bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social media data in the disaster context
Authors: Resnyansky Lucy
Published: November 2015

Social media (SM) are fast becoming a locus of disaster-related activities that range from volunteers helping locate disaster victims to actions that are malicious and offensive, from sincere expressions of empathy towards affected communities to consuming disaster imagery for mere entertainment, from recovery support funds being collected to online marketers preying on the attention afforded to a disaster event. Because of the diversity and sheer volume of both relevant and irrelevant information circulating throughout SM, prioritising an affected population’s needs and relevant data is an increasingly complex task. In addition, SM data need to be interpreted as manifestations of social processes related to community resilience, diversity and conflict of interests, and attitudes to particular response strategies. The use of SM in disasters generates a growing need for domain-specific technological solutions that can enhance public interests as well as address the needs of both disaster managers and the affected population. This task requires integrating social sciences into the development of tools that enable disaster SM data detection, filtering, analysis and representation. The aim of this paper is to contribute to a critical-constructive dialogue between social scientists and developers of SM analytic capabilities. In the context of historical, anthropological and sociological research on disaster, this paper outlines concepts of the disaster paradigm, data as a product of social and representational practices, and disaster context, and discusses their heuristic significance for the analysis of disaster SM as a manifestation of social and cultural practices.
Children and Advertising
Authors: Laczniak Russell N. , Carlson Les
Published: November 2015

How does advertising affect children? This topic has been debated since the 1970s. Some contend that advertising provides children with needed information so that they can effectively function as consumers. Others contend that advertising misleads children about products and brands, thus leading them to make suboptimal purchase decisions. Yet others contend that despite advertising’s potentially positive effects of conveying information, children do not have the ability to effectively process it. Moreover, the debate continues. Importantly, much empirical research has been performed that sheds light on precisely how advertising influences children. This article provides one overview of this research. When one is investigating the topic of advertising to children, it is important to think about the area’s distinctive aspects and identify its unique elements. These aspects include ad sponsors, messages, and media. This article centers on the identifier term “ad.” While the lines between advertising and other forms of communication have been blurred in recent years (especially with respect to advertising to children), the article focuses on studying phenomena that are unequivocally identified within the traditional domain of advertising. While some studies related to this topic have looked beyond this traditional domain, the focus here is simple and traditional.
Strategic Leadership
Authors: Campbell Joanna Tochman , Bilgili Hansin , Ajay Bina
Published: November 2015

Strategic leadership is concerned with studying the characteristics and actions of top organizational leaders—those individuals who are tasked with formulating and implementing the firm’s strategy—and the associated strategic and performance implications. Strategic leadership is rather loosely defined, with no agreed-upon definition to date. Most scholars of strategic leadership agree, however, that strategic leaders include the chief executive officer (CEO) and other non-CEO top executives (sometimes referred to as the CEO’s top team). As such, studies within this stream focus on the CEO alone, the entire top management team (TMT), or the interactions between the CEO and the TMT (sometimes referred to as the CEO-TMT interface). The TMT is generally defined as the CEO’s direct subordinates, or all executives at the level of vice president or above (sometimes referred to as the C-level; for instance, chief financial officer); however, the size of the TMT can vary significantly across organizations. Some scholars choose to include boards of directors in their conceptualization of strategic leadership, recognizing the board’s important advisory, monitoring, and resource provision roles. Because boards of directors are more frequently studied and included in the realm of corporate governance, this article excludes them from review. While research on strategic leadership is a major area within strategy, it often draws from the disciplines of psychology, sociology, organizational economics, and organizational behavior. The resultant literature is broad and diverse, reflecting different theoretical perspectives. In this article, we first introduce a number of relevant textbooks and handbooks, followed by a discussion of key theories in the area. Next, we discuss specific streams of research within the literature on strategic leadership. We conclude with a brief review of the literature on executive succession (i.e., the transition of decision-making responsibilities between different leaders or sets of leaders).
Corporate Entrepreneurship
Authors: Kuratko Donald F. , Nagelvoort Sarah K.
Published: November 2015

Corporate entrepreneurship (CE) is a term used to describe entrepreneurial behavior inside established mid-sized and large organizations. Other popular or related terms include organizational entrepreneurship, intrapreneurship, corporate venturing, and strategic entrepreneurship. Regardless of the reason the firm decides to engage in CE, it has become a major strategy in all types of organizations. The theoretical and empirical knowledge about the domain of CE has developed since the mid-1970s, and the entrepreneurial behavior on which it is based has improved with this research emphasis. Thus, many of the elements essential to constructing a theoretically grounded understanding of CE can be readily identified from the extant literature since the 1970s. It is our intention that this article serve as a valuable resource in examining the existing body of knowledge in this field, as well as a guide to defining the aspects of future research streams.
Extraction of Right-Sided Vegetation with Use of an Aspiration Catheter System
Authors: Hosoba Soh , Mori Makoto , Furtado Arul D. , Lattouf Omar M.
Published: November 2015

Indications for surgical management of active right-sided endocarditis are under debate. In the presence of vegetation without valvular or surrounding tissue involvement, the mass may be removed with a suction device introduced via a transcatheter path. Herein, we report the successful removal of right-sided vegetation using the AngioVac Cannula, a percutaneous mechanical suction device, in three patients who presented with active endocarditis. The excellent midterm follow-up results highlight the effectiveness of such aspiration catheter systems.
Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair in the Ascending Aorta
Authors: Muehle Anja , Shah Aamir , Khoynezhad Ali
Published: November 2015

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair has become an attractive alternative treatment option for thoracic aortic disease. New devices and advanced image-guided procedures are continuously expanding the indications. This article focuses on technical aspects of transapical stent graft deployment for ascending aortic pathologies. With improving device technology, diverse available stent grafts, and imaging modalities, thoracic endovascular aortic repair has become safer and holds promising potential to expand treatment options, especially for high-risk patients requiring ascending aorta treatment.
Uniportal Videothoracoscopic Surgery: Our Indications and Limits
Authors: Gonfiotti Alessandro , Jaus Massimo Osvaldo , Barale Daniel , Viggiano Domenico , Battisti Natalia , Macchiarini Paolo
Published: November 2015

Objective

We present our experience with uniportal videothoracoscopic surgery (VATS-U), examining its indications, limits, and results.

Methods

Since January 2009, 66 patients underwent VATS-U for the following indications: pneumothorax (n = 25), lung nodule (n = 15; n = 10 with preoperative radiolocalization), wedge biopsy (n = 15), hyperhidrosis (n = 10), and chest wall schwannoma (n = 1). The conversion rate to conventional video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS), postoperative pain, complications, residual paraesthesia, and hospitalization were analyzed. Operative time, postoperative pain, and paraesthesia were retrospectively compared with a cohort of 172 cases of conventional multiportal VATS, performed in the same period.

Results

Conversion to traditional VATS was necessary in two cases (pulmonary nodule, n = 1; pneumothorax, n = 1). The mean pain score was 0.8, the mean operation time was 42 minutes, and 10 patients had postoperative paraesthesia that lasted a mean of 7 days. No postoperative complications were reported, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 3 days (range, 1–6 days). The comparison between the VATS-U and the standard multiportal VATS group showed in the VATS-U group a lower but not statistically significant pain score and paraesthesia as well as a lower and statistically significant operative time.

Conclusions

Uniportal videothoracoscopic surgery has a wide range of indications: lung apex resections and pleurodesis for spontaneous pneumothorax treatment; pulmonary nodule assessment with or without preoperative localization; lung biopsy for interstitial diseases; unilateral or bilateral sympathectomy to treat hyperhidrosis; benign chest wall tumor evaluation. The limits of this technique are linked to pleural adhesions or lung nodules in difficult positions. In our experience, VATS-U results in minimal postoperative pain, allowing for fast functional recovery and a consequent short hospital stay; thus, we suggest that VATS-U is a valid alternative to traditional multiportal VATS for indications beyond cosmetic benefits. Prospective randomized trials are necessary to validate the advantages of uniportal VATS.
Biologic Valve Leaflet Perforation causing Persistent Aortic Insufficiency after Successful Transcatheter Closure of Paravalvular Leak
Authors: Tabry Imad F. , Zakharia Mammen P. , Onstadt Gordon D.
Published: November 2015

Persistent paravalvular leak after aortic valve replacement prompted transcatheter closure with an Amplatzer VSD device. Although technically a successful procedure, aortic insufficiency persisted, leading to surgical reexploration and valve replacement.
Role of Neprilysin Inhibitors in Heart Failure
Authors: Salazar Adum Juan P. , Arora Rohit
Published: November 2015

Heart failure (HF) is a complex multifactorial medical condition that should be addressed according to its complexity and diversity. Currently, there is a medical arsenal available for the management of HF, but despite the advance in medical resources, its prevalence and social and financial impacts are still worrisome for the medical community and society. Among the numerous therapeutic options for the treatment of HF, neprilysin inhibitors have changed the perspective of the approach to titrate patients who suffer from this condition because neprilysin plays a role in the degradation of natriuretic peptides and various other vasoactive compounds that are crucial to counteract the devastating pathophysiology of HF. The purpose of this review was to analyze the role of neprilysin inhibitors in HF, focusing on newer therapy such as LCZ696 and studies that sustain its potential benefits in this medical entity.
Prognostic Value of Coexisting Lobular Carcinoma In Situ With Invasive Lobular Carcinoma
Authors: Harbhajanka Aparna , Lamzabi Ihab , Syed Sahr , Jain Richa , Ghai Ritu , Reddy Vijaya B. , Bitterman Pincas , Gattuso Paolo
Published: November 2015

Aims and Objectives:

Recent studies show that lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) and invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) share similar genetic molecular biology. There are increasing concerns regarding the biological significance of LCIS. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the presence of coexisting LCIS in ILC affects tumor biology and behavior and to correlate it with other clinicopathologic parameters.

Materials and Methods:

In this study, 254 cases of ILC were included. Clinicopathologic parameters and immunohistochemical stains for estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), E-cadherin, human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER2), and MIB-1 of 254 ILC cases were retrieved. The patient with ILC and coexisting LCIS were compared with pure ILC cases with respect to different clinicopathologic parameters.

Results:

Of the 254 cases, 107 cases were pure ILC and 147 cases were ILC with coexisting LCIS. Seventy-six (76/184, 41.32%) cases showed axillary lymph node metastases. Lymph node metastasis was absent in 108 cases, micrometastasis was present in 5 cases, and stage N1, N2, N3 in 51, 5, and 15 cases, respectively. Nodal involvement, locoregional and distant recurrence of ILC with LCIS were less frequent compared with ILC without LCIS with P-value of 0.034 and 0.007, respectively. The presence of coexisting LCIS in ILC predicted higher disease-free survival (DFS) compared with pure ILC (P=0.034, log-rank test). When divided into different strata, ER-positive ILC cases with associated LCIS cases showed better DFS than ER-positive pure ILC cases (P=0.021, log-rank test). Similarly, ILC cases with LCIS in patient less than 50 years showed better DFS than the patient less than 50 years with pure ILC (P=0.045, log-rank test).

Conclusions:

In conclusion, ILC coexisting with lobular carcinoma in situ (ILC+LCIS) is characterized by less nodal involvement, lower locoregional, and distant recurrence and better DFS than pure ILC. When divided into different strata, ER-positive and less than 50-year groups with ILC+LCIS show even significant better DFS than pure ILC. These findings suggest that there is biological significance of coexisting LCIS in ILC and that this may have more effect on tumor aggressiveness in certain strata of ILC.
CMTM8 is Frequently Downregulated in Multiple Solid Tumors
Authors: Zhang Wenjuan , Qi Hui , Mo Xiaoning , Sun Qianying , Li Ting , Song Quansheng , Xu Kexin , Hu Hao , Ma Dalong , Wang Ying
Published: November 2015

Previous studies have demonstrated that overexpression of CMTM8 inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in multiple types of cancer cells, whereas the downregulation of CMTM8 induces the epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT)-like phenotype in hepatocyte carcinoma cells, implying its important roles in tumorigenesis and tumor metastasis. No extensive studies on the expression of CMTM8 in either normal or tumorous human tissues have been reported to date. Here, using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we analyzed CMTM8 expression in multiple normal human tissue samples. Moreover, by applying high-throughput immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarrays with homemade anti-CMTM8 antibodies, we studied CMTM8 expression in carcinoma samples and adjacent normal samples of 6 types of human tissues. CMTM8 is widely expressed in many normal human tissues and is frequently downregulated or absent in multiple solid tumors (liver, lung, colon, rectum, esophagus, stomach). χ2 tests revealed a significant negative correlation between CMTM8 expression and tumorigenesis: liver, lung (squamous carcinoma), colon, rectum, P<0.0001; esophagus, P<0.001; stomach, P<0.01. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of samples from esophageal carcinomas and the adjacent normal tissues revealed that CMTM8 mRNA levels are reduced in carcinomas compared with normal tissues, indicating that CMTM8 is potentially downregulated at the mRNA level (P<0.01). This is the first extensive study of CMTM8 expression in both normal and tumorous human tissues. Our findings strongly supported the potential role of CMTM8 as a novel tumor suppressor and may shape further functional studies on this gene.
Expression of S100A11 is a Prognostic Factor for Disease-free Survival and Overall Survival in Patients With High-grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Li Yanli , Zhang Jiarong
Published: November 2015

S100A11 is a calcium-binding protein implicated in a variety of biological functions and is overexpressed in many human cancers. However, S100A11 expression level in ovarian cancer has not been well characterized. High-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) is the most common and lethal type of ovarian cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate S100A11 expression and its clinical significance in HGSC. S100A11 expression was evaluated by Western blot in 45 snap-frozen specimens (15 normal ovarian epithelia, 15 normal fallopian tube epithelia, and 15 HGSCs) and by immunohistochemistry in 211 paraffin-embedded specimens (40 normal fallopian tube epithelia, 54 normal ovarian epithelia, and 117 HGSCs). S100A11 expression was extremely elevated in HGSC compared with normal epithelial tissues and was positively correlated with FIGO stage (P=0.014), ascitic fluid volume (P=0.009), and residual disease (P=0.004) of HGSC patients. Higher S100A11 expression was associated with poorer disease-free (P=0.004) and overall (P=0.006) survival, whereas multivariate analysis revealed S100A11 to be an independent prognostic factor for disease-free (P=0.019) and overall (P=0.027) survival in patients with HGSC. In conclusion, S100A11 overexpression correlates with an aggressive malignant phenotype and may constitute a novel prognostic factor for HGSC.
Expression of FOXO3a and Correlation With Histopathologic Features in Retinoblastoma
Authors: Batra Atul , Kashyap Seema , Singh Lata , Bakhshi Sameer
Published: November 2015

Forkhead box (FOX) transcription factors are a class of highly conserved proteins, which serve critical cellular functions including cell cycle regulation. The downstream mechanisms of cell cycle regulation involve preservation of retinoblastoma protein function. Its deactivation by phosphorylation and translocation from nucleus to cytoplasm leads to cell proliferation. FOXO3a has been found to be dysregulated in few cancers. However, no study has been reported on role of FOXO3a in retinoblastoma. We assessed the expression of FOXO3a in sections of archived tissue blocks of enucleated/exenterated specimens of retinoblastoma by immunohistochemistry. The histopathologic features were reviewed and correlated with its expression. Effect of FOXO3a expression on survival was assessed. FOXO3a expression was assessed in 100 sections. Six samples did not contain any viable tissue. Retrospective data of 94 patients revealed that median age at presentation was 36 months with male:female ratio of 1.9:1. Fifty-one percent of patients were International Retinoblastoma Staging System stage 1. Of the 94 sections, 68 (72%) showed cytoplasmic expression. Choroidal invasion was associated with cytoplasmic FOXO3a (P=0.04). A trend was also noted in optic nerve cut end involvement (P=0.07). No other histopathologic features were found to be associated with FOXO3a expression. The overall survival and progression-free survival were not found to be affected by FOXO3a expression. Cytoplasmic expression of FOXO3a is frequently found in retinoblastoma and may be involved in pathogenesis. Activation by relocation of FOXO3a to nucleus may activate nonmutated retinoblastoma and may be a potential target of treatment in retinoblastoma.
Deposition of Ni nanoparticles onto porous supports using supercritical CO
2
: effect of the precursor and reduction methodology
Authors: Morère Jacobo , Royuela Sergio , Asensio Guillermo , Palomino Pablo , Enciso Eduardo , Pando Concepción , Cabañas Albertina
Published: November 2015

The deposition of Ni nanoparticles into porous supports is very important in catalysis. In this paper, we explore the use of supercritical CO
2
(scCO
2
) as a green solvent to deposit Ni nanoparticles on mesoporous SiO
2
SBA-15 and a carbon xerogel. The good transport properties of scCO
2
allowed the efficient penetration of metal precursors dissolved in scCO
2
within the pores of the support without damaging its structure. Nickel hexafluoroacetylacetonate hydrate, nickel acetylacetonate, bis(cyclopentadienyl)nickel, Ni(NO
3
)
2
⋅6H
2
O and NiCl
2
⋅6H
2
O were tried as precursors. Different methodologies were used: impregnation in scCO
2
and reduction in H
2
/N
2
at 400°C and low pressure, reactive deposition using H
2
at 200–250°C in scCO
2
and reactive deposition using ethanol at 150–200°C in scCO
2
. The effect of precursor and methodology on the nickel particle size and the material homogeneity (on the different substrates) was analysed. This technology offers many opportunities in the preparation of metal-nanostructured materials.
Continuous-flow hydrothermal synthesis for the production of inorganic nanomaterials
Authors: Dunne Peter W. , Munn Alexis S. , Starkey Chris L. , Huddle Tom A. , Lester Ed H.
Published: November 2015

As nanotechnology becomes increasingly important and ubiquitous, new and scalable synthetic approaches are needed to meet the growing demand for industrially viable routes to nanomaterial production. Continuous-flow hydrothermal synthesis or supercritical water hydrothermal synthesis (scWHS) is emerging as a versatile solution to this problem. The process was initially developed to take advantage of the tunable chemical and physical properties of superheated water to produce metal oxide nanoparticles by rapid nucleation and precipitation. The development of new mixing regimes and reactor designs has been facilitated by the modelling of reactor systems. These new reactor designs further exploit the properties of supercritical water to promote faster and more uniform mixing of reagent streams. The synthetic approach has been expanded beyond the metal oxide systems for which it was conceived, and now encompasses metal sulfides, metal phosphates, metal nanoparticles and metal–organic frameworks. In many of these cases, some degree of size and shape control can be achieved through careful consideration of both chemistry and reactor design. This review briefly considers the development of scWHS reactor technology, before highlighting some of our recent work in expanding the scope of this synthetic method to include a wide range of materials.
Marker-based estimates reveal significant non-additive effects in clonally propagated cassava (Manihot esculenta): implications for the prediction of total genetic value and the selection of varieties
Authors: Wolfe Marnin D. , Kulakow Peter , Rabbi Ismail Y. , Jannink Jean-Luc
Published: November 2015

In clonally propagated crops, non-additive genetic effects can be effectively exploited by the identification of superior genetic individuals as varieties. Cassava(Manihot esculentaCrantz) is a clonally propagated staple food crop that feeds hundreds of millions. We quantified the amount and nature of non-additive genetic variation for key traits in a breeding population of cassava from sub-Saharan Africa using additive and non-additive genome-wide marker-based relationship matrices. We then assessed the accuracy of genomic prediction of additive compared to total (additive plus non-additive) genetic value. We confirmed previous findings based on diallel populations, that non-additive genetic variation is significant, especially for yield traits. Further, we show that we total genetic value correlated more strongly to observed phenotypes than did additive value, although this is constrained by low broad-sense heritability and is not beneficial for traits with already high heritability. We address the implication of these results for cassava breeding and put our work in the context of previous results in cassava, and other plant and animal species.
Direct estimate of the spontaneous mutation rate uncovers the effects of drift and recombination in theChlamydomonas reinhardtiiplastid genome
Authors: Ness Rob W. , Kraemer Susanne A. , Colegrave Nick , Keightley Peter D.
Published: November 2015

Plastids perform crucial cellular functions, including photosynthesis, across a wide variety of eukaryotes. Since endosymbiosis, plastids have maintained independent genomes that now display a wide diversity of gene content, genome structure, gene regulation mechanisms, and transmission modes. The evolution of plastid genomes depends on an input ofde novomutation, but our knowledge of mutation in the plastid is limited to indirect inference from patterns of DNA divergence between species. Here, we use a mutation accumulation experiment, where selection acting on mutations is rendered ineffective, combined with whole-plastid genome sequencing to directly characterizede novomutation inChlamydomonas reinhardtii. We show that the mutation rates of the plastid and nuclear genomes are similar, but that the base spectra of mutations differ significantly. We integrate our measure of the mutation rate with a population genomic dataset of 20 individuals, and show that the plastid genome is subject to substantially stronger genetic drift than the nuclear genome. We also show that high levels of linkage disequilibrium in the plastid genome are not due to restricted recombination, but are instead a consequence of increased genetic drift. One likely explanation for increased drift in the plastid genome is that there are stronger effects of genetic hitchhiking. The presence of recombination in the plastid is consistent with laboratory studies inC. reinhardtiiand demonstrates that although the plastid genome is thought to be uniparentally inherited, it recombines in nature at a rate similar to the nuclear genome.
A statistical approach to genome size evolution: Observations and explanations
Authors: Li Dirson Jian
Published: November 2015

Genome size evolution is a fundamental problem in molecular evolution. Statistical analysis of genome sizes brings new insight into the evolution of genome size. Although the variation of genome sizes is complicated, it is indicated that the genome size evolution can be explained more clearly at taxon level than at species level. I find that the genome size distribution for species in a taxon fits log-normal distribution. And I find a relationship between the phylogeny of life and the statistical features of genome size distributions among taxa. I observed different statistical features of genome size distributions between animal taxa and plant taxa. A log-normal stochastic process model is developed to simulate the genome size evolution. The simulation results on the log-normal distributions of genome sizes and their statistical features agree with the observations.
Mass graphs and their applications in top-down proteomics
Authors: Kou Qiang , Wu Si , Tolić Nikola , Pasa-Tolić Ljiljana , Liu Xiaowen
Published: November 2015

Although proteomics has made rapid progress in the past decade, researchers are still in the early stage of exploring the world of complex proteoforms, which are protein products with various primary structure alterations resulting from gene mutations, alternative splicing, post-translational modifications, and other biological processes. Proteoform identification is essential to mapping proteoforms to their biological functions as well as discovering novel proteoforms and new protein functions. Top-down mass spectrometry is the method of choice for identifying complex proteoforms because it provides a “bird view” of intact proteoforms. The combinatorial explosion of possible proteoforms, which may result in billions of possible proteoforms for one protein, makes proteoform identification a challenging computational problem. Here we propose a new data structure, called the mass graph, for efficiently representing proteoforms. In addition, we design mass graph alignment algorithms for proteoform identification by top-down mass spectrometry. Experiments on a histone H4 mass spectrometry data set showed that the proposed methods outperformed MS-Align-E in identifying complex proteoforms.
Testing Rare-Variant Association without Calling Genotypes Allows for Systematic Differences in Sequencing between Cases and Controls
Authors: Hu Yi-Juan , Liao Peizhou , Johnston H. Richard , Allen Andrew S. , Satten Glen A.
Published: November 2015

Next-generation sequencing of DNA provides an unprecedented opportunity to discover rare genetic variants associated with complex diseases and traits. However, when testing the association between rare variants and traits of interest, the current practice of first calling underlying genotypes and then treating the called values as known is prone to false positive findings, especially when genotyping errors are systematically different between cases and controls. This happens whenever cases and controls are sequenced at different depths or on different platforms. In this article, we provide a likelihood-based approach to testing rare variant associations that directly models sequencing reads without calling genotypes. We consider the (weighted) burden test statistic, which is the (weighted) sum of the score statistic for assessing effects of individual variants on the trait of interest. Because variant locations are unknown, we develop a simple, computationally efficient screening algorithm to estimate the loci that are variants. Because our burden statistic may not have mean zero after screening, we develop a novel bootstrap procedure for assessing the significance of the burden statistic. We demonstrate through extensive simulation studies that the proposed tests are robust to a wide range of differential sequencing qualities between cases and controls, and are at least as powerful as the standard genotype calling approach when the latter controls type I error. An application to the UK10K data reveals novel rare variants in geneBTBD18associated with childhood onset obesity. The relevant software is freely available.
16p11.2 Deletion mice display cognitive deficits in touchscreen learning and novelty recognition tasks
Authors: Yang Mu , Lewis Freeman C. , Sarvi Michael S. , Foley Gillian M. , Crawley Jacqueline N.
Published: November 2015

Chromosomal 16p11.2 deletion syndrome frequently presents with intellectual disabilities, speech delays, and autism. Here we investigated the Dolmetsch line of 16p11.2 heterozygous (+/−) mice on a range of cognitive tasks with different neuroanatomical substrates. Robust novel object recognition deficits were replicated in two cohorts of 16p11.2+/− mice, confirming previous findings. A similarly robust deficit in object location memory was discovered in +/−, indicating impaired spatial novelty recognition. Generalizability of novelty recognition deficits in +/− mice extended to preference for social novelty. Robust learning deficits and cognitive inflexibility were detected using Bussey–Saksida touchscreen operant chambers. During acquisition of pairwise visual discrimination, +/− mice required significantly more training trials to reach criterion than wild-type littermates (+/+), and made more errors and correction errors than +/+. In the reversal phase, all +/+ reached criterion, whereas most +/− failed to reach criterion by the 30-d cutoff. Contextual and cued fear conditioning were normal in +/−. These cognitive phenotypes may be relevant to some aspects of cognitive impairments in humans with 16p11.2 deletion, and support the use of 16p11.2+/− mice as a model system for discovering treatments for cognitive impairments in 16p11.2 deletion syndrome.
Incorporation of copper ions into crystals of T2 copper-depleted laccase fromBotrytis aclada
Authors: Osipov E. M. , Polyakov K. M. , Tikhonova T. V. , Kittl R. , Dorovatovskii P.V. , Shleev S. V. , Popov V. O. , Ludwig R.
Published: November 2015

Laccases belong to the class of multicopper oxidases catalyzing the oxidation of phenols accompanied by the reduction of molecular oxygen to water without the formation of hydrogen peroxide. The activity of laccases depends on the number of Cu atoms per enzyme molecule. The structure of type 2 copper-depleted laccase fromBotrytis acladahas been solved previously. With the aim of obtaining the structure of the native form of the enzyme, crystals of the depleted laccase were soaked in Cu+- and Cu2+-containing solutions. Copper ions were found to be incorporated into the active site only when Cu+was used. A comparative analysis of the native and depleted forms of the enzymes was performed.
Heterogeneous nucleation is required for crystallization of the ZnuA domain of pneumococcal AdcA
Authors: Luo Zhenyao , Morey Jacqueline R. , McDevitt Christopher A. , Kobe Boštjan
Published: November 2015

Zn2+is an essential nutrient for all known forms of life. In the major human pathogenStreptococcus pneumoniae, the acquisition of Zn2+is facilitated by two Zn2+-specific solute-binding proteins: AdcA and AdcAII. To date, there has been a paucity of structural information on AdcA, which has hindered a deeper understanding of the mechanism underlying pneumococcal Zn2+acquisition. Native AdcA consists of two domains: an N-terminal ZnuA domain and a C-terminal ZinT domain. In this study, the ZnuA domain of AdcA was crystallized. The initial crystals of the ZnuA-domain protein were obtained using dried seaweed as a heterogeneous nucleating agent. No crystals were obtained in the absence of the heterogeneous nucleating agent. These initial crystals were subsequently used as seeds to produce diffraction-quality crystals. The crystals diffracted to 2.03 Å resolution and had the symmetry of space groupP1. This study demonstrates the utility of heterogeneous nucleation. The solution of the crystal structures will lead to further understanding of Zn2+acquisition byS. pneumoniae.
Crystal structure of 2,6-bis(2-hydroxy-5-methylphenyl)-4-phenylpyridinium bromide dichloromethane hemisolvate hemihydrate
Authors: Mankaev Badma N. , Zaitsev Kirill V. , Karlov Sergey S. , Egorov Mikhail P. , Churakov Andrei V.
Published: November 2015

The asymmetric unit in the structure of the title compound, C25H22NO2+·Br−·0.5CH2Cl2·0.5H2O, comprises two pseudosymmetry-related cations, two bromide anions, a dichloromethane molecule and a water molecule of solvation. The two independent cations are conformationally similar with the comparative dihedral angles between the central pyridine ring and the three benzene substituent rings being 3.0 (2), 36.4 (1) and 24.2 (1)°, and 3.7 (2), 36.5 (1) and 24.8 (1)°, respectively. In the crystal, the cations, anions and water molecules are linked through O—H...O and O—H...Br hydrogen bonds, forming an insular unit. Within the cations there are also intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds. Adjacent centrosymmetrically related aggregates are linked by π–π stacking interactions between the pyridine ring and a benzene ring in both cations [ring-centroid separations = 3.525 (3) and 3.668 (3) Å], forming chains extending across theacdiagonal. Voids between these chains are filled by dichloromethane molecules.
Commodity prices, the exchange rate and manufacturing in South Africa: what do the data say?
Authors: Hodge Duncan
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the empirical relationships between changes in OECD output, commodity prices, the real exchange rate, real money supply, unit labour costs and manufacturing in South Africa. In particular, to test a version of the Dutch disease argument that increases in the prices of South Africa’s main commodity exports have had a negative effect on domestic manufacturing against the alternative hypothesis that there is a positive relationship between such changes in commodity prices and domestic manufacturing output.

Design/methodology/approach

– Construction of a model including real manufacturing output in South Africa as the dependent variable and the following independent variables: OECD output, an international real metals price index, a real effective exchange rate index, real M3 money supply and manufacturing unit labour costs. The time series sample data comprise 124 quarterly observations for the period 1980-2010. The model equation was tested and estimated using a Johansen cointegration approach.

Findings

– The main findings are: OECD output is the single most important determinant of domestic manufacturing output; while the real exchange rate has the predicted negative sign, rising commodity prices are associated with increases rather than decreases in domestic manufacturing and; large increases in unit labour costs since the early 1980s have dragged down manufacturing over the sample period.

Originality/value

– The finding of a positive relationship between commodity prices and domestic manufacturing means that the Dutch disease argument must be revised when applied to South Africa. While rising commodity prices may lead to a negative exchange rate effect on manufacturing competitiveness, this is more than offset by the positive growth effects associated with upswings in the commodity price cycle.
Achieving food and nutrition security under rapid transformation in China and India
Authors: Fan Shenggen , Rue Christopher
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to set the stage for the proceeding articles with background of the impressive yet incomplete progress made in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in China and India.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper provides background of the progress and challenges to achieving food security and nutrition in China and India. It then highlights the lessons learned from this special issue, and concludes with remaining knowledge gaps.

Findings

– The paper summarizes findings from each article in the special issue.

Originality/value

– Comparing the experiences of these two countries is essential to share knowledge and accelerate progress in eliminating poverty, hunger, and malnutrition both within these countries and globally.
KnowingGuanxifrom the perspective of Tao: a mixed methodological approach
Authors: Tian Longwei , Ma Yucheng , Hu Wei , Li Yuan
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to, from a Taoism perspective, one of Chinese inveterate cultures and mindsets, add knowledge into how Chinese indigenous cultures and mindsets will affect the way of Chinese people perceive and process guanxi. Specifically, this paper outlines the mechanism of guanxi from a culture perspective. Cultures significantly affect local people behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

– A mixed-methods survey (Study 1) – analyzed with one-way ANOVA – and interview (Study 2) – analyzed with grounded theory – were used to answer the research questions. In total, 248 surveys were collected for Study 1, and 34 interviews for Study 2 that were transcribed into a word file, which consists of 609 pages with 327,463 Chinese characters, were processed.

Findings

– The findings show that guanxi is determined by positive and negative forces between instrumental and affective components. Further, two essential conditions – fitness of personality and clear contract, which would determine when a positive or negative force would emerge in a guanxi – were identified.

Originality/value

– The main contribution is that this paper clarifies the guanxi mechanism based upon one of the most significant Chinese cultures and mindsets. Or guanxi is viewed from a new perspective – how Taoism affects Chinese people’s perception and evaluation of guanxi. This paper also finds evidence for the main arguments based upon the two studies.
The boat is rocked – Employees' grumbles: a decision dilemma
Authors: Bin Shamsuri Abd Latiff Sukri , Alagappar Ponmalar N. , Kumar Dileep
Published: November 2015

Subject area

Entrepreneurship, Strategic Management, Organizational Change Management.

Study level/applicability

Postgraduate and undergraduate students.

Case overview

Restoran Minang Plus is a self-styled family-owned and managed restaurant featuring a gamut of Malaysian Negeri Sembilan and Indonesian Padang dishes. The eatery establishment has sailed the food industry waters successfully since 2004 and currently has five branches. However, there are certain imperatives they have to institute to integrate their entrepreneurial challenges with organizational change management. The nature of the forces in the competitive restaurant landscape requires a continuous rethinking of current strategic actions, organizational change, communication systems, motivation, asset deployment and strategic flexibility to respond quickly to changing conditions and thereby develop and maintain a competitive advantage. The question is how do they integrate this organizational change management to their entrepreneurial challenges with a view to achieve and maintain competitive advantage?

Expected learning outcomes

The expected learning outcomes are as follows: understanding managing diversity by looking at the different categories of diversity, that is, generic characteristics and learned characteristics that influence work attitudes; explaining how fostering learning and reinforcement can help in increasing job satisfaction; describing the basic motivational needs of the employees and how it can help in increasing job performance; understanding how an entrepreneurial firm can maximize its firm performance through effective change management; and understanding the importance of strategic management in an entrepreneurial firm.

Supplementary materials

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Increasing testing efficiency through the development of an IT-based adaptive testing tool for competency measurement
Authors: Kleinhans Janne , Schumann Matthias
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– This paper investigates the potential of computerized adaptive testing for CMs to reduce test time. In the context of education and training, competency measurement (CM) is a central challenge in competency management. For complex CMs, a compromise must be addressed between the time available and the quality of the measurements. Increasing the efficiency of existing tests therefore poses a key challenge.

Design/methodology/approach

– Results from a market analysis show a lack of integrated adaptive testing tools for CMs. The implementation, integration and evaluation of an appropriate adaptive component are presented for the example of the learning management system ILIAS used for a CM of health workers. The textbook scenario of a linear testing implementation is compared with results from the adaptive testing tool implementation. A simulation component is created to investigate the robustness of the adaptive test regarding answers that are inconsistent with the test person’s ability.

Findings

– A test time reduction of 40 per cent is achieved by the adaptive test. The test shows high stability for up to 20 per cent of the answers being inconsistent with the test person’s ability.

Originality/value

– Results indicate the high potential of computerized adaptive testing for CMs. The developed tool could be used for the implementation of combined multimedia computerized adaptive tests. Time savings could be utilized to improve measurement quality. Large-scale empirical studies on the interaction between competency dimensions could be facilitated. No other tool could be identified possessing these capabilities.
Molecular and functional characterization of a candidate sex pheromone receptor OR1 in Spodoptera litura
Authors: Zhang Qin‐Hui , Wu Zhong‐Nan , Zhou Jing‐Jiang , Du Yong‐Jun
Published: November 2015

Olfaction is primarily mediated by highly specified olfactory receptors (ORs). Here, we cloned and identified an olfactory receptor, named SlituOR1 (Genbank no. JN835269), from Spodoptera litura and found evidence that it is a candidate pheromone receptor. It exhibited male‐biased expression in the antennae, where it was localized at the base of sensilla trichoidea, the antennal sensilla mainly responsive to pheromones in moths. Conserved orthologues of this receptor, found among known pheromone receptors within the Lepidoptera, and SlituOR1 were placed among a clade of candidate pheromone receptors in a phylogeny tree of insect OR gene sequences. SlituOR1 showed differential expression in S. litura populations attracted to traps baited with different ratios of the two sex pheromone components (9Z,11E)‐tetradecadienyl acetate (Z9E11‐14:OAc) and (9Z,12E)‐tetradecadienyl acetate (Z9E12‐14:OAc). Knocking down of SlituOR1 by RNA interference reduced the electroantennogram (EAG) response to Z9E11‐14:OAc, and this result is consistent with the field trapping experiment. We infer that variation in transcription levels of olfactory receptors may modulate sex pheromone perception in male moths and could provide some of the flexibility required to maintain the functionality of communication with females when a population is adapting to a new niche and reproductive isolation becomes an advantage.
Comparative Effectiveness Research: Alternatives to “Traditional” Computed Tomography Use in the Acute Care Setting
Authors: Moore Christopher L. , Broder Joshua , Gunn Martin L. , Bhargavan‐Chatfield Mythreyi , Cody Dianna , Cullison Kevin , Daniels Brock , Gans Bradley , Kennedy Hall M. , Gaines Barbara A. , Goldman Sarah , Heil John , Liu Rachel , Marin Jennifer R. , Melnick Edward R. , Novelline Robert A. , Pare Joseph , Repplinger Michael D. , Taylor Richard A. , Sodickson Aaron D.
Published: November 2015

Computed tomography (CT) scanning is an essential diagnostic tool and has revolutionized care of patients in the acute care setting. However, there is widespread agreement that overutilization of CT, where benefits do not exceed possible costs or harms, is occurring. The goal was to seek consensus in identifying and prioritizing research questions and themes that involve the comparative effectiveness of “traditional” CT use versus alternative diagnostic strategies in the acute care setting. A modified Delphi technique was used that included input from emergency physicians, emergency radiologists, medical physicists, and an industry expert to achieve this.
Autophosphorylation of alpha isoform of calcium/calmodulin‐dependent kinase II regulates alcohol addiction‐related behaviors
Authors: Mijakowska Zofia , Łukasiewicz Kacper , Ziółkowska Magda , Lipiński Michał , Trąbczyńska Anna , Matuszek Żaneta , Łęski Szymon , Radwanska Kasia
Published: November 2015

The development of addiction is associated with a dysregulation of glutamatergic transmission in the brain reward circuit. α isoform of calcium/calmodulin‐dependent kinase II (αCaMKII) is one of the key proteins that regulates structural and functional plasticity of glutamatergic synapses. αCaMKII activity can be controlled by the autophosphorylation of threonine 286. The role of this autophosphorylation in the regulation of addiction‐related behaviors has been proposed but is still poorly understood. Here, using αCaMKII autophosphorylation‐deficient mutant mice (T286A), we show that, in comparison with wild‐type animals, they are less resistant to high doses of alcohol and do not show psychostimulant response neither to alcohol injections nor during voluntary alcohol drinking. T286A mutants are also less prone to develop alcohol addiction‐related behaviors including an increased motivation for alcohol, persistent alcohol seeking during withdrawal and alcohol consumption on relapse. Finally, we demonstrate that αCaMKII autophosphorylation regulates also alcohol‐induced remodeling of glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampus and amygdala. In conclusion, our data suggest that αCaMKII autophosphorylation‐dependent remodeling of glutamatergic synapses is a plausible mechanism for the regulation of the alcohol addiction‐related behaviors.