bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Integrative Review of Recruitment of Research Participants Through Facebook
Authors: Reagan Louise , Nowlin Sarah Y. , Birdsall Stacia B. , Gabbay Juliana , Vorderstrasse Allison , Johnson Constance , D’Eramo Melkus Gail
Published: August 2019

Background

Facebook (FB) has been widely used recently to recruit participants for adult health research. However, little is known about its effectiveness, cost, and the characteristics of participants recruited via FB when compared to other recruitment methods.

Objectives

The purpose of this integrative review was to examine the published evidence concerning the use of FB in participant recruitment for adult health research, as compared to other social media, online, and traditional recruitment methods.

Methods

In this integrative review, we used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and Web of Science were the electronic databases used to identify the published articles. In regard to language, the search was limited.

Results

The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of using FB for recruitment in healthcare research as compared to more traditional forms of recruitment remain unclear. Reporting of recruitment strategies is inconsistent, and costs are often not included. FB is being used for recruitment frequently with other methods and, although often effective, can be costly.

Discussion

FB is used to recruit participants for a variety of studies, with researchers using both free and paid ads to reach potential participants. Reporting of recruitment methods needs to be more rigorous, streamlined, and standardized in scientific papers.
The Visualization of a Foreign Body in a Patient's Subglottic Region Using Point-of-Care Ultrasonography
Authors: Kozaci Nalan , Avci Mustafa , Ayhan Gul , Ozgunlu Gurhan Sinan , Selvi Fatih
Published: August 2019

Point-of-care ultrasonography is a real-time dynamic examination that is useful for evaluating the location of foreign bodies in a patient's gastrointestinal tract and soft tissue. In particular, it is useful for identifying radiolucent foreign bodies that are difficult to visualize using routine x-ray examinations. This case study describes the visualization of a radiolucent foreign body in a patient's subglottic region using point-of-care ultrasonography.
Publish or Perish
Authors: Bateman Emma A. , Teasell Robert
Published: August 2019

Research training equips residents with the skills to consume and produce research evidence and deliver evidence-based care. Within Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, studies have historically demonstrated low rates of resident research productivity. Although Canadian residency requirements mandate research participation, little is known about Canadian residents’ research productivity. Using standard systematic review search strategies, we evaluated the rate and type of peer-reviewed publications produced by resident physicians during postgraduate medical training for a historic cohort of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residents who successfully passed the Canadian Royal College Fellowship examination in 2015, 2016, and 2017 (N = 74). Resident physicians produced 62 peer-reviewed publications during the study period. A total of 43.2% of resident physicians produced at least one such publication and 20.3% produced more than one. The resident physician was the first author for 51.6% of publications. Reviews were the most frequent publication type (19.4%), followed by observational studies (16.1%) and case reports (16.1%). Musculoskeletal conditions (11.3%) and stroke (9.7%) were the most frequent areas of study. Most publications were in nonrehabilitation journals. These findings demonstrate modest research productivity despite mandatory research participation; although research productivity is higher than in previous cohorts, publications of convenience, such as reviews and case reports, are similarly frequent.
Comparing Arterial- and Venous-Phase Acquisition for Optimization of Virtual Noncontrast Images From Dual-Energy Computed Tomography Angiography
Authors: Lehti Leena , Söderberg Marcus , Höglund Peter , Wassélius Johan
Published: August 2019

Background

Follow-up with computed tomographic angiography is recommended after endovascular aneurysm repair, exposing patients to significant levels of radiation and iodine contrast medium. Dual-energy computed tomography allows virtual noncontrast (VNC) images to be reconstructed from contrast-enhanced images using a software algorithm. If the VNC images are a good-enough approximation of true noncontrast (TNC) images, a reduction in radiation dose can be ensured through omitting a TNC scan.

Purpose

To compare image quality of VNC images reconstructed from arterial phase and venous phase dual-energy computed tomographic angiography to TNC images and to assess which one is more suitable to replace TNC images.

Methods

Sixty-three consecutive patients were examined using a dual-energy computed tomography as elective follow-up after endovascular aneurysm repair. The examination protocol included 1 unenhanced and 2 contrast-enhanced scans (80 kV/Sn140 kV) of the aorta. Virtual noncontrast data sets were reconstructed from the arterial (A-VNC) and venous (V-VNC) phase scans, respectively. Mean attenuation and image noise were measured for TNC, A-VNC, and V-VNC images within regions of interest at 2 levels in the aorta, the liver, retroperitoneal fat, and psoas muscle. Subjective image quality was assessed on a 4-point scale by 2 blinded readers.

Results

The differences between A-VNC and TNC, and between A-VNC and V-VNC, were substantial aorta at the level of diaphragm and aorta at the level of renal arteries. The difference between V-VNC and TNC was, on the other hand, very small and not statistically significant for the renal artery aorta. For liver, fat, and muscle tissue, there were significant differences between both A-VNC and V-VNC compared with TNC, but findings were similar between A-VNC and V-VNC.

Conclusions

Virtual noncontrast images based on venous-phase scans appear to be a more accurate representation of TNC scans than VNC images based on arterial-phase scans.
Comparison of Perioperative Outcomes of Autologous Bladder Neck Fascial Slings Based on Fascial Harvest Site: A Secondary Analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database
Authors: Cardenas-Trowers Olivia O. , Stewart Ryan , Meriwether Kate V. , Francis Sean , Gupta Ankita
Published: August 2019

Objectives

The objective of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes of autologous bladder neck fascial slings (ABNFS) between rectus fascia and fascia lata harvest sites.

Methods

We analyzed women undergoing ABNFS in the 2006 to 2015 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database, separating rectus fascia and fascia lata harvest sites by Current Procedural Terminology codes. We compared the 2 harvest sites for perioperative outcomes within 30 days including adverse events, readmission, and reoperation as well as operative time and length of hospital stay. The primary outcome was a composite of postoperative adverse events, readmission, and reoperation. A multivariable logistic regression model was used incorporating race, smoking status, surgical specialty, anesthesia class, concurrent procedures, body mass index, operating time, and length of hospital stay.

Results

A total of 161 women in the database underwent ABNFS: 126 (78.3%) rectus fascia and 35 (21.7%) fascia lata harvest. Patients undergoing rectus fascial harvest were more likely to be white (140 [90.5%] rectus vs 26 [74.3%] fascia lata, P=0.02) and more likely to have ABNFS by a urologist (117 [93%] rectus vs 23 [66%] fascia lata, P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in operative time, length of stay, rate of reoperation, nonserious or serious adverse events, or readmission between the 2 harvest site groups. The 2 harvest sites had similar composite morbidity (adjusted odds ratio of 0.88 for rectus fascia; 95% confidence interval, 0.21–3.75; P=0.87).

Conclusions

Rectus fascia and fascia lata harvest for ABNFS have similar perioperative outcomes.
Seismic damage to ancient monuments in Chiang Saen (Northern Thailand): implication for historical earthquakes in Golden Triangle area
Authors: Ornthammarath Teraphan
Published: August 2019

Over the last few decades, three moderate earthquakes (Mw greater than 6.0) occurred in and around the Golden Triangle area (including Myanmar, Thailand and Lao PDR) causing unprecedented damage and loss of lives in the epicentral region. In addition to the damage to modern structures, most heritage structures in Chiang Saen, a major city of the Lan Na kingdom (from the thirteenth to the eighteenth century), were also affected. This work is intended to present observed historical structure damage from recent earthquakes, which could provide evidence for the severity of historical earthquakes from the thirteenth to the eighteenth century. Based on historical records, geological evidence and observed damage to ancient monuments in this historic town, existing heritage stupas and temples constructed since the fourteenth century sustained only minor to moderate damage from these historical earthquakes. Considering the seismic vulnerability of these historical monuments, Chiang Saen might have never been subjected to severe ground shaking greater than MMI intensity VII, similar to the major earthquake in 460 A.D. along the Mae Chan fault, which was responsible for the large-scale liquefaction and inundation of ancient Yonok town. This information could be important for paleoseismological and historical earthquake research to constrain the recurrence interval of major active faults in this area.

This article is part of the theme issue ‘Environmental loading of heritage structures’.
Prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant nasal carriage in food handlers in Lebanon: a potential source of transmission of virulent strains in the community
Authors: Osman Marwan , Kamal-Dine Khadija , El Omari Khaled , Rafei Rayane , Dabboussi Fouad , Hamze Monzer
Published: August 2019

Purpose. To determine the prevalence and virulence determinant genes of nasal colonization by

Staphylococcus aureus

among food handlers in Tripoli, Lebanon.

Methodology. Within a cross-sectional study design, nasal swab specimens were collected. Epidemiological and microbiological investigations were performed through conventional culture and MALDI-TOF-MS. Antibiotic susceptibility patterns and genetic virulence determinants including enterotoxin genes were also investigated for all isolates.

Results. The data herein show that

S. aureus

nasal carriage is highly prevalent (23.8 %), and that the rate of methicillin-resistant

S. aureus

(MRSA) carriage was twice as high as in our last report in 2008. Several enterotoxin genes were detected in five isolates including one MRSA and four methicillin-sensitive

S. aureus

.

Conclusion. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation in the last decade to examine the carriage prevalence of

S. aureus

among food handlers in Lebanon. This work reports a concerning level of MRSA, and enterotoxin-producing

S. aureus

nasal carriage, which could potentially act as a contamination reservoir and lead to food poisoning
Evolving by deleting: patterns of molecular evolution of Apple stem pitting virus isolates from Poland
Authors: Komorowska Beata , Hasiów-Jaroszewska Beata , Elena Santiago F.
Published: August 2019

In this study, 267 coat protein gene (CP) sequences from 48 Polish isolates ofApple stem pitting virus(ASPV) were determined. The genetic structure of the virus population was analysed and possible mechanisms of molecular evolution explored. We found evidence of recombination within the ASPV population and the presence of 17 ASPV molecular variants that differ in the length, number and arrangement of deletions in theCP. Population genetic analyses showed significant variation among isolates from pear and apple trees, between isolates from the same host species and, more interestingly, within isolates, supporting the existence of significant levels of variability within individual hosts, as expected by a quasispecies population structure. In addition, different tests support that selection might have been an important force driving diversification within isolates: positive selection was found acting upon certain amino acids. Phylogenetic analyses also showed that isolates did not classify according to the host species (pear or apple trees) but according to the pattern of deletions, suggesting a possible role for deletions during clade diversification.
Evolution and plasticity of the transcriptome under temperature fluctuations in the fungal plant pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici
Authors: Jallet Arthur J. , Le Rouzic Arnaud , Genissel Anne
Published: August 2019

– Background. Species are subjected to variable environment in nature. While the ability to cope with changes has been studied through theoretical approaches, the small number of empirical studies limits our understanding of the evolutionary molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation to fluctuations – Results. Whole transcriptome sequencing of the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptria tritici revealed the evolution of gene expression after 48 weeks of experimental evolution under stable or fluctuating temperature. We found that although there is a strong genetic signature of gene expression, fluctuating regime could have a large and pervasive effect on the transcriptome evolution. Results show a few hot spots of significantly differentially expressed genes in the genome, in regions enriched with transposable elements (TE), including on dispensable chromosomes. Further, our results evidenced gene evolution towards robustness associated with the fluctuating regime, suggesting robustness is adaptive in changing environment. Last, an analysis on gene expression correlation revealed a significant set of genes that could act as trans-regulators. – Conclusions. This study is the first evolve and re-sequence experiment of a fungal pathogen, with the goal to describe the potential ability to evolve to changing environment and the molecular changes occurring in response to fluctuating selection. In addition to explore the evolutionary potential of the pathogen under temperature fluctuation this work highlights the important role of transcriptional rewiring that can adjust regulation of cell growth and multiplication.
A novel role for SHARPIN in amyloid-β phagocytosis and inflammation by peripheral blood-derived macrophages in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Krishnan Dhanya , Menon Ramsekhar N , PS Mathuranath , Gopala Srinivas
Published: August 2019

INTRODUCTION

Defective immune cell-mediated clearance of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and Aβ-associated inflammatory activation of immune cells are key contributors of Aβ accumulation and neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), however, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive.

METHODS

Differentiated THP-1 cells treated with Aβ and AD patient-derived macrophages were used asin-vitromodel. The role of SHARPIN was analysed in differentiated THP-1 cells using siRNA-mediated knockdown followed by immunoblotting, ELISA, real-time PCR, immunoprecipitation and flow cytometry. Differentiated SHSY5Y cells were used to study inflammation-mediated apoptosis.

RESULTS

SHARPIN was found to regulate Aβ-phagocytosis and NLRP3 expression in THP-1 derived macrophages. Further, it was found to promote macrophage polarization to an M1 (pro-inflammatory) phenotype resulting in enhanced inflammation and associated neuronal death, demonstrated usingin-vitroculture systems. SHARPIN expression by blood-derived macrophages was further found to be higher in the early stages of AD, which correlates with Aβ40/42concentration in the plasma and age of the study subjects.

DISCUSSION

The novel protein, SHARPIN has been shown to play critical roles in regulation of Aβ-phagocytosis and inflammation in AD and the mechanism by which SHARPIN is activated by Aβ in macrophages has been elucidated.
Modeling individual disability evolution in multiple sclerosis patients based on longitudinal multimodal imaging and clinical data
Authors: Tozlu Ceren , Sappey-Marinier Dominique , Kocevar Gabriel , Cotton François , Vukusic Sandra , Durand-Dubief Françoise , Maucort-Boulch Delphine
Published: August 2019

Background

The individual disease evolution of multiple sclerosis (MS) is very different from one patient to another. Therefore, the prediction of long-term disability evolution is difficult based on only clinical information. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a very efficient tool to distinguish between healthy and abnormal brain tissue, monitor disease evolution, and help decision-making for personalized treatment of MS patients.

Objective

We aim to develop a patient-specific model to predict individual disease evolution in MS, using demographic, clinical, and imaging data that were collected at study onset.

Methods

The study included 75 patients tracked over 5 years. The latent class linear mixed model was used to consider individual and unobserved subgroup variability. First, the clinical model was established with demographic and clinical variables to predict clinical disease evolution. Second, the imaging model was built using the multimodal imaging variables. Third, the imaging variables were added one by one, two by two, and all three together to investigate their contribution to the clinical model. The clinical disability is measured with the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The performances of the clinical, imaging, and the combined models were compared mainly using the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). The mean of the posterior probabilities was also given as the secondary performance evaluation criterion.

Results

The clinical model gave higher BIC value than imaging and any combined models. The means of the posterior probabilities given by the three models were over 0.94. The clinical model clustered the patients into two latent classes: stable evolution class (n=6, 88%) and severe evolution class (n=9, 12%).

Conclusion

The latent class linear mixed model may provide a well-fitted prediction for the disability evolution in MS patients, thus giving further information for personalized treatment decisions after thorough validation with a larger and independent dataset.
Multivoxel patterns for perceptual confidence are associated with false color detection
Authors: Knotts J.D. , Cortese Aurelio , Tascherau-Dumouchel Vincent , Kawato Mitsuo , Lau Hakwan
Published: August 2019

While it has been proposed that metacognition and conscious perception are related, the mechanistic relationship between the two is unclear. To address this question, we combined decoded neurofeedback (DecNef) in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with concurrent psychophysics. Participants were rewarded for activating multivoxel patterns for color discrimination confidence while they detected color in mostly achromatic stimuli. We found that occurences of voxel patterns for high color discrimination confidence were associated with false alarms in the concurrent color detection task, suggesting a link between discrimination confidence and consciousness.
p62-DNA-encoding plasmid reverts tumor grade, changes tumor stroma, and enhances anticancer immunity
Authors: Venanzi Franco M. , Gabai Vladimir , Mariotti Francesca , Magi Gian Enrico , Vullo Cecilia , Kolesnikov Sergey I. , Shneider Alex
Published: August 2019

Previously, we reported that the administration of a p62/SQSTM1-encoding plasmid demonstrates high safety and clinical benefits for human cancer patients, having also suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in dogs and mouse models. Here we investigated the mechanistic aspects of these effects. In mammary tumors bearing-dogs, p62 plasmid i.m. injections reduced tumor volumes, and reverted tumor grade to less aggressive lesions in 5 out of 6 animals, with one carcinoma switching to benign adenoma. The treatment increased levels of alpha-SMA in stroma cells and collagen 3 in the extracellular matrix, both of which correlate with a good clinical prognosis. p62 treatment also increased the abundance of intratumoral T-cell. To test the role of adaptive immunity, we compared protective effects of the plasmid against B16 melanoma in wild type C57BL/6J mice and in the corresponding SCID strain lacking lymphocytes. The plasmid was only protective in the wild type strain. Also, p62 plasmid amplified anti-tumor effect of adoptive T-cell transfer from tumor-bearing animals to animals challenged with the same tumors. We conclude that the plasmid acts indirectly via re-modeling of the tumor microenvironment, making it more favorable for increased anti-cancer immunity. Thus, the p62-encoding plasmid might be a new adjuvant for cancer treatments.
High school science fair: Positive and negative outcomes
Authors: Grinnell Frederick , Dalley Simon , Reisch Joan
Published: August 2019

The goal of our ongoing research is to identify strengths and weaknesses of high school level science fair and improvements that can help science educators make science fair a more effective, inclusive and equitable learning experience. In this paper, we confirm and extend our previous findings in several important ways. We added new questions to our anonymous and voluntary surveys to learn the extent to which students had an interest in science or engineering careers and if science fair participation increased their interest in science or engineering. And we surveyed a national rather than regional high school student group by incorporating our survey into the Scienteer online portal now used by Texas and some other states for science fair registration, parental consent, and project management. We learned that about ~60% of the more than 300 students in the national cohorts completing surveys in 2017 and 2018 said that they were interested in a career in science or engineering, and ~60% said that participating in science fair increased their interest in science or engineering. About two-thirds of the students were required to participate in science fair, and that requirement reduced the frequency of students who said that science fair increased their interest. In the worst case, ~10% of the students who said that they were not interested in a career in science or engineering and required to participate in science fair engaged in research misconduct (i.e., plagiarism and making up their results). Students’ positive comments about competition in science fair focused on the competition incentive, whereas their positive comments about science fair that was non-competitive focused on learning about the scientific process and learning in general. We discuss the findings in the context of National Science Teaching Association guidance about voluntary science fair participation and begin to identify features of science fair practice consistent with increased student interest in the sciences or engineering.
Male meiotic spindle features that efficiently segregate paired and lagging chromosomes
Authors: Fabig Gunar , Kiewisz Robert , Lindow Norbert , Powers James A. , Cota Vanessa , Mateo Leslie , Brugués Jan , Prohaska Steffen , Chu Diana S. , Müller-Reichert Thomas
Published: August 2019

Chromosome segregation during male meiosis is tailored to rapidly generate multitudes of sperm. Little, however, is known about the mechanisms that efficiently segregate chromosomes to produce sperm. Using live imaging inCaenorhabditis elegans, we find that spermatocytes exhibit simultaneous pole-to-chromosome shortening (anaphase A) and pole-to-pole elongation (anaphase B). Electron tomography unexpectedly revealed that spermatocyte anaphase A does not stem from kinetochore microtubule shortening. Instead, movement is driven by changes in distance between chromosomes, microtubules, and centrosomes upon tension release at anaphase onset. We also find that the lagging X chromosome, a distinctive feature of anaphase I inC. elegansmales, is due to lack of chromosome pairing. The unpaired chromosome remains tethered to centrosomes by continuously lengthening kinetochore microtubules which are under tension, suggesting a ‘tug of war’ that can reliably resolve chromosome lagging. Overall, we define features that partition both paired and lagging chromosomes for optimal sperm production.
Regularized-Ncut: Robust and homogeneous functional parcellation of neonate and adult brain networks
Authors: Peng Qinmu , Ouyang Minhui , Wang Jiaojian , Yu Qinlin , Zhao Chenying , Slinger Michelle , Li Hongming , Fan Yong , Hong Bo , Huang Hao
Published: August 2019

Brain network parcellation based on resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) is affected by noise, resulting in spurious small patches and decreased functional homogeneity within each network. Robust and homogeneous parcellation of neonate brain is more difficult with neonate rs-fMRI associated with higher level of noise and no functional atlas as spatial constraints. To meet these challenges, we developed a novel data-driven Regularized Normalized-cut (RNcut) method. RNcut is formulated by adding two regularization terms, a smoothing term using Markov random fields and a small-patch removal term, to conventional normalized-cut (Ncut) method. The RNcut and competing methods were tested with simulated datasets with known ground truth and then applied to both adult and neonate rs-fMRI datasets. Based on the parcellated networks generated by RNcut, intra-network connectivity was quantified. The test results from simulated datasets demonstrated that the RNcut method is more robust (p<0.01) to noise and can delineate parcellated functional networks with significantly better (p<0.01) spatial contiguity and significantly higher (p<0.01) functional homogeneity than competing methods. Application of RNcut to neonate and adult rs-fMRI dataset revealed distinctive functional brain organization of neonate brains from that of adult brains. Collectively, we developed a novel data-driven RNcut method by integrating conventional Ncut with two regularization terms, generating robust and homogeneous functional parcellation without imposing spatial constraints. A broad range of brain network applications and analyses, especially exploratory investigations of parcellating neonate and infant brain with noisy dataset, can potentially benefit from this RNcut method.
Opponent neurochemical and functional processing in NREM and REM sleep in visual learning
Authors: Tamaki Masako , Wang Zhiyan , Barnes-Diana Tyler , Berard Aaron V. , Walsh Edward , Watanabe Takeo , Sasaki Yuka
Published: August 2019

Sleep is beneficial for learning. However, whether NREM or REM sleep facilitates learning, whether the learning facilitation results from plasticity increases or stabilization and whether the facilitation results from learning-specific processing are all controversial. Here, after training on a visual task we measured the excitatory and inhibitory neurochemical (E/I) balance, an index of plasticity in human visual areas, for the first time, while subjects slept. Off-line performance gains of presleep learning were associated with the E/I balance increase during NREM sleep, which also occurred without presleep training. In contrast, increased stabilization was associated with decreased E/I balance during REM sleep only after presleep training. These indicate that the above-mentioned issues are not matters of controversy but reflect opposite neurochemical processing for different roles in learning during different sleep stages: NREM sleep increases plasticity leading to performance gains independently of learning, while REM sleep decreases plasticity to stabilize learning in a learning-specific manner.
Reward does not facilitate visual perceptual learning until sleep occurs
Authors: Tamaki Masako , Berard Aaron V. , Barnes-Diana Tyler , Siegel Jesse , Watanabe Takeo , Sasaki Yuka
Published: August 2019

A growing body of evidence indicates that visual perceptual learning (VPL) is enhanced by reward provided during training. Another line of studies has shown that sleep following training also plays a role in facilitating VPL, an effect known as the offline performance gain of VPL. However, whether the effects of reward and sleep interact on VPL remains unclear. Here, we show that reward interacts with sleep to facilitate offline performance gains of VPL. First, we demonstrated a significantly larger offline performance gain over a 12-h interval including sleep in a reward group than that in a No-reward group. However, the offline performance gains over the 12-h interval without sleep were not significantly different with or without reward during training, indicating a crucial interaction between reward and sleep in VPL. Next, we tested whether neural activations during posttraining sleep were modulated after reward was provided during training. Reward provided during training enhanced REM sleep time, increased oscillatory activities for reward processing in the prefrontal region during REM sleep, and inhibited neural activation in the untrained region in early visual areas in NREM and REM sleep. The offline performance gains were significantly correlated with oscillatory activities of visual processing during NREM sleep and reward processing during REM sleep in the reward group but not in the No-reward group. These results suggest that reward provided during training becomes effective during sleep, with excited reward processing sending inhibitory signals to suppress noise in visual processing, resulting in larger offline performance gains over sleep.

Significance statement

Independent lines of research have shown that visual perceptual learning (VPL) is improved by reward or sleep. Here, we show that reward provided during training increased offline performance gains of VPL over sleep. Moreover, during posttraining sleep, reward was associated with longer REM sleep, increased activity in reward processing in the prefrontal region during REM sleep, and decreased activity in the untrained region of early visual areas during NREM and REM sleep. Offline performance gains were correlated with modulated oscillatory activity in reward processing during REM sleep and visual processing during NREM sleep. These results suggest that reward provided during training becomes effective on VPL through the interaction between reward and visual processing during sleep after training.
Reduced firing rates of pyramidal cells in frontal cortex of APP/PS1 can be restored by acute treatment with levetiracetam
Authors: Klee Jan L. , Kiliaan Amanda J , Lipponen Arto , Battaglia Francesco P.
Published: August 2019

In recent years aberrant neural oscillations in various cortical areas have emerged as a common physiological hallmark across mouse models of amyloid pathology and patients with Alzheimer’s disease. However, much less is known about the underlying effect of amyloid pathology on single cell activity. Here, we used high density silicon probe recordings from frontal cortex area of 9 months old APP/PS1 mice to show that resting state Local Field Potential (LFP) power in the theta and beta band is increased in transgenic animals, while single cell firing rates, specifically of putative pyramidal cells, are significantly reduced. At the same time, these sparsely firing pyramidal cells phase-lock their spiking activity more strongly to the ongoing theta and beta rhythms. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the anti-epileptic drug, levetiracetam, can restore principal cell firing rates back to control levels. Overall, our results highlight reduced firing rates of cortical pyramidal cells as a symptom of amyloid pathology and indicate that lifting cortical inhibition might contribute to the beneficial effects of levetiracetam on AD patients.

Abstract Figure
A SAC phosphoinositide phosphatase controls rice development via hydrolyzing phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate
Authors: Guo Tao , Chen Hua-Chang , Lu Zi-Qi , Diao Min , Chen Ke , Dong Nai-Qian , Shan Jun-Xiang , Ye Wang-Wei , Huang Shanjin , Lin Hong-Xuan
Published: August 2019

Phosphoinositides (PIs) as regulatory membrane lipids play essential roles in multiple cellular processes. Although the exact molecular targets of PIs-dependent modulation remain largely elusive, the effects of disturbed PIs metabolism could be employed to propose regulatory modules associated with particular downstream targets of PIs. Here, we identified the role of GRAIN NUMBER AND PLANT HEIGHT 1 (GH1), which encodes a suppressor of actin (SAC) domain-containing phosphatase with unknown function in rice. Endoplasmic reticulum-localized GH1 specifically dephosphorylated and hydrolyzed phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI4P) and phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P2]. Inactivation of GH1 resulted in massive accumulation of both PI4P and PI(4,5)P2, while excessive GH1 caused their depletion. Notably, superabundant PI4P and PI(4,5)P2 could both disrupt actin cytoskeleton organization and suppress cell elongation. Interestingly, both PI4P and PI(4,5)P2 inhibited actin-related proteins 2 and 3 (Arp2/3) complex-nucleated actin branching networks in vitro, whereas PI(4,5)P2 showed more dramatic effect in a dose-dependent manner. Overall, the overaccumulation of PI(4,5)P2 resulted from dysfunction of SAC phosphatase possibly perturbs Arp2/3 complex-mediated actin polymerization, thereby disordering the cell development. These findings imply that Arp2/3 complex might be the potential molecular target of PI(4,5)P2-dependent modulation in eukaryotes, thereby providing new insights into the relationship between PIs homeostasis and plants growth and development.
A high resolution A-to-I editing map in the mouse identifies editing events controlled by pre-mRNA splicing
Authors: Licht Konstantin , Kapoor Utkarsh , Amman Fabian , Picardi Ernesto , Martin David , Bajad Prajakta , Jantsch Michael F.
Published: August 2019

Pre-mRNA-splicing and adenosine to inosine (A-to-I) RNA-editing occur mostly cotranscriptionally. During A-to-I editing, a genomically encoded adenosine is deaminated to inosine by adenosine deaminases acting on RNA (ADARs). Editing-competent stems are frequently formed between exons and introns. Consistently, studies using reporter assays have shown that splicing efficiency can affect editing levels. Here, we use Nascent-seq and identify ∼90,000 novel A-to-I editing events in the mouse brain transcriptome. Most novel sites are located in intronic regions. Unlike previously assumed, we show that both ADAR (ADAR1) and ADARB1 (ADAR2) can edit repeat elements and regular transcripts to the same extent. We find that inhibition of splicing primarily increases editing levels at hundreds of sites, suggesting that reduced splicing efficiency extends the exposure of intronic and exonic sequences to ADAR enzymes. Lack of splicing factors NOVA1 or NOVA2 changes global editing levels, demonstrating that alternative splicing factors can modulate RNA editing. Finally, we show that intron retention rates correlate with editing levels across different brain tissues. We therefore demonstrate that splicing efficiency is a major factor controlling tissue-specific differences in editing levels.
State investments and human rights? The case of the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global
Authors: Kreander Niklas , McPhail Ken
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the Norwegian Government incorporated its responsibility for human rights into the investment practices of its Global Pension Fund and how human rights issues were negotiated when exclusion was considered.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on a series of interviews the authors analyse the way in which responsibility for human rights has been translated into the practices of the Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global.

Findings

The paper documents how a large investment fund used several mechanisms to address human rights risks. The authors demonstrate that different logics among actors sometimes impeded addressing human rights issues. The findings demonstrate that sovereign wealth funds (SWF) can be held accountable for human rights.

Research limitations/implications

The paper illustrates the difficulty of co-operation between actors with different logics. This can result in institutional conflict, but also in positive outcomes for human rights.

Practical implications

Attempts to introduce human rights into state investments may result in increased institutional complexity. The findings indicate that state investors can address human rights issues, but that the ability to do so is diminished where divestment creates political tension.

Social implications

Large investors can influence companies on specific human rights issues.

Originality/value

This is one of the first empirical investigations of the human rights practices of a SWF. The authors contribute to the literatures on accounting and human rights, SWF and institutional theory.
Supersonic jet flow control using semi-circular corrugated tabs
Authors: K. Sathish Kumar , Chidambaram Senthilkumar
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to increase the jet mixing effectiveness of Mach 1.6 axisymmetric jet using semi-circular corrugated triangular tabs (Tabs A, B and C), in which the locations of the semi-circular corrugations are varied along the leaned sides of the triangular tabs.

Design/methodology/approach

The tabs are fixed at the exit of the nozzle facing each other 180° apart. To quantify the jet mixing effectiveness of the semi-circular corrugated tabs, Pitot pressure measurements were carried out for the cases of over-expansion, marginally over-expansion and under-expansion levels of Mach 1.6 jet, along the jet centerline and the jet spread, along and normal to the tab axis.

Findings

The results exhibit that the semi-circular corrugated Tab A augments the jet mixing when compared to Tabs B and C. This impact in jet mixing is strongly due to the small-scale vortices shed from the tabs and the mixed effect of the corrugation locations and expansion ratio. The maximum percentage reduction in core length is about 73.6 per cent for the jet with semi-circular corrugated Tab A at NPR 5, whereas it is 71.4 and 67.1 per cent for Tabs B and C, respectively.

Practical implications

The reduction in core length of the jet with minimum thrust loss is obtained by controlling the jet used with semi-circular corrugated triangular tabs of equal blockage ratio 5.12 per cent with respect to the nozzle exit diameter.

Originality/value

The locations of the semi-circular corrugations varied systematically at the equally leaned sides of the triangular tab ensure the novelty of this study.
Aerodynamic benefits of boundary layer ingestion for distributed propulsion configuration
Authors: Zhang Jing , Kang Wenwen , Yang Lingyu
Published: August 2019

Purpose

Boundary layer ingestion (BLI) is one of the probable noteworthy features of distributed propulsion configuration (DPC). Because of BLI, strong coupling effects are generated between the aerodynamics and propulsion system of aircraft, leading to the specific lift and drag aerodynamic characteristics. This paper aims to propose a model-based comprehensive analysis method to investigate this unique aerodynamic.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate this unique aerodynamics, a model-based comprehensive analysis method is proposed. This method uses a detailed mathematical model of the distributed propulsion system to provide the essential boundary conditions and guarantee the accuracy of calculation results. Then a synthetic three-dimensional computational model is developed to analyze the effects of BLI on the lift and drag aerodynamic characteristics.

Findings

Subsequently, detailed computational analyses are conducted at different flight states, and the regularities under various flight altitudes and velocities are revealed. Computational results demonstrate that BLI can improve the lift to drag ratio evidently and enable a great performance potentiality.

Practical implications

The general analysis method and useful regularities have reference value to DPC aircraft and other similar aircrafts.

Originality/value

This paper proposed a DPS model-based comprehensive analysis method of BLI benefit on aerodynamics for DPC aircraft, and the unique aerodynamics of this new configuration under various flight altitudes and velocities was revealed.
Building high performance supply-chain relationships for dynamic environments
Authors: Ahmed Muhammad Usman , Kristal Mehmet Murat , Pagell Mark , Gattiker Thomas F.
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how different forms of integration interact with environmental dynamism to influence the outcomes of a buyer–supplier relationship (BSR). Specifically, the authors assess the impact of communication, operational process integration (OPI) and joint knowledge exploration (JKE) on the economic value and competitive differentiation generated by the BSR. Furthermore, the authors assess the moderating role of environmental dynamism in changing the performance implications of these different forms of integration.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors empirically test the theoretical model using survey data collected from North America. The authors apply techniques such as confirmatory factor analysis, regression and a variety of robustness checks to ensure the validity of the findings.

Findings

The results indicate that OPI and JKE are useful in generating higher value from key supply chain relationships. However, communication does not directly influence performance outcomes, rather it assists in the implementation of other forms of integration. In stable environments, better returns can be obtained from focusing on OPI, while in dynamic environments JKE becomes far more important.

Originality/value

This study shows that different aspects of integration have very different performance implications and that selective integration can outperform broad-based integration in some conditions. More importantly, the performance implications depend on environmental dynamism in unique ways, where greater integration is not always the best response to dynamic business conditions. The results allow managers to make better decisions regarding what forms of integration to establish in key supply chain relationships.
Applications of business governance and the Unified BPM Cycle in public credit recovery activities
Authors: Nascimento Abimael Rondon Do , Baldam Roquemar de Lima , Costa Lourenço , Coelho Junior Thalmo de Paiva
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The performance of the state machine has been the subject of research and innovative practices, which seek to explore its sources of knowledge and improve its internal processes. Business governance and business process management (BPM) occupy a prominent position in these studies. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the full implementation of the Unified BPM Cycle in operational activities to recover federal public credit, from the implementation of the corporate governance structure to the audit of the processes implemented.

Design/methodology/approach

The case was developed in a federal public advocacy body and used a predominantly qualitative multi-method approach. The phases were organized using the research project matrix, and the predominant research procedure was action research. The information was obtained through questionnaires, observation and focus groups.

Findings

A corporate governance structure was designed for the activities surveyed. Papers and responsibilities were defined. Processes were prioritized, improved and documented, and as a result of the implemented control, personal and organizational results gained greater visibility.

Research limitations/implications

Because this is a single case study, it would be advisable to apply the method used in similar organizations to enrich the analysis presented in this study and compare the results.

Practical implications

This paper contributes to the consolidation of the knowledge about the practical application of the researched subjects and foments the applied research to the public management.

Originality/value

This paper describes an empirical case study about the integrated application of activity governance and the Unified BPM Cycle in operational activities and studies all phases of implementation, providing a broader perspective of their impact on these activities. The road map used can serve as a reference for future research in the area of public credit recovery.
Hybrid approach to reducing estimating overfitting and collinearity
Authors: Xiong Bo , Newton Sidney , Li Vera , Skitmore Martin , Xia Bo
Published: August 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to address the overfitting and collinearity problems that frequently occur in predictive cost estimating models for construction practice. A case study, modeling the cost of preliminaries is proposed to test the robustness of this approach.

Design/methodology/approach

A hybrid approach is developed based on the Akaike information criterion (AIC) and principal component regression (PCR). Cost information for a sample of 204 UK school building projects is collected involving elemental items, contingencies (risk) and the contractors’ preliminaries. An application to estimate the cost of preliminaries for construction projects demonstrates the method and tests its effectiveness in comparison with such competing models as: alternative regression models, three artificial neural network data mining techniques, case-based reasoning and support vector machines.

Findings

The experimental results show that the AIC–PCR approach provides a good predictive accuracy compared with the alternatives used, and is a promising alternative to avoid overfitting and collinearity.

Originality/value

This is the first time an approach integrating the AIC and PCR has been developed to offer an improvement on existing methods for estimating construction project Preliminaries. The hybrid approach not only reduces the risk of overfitting and collinearity, but also results in better predictability compared with the commonly used stepwise regression.
Institutional influences on firm strategy in authoritarian emerging economies
Authors: Wilkins Stephen , Emik Serap
Published: August 2019

Purpose

This is one of the first studies to investigate the influences of institutions in an authoritarian regime on the strategies of firms that operate in a potentially sensitive industry. The purpose of this paper is to examine how institutional pressures affect the strategies of multi-platform mass media companies (print, broadcast and internet) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study used a purposive sampling strategy to conduct interviews with 28 senior managers who have responsibility for strategic level decision making in a UAE media company. All of the interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. A mainly deductive process of thematic analysis was undertaken to identify key ideas, patterns and relationships in the data.

Findings

The survey participants reported that increased multi-platform delivery in the media industry brings rewards, challenges and new risks. Although the normative and cultural-cognitive pressures are both strong in the UAE, it is the regulative pressures that seem to have the largest constraining influence on firm decision making and business strategies. The strong institutional pressures existing in the UAE encourage tight coupling, where firm structures and processes are linked and designed in response to the institutional constraints. Evidence was found only of some minor decoupling.

Originality/value

In response to the authors’ findings, the authors hypothesise that in nations under authoritarian rule, political pressures will likely override all other institutional pressures and that it will be most sensible for firms to adopt tight coupling strategies. However, the success of many UAE firms both at home and internationally suggests that strong institutional constraints do not necessarily act as a barrier to superior firm performance.