The Maize MID-COMPLEMENTING ACTIVITY Homolog CELL NUMBER REGULATOR13/NARROW ODD DWARF Coordinates Organ Growth and Tissue Patterning.

Organogenesis occurs through cell division, expansion, and differentiation. How these cellular processes are coordinated remains elusive. The maize () leaf provides a robust system to study cellular differentiation due to its distinct tissues and cell types.

The Questionable Economic Case for Value-Based Drug Pricing in Market Health Systems.

This article investigates the economic theory and interpretation of the concept of "value-based pricing" for new breakthrough drugs with no close substitutes in a context (such as the United States) in which a drug firm with market power sells its product to various buyers. The interpretation is different from that in a country that evaluates medicines for a single public health insurance plan or a set of heavily regulated plans. It is shown that there will not ordinarily be a single value-based price but rather a schedule of prices with different volumes of buyers at each price.

Generating in-Plane Orientational Order in Multilayer Films Prepared by Spray-Assisted Layer-by-Layer Assembly.

We present a simple yet efficient method for orienting cellulose nanofibrils in layer-by-layer assembled films through spray-assisted alignment. While spraying at 90° against a receiving surface produces films with homogeneous in-plane orientation, spraying at smaller angles causes a macroscopic directional surface flow of liquid on the receiving surface and leads to films with substantial in-plane anisotropy when nanoscale objects with anisotropic shapes are used as components. First results with cellulose nanofibrils demonstrate that such fibrils are easily aligned by grazing incidence spraying to yield optically birefringent films over large surface areas.

Eight- or 12-Week Treatment of Hepatitis C with Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir: Real-World Experience in a Large Integrated Health System.

Background: Second-generation direct-acting antiviral agents are integral to treatment of hepatitis C (HCV) infection. Eight-week courses of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) have been supported in some studies, but data are limited on efficacy in real-world use. Controversy exists regarding applicability of clinical trials to real-world effectiveness.

Quality of Life after Surgical Treatment for Esophageal Atresia: Long-Term Outcome of 154 Patients.

 The short- and long-term surgical results in patients with esophageal atresia (EA) with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) have been described in depth from a physician's perspective. Contrarily, the perception and coping strategies of affected patients and their parents have rarely been reported. The aim of this study was to generate data on this matter.

Esophageal Atresia with or without Tracheoesophageal Fistula (EA/TEF): Association of Different EA/TEF Subtypes with Specific Co-occurring Congenital Anomalies and Implications for Diagnostic Workup.

Background:  Esophageal atresia with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) represents the most common developmental malformation of the upper digestive tract. It is classified into six subtypes according to the classification of Vogt, depending on anatomical variation of this malformation. Around 50% of the patients with EA/TEF present additional anomalies, which often influence, next to the EA/TEF subtype, the overall prognosis of EA/TEF newborns.

Spray-assisted alignment of Layer-by-Layer assembled silver nanowires: a general approach for the preparation of highly anisotropic nano-composite films.

The present article focuses on the build-up and the properties of oriented silver nanowire monolayer films and Layer-by-Layer assembled multilayer films. We describe the template-free oriented spray-assisted assembly of silver nanowires at solid/air-interfaces using Grazing Incidence Spraying, a simple and versatile approach that allows the formation of highly oriented thin films with a tunable density and in-plane orientation. Depending on the spraying conditions the nematic order parameter, which describes the angular spread of misaligned nanowires, can be as high as 0.

Seroprevalence of Cytomegalovirus Infection Among a Rural Population of Côte d'Ivoire.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a betaherpesvirus that can be pathogenic to humans. In particular, immunocompromised patients can develop life-threatening symptoms. In the present study, HCMV seroprevalence was investigated in a rural population of Western Côte d'Ivoire.

Medical employment growth, unemployment, and the opportunity cost of health care.

This policy note examines the relationship between the growth in the share of the workforce in medical care and the shares of workers who are unemployed, working in services or government employment, or working elsewhere in the economy. These changes provide measures of the opportunity cost of higher medical care spending, the majority of which is on labor. Using state data over the period 1990-2010, we find that, in years of high economy-wide unemployment, growth in medical employment in a state reduces the unemployment rate significantly; it does not appear to displace employment in other services or government employment.

Two Trichome Birefringence-Like Proteins Mediate Xylan Acetylation, Which Is Essential for Leaf Blight Resistance in Rice.

Acetylation is a ubiquitous modification on cell wall polymers, which play a structural role in plant growth and stress defenses. However, the mechanisms for how crop plants accomplish cell wall polymer O-acetylation are largely unknown. Here, we report on the isolation and characterization of two trichome birefringence-like (tbl) mutants in rice (Oryza sativa), which are affected in xylan O-acetylation.

Plasmid-Based Generation of Induced Neural Stem Cells from Adult Human Fibroblasts.

Direct reprogramming from somatic to neural cell types has become an alternative to induced pluripotent stem cells. Most protocols employ viral expression systems, posing the risk of random genomic integration. Recent developments led to plasmid-based protocols, lowering this risk.

Leukaemogenic effects of Ptpn11 activating mutations in the stem cell microenvironment.

Germline activating mutations of the protein tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 (encoded by PTPN11), a positive regulator of the RAS signalling pathway, are found in 50% of patients with Noonan syndrome. These patients have an increased risk of developing leukaemia, especially juvenile myelomonocytic leukaemia (JMML), a childhood myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN). Previous studies have demonstrated that mutations in Ptpn11 induce a JMML-like MPN through cell-autonomous mechanisms that are dependent on Shp2 catalytic activity.

Permutation-based inference for the AUC: A unified approach for continuous and discontinuous data.

We investigate rank-based studentized permutation methods for the nonparametric Behrens-Fisher problem, that is, inference methods for the area under the ROC curve. We hereby prove that the studentized permutation distribution of the Brunner-Munzel rank statistic is asymptotically standard normal, even under the alternative. Thus, incidentally providing the hitherto missing theoretical foundation for the Neubert and Brunner studentized permutation test.

The emergence of antibody therapies for Ebola.

This review describes the history of Ebola monoclonal antibody (mAb) development leading up to the recent severe Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The Ebola virus has presented numerous perplexing challenges in the long effort to develop therapeutic antibody strategies. Since the first report of a neutralizing human anti-Ebola mAb in 1999, the straightforward progression from in vitro neutralization resulting in in vivo protection and therapy has not occurred.

Humanized Monoclonal Antibody That Passively Protects Mice against Systemic and Intranasal Ricin Toxin Challenge.

PB10 is a murine monoclonal antibody against an immunodominant epitope on ricin toxin's enzymatic subunit. Here, we characterize a fully humanized version of PB10 IgG1 (hPB10) and demonstrate that it has potent in vitro and in vivo toxin-neutralizing activities. We also report the minimum serum concentrations of hPB10 required to protect mice against 10 times the 50% lethal dose of ricin when delivered by injection and inhalation.

Anisotropic optical and conductive properties of oriented 1D-nanoparticle thin films made by spray-assisted self-assembly.

We report on the fabrication of oriented anisotropic metal nanoparticle thin films made by Grazing Incidence Spraying (GIS) and on the anisotropic plasmonic properties of the resulting thin films. Gold nanorods of two different aspect ratios and silver nanowires were self-assembled as a uniaxially aligned monolayer with the GIS approach. In particular, we examine the influence of the nanowire/nanorod length and diameter on the degree of ordering determined by electron microscopy pictures.

Structural Modifications of Fructans in Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera) Grown under Water Stress.

Aloe barbadensis Miller (Aloe vera) has a Crassulaceae acid metabolism which grants the plant great tolerance to water restrictions. Carbohydrates such as acemannans and fructans are among the molecules responsible for tolerating water deficit in other plant species. Nevertheless, fructans, which are prebiotic compounds, have not been described nor studied in Aloe vera, whose leaf gel is known to possess beneficial pharmaceutical, nutritional and cosmetic properties.

Assessing Host-Virus Codivergence for Close Relatives of Merkel Cell Polyomavirus Infecting African Great Apes.

Unlabelled: It has long been hypothesized that polyomaviruses (PyV; family Polyomaviridae) codiverged with their animal hosts. In contrast, recent analyses suggested that codivergence may only marginally influence the evolution of PyV. We reassess this question by focusing on a single lineage of PyV infecting hominine hosts, the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV) lineage.

Efficient In Vitro and In Vivo Activity of Glyco-Engineered Plant-Produced Rabies Monoclonal Antibodies E559 and 62-71-3.

Rabies is a neglected zoonotic disease that has no effective treatment after onset of illness. However the disease can be prevented effectively by prompt administration of post exposure prophylaxis which includes administration of passive immunizing antibodies (Rabies Immune Globulin, RIG). Currently, human RIG suffers from many restrictions including limited availability, batch-to batch inconsistencies and potential for contamination with blood-borne pathogens.

The Arabidopsis Golgi-localized GDP-L-fucose transporter is required for plant development.

Nucleotide sugar transport across Golgi membranes is essential for the luminal biosynthesis of glycan structures. Here we identify GDP-fucose transporter 1 (GFT1), an Arabidopsis nucleotide sugar transporter that translocates GDP-L-fucose into the Golgi lumen. Using proteo-liposome-based transport assays, we show that GFT preferentially transports GDP-L-fucose over other nucleotide sugars in vitro, while GFT1-silenced plants are almost devoid of L-fucose in cell wall-derived xyloglucan and rhamnogalacturonan II.

Effects of alternative interventions among hospitalized, cognitively impaired older adults.

Aim: Compare within site effects of three interventions designed to enhance outcomes of hospitalized cognitively impaired elders.

Methods: Prospective, nonrandomized, confirmatory phased study. In Phase I, 183 patients received one of three interventions: augmented standard care (ASC), resource nurse care (RNC) or Transitional Care Model (TCM).

A DUF-246 family glycosyltransferase-like gene affects male fertility and the biosynthesis of pectic arabinogalactans.

Background: Pectins are a group of structurally complex plant cell wall polysaccharides whose biosynthesis and function remain poorly understood. The pectic polysaccharide rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) has two types of arabinogalactan side chains, type-I and type-II arabinogalactans. To date few enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of pectin have been described.