bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Applying Total Quality Management in Improving Incentives: A Comparative Study between Jordanian and United Arab Emirate Hospitals
Authors: Khdour Naser , Durrah Omar , A’aqoulah Ashraf
Published: October 2016

This study aims to identify the reality of a Total Quality Management (TQM) system and the level of its application on a sample of hospitals in Jordan and United Arab Emirates (UAE), together with determining the differences between both the Jordanian hospitals and UAE hospitals in their application of TQM. It also aims to identify the monetary and non-monetary incentives in hospitals, and to study the role of each dimension of various TQM dimensions on monetary and non-monetary incentives. A total of 160 questionnaires were distributed in six hospitals that were selected using a convenient sampling method. A total of 129 questionnaires were received, 74 of them were from Jordanian hospitals and 55 questionnaires were from UAEs hospitals. The participants were doctors, nurses, technicians, and administrators of six hospitals in Jordan and the UAE. An independent samples T-test and multiple regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. The results showed that the application of TQM in both Jordanian and UAE hospitals was good, of a high level, and with a relative advantage for UAE hospitals. The results also showed that the incentives in Jordanian hospitals were generally better than those of the UAE hospitals, particularly in terms of the monetary incentives, while non-monetary incentives were the advantage for UAE hospitals. Moreover, it was found that only one dimension of the TQM dimensions, the participation of employees, had a significant effect on the monetary and non-monetary incentives in each of the Jordanian and the UAE hospitals (P value ≤ 0.05). While the rest of the dimensions of TQM (focus on the customer, continuous improvement, top management commitment, and teamwork) had no significant effect on both monetary and non-monetary incentives in both the Jordanian and the UAE hospitals.
Alternative Method of Mitigating Risk on Medium and Large Corporations
Authors: Messo Raude John O.
Published: October 2016

High operating costs and complexity of risks are impacting negatively on corporations’ profitability despite practicing corporate governance. Corporate governance requires that the management develops frameworks, structures and guidance to manage enterprise risk. The traditional methods of mitigating risk has relied heavily on insurance as the only mean of protecting enterprise against risks. This is now becoming too expensive for corporations, and, is not able to cover all risk exposures. This forms the basis of the research problem in this study. The purpose and objective of this study is to establish alternative methods of mitigating risks in corporations and, develop models for computing benefits accruing to the corporations as a result of using the new alternative method. As such, this study identifies financial assets, sinking fund, ploughing back of premiums as possible investments where foregone insurance premiums can be invested and, develop a model for computing earnings resulting from such investments. This study applies Actuarial Theory, Financial Theory of Risk Transfer, Modigliani and Miller Theory and Agency Theory, and use both primary and secondary data collected from National Transport and Safety Authority, Kenya and Registrar of Motor vehicles, Kenya target populations, namely number of countries in Europe and North America and the number of insurance companies in Kenya. This study is of significance to the business communities, scholars and researchers, the government and the general public by: (1), providing a better understanding for designing and formulating risk management policy in their organizations, (2), providing mechanism for investing the foregone insurance premium and (3), strengthening knowledge and further research in this area. In summary this study is tenable and a better alternative to ever increasing insurance premiums.
Women’s Networking and Career Development: A Systematic Analysis of the Literature
Authors: Wanigasekara W. M. S. K.
Published: October 2016

Women behave differently from men in the development of their career. Additionally, women use networking relationships for advancement of their careers. Therefore, the purpose of this literature review is to analyze the different empirical views on barriers in women’s networking and its impact on their career development. The literature review comprises journal articles, conference proceedings and institutional reports by multidimensional organizations on the topic of women’s networking and their career development. This review article identifies five critical aspects in the literature as old boy’s networks, gender stereotype for networks, women network structure, network preference and attitude on women’s networking. Finally, this paper presents the deficiencies of existing literature and directions to future research.
Attitudes of Customers towards Islamic Banks in Kuwait
Authors: Al-Hunnayan Sayed , Al-Mutairi Abdullah
Published: October 2016

The purpose of this study is to examine the main factors that motivate customers to deal with Islamic banks (IBs) in State of Kuwait and explore items needed by customers to develop IBs services to improve their market position. To achieve these objectives, a self-administered questionnaire distributed among sample of IBs customers from different provinces in Kuwait.

The findings of the analysis showed that customers think that the most important items are the quality of service and low service charges offered by the bank. Moreover, the customers think that the bank mass media is the least important item. The questionnaire also asked customers what IBs need to do in order to develop their services and improve their market position. The participants attached a highest level of importance is to increase the training courses for employees to reach comprehensive employee for non-banking activities and develop practical Islamic mortgages.
The main contribution of current study is that it is difficult to IBs to attract customers by the religion motive only; they need to meet the expectations of prospective customer by delivering better and wide range of services and products.
Nationalist Utopianism, Orientalist Imagination, and Economic Exploitation: Romanian Aims and Policies in Transnistria, 1941–1944
Authors: Solonari Vladimir
Published: October 2016

Based on a wide range of sources, this article explores the aims, methods, and evolution of Romanian occupation policy in southwestern Ukraine and the local non-Jewish population’s reactions to it. It shows that the policy was more oppressive than is usually assumed and that it resulted in a substantial deterioration of relations between occupiers and occupied, especially in the countryside.
The Silent Side of Polyphony: On the Disappearances of “Silentium!” from the Draft s of Dostoevskii and Bakhtin
Authors: Cieply Jason
Published: October 2016

In drafts, correspondence, and diaries from the mid-1870s, Fedor Dostoevskii makes repeated allusions to Fedor Tiutchev’s paradoxical articulation of the inefficacy of the word in “Silentium!” but removes them from the printed versions of his texts. The only exception is Brothers Karamazov, where Dmitrii reproduces garbled fragments of the poem under interrogation and in commenting on Ivan’s silence-like speech. I use these “traces” of “Silentium!” to shed light on Dostoevskii’s conscious experimentation with authorial silence in novels conventionally understood in terms of the polyphonic proliferation of speech. Beginning with Mikhail Bakhtin’s own allusion to “Silentium!” in the unpublished Author and Hero in Aesthetic Activity, the theorist came to emphasize the role of silence in polyphony. Drawing on Jacques Derrida’s acknowledgement of the affinity between negative theology and the negative path to affirmation taken in deconstruction, I show how Bakhtin comes to conceive of the history of the novel as the gradual development of apophatic strategies for approximating the unspoken interior world of the other in writing.
What are the relationships between college students’ goal orientations and learning strategies?
Authors: Takashiro Naomi
Published: October 2016

Few studies have been done to examine the relationships between students’ goal orientations (or achievement motivation) and their learning strategies with case studies. This study examined how five educational psychology students’ goal orientations would influence their learning strategies with a semi-structured interview method. The results showed that all students who used complex, multidimensional goal orientations also used versatile learning strategies depending on their specific needs in class. The findings showed that some exhibited goal orientations (mastery/performance) and other unusual goal orientations, were inconsistent with the extant literature. These dimensions were not clear-cut as in other quantitative methods. With regards to learning strategies, the common learning strategies were seeking help and rehearsal learning strategies. Students altered their learning strategies to their perceived optimal learning strategies based on their learning experiences in the past. The implication for classroom practice was that instructors could incorporate different tasks and assignments in order to motivate, encourage students’ use of multiple learning strategies and goal orientations.
A new measure of traditional values across cultures: China and Russia compared
Authors: Taormina Robert J. , Shamionov Rail M.
Published: October 2016

A new measure of adherence to traditional values was created with the objective of facilitating research within and across cultures and nations. The measure was tested in China (N = 321) and Russia (N = 314) and factor analysis of the data revealed two subscales named Personal Traditional Values (10 items) and Public Traditional Values (6 items). Empirical psychometric testing of the overall 16-item measure and the two subscales strongly supported the validity and reliability of all three measures. Means comparisons conducted to assess how well the measures could be used for cross-cultural comparisons revealed the Russians somewhat more than the Chinese living by traditional values overall, both nations about equal on living according to traditional values in their personal lives, and the Russians significantly more inclined to abide by traditional values in public. Also tested were several social and psychological variables as theoretical predictors of living by traditional values, and Life Satisfaction was tested as a possible correlate of living according to traditional values. Regression analyses on the combined data confirmed that Family Emotional Support, Conscientiousness, Collectivism, and Age were all significant positive predictors of living by traditional values. Additional regressions also found some unique predictors for each nation. These findings and the results of the parametric tests support the use of the new scales for measuring traditional values both within and across cultures.
Prolongation of Cardiac Allograft Survival by Endometrial Regenerative Cells: Focusing on B-Cell Responses
Authors: Xu Xiaoxi , Li Xiaochun , Gu Xiangying , Zhang Bai , Tian Weijun , Han Hongqiu , Sun Peng , Du Caigan , Wang Hao
Published: October 2016

Endometrial regenerative cells (ERCs) have been recently evaluated as an attractive candidate source for emerging stem cell therapies in immunosuppression, but their role in immunoregulation is not fully understood. The present study was designed to investigate their effects, especially on B-cell responses in heart transplantation. In this study, ERCs were noninvasively obtained from menstrual blood. Heart transplantation was performed between C57BL/6 (H-2b) donor mice and BALB/c (H-2d) recipients. B-cell activation and antibody levels were determined using fluorescence-activated cell sorting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and ELISpot. In this study, we demonstrated that ERCs negatively regulated B-cell maturation and activation in vitro without affecting their viability. ERC treatment prolonged cardiac allograft survival in mice, which was correlated with a decrease in IgM and IgG deposition and circulating antidonor antibodies, as well as with reduction in frequencies of antidonor antibody-secreting CD19+ B cells. In addition, upon ex vivo stimulation, B cells from ERC-treated heart transplant recipients had impaired proliferation capacity and produced less IgM and IgG antibody. Moreover, ERC treatment of mice receiving ovalbumin (OVA)-aluminum hydroxide vaccine resulted in significant lower numbers of anti-OVA IgG antibody-secreting splenic B cells and lower anti-OVA antibody titres. Our results indicate that therapeutic effects of ERCs may be attributed at least in part by their B-cell suppression and humoral response inhibition, suggesting the potential use of ERCs for attenuating antibody-mediated allograft rejection.
L’elegia valenciana com a tòpic universal: la caiguda de València narrada des del Xarq al-Àndalus fins al romancer filipí
Authors: Donoso Jiménez Isaac
Published: October 2016

Resum: Estudi de la formalització del concepte de València com a paradís perdut, des de la literatura àrab del Xarq al-Àndalus fins al romancer hispànic desenvolupat a l’arxipèlag filipí. S’hi analitza la conceptualització de l’elegia valenciana i el seu ús com a tòpic literari des de l’orient d’al-Àndalus fins a l’orient del món hispànic, explicant la formació del romancer filipí i la presència del Regne de València en les Lletres Filipines. S’hi estudien les elegies de la caiguda de la València islàmica a mans dels cristians, i com es formalitza una fascinació literària pel concepte de «València com a paradís», que s’exporta com a tòpic a una literatura asiàtica de base hispànica que té en el romancer i les batalles de moros i cristians la seua producció clàssica.Paraules clau: Xarq al-Àndalus, València, elegia, paradís perdut, Lletres Filipines, romancer.
Els arguments interns directes dels noms en català: aproximació teoricodescriptiva
Authors: Cremades i Cortiella Elga
Published: October 2016

Resum: Aquest article vol ser un estudi descriptiu dels arguments interns dels noms eventuals en català. Partim de la idea que alguns noms, com els verbs, són predicats, és a dir, expressen eventualitats i seleccionen arguments, als quals assignen uns papers temàtics. Ens centrem en els arguments interns directes, que habitualment prenen els papers temàtics de tema o pacient i que se solen realitzar com a sintagmes preposicionals encapçalats per de. L’anàlisi de les ocurrències de 105 noms «transitius» al CTILC, però, permet observar que aquesta no és l’única possibilitat de realització d’aquests complements. Així, també poden ser sintagmes preposicionals encapçalats per a, contra, vers, envers o cap a o bé adjectius relacionals. ¿De què depèn, però, aquesta fluctuació? ¿És sistemàtica? ¿Hi ha factors que la condicionen més que uns altres? En aquest article intentem sistematitzar les diverses possibilitats de realització dels arguments interns directes i il·lustrem com la variació preposicional depèn, bàsicament, de qüestions relacionades amb l’aspecte dels noms, de la valència argumental i, sobretot, de les propietats temàtiques dels arguments en qüestió. Paraules clau: sintaxi, català, sintagma nominal, estructura argumental, genitiu, datiu.
Introducció monogràfic «La gramàtica històrica i la teoria lingüística: una comunicació profitosa»
Authors: Bartra-Kaufmann Anna
Published: October 2016

Introducció al monogràfic sobre «La gramàtica històrica i la teoria lingüística: una comunicació profitosa» del número 61 (tardor 2016) de Caplletra. Revista Internacional de Filologia.
Els components de la passiva. Una perspectiva diacrònica
Authors: Bartra-Kaufmann Anna
Published: October 2016

Resum: En aquest article es defensa, a partir d’unes dades del català antic, que «passiva» és un terme paraigua sense capacitat explicativa i que no es pot parlar d’una construcció passiva, sinó de la interacció de fenòmens com l’aspecte verbal i la legitimació de l’argument intern, en definitiva, de les propietats de les diverses categories funcionals presents a l’estructura. La passiva és un epifenomen. Aquesta aproximació construccionista i estrictament composicional permet superar les clàssiques restriccions sobre les passives establertes en funció de la naturalesa lèxica del predicat. S’hi argumenta que les oracions anomenades passives perifràstiques de les llengües romàniques són oracions reduïdes que requereixen d’un verb lleuger (ser o estar) per legitimar la seva temporalitat i la seva independència discursiva. Apuntem també, de manera temptativa, que la teoria de fases del programa minimista ofereix una via d’explicació molt prometedora de les dues capes de les oracions passives: l’aspectual i la temporal-discursiva. L’enfocament diacrònic permet veure la influència del sistema llatí: el paradigma perfectiu, d’una banda, i la morfologia específica de les formes sintètiques, de l’altra. Paraules clau: passiva, sintaxi diacrònica, aspecte, categories funcionals, estructura lèxica.
Pacing during an ultramarathon running event in hilly terrain
Authors: Kerhervé Hugo A. , Cole-Hunter Tom , Wiegand Aaron N. , Solomon Colin
Published: October 2016

Purpose

The dynamics of speed selection as a function of distance, or pacing, are used in recreational, competitive, and scientific research situations as an indirect measure of the psycho-physiological status of an individual. The purpose of this study was to determine pacing on level, uphill and downhill sections of participants in a long (>80 km) ultramarathon performed on trails in hilly terrain.

Methods

Fifteen ultramarathon runners competed in a  173 km event (five finished at  103 km) carrying a Global-Positioning System (GPS) device. Using the GPS data, we determined the speed, relative to average total speed, in level (LEV), uphill (UH) and downhill (DH) gradient categories as a function of total distance, as well as the correlation between overall performance and speed variability, speed loss, and total time stopped.

Results

There were no significant differences in normality, variances or means in the relative speed in 173-km and 103-km participants. Relative speed decreased in LEV, UH and DH. The main component of speed loss occurred between 5% and 50% of the event distance in LEV, and between 5% and 95% in UH and DH. There were no significant correlations between overall performance and speed loss, the variability of speed, or total time stopped.

Conclusions

Positive pacing was observed at all gradients, with the main component of speed loss occurring earlier (mixed pacing) in LEV compared to UH and DH. A speed reserve (increased speed in the last section) was observed in LEV and UH. The decrease in speed and variability of speed were more important in LEV and DH than in UH. The absence of a significant correlation between overall performance and descriptors of pacing is novel and indicates that pacing in ultramarathons in trails and hilly terrain differs to other types of running events.
Specialization on pollen or nectar in bumblebee foragers is not associated with ovary size, lipid reserves or sensory tuning
Authors: Smith Adam R. , Graystock Peter , Hughes William O.H.
Published: October 2016

Foraging specialization allows social insects to more efficiently exploit resources in their environment. Recent research on honeybees suggests that specialization on pollen or nectar among foragers is linked to reproductive physiology and sensory tuning (the Reproductive Ground-Plan Hypothesis; RGPH). However, our understanding of the underlying physiological relationships in non-Apisbees is still limited. Here we show that the bumblebeeBombus terrestrishas specialist pollen and nectar foragers, and test whether foraging specialization inB. terrestrisis linked to reproductive physiology, measured as ovarian activation. We show that neither ovary size, sensory sensitivity, measured through proboscis extension response (PER), or whole-body lipid stores differed between pollen foragers, nectar foragers, or generalist foragers. Body size also did not differ between any of these three forager groups. Non-foragers had significantly larger ovaries than foragers. This suggests that potentially reproductive individuals avoid foraging.
Human altruistic tendencies vary with both the costliness of selfless acts and socioeconomic status
Authors: Grueter Cyril C. , Ingram Jesse A. , Lewisson James W. , Bradford Olivia R. , Taba Melody , Coetzee Rebecca E. , Sherwood Michelle A.
Published: October 2016

Altruism toward strangers is considered a defining feature of humans. However, manifestation of this behaviour is contingent on the costliness of the selfless act. The extent of altruistic tendencies also varies cross-culturally, being more common in societies with higher levels of market integration. However, the existence of local variation in selfless behaviour within populations has received relatively little empirical attention. Using a ‘lost letter’ design, we dropped 300 letters (half of them stamped, half of them unstamped) in 15 residential suburbs of the greater Perth area that differ markedly in socioeconomic status. The number of returned letters was used as evidence of altruistic behaviour. Costliness was assessed by comparing return rates for stamped vs. unstamped letters. We predicted that there is a positive association between suburb socioeconomic status and number of letters returned and that altruistic acts decrease in frequency when costs increase, even minimally. Both predictions were solidly supported and demonstrate that socioeconomic deprivation and elevated performance costs independently impinge on the universality of altruistic behaviour in humans.
The PARA-suite: PAR-CLIP specific sequence read simulation and processing
Authors: Kloetgen Andreas , Borkhardt Arndt , Hoell Jessica I. , McHardy Alice C.
Published: October 2016

Background

Next-generation sequencing technologies have profoundly impacted biology over recent years. Experimental protocols, such as photoactivatable ribonucleoside-enhanced cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (PAR-CLIP), which identifies protein–RNA interactions on a genome-wide scale, commonly employ deep sequencing. With PAR-CLIP, the incorporation of photoactivatable nucleosides into nascent transcripts leads to high rates of specific nucleotide conversions during reverse transcription. So far, the specific properties of PAR-CLIP-derived sequencing reads have not been assessed in depth.

Methods

We here compared PAR-CLIP sequencing reads to regular transcriptome sequencing reads (RNA-Seq) to identify distinctive properties that are relevant for reference-based read alignment of PAR-CLIP datasets. We developed a set of freely available tools for PAR-CLIP data analysis, called the PAR-CLIP analyzer suite (PARA-suite). The PARA-suite includes error model inference, PAR-CLIP read simulation based on PAR-CLIP specific properties, a full read alignment pipeline with a modified Burrows–Wheeler Aligner algorithm and CLIP read clustering for binding site detection.

Results

We show that differences in the error profiles of PAR-CLIP reads relative to regular transcriptome sequencing reads (RNA-Seq) make a distinct processing advantageous. We examine the alignment accuracy of commonly applied read aligners on 10 simulated PAR-CLIP datasets using different parameter settings and identified the most accurate setup among those read aligners. We demonstrate the performance of the PARA-suite in conjunction with different binding site detection algorithms on several real PAR-CLIP and HITS-CLIP datasets. Our processing pipeline allowed the improvement of both alignment and binding site detection accuracy.

Availability

The PARA-suite toolkit and the PARA-suite aligner are available athttps://github.com/akloetgen/PARA-suiteandhttps://github.com/akloetgen/PARA-suite_aligner, respectively, under the GNU GPLv3 license.
Palaeoamyda messeliananov. comb. (Testudines, Pan-Trionychidae) from the Eocene Messel Pit and Geiseltal localities, Germany, taxonomic and phylogenetic insights
Authors: Cadena Edwin
Published: October 2016

Background

Abundant pan-trionychid (soft-shell) turtles specimens have been found in Eocene sequences of central Europe, particularly from two localities in Germany, the Messel Pit (a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site) and Geiseltal, traditionally attributed toTrionyx messelianusorRafetoides austriacus. Over the last two decades new specimens of this taxon from these two localities have been discovered and fully prepared. However, they have remained unstudied, as well as their phylogenetic position inside Pan-Trionychidae is unknown.

Results

Five new specimens ofPalaeoamyda messeliananov. comb. from Messel Pit and Geiseltal localities are fully described here. A revised diagnosis for the species is also presented here, together with its inclusion in a phylogenetic analysis of Pan-Trionychidae that shows that this species is sister to the extantAmyda cartilaginea, one of the most abundant pan-trionychid (soft-shell) turtles from Asia, both members of the clade Chitrini. The specimens described in here are among the best and most complete fossil pan-trionychid skeletons so far known.
Geoengineering with stratospheric aerosols: What do we not know after a decade of research?
Authors: MacMartin Douglas G. , Kravitz Ben , Long Jane C. S. , Rasch Philip J.
Published: October 2016

Any well‐informed future decision on whether and how to deploy solar geoengineering requires balancing the impacts (both intended and unintended) of intervening in the climate against the impacts of not doing so. Despite tremendous progress in the last decade, the current state of knowledge remains insufficient to support an assessment of this balance, even for stratospheric aerosol geoengineering (SAG), arguably the best understood (practical) geoengineering method. We articulate key unknowns associated with SAG, including both climate‐science and design questions, as an essential step toward developing a future strategic research program that could address outstanding uncertainties.
Modes of hurricane activity variability in the eastern Pacific: Implications for the 2016 season
Authors: Boucharel Julien , Jin Fei‐Fei , England Matthew H. , Lin I. I.
Published: October 2016

A gridded product of accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) in the eastern Pacific is constructed to assess the dominant mode of tropical cyclone (TC) activity variability. Results of an empirical orthogonal function decomposition and regression analysis of environmental variables indicate that the two dominant modes of ACE variability (40% of the total variance) are related to different flavors of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The first mode, more active during the later part of the hurricane season (September–November), is linked to the eastern Pacific El Niño through the delayed oceanic control associated with the recharge‐discharge mechanism. The second mode, dominant in the early months of the hurricane season, is related to the central Pacific El Niño mode and the associated changes in atmospheric variability. A multilinear regression forecast model of the dominant principal components of ACE variability is then constructed. The wintertime subsurface state of the eastern equatorial Pacific (characterizing ENSO heat discharge), the east‐west tilt of the thermocline (describing ENSO phase transition), the anomalous ocean surface conditions in the TC region in spring (portraying atmospheric changes induced by persistence of local surface anomalies), and the intraseasonal atmospheric variability in the western Pacific are found to be good predictors of TC activity. Results complement NOAA's official forecast by providing additional spatial and temporal information. They indicate a more active 2016 season (~2 times the ACE mean) with a spatial expansion into the central Pacific associated with the heat discharge from the 2015/2016 El Niño.
Seasonality of submesoscale dynamics in the Kuroshio Extension
Authors: Rocha Cesar B. , Gille Sarah T. , Chereskin Teresa K. , Menemenlis Dimitris
Published: October 2016

Recent studies show that the vigorous seasonal cycle of the mixed layer modulates upper ocean submesoscale turbulence. Here we provide model‐based evidence that the seasonally changing upper ocean stratification in the Kuroshio Extension also modulates submesoscale (here 10–100 km) inertia‐gravity waves. Summertime restratification weakens submesoscale turbulence but enhances inertia‐gravity waves near the surface. Thus, submesoscale turbulence and inertia‐gravity waves undergo vigorous out‐of‐phase seasonal cycles. These results imply a strong seasonal modulation of the accuracy of geostrophic velocity diagnosed from submesoscale sea surface height delivered by the Surface Water and Ocean Topography satellite mission.
Decadal variability of European sea level extremes in relation to the solar activity
Authors: Martínez‐Asensio Adrián , Tsimplis Michael N. , Calafat Francisco Mir
Published: October 2016

This study investigates the relationship between decadal changes in solar activity and sea level extremes along the European coasts and derived from tide gauge data. Autumn sea level extremes vary with the 11 year solar cycle at Venice as suggested by previous studies, but a similar link is also found at Trieste. In addition, a solar signal in winter sea level extremes is also found at Venice, Trieste, Marseille, Ceuta, Brest, and Newlyn. The influence of the solar cycle is also evident in the sea level extremes derived from a barotropic model with spatial patterns that are consistent with the correlations obtained at the tide gauges. This agreement indicates that the link to the solar cycle is through modulation of the atmospheric forcing. The only atmospheric regional pattern that showed variability at the 11 year period was the East Atlantic pattern.
Preface: Unsolved problems of magnetospheric physics
Authors: Denton M. H. , Borovsky J. E. , Stepanova M. , Valdivia J. A.
Published: October 2016

The Unsolved Problems of Magnetospheric Physics Workshop was held in September 2015 in Scarborough, UK. In contrast to most other meetings, people were specifically asked not to present and discuss their recent results. Rather, they were asked to bring their opinions and thoughts on unsolved problems to the meeting. Short presentations were encouraged after which the audience would debate and discuss definitions of the problems and how they could be overcome. Were new observations required? New missions? Or simply did the community need to work better together to resolve pertinent and outstanding science questions? Around 50% of the meeting schedule was devoted to discussion sessions on these topics.
Suppression of Water Absorption by Molecular Design of Ionic Liquid Electrolyte for Li–Air Battery
Authors: Thomas Morgan L. , Oda Yoshiki , Tatara Ryoichi , Kwon Hoi‐Min , Ueno Kazuhide , Dokko Kaoru , Watanabe Masayoshi
Published: October 2016

In this study, the effect of water on the oxygen reduction reaction is initially investigated in aprotic ionic liquids by cyclic voltammetry, revealing that the presence of water significantly deteriorates the reversibility of the oxygen reduction reaction and oxygen evolution reaction, which will be detrimental to performance of a practical lithium–air battery. In order to prevent moisture intrusion from ambient air, a hydrophobic electrolyte is then designed and the moisture content in the electrolyte exposed to ambient air is greatly suppressed, to less than 1 wt% at 30 °C and 90% RH (relative humidity). Charge and discharge tests using the hydrophobic electrolyte are reversible for several cycles even in O2 with a RH of 28%. This approach for enhancing the hydrophobicity of the electrolyte, and thus the inherent equilibrium moisture content, for the Li–air battery demonstrates the possibility for improved stability to ambient moisture.
Anionische Ketten der Stammverbindungen der Pnictogenylborane
Authors: Marquardt Christian , Kahoun Tobias , Stauber Andreas , Balázs Gábor , Bodensteiner Michael , Timoshkin Alexey Y. , Scheer Manfred
Published: October 2016

Wir berichten über die Synthese und strukturelle Charakterisierung von präzedenzlosen anionischen Stammverbindungen aus gemischten Elementen der Gruppen 13 und 15. Die Reaktionen der Pnictogenylborane H2E‐BH2⋅NMe3 (1 a: E=P; 1 b: E=As) mit phosphor‐ und arsenzentrierten Nukleophilen der Form [EH2]− (E=P, As) führen zur Bildung von Verbindungen des Typs [H2E‐BH2‐E′H2]− (2: E=E′=P; 3: E=E′=As; 4: E=P, E′=As), die kettenartige anionische Pnictogen‐Bor‐Einheiten enthalten. Darüber hinaus wurden die längere, fünfgliedrige Kette [H2As‐BH2‐PH2‐BH2‐AsH2]− (5) und die Ringverbindung [NHCdipp‐H2B‐PH2‐BH2‐NHCdipp]+[P5B5H19]− (6) mit n‐Butylcyclohexan‐ähnlichem Anion hergestellt. Alle Verbindungen wurden durch Röntgenstrukturanalyse, Multikern‐NMR‐ und IR‐Spektroskopie sowie Massenspektrometrie charakterisiert. Dichtefunktionalrechnungen erklären ihre hohe thermodynamische Stabilität und geben Aufschluss über Ladungsverteilung und Reaktionsverlauf.
Ferrocene‐Promoted Long‐Cycle Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Mi Yingying , Liu Wen , Yang Ke R. , Jiang Jianbing , Fan Qi , Weng Zhe , Zhong Yiren , Wu Zishan , Brudvig Gary W. , Batista Victor S. , Zhou Henghui , Wang Hailiang
Published: October 2016

Confining lithium polysulfide intermediates is one of the most effective ways to alleviate the capacity fade of sulfur‐cathode materials in lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries. To develop long‐cycle Li–S batteries, there is an urgent need for material structures with effective polysulfide binding capability and well‐defined surface sites; thereby improving cycling stability and allowing study of molecular‐level interactions. This challenge was addressed by introducing an organometallic molecular compound, ferrocene, as a new polysulfide‐confining agent. With ferrocene molecules covalently anchored on graphene oxide, sulfur electrode materials with capacity decay as low as 0.014 % per cycle were realized, among the best of cycling stabilities reported to date. With combined spectroscopic studies and theoretical calculations, it was determined that effective polysulfide binding originates from favorable cation–π interactions between Li+ of lithium polysulfides and the negatively charged cyclopentadienyl ligands of ferrocene.
First report of the direct supporting of palladium–arginine complex on boehmite nanoparticles and application in the synthesis of 5‐substituted tetrazoles
Authors: Tahmasbi Bahman , Ghorbani‐Choghamarani Arash
Published: October 2016

Boehmite nanoparticles are aluminium oxide hydroxide (γ‐AlOOH) particles, which were prepared using a simple and inexpensive procedure in water at room temperature and further modified using arginine. Subsequently palladium particles were immobilized on their surface to prepare Pd‐Arg@boehmite. This novel nanostructured compound was fully characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma optical emission (ICP‐OES) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopies, and scanning and transmission electron microscopies. Finally, this catalyst was applied as a moisture‐ and air‐stable heterogeneous material for the synthesis of 5‐substituted 1H–tetrazole derivatives. The leaching of palladium and heterogeneity of the catalyst were studied using hot filtration and ICP‐OES. This catalyst demonstrated remarkable recyclability. The novelty of this work is that it represents the first time an amino acid has been grafted on boehmite nanoparticles.
2016 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism Classification Criteria for Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: A Consensus and Data‐Driven Methodology Involving Three International Patient Cohorts
Authors: Shiboski Caroline H. , Shiboski Stephen C. , Seror Raphaèle , Criswell Lindsey A. , Labetoulle Marc , Lietman Thomas M. , Rasmussen Astrid , Scofield Hal , Vitali Claudio , Bowman Simon J. , Mariette Xavier ,   the International Sjögren's Syndrome Criteria Working Group
Published: October 2016

Objective

To develop and validate an international set of classification criteria for primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) using guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). These criteria were developed for use in individuals with signs and/or symptoms suggestive of SS.

Methods

We assigned preliminary importance weights to a consensus list of candidate criteria items, using multi‐criteria decision analysis. We tested and adapted the resulting draft criteria using existing cohort data on primary SS cases and non‐SS controls, with case/non‐case status derived from expert clinical judgment. We then validated the performance of the classification criteria in a separate cohort of patients.

Results

The final classification criteria are based on the weighted sum of 5 items: anti‐SSA/Ro antibody positivity and focal lymphocytic sialadenitis with a focus score of ≥1 foci/4 mm2, each scoring 3; an abnormal ocular staining score of ≥5 (or van Bijsterveld score of ≥4), a Schirmer's test result of ≤5 mm/5 minutes, and an unstimulated salivary flow rate of ≤0.1 ml/minute, each scoring 1. Individuals with signs and/or symptoms suggestive of SS who have a total score of ≥4 for the above items meet the criteria for primary SS. Sensitivity and specificity against clinician‐expert–derived case/non‐case status in the final validation cohort were high, i.e., 96% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 92–98%) and 95% (95% CI 92–97%), respectively.

Conclusion

Using methodology consistent with other recent ACR/EULAR‐approved classification criteria, we developed a single set of data‐driven consensus classification criteria for primary SS, which performed well in validation analyses and are well‐suited as criteria for enrollment in clinical trials.
Identification of a High‐Frequency Somatic NLRC4 Mutation as a Cause of Autoinflammation by Pluripotent Cell–Based Phenotype Dissection
Authors: Kawasaki Yuri , Oda Hirotsugu , Ito Jun , Niwa Akira , Tanaka Takayuki , Hijikata Atsushi , Seki Ryosuke , Nagahashi Ayako , Osawa Mitsujiro , Asaka Isao , Watanabe Akira , Nishimata Shigeo , Shirai Tsuyoshi , Kawashima Hisashi , Ohara Osamu , Nakahata Tatsutoshi , Nishikomori Ryuta , Heike Toshio , Saito Megumu K.
Published: October 2016

Objective

To elucidate the genetic background of a patient with neonatal‐onset multisystem inflammatory disease (NOMID) with no NLRP3 mutation.

Methods

A Japanese male child diagnosed as having NOMID was studied. The patient did not have any NLRP3 mutation, even as low‐frequency mosaicism. We performed whole‐exome sequencing on the patient and his parents. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were established from the patient's fibroblasts. The iPSCs were then differentiated into monocyte lineage to evaluate the cytokine profile.

Results

We established multiple iPSC clones from a patient with NOMID and incidentally found that the phenotypes of monocytes from iPSC clones were heterogeneous and could be grouped into disease and normal phenotypes. Because each iPSC clone was derived from a single somatic cell, we hypothesized that the patient had somatic mosaicism of an interleukin‐1β–related gene. Whole‐exome sequencing of both representative iPSC clones and the patient's blood revealed a novel heterozygous NLRC4 mutation, p.T177A (c.529A>G), as a specific mutation in diseased iPSC clones. Knockout of the NLRC4 gene using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat/Cas9 system in a mutant iPSC clone abrogated the pathogenic phenotype.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that the patient has somatic mosaicism of a novel NLRC4 mutation. To our knowledge, this is the first case showing that somatic mutation of NLRC4 causes autoinflammatory symptoms compatible with NOMID. The present study demonstrates the significance of prospective genetic screening combined with iPSC‐based phenotype dissection for individualized diagnoses.
An investigation of multiplier effects generated by implementing queue jump lanes at multiple intersections
Authors: Truong Long T. , Sarvi Majid , Currie Graham
Published: October 2016

This paper investigates the combination effects of queue jump lanes (QJLs) on signalised arterials to establish if a multiplier effect exists, that is, the benefit from providing QJLs at multiple intersections is higher than the sum of benefits from providing them individually at each of those intersections. To explore the combination effects on bus delay and total person delay, a delay estimation model is developed using kinematic wave theory, kinematic equations and Monte Carlo simulation. In addition, to investigate the combination effects in offset settings optimised for bus delay or total person delay, offset optimisation models are proposed. Validation results using traffic micro‐simulation indicate the effectiveness and computational efficiency of the proposed models. Results of a modelling test bed suggest that providing QJLs at multiple intersections can create a multiplier effect on one‐directional bus delay savings with signal offsets that provide bus progression. Furthermore, optimising offsets to minimise bus delay tends to create a multiplier effect on one‐directional bus delay savings, particularly when variations in dwell times are not high. The reason for the multiplier effect may be that providing QJLs reduces variations in bus travel times, which makes signal coordination for buses perform more effectively. From a policy perspective, the existence of a multiplier effect suggests that a corridor‐wide scale implementation of QJLs has considerable merit. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nanomaterials‐based biosensors for detection of microorganisms and microbial toxins
Authors: Sutarlie Laura , Ow Sian Yang , Su Xiaodi
Published: October 2016

Detection of microorganisms and microbial toxins is important for health and safety. Due to their unique physical and chemical properties, nanomaterials have been extensively used to develop biosensors for rapid detection of microorganisms with microbial cells and toxins as target analytes. In this paper, the design principles of nanomaterials‐based biosensors for four selected analyte categories (bacteria cells, toxins, mycotoxins, and protozoa cells), closely associated with the target analytes' properties is reviewed. Five signal transducing methods that are less equipment intensive (colorimetric, fluorimetric, surface enhanced Raman scattering, electrochemical, and magnetic relaxometry methods) is described and compared for their sensory performance (in term oflimit of detection, dynamic range, and response time) for all analyte categories. In the end, the suitability of these five sensing principles for on‐site or field applications is discussed. With a comprehensive coverage of nanomaterials, design principles, sensing principles, and assessment on the sensory performance and suitability for on‐site application, this review offers valuable insight and perspective for designing suitable nanomaterials‐based microorganism biosensors for a given application.
Intravascular and hybrid intraoperative stent placement for baffle obstruction in transposition of the great arteries after atrial switch
Authors: Poterucha Joseph T. , Taggart Nathaniel W. , Johnson Jonathan N. , Cannon Bryan C. , Cabalka Allison K. , Hagler Donald J. , Dearani Joseph A. , Cetta Frank
Published: October 2016

Objectives

To report our experience with intravascular and hybrid intra‐operative stent placement for baffle obstruction in patients with complete transposition of the great arteries (TGA) after the atrial switch (Mustard/Senning) operation.

Background

Venous baffle obstruction is a challenging complication after atrial switch operation in patients with TGA. Traditional treatment options include intravascular stenting or surgery.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of Mayo Clinic's electronic medical record was completed to identify consecutive pediatric and adult patients with TGA after atrial switch who underwent baffle stent implantation from 1994 to 2015.

Results

Overall, 64 patients were referred for cardiac catheterization, in whom 47 (73%) were noted to have hemodynamic and angiographic evidence of baffle obstruction. A total of 20 patients mean age 33 (range: 8–46) years old underwent stent implantation of baffle stenosis at a mean of 33 (range: 7.5–45) years after initial atrial switch operation (Mustard, n = 19; Senning, n = 1). Overall, 27 baffles were stented in 20 patients via the following approaches: intravascular (17); hybrid surgical (3); staged intravascular & hybrid (2). Sites of stent placement were: superior vena cava (SVC) (13); inferior vena cava (IVC) (9); pulmonary venous baffle (5). Three patients had stent placement in the SVC and IVC baffles during the same procedure. Procedural adverse events occurred in 2/22 cases (9%) including creation of unintentional baffle leak (n = 1) and stent migration (n = 1). There was no procedure‐related mortality. At follow‐up (median 2, range 0.02–10 years), significantly improved NYHA class and mean Doppler baffle gradient were demonstrated (P < 0.05). Mild baffle re‐stenosis (mean Doppler gradient; 2–3 mmHg) occurred in two patients who have not required re‐intervention. Trivial baffle leak was noted in four patients. Baffle re‐intervention was only occurred in one patient. One patient with pre‐procedural Class IV symptoms died 3.5 months after stent implantation.

Conclusions

This study is the largest reported experience of intravascular and intra‐operative hybrid stent placement for patients with TGA after atrial switch. Transcatheter and minimally invasive hybrid intraoperative surgical stent placement are an effective strategy for relief of systemic and pulmonary venous baffle obstruction. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Probe‐Molecule‐Assisted NMR Spectroscopy: A Comparison with Photoluminescence and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy as a Characterization Tool in Facet‐Specific Photocatalysis
Authors: Peng Yung‐Kang , Fu Yingyi , Zhang Li , Teixeira Ivo F. , Ye Lin , He Heyong , Tsang Shik Chi Edman
Published: October 2016

Photoluminescence (PL) and EPR spectroscopy are the two most commonly used techniques to evaluate surface oxygen vacancies (VO surface) on photoactive transition metal oxides. However, these techniques have shortcomings in the characterization of facet‐dependent catalysis. Here, we used the chemical adsorption of a 31P‐containing probe molecule to obtain the distribution/concentration of VO surface as well as other surface features (hydroxyl groups) of ZnO by using 31P magic‐angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. This facet‐specific technique not only makes cross‐literature comparison feasible but also provides more comprehensive information to lead to a further understanding of the photocatalytic mechanism.
Site‐Selective Disulfide Modification of Proteins: Expanding Diversity beyond the Proteome
Authors: Kuan Seah Ling , Wang Tao , Weil Tanja
Published: October 2016

The synthetic transformation of polypeptides with molecular accuracy holds great promise for providing functional and structural diversity beyond the proteome. Consequently, the last decade has seen an exponential growth of site‐directed chemistry to install additional features into peptides and proteins even inside living cells. The disulfide rebridging strategy has emerged as a powerful tool for site‐selective modifications since most proteins contain disulfide bonds. In this Review, we present the chemical design, advantages and limitations of the disulfide rebridging reagents, while summarizing their relevance for synthetic customization of functional protein bioconjugates, as well as the resultant impact and advancement for biomedical applications.