bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Penetrative trace fossils from the late Ediacaran of Mongolia: early onset of the agronomic revolution
Authors: Oji Tatsuo , Dornbos Stephen Q. , Yada Keigo , Hasegawa Hitoshi , Gonchigdorj Sersmaa , Mochizuki Takafumi , Takayanagi Hideko , Iryu Yasufumi
Published: February 2018

The Cambrian radiation of complex animals includes a dramatic increase in the depth and intensity of bioturbation in seafloor sediment known as the ‘agronomic revolution’. This bioturbation transition was coupled with a shift in dominant trace fossil style from horizontal surficial traces in the late Precambrian to vertically penetrative trace fossils in the Cambrian. Here we show the existence of the first vertically penetrative trace fossils from the latest Ediacaran: dense occurrences of the U-shaped trace fossil
Arenicolites
from late Precambrian marine carbonates of Western Mongolia. Their Ediacaran age is established through stable carbon isotope chemostratigraphy and their occurrence stratigraphically below the first appearance of the trace fossil
Treptichnus pedum
. These
Arenicolites
are large in diameter, penetrate down to at least 4 cm into the sediment, and were presumably formed by the activity of bilaterian animals. They are preserved commonly as paired circular openings on bedding planes with maximum diameters ranging up to almost 1 cm, and as U- and J-shaped tubes in vertical sections of beds. Discovery of these complex penetrative trace fossils demonstrates that the agronomic revolution started earlier than previously considered.
Computational logic: its origins and applications
Authors: Paulson Lawrence C.
Published: February 2018

Computational logic is the use of computers to establish facts in a logical formalism. Originating in nineteenth century attempts to understand the nature of mathematical reasoning, the subject now comprises a wide variety of formalisms, techniques and technologies. One strand of work follows the ‘logic for computable functions (LCF) approach’ pioneered by Robin Milner, where proofs can be constructed interactively or with the help of users’ code (which does not compromise correctness). A refinement of LCF, called Isabelle, retains these advantages while providing flexibility in the choice of logical formalism and much stronger automation. The main application of these techniques has been to prove the correctness of hardware and software systems, but increasingly researchers have been applying them to mathematics itself.
Stability of barotropic vortex strip on a rotating sphere
Authors: Sohn Sung-Ik , Sakajo Takashi , Kim Sun-Chul
Published: February 2018

We study the stability of a barotropic vortex strip on a rotating sphere, as a simple model of jet streams. The flow is approximated by a piecewise-continuous vorticity distribution by zonal bands of uniform vorticity. The linear stability analysis shows that the vortex strip becomes stable as the strip widens or the rotation speed increases. When the vorticity constants in the upper and the lower regions of the vortex strip have the same positive value, the inner flow region of the vortex strip becomes the most unstable. However, when the upper and the lower vorticity constants in the polar regions have different signs, a complex pattern of instability is found, depending on the wavenumber of perturbations, and interestingly, a boundary far away from the vortex strip can be unstable. We also compute the nonlinear evolution of the vortex strip on the rotating sphere and compare with the linear stability analysis. When the width of the vortex strip is small, we observe a good agreement in the growth rate of perturbation at an early time, and the eigenvector corresponding to the unstable eigenvalue coincides with the most unstable part of the flow. We demonstrate that a large structure of rolling-up vortex cores appears in the vortex strip after a long-time evolution. Furthermore, the geophysical relevance of the model to jet streams of Jupiter, Saturn and Earth is examined.
Integrating morphology and kinematics in the scaling of hummingbird hovering metabolic rate and efficiency
Authors: Groom Derrick J. E. , Toledo M. Cecilia B. , Powers Donald R. , Tobalske Bret W. , Welch Kenneth C.
Published: February 2018

Wing kinematics and morphology are influential upon the aerodynamics of flight. However, there is a lack of studies linking these variables to metabolic costs, particularly in the context of morphological adaptation to body size. Furthermore, the conversion efficiency from chemical energy into movement by the muscles (mechanochemical efficiency) scales with mass in terrestrial quadrupeds, but this scaling relationship has not been demonstrated within flying vertebrates. Positive scaling of efficiency with body size may reduce the metabolic costs of flight for relatively larger species. Here, we assembled a dataset of morphological, kinematic, and metabolic data on hovering hummingbirds to explore the influence of wing morphology, efficiency, and mass on hovering metabolic rate (HMR). We hypothesize that HMR would decline with increasing wing size, after accounting for mass. Furthermore, we hypothesize that efficiency will increase with mass, similarly to other forms of locomotion. We do not find a relationship between relative wing size and HMR, and instead find that the cost of each wingbeat increases hyperallometrically while wingbeat frequency declines with increasing mass. This suggests that increasing wing size is metabolically favourable over cycle frequency with increasing mass. Further benefits are offered to larger hummingbirds owing to the positive scaling of efficiency.
Biomechanics of
Tetrahymena
escaping from a dead end
Authors: Ishikawa Takuji , Kikuchi Kenji
Published: February 2018

Understanding the behaviours of swimming microorganisms in various environments is important for understanding cell distribution and growth in nature and industry. However, cell behaviour in complex geometries is largely unknown. In this study, we used
Tetrahymena thermophila
as a model microorganism and experimentally investigated cell behaviour between two flat plates with a small angle. In this configuration, the geometry provided a ‘dead end' line where the two flat plates made contact. The results showed that cells tended to escape from the dead end line more by hydrodynamics than by a biological reaction. In the case of hydrodynamic escape, the cell trajectories were symmetric as they swam to and from the dead end line. Near the dead end line,
T. thermophila
cells were compressed between the two flat plates while cilia kept beating with reduced frequency; those cells again showed symmetric trajectories, although the swimming velocity decreased. These behaviours were well reproduced by our computational model based on biomechanics. The mechanism of hydrodynamic escape can be understood in terms of the torque balance induced by lubrication flow. We therefore conclude that a cell's escape from the dead end was assisted by hydrodynamics. These findings pave the way for understanding cell behaviour and distribution in complex geometries.
Reproducible big data science: A case study in continuous FAIRness
Authors: Madduri Ravi , Chard Kyle , D’ Arcy Mike , Jung Segun C. , Rodriguez Alexis , Sulakhe Dinanath , Deutsch Eric W. , Funk Cory , Heavner Ben , Richards Matthew , Shannon Paul , Glusman Gustavo , Price Nathan , Kesselman Carl , Foster Ian
Published: February 2018

Big biomedical data create exciting opportunities for discovery, but make it difficult to capture analyses and outputs in forms that are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR). In response, we describe tools that make it easy to capture, and assign identifiers to, data and code throughout the data lifecycle. We illustrate the use of these tools via a case study involving a multi-step analysis that creates an atlas of putative transcription factor binding sites from terabytes of ENCODE DNase I hypersensitive sites sequencing data. We show how the tools automate routine but complex tasks, capture analysis algorithms in understandable and reusable forms, and harness fast networks and powerful cloud computers to process data rapidly, all without sacrificing usability or reproducibility—thus ensuring that big data are not hard-to-(re)use data. We compare and contrast our approach with other approaches to big data analysis and reproducibility.
Thethaplotype, a selfish genetic element, manipulates migration propensity in free-living wild house miceMus musculus domesticus
Authors: Runge Jan-Niklas , Lindholm Anna K.
Published: February 2018

Life is built on cooperation between genes, which makes it vulnerable to parasitism. However, selfish genetic elements that exploit this cooperation can achieve large fitness gains by increasing their transmission unfairly relative to the rest of the genome. This leads to counter-adaptations that generate unique selection pressures on the selfish genetic element. This arms race is similar to host-parasite co-evolution. Some multi-host parasites alter the host’s behaviour to increase the chance of transmission to the next host. Here we ask if, similarly to these parasites, a selfish genetic element in house mice, thethaplotype, also manipulates host behaviour, specifically the host’s migration propensity. Variants of thetthat manipulate migration propensity could increase in fitness in a meta-population. We show that juvenile mice carrying thethaplotype were more likely to emigrate from and were more often found as migrants within a long-term free-living house mouse population. This result may have applied relevance as thethas been proposed as a basis for artificial gene drive systems for use in population control.
Network Mechanisms Underlying the Role of Oscillations in Cognitive Tasks
Authors: Schmidt Helmut , Avitabile Daniele , Montbrió Ernest , Roxin Alex
Published: February 2018

Oscillatory activity robustly correlates with task demands during many cognitive tasks. However, not only are the network mechanisms underlying the generation of these rhythms poorly understood, but it is also still unknown to what extent they may play a functional role, as opposed to being a mere epiphenomenon. Here we study the mechanisms underlying the influence of oscillatory drive on network dynamics related to cognitive processing in simple working memory (WM), and memory recall tasks. Specifically, we investigate how the frequency of oscillatory input interacts with the intrinsic dynamics in networks of recurrently coupled spiking neurons to cause changes of state: the neuronal correlates of the corresponding cognitive process. We find that slow oscillations, in the delta and theta band, are effective in activating network states associated with memory recall by virtue of the hysteresis in sweeping through a saddle-node bifurcation. On the other hand, faster oscillations, in the beta range, can serve to clear memory states by resonantly driving transient bouts of spike synchrony which destabilize the activity. We leverage a recently derived set of exact mean-field equations for networks of quadratic integrate-and-fire neurons to systematically study the bifurcation structure in the periodically forced spiking network. Interestingly, we find that the oscillatory signals which are most effective in allowing flexible switching between network states are not smooth, pure sinusoids, but rather burst-like, with a sharp onset. We show that such periodic bursts themselves readily arise spontaneously in networks of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, and that the burst frequency can be tuned via changes in tonic drive. Finally, we show that oscillations in the gamma range can actually stabilize WM states which otherwise would not persist.

Author Summary

Oscillations are ubiquitous in the brain and often correlate with distinct cognitive tasks. Nonetheless their role in shaping network dynamics, and hence in driving behavior during such tasks is poorly understood. Here we provide a comprehensive study of the effect of periodic drive on neuronal networks exhibiting multistability, which has been invoked as a possible circuit mechanism underlying the storage of memory states. We find that oscillatory drive in low frequency bands leads to robust switching between stored patterns in a Hopfield-like model, while oscillations in the beta band suppress sustained activity altogether. Furthermore, inputs in the gamma band can lead to the creation of working-memory states, which otherwise do not exist in the absence of oscillatory drive.
Optimization and uncertainty analysis of ODE models using 2nd order adjoint sensitivity analysis
Authors: Stapor Paul , Fröhlich Fabian , Hasenauer Jan
Published: February 2018

Motivation

Parameter estimation methods for ordinary differential equation (ODE) models of biological processes can exploit gradients and Hessians of objective functions to achieve convergence and computational efficiency. However, the computational complexity of established methods to evaluate the Hessian scales linearly with the number of state variables and quadratically with the number of parameters. This limits their application to low-dimensional problems.

Results

We introduce second order adjoint sensitivity analysis for the computation of Hessians and a hybrid optimization-integration based approach for profile likelihood computation. Second order adjoint sensitivity analysis scales linearly with the number of parameters and state variables. The Hessians are effectively exploited by the proposed profile likelihood computation approach. We evaluate our approaches on published biological models with real measurement data. Our study reveals an improved computational efficiency and robustness of optimization compared to established approaches, when using Hessians computed with adjoint sensitivity analysis. The hybrid computation method was more than two-fold faster than the best competitor. Thus, the proposed methods and implemented algorithms allow for the improvement of parameter estimation for medium and large scale ODE models.

Availability

The algorithms for second order adjoint sensitivity analysis are implemented in the Advance MATLAB Interface CVODES and IDAS (AMICI, https://github.com/ICB-DCM/AMICI/). The algorithm for hybrid profile likelihood computation is implemented in the parameter estimation toolbox (PESTO, https://github.com/ICB-DCM/PESTO/). Both toolboxes are freely available under the BSD license.

Contact

jan.hasenauer@helmholtz-muenchen.de

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
End-to-end deep image reconstruction from human brain activity
Authors: Shen Guohua , Dwivedi Kshitij , Majima Kei , Horikawa Tomoyasu , Kamitani Yukiyasu
Published: February 2018

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have recently been applied successfully to brain decoding and image reconstruction from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activity. However, direct training of a DNN with fMRI data is often avoided because the size of available data is thought to be insufficient to train a complex network with numerous parameters. Instead, a pre-trained DNN has served as a proxy for hierarchical visual representations, and fMRI data were used to decode individual DNN features of a stimulus image using a simple linear model, which were then passed to a reconstruction module. Here, we present our attempt to directly train a DNN model with fMRI data and the corresponding stimulus images to build an end-to-end reconstruction model. We trained a generative adversarial network with an additional loss term defined in a high-level feature space (feature loss) using up to 6,000 training data points (natural images and the fMRI responses). The trained deep generator network was tested on an independent dataset, directly producing a reconstructed image given an fMRI pattern as the input. The reconstructions obtained from the proposed method showed resemblance with both natural and artificial test stimuli. The accuracy increased as a function of the training data size, though not outperforming the decoded feature-based method with the available data size. Ablation analyses indicated that the feature loss played a critical role to achieve accurate reconstruction. Our results suggest a potential for the end-to-end framework to learn a direct mapping between brain activity and perception given even larger datasets.
Aberrant resting-state functional brain networks in dyslexia: Symbolic mutual information analysis of neuromagnetic signals
Authors: Dimitriadis Stavros I. , Simos Panagiotis G. , Fletcher Jack M. , Papanicolaou Andrew C.
Published: February 2018

Neuroimaging studies have identified a variety of structural and functional connectivity abnormalities in students experiencing reading difficulties. The present study adopted a novel approach to assess the dynamics of resting-state neuromagnetic recordings in the form of symbolic sequences (i.e., repeated patterns of neuromagnetic fluctuations within and/or between sensors).

Participants were 25 students experiencing severe reading difficulties (RD) and 27 age-matched non-impaired readers (NI) aged 7-14 years. Sensor-level data were first represented as symbolic sequences in eight conventional frequency bands. Next, dominant types of sensor-to-sensor interactions in the form of intra and cross-frequency coupling were computed and subjected to graph modeling to assess group differences in global network characteristics.

As a group RD students displayed predominantly within-frequency interactions between neighboring sensors which may reflect reduced overall global network efficiency and cost-efficiency of information transfer. In contrast, sensor networks among NI students featured a higher proportion of cross-frequency interactions. Brain-reading achievement associations highlighted the role of left hemisphere temporo-parietal functional networks, at rest, for reading acquisition and ability.

Highlights

Symbolic dynamics of MEG time series revealed aberrant Cross Frequency Coupling in RD students

Global efficiency and strength of Cross Frequency Coupling could reliably identify RD students from age-matched controls

Global Cost Efficiency, coupling strength, and the relative preponderance of cross-frequency interactions strongly correlated with reading achievement across groups.
Noise-induced bistability in the quasineutral coexistence of viral RNA under different replication modes
Authors: Sardanyés Josep , Arderiu Andreu , Elena Santiago F. , Alarcón Tomás
Published: February 2018

Evolutionary and dynamical investigations on real viral populations indicate that RNA replication can range between two extremes given by so-called stamping machine replication (SMR) and geometric replication (GR). The impact of asymmetries in replication for single-stranded, (+) sense RNA viruses has been up to now studied with deterministic models. However, viral replication should be better described by including stochasticity, since the cell infection process is typically initiated with a very small number of RNA macromolecules, and thus largely influenced by intrinsic noise. Under appropriate conditions, deterministic theoretical descriptions of viral RNA replication predict a quasineutral coexistence scenario, with a line of fixed points involving different strands’ equilibrium ratios depending on the initial conditions. Recent research on the quasineutral coexistence in two competing populations reveals that stochastic fluctuations fundamentally alters the mean-field scenario, and one of the two species outcompetes the other one. In this manuscript we study this phenomenon for RNA viral replication modes by means of stochastic simulations and a diffusion approximation. Our results reveal that noise has a strong impact on the amplification of viral RNA, also causing the emergence of noise-induced bistability. We provide analytical criteria for the dominance of (+) sense strands depending on the initial populations on the line of equilibria, which are in agreement with direct stochastic simulation results. The biological implications of this noise-driven mechanism are discussed within the framework of the evolutionary dynamics of RNA viruses with different modes of replication.
Host-parasite coevolution can promote the evolution of seed banking as a bet-hedging strategy
Authors: Verin Mélissa , Tellier Aurélien
Published: February 2018

Seed (egg) banking is a common bet-hedging strategy maximizing the fitness of organisms facing environmental unpredictability by the delayed emergence of offspring. Yet, this condition often requires fast and drastic stochastic shifts between good and bad years. We hypothesize that the host seed banking strategy can evolve in response to coevolution with parasites because the coevolutionary cycles promote a gradually changing environment over longer times than seed persistence. We study the evolution of host germination fraction as a quantitative trait using both pairwise competition and multiple mutant competition methods, while the germination locus can be genetically linked or unlinked with the host locus under coevolution. In a gene-for-gene model of coevolution, hosts evolve a seed bank strategy under unstable coevolutionary cycles promoted by moderate to high costs of resistance or strong disease severity. Moreover, when assuming genetic linkage between coevolving and germination loci, the resistant genotype always evolves seed banking in contrast to susceptible hosts. Under a matching-allele interaction, both hosts’ genotypes exhibit the same seed banking strategy irrespective of the genetic linkage between loci. We suggest host-parasite coevolution as an additional hypothesis for the evolution of seed banking as a temporal bet-hedging strategy.
Neuronal regulation of longevity by staying cool
Authors: Lin Chih-Chun J. , Neve Isaiah A.A. , Wang Meng C.
Published: February 2018

Aging is fundamental to life and reflects functional declines in different tissues at the organismal level. As a systematic process, aging can be influenced by the interplay between genetic and environmental factors, and the nervous system plays a crucial role in this regulation. Environmental inputs can be sensed by the nervous system, which consequently triggers signaling outputs toward peripheral tissues to regulate gene expression systematically. Thus, understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms behind environmentally triggered neuron–periphery cross-talk is crucial for the promotion of an organism's health and longevity.
An X-ray harmonic separator for next-generation synchrotron X-ray sources and X-ray free-electron lasers
Authors: Inoue Ichiro , Osaka Taito , Tamasaku Kenji , Ohashi Haruhiko , Yamazaki Hiroshi , Goto Shunji , Yabashi Makina
Published: February 2018

An X-ray prism for the extraction of a specific harmonic of undulator radiation is proposed. By using the prism in a grazing incidence geometry, the beam axes of fundamental and harmonics of undulator radiation are separated with large angles over 10 µrad, which enables the selection of a specific harmonic with the help of apertures, while keeping a high photon flux. The concept of the harmonic separation was experimentally confirmed using X-ray beams from the X-ray free-electron laser SACLA.
Absorbed dose calculations for macromolecular crystals: improvements toRADDOSE. Erratum
Authors: Paithankar Karthik S. , Owen Robin Leslie , Garman Elspeth F.
Published: February 2018

Corrections to an equation and a figure in the paper by Paithankaret al.(2009). [J. Synchrotron Rad.16, 152–162] are made.
Crystal structure and conformational analysis of doxorubicin nitrate
Authors: Mathivathanan Logesh , Yang Guang , Leng Fenfei , Raptis Raphael G.
Published: February 2018

Crystal structure determination of doxorubicin nitrate, (DoxH)NO3, systematic name (7S,9S)-7-{[(2R,4S,5S,6S)-4-azaniumyl-5-hydroxy-6-methyloxan-2-yl]oxy}-6,9,11-trihydroxy-9-(2-hydroxyacetyl)-4-methoxy-8,10-dihydro-7H-tetracen-5,12-dione nitrate, shows two formula units present in the asymmetric unit. In the crystal lattice, hydrogen-bonded pairs of (DoxH+) cations and segregation of the aglycone and sugar moieties are observed. Inspection of molecular overlays reveals that the conformation of (DoxH)NO3resembles that of DNA-intercalated, but not of protein-docked (DoxH)+. The structure was refined as a two-component twin.
Crystal structure and DFT study of (E)-4-[({4-[(pyridin-2-ylmethylidene)amino]phenyl}amino)methyl]phenol
Authors: Faizi Md. Serajul Haque , Dege Necmi , Iskenderov Turganbay S.
Published: February 2018

In the title Schiff base compound, C19H17N3O, the configuration about the C=N bond isE. The molecule is non-planar, with the phenolic and pyridine rings being inclined to the central benzene ring by 56.59 (4) and 15.13 (14)°, respectively. In the crystal, molecules are linked by pairs of O—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers. The dimers are connected to neighbouring dimers by N—H...O hydrogen bonds and C—H...π interactions, forming layers parallel to thebcplane. The layers are linked by offset π–π interactions [intercentroid distance = 3.779 (2) Å], forming a three-dimensional supramolecular structure. Quantum chemical calculations of the molecule are in good agreement with the solid-state structure.
(1R,2S,5R)-5-Methyl-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)propan-2-yl]cyclohexyl 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-1-carboxylate: crystal structure and Hirshfeld analysis
Authors: Zukerman-Schpector Julio , Soto-Monsalve Monica , De Almeida Santos Regina H. , Machado Angelo H. L. , Correia Carlos Roque D. , Jotani Mukesh M. , Tiekink Edward R. T.
Published: February 2018

In the title compound, C28H34N2O5, the adjacent ester and nitrobenzene substituents are connectedviaan intramolecular methylene-C—H...π(nitrobenzene) interaction and the molecule approximates to a U-shape. The dihydropyrrole ring (r.m.s. deviation = 0.003 Å) is almost co-planar with the carboxylate residue [Cm—N—C1—Oc(m = methine, c = carboxyl) torsion angle = 1.8 (4)°] but is orthogonal to the 4-methoxybenzene ring [dihedral angle = 84.34 (17)°]. In the crystal, methylene-C—H...O(carbonyl) interactions lead to linear supramolecular chains along theb-axis direction, which pack without directional interactions between them. The analysis of the calculated Hirshfeld surface points to the importance of weak interatomic H...H, O...H/H...O and C...H/H...C contacts in the crystal.
Crystal structure of 2-isopropyl-4-methoxy-5-methylphenyl 4-methylbenzenesulfonate
Authors: Laamari Yassine , Auhmani Aziz , Ait Itto My Youssef , Daran Jean-Claude , Auhmani Abdelwahed , Kouili Mostafa
Published: February 2018

The title compound, C18H22O4S, an hemisynthetic product, was obtained by the tosylation reaction of the naturally occurring meroterpenep-methoxythymol. The molecule comprises a tetrasubstitued phenyl ring linked to a toluenesulfonate through one of its O atoms. In the crystal, C—H...O and C—H...π interactions link the molecules, forming a three-dimensional network.
A monoclinic modification of (4Z)-1-benzyl-4-(2-oxopropylidene)-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-1,5-benzodiazepin-2-one
Authors: Samba Mohamed , Minnih Mohamed Said , El Bakri Youness , Essassi El Mokhtar , Mague Joel T.
Published: February 2018

In the title molecule, C19H18N2O2, the orientation of the oxopropylidene substituent is largely determined by an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond. In the crystal, C—H...O hydrogen bonds form zigzag chains, which are elaborated into sheets lying parallel to (101) by complementary C—H...π interactions. Comparisons to the structure of the triclinic modification are made.
Optimization of an efficient, economic and eco-friendly inhibitor based onSesbania grandifloraleaf extract for the mild steel corrosion in aggressive HCl environment
Authors: Krishnan Athira , Shibli S.M.A.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate the inhibitive action of different concentrations ofSesbania grandifloraleaf extract on the mild steel corrosion in an aggressive HCl medium under different experimental conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

Weight loss investigation, open-circuit voltage analysis, Tafel polarisation, AC impedance analysis, etc. were used for the evaluation of inhibition efficiency. The influence of immersion period on inhibition efficiency was evaluated. The mechanism of action of the inhibitor is also discussed. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis were used to characterise the passive film.

Findings

The results suggested that 10,000 ppm solution has maximum inhibition efficiency of 98.01 per cent at room temperature, while 1,000 ppm solution also exhibited a better efficiency of about 96.16 per cent. Efficiency of inhibitor solution was found to increase with an increase in its concentration. Polarisation study proposed the solution as an anodic inhibitor. Impedance study confirmed the formation of a protective layer over the surface of the specimen, and the constituents of the film were identified using IR spectroscopy. Stability of the film adsorbed on the steel was cleared from the steady open-circuit potential value. Study on action of the inhibitor under accelerated conditions revealed the fact that the efficiency of extract in preventing corrosion is good under stimulated conditions also.

Practical implications

The action of inhibitor sustains for a sufficient time period and could sustain under stimulated conditions. Hence, its application is practically possible in industries. The proposed inhibitor is widely available and is environmentally safe.

Originality/value

HCl is an industrially important chemical used for acid cleaning, acid pickling, etc. HCl was used as an aggressive corrosion environment. As the chances for mild steel to be in contact with HCl were very high, it was important to develop an efficient, economical and eco-friendly inhibitor for corrosion.
The Adult Attachment Projective Picture System: a pilot study of inter-rater reliability and face validity with adults with intellectual disabilities
Authors: Gallichan Deanna , George Carol
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the Adult Attachment Projective (AAP) Picture System is a reliable and face valid measure of internal working models of attachment in adults with intellectual disabilities (ID).

Design/methodology/approach

The AAPs of 20 adults with ID were coded blind by two reliable judges and classified into one of four groups: secure, dismissing, preoccupied, or unresolved. Inter-rater reliability was calculated using κ. Six participants repeated the assessment for test-retest reliability. Two independent experts rated ten cases on the links between the AAP analysis and the clinical history.

Findings

There was significant agreement between AAP judges, κ=0.677, p<0.001. Five out of six participants showed stability in their classifications over time. The majority of expert ratings were “good” or “excellent”. There was a significant inter-class correlation between raters suggesting good agreement between them r=0.51 (p<0.05). The raters’ feedback suggested that the AAP had good clinical utility.

Research limitations/implications

The inter-rater reliability, stability, face validity, and clinical utility of the AAP in this population is promising. Further examination of these findings with a larger sample of individuals with ID is needed.

Originality/value

This is the first study attempting to investigate the reliability and validity of the AAP in this population.
Organizational learning through disasters: a multi-utility company’s experience
Authors: Zhou Shanshan , Battaglia Massimo , Frey Marco
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Analyzing how and what the local multi-utility AIMAG learned through the 2012 Northern Italy earthquakes, the purpose of this paper is to “normalize” the organizational learning (OL) triggered by disasters.

Design/methodology/approach

Seven managers who experienced the earthquakes were interviewed. The collected data are supplemented by archival materials. The analysis was conducted based on the 4I model (Crossan et al., 1999), using the qualitative data analysis tool “NVivo.”

Findings

The earthquakes audited AIMAG’s knowledge repositories, revealing its weakness and strength. When the earthquakes struck, individuals intuited the situations based on their previous experience, interpreting the need to respond to the interruptions and begin recovery immediately. The collective interpretation formed the basis for joint actions, which integrated the group learning at the organizational level. The effective cognition and behavior were instituted to the organization, and the new knowledge was absorbed into the organization’s knowledge repositories awaiting the next audit.

Originality/value

The concept of “learning through disasters” is advocated. By perceiving disasters as a series of interruptions that may have happened before and may re-occur, the learning is connected to organizations’ past and future through knowledge repositories. In addition, by analyzing data based on the multi-level OL model, the learning triggered by disasters was observed to occur throughout the organization at individual, group and organizational levels, in which routines played a critical linking role.
The hierarchy of public project governance frameworks
Authors: Volden Gro Holst , Andersen Bjorn
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study public project governance frameworks in various ministries and agencies in Norway, following the introduction of such a framework on the topmost level (i.e. the cabinet) which applies to the very largest projects.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is methodologically designed as a qualitative assessment of project governance frameworks that apply to state-funded investment projects in selected sectors, based on data gathered through document reviews and interviews.

Findings

The study finds that all of the agencies have introduced their own project governance frameworks, which are basically consistent with the recommendations from the project management literature and with the cabinet’s overall requirements in Norway. By contrast, only one ministry has taken a formalized role as a project owner. Governance tasks thus seem to be extensively delegated to the subordinate agencies. This even includes strategic tasks such as project selection and portfolio management, and implies there is a risk that public project governance has a narrow and internal focus.

Originality/value

The paper is a first step toward a better understanding of public project governance as a hierarchical system and the relationship between project owners on three levels, the cabinet, the sectoral ministry, and the government agency.
Breaking the code: barriers affecting inclusive thinking-HETL Scotland 2017
Authors: Algozzini Linda Carol , Gabay Valencia Lavon , Voyles Shannon D. , Bessolo Kimberly , Batchelor Grady
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This case study reviews a group coaching and mentoring (GCM) change model and its significance in dissolving barriers and promoting equity in virtual learning environments. The purpose of this paper is to examine the model’s approach to shifting instructor mindsets to align with institutional core values and initiatives that best serve a twenty-first century adult learner.

Design/methodology/approach

The change model, grounded in GCM, metacognition, self-regulated learning, and community of practice theory, incorporates participatory action research design focusing on cycles of action, reflection, and evaluation.

Findings

This study illustrates the change model’s success in moving educators toward deeper understanding of self and individual student differences. It further showcases how professionals adapt and improve practices using self-regulated learning and metacognition to better serve the population they teach.

Practical implications

The GCM framework improved engagement. The design, while implemented in a higher education arena, is applicable to other entities seeking to bridge gaps using metacognition and self-regulated learning to become adaptable and inclusive.

Originality/value

The change model, recipient of one of this year’s Effective Practice Awards from the Online Learning Consortium (2017), is recognized for innovation and replicability in and beyond higher education.
Conducting qualitative video research with young children
Authors: Shoecraft Kelly , Flückiger Bev
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the practical use of video cameras during a study with young children.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper investigates the use of video cameras in a research study of young children’s utilisation of semiotic tools to communicate during play interactions in a Francophone preschool classroom in British Columbia. It examines the practical in-the-moment decision making of the researcher to support children’s accommodation of the video camera in their play space and ensure rich data were recorded.

Findings

Children accommodated the video cameras in four distinct ways. These included: curiosity and investigation of the video cameras; engagement in the video recording process with the researcher; incorporation of the video cameras into their play; and disregard of it.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that video recordings can be an effective method of data collection with young children and provide rich sources of data of the children and their learning through play when the researcher is flexible and responsive and supports children’s accommodation of it.

Originality/value

Recent advances in recording technology have resulted in the increased use of video recordings as a resource for gathering empirical data in qualitative research. Whilst the ethical considerations related to the use of video recordings as data for analysis in research with young children have been the subject of some discussion (Flewitt, 2005), the practical experience of using video cameras has received less attention.
HLA‐DRB1*04:05 in two cases of Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada disease‐like uveitis developing from an advanced melanoma patient treated by sequential administration of nivolumab and dabrafenib/trametinib therapy
Authors: Fujimura Taku , Kambayashi Yumi , Tanita Kayo , Sato Yota , Hidaka Takanori , Otsuka Astushi , Tanaka Hidenori , Furudate Sadanori , Hashimoto Akira , Aiba Setsuya
Published: February 2018

Although uveitis is reported as a rare adverse event (AE) associated with dabrafenib/trametinib therapy or nivolumab, the occurrence of severe uveitis is extremely rare. We describe two cases of Vogt–Koyanagi–Harada (VKH)‐like uveitis developing after the sequential administration of nivolumab and dabrafenib/trametinib therapy. Interestingly, both cases had HLA‐DRB1*04:05, which is strongly associated with VKH disease, and achieved biologically complete remission after the treatment for uveitis. Our cases suggest a possible correlation between VKH‐like uveitis as an AE and the clinical outcomes of sequential administration of nivolumab and dabrafenib/trametinib therapy for the treatment of advanced melanoma.
Anti‐herbivore defences and insect herbivory: Interactive effects of drought and tree neighbours
Authors: Castagneyrol Bastien , Jactel Hervé , Moreira Xoaquín
Published: February 2018

How much a plant is attacked by insect herbivores likely depends on its apparency and ability to produce defensive traits, which may be modified by neighbouring plants and abiotic conditions. Yet, how much the direct and trait‐mediated effects of neighbours on herbivory is modified by abiotic factors is still unknown.

By using a tree diversity experiment in SW France, we measured leaf insect herbivory (chewers and miners), nutritional quality (water content, C/N ratio, sugar and starch content) and chemical defences (total polyphenolics and condensed tannins) on birch (Betula pendula) trees growing in monocultures and mixtures with oak, pine or both species. We alleviated water stress by irrigating trees in half of the plots while trees remained unwatered (i.e. drought‐stressed) in the other half.

Overall, insect herbivory was higher among heterospecific neighbours, which corresponds to associational susceptibility. Consistent with this finding, leaves had lower amount of anti‐herbivore defences among heterospecific neighbours. In turn, insects caused more damage in drought‐stressed conditions, but such effect was independent of leaf chemistry. We also found that the effect of tree species diversity on herbivory was contingent of drought conditions as associational susceptibility only occurred in drought‐stressed trees. The independent and interactive effects of neighbour diversity and irrigation on leaf herbivory remained significant after accounting for birch apparency and leaf chemistry, suggesting that unmeasured plant traits or some other mechanisms not associated with plant trait variation and apparency might be involved in the observed herbivory patterns.

Synthesis. By demonstrating that associational effects are contingent upon abiotic constraints, we bring new insights into our understanding of the mechanisms driving diversity—resistance relationships across climatic gradients.
Insights into microbial involvement in desert varnish formation retrieved from metagenomic analysis
Authors: Lang‐Yona Naama , Maier Stefanie , Macholdt Dorothea S. , Müller‐Germann Isabell , Yordanova Petya , Rodriguez‐Caballero Emilio , Jochum Klaus P. , Al‐Amri Abdullah , Andreae Meinrat O. , Fröhlich‐Nowoisky Janine , Weber Bettina
Published: February 2018

Desert varnishes are dark rock coatings observed in arid environments and might resemble Mn‐rich coatings found on Martian rocks. Their formation mechanism is not fully understood and the possible microbial involvement is under debate. In this study, we applied DNA metagenomic Shotgun sequencing of varnish and surrounding soil to evaluate the composition of the microbial community and its potential metabolic function. We found that the α diversity was lower in varnish compared to soil samples (p value < 0.05), suggesting distinct populations with significantly higher abundance of Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria within the varnish. Additionally, we observed increased levels of transition metal metabolic processes in varnish compared to soil samples. Nevertheless, potentially relevant enzymes for varnish formation were detected at low to insignificant levels in both niches, indicating no current direct microbial involvement in Mn oxidation. This finding is supported by quantitative genomic analysis, elemental analysis, fluorescence imaging and scanning transmission X‐ray microscopy. We thus conclude that the distinct microbial communities detected in desert varnish originate from settled Aeolian microbes, which colonized this nutrient‐enriched niche, and discuss possible indirect contributions of microorganisms to the formation of desert varnish.
Risk for Complicated Immigration Transition: New Diagnosis for NANDA‐International
Authors: Rifà‐Ros Rosa , Espinosa Fresnedo Carme , Alcázar París Mireia , Raigal Aran Laia , Ferré Grau Carme
Published: February 2018

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this article is to describe the developmental processes for the creation of the new diagnosis risk for complicated immigration transition for the NANDA‐I.

METHODS

The study followed the recommended steps of developmental processes for NANDA‐I. The identification of risk factors,which cause those who have migrated to feel vulnerable, is the result of two different research studies aimed at identifying nursing diagnosis related to the immigration process.

RESULTS

A proposal of label, definition and risk factors of risk for complicated immigration transition.

CONCLUSIONS

This new nursing diagnosis will reinforce the strategies for nursing interventions directed to empower immigrant people to acquire and/or develop the resources needed to cope with the immigration process.
Reduction of intraocular pressure after bariatric surgery
Authors: Burgansky‐Eliash Zvia , Achiron Asaf , Hecht Idan , Shimonov Mordechai
Published: February 2018

Purpose

To investigate the effects of bariatric surgery on intraocular pressure (IOP).

Methods

We prospectively enroled consecutive obese patients who underwent a laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy procedure. We measured IOP prior to and 3–6 months following surgery and recorded medical and demographical parameters.

Results

Thirty‐two patients completed all evaluations. Mean age was 40.5 ± 12 and 24 (75%) were men. Following surgery, mean body‐mass index (BMI) decreased from 42 ± 6 to 31 ± 8 (p < 0.001). The mean IOP decreased from 16.9 ± 4 mmHg to 14.1 ± 3 mmHg (p < 0.001). The extent of IOP reduction was correlated with the baseline IOP (Pearson r = 0.737, p < 0.001) and central corneal thickness (Pearson r = 0.453, p = 0.010).

Conclusion

In a cohort of obese individuals undergoing sleeve gastrectomy, there was a significant decrease in IOP measured 3–6 months after the procedure. Our results suggest that significant weight loss could have beneficial effects on IOP in obese individuals with ocular hypertension which might enable avoidance of antiglaucoma medications. The high likelihood of a reduction in IOP should be taken into account when considering bariatric surgery in such patients.
Plasma kallikrein activates the epithelial sodium channel in vitro but is not essential for volume retention in nephrotic mice
Authors: Haerteis S. , Schork A. , Dörffel T. , Bohnert B. N. , Nacken R. , Wörn M. , Xiao M. , Essigke D. , Janessa A. , Schmaier A. H. , Feener E. P. , Häring H.‐U. , Bertog M. , Korbmacher C. , Artunc F.
Published: February 2018

Aim

Recent work has demonstrated that activation of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) by aberrantly filtered serine proteases causes sodium retention in nephrotic syndrome. The aim of this study was to elucidate a potential role of plasma kallikrein (PKLK) as a candidate serine protease in this context.

Methods

We analysed PKLK in the urine of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD, n = 171) and investigated its ability to activate human ENaC expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Moreover, we studied sodium retention in PKLK‐deficient mice (klkb1−/−) with experimental nephrotic syndrome induced by doxorubicin injection.

Results

In patients with CKD, we found that PKLK is excreted in the urine up to a concentration of 2 μg mL−1 which was correlated with albuminuria (r = .71) and overhydration as assessed by bioimpedance spectroscopy (r = .44). PKLK increased ENaC‐mediated whole‐cell currents, which was associated with the appearance of a 67 kDa γ‐ENaC cleavage product at the cell surface consistent with proteolytic activation. Mutating a putative prostasin cleavage site in γ‐ENaC prevented channel stimulation by PKLK. In a mouse model for nephrotic syndrome, active PKLK was present in nephrotic urine of klkb1+/+ but not of klkb1−/− mice. However, klkb1−/− mice were not protected from ENaC activation and sodium retention compared to nephrotic klkb1+/+ mice.

Conclusion

Plasma kallikrein is detected in the urine of proteinuric patients and mice and activates ENaC in vitro involving the putative prostasin cleavage site. However, PKLK is not essential for volume retention in nephrotic mice.