Observation of 2D Fermionic Mott Insulators of ^{40}K with Single-Site Resolution.

We report on the site-resolved observation of characteristic states of the two-dimensional repulsive Fermi-Hubbard model, using ultracold ^{40}K atoms in an optical lattice. By varying the tunneling, interaction strength, and external confinement, we realize metallic, Mott-insulating, and band-insulating states. We directly measure the local moment, which quantifies the degree of on-site magnetization, as a function of temperature and chemical potential.

Predicting the potential environmental suitability for Theileria orientalis transmission in New Zealand cattle using maximum entropy niche modelling.

The tick-borne haemoparasite Theileria orientalis is the most important infectious cause of anaemia in New Zealand cattle. Since 2012 a previously unrecorded type, T. orientalis type 2 (Ikeda), has been associated with disease outbreaks of anaemia, lethargy, jaundice and deaths on over 1000 New Zealand cattle farms, with most of the affected farms found in the upper North Island.

Lumbar spondylolysis in the adolescent athlete.

Introduction: Spondylolysis is a common occurrence for adolescent athletes who have low back pain. The injury involves a defect in the pars interarticularis, occurring as a result of repeated hyperextension and rotation.

Clinical Presentation: Clinical findings might include tightness of the hip flexors and hamstrings, weakness of the abdominals and gluteals, and an excessive lordotic posture.

Principal Component Analysis and Molecular Characterization of Reniform Nematode Populations in Alabama.

U.S. cotton production is suffering from the yield loss caused by the reniform nematode (RN), Rotylenchulus reniformis.

Optimization of In Vitro Techniques for Distinguishing between Live and Dead Second Stage Juveniles of Heterodera glycines and Meloidogyne incognita.

Heterodera glycines (Soybean Cyst nematode, or SCN) and Meloidogyne incognita (Root-Knot nematode, or RKN) are two damaging plant-parasitic nematodes on important field crops. Developing a quick method to distinguish between live and dead SCN and RKN second stage juveniles (J2) is vital for high throughput screening of pesticides or biological compounds against SCN and RKN. The in vitro assays were conducted in 96-well plates to determine the optimum chemical stimulus to distinguish between live and dead SCN and RKN J2.

Generation of an algorithm based on minimal gene sets to clinically subtype triple negative breast cancer patients.

Background: Recently, a gene expression algorithm, TNBCtype, was developed that can divide triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) into molecularly-defined subtypes. The algorithm has potential to provide predictive value for TNBC subtype-specific response to various treatments. TNBCtype used in a retrospective analysis of neoadjuvant clinical trial data of TNBC patients demonstrated that TNBC subtype and pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy were significantly associated.

Assessment of the accuracy of estimation of gestational age in cattle from placentome size using inverse regression.

Aims: To assess, in dairy cows between 60-160 days of gestation, whether the agreement between actual gestational age and that predicted by placentome size could be improved by using individual placentome measurements rather than a single average, and to identify how increasing the number of placentomes measured improved the prediction.

Methods: Data were obtained from 58 cows examined using transrectal ultrasonography every 10 days between 60-130 days, and every 15 days between 130-160 days of gestation. For each cow, four to six placentomes in each of the pregnant and non-pregnant horns were examined from the region of the uterus near to the cervix.

An observational study of the vertical transmission of Theileria orientalis (Ikeda) in a New Zealand pastoral dairy herd.

Although only recently recognised, Theileria orientalis (Ikeda) is now the most important infectious cause of anaemia in New Zealand cattle. The aim of this study was to test if vertical transmission of T. orientalis (Ikeda) from dam to calf across the placenta occurs in naturally infected New Zealand dairy cattle and to also test whether the infection status of the dam at calving affects the future susceptibility of its offspring to T.

Effect of Sample Preparation on the Discrimination of Bacterial Isolates Cultured in Liquid Nutrient Media Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS).

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is used as the basis for discrimination between two genera of gram-negative bacteria and two genera of gram-positive bacteria representing pathogenic threats commonly found in poultry processing rinse waters. Because LIBS-based discrimination relies primarily upon the relative proportions of inorganic cell components including Na, K, Mg, and Ca, this study aims to determine the effects of trace mineral content and pH found in the water source used to isolate the bacteria upon the reliability of the resulting discriminant analysis. All four genera were cultured using tryptic soy agar (TSA) as the nutrient medium, and were grown under identical environmental conditions.

Monitoring an epidemic of Theileria-associated bovine anaemia (Ikeda) in cattle herds in New Zealand.

Monitoring an epidemic of an emerging vector-borne disease can be problematic; particularly in a country where vector-borne disease has previously had minimal impact on livestock. This paper describes methods of past and current surveillance of the Theileria-associated bovine anaemia (Ikeda; TABA) epidemic in New Zealand, and the resulting inferences made. Over the three year period of the TABA epidemic a portfolio of surveillance methods has been used: case reporting (with subsidised PCR testing), syndromic surveillance, sentinel surveillance, testing convenience samples for herd infection, as well as specific active surveillance initiatives to understand the tick vector distribution.

Circular dichroism based refractive index sensing using chiral metamaterials.

A new strategy to improve the sensing ability of localized surface plasmon resonance sensors is presented. By employing chiral plasmonic nanostructures, circularly polarized differential transmittance can show enhanced sensing performance over circularly polarized transmittance under certain conditions.

Acetyl-Phosphate Is Not a Global Regulatory Bridge between Virulence and Central Metabolism in Borrelia burgdorferi.

In B. burgdorferi, the Rrp2-RpoN-RpoS signaling cascade is a distinctive system that coordinates the expression of virulence factors required for successful transition between its arthropod vector and mammalian hosts. Rrp2 (BB0763), an RpoN specific response regulator, is essential to activate this regulatory pathway.

Transcriptome Analysis of Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) Genotypes That Are Susceptible, Resistant, and Hypersensitive to Reniform Nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis).

Reniform nematode is a semi-endoparasitic nematode species causing significant yield loss in numerous crops, including cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). An RNA-sequencing analysis was conducted to measure transcript abundance in reniform nematode susceptible (DP90 & SG747), resistant (BARBREN-713), and hypersensitive (LONREN-1) genotypes of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.

An assessment of the herd-level impact of the Theileria orientalis (Ikeda) epidemic of cattle in New Zealand, 2012-2013: a mixed methods approach.

Aim: To estimate incidence risk, cumulative mortality and case fatality rate within herds affected by bovine anaemia associated with Theileria orientalis infection (TABA), in New Zealand during the early phase of the epidemic (August 2012-September 2013).

Methods: A mixed methods approach was utilised to integrate data from various sources, including a detailed questionnaire carried out on 18 dairy farms which had experienced cases of TABA; a brief telephone survey of an additional 139 case farms; and data extracted from a Ministry for Primary Industries database for a further 42 case farms. The subsequent analysis determined incidence risk, cumulative mortality and case fatality rates for beef and dairy herds.

Epidemiology of the epidemic of bovine anaemia associated with Theileria orientalis (Ikeda) between August 2012 and March 2014.

Aims: To describe the epidemiology of the epidemic of bovine anaemia associated with Theileria orientalis infection (TABA) in New Zealand between 30 August 2012 and 4 March 2014.

Methods: Blood samples and associated data were obtained from cases of TABA. The case definition for TABA was met when piroplasms were present on blood smears and the haematocrit was ≤0.

Label-Free Nanoplasmonic-Based Short Noncoding RNA Sensing at Attomolar Concentrations Allows for Quantitative and Highly Specific Assay of MicroRNA-10b in Biological Fluids and Circulating Exosomes.

MicroRNAs are short noncoding RNAs consisting of 18-25 nucleotides that target specific mRNA moieties for translational repression or degradation, thereby modulating numerous biological processes. Although microRNAs have the ability to behave like oncogenes or tumor suppressors in a cell-autonomous manner, their exact roles following release into the circulation are only now being unraveled and it is important to establish sensitive assays to measure their levels in different compartments in the circulation. Here, an ultrasensitive localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)-based microRNA sensor with single nucleotide specificity was developed using chemically synthesized gold nanoprisms attached onto a solid substrate with unprecedented long-term stability and reversibility.

Evaluation of multiple putative risk alleles within the 15q13.3 region for genetic generalized epilepsy.

The chromosome 15q13.3 region has been implicated in epilepsy, intellectual disability and neuropsychiatric disorders, especially schizophrenia. Deficiency of the acetylcholine receptor gene CHRNA7 and the partial duplication, CHRFAM7A, may contribute to these phenotypes and we sought to comprehensively analyze these genes in genetic generalized epilepsy.

Application of quantitative PCR assays for diagnosing Ikeda and other Theileria orientalis types to examine associations between severity of anaemia and parasitaemia in bovine anaemia outbreaks.

Aims: To use quantitative PCR assays to detect Theileria orientalis Ikeda type in cattle presumed infected with T. orientalis, to examine the relationship between theilerial piroplasm count and haematocrit (HCT), and the relationship with quantification cycle threshold (Cq) values.

Methods: Blood samples in EDTA (n=1,024), derived from herds affected by anaemia associated with T.

Prolonged In Vivo Retention of a Cathepsin D Targeted Optical Contrast Agent in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Cathepsin D (CatD) is a lysosomal protease that is elevated early in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We have previously developed a Targeted contrast agent (CA) to detect CatD activity in vivo, consisting of a magnetic resonance imaging/fluorescent moiety linked to a cell penetrating peptide (CPP) by means of a CatD cleavage site and have demonstrated its uptake in the brain of an AD mouse model.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to characterize the in vivo retention of a near infra-red fluorescent dye labeled version of this CA.

Information and Risk Modification Trial (INFORM): design of a randomised controlled trial of communicating different types of information about coronary heart disease risk, alongside lifestyle advice, to achieve change in health-related behaviour.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally. Primary prevention of CVD requires cost-effective strategies to identify individuals at high risk in order to help target preventive interventions. An integral part of this approach is the use of CVD risk scores.

Update on Treatment Options for Gonococcal Infections.

The incidence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae infections in the United States has grown over the past decade. The most recent data provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicate that reported cases have increased by almost 10% over the last 5 years. In conjunction with this rise, the presence of multidrug-resistant strains of N.

PRIMA1 mutation: a new cause of nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy.

Objective: Nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE) can be sporadic or autosomal dominant; some families have nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit mutations. We report a novel autosomal recessive phenotype in a single family and identify the causative gene.

Methods: Whole exome sequencing data was used to map the family, thereby narrowing exome search space, and then to identify the mutation.