.6 at a cysteine residue close to the kinase catalytic site, which blocks the kinase activity. Dysfunction of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) reductase causes GSNO overaccumulation in guard cells and ABA insensitivity in stomatal regulation. This work thus reveals how ABA-induced NO functions in guard cells to inactivate SnRK2.6 to negatively feedback regulate ABA signaling.
Development and Outcomes of a Text Messaging Tobacco Cessation Intervention with Urban Adolescents
Authors: Mason Michael J. , Campbell Leah , Way Thomas , Keyser-Marcus Lori , Benotsch Eric , Mennis Jeremy , Zhang Jing , King Laura , May James , Stembridge Daniel R. 
Published: December 2014

Background This paper describes the development of an urban adolescent text messaging tobacco cessation intervention and preliminary findings from a randomized, controlled trial. The authors successfully adapted a face-to-face intervention into a personalized, automated, and interactive 5-day texting protocol. Methods Respondent-driven sampling was used beginning at a community substance abuse facility. Seventy-two tobacco-dependent adolescents were randomized into an automated computer texting program that delivered either the experimental condition of 30 motivational interviewing– and social network counseling–based personalized messages or the attention control condition consisting of a texting program covering general (non–smoking-related) health habits. All teens were provided smartphones for the study and were assessed at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months post intervention. Analyses examined condition × time interactions. Results At 6 months, the experimental condition decreased the number of cigarettes smoked in the past 30 days, increased intentions not to smoke in the future, and increased peer social support compared with controls. Effect sizes were moderate to large. Conclusions These findings are unique, as they target urban adolescents with a mobile health format and add to the growing literature on the efficacy of text-delivered interventions.
Proximate Composition of Bioflocs in Culture Systems Containing Hybrid Red Tilapia Fed Diets with Varying Levels of Vegetable Meal Inclusion
Authors: López-Elías José Antonio , Moreno-Arias Angélica , Miranda-Baeza Anselmo , Martínez-Córdova Luis Rafael , Rivas-Vega Martha Elisa , Márquez-Ríos Enrique 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Biofloc culture systems, which are based on the development of microorganisms that recycle inorganic nutrients and organic matter, may contribute to the nutrition of some farmed species. Juvenile red tilapia (Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus × Mozambique Tilapia O. mossambicus) cultured in saltwater were fed pelleted diets in which 0, 33, 67, or 100% of the fish meal was substituted with a vegetable meal mix (corn, wheat, and sorghum meals). The proximate composition of the biofloc produced in the culture systems was evaluated. Four experimental diets and one control diet (isocaloric and isoproteic) were randomly assigned to 15 experimental tanks. Samples of biofloc were periodically collected to measure the total suspended solids, organic matter, and ash content and to determine the protein, lipid, and carbohydrate contents. At the end of the study, variables describing red tilapia production were determined. The biofloc volume, total suspended solids, ash, and organic matter showed significant differences among treatments, but carbohydrate (33.0–39.0%), lipid (2.6–3.5%), and protein (23.7–25.4%) levels were similar. No significant differences were observed in red tilapia survival, final biomass, or feed conversion ratio. We conclude that the substitution of fish meal with vegetable meal in the pelleted feed had no adverse effect on the production response of saltwater-cultured red tilapia.
A note on the transitive Hurwitz action on decompositions of parabolic Coxeter elements
Authors: Baumeister Barbara , Dyer Matthew , Stump Christian , Wegener Patrick 
Published: December 2014

In this note, we provide a short and self-contained proof that the braid group on

n
n

strands acts transitively on the set of reduced factorizations of a Coxeter element in a Coxeter group of finite rank

n
n

into products of reflections. We moreover use the same argument to also show that all factorizations of an element in a parabolic subgroup of

W
W

also lie in this parabolic subgroup.
Valley excitons in two-dimensional semiconductors
Authors: Yu Hongyi , Cui Xiaodong , Xu Xiaodong , Yao Wang 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Monolayer group-VIB transition-metal dichalcogenides have recently emerged as a new class of semiconductors in the two-dimensional limit. The attractive properties include the visible range direct band gap ideal for exploring optoelectronic applications; the intriguing physics associated with spin and valley pseudospin of carriers which implies potentials for novel electronics based on these internal degrees of freedom; the exceptionally strong Coulomb interaction due to the two-dimensional geometry and the large effective masses. The physics of excitons, the bound states of electrons and holes, has been one of the most actively studied topics on these two-dimensional semiconductors, where the excitons exhibit remarkably new features due to the strong Coulomb binding, the valley degeneracy of the band edges and the valley-dependent optical selection rules for interband transitions. Here, we give a brief overview of the experimental and theoretical findings on excitons in two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides, with focus on the novel properties associated with their valley degrees of freedom.
Risk Factors for Developing Active Tuberculosis After the Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis in Adults Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Authors: Amoakwa Kojo , Martinson Neil A. , Moulton Lawrence H. , Barnes Grace L. , Msandiwa Reginah , Chaisson Richard E. 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Tuberculosis is the leading cause of death among adults infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and rates of tuberculosis remain high even after preventive therapy. Among 908 HIV-infected adults in a trial of preventive treatment, we found self-reported alcohol consumption, low baseline CD4 count, high baseline viral load, and tuberculin skin test size &gt;15 mm as independent risk factors for incident tuberculosis.
Surgeon Procedure Volume and Complication Rates in Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusions
Authors: Cole Tyler , Veeravagu Anand , Zhang Michael , Ratliff John K. 
Published: December 2014

Study Design:
Retrospective study using the MarketScan longitudinal database (2006–2010).

Objective:
Compare complication rates between groups of patients undergoing anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures performed by surgeons with high versus low mean annual ACDF volume.

Summary of Background Data:
Over the past decade the volume of ACDFs performed has increased, concurrent with greater appreciation of potential for associated complications. The effect of surgeon procedure volume on adverse events occurrence in the postoperative period has not been described.

Materials and Methods:
We evaluated the relationship between surgeon procedure volume and postoperative incidence of any complication using a multivariate logistic regression model. A total of 24,461 patients undergoing single and multiple level ACDFs were identified in the MarketScan database by Current Procedural Terminology coding. Annual surgeon volume was determined by tracking of anonymized surgeon identification numbers, with high-volume surgeons defined as those performing an average of at least 30 ACDF procedures annually.

Results:
Over 50% of unique surgeon identifiers reported <9 ACDF operations per year, whereas the highest decile reported a range of 44–101. High surgeon volume was protective for any complication [odds ratio (OR), 72; 95% confidence interval, 0.65–0.81; P<0.0001], with an adjusted number needed to harm of 44. Patients treated by high-volume physicians specifically had lower odds of dysphagia (2.22% vs. 3.08%; OR, 0.71; P<0.0013), neurological complications (0.33% vs. 0.64%; OR, 0.52; P<0.0107), new diagnosis of chronic pain (0.48% vs. 0.82%; OR, 0.58; P<0.0119), pulmonary complications (1.10% vs. 1.58%; OR, 0.69; P<0.0138), and other wound complications (0.06% vs. 0.22%; OR, 0.28; P<0.0242).

Conclusions:
We demonstrate a possible association between higher surgeon procedure volume and decreased postoperative complications after ACDF. There was no difference observed in need for revision surgery or readmission rates.
Spinopelvic Alignment by Different Surgical Methods in the Treatment of Degenerative Sagittal Imbalance of the Lumbar Spine
Authors: Chang Dong-Gune , Ha Kee-Yong , Kim Young-Hoon , Lee Eun-Whan 
Published: December 2014

Study Design:
A retrospective comparative study.

Objective:
To compare pedicle subtraction osteotomy (PSO) and iliac fixation (ILF) without osteotomy as methods of correcting lumbar spine deformities due to degenerative sagittal imbalance (DSI) through the evaluation of the changes in spinopelvic alignment.

Summary of Background Data:
Many papers have reported the surgical results after PSO and ILF for patients with fixed adult deformities. However, little is known about the difference between PSO and ILF corrections of spinopelvic alignment in adults with DSI.

Methods:
DSI patients who had undergone PSO or ILF with a minimum of 2-year follow-up (FU) were retrospectively studied in PSO (n=30) or ILF (n=25) groups. Lumbar lordosis (LL), thoracic kyphosis (TK), and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) were measured as spinal parameters and pelvic incidence (PI), sacral slope (SS), and pelvic tilt (PT) were used as measurements of pelvic parameters. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores.

Results:
There were no statistically significant differences between the PSO and ILF groups with regard to age and fused segments, but there were significant differences in operative time and estimated blood loss. Concerning spinal parameters, there were significant increases of LL and TK in PSO group immediate postoperatively (LL: P=0.014, TK: P=0.017) and at the 2-year FU (LL: P=0.021, TK: P=0.022), but no significant difference in SVA was evident between the 2 groups. Within the pelvic parameters, there was a significant increase of SS and decrease of PT in the ILF group immediate postoperatively (SS: P=0.013, PT: P=0.009) and at the 2-year FU (SS: P=0.024, PT: P=0.027), but the PI in both groups was not changed after surgery and there was no significant difference between 2 groups. VAS and ODI were significantly improved after surgery in both groups.

Conclusions:
The PSO group was better than the ILF group in the correction of the LL and TK, but not with regard to the pelvic parameters. The ILF group was superior in the correction of the pelvic orientation as compared with the PSO group when the PI was constant after surgery. Ultimately, ILF effectively achieves better correction of the pelvic parameters (SS and PT).
Too packed to change: site-specific substitution rates and side-chain packing in protein evolution
Authors: Marcos María Laura , Echave Julian 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACTIn protein evolution, due to functional and biophysical constraints, the rates of amino acid substitution differ from site to site. Among the best predictors of site-specific rates is packing density. The packing density measure that best correlates with rates is the weighted contact number (WCN), the sum of inverse square distances between the site’sCαand the otherCα. According to a mechanistic stress model proposed recently, rates are determined by packing because mutating packed sites stresses and destabilizes the protein’s active conformation. While WCN is a measure ofCαpacking, mutations replace side chains, which prompted us to consider whether a site’s evolutionary divergence is constrained by main-chain packing or side-chain packing. To address this issue, we extended the stress theory to model side chains explicitly. The theory predicts that rates should depend solely on side-chain packing. We tested these predictions on a data set of structurally and functionally diverse monomeric enzymes. We found that, on average, side-chain contact density (WCNρ) explains 39.1% of among-sites rate variation, larger than main-chain contact density (WCNα) which explains 32.1%. More importantly, the independent contribution of WCNαis only 0.7%. Thus, as predicted by the stress theory, site-specific evolutionary rates are determined by side-chain packing.
Arabidopsis Ensemble Reverse-Engineered Gene Regulatory Network Discloses Interconnected Transcription Factors in Oxidative Stress
Authors: Vermeirssen Vanessa , De Clercq Inge , Van Parys Thomas , Van Breusegem Frank , Van de Peer Yves 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
The abiotic stress response in plants is complex and tightly controlled by gene regulation. We present an abiotic stress gene regulatory network of 200,014 interactions for 11,938 target genes by integrating four complementary reverse-engineering solutions through average rank aggregation on an Arabidopsis thaliana microarray expression compendium. This ensemble performed the most robustly in benchmarking and greatly expands upon the availability of interactions currently reported. Besides recovering 1182 known regulatory interactions, cis-regulatory motifs and coherent functionalities of target genes corresponded with the predicted transcription factors. We provide a valuable resource of 572 abiotic stress modules of coregulated genes with functional and regulatory information, from which we deduced functional relationships for 1966 uncharacterized genes and many regulators. Using gain- and loss-of-function mutants of seven transcription factors grown under control and salt stress conditions, we experimentally validated 141 out of 271 predictions (52% precision) for 102 selected genes and mapped 148 additional transcription factor-gene regulatory interactions (49% recall). We identified an intricate core oxidative stress regulatory network where NAC13, NAC053, ERF6, WRKY6, and NAC032 transcription factors interconnect and function in detoxification. Our work shows that ensemble reverse-engineering can generate robust biological hypotheses of gene regulation in a multicellular eukaryote that can be tested by medium-throughput experimental validation.
Cell Differentiation and Development inArabidopsisAre Associated with Changes in Histone Dynamics at the Single-Cell Level
Authors: Rosa Stefanie , Ntoukakis Vardis , Ohmido Nobuko , Pendle Ali , Abranches Rita , Shaw Peter 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThe mechanism whereby the same genome can give rise to different cell types with different gene expression profiles is a fundamental problem in biology. Chromatin organization and dynamics have been shown to vary with altered gene expression in different cultured animal cell types, but there is little evidence yet from whole organisms linking chromatin dynamics with development. Here, we used both fluorescence recovery after photobleaching and two-photon photoactivation to show that in stem cells from Arabidopsis thaliana roots the mobility of the core histone H2B, as judged by exchange dynamics, is lower than in the surrounding cells of the meristem. However, as cells progress from meristematic to fully differentiated, core histones again become less mobile and more strongly bound to chromatin. We show that these transitions are largely mediated by changes in histone acetylation. We further show that altering histone acetylation levels, either in a mutant or by drug treatment, alters both the histone mobility and markers of development and differentiation. We propose that plant stem cells have relatively inactive chromatin, but they keep the potential to divide and differentiate into more dynamic states, and that these states are at least in part determined by histone acetylation levels.
Response of non‐grassland avian guilds to adjacent herbaceous field buffers: testing the configuration of targeted conservation practices in agricultural landscapes
Authors: Riffell Samuel K. , Monroe Adrian P. , Martin James A. , Evans Kristine O. , Burger Loren W. , Smith Mark D. 
Published: December 2014

SummaryA substantial part of the world's land base is dominated by agriculture, and forest habitat often consists of discrete patches of forest and linear woody corridors. These natural components provide habitat for some forest birds, but make conservation of these species difficult. In‐field practices applied outside forest patches, such as specific juxtapositions of herbaceous field buffers adjacent to forest habitat, could increase avian diversity contributions of existing forest without creation of additional forest habitat. Our prediction was that herbaceous field buffers would increase bird richness in adjacent forest, and we evaluated four potential mechanisms.We used bird count data from a conservation buffer monitoring programme and hierarchical community models to estimate species richness of forest generalist, forest interior and shrubland (edge) species near forest edges with and without adjacent herbaceous field buffers. We accounted for heterogeneity in detection probabilities and forest cover in surrounding landscapes when estimating species‐ and guild‐level responses.Consistent with the drift fence hypothesis, adjacent herbaceous buffers were associated with a modest increase in richness of forest interior birds in woody corridors, but not in forest blocks. Consistent with resource complementation, adjacent herbaceous buffers were associated with modest increases in richness of shrubland (edge) birds in both woody corridors and forest blocks.Across all species and guilds, adjacent buffers were generally associated with greater abundance (e.g. 28 of 39 species), but these increases were also relatively small and highly variable (i.e. overlapping 95% credible intervals). Corroborating existing research, effects of adjacent herbaceous buffers are likely real, but neither pervasive nor strong.Synthesis and applications. Conservation practices targeted to grassland species often produce measurable conservation benefits for target species. However, biodiversity return for investment would be further increased if targeted practices could be deployed in ways that also produce benefits for non‐target species in adjacent habitats. Our results suggest that additional benefits for non‐target species using adjacent forest habitat are likely to be modest, so conservation planning should focus on species targeted by the conservation practices and avoidance of potential negative impacts on those species when positive benefits to adjacent habitat are weak or lacking.
Association between ABCG2 Q141K polymorphism and gout risk affected by ethnicity and gender: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Dong Zheng , Guo Shicheng , Yang Yajun , Wu Junjie , Guan Ming , Zou Hejian , Jin Li , Wang Jiucun 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAimOriginal studies have employed various genetic models in association analysis between ABCG2 Q141K (rs2231142) with gout risk and different or conflicting results, especially regarding the role of gender in this association. In addition, it is not clear whether the association varies by ethnicity.MethodArticles published before September 1, 2013 were extracted and registered into databases for the systematic review of this polymorphism. The quality of each study was scored based on predefined criteria. The genetic model was identified through stratification analysis, then a meta‐analysis including all publically available data was preformed to test the association between rs2231142 and gout risk. Potential sources of heterogeneity were sought out via stratification analysis and meta‐regression analysis.ResultsNine case–control studies involving 17 942 individuals were eligible for the meta‐analysis of rs2231142. Codominant model was the most appropriate genetic model to interpret the susceptibility cause. It showed that the rs2231142 T allele obviously increased gout risk, and TT was much stronger than GT (TT vs. GG: OR, 4.10; 95% CI, 2.90–5.80; GT vs. GG: OR, 1.71, 95% CI, 1.39–2.10). In addition, gender and ethnicity were found to affect the association between the susceptibility of gout and rs2231142.ConclusionABCG2 rs2231142 is an important genetic factor in increasing gout risk, and the difference in genetic association has been found between male and female populations. In addition, the degree of association has been found to vary with ethnicity.
Social and spatial heterogeneity in psychosis proneness in a multilevel case–prodrome–control study
Authors: Kirkbride J. B. , Stochl J. , Zimbrón J. , Crane C. M. , Metastasio A. , Aguilar E. , Webster R. , Theegala S. , Kabacs N. , Jones P. B. , Perez J. 
Published: December 2014

ObjectiveTo test whether spatial and social neighbourhood patterning of people at ultra‐high risk (UHR) of psychosis differs from first‐episode psychosis (FEP) participants or controls and to determine whether exposure to different social environments is evident before disorder onset.MethodWe tested differences in the spatial distributions of representative samples of FEP, UHR and control participants and fitted two‐level multinomial logistic regression models, adjusted for individual‐level covariates, to examine group differences in neighbourhood‐level characteristics.ResultsThe spatial distribution of controls (n = 41) differed from UHR (n = 48; P = 0.04) and FEP participants (n = 159; P = 0.01), whose distribution was similar (P = 0.17). Risk in FEP and UHR groups was associated with the same neighbourhood‐level exposures: proportion of single‐parent households [FEP adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 1.56 95% CI: 1.00–2.45; UHR aOR: 1.59; 95% CI: 0.99–2.57], ethnic diversity (FEP aOR: 1.27; 95% CI: 1.02–1.58; UHR aOR: 1.28; 95% CI: 1.00–1.63) and multiple deprivation (FEP aOR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.78–1.00; UHR aOR: 0.86; 95% CI: 0.76–0.99).ConclusionSimilar neighbourhood‐level exposures predicted UHR and FEP risk, whose residential patterning was closer to each other's than controls. Adverse social environments are associated with psychosis before FEP onset.
Mycophenolic acid in dermatology a century after its discovery
Authors: Strathie Page Sarah J , Tait Clare P 
Published: December 2014

AbstractMycophenolic acid was first discovered in 1913 and first used clinically in the 1970s as an immunosuppressant to prevent organ transplantation rejection. It was later used in the treatment of psoriasis. However due to its side‐effect profile and fears over its carcinogenic potential it was abandoned. From the late 1990s a prodrug, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), was developed and more recently, enteric‐coated mycophenolate sodium (EC‐MPS), both of which have gained increasing use in the field of dermatology for a variety of skin conditions. This review discusses the pharmacology, mechanisms of action, side‐effects and current clinical applications in dermatology of MMF and EC‐MPS.