bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhanced lifetime of organic light-emitting diodes using soluble tetraalkyl-substituted copper phthalocyanines as anode buffer layers
Authors: Xu Jiaju , Wang Yulong , Chen Qian , Lin Yiwei , Shan Haiquan , Roy V. A. L. , Xu Zongxiang
Published: July 2016

Soluble tetraalkyl-substituted copper phthalocyanines were employed as anodic buffer layers of OLEDs, achieving enhanced stability and durability compared with PEDOT:PSS.
Take Our Licensure Away? No Way!
Authors: Pratt Julie Y.
Published: July 2016

When Michigan threatened to repeal their hard-earned licensure law, SLPs rallied to stop it. Their inspiring story shows the power of “kicking and screaming” grassroots advocacy.
First Person on the Last Page: A Therapeutic Pedigree
Authors: Drolet Collin
Published: July 2016

Luna was every bit the firebrand her kennel name—Champion Firesides Lunatic—implied. And she was just what the children needed to get engaged in online treatment.
First Person on the Last Page: The Call of the Wild
Authors: Mckinnis Sandra
Published: July 2016

An SLP braves Alaska's most rugged, remote landscapes to reach clients where they live.
Spectrum of Opportunities
Authors: Rowden-Racette Kellie
Published: July 2016

More colleges are supporting students on the spectrum with programs involving communication sciences and disorders departments.
Convention A La Mode
Authors: Dunham Gary
Published: July 2016

Ben and Jerry are coming to convention and have lots to serve up. What's topping their list?
Unchained Mind
Authors: Guenther Frank H. , Brumberg Jonathan S.
Published: July 2016

Technology that harnesses brain signals releases “locked-in” patients—too paralyzed to speak— from their prison of silence.
Invitation to Chicago
Authors: Polovoy Carol , Murray Law Bridget , Rowden-Racette Kellie
Published: July 2016

Get to know three of the 2013 ASHA Convention's invited speakers.
Proud to Pay
Authors: Belinger Laura
Published: July 2016

“Proud to Pay”, “Think Outside Your Setting”
Think Outside Your Setting
Authors: Zimmer-Riggs Corrina
Published: July 2016

“Proud to Pay”, “Think Outside Your Setting”
In the Limelight: Walking and Talking
Authors: Rowden-Racette Kellie
Published: July 2016

SLP and hiking expert Jeff Alt combines the power of hiking with language and makes a walk in the woods a whole new experience.
Should You Hire a Billing Specialist?
Authors: Rowe Pamela
Published: July 2016

If your insurance provider list is growing as fast as your client list, consider delegating your medical claim management.
Policy Analysis: Medicare Providers: Report Once in 2013 to Avoid Future Penalties
Authors: Satterfield Lisa
Published: July 2016

Feds clarify rules for required 2013 participation in the Physician Quality Reporting System.
Policy Analysis: Congress Restores Medicare Rates, Extends Therapy Caps
Authors: Lusis Ingrida , Satterfield Lisa
Published: July 2016

The law also adds two more provider categories to therapy caps and continues the pre-approval requirement for speech-language services exceeding $3,700.
No Physician Referral Equals No Medicare Payment
Authors: Satterfield Lisa
Published: July 2016

Starting this month, Medicare will reject claims that have missing or incorrect referral information.
Policy Analysis: Home Care Agencies Could See Drop in 2014 Medicare Payments
Authors: Kander Mark
Published: July 2016

Per-episode payments would decrease under the proposed rates, but per-visit rates for SLPs would rise by 6 percent.
May Is Your Month to Shine
Authors: Dixon Deborah Adamczyk
Published: July 2016

Help your colleagues better understand what you do by marking Better Hearing and Speech Month.
Sound Connections
Authors: Weinstein Barbara E.
Published: July 2016

When older, socially isolated adults grow depressed, more medication is not always the answer. Sometimes, hearing aids can help.
Student's Say: Is There a Double Doctor in the House?
Authors: Gustafson Samantha
Published: July 2016

AuD in hand, this audiologist still had an unsatisfied thirst for understanding of her field. So she went back to school for a PhD.
Spreading the Word: Targeting Audiences Matters Most
Authors: Pierson Francine
Published: July 2016

As with most professionals who are proud of what they do, ASHA members often cite the need for greater awareness of the speech-language pathology and audiology fields. Before engaging in raising awareness, however, it is a good idea to first ask yourself who needs to know about your work and why.
A Brownian dynamics study on ferrofluid colloidal dispersions using an iterative constraint method to satisfy Maxwell’s equations
Authors: Dubina Sean Hyun , Wedgewood Lewis Edward
Published: July 2016

Ferrofluids are often favored for their ability to be remotely positioned via external magnetic fields. The behavior of particles in ferromagnetic clusters under uniformly applied magnetic fields has been computationally simulated using the Brownian dynamics, Stokesian dynamics, and Monte Carlo methods. However, few methods have been established that effectively handle the basic principles of magnetic materials, namely, Maxwell’s equations. An iterative constraint method was developed to satisfy Maxwell’s equations when a uniform magnetic field is imposed on ferrofluids in a heterogeneous Brownian dynamics simulation that examines the impact of ferromagnetic clusters in a mesoscale particle collection. This was accomplished by allowing a particulate system in a simple shear flow to advance by a time step under a uniformly applied magnetic field, then adjusting the ferroparticles via an iterative constraint method applied over sub-volume length scales until Maxwell’s equations were satisfied. The resultant ferrofluid model with constraints demonstrates that the magnetoviscosity contribution is not as substantial when compared to homogeneous simulations that assume the material’s magnetism is a direct response to the external magnetic field. This was detected across varying intensities of particle-particle interaction, Brownian motion, and shear flow. Ferroparticle aggregation was still extensively present but less so than typically observed.
A smart microelectromechanical sensor and switch triggered by gas
Authors: Bouchaala Adam , Jaber Nizar , Shekhah Osama , Chernikova Valeriya , Eddaoudi Mohamed , Younis Mohammad I.
Published: July 2016

There is an increasing interest to realize smarter sensors and actuators that can deliver a multitude of sophisticated functionalities while being compact in size and of low cost. We report here combining both sensing and actuation on the same device based on a single microstructure. Specifically, we demonstrate a smart resonant gas (mass) sensor, which in addition to being capable of quantifying the amount of absorbed gas, can be autonomously triggered as an electrical switch upon exceeding a preset threshold of absorbed gas. Toward this, an electrostatically actuated polymer microbeam is fabricated and is then functionalized with a metal-organic framework, namely, HKUST-1. The microbeam is demonstrated to absorb vapors up to a certain threshold, after which is shown to collapse through the dynamic pull-in instability. Upon pull-in, the microstructure can be made to act as an electrical switch to achieve desirable actions, such as alarming.
Linear mixed model for heritability estimation that explicitly addresses environmental variation
Authors: Heckerman David , Gurdasani Deepti , Kadie Carl , Pomilla Cristina , Carstensen Tommy , Martin Hilary , Ekoru Kenneth , Nsubuga Rebecca N. , Ssenyomo Gerald , Kamali Anatoli , Kaleebu Pontiano , Widmer Christian , Sandhu Manjinder S.
Published: July 2016

The linear mixed model (LMM) is now routinely used to estimate heritability. Unfortunately, as we demonstrate, LMM estimates of heritability can be inflated when using a standard model. To help reduce this inflation, we used a more general LMM with two random effects—one based on genomic variants and one based on easily measured spatial location as a proxy for environmental effects. We investigated this approach with simulated data and with data from a Uganda cohort of 4,778 individuals for 34 phenotypes including anthropometric indices, blood factors, glycemic control, blood pressure, lipid tests, and liver function tests. For the genomic random effect, we used identity-by-descent estimates from accurately phased genome-wide data. For the environmental random effect, we constructed a covariance matrix based on a Gaussian radial basis function. Across the simulated and Ugandan data, narrow-sense heritability estimates were lower using the more general model. Thus, our approach addresses, in part, the issue of “missing heritability” in the sense that much of the heritability previously thought to be missing was fictional. Software is available at
https://github.com/MicrosoftGenomics/FaST-LMM
.
Modeling confounding by half-sibling regression
Authors: Schölkopf Bernhard , Hogg David W. , Wang Dun , Foreman-Mackey Daniel , Janzing Dominik , Simon-Gabriel Carl-Johann , Peters Jonas
Published: July 2016

We describe a method for removing the effect of confounders to reconstruct a latent quantity of interest. The method, referred to as “half-sibling regression,” is inspired by recent work in causal inference using additive noise models. We provide a theoretical justification, discussing both independent and identically distributed as well as time series data, respectively, and illustrate the potential of the method in a challenging astronomy application.
The ACTing Cure: Evidence-Based Group Treatment for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Tomasulo Dan , Szucs Andrea
Published: July 2016

Current research using action methods and creative dramatics with people with intellectual and psychiatric disabilities is reviewed, with a focus on the uses and distinction between psychodrama and dramatherapy. The Interactive-Behavioral Therapy/Active Cognitive Treatment (IBT-ACT) model is introduced and suggestions for future research are explored.
Effect of laser shock peening on aluminium alloy laser-welds
Authors: Sun G. , Fang X. , Tong Z. , Ni Z. , Lu Y.
Published: July 2016

Effects of laser shock peening (LSP) on laser-welded aluminium alloy joints filling Al + 1.0 wt-% CeO2 were investigated. Porosity ratio, microstructure, residual stress, hardness, tensile strength and fracture morphology were evaluated. Double-side LSP decreased the porosity ratio, refined microstructure, relieved the residual compressive stresses and increased the micro-hardness and tensile strength of the welds. Interaction between porosity and residual stress was also illustrated.
What remains of history? Historical epistemology and historical understanding in Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence
Authors: Smith Joseph
Published: July 2016

This paper critically examines the framing of historical knowledge in the primary and ‘broad general education’ phases (ages 4–14) of Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence. The paper focuses on curriculum documentation, particularly the curriculum's aims and ‘Experiences and Outcomes’ and evaluates these in light of recent research on children's historical understanding. It is argued that the decision to frame historical understanding as ‘People, Past Events and Societies’ within the context of a ‘social studies’ curriculum area has been motivated by a misunderstanding of history's unique disciplinary identity. It is argued that history curricula must take account of the unique ontological and epistemological challenges posed by investigating the past and that by failing to do this, ‘Curriculum for Excellence’ offers children in Scotland a problematic representation of what it means to study the past. The paper challenges the curriculum in both epistemic and pedagogical terms, before suggesting that a rigorous study of history as a discipline can make a valuable contribution to children's personal and social development.
Effects of load mass carried in a backpack upon respiratory muscle fatigue
Authors: Faghy Mark , Blacker Sam , Brown Peter I.
Published: July 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether loads carried in a backpack, with a load mass ranging from 0 to 20 kg, causes respiratory muscle fatigue. Methods: Eight males performed four randomised load carriage (LC) trials comprising 60 min walking at 6.5 km h−1 wearing a backpack of either 0 (LC0), 10 (LC10), 15 (LC15) or 20 kg (LC20). Inspiratory (PImax) and expiratory (PEmax) mouth pressures were assessed prior to and immediately following each trial. Pulmonary gas exchange, heart rate (HR), blood lactate and glucose concentration and perceptual responses were recorded during the first and final 60 s of each trial. Results: Group mean PImax and PEmax were unchanged following 60‐min load carriage in all conditions (p > .05). There was an increase over time in pulmonary gas exchange, HR and perceptions of effort relative to baseline measures during each trial (p < .05) with changes not different between trials (p > .05). Conclusions: These findings indicate that sub‐maximal walking with no load or carrying 10, 15 or 20 kg in a backpack for up to 60 min does not cause respiratory muscle fatigue despite causing an increase in physiological, metabolic and perceptual parameters.
Final report of CCQM-K129 Measurement of Mole Fractions of Cu, In, Ga and Se in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Films
Authors: Kim K J , Kim A S , Jang J S , Suh J K , Wirth T , Unger W , Hodoroaba V-D , Araujo J R , Archanjo B S , Galhardo C E , Damasceno J , Achete C A , Wang H , Wang M , Bennett J , Simon D , Kurokawa A , Terauchi S , Fujimoto T , Streeck C , Beckhoff B , Spencer S , Shard A
Published: July 2016

CCQM key comparison K-129 for the quantitative analysis of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) films has been performed by the Surface Analysis Working Group (SAWG) of the Consultative Committee for Amount of Substance (CCQM). The objective of this key comparison is to compare the equivalency of the National Metrology Institutes (NMIs) and Designated Institutes (DIs) for the measurement of mole fractions of Cu, In, Ga and Se in a thin CIGS film. The measurand of this key comparison is the average mole fractions of Cu, In, Ga and Se of a test CIGS alloy film in the unit of mole fraction (mol/mol). Mole fraction with the metrological unit of % mol/mol can be practically converted to atomic fraction with the unit of at %.

In this key comparison, a CIGS film with certified mole fractions was supplied as a reference specimen to determine the relative sensitivity factors (RSFs) of Cu, In, Ga and Se. The mole fractions of the reference specimen were certified by isotope dilution - inductively coupled plasma/mass spectrometry (ID-ICP/MS). A total number counting (TNC) method was recommended as a method to determine the signal intensities of the constituent elements acquired in the depth profiles by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). Seven NMIs and one DI participated in this key comparison. The mole fractions of the CIGS films were measured by depth profiling based-SIMS, AES and XPS.

In this key comparison, the average degrees of equivalence uncertainties for Cu, In, Ga and Se are 0.0093 mol/mol, 0.0123 mol/mol, 0.0047 mol/mol and 0.0228 mol/mol, respectively.

Main text

To reach the main text of this paper, click on Final Report. Note that this text is that which appears in Appendix B of the BIPM key comparison database kcdb.bipm.org/.

The final report has been peer-reviewed and approved for publication by the CCQM, according to the provisions of the CIPM Mutual Recognition Arrangement (CIPM MRA).
Hexagonal boron nitride hollow capsules with collapsed surfaces: Chemical vapor deposition with single-source precursor ammonium fluoroborate*
Authors: Li Xiaopeng , Zhang Jun , Yu Chao , Liu Xiaoxi , Abbas Saleem , Li Jie , Xue Yanming , Tang Chengchun
Published: July 2016

SBA-15 (mesoporous SiO2) is used to stabilize and transfer F− in the NH4BF4 CVD reaction for the first time, and a large-scale crystalline h-BN phase can be prepared. We successfully fabricate hollow h-BN capsules with collapsed surfaces in our designed NH4BF4 CVD system. Optimum temperature conditions are obtained, and a detailed formation mechanism is further proposed. The successful SBA-15-assisted NH4BF4 CVD route is of importance and enriches the engineering technology in the h-BN single-source CVD reaction.
Savannas: A Very Short Introduction
Authors: Furley Peter A.
Published: July 2016

Savannas form one of the largest and most important of the world’s ecological zones. Covering one-fifth of the Earth’s land surface, they are home to some of the world’s most iconic animals and form an extremely important global resource for plants and wildlife. Savannas: A Very Short Introduction considers savannas as landscapes and explains the variety of the vegetation, wildlife, and environments. Discussing their origin, topography, and global distribution, it explores the dynamic nature of savannas and illustrates how they have shaped human evolution and movements. It goes on to discuss the unrelenting pressures that confront conservation and management, and considers the future for savannas.
TwoPhaseInd: an R package for estimating gene–treatment interactions and discovering predictive markers in randomized clinical trials
Authors: Wang Xiaoyu , Dai James Y.
Published: July 2016

Summary: In randomized clinical trials, identifying baseline genetic or genomic markers for predicting subgroup treatment effects is of rising interest. Outcome-dependent sampling is often employed for measuring markers. The R package TwoPhaseInd implements a number of efficient statistical methods we developed for estimating subgroup treatment effects and gene–treatment interactions, exploiting the gene–treatment independence dictated by randomization, including the case-only estimator, the maximum estimated likelihood estimator and the semiparametric maximum likelihood estimator for parameters in a logistic model. For rare failure events subject to censoring, we have proposed efficient augmented case-only designs, a variation of the case–cohort design, to estimate genetic associations and subgroup treatment effects in a Cox regression model. The R package is computationally scalable to genome-wide studies, as illustrated by an example from Women’s Health Initiative.

Availability and Implementation: The R package TwoPhaseInd is available from http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages .

Contact:  jdai@fredhutch.org
MetaPred2CS: a sequence-based meta-predictor for protein–protein interactions of prokaryotic two-component system proteins
Authors: Kara Altan , Vickers Martin , Swain Martin , Whitworth David E. , Fernandez-Fuentes Narcis
Published: July 2016

Motivation: Two-component systems (TCS) are the main signalling pathways of prokaryotes, and control a wide range of biological phenomena. Their functioning depends on interactions between TCS proteins, the specificity of which is poorly understood.

Results: The MetaPred2CS web-server interfaces a sequence-based meta-predictor specifically designed to predict pairing of the histidine kinase and response-regulator proteins forming TCSs. MetaPred2CS integrates six sequence-based methods using a support vector machine classifier and has been intensively tested under different benchmarking conditions: (i) species specific gene sets; (ii) neighbouring versus orphan pairs; and (iii) k-fold cross validation on experimentally validated datasets.

Availability and Implementation: Web server at: http://metapred2cs.ibers.aber.ac.uk/ , Source code: https://github.com/martinjvickers/MetaPred2CS or implemented as Virtual Machine at: http://metapred2cs.ibers.aber.ac.uk/download

Contact:  naf4@aber.ac.uk

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
An empirical Bayes method for genotyping and SNP detection using multi-sample next-generation sequencing data
Authors: Huang Gongyi , Wang Shaoli , Wang Xueqin , You Na
Published: July 2016

Motivation: The development of next generation sequencing technology provides an efficient and powerful approach to rare variant detection. To identify genetic variations, the essential question is how to quantity the sequencing error rate in the data. Because of the advantage of easy implementation and the ability to integrate data from different sources, the empirical Bayes method is popularly employed to estimate the sequencing error rate for SNP detection.

Results: We propose a novel statistical model to fit the observed non-reference allele frequency data, and utilize the empirical Bayes method for both genotyping and SNP detection, where an ECM algorithm is implemented to estimate the model parameters. The performance of our proposed method is investigated via simulations and real data analysis. It is shown that our method makes less genotype-call errors, and with the parameter estimates from the ECM algorithm, it attains high detection power with FDR being well controlled.

Availability and implementation : The proposed algorithm is wrapped in the R package ebGenotyping, which can be downloaded from http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/ebGenotyping/ .

Contact:  youn@mail.sysu.edu.cn

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Carbon-ion pencil beam scanning for thoracic treatment – initiation report and dose metrics evaluation
Authors: Karube Masataka , Mori Shinichiro , Tsuji Hiroshi , Yamamoto Naoyoshi , Nakajima Mio , Nakagawa Keiichi , Kamada Tadashi
Published: July 2016

Carbon-ion beam scanning has not previously been used for moving tumor treatments. We have commenced respiratory-gated carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) in the thoracic and abdominal regions under free-breathing conditions as a clinical trial. This study aimed to investigate this treatment in the lungs in comparison with passive scattering CIRT. Five patients had thoracic tumors treated with carbon-ion scanned beams using respiratory gating. We analyzed the actual treatments and calculated passive scattering treatment plans based on the same planning CT. We evaluated tumor size until 3 months post treatment and each treatment plan regarding dose delivered to 95% of the clinical target volume (CTV-D95), mean lung dose, percentage of lung receiving at least 5 Gy (RBE) (Lung-V5), Lung-V10, Lung-V20, heart maximum dose (Dmax), esophagus Dmax, cord Dmax and skin Dmax. Obvious tumor deterioration was not observed up to 3 months post treatment. The dose evaluation metrics were similar item by item between respiratory-gated scanned CIRT and passive scattering CIRT. In conclusion, scanned beam CIRT provided treatments equivalent to passive scattering CIRT for thoracic tumors. Increased sample numbers and longer-term observation are needed.
Evaluation of a Systems Analysis and Improvement Approach to Optimize Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission of HIV Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research
Authors: Gimbel Sarah , Rustagi Alison S. , Robinson Julia , Kouyate Seydou , Coutinho Joana , Nduati Ruth , Pfeiffer James , Gloyd Stephen , Sherr Kenneth ,   with input from the SAIA study team, Granato S. Adam , Kone Ahoua , Cruz Emilia , Manuel Joao Luis , Zucule Justina , Napua Manuel , Mbatia Grace , Wariua Grace , Maina Martin
Published: July 2016

Background:

Despite large investments to prevent mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT), pediatric HIV elimination goals are not on track in many countries. The Systems Analysis and Improvement Approach (SAIA) study was a cluster randomized trial to test whether a package of systems engineering tools could strengthen PMTCT programs. We sought to (1) define core and adaptable components of the SAIA intervention, and (2) explain the heterogeneity in SAIA's success between facilities.

Methods:

The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) guided all data collection efforts. CFIR constructs were assessed in focus group discussions and interviews with study and facility staff in 6 health facilities (1 high-performing and 1 low-performing site per country, identified by study staff) in December 2014 at the end of the intervention period. SAIA staff identified the intervention's core and adaptable components at an end-of-study meeting in August 2015. Two independent analysts used CFIR constructs to code transcripts before reaching consensus.

Results:

Flow mapping and continuous quality improvement were the core to the SAIA in all settings, whereas the PMTCT cascade analysis tool was the core in high HIV prevalence settings. Five CFIR constructs distinguished strongly between high and low performers: 2 in inner setting (networks and communication, available resources) and 3 in process (external change agents, executing, reflecting and evaluating).

Discussion:

The CFIR is a valuable tool to categorize elements of an intervention as core versus adaptable, and to understand heterogeneity in study implementation. Future intervention studies should apply evidence-based implementation science frameworks, like the CFIR, to provide salient data to expand implementation to other settings.
Optimizing Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) for Maternal and Child Health (MCH): Rationale and Design of the MCH-ART Study
Authors: Myer Landon , Phillips Tamsin K. , Zerbe Allison , Ronan Agnes , Hsiao Nei-Yuan , Mellins Claude A. , Remien Robert H. , Le Roux Stanzi M. , Brittain Kirsty , Ciaranello Andrea , Petro Greg , McIntyre James A. , Abrams Elaine J.
Published: July 2016

Background:

Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV implementation faces significant challenges globally, particularly in the context of universal lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all HIV-infected pregnant women.

Methods:

We describe the rationale and methods of the Maternal and Child Health-Antiretroviral Therapy (MCH-ART) study, an implementation science project examining strategies for providing HIV care and treatment to HIV-infected women who initiate ART during pregnancy and their HIV-exposed infants.

Results:

MCH-ART is composed of 3 interrelated study designs across the antenatal and postnatal periods. Phase 1 is a cross-sectional evaluation of consecutive HIV-infected pregnant women seeking antenatal care; phase 2 is an observational cohort of all women from phase 1 who are eligible for initiation of ART following local guidelines; and phase 3 is a randomized trial of strategies for delivering ART to breastfeeding women from phase 2 during the postpartum period. During each phase, a set of study measurement visits is carried out separately from antenatal care and ART services; a maximum of 9 visits takes place from the beginning of antenatal care through 12 months postpartum. In parallel, in-depth interviews are used to examine issues of ART adherence and retention qualitatively, and costs and cost-effectiveness of models of care are examined. Separate substudies examine health outcomes in HIV-uninfected women and their HIV-unexposed infants, and the role of the adherence club model for long-term adherence and retention.

Discussion:

Combining observational and experimental components, the MCH-ART study presents a novel approach to understand and optimize ART delivery for MCH.
Conditional Cash Transfers to Increase Retention in PMTCT Care, Antiretroviral Adherence, and Postpartum Virological Suppression: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Yotebieng Marcel , Thirumurthy Harsha , Moracco Kathryn E. , Edmonds Andrew , Tabala Martine , Kawende Bienvenu , Wenzi Landry K. , Okitolonda Emile W. , Behets Frieda
Published: July 2016

Background:

Novel strategies are needed to increase retention in prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) services. We have recently shown that small, incremental cash transfers conditional on attending clinic resulted in increased retention along the PMTCT cascade. However, whether women who receive incentives to attend clinic visits are as adherent to antiretrovirals (ARV) as those who do not was unknown.

Objective:

To determine whether HIV-infected women who received incentives to remain in care were as adherent to antiretroviral treatment and achieved the same level of viral suppression at 6 weeks postpartum as those who did not receive incentives but also remained in care.

Methods:

Newly diagnosed HIV-infected women at ≤32 weeks gestational age were recruited at antenatal care clinics in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Women were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to an intervention or control group. The intervention group received compensation ($5, plus $1 increment at each subsequent visit) conditional on attending scheduled clinic visits and accepting offered PMTCT services, whereas the control group received usual care. The proportion of participants who remained in care, were fully adherent (took all their pills at each visit) or with undetectable viral load at 6 weeks postpartum were compared across group.

Results:

Among 433 women randomized (216 in intervention group and 217 in control group), 332 (76.7%) remained in care at 6 weeks postpartum, including 174 (80.6%) in the intervention group and 158 (72.8%) in the control group, (P = 0.04). Data on pill count were available for 297 participants (89.5%), including 156 (89.7%) and 141 (89.2%) in the intervention and control groups, respectively; 69.9% (109/156) and 68.1% (96/141) in the intervention and control groups had perfect adherence [risk difference, 0.02; 95% CI: −0.06 to 0.09]. Viral load results were available for 171 (98.3%) and 155 (98.7%) women in the intervention and control groups, respectively; 66.1% (113/171) in the intervention group and 69.7% (108/155) in the control group had an undetectable viral load (risk difference, −0.04; 95% CI: −0.14 to 0.07). Results were similar after adjusting for marital status, age, education, baseline CD4 count, viral load, gestational age, and initial ARV regimen.

Conclusions:

Although the provision of cash incentives to HIV-infected pregnant women led to higher retention in care at 6 weeks postpartum, among those retained in care, adherence to ARVs and virologic suppression did not differ by study group.
Calcium and ATP control multiple vital functions
Authors: Petersen Ole H. , Verkhratsky Alexei
Published: July 2016

Life on Planet Earth, as we know it, revolves around adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as a universal energy storing molecule. The metabolism of ATP requires a low cytosolic Ca
2+
concentration, and hence tethers these two molecules together. The exceedingly low cytosolic Ca
2+
concentration (which in all life forms is kept around 50–100 nM) forms the basis for a universal intracellular signalling system in which Ca
2+
acts as a second messenger. Maintenance of transmembrane Ca
2+
gradients, in turn, requires ATP-dependent Ca
2+
transport, thus further emphasizing the inseparable links between these two substances. Ca
2+
signalling controls the most fundamental processes in the living organism, from heartbeat and neurotransmission to cell energetics and secretion. The versatility and plasticity of Ca
2+
signalling relies on cell specific Ca
2+
signalling toolkits, remodelling of which underlies adaptive cellular responses. Alterations of these Ca
2+
signalling toolkits lead to aberrant Ca
2+
signalling which is fundamental for the pathophysiology of numerous diseases from acute pancreatitis to neurodegeneration. This paper introduces a theme issue on this topic, which arose from a Royal Society Theo Murphy scientific meeting held in March 2016.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Evolution brings Ca
2+
and ATP together to control life and death’.
Inseparable tandem: evolution chooses ATP and Ca2+to control life, death and cellular signalling
Authors: Plattner Helmut , Verkhratsky Alexei
Published: July 2016

From the very dawn of biological evolution, ATP was selected as a multipurpose energy-storing molecule. Metabolism of ATP required intracellular free Ca2+to be set at exceedingly low concentrations, which in turn provided the background for the role of Ca2+as a universal signalling molecule. The early-eukaryote life forms also evolved functional compartmentalization and vesicle trafficking, which used Ca2+as a universal signalling ion; similarly, Ca2+is needed for regulation of ciliary and flagellar beat, amoeboid movement, intracellular transport, as well as of numerous metabolic processes. Thus, during evolution, exploitation of atmospheric oxygen and increasingly efficient ATP production via oxidative phosphorylation by bacterial endosymbionts were a first step for the emergence of complex eukaryotic cells. Simultaneously, Ca2+started to be exploited for short-range signalling, despite restrictions by the preset phosphate-based energy metabolism, when both phosphates and Ca2+interfere with each other because of the low solubility of calcium phosphates. The need to keep cytosolic Ca2+low forced cells to restrict Ca2+signals in space and time and to develop energetically favourable Ca2+signalling and Ca2+microdomains. These steps in tandem dominated further evolution. The ATP molecule (often released by Ca2+-regulated exocytosis) rapidly grew to be the universal chemical messenger for intercellular communication; ATP effects are mediated by an extended family of purinoceptors often linked to Ca2+signalling. Similar to atmospheric oxygen, Ca2+must have been reverted from a deleterious agent to a most useful (intra- and extracellular) signalling molecule. Invention of intracellular trafficking further increased the role for Ca2+homeostasis that became critical for regulation of cell survival and cell death. Several mutually interdependent effects of Ca2+and ATP have been exploited in evolution, thus turning an originally unholy alliance into a fascinating success story.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Evolution brings Ca2+and ATP together to control life and death’.
Calcium and adenosine triphosphate control of cellular pathology: asparaginase-induced pancreatitis elicited via protease-activated receptor 2
Authors: Peng Shuang , Gerasimenko Julia V. , Tsugorka Tatiana , Gryshchenko Oleksiy , Samarasinghe Sujith , Petersen Ole H. , Gerasimenko Oleg V.
Published: July 2016

Exocytotic secretion of digestive enzymes from pancreatic acinar cells is elicited by physiological cytosolic Ca
2+
signals, occurring as repetitive short-lasting spikes largely confined to the secretory granule region, that stimulate mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. By contrast, sustained global cytosolic Ca
2+
elevations decrease ATP levels and cause necrosis, leading to the disease acute pancreatitis (AP). Toxic Ca
2+
signals can be evoked by products of alcohol and fatty acids as well as bile acids. Here, we have investigated the mechanism by which
l
-asparaginase evokes AP. Asparaginase is an essential element in the successful treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, the most common type of cancer affecting children, but AP is a side-effect occurring in about 5–10% of cases. Like other pancreatitis-inducing agents, asparaginase evoked intracellular Ca
2+
release followed by Ca
2+
entry and also substantially reduced Ca
2+
extrusion because of decreased intracellular ATP levels. The toxic Ca
2+
signals caused extensive necrosis. The asparaginase-induced pathology depended on protease-activated receptor 2 and its inhibition prevented the toxic Ca
2+
signals and necrosis. We tested the effects of inhibiting the Ca
2+
release-activated Ca
2+
entry by the Ca
2+
channel inhibitor GSK-7975A. This markedly reduced asparaginase-induced Ca
2+
entry and also protected effectively against the development of necrosis.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Evolution brings Ca
2+
and ATP together to control life and death’.
Store-operated Ca2+channels in airway epithelial cell function and implications for asthma
Authors: Samanta Krishna , Parekh Anant B.
Published: July 2016

The epithelial cells of the lung are at the interface of a host and its environment and are therefore directly exposed to the inhaled air-borne particles. Rather than serving as a simple physical barrier, airway epithelia detect allergens and other irritants and then help organize the subsequent immune response through release of a plethora of secreted signals. Many of these signals are generated in response to opening of store-operated Ca2+channels in the plasma membrane. In this review, we describe the properties of airway store-operated channels and their role in regulating airway epithelial cell function.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Evolution brings Ca2+and ATP together to control life and death’.
Running out of time: the decline of channel activity and nucleotide activation in adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K-channels
Authors: Proks Peter , Puljung Michael C. , Vedovato Natascia , Sachse Gregor , Mulvaney Rachel , Ashcroft Frances M.
Published: July 2016

KATPchannels act as key regulators of electrical excitability by coupling metabolic cues—mainly intracellular adenine nucleotide concentrations—to cellular potassium ion efflux. However, their study has been hindered by their rapid loss of activity in excised membrane patches (rundown), and by a second phenomenon, thedecline ofactivation byMg-nucleotides (DAMN). Degradation of PI(4,5)P2and other phosphoinositides is the strongest candidate for the molecular cause of rundown. Broad evidence indicates that most other determinants of rundown (e.g. phosphorylation, intracellular calcium, channel mutations that affect rundown) also act by influencing KATPchannel regulation by phosphoinositides. Unfortunately, experimental conditions that reproducibly prevent rundown have remained elusive, necessitatingpost hocdata compensation. Rundown is clearly distinct from DAMN. While the former is associated with pore-forming Kir6.2 subunits, DAMN is generally a slower process involving the regulatory sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) subunits. We speculate that it arises when SUR subunits enter non-physiological conformational states associated with the loss of SUR nucleotide-binding domain dimerization following prolonged exposure to nucleotide-free conditions. This review presents new information on both rundown and DAMN, summarizes our current understanding of these processes and considers their physiological roles.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Evolution brings Ca2+and ATP together to control life and death’.
Novel agonist of GDNF family ligand receptor RET for the treatment of experimental neuropathy
Authors: Bespalov Maxim M. , Sidorova Yulia A. , Suleymanova Ilida , Thompson James , Kambur Oleg , Jokinen Viljami , Lilius Tuomas , Karelson Gunnar , Puusepp Laura , Rauhala Pekka , Kalso Eija , Karelson Mati , Saarma Mart
Published: July 2016

Neuropathic pain is a chronic pain condition caused by lesion or disease affecting the somatosensory system. The glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) family ligands (GFLs) alleviate symptoms of NP and stimulate regeneration of sensory neuronsin vivo. Here we report the development of the compound BT18 that selectively activates GFLreceptors, alleviates pain and restores damaged dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons in rat models of NP.

Significance statement

Neuropathic pain (NP) is a chronic syndrome caused by different diseases and lesions affecting nervous system. Earlier studies demonstrated that neurotrophic factors - the glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and artemin - could reverse the damage done by lesions in animal models of NP. We demonstrate for the first time that a small molecule can activate receptor of GDNF and artemin, it alleviates pain symptomsin vivoin two animal models of NP and restores to normal the molecular markers expressed in sensory neurons. This compound, termed BT18, can pave way for creating novel disease modifying therapies for NP.
Ecological homogenisation in North American urban yards: vegetation diversity, composition, and structure
Authors: Pearse William D. , Cavender-Bares Jeannine , Hobbie Sarah E. , Avolio Meghan , Bettez Neil , Chowdhury Rinku Roy , Groffman Peter M. , Grove Morgan , Hall Sharon J. , Heffernan James B. , Learned Jennifer , Neill Christopher , Nelson Kristen C. , Pataki Diane E. , Ruddell Benjamin L. , Steele Meredith E. , Trammell Tara L. E.
Published: July 2016

Urban ecosystems are widely hypothesised to be more ecologically homogeneous than natural ecosystems. We argue that urban plant communities assemble from a complex mix of horticultural and regional species pools and thus evaluate the homogenisation hypothesis by comparing cultivated and spontaneously occurring urban vegetation to natural area vegetation across seven major US cities. Urban yards were homogenised across cities in terms of their diversity, composition, and structure. First, cultivated and spontaneous yard flora had higher numbers of species than did natural areas but similar phylogenetic diversity, indicating that yard species were drawn from a relatively small number of lineages. Second, yards were compositionally more similar across regions than were natural areas. Finally, vegetation structure, specifically cultivated tree density, was less variable in yards than natural areas across cities. Biodiversity homogenisation likely reflects similar horticultural source pools, homeowner preferences, management practices, and environmental filters across US cities.
Modelling the transcription factor DNA-binding affinity using genome-wide ChIP-based data
Authors: Alhamdoosh Monther , Wang Dianhui
Published: July 2016

Understanding protein-DNA binding affinity is still a mystery for many transcription factors (TFs). Although several approaches have been proposed in the literature to model the DNA-binding specificity of TFs, they still have some limitations. Most of the methods require a cut-off threshold in order to classify a K-mer as a binding site (BS) and finding such a threshold is usually done by handcraft rather than a science. Some other approaches use a prior knowledge on the biological context of regulatory elements in the genome along with machine learning algorithms to build classifier models for TFBSs. Noticeably, these methods deliberately select the training and testing datasets so that they are very separable. Hence, the current methods do not actually capture the TF-DNA binding relationship. In this paper, we present a threshold-free framework based on a novel ensemble learning algorithm in order to locate TFBSs in DNA sequences. Our proposed approach creates TF-specific classifier models using genome-wide DNA-binding experiments and a prior biological knowledge on DNA sequences and TF binding preferences. Systematic background filtering algorithms are utilized to remove non-functional K-mers from training and testing datasets. To reduce the complexity of classifier models, a fast feature selection algorithm is employed. Finally, the created classifier models are used to scan new DNA sequences and identify potential binding sites. The analysis results show that our proposed approach is able to identify novel binding sites in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome.

Contact

monther.alhamdoosh@unimelb.edu.au,dh.wang@latrobe.edu.au

Availability

http://homepage.cs.latrobe.edu.au/dwang/DNNESCANweb
The international political economy of worker satisfaction: a cross-national HLM analysis
Authors: Westover Jonathan H.
Published: July 2016

Purpose

– There is a growing body of comparative research examining country differences in job satisfaction and its determinants. However, existing research cannot explain similarities in job satisfaction levels across very different countries, nor can it explain the differences between seemingly similar countries. Moreover, there has been no significant research conducted to date that has examined the country-level contextual conditions that are poised to impact worker satisfaction and its determinants. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this research, the author address this existing gap in the academic literature on job satisfaction by using non-panel longitudinal data from the International Social Survey Program (Work Orientations I, II, and III: 1989, 1997, and 2005) to examine cross-national differences in job satisfaction and its determinants. The author compare and combine previous international political economy theoretical work and hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to examine global macro-level variables and their impact on worker satisfaction cross-nationally.

Findings

– Study results demonstrate that both intrinsic and extrinsic work characteristics strongly impact worker job satisfaction. Furthermore, country by country regression and HLM results suggest that there are important country differences in both the perceived importance of various work characteristics and workers’ self-report experiences with both intrinsic and extrinsic work characteristics.

Research limitations/implications

– To get a clearer picture in the HLM analysis as to the full impact of these various country-contextual impacts on differences in perceived job characteristics and worker satisfaction, future research needs to examine a greater number and wider variety of countries, while exploring other theoretically relevant country-level variables that may help to explore country-level differences from these various cross-national theoretical frameworks. Additionally, a more diverse and greater number of participating countries would also potentially help in achieving levels of significance in the level-2 covariates in the HLM models.

Practical implications

– Due to the fact the worker job satisfaction impacts firm performance and various measures of worker well-being, firms (regardless of economic sector or private/public status) need to be cognizant of these differences and unique challenges and work to tailor management philosophy and policy to create a unique work atmosphere that will benefit the interests of both the employer and the employee, as well as society at large.

Originality/value

– While the nature of work has changed dramatically in the post-war era in response to economic shifts and an increasingly global economy, particularly over the past two decades, this paper examines the previously unexamined country-level contextual and global macro-historical variables driving differences in work quality and perceived worker satisfaction.
Extending credit to small and medium size companies
Authors: Wong Alfred , Lu Wei , Tjosvold Dean , Yang Jie
Published: July 2016

Purpose

Funding small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) may be especially valuable in China to stimulate innovation and its emerging market economy. These firms have been advised to build on the Chinese value of guanxi to manage conflicts and develop relationships with banks. This study aims to explore the nature of relationships that help SMEs inform banks and convince them to provide credit.

Design/methodology/approach

As this study’s theorizing is about whether banks and firms that manage their conflicts for mutual benefit set the foundation for bank’s confidence in extending credit, therefore, both the bank officers and the company managers were asked to provide information for the study. In total, 106 pairs of bank officers in the loan department of four banks and SME managers in Shanghai, China, completed a questionnaire survey for this study.

Findings

Results support the argument that marketing research on customer orientation and organization behavior research on conflict management identify how to develop effective marketing relationships between SMEs and banks in China. Banks that were customer-oriented laid the groundwork for managing conflict cooperatively and not competitively with borrowing firms. Cooperative conflict management in turn was found to convince banks that they could confidently provide credit and to convince borrowers that their transaction costs will be reasonable.

Originality/value

This study identifies that developing guanxi and the capacity to manage conflict cooperatively are an important foundation for providing credit to SMEs in China.