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Epidendrum produces 2n gametes with high frequency. This paper is the first to report on multiple pathways for forming 2n gametes, meiotic defeats, and pre-meiotic chromosome doubling. Unreduced 2n reproductive cells are predominantly involved in pathways that lead to polyploid plants. Although one of the most common pathways for inducing 2n gametes is through meiotic defects, a small set of isolated species alternatively generates 2n gametes from tetraploid pollen mother cells in the pre-meiotic phase. Hence, determining the mechanisms underlying 2n gamete formation is critical to improving breeding programmes and understanding plant evolution. We investigated sporads to reveal the pathway(s) accounting for the formation and frequencies of 2n gametes in wild species and interspecific hybrids in the genus Epidendrum. We investigated different types of sporads with varying frequencies, sizes, and viability in the wild species and hybrids of the genus Epidendrum. Large tetrad-estimated pre-meiotic chromosome doubling was observed in wild species. The Epidendrum is unique in that it forms 2n pollens via two pathways, namely, meiotic defects and pre-meiotic chromosome doubling. These two pathways of 2n pollen formation could influence the high diversity generation of polyploidy with different degrees of heterozygosity and genetic backgrounds in the genus Epidendrum. Therefore, these findings are proposed to influence polyploid breeding of Epidendrum via 2n pollen, helping us understand evolution and speciation via unreduced 2n gamete formation in Orchidaceae.

We examined the effects of five antimitotic agents using Antirrhinum majus L. ‘Maryland True Pink’ on the induction of adventitious shoots resulted in increase of frequencies of chromosome doubling without plant growth regulators. Seeds were treated in vitro with 0, 16.5, 32.9, 65.8, 131.6, or 263.2 µM oryzalin (ORY), amiprofos-methyl (APM), butamifos (BUT), or propham (IPC) or 800, 1,600, 3,200, 6,400, or 12,800 µM colchicine (COL) for 7 day. ORY, COL and APM promoted induction of adventitious shoots on the hypocotyls at maximum frequencies of 57.6% with 16.5 µM ORY, 5.6% with 800 µM COL and 88.8% with 131.6 µM APM. ORY and COL also induced adventitious shoots on the epicotyls adjacent to the cotyledons, particularly at high concentrations, with a maximum frequency of 26.0% at 12,800 µM COL. APM treatment increased frequencies of tetraploids from 0.0 to 93.1%, with a positive correlation between the frequency and concentration. By contrast, ORY and COL induced tetraploids at frequencies of 16.0 to 54.6% and 4.0 to 59.4%, respectively, with peaks at both low and high concentrations of each. Correlation analysis revealed that frequencies of adventitious shoot formation could be useful as an index for the induction of tetraploids. These results showed that three of the antimitotic agents tested induced both adventitious shoot and tetraploid without plant growth regulators, indicating that antimitotic action may play a common role in the induction of adventitious shoot.

Crizotinib shows antitumor activity against C-ros oncogene 1-rearranged non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). While corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation and bradycardia are known cardiac adverse effects, little is known about crizotinib-related heart failure. Our patient with C-ros oncogene 1-rearranged NSCLC on a reduced dose of crizotinib (200 mg twice daily) after initially experiencing bradycardia and QTc prolongation developed crizotinib-induced heart failure. With further dose reduction (250 mg once daily), there was no recurrence of any cardiac adverse effects, and the patient achieved a long-term response. Although crizotinib can cause heart failure, continuation of crizotinib at a low dose may be an effective treatment option.

Dendrobium Stardust ‘Fire Bird’ is an interspecific hybrid between D. unicum and D. Ukon ‘Arai’ and is known to be sterile and prevents further breeding. Chromosome doubling is an essential method to increase the size of plant organs, such as flowers, and restore fertility of interspecific hybrids, which enables further breeding for ornamental traits. To induce chromosome doubling, the protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) of a given variety were treated in vitro for 6 to 48 h with 10 to 160 mg L−1 amiprofos-methyl (APM). Higher APM concentrations resulted in lower rates of survival of treated PLBs. Furthermore, subsequent growth of PLBs was hampered with prolonged APM treatment, although 10 and 20 mg L−1 APM was optimal for doubling chromosomes. Plantlets with a swollen and shorter stem were observed after the APM treatment and these plants were also chromosome-doubled and became a distinctive morphological marker for the primary selection of chromosome-doubled plants. Chromosome-doubled plants of D. Stardust ‘Fire Bird’ will be utilized for the future breeding of unique Dendrobium cultivars.

Cross-cultural musical analysis requires standardized symbolic representation of sounds such as score notation. However, transcription into notation is usually conducted manually by ear, which is time-consuming and subjective. Our aim is to evaluate the reliability of existing methods for transcribing songs from diverse societies. We had 3 experts independently transcribe a sample of 32 excerpts of traditional monophonic songs from around the world (half a cappella, half with instrumental accompaniment). 16 songs also had pre-existing transcriptions created by 3 different experts. We compared these human transcriptions against one another and against 10 automatic music transcription algorithms. We found that human transcriptions can be sufficiently reliable (~90% agreement, κ ~.7), but current automated methods are not (

The purpose of this study was to clarify the therapeutic effects of oxytetracycline (OTC) as a first-line antibiotic in cattle with acute Escherichia coli mastitis and systemic signs. Drug susceptibility was determined by the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of E. coli isolated from cows with acute E. coli mastitis (n=38). Cattle were divided into OTC-susceptible (S, n=30) and OTC-resistant (R, n=8) groups. They were further subdivided according to susceptibility to the antibiotic used as a second treatment, into susceptible-susceptible (SS, n=30), resistant-susceptible (RS, n=5), and resistant-resistant (RR, n=3) groups. Clinical signs on the day after initial treatment were compared between S and R groups as short-term indicators of treatment effects. The 28-day survival rate of cattle was then compared among SS, RS, and RR groups as a long-term indicator of treatment effects. There were no differences in clinical signs between S and R groups on the day after the first dose, but the 28-day survival rate was significantly greater in the SS group than in the RR group (P=0.04). The results demonstrated that an effective drug is essential for first-line treatment of acute coliform mastitis. However, anticipating the effectiveness of a first-line antibiotic based on clinical symptoms at the second day of treatment is impossible. It is important to build a picture of drug resistance trends in cattle herds for empirical selection of antibiotics to be administered.

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) is a hazard classification and communication system for providing information on the safe handling of chemicals worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the applicability of the newly proposed GHS subcategorization criterion for murine local lymph node assay:2-bromodeoxyuridine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (LLNA:BrdU-ELISA), Category 1A:EC1.6 ≤6%, Category 1B:EC1.6 >6%, to data derived from LLNA:BrdU-ELISA performed in the CBA/J strain mouse. Fifteen chemicals categorized in GHS hazard Category 1 sensitizers listed in the LLNA performance standard were tested by LLNA:BrdU-ELISA in the CBA/J strain mouse and were classified according to the new criterion. The results revealed that all of the GHS 1A or 1B category chemicals classified according to the EC3 values derived from radioisotopic LLNA (LLNA-RI) could be correctly assigned into the respective 1A and 1B categories using the newly proposed GHS subclassification criterion. In addition, analysis of the correlation between the reported EC3 values and EC1.6 values derived from the LLNA:BrdU-ELISA performed in the CBA/J strain mouse confirmed the existence of a strong correlation (r = 0.9076, P < .0001). These findings suggest that the newly proposed GHS subcategorization criterion for LLNA:BrdU-ELISA is potentially applicable for practical use in GHS subcategorization.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of enrofloxacin (ERFX) as a second-line antibiotic for treatment of acute Escherichia coli (E. coli) mastitis. Forty-two cows with naturally occurring acute E. coli mastitis were enrolled. On the first day of treatment (day 0), empirically selected antibiotics (oxytetracycline: n = 32, kanamycin: n = 10) were administered. Although systemic signs improved in 10 cows (first-line group), the signs remained unchanged or worsened in 32 cows on day 1, including two cows that were found dead. The 30 surviving cows were randomly assigned to second-line groups constituting an ERFX group (n = 19) or a control group (n = 11) that was treated with other antibiotics. Response to each treatment was evaluated by measuring clinical signs from day 0 to day 3, subsequent quarter milk recovery, and the 60-day survival rate. Appetite on day 3 was significantly better in the ERFX group compared to the control group. No significant differences were observed in the 60-day survival rate or the subsequent milk recovery between the ERFX group and the control group. Thus, the use of ERFX as a second-line antibiotic for the treatment of acute E. coli mastitis could induce a rapid appetite recovery.

The transcription factor (TF) interferon regulatory factor-4 (IRF4) promotes both germinal center (GC) reactions and plasma cell (PC) differentiation by binding to alternative DNA motifs including AP-1-IRF composite elements, Ets-IRF composite elements (EICEs), and interferon sequence response elements (ISREs). Although all of these motifs mediate transcriptional activation by IRF4, it is still unknown how some of the IRF4 target genes are downregulated upon PC differentiation. Here, we revealed a molecular mechanism of IRF4-mediated gene downregulation during PC differentiation. By combining IRF4 chromatin immunoprecipitation sequence and gene expression analysis, we identified zinc finger–IRF composite elements (ZICEs) in IRF4 binding regions aligned with genes whose expression was downregulated in PCs. The zinc finger TFs Ikaros and Aiolos were identified as IRF4 binding partners in PCs, and Ikaros but not Aiolos was essential for IRF4 binding to the ZICE sequence and for PC differentiation. The Ebf1 gene, which positively controls B-cell activation and GC reactions, was identified as one of the Ikaros/IRF4 target genes. Importantly, while the ZICE embeds the ISRE motif, IRF4 bound the ZICE motif as heterodimers with Ikaros for repression of target genes, which include Ebf1. In contrast, if the zinc finger motif is juxtaposed to the EICE motif, the Ikaros/PU.1/IRF4 complex functioned to activate target gene expression. Our findings revealed a novel mode of IRF4 activity upon PC differentiation where upon forming an Ikaros/IRF4 DNA-bound complex, a subset of genes is repressed.

The Dainenji Formation is deposited on shelf environment and consists mainly of sandy siltstone and sandstone. It includes a number of volcanic ash layers, which serve as good key beds useful for precise correlation. Mappable units of submarine canyon-fill sediment are recognized in this area. A valley has a maximum depth of 100 m and is considered to be formed by submarine landslide, which took place after 2.7 Ma. Submarine canyon-fill sediments are composed of siltstone interbedded with thin sandstone layers, thick sandstone beds and slump deposits. Formation and filling of the submarine canyon might be controlled by climate cooling of latest Pliocene.

Pliocene Dainenji Formation is distributed in the Pacific Ocean side of the Fukushima Prefecture. The depositional age is from 4.18 to 2.6 Ma. We carried out facies analysis and geochemical analysis, such as total organic carbon (TOC), total sulfur (TS), and stable carbon isotope ratio of organic matter (δ13Corg). Our results are as follows : (1) Abundant land-derived organic matter was transported to the shelf and was preserved in the sediment in warm period (3.75-3.5 Ma), (2) Productivity of marine organism increased in the early cooling period (3.5-3.35 Ma), (3) The considerable variations in TS, TOC and δ13Corg are seen in cooling stage after 3 Ma, which succeeded to the Quaternary ice age. Theses considerable variation are shown in δ18O curve of the same age.

Sequence stratigraphic and organic matter analyses were carried out on the Miocene to Pliocene Ishibane, Tatsunokuchi and Motohata formations that occur in Kitakami City, Iwate, Northeast Japan. These formations consist of nine facies and a depositional sequence that formed during a rise and fall of sea level. The proportions of vitrinite and cutinite are high in fluvial deposits of the lowstand systems tract. The total organic carbon content and the proportion of NFA (non-fluorescent amorphous kerogen) increase with transgression, because the sedimentary environment changed into an estuary with bottom anoxia. The proportions of vitrinite and cutinite increase in the highstand systems tract. These phenomena indicate the strong influence of river discharge.

Background It is unclear whether transumbilical incision for laparoscopic colectomy has a risk of incisional hernia at the extraction site similar to left lower incision. Methods Consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic sigmoid plus high and low anterior resection between August 2008 and February 2011 were included in the study. Incision for specimen extraction was changed from left lower to transumbilical incision in February 2010. The main outcome was the incidence of incisional hernia diagnosed by computed tomography. Results One hundred and eighty-six patients underwent laparoscopic anterior resection (94 transumbilical incisions and 92 left lower transverse incisions). Three percent of patients had an incisional hernia at the extraction site, and the incidence of this phenomenon was not significantly different between the 2 groups. Surgical wound infection was lower in the transumbilical incision group than in the left lower incision group. Conclusions Extraction site for transumbilical incision may not affect the risk of incisional hernia.

The ability to extract sequential regularities embedded in the temporal context or temporal structure of sensory events and to predict upcoming events based on the extracted sequential regularities plays a central role in human cognition. In the present study, we demonstrate that, without any intention, upcoming emotional faces can be predicted based on sequential regularities, by showing that prediction error responses as reflected by visual mismatch negativity (MMN), an event-related brain potential (ERP) component, were evoked in response to emotional faces that violated a regular alternation pattern of 2 emotional faces (fearful and happy faces) under a situation where the emotional faces themselves were unrelated to the participant's task. Face-inversion and negative-bias effects in the visual MMN further indicated the involvement of holistic face representations. In addition, through successive source analyses of the visual MMN, it was revealed that the prediction error responses were composed of activations mainly in the face-responsible visual extrastriate areas and the prefrontal areas. The present results provide primary evidence for the existence of the unintentional temporal context-based prediction of biologically relevant visual stimuli as well as empirical support for the major engagement of the visual and prefrontal areas in unintentional temporal context-based prediction in vision.