bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knock down of Calcineurin-B2, a calcium binding regulatory subunit of Calcineurin, gives rise to hypercontraction myopathy in indirect flight muscles ofDrosophilathrough dysregulation of calcium homeostasis
Authors: Jhonsa Ruchi , Nongthomba Upendra
Published: February 2017

Abstract/Summary

Muscle is a calcium responsive tissue and requires calcium for initiation of muscle contraction. Calcium concentration in muscle is tightly regulated by calcium binding proteins. Calcineurin-B2 (canB2), a calcium binding, regulatory subunit of calcineurin, is the isoform maximally expressed in the indirect flight muscles (IFMs) ofDrosophila. The developmental and functional roles of CanB2 particularly in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis are not understood. In this study, we show that the loss ofcanB2causes hypercontraction of IFMs. Genetic interaction studies with hypercontraction mutants suggest a synergistic interaction between Calcineurin-B2 and structural protein Troponin-T. Similarly, interaction studies withdSERCAmutant reveal that Calcineurin-B2 is important for regulating calcium homeostasis in muscles.In vivocalcium imaging showed that Calcineurin-B2 deficiency leads to arrhythmicity in the calcium oscillations. We show that Calcineurin-B2 knockdown causes deregulation of calcium homeostasis, which results in unregulated acto-myosin interaction. However, overexpression of Calcineurin-A, which inhibits calcium oscillations, had no effect on myofibrillogenesis suggesting that calcium activation is dispensable for myofibrillar assembly. Our findings contribute to the understanding of muscle physiology in normal as well as pathophysiological conditions.
Government project failure in Ghana: a multidimensional approach
Authors: Damoah Isaac Sakyi , Akwei Cynthia
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the extent of failure within Ghanaian Government projects using multiple failure criteria.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a sequential data collection approach by employing an in-depth semi-structured interview and questionnaire, respectively. Based on insight from the literature review, interviews were held with participants to solicit their perceptions about the failure of Ghanaian Government projects. A questionnaire was developed based on the results from the interviews in order to determine the relative importance of the various failure criteria used as the evaluation tool.

Findings

Six main criteria were identified and used as the assessment framework for Ghanaian Government project failure. The findings indicated that Ghanaian Government projects fail on all the six failure criteria; however, the extent of failure differs from criterion to criterion. The worst failure criterion is meeting the projected timescale. This is followed by cost, requirement, stakeholder satisfaction, national development and contribution to the sector where projects are implemented, respectively.

Practical implications

From this study, government project practitioners and policy makers will be able identify the failure areas (criteria) on which to focus during government project implementation.

Originality/value

Though extant literature has been devoted to the success/failure criteria, attention has not been paid to comparison of the extent of failure within these criteria in government projects. Therefore, this study extends the literature in this regard as well as government project failure literature in general.
Agile project management with Scrum
Authors: Azanha Adrialdo , Argoud Ana Rita Tiradentes Terra , Camargo Junior João Batista de , Antoniolli Pedro Domingos
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the benefits of the agile project management (APM) framework compared to the traditional waterfall model, and understand how it can help companies add value and gain competitive advantage.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used was the exploratory qualitative research through a case study of a software project, developed with the support and application of the Scrum framework, in a pharmaceutical industry information technology project.

Findings

There were benefits found in the utilization of the agile framework, such as increased motivation and staff satisfaction, better control of requirements and especially higher quality of the delivered system, generating added value to the organization. Additionally, the project allowed the use of features from the first month of the application deployed, enabling a 75 percent reduction in development time, compared to traditional methods. The software development time was four months, 30 percent of what would be the total if the traditional methodology was adopted. Based on the results, the agile framework, especially the Scrum, proved to be a viable option as a project management approach.

Research limitations/implications

Since this research is an exploratory case study, its results cannot be generalized.

Practical implications

The paper provides relevant practical information and experiences to managers interested in implementing APM, as well as those interested in improving the management of projects.

Originality/value

This paper provides a case study with practical implications of using APM, and APM’s benefits and advantages are compared with the traditional waterfall approach. Companies can use this case study to better understand about the advantages and strengths of APM over the traditional approach.
Partnering in offshore drilling projects
Authors: Børve Sjur , Ahola Tuomas , Andersen Bjorn , Aarseth Wenche
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate to which extent partnering practices observed in earlier research focussing on the construction industry are applied in offshore development drilling projects.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews earlier research on project partnering and the relationship-based procurement (RBP) taxonomy. The taxonomy is then empirically applied to describe partnering practices in an incentive-based drilling project in Norway.

Findings

Many elements of project partnering observed earlier in construction projects were found to characterize offshore development drilling projects. However, as assessed using the RBP framework, the authors found that partnering elements in observed context rated consistently lower than elements previously reported in the construction industry, indicating a lower maturity of partnering practices in the studied context.

Practical implications

The present study provides a multi-dimensional and systematic description of partnering practices in offshore drilling projects. Project owners can utilize this information to identify partnering elements requiring particular emphasis when initiating and managing drilling projects. Based on the findings, such elements include transparency and open-book auditing, integrated risk mitigation and insurance practices and establishment of authentic leadership. The findings further imply that partnering models cannot be directly applied across industry boundaries but must be tailored to fit the salient characteristics of each context.

Originality/value

The paper systematically describes to which extent specific partnering elements of the RBP taxonomy are applied in offshore drilling projects.
Performance contracting
Authors: Kristiansen Mads Bøge
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how variation in the content of the performance contracts (number and types of targets) across agencies can be understood.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is conducted as a cross-sectional quantitative study carried out through an analysis of performance contracts between parent ministries and their agencies in Danish Central Government.

Findings

The study finds that the size of agencies, measurability of tasks and ministerial affiliation are significantly related to the number of targets in the contracts, whereas ministerial affiliation and the internal organization of agencies are significantly related to certain types of targets in contracts.

Practical implications

The findings indicate, on the one hand, that it may be difficult to obtain the same kind of performance contracting across agencies characterized by different features. Thus, it may be difficult to put up universal standards for performance contracting for a broad range of agencies, and expect that they will all be able to meet them. On the other hand, the findings also indicate that the effort and knowledge actors put into the implementation of performance contracting matters. Therefore, some agencies may be able to get closer towards the recommendations for management by objectives and results.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the existing literature, as it tests and shows the importance of other and further contextual factors affecting the formulation of targets in performance contracts than previous studies.
Influence of event characteristics on assessing credibility and advice-taking
Authors: Johnson Hana Huang , Johnson Michael D.
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how the environment surrounding a decision-making event affects whether decision-makers consider the credibility of their advisors and take their advice.

Design/methodology/approach

In two experiments, the characteristics of the event and credibility of the advisor were manipulated, the extent to which participants considered the information from the advisor was measured, and whether participants took advice was determined.

Findings

Decision-makers are more likely to take advice from advisors when the decision-making event is of low urgency or high criticality because they are more likely to consider information provided by high-credibility advisors.

Practical implications

Within organizations, decision-makers may be making suboptimal decisions when faced with highly urgent decisions or decisions with low criticality. This study suggests that under these conditions, decision-makers are less likely to consider the information provided by high-credibility advisors. Organizations may consider encouraging decision-makers to override their tendency to disregard advice from credible advisors.

Originality/value

This study introduces a contextual factor relevant to managers, event characteristics, which has an effect on whether decision-makers take advice. A unique experimental design was utilized in which credibility was manipulated across two studies with an explicit (Study 1: resume) vs implicit (Study 2: video) method, and advice-taking was measured with a decision that was clearly right or wrong.
Markets and market boundaries: a social practice approach
Authors: Gosling Martyn , Richard James , Seo Yuri
Published: February 2017

Purpose

The paper contributes to the debate on a general theory of markets. The purpose of this paper is to develop a market practice model based on social practice theories, and explore new ways of describing market boundaries.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual analysis of contemporary marketing directions and market theorizations provides a basis for defining markets and market boundaries in terms of social practices and their performances by market actors.

Findings

Based on the market performances held in place by institutional practices that define, contextualize and stabilize a market, this paper defines market boundaries by nine specific categories of practices, described here as parameters.

Research limitations/implications

This is a conceptual paper. Future research using empirical evidence derived from situated investigations should endeavor to refine the model and practices that define market boundaries.

Originality/value

The paper provides a new conceptualization of markets and market boundaries from the social practice perspective, and advances contemporary market theorizing that puts services at the center of exchange. The paper offers managerial implications by describing alternative means for analyzing markets and developing corresponding competitive strategies. Furthermore, the conception of market boundaries as nine parameters provides insights beyond the geographic and price boundaries typically used to describe market limits and exchange processes when developing policy.
Consumer construal of separation in virtual services
Authors: Hartley Nicole , Green Teegan
Published: February 2017

Purpose

Service encounters are becoming increasingly virtual through the infusion of computer-mediated technologies. Virtual services separate consumers and service providers both spatially and temporally. With the advent of virtual services is the need to theoretically explain how service separability is psychologically perceived by consumers across the spectrum of computer-mediated technologies. Drawing on construal-level theory, the purpose of this paper is to conceptualize a theoretical framework depicting consumer’s construal of spatial and temporal separation across a continuum of technology-mediated service virtuality.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted two studies: first, to investigate consumers’ levels of mental construal associated with varying degrees of service separation across a spectrum of technology-mediated services; second, to empirically examine consumer evaluations of service quality in response to varying degrees of spatial and temporal service separation. These relationships were tested across two service industries: education and tourism.

Findings

Consumers mentally construe psychological distance in response to service separation and these observations vary across the spectrum of service offerings ranging from face-to-face (no psychological distance) through to virtual (spatially and temporally separated – high psychological distance) services. Further, spatial separation negatively affects consumers’ service evaluations; such that as service separation increases, consumers’ service evaluations decrease. No such significant findings support the similar effect of temporal separation on customer service evaluations. Moreover, specific service industry-based distances exist such that consumers responded differentially for a credence (education) vs an experiential (tourism) service.

Originality/value

Recent studies in services marketing have challenged the inseparability assumption inherent for services. This paper builds on this knowledge and is the first to integrate literature on construal-level theory, service separability, and virtual services into a holistic conceptual framework which explains variance in consumer evaluations of separated service encounters. This is important due to the increasingly virtual nature of service provider-customer interactions across a diverse range of service industries (i.e. banking and finance, tourism, education, and health care). Service providers must be cognisant of the psychological barriers which are imposed by increased technology infusion in virtual services.
Syntrophobacteraceae‐affiliated species are major propionate‐degrading sulfate reducers in paddy soil
Authors: Liu Pengfei , Conrad Ralf
Published: February 2017

Methane is an important greenhouse gas and propionate is next to acetate the main intermediate (average 23%) of the carbon flow to CH4 in paddy fields. Sulfate (e.g., gypsum) application can reduce CH4 emissions up to 70%. However, the effect of gypsum application on propionate degradation and the microbial communities involved are not well understood. Therefore, we studied propionate‐dependent sulfate reduction in anoxic microcosms of paddy soils from Italy and the Philippines, combining 16S rRNA and dissimilatory sulfite reductase (dsrB) gene profiling and co‐occurrence network analysis. Sulfate was stoichiometrically reduced in treatments with propionate addition, while CH4 production was partially suppressed. Methane production but not sulfate reduction were suppressed and acetate accumulated after addition of methyl fluoride or fluoroacetate. With methyl fluoride in the presence of sulfate, the accumulated acetate was consumed after the depletion of propionate. Simultaneously, the relative abundances of Syntrophobacteraceae and Desulfovibrionaceae were significantly enhanced, while fluoroacetate repressed Desulfobulbaceae in both soils. Syntrophobacter 16S rRNA and dsrB gene copy numbers were also remarkably increased with gypsum amendment. Network analysis of both 16S rRNA and dsrB genes illustrated a strong co‐occurrence of operational taxonomic units belonging to Syntrophobacteraceae, Desulfovibrionaceae and Desulfobulbaceae. In summary, Syntrophobacteraceae affiliated species were identified as the major propionate‐dependent sulfate reducers in paddy soil. They (together with Desulfobulbaceae) oxidized propionate directly to acetate and CO2, or coupled the oxidation syntrophically to H2/formate‐utilizing Desulfovibrionaceae. The transiently accumulating acetate was preferentially consumed by acetoclastic Methanosarcinaceae.
Overexpression of pregnane X and glucocorticoid receptors and the regulation of cytochrome P450 in human epileptic brain endothelial cells
Authors: Ghosh Chaitali , Hossain Mohammed , Solanki Jesal , Najm Imad M. , Marchi Nicola , Janigro Damir
Published: February 2017

Objective

Recent evidence suggests a metabolic contribution of cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYPs) to the drug‐resistant phenotype in human epilepsy. However, the upstream molecular regulators of CYP in the epileptic brain remain understudied. We therefore investigated the expression and function of pregnane xenobiotic (PXR) and glucocorticoid (GR) nuclear receptors in endothelial cells established from post‐epilepsy surgery brain samples.

Methods

PXR/GR localization was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in specimens from subjects who underwent temporal lobe resections to relieve drug‐resistant seizures. We used primary cultures of endothelial cells obtained from epileptic brain tissues (EPI‐ECs; n = 8), commercially available human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs; n = 8), and human hepatocytes (n = 3). PXR/GR messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in brain ECs was initially determined by complementary DNA (cDNA) microarrays. The expression of PXR/GR proteins was quantified by Western blot. PXR and GR silencing was performed in EPI‐ECs (n = 4), and the impact on downstream CYP expression was determined.

Results

PXR/GR expression was detected by immunofluorescence in ECs and neurons in the human temporal lobe samples analyzed. Elevated mRNA and protein levels of PXR and GR were found in EPI‐ECs versus control HBMECs. Hepatocytes, used as a positive control, displayed the highest levels of PXR/GR expression. We confirmed expression of PXR/GR in cytoplasmic‐nuclear subcellular fractions, with a significant increase of PXR/GR in EPI‐ECs versus controls. CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and CYP2E1 were overexpressed in EPI‐ECs versus control, whereas CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 were downregulated or absent in EPI‐ECs. GR silencing in EPI‐ECs led to decreased CYP3A4, CYP2C9, and PXR expression. PXR silencing in EPI‐ECs resulted in the specific downregulation of CYP3A4 expression.

Significance

Our results indicate increased PXR and GR in primary ECs derived from human epileptic brains. PXR or GR may be responsible for a local drug brain metabolism sustained by abnormal CYP regulation.
Inhibition of transient receptor potential vanilloid‐1 confers neuroprotection, reduces tumor necrosis factor‐alpha, and increases IL‐10 in a rat stroke model
Authors: Hakimizadeh Elham , Shamsizadeh Ali , Roohbakhsh Ali , Arababadi Mohammad Kazemi , Hajizadeh Mohammad R. , Shariati Mehdi , Rahmani Mohammad R. , Allahtavakoli Mohammad
Published: February 2017

Stroke is a major cause of mortality and long‐term disability in adults. Transient receptor potential vanilloid‐1 (TRPV1) plays a crucial role in neuroinflammation. In this study, the effects of TRPV1 agonist (capsaicin) and antagonist (AMG9810) on cerebral ischemia were investigated. Forty male Wistar rats were assigned to the following experimental groups: sham, vehicle) ischemic), AMG9810 (selective TRPV1 antagonist, 0.5 mg/kg; 3 h after stroke), and capsaicin (1 mg/kg; 3 h after stroke). Stroke was induced by permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion and neurological deficits were evaluated 1, 3, and 7 days after stroke. Then, infarct volume, brain edema, body temperature, mRNA expression of TRPV1, and serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) and IL‐10 were measured. Compared to the vehicle group, AMG9810 significantly decreased the infarct volume (P < 0.01). Latency for the removal of sticky labels from the forepaw and the hanging time were significantly decreased and increased, respectively, following administration of AMG9810 (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001 vs. vehicle) 3 and 7 days after stroke. Compared to the sham group, the mRNA expression of TRPV1 was significantly increased in vehicle group (P < 0.01). Administration of AMG9810 significantly increased the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 and decreased the inflammatory cytokine TNF‐α (P < 0.05). Moreover, our results indicate that AMG9810 might a promising candidate for the hypothermic treatment of stroke. The findings also suggest a key role for AMG9810 in reducing inflammation after stroke and imply that TRPV1 could be a potential target for the treatment of ischemic stroke.
A study of fatigue crack growth from artificial corrosion pits at welded joints under complex stress fields
Authors: Jie Z. Y. , Li Y. D. , Wei X.
Published: February 2017

The paper studies the effects of artificial corrosion pits and complex stress fields on the fatigue crack growth of full penetration load‐carrying fillet cruciform welded joints with 45° inclined angle. Parameters of fatigue crack growth rate of welded joints are obtained from S‐N curves under different levels of corrosion. A numerical method is used to simulate fatigue crack growth using different mixed mode fatigue crack growth criteria. Using polynomial regression, the crack shape correction factor of welded joints is fitted as a function of crack depth ratios. Because the maximum circumferential stress criterion is simple and easy to use in practice, fatigue crack growth rate is modified using this criterion. The relationship of effective stress intensity factor, crack growth angle and crack depth is studied under different corrosion levels. The simulated crack growth path obtained from the numerical method is compared with the actual crack growth path observed by fatigue tests. The results show that fatigue cracks do not initiate at the edge or bottom of pits but at the weld toes where the maximum stress occurs. The artificial corrosion pits have little effect on the effective stress intensity factor ranges and crack growth angle. The fatigue crack growth rates of welded joints with pits 1 and 2 are 1.15 times and 1.40 times larger than that of the welded joint with no pit, respectively. The simulated crack growth path agrees well with the actual one. The fatigue life prediction accuracy using the modified formulation is improved by about 18%. The crack shape correction factor obtained using the maximum circumferential stress criterion is recommended being used to calculate fatigue life.
Measuring FVIII activity of glycopegylated recombinant factor VIII, N8‐GP, with commercially available one‐stage clotting and chromogenic assay kits: a two‐centre study
Authors: Hillarp A. , Bowyer A. , Ezban M. , Persson P. , Kitchen S.
Published: February 2017

Introduction

Factor VIII activity (FVIII:C) assays of samples containing glycoPEGylated recombinant FVIII such as turoctocog alfa pegol (N8‐GP) can be associated with differences in FVIII recovery in vitro between various one‐stage activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)‐based clotting assays and some chromogenic assays. Careful validation and qualification of specific assays and conditions is therefore necessary for the assessment of FVIII:C in samples containing modified FVIII molecules.

Aim

To assess the ability of various one‐stage clotting and chromogenic FVIII:C assays to measure samples containing N8‐GP compared to unmodified recombinant FVIII (rFVIII) across two laboratory sites.

Methods

Factor VIII activity in severe haemophilia A (HA) plasma spiked with a range of concentrations (from low, 0.20 IU mL−1, to high, 0.90 IU mL−1) of N8‐GP and rFVIII, was determined at two laboratory sites using 12 commercially available one‐stage clotting and chromogenic FVIII:C assays. Assays were performed using a plasma calibrator and different analysers.

Results

Acceptable N8‐GP recovery was observed in the low to high concentration samples tested using the majority of the tested APTT reagents with only one reagent causing a significant underestimation as compared to rFVIII. For the chromogenic assays, a slight overestimation was observed with some of the kits. Variability between the two laboratory sites are likely attributable to the use of different analysers with the respective APTT reagents.

Conclusions

These results highlight the need to investigate the performance of modified factor products using standard assays. The performance of different one‐stage clotting assays, APTT reagents, reference calibrators and instrumentation should also be evaluated.
Kuhn's Structural Revolutions and the Development of Christian Doctrine: A Systematic Discussion
Authors: El‐Mahassni Edwin
Published: February 2017

In 1845, John Henry Cardinal Newman wrote a treatise describing the development of Christian doctrine. Since then, his ideas have been challenged, in particular by Protestant theologians who have argued that the development of doctrine does not progress in either a smooth or linear path. In the philosophy of science, Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions has challenged the idea that science is purely driven by objective and rational motives. In this paper, Kuhn's ideas are applied to the development of Christian doctrine. Drawing from historical examples, it is shown that Kuhn's contextual approach to describe the progress of science aids in understanding the way doctrines themselves develop. Although this is not the first time that theology and Kuhn have conversed, the notion of doctrinal development being systematically and methodically shown to have parallels with Kuhn's ideas is novel. Ultimately, this work is another important step in building interdisciplinary links between science and theology.
Brooding sea anemones (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Actiniaria): paragons of diversity in mode, morphology, and maternity
Authors: Larson Paul
Published: February 2017

Brooding has been reported in at least 57 species of sea anemone. More than three quarters (44/57) of the species that are known to brood have been described since the last comprehensive treatment of brooding in this lineage. Different authors focusing on different taxonomic groups within sea anemones over the last 115 years have collectively produced an imprecise and inconsistent set of terminology with respect to brooding in general and to the variety of conditions of brooding in particular. In this review, I characterize brooding as a behavior in which offspring are retained by the adult to at least the juvenile stage, in contrast with the more common release of eggs, embryos, or larvae. Brooding occurs in two primary modes, internal and external, in which offspring may be produced via sexual or asexual means. I categorize structures associated with external brooding in three types: pits, chambers, and grooves. Early inferences that external brooding has a primarily bipolar distribution continue to be supported with current data, but it is doubtful that small size and simultaneous hermaphroditism are correlated with brooding in sea anemones. Finally, I identify open questions about brooding in sea anemones and suggest future lines of research that will broaden our understanding of this phenomenon.
Effect of photochemical UV/riboflavin‐mediated cross‐links on different properties of fish gelatin films
Authors: Wang Kun , Wang Wenhang , Wu Xiaomeng , Xiao Jingdong , Liu Yaowei , Liu Anjun
Published: February 2017

The use of riboflavin as photosensitizer in the UV irradiation induced cross‐linking process was studied to improve the properties of fish gelatin (FG) films. In the UV irradiation, the fluorescence spectroscopy results showed that cross‐linking occurred in the film at a riboflavin charge of 0.1% or higher and the viscosity of the FG solution increased as the riboflavin charge increased. The water contact angel of the fish gelatin film with the riboflavin mediated UV irradiation (RmUV) was significantly improved compared with the control FG films at 60 s. Moreover, compared with control FG films, water vapor absorption and water solubility of the RmUV radiated FG films both decreased. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of the RmUV radiated FG films were significantly higher than those of the control FG films whatever in dry or wet state. Based on the above results, the UV/riboflavin irradiation is a potential effective process to improve the performance of FG films.

Practical applications

In the past decades, the extensive use of plastic packaging has led to increased concerns on plastic waste generated in daily life due to its nonbiodegradable and nonrenewable nature. For that reason, a variety of bio‐based materials including fish gelatin have been developed as environmentally friendly alternatives. The aim of this paper is to explore the potential application of the fish gelatin film with the riboflavin mediated UV irradiation (RmUV) in mainly food‐contacted packing material field. The use of riboflavin as photosensitizer in the UV irradiation induced cross‐linking in fish gelatin (FG) films, which subsequently improved the water resistance and strength properties of FG films. The findings in this study may serve as a platform to improve fish gelatin film performance and potentially extend applications of edible fish gelatin films in food industry.
Image scanning fluorescence emission difference microscopy based on a detector array
Authors: LI Y. , LIU S. , LIU D. , SUN S. , KUANG C. , DING Z. , LIU X.
Published: February 2017

We propose a novel imaging method that enables the enhancement of three‐dimensional resolution of confocal microscopy significantly and achieve experimentally a new fluorescence emission difference method for the first time, based on the parallel detection with a detector array. Following the principles of photon reassignment in image scanning microscopy, images captured by the detector array were arranged. And by selecting appropriate reassign patterns, the imaging result with enhanced resolution can be achieved with the method of fluorescence emission difference. Two specific methods are proposed in this paper, showing that the difference between an image scanning microscopy image and a confocal image will achieve an improvement of transverse resolution by approximately 43% compared with that in confocal microscopy, and the axial resolution can also be enhanced by at least 22% experimentally and 35% theoretically. Moreover, the methods presented in this paper can improve the lateral resolution by around 10% than fluorescence emission difference and 15% than Airyscan. The mechanism of our methods is verified by numerical simulations and experimental results, and it has significant potential in biomedical applications.
Violence Prevention and Targeting the Elusive Gang Member
Authors: Cheng Tony
Published: February 2017

Who do violence preventers target to achieve violence prevention? This fundamental question of selection is typically associated with law enforcement, yet gang labeling is critical in another context: nonprofit violence prevention. Eighteen months of fieldwork in a gang outreach organization find that (a) workers operationalize gang violence prevention as social service provision, but (b) services are only offered to those deemed “ready” for life changes. Readiness is an unwritten eligibility criteria leveraged as a rhetorical tool to focus recruitment on clients who demonstrate complicity. It is reaffirmed through external pressures to document program effectiveness; organizational-level concerns for efficient resource allocation; the subpopulation of clients who actually want services; and workers’ own fears of “getting played”—losing face from free-riding clients interested in street worker perks, but not formal services. While core gang members may be most at-risk, their very centrality may deter, rather than justify, providing them services.
Crime Data, the Internet, and Free Speech: An Evolving Legal Consciousness
Authors: Lageson Sarah Esther
Published: February 2017

Digitization and open access to governmental data have made criminal justice information incredibly easy to access and disseminate. This study asks how law should govern access to criminal histories on the Internet. Drawing upon interviews with crime website publishers and subjects who have appeared on websites, I use legal consciousness theory to show how social actors interpret, construct, and invoke law in a nascent and unregulated area. The analysis reveals how both parties construct legality in the absence of positive legal restrictions: Website publishers use legal justifications, while those appealing to have their online record cleared resort to personal pleas, as opposed to legal remedy. Ultimately, I show how current data practices reinforce structural inequalities already present in criminal justice institutions in a profoundly public manner, leaving website subjects with little recourse and an inescapable digital trail.
A national retrospective study of paediatric end‐stage liver disease as a predictor of change to second‐line therapy in children with autoimmune hepatitis
Authors: Zizzo Andréanne N. , Jimenez‐Rivera Carolina , Kim Joseph , Schreiber Richard A. , Ling Simon C. , Yap Jason , Critch Jeff , Ahmed Najma , Alvarez Fernando , Kamath Binita M. ,   The Canadian Paediatric Hepatology Research Group (CPHRG)
Published: February 2017

Background & Aims

Adult studies of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) have shown that the model of end‐stage liver disease is associated with resistance to first‐line treatment. Using a multicentre retrospective database, we sought to determine if the paediatric end‐stage liver disease (PELD) score would similarly predict treatment resistance in paediatric AIH.

Methods

One hundred and seventy‐one children from 13 Canadian centres who fulfilled the International Autoimmune Hepatitis Group (IAIHG) criteria were included and assessed for change to second‐line therapy within 24 months of primary treatment onset. Those with PSC overlap at presentation, or missing data on the PELD variables were excluded. PELD was calculated for all remaining patients. Univariate analysis and receiver‐operator characteristic (ROC) curves were performed to determine the predictive ability of the PELD score to change to second‐line therapy.

Results

A total of 103 children were included with median age of 11 years (range 2‐17). Mean PELD was −2.51±8.58. Second‐line therapy was used within 24 months of diagnosis in 13 patients. Univariate analysis revealed that change to second‐line therapy was associated with higher PELD (P=.028) and internal normalized ratio (INR) (P=.011). ROC curves for PELD and its individual components were performed. The strength of association was strongest with INR (AUC 0.72; CI: 0.58‐0.86) although the composite PELD score also showed some predictive ability (AUC 0.67; CI: 0.52‐0.81).

Conclusion

In this paediatric AIH cohort, higher PELD at presentation predicted change to second‐line therapy within the first 2 years of follow‐up. INR appeared to be the main contributor to that association.
Finance Sector Wage Growth and the Role of Human Capital
Authors: Lindley Joanne , Mcintosh Steven
Published: February 2017

We reveal the pervasiveness of the finance sector pay premium, across all OECD countries, as well as all sub‐sectors and occupations within the UK financial sector. Moreover, the UK premium has continued to rise despite the financial crisis. We show that earnings increase faster with value added in certain sub‐sectors of finance, compared to the general economy, providing evidence of profit‐sharing in these sub‐sectors. Other possible explanations, such as workers with higher qualifications or better cognitive skills, or technological change and differing job characteristics, can explain some of the finance sector pay premium, but are not sufficient on their own.
Knowledge as a Non‐Normative Relation
Authors: Sylvan Kurt
Published: February 2017

According to a view I’ll call Epistemic Normativism (EN), knowledge is normative in the same sense in which paradigmatically normative properties like justification are normative. This paper argues against EN in two stages and defends a positive non‐normativist alternative. After clarifying the target in §1, I consider in §2 some arguments for EN from the premise that knowledge entails justification (the “Entailment Thesis”). I first raise some worries about inferring constitution from entailment. I then rehearse the reasons why some epistemologists reject the Entailment Thesis and argue that a non‐normativist picture provides the best explanation of all the intuitions surrounding this thesis, favorable and unfavorable. On this picture, human knowledge is a structured non‐normative complex that has as one of its parts a justification‐making property, analogous in role to good‐making properties like pleasurableness. After giving three arguments against EN in §3 and answering an objection in §4, I turn in §5 to further develop the positive view sketched in §2. In §6, I take stock and conclude.
Spatiotemporal analyses of rhizopus rot progress in peach fruit inoculated with Rhizopus stolonifer
Authors: Baggio J. S. , Hau B. , Amorim L.
Published: February 2017

Rhizopus rot, caused by Rhizopus stolonifer, is one of the main postharvest diseases in stone fruits, but there is little known about the processes of disease development during transport and postharvest storage. The objective of this study was to characterize temporal progress and spatial distribution of the disease in peach fruit. Rhizopus rot development was evaluated using two different fruit arrangements. Only one fruit of each arrangement was inoculated with a R. stolonifer spore suspension. Disease incidence and severity were assessed daily for all the fruit. Nonlinear models were fitted to the quantity of fruit and to the area of fruit that became infected over time and distance in relation to the source of inoculum. Disease‐free fruit placed next to the artificially inoculated peaches showed disease symptoms due to pathogen dissemination by mycelial stolons. The disease incidence and severity progress rates varied from 0.33 to 0.53 day−1 and from 0.30 to 0.49 day−1, respectively. The spatial spread of the disease followed a dispersive wave pattern with increasing speed over time, but decreasing speed with disease severity. For disease severity y = 0.5, the velocity at day 3 varied from 0.14 to 0.32 fruit diameter day−1, while it ranged from 0.38 to 1.46 fruit diameter day−1 at day 12.
No Love for Doves? Foreign Policy and Candidate Appeal
Authors: Kane John V. , Norpoth Helmut
Published: February 2017

Objectives

“Issue ownership” of foreign policy, it is widely believed, gives an electoral advantage to the Republican Party, which generally adopts a hawkish posture. We test the popular proposition that Democrats should adopt more hawkish stances in order to offset this advantage.

Methods

We conducted experiments in which (fictional) candidates take hawkish or dovish positions in response to a real‐world threat to the United States. We complemented these studies with analyses of national survey data for the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.

Results

Our results consistently refute the popular proposition that Democrats stand to benefit from adopting more hawkish foreign policy stances.

Conclusion

While ownership of foreign policy may bestow a trust on the Republican Party to handle foreign policy, this is not necessarily a mandate for hawkish policies. We highlight the importance of the present political context, wherein the American public exhibits a marked weariness of U.S. military intervention overseas.
Evaluation of different mulch materials for reducing soil surface evaporation in semi‐arid region
Authors: Farzi R. , Gholami M. , Baninasab B. , Gheysari M.
Published: February 2017

In recent years, the use of new mulches for soil water conservation in arid regions has been introduced as an alternative to conventional (plastic) mulches. However, systematic studies concerning the effects of different organic [pistachio shell mulch (PSM), wheat straw mulch, de‐oiled olive pomace mulch (DOM) or wood chips mulch], chemical [superabsorbent polymer (HM) or organic‐based emulsion polymer (PEM)] and mineral [gravel mulch (GM)] covers on soil and water conservation are scarce. Therefore, two experiments were carried out. Experiment 1 was aimed at evaluating the effects of mulches of different composition on soil surface evaporation, whereas in experiment 2 we investigated the effects of this decrease in soil evaporation due to different mulch materials on some olive tree physiological responses to soil drying. We analysed stem water potential, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, leaf density and maximum efficiency of photosystem II photochemistry (Fv/Fm) of 2‐yr‐old plants of ‘Konservalia’ olive, grown in pots in open field. The results showed that different mulch materials had different efficiency on soil water conservation and DOM and pistachio shell mulch PSM – as new mulch materials – seems more favourable for conserving soil water. Water stress caused reductions in all parameters measured and increment in leaf density compared with unstressed treatment. Olive plants grown using different soil mulch presented higher values of stem water potential, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance and Fv/Fm ratio compared to control plants. Although all the mulch treatments improved the water content of soil, DOM and PSM were found to be superior in maintaining optimum soil water content for olive use.
Critical Biot Numbers of Periodic Arrays of Fins
Authors: Fyrillas Marios M. , Ospanov Sayat , Kaibaldiyeva Ulmeken
Published: February 2017

In this paper, we consider the heat transfer problems associated with a periodic array of triangular, longitudinal, axisymmetric, and pin fins. The problems are modeled as a wall where the flat side is isothermal and the other side, which has extended surfaces/fins, is subjected to convection with a uniform heat transfer coefficient. Hence, our analysis differs from the classical approach because (i) we consider multidimensional heat conduction and (ii) the wall on which the fins are attached is included in the analysis. The latter results in a nonisothermal temperature distribution along the base of the fin. The Biot number (Bi=ht/k) characterizing the heat transfer process is defined with respect to the thickness/diameter of the fins (t). Numerical results demonstrate that the fins would enhance the heat transfer rate only if the Biot number is less than a critical value, which, in general, depends on the geometrical parameters, i.e., the thickness of the wall, the length of the fins, and the period. For pin fins, similar to rectangular fins, the critical Biot number is independent of the geometry and is approximately equal to 3.1. The physical argument is that, under strong convection, a thick fin introduces an additional resistance to heat conduction.
Increased Energy Loss Due to Twist and Offset Buckling of the Total Cavopulmonary Connection
Authors: Oguz Gokce Nur , Piskin Senol , Ermek Erhan , Donmazov Samir , Altekin Naz , Arnaz Ahmet , Pekkan Kerem
Published: February 2017

The hemodynamic energy loss through the surgically implanted conduits determines the postoperative cardiac output and exercise capacity following the palliative repair of single-ventricle congenital heart defects. In this study, the hemodynamics of severely deformed surgical pathways due to torsional deformation and anastomosis offset are investigated. We designed a mock-up total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) circuit to replicate the mechanically failed inferior vena cava (IVC) anastomosis morphologies under physiological venous pressure (9, 12, 15 mmHg), in vitro, employing the commonly used conduit materials: Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Dacron, and porcine pericardium. The sensitivity of hemodynamic performance to torsional deformation for three different twist angles (0 deg, 30 deg, and 60 deg) and three different caval offsets (0 diameter (D), 0.5D, and 1D) are digitized in three dimensions and employed in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations to determine the corresponding hydrodynamic efficiency levels. A total of 81 deformed conduit configurations are analyzed; the pressure drop values increased from 80 to 1070% with respect to the ideal uniform diameter IVC conduit flow. The investigated surgical materials resulted in significant variations in terms of flow separation and energy loss. For example, the porcine pericardium resulted in a pressure drop that was eight times greater than the Dacron conduit. Likewise, PTFE conduit resulted in a pressure drop that was three times greater than the Dacron conduit under the same venous pressure loading. If anastomosis twist and/or caval offset cannot be avoided intraoperatively due to the anatomy of the patient, alternative conduit materials with high structural stiffness and less influence on hemodynamics can be considered.
Automated Real-Time Processing of Single Lead Electrocardiogram for Simultaneous Heart Rate and Respiratory Rate Monitoring
Authors: Dutta Disha N. , Das Reshmi , Pal Saurabh
Published: February 2017

In this article, the design and development of a real-time heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR) monitoring device is reported. The proposed device is designed to impose minimum data acquisition hazards on the subject. In standard bedside monitors, HR and RR are derived from electrocardiogram (ECG) and respiration signals, respectively, and different electrodes are required for capturing the 12-lead ECG and respiration via a chest belt, which is cumbersome for patients and healthcare providers. Respiration signal has an impact on ECG due to anatomical proximity of the heart and lung, and ECG is modulated by respiration, a phenomenon known as respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). In the proposed method, the ECG signal is acquired using clip electrodes at the wrists and the respiration signal is extracted from the ECG using an Arduino Uno microcontroller-based real-time processing of ECG. RR is then derived from ECG-derived respiration (EDR). The prototype is tested on healthy subjects and compared to measurements taken using a standard MP45 data acquisition device associated with a Biopac Student Lab (BSL). A mean percentage error of 5.54 ± 8.48% was observed under normal breathing conditions and an error of −3.41 ± 3.27% was observed for a single subject tested under a variety of breathing conditions, such as resting, stair-climbing, and paced breathing. The proposed algorithm can also be used in combination with standard ECG monitoring systems to measure HR and RR, without any data acquisition hazard to the subject.