bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Cattaneo-Christov heat flux in the flow over a stretching sheet with variable thickness
Authors: Hayat T. , Farooq M. , Alsaedi A. , Al-Solamy Falleh
Published: August 2015

The present analysis concentrates on the boundary layer flow of Maxwell fluid over a stretching sheet with variable thickness. Cattaneo-Christov heat flux model is used instead of classical Fourier’s law to explore the heat transfer characteristics with variable thermal conductivity. Suitable transformations are employed to achieve the nonlinear ordinary differential equations. Convergent series solutions of the momentum and energy equations are obtained. Behavior of various pertinent parameters on the velocity and temperature distributions are analyzed and discussed.
Point mutation impairs centromeric CENH3 loading and induces haploid plants
Authors: Karimi-Ashtiyani Raheleh , Ishii Takayoshi , Niessen Markus , Stein Nils , Heckmann Stefan , Gurushidze Maia , Banaei-Moghaddam Ali Mohammad , Fuchs Jörg , Schubert Veit , Koch Kerstin , Weiss Oda , Demidov Dmitri , Schmidt Klaus , Kumlehn Jochen , Houben Andreas
Published: August 2015

Significance

The generation of haploids is the most powerful means to accelerate the plant-breeding process. We elucidated whether point mutations in the centromere-specific histone H3 variant CENH3 could be harnessed for the induction of haploids. We identified plants with impaired centromere loading caused by a mutation in the centromere-targeting domain (CATD). The same mutation results in reduced loading of CENH3 in transgenic
Arabidopsis
and sugar beet.
Arabidopsis
plants carrying this single point mutation in wild-type CENH3 were used as haploid inducers. Because the identified mutation site is highly conserved and because point mutations can be generated by mutagenesis or genome editing, the described method offers opportunities for application in a wide range of crop species.
Geometrically controlled snapping transitions in shells with curved creases
Authors: Bende Nakul Prabhakar , Evans Arthur A. , Innes-Gold Sarah , Marin Luis A. , Cohen Itai , Hayward Ryan C. , Santangelo Christian D.
Published: August 2015

Significance

Shape-programmable structures have recently used origami to reconfigure using a smooth folding motion, but are hampered by slow speeds and complicated material assembly. Inspired by natural systems like the leaves of Venus flytraps and hummingbird beaks, we use curved creases to imbue elastic shells with programmable fast “snapping” motion. This deformation between preprogrammed states can be tuned to be either continuously foldable or snap discontinuously. Our results provide a purely geometrical mechanism for designing multistable structures, thus circumventing the need for complex materials or fabrication methods in creating structures with fast dynamics. This technique will find application in designing structures over a wide range of length scales, including self-folding materials, tunable optics, and switchable frictional surfaces for microfluidics.
Trapped in the prison of the proximate: structural HIV/AIDS prevention in southern Africa
Authors: O'Laughlin Bridget
Published: August 2015

There is now agreement in HIV/AIDS prevention that biomedical and behavioural interventions do not sufficiently address the structural causes of the epidemic, but structural prevention is understood in different ways. The social drivers approach models pathways that link structural constraints to individuals at risk and then devises intervention to affect these pathways. An alternative political economy approach that begins with the bio-social whole provides a better basis for understanding the structural causes of HIV/AIDS. It demands that HIV/AIDS prevention in southern Africa should not be a set of discrete technical interventions but a sustained political as well as scientific project.
Exploring the complexity of microfinance and HIV in fishing communities on the shores of Lake Malawi
Authors: MacPherson Eleanor , Sadalaki John , Nyongopa Victoria , Nkhwazi Lawrence , Phiri Mackwellings , Chimphonda Alinafe , Desmond Nicola , Mwapasa Victor , Lalloo David G. , Seeley Janet , Theobald Sally
Published: August 2015

This study utilised qualitative research methodology to explore female fish traders’ experiences of accessing microfinance in fishing communities in southern Malawi. Microfinance is a tool that has been used to alleviate poverty. People living in fishing communities in the Global South are at an increased risk of HIV and, equally, microfinance has been identified as a tool to prevent HIV. The authors' research found consistent testimonies of overly short microfinance loan-repayment periods, enforced by the threat of property confiscation. These threats, coupled with gendered power dynamics and the unpredictability of fish catches, left some female fish traders vulnerable to HIV.
Wealthy and healthy? New evidence on the relationship between wealth and HIV vulnerability in Tanzania
Authors: Long Danya , Deane Kevin
Published: August 2015

Using data from the Demographics and Health Surveys for Tanzania in 2003–2004, 2007–2008 and 2011–2012 and borrowing from the methodology used in Parkhurst, the authors analyse the changing relationship between wealth and HIV prevalence in Tanzania. Findings are tabulated, graphed and discussed. The authors find the relationship is multifaceted and dynamic: women are disproportionately affected in all wealth quintiles and experience a stronger ‘wealth effect’; some groups experience an increase in prevalence even as population prevalence declines. Relative wealth and poverty are associated with increased prevalence, suggesting that structural drivers create a variety of risk situations – as well as protective factors – affecting different groups. The authors also consider data on testing refusals: wealthier men were consistently more likely to decline testing. Continuing to unpack this complex and shifting relationship is necessary in order to fully understand the structural drivers of HIV transmission and access of testing services, enabling the formulation of appropriate policy responses.
Characterization of two endoglucanases for the classification of the earthworm, Eisenia fetida Waki
Authors: Akazawa Shin-ichi , Ikarashi Yuki , Yarimizu Jun , Yokoyama Keisuke , Kobayashi Tomoya , Nakazawa Hikaru , Ogasawara Wataru , Morikawa Yasushi
Published: August 2015

Eisenia fetida and Eisenia andrei are vermicomposting species that are used as model animals for testing chemical material toxicology. Eisenia spp. are grown commercially in various fields in Japan. However, these two species have not been classified because it is difficult to distinguish them morphologically; thus, all bred earthworms are called E. fetida. However, it has been proposed that these two species have different expression regulation mechanisms. Here, we classified a sample of earthworms purchased from several farms, confirming that both E. fetida and E. andrei are present in Japanese earthworm breeding programs. We also characterized two highly active endoglucanases (EfEG1 and EfEG2) from the E. fetida Waki strain, which contained strong fibrinolytic enzymes for improving human health. We confirmed that EfEG1 is 1371 bp long and belongs to GHF9. Thus, E. fetida Waki may have commercial application for biomass utilization and as a dietary health supplement.
Laser heat treatment of aerosol-jet additive manufactured graphene patterns
Authors: Jabari Elahe , Toyserkani Ehsan
Published: August 2015

In this article, a laser processing protocol for heat treatment of micro-scale printed graphene patterns is developed, and the results are compared with the counterpart results obtained by the conventional heat treatment process carried out in a furnace. A continuous-wave Erbium fiber laser is used to enhance electrical properties of the aerosol-jet printed graphene patterns through removing solvents and a stabilizer polymer. The laser power and the process speed are optimized to effectively treat the printed patterns without compromising the quality of the graphene flakes. Furthermore, a heat transfer model is developed and its results are utilized to optimize the laser treatment process. It is found that the laser heat treatment process with a laser speed of 0.03 mm s−1, a laser beam diameter ~50 μm, and a laser power of 10 W results in pure graphene patterns with no excessive components. The ratio of D to G bands (

in Raman graph of the laser treated pure graphene, which is an indicator of the level of the active defects in graphene structures, is 0.52. The laser treated pure graphene structures also have a C/O ratio and an electrical resistivity of ~4.5 and 0.022 Ω cm, respectively. These values are fairly comparable with the results of samples treated in a furnace. The results suggest that the laser processing has the capability of removing stabilizer polymers and solvents through a localized moving heat source, which is preferable for flexible electronics with low working temperature substrates.
Velocity-space observation regions of high-resolution two-step reaction gamma-ray spectroscopy
Authors: Salewski M. , Nocente M. , Gorini G. , Jacobsen A.S. , Kiptily V.G. , Korsholm S.B. , Leipold F. , Madsen J. , Moseev D. , Nielsen S.K. , Rasmussen J. , Stejner M. , Tardocchi M
Published: August 2015

High-resolution γ-ray spectroscopy (GRS) measurements resolve spectral shapes of Doppler-broadened γ-rays. We calculate weight functions describing velocity-space sensitivities of any two-step reaction GRS measurements in magnetized plasmas using the resonant nuclear reaction 9Be(α, nγ)12C as an example. The energy-dependent cross sections of this reaction suggest that GRS is sensitive to alpha particles above about 1.7 MeV and highly sensitive to alpha particles at the resonance energies of the reaction. Here we demonstrate that high-resolution two-step reaction GRS measurements are not only selective in energy but also in pitch angle. They can be highly sensitive in particular pitch angle ranges and completely insensitive in others. Moreover, GRS weight functions allow rapid calculation of γ-ray energy spectra from fast-ion distribution functions, additionally revealing how many photons any given alpha-particle velocity-space region contributes to the measurements in each γ-ray energy bin.
Physics design of the HNB accelerator for ITER
Authors: de Esch H.P.L. , Kashiwagi M. , Taniguchi M. , Inoue T. , Serianni G. , Agostinetti P. , Chitarin G. , Marconato N. , Sartori E. , Sonato P. , Veltri P. , Pilan N. , Aprile D. , Fonnesu N. , Antoni V. , Singh M.J. , Hemsworth R.S. , Cavenago M.
Published: August 2015

The physics design of the accelerator for the heating neutral beamline on ITER is now finished and this paper describes the considerations and choices which constitute the basis of this design. Equal acceleration gaps of 88 mm have been chosen to improve the voltage holding capability while keeping the beam divergence low. Kerbs (metallic plates around groups of apertures, attached to the downstream surface of the grids) are used to compensate for the beamlet–beamlet interaction and to point the beamlets in the right direction. A novel magnetic configuration is employed to compensate for the beamlet deflection caused by the electron suppression magnets in the extraction grid. A combination of long-range and short-range magnetic fields is used to reduce electron leakage between the grids and limit the transmitted electron power to below 800 kW.
CYP17A1 Enzyme Activity Is Linked to Ambulatory Blood Pressure in a Family-Based Population Study
Authors: Ackermann Daniel , Pruijm Menno , Ponte Belen , Guessous Idris , Ehret Georg , Escher Geneviève , Dick Bernhard , Al-Alwan Heba , Vuistiner Philippe , Paccaud Fred , Burnier Michel , Péchère-Bertschi Antoinette , Martin Pierre-Yves , Vogt Bruno , Mohaupt Markus , Bochud Murielle
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND

Genome-wide association studies have linked CYP17A1 coding for the steroid hormone synthesizing enzyme 17α-hydroxylase (CYP17A1) to blood pressure (BP). We hypothesized that the genetic signal may translate into a correlation of ambulatory BP (ABP) with apparent CYP17A1 activity in a family-based population study and estimated the heritability of CYP17A1 activity.

METHODS

In the Swiss Kidney Project on Genes in Hypertension, day and night urinary excretions of steroid hormone metabolites were measured in 518 participants (220 men, 298 women), randomly selected from the general population. CYP17A1 activity was assessed by 2 ratios of urinary steroid metabolites: one estimating the combined 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase activity (ratio 1) and the other predominantly 17α-hydroxylase activity (ratio 2). A mixed linear model was used to investigate the association of ABP with log-transformed CYP17A1 activities exploring effect modification by urinary sodium excretion.

RESULTS

Daytime ABP was positively associated with ratio 1 under conditions of high, but not low urinary sodium excretion ( P interaction <0.05). Ratio 2 was not associated with ABP. Heritability estimates (SE) for day and night CYP17A1 activities were 0.39 (0.10) and 0.40 (0.09) for ratio 1, and 0.71 (0.09) and 0.55 (0.09) for ratio 2 ( P values <0.001). CYP17A1 activities, assessed with ratio 1, were lower in older participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Low apparent CYP17A1 activity (assessed with ratio 1) is associated with elevated daytime ABP when salt intake is high. CYP17A1 activity is heritable and diminished in the elderly. These observations highlight the modifying effect of salt intake on the association of CYP17A1 with BP.
Effects of Resistance Training With and Without Caloric Restriction on Arterial Stiffness in Overweight and Obese Older Adults
Authors: Jefferson Margie E. , Nicklas Barbara J. , Chmelo Elizabeth A. , Crotts Charlotte I. , Shaltout Hossam A. , Diz Debra I. , Marsh Anthony P. , Brinkley Tina E.
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND

Arterial stiffness is an important marker of vascular aging that is increased in sedentary, obese older adults. Weight loss induced by caloric restriction (CR) can improve arterial stiffness in this population; however, the effects of resistance training (RT) are not clear. This pilot study determined the effects of RT with and without CR on arterial stiffness in overweight and obese older adults.

METHODS

Participants (mean age = 68±3 years, mean body mass index = 31.1±2.7kg/m 2 , 56% female, 13% Black) were randomly assigned to 3 days/week of supervised moderate-intensity RT ( n = 16) or RT+CR ( n = 16) for 5 months. Three indices of arterial stiffness were measured: brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, large artery elasticity, and small artery elasticity.

RESULTS

Body mass was significantly reduced in the RT+CR group compared to the RT group (−6.2±4.8 vs. 0.2±1.2kg, P = 0.0006). Within-group analyses showed that none of the arterial stiffness measures changed with RT or RT+CR. There were also no significant between-group differences, though median changes in large artery elasticity were slightly greater with RT+CR: 0.7 (−2.5, 5.1) vs. 0.3 (−2.6, 0.9) ml/mm Hg × 10, P = 0.07. Changes in large artery elasticity were negatively correlated with changes in waist circumference ( r = −0.36, P < 0.05), systolic blood pressure ( r = −0.38, P = 0.03), and diastolic blood pressure ( r = −0.41, P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of RT and CR, leading to a modest amount of weight loss (7%), tended to increase large artery elasticity more than RT alone. Our data suggest that reductions in waist circumference and blood pressure may promote improvements in elasticity.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

Trial Number NCT01049698
Evaluation of Diverse Soybean Germplasm for Resistance to Phomopsis Seed Decay
Authors: Li Shuxian , Rupe John , Chen Pengyin , Shannon Grover , Wrather Allen , Boykin Debbie
Published: August 2015

Phomopsis seed decay (PSD), caused primarily by the fungal pathogen Phomopsis longicolla, is one of the most important diseases reducing seed quality and yield of soybean. Few cultivars have been identified as resistant. To identify new sources of resistance to PSD, 135 soybean germplasm accessions, originating from 28 countries, were field screened in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Missouri in 2009. Based on seed assays of natural field infection by P. longicolla in 2009, 42 lines, including the most resistant and susceptible lines, were reevaluated in the field in 2010, 2011, and 2012 with P. longicolla-inoculated and noninoculated treatments. Six maturity group (MG) III (PI 189891, PI 398697, PI 417361, PI 504481, PI 504488, and PI 88490), four MG IV (PI 158765, PI 235335, PI 346308, and PI 416779), and five MG V (PI 381659, PI 381668, PI 407749, PI 417567, and PI 476920) lines had significantly lower percent seed infection by P. longicolla than the susceptible checks and other lines in the same test (P ≤ 0.05). They appeared to have some levels of resistance to PSD. These new sources of PSD resistance can be used in developing soybean breeding lines or cultivars with resistance to PSD, and for genetic mapping of PSD resistance genes.
Pulse Transit Time as a Predictor of the Efficacy of a Celiac Plexus Block in Patients With Chronic Intractable Abdominal Pain
Authors: Kim Young Uk , Kim Doo Hwan , Cheong Yuseon , Kong Yu-Gyeong , Lee Jonghyuk , Park Soo Kyoung , Karm Myong-Hwan , Suh Jeong Hun
Published: August 2015

Objective:

There is no well-defined predictor of satisfactory pain relief after celiac plexus block (CPB) at the early stage of treatment. This study evaluated whether measurement of the electrocardiographic R-wave and the arrival time of the pulses at the toe pulse transit time (E-T PTT) can be an early predictor of pain response and success of CPB in patients with chronic intractable visceral pain.

Methods:

Twelve patients aged between 20 and 80 years who underwent CPB for treatment of chronic intractable cancer-related abdominal pain were included. A successful CPB was determined as a >50% decrease on the numerical rating scale measured 24 hours after the procedure. The E-T PTT at baseline and at 5, 10, 20, and 30 minutes after the injection of local anesthetic was measured as the time between the R-wave on the electrocardiogram and the peak point of the corresponding plethysmogram wave from the ipsilateral great toe. The change in the E-T PTT that was predictive of a successful CPB was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.

Results:

A CPB was successful in 9 of 12 cases; the dE-T PTT5/E-T PTT0 of the success group was 6.84%±5.04% versus 0.72%±0.78% in the failure group (P=0.021). The mean E-T PTTx differed significantly between timepoints (F=9.313, P=0.014) and between the success and failure groups (P<0.01). The best value of dE-T PTT5/E-T PTT0 indicating a successful CPB, estimated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, was 2.30% (sensitivity 88.9%, specificity 100%). The area under the curve was 96% (95% confidence interval, 85.7%-100%).

Conclusions:

Prolongation of E-T PTT at 5 minutes after CPB correlates closely with a significant analgesic effect.
What’s New in Pediatric Flatfoot?
Authors: Bauer Kathryn , Mosca Vincent S. , Zionts Lewis E.
Published: August 2015

Background:

Children with flatfeet are frequently referred to pediatric orthopaedic clinics. Most of these patients are asymptomatic and require no treatment. Care must be taken to differentiate patients with flexible flatfeet from those with rigid deformity that may have underlying pathology and have need of treatment. Rigid flatfeet in infants may be attributable to a congenital vertical talus (CVT); whereas those in older children and adolescents may be due to an underlying tarsal coalition. We performed a review of the recent literature regarding evaluation and management of pediatric flatfeet to discuss new findings and suggest areas where further research is needed.

Methods:

We searched the PubMed database for all papers related to the treatment of pediatric flatfoot, tarsal coalition, and CVT published from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2014, yielding 85 English language papers.

Results:

A total of 18 papers contributed new or interesting findings.

Conclusions:

The pediatric flexible flatfoot (FFF) remains poorly defined, making the understanding, study, and treatment of the condition extremely difficult.

Pediatric FFF is often unnecessarily treated. There is very little evidence for the efficacy of nonsurgical intervention to affect the shape of the foot or to influence potential long-term disability for children with FFF. The treatment of tarsal coalition remains challenging, but short-term and intermediate-term outcome studies are satisfactory, whereas long-term outcome studies are lacking. Management of the associated flatfoot deformity may be as important as management of the coalition itself. The management of CVT is still evolving; however, early results of less invasive treatment methods seem promising.

Level of Evidence:

Level 4—literature review.
Surgical Techniques for Displaced Radial Neck Fractures: Predictive Factors of Functional Results
Authors: Gutiérrez-de la Iglesia Diego , Pérez-López Laura M. , Cabrera-González Marisa , Knörr-Giménez Jorge
Published: August 2015

Background:

Fractures of the radial neck represent about 1% of all childhood fractures and 5% to 10% of childhood traumatic lesions involving the elbow. Management of these fractures in children is still controversial. Intramedullary percutaneous nail reduction (Métaizeau technique) is considered the most effective surgical technique because of its excellent results and easy learning curve. Complications may arise, however, especially in Böhler technique, in which a percutaneous pin is placed over the radial head. When this technique does not provide correct reduction, open reduction must be performed. Because open reduction is traditionally associated with a high risk of complications, however, its use is restricted to severely displaced fractures and only when the percutaneous techniques have failed or their application contraindicated because of associated injuries to the distal radius.

Methods:

In this retrospective study, we evaluated 51 children between the ages of 6 and 15 years who presented to our institution from 1996 to 2012 with Métaizeau-modified Judet grades 3, 4a, and 4b radial head fractures. The surgical techniques used were closed reduction and casting under general anesthesia (n=7), closed reduction and intramedullary nailing using Métaizeau technique (n=27), and Métaizeau technique and open reduction with intramedullary nailing (n=17). Functional results of the 3 surgical techniques were evaluated using the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) and compared by modified Judet classification using χ2 analysis.

Results:

No statistic significant association was found between type of surgery and final MEPS was observed (P=0.110). However, a significant association was found between initial modified Judet grade and final MEPS.

Conclusions:

In the present study, final functional outcome seems to be not affected by open reduction but was significantly associated with initial modified Judet grade.

Level of Evidence:

Level III—retrospective study comparing closed and open reduction techniques, performed at the same institution.
Surgical Reconstruction of Metatarsal Type Preaxial Polydactyly Using an Amalgamating Osteotomy
Authors: Boyle Matthew J. , Hogue Grant D. , Kasser James R.
Published: August 2015

Background:

Polydactyly of the foot is a relatively common condition. Approximately 15% of cases are preaxial, with one third of these cases involving duplication of the metatarsal [metatarsal type preaxial polydactyly (MTPP)].

Surgical reconstruction of polydactyly is indicated to improve shoe tolerance. Reconstruction of MTPP has traditionally involved resection of the hypoplastic lateral ray in addition to soft tissue reconstruction to correct hallux varus. Poor postoperative results have frequently been reported, primarily due to residual hallux varus. We present a novel surgical technique for the treatment of children with MTPP presenting with a cosmetic lateral hallux, involving an amalgamating osteotomy that permits retention of the stable medial metatarsotarsal joint while avoiding the complication of residual hallux varus.

Methods:

This was a retrospective case series describing the surgical technique of an amalgamating osteotomy in the treatment of patients with MTPP and a cosmetic lateral hallux. The surgical technique involves corresponding metatarsal osteotomies of the medial and lateral halluces, with amalgamation of the metatarsals and ablation of the residual medial hallux, without the need for extensive soft tissue reconstruction. Clinical and radiologic outcomes were evaluated at a minimum of 2 years postoperatively in 2 patients who underwent this technique.

Results:

Two children, 1 female and 1 male, underwent an amalgamating osteotomy at the age of 31 and 18 months, respectively. At latest follow-up, 7.3 and 2.8 years after osteotomy, respectively, both patients displayed an excellent functional result according to the Phelps and Grogan clinical outcome scale. Plain radiographs in both cases demonstrated a well-aligned first ray with no growth abnormality and no hallux varus.

Conclusions:

We have presented a novel surgical technique for the reconstruction of MTPP presenting with a cosmetic lateral hallux, involving an amalgamating osteotomy without extensive soft tissue reconstruction. This simple technique maintains the stable medial metatarsotarsal joint, permits ongoing longitudinal metatarsal growth, and avoids the complication of hallux varus.

Level of Evidence:

Level IV—case series.
Self-reported Adherence to a Low-Sodium Diet and Health Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure
Authors: Song Eun Kyeung , Moser Debra K. , Kang Seok-Min , Lennie Terry A.
Published: August 2015

Background:

Most clinicians rely on patients’ self-report of following a low-sodium diet to determine adherence of patients with heart failure (HF). Whether self-reported adherence to a low-sodium diet is associated with cardiac event–free survival is unclear.

Purposes:

To determine (1) whether self-reported is concordant with adherence to a low-sodium diet measured by food diaries and 24-hour urinary sodium excretion and (2) whether self-reported adherence to a low-sodium diet predicts cardiac event–free survival.

Methods:

Adherence to a low-sodium diet was measured using 3 measures in 119 HF patients: (1) self-reported adherence, 1 item from the Self-care of Heart Failure Index scale; (2) a 3-day food diary; (3) 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. Patients were followed up for a median of 297 days to determine cardiac hospitalization or emergency department visit. One-way analysis of variance and Cox regression were used to address our purposes.

Results:

Self-reported adherence was concordant with adherence to a low-sodium diet measured by food diaries and 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. Thirty-one patients who reported they always follow a low-sodium diet had an average sodium intake less than 3 g/d (F = 5.07, P = .002) and 3.3 g of a mean 24-hour urinary sodium excretion (F = 3.393, P = .020). Patients who reported they never or rarely follow a low-sodium diet had 4.7 times greater risk of having cardiac events than did those who always followed a low-sodium diet (P = .017).

Conclusion:

Self-reported adherence to a low-sodium diet predicted cardiac event–free survival demonstrating clinicians can use this as an indicator of adherence.
Rhabdomyolysis Secondary to Therapeutic Hypothermia After Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Rare Complication
Authors: Hayıroğlu Mert İlker , Gümüşdağ Ayça , Keskin Muhammed , Öz Ahmet , Çinier Göksel , Ekmekçi Ahmet
Published: August 2015

Patient maintenance after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation starts with decreasing the neurological damage despite serious difficulties such as hypoxic ischemic infarcts and reperfusion infarcts. Therapeutic hypothermia is the most rejoicing method in use to prevent neurological damage. Here, we discuss about a 35-year-old woman resuscitated for 20 minutes in hospital who was followed because of postpartum cardiomyopathy. Sudden onset of ventricular fibrillation subsequent to ventricular tachycardia was the underlying cause of cardiac arrest. To prevent neurological damage, therapeutic hypothermia was used, and she was cooled for 24 hours. After therapeutic hypothermia, her Glasgow coma score was 15, fortunately no sequela appeared. Although we were successful to prevent neurological damage, rhabdomyolysis arose secondary to therapeutic hypothermia. As a result, the intubation process was prolonged, and acute tubular necrosis due to myoglobinuria was occurred. Despite all complications patient faced, she was discharged on her 31th day; without sequela and with no need for hemodialysis; under medical therapy.
Population genomics of the Anthropocene: urbanization is negatively associated with genome-wide variation in white-footed mouse populations
Authors: Munshi-South Jason , Zolnik Christine P , Harris Stephen E
Published: August 2015

Urbanization results in pervasive habitat fragmentation and reduces standing genetic variation through bottlenecks and drift. Loss of genome-wide variation may ultimately reduce the evolutionary potential of animal populations experiencing rapidly changing conditions. In this study, we examined genome-wide variation among 23 white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) populations sampled along an urbanization gradient in the New York City metropolitan area. Genome-wide variation was estimated as a proxy for evolutionary potential using more than 10,000 SNP markers generated by ddRAD-Seq. We found that genome-wide variation is inversely related to urbanization as measured by percent impervious surface cover, and to a lesser extent, human population density. We also report that urbanization results in enhanced genome-wide differentiation between populations in cities. There was no pattern of isolation by distance among these populations, but an isolation by resistance model based on impervious surface significantly explained patterns of genetic differentiation. Isolation by environment modeling also indicated that urban populations deviate much more strongly from global allele frequencies than suburban or rural populations. This study is the first to examine loss of genome-wide SNP variation along an urban-to-rural gradient and quantify urbanization as a driver of population genomic patterns.
Shift and adapt: the costs and benefits of karyotype variations
Authors: Gerstein Aleeza C. , Berman Judith
Published: August 2015

Variation is the spice of life or, in the case of evolution, variation is the necessary material on which selection can act to enable adaptation. Karyotypic variation in ploidy (the number of homologous chromosome sets) and aneuploidy (imbalance in the number of chromosomes) are fundamentally different than other types of genomic variants. Karyotypic variation emerges through different molecular mechanisms than other mutational events, and unlike mutations that alter the genome at the base pair level, rapid reversion to the wild type chromosome number is often possible. Although karyotypic variation has long been noted and discussed by biologists, interest in the importance of karyotypic variants in evolutionary processes has spiked in recent years, and much remains to be discovered about how karyotypic variants are produced and subsequently selected.
Mextli proteins use both canonical bipartite and novel tripartite binding modes to form eIF4E complexes that display differential sensitivity to 4E-BP regulation
Authors: Peter Daniel , Weber Ramona , Köne Carolin , Chung Min-Yi , Ebertsch Linda , Truffault Vincent , Weichenrieder Oliver , Igreja Cátia , Izaurralde Elisa
Published: August 2015

The eIF4E-binding proteins (4E-BPs) are a diverse class of translation regulators that share a canonical eIF4E-binding motif (4E-BM) with eIF4G. Consequently, they compete with eIF4G for binding to eIF4E, thereby inhibiting translation initiation. Mextli (Mxt) is an unusual 4E-BP that promotes translation by also interacting with eIF3. Here we present the crystal structures of the eIF4E-binding regions of the Drosophila melanogaster (Dm) and Caenorhabditis elegans (Ce) Mxt proteins in complex with eIF4E in the cap-bound and cap-free states. The structures reveal unexpected evolutionary plasticity in the eIF4E-binding mode, with a classical bipartite interface for Ce Mxt and a novel tripartite interface for Dm Mxt. Both interfaces comprise a canonical helix and a noncanonical helix that engage the dorsal and lateral surfaces of eIF4E, respectively. Remarkably, Dm Mxt contains a C-terminal auxiliary helix that lies anti-parallel to the canonical helix on the eIF4E dorsal surface. In contrast to the eIF4G and Ce Mxt complexes, the Dm eIF4E–Mxt complexes are resistant to competition by bipartite 4E-BPs, suggesting that Dm Mxt can bind eIF4E when eIF4G binding is inhibited. Our results uncovered unexpected diversity in the binding modes of 4E-BPs, resulting in eIF4E complexes that display differential sensitivity to 4E-BP regulation.
Extensive cross-regulation of post-transcriptional regulatory networks in Drosophila
Authors: Stoiber Marcus H. , Olson Sara , May Gemma E. , Duff Michael O. , Manent Jan , Obar Robert , Guruharsha K.G. , Bickel Peter J. , Artavanis-Tsakonas Spyros , Brown James B. , Graveley Brenton R. , Celniker Susan E.
Published: August 2015

In eukaryotic cells, RNAs exist as ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs). Despite the importance of these complexes in many biological processes, including splicing, polyadenylation, stability, transportation, localization, and translation, their compositions are largely unknown. We affinity-purified 20 distinct RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) from cultured Drosophila melanogaster cells under native conditions and identified both the RNA and protein compositions of these RNP complexes. We identified “high occupancy target” (HOT) RNAs that interact with the majority of the RBPs we surveyed. HOT RNAs encode components of the nonsense-mediated decay and splicing machinery, as well as RNA-binding and translation initiation proteins. The RNP complexes contain proteins and mRNAs involved in RNA binding and post-transcriptional regulation. Genes with the capacity to produce hundreds of mRNA isoforms, ultracomplex genes, interact extensively with heterogeneous nuclear ribonuclear proteins (hnRNPs). Our data are consistent with a model in which subsets of RNPs include mRNA and protein products from the same gene, indicating the widespread existence of auto-regulatory RNPs. From the simultaneous acquisition and integrative analysis of protein and RNA constituents of RNPs, we identify extensive cross-regulatory and hierarchical interactions in post-transcriptional control.
Crystal structure of methyl 2-(7-hydroxy-2-oxo-2H-chromen-4-yl)acetate
Authors: Yousuf Sammer , Hussain Shafqat , Khan Khalid Mohammed , Shabeer Muhammad , Perveen Shahnaz
Published: August 2015

In the title coumarin derivative, C12H10O5, the fused ring system is almost planar (r.m.s deviation = 0.016 Å). The Car—C—C=O torsion angle of the side chain is −8.4 (2)° In the crystal, molecules are linked by O—H...O hydrogen bonds, generatingC(8) chains propagating in the [100] direction. The chains are cross-linked by weak C—H...O interactions, thereby generating undulating (001) sheets.
Crystal structure of bis(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium) tetrachloridocobaltate(II)
Authors: Diop Mouhamadou Birame , Diop Libasse , Maris Thierry
Published: August 2015

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, (C4H7N2)2[CoCl4], consists of two 2-methylimidazolium cations and one tetrahedral [CoCl4]2−anion. The anions and cations interact through N—H...Cl hydrogen bonds to define layers with a stacking direction along [100]. Besides van der Waals forces, weak C—H...Cl interactions between these layers stabilize the crystal packing.
Crystal structure of (Z)-ethyl 3-[2-(5-methyl-7-nitro-1H-indole-2-carbonyl)hydrazinylidene]butanoate
Authors: Errossafi Amal , El Kihel Abdellatif , Guesmi Salaheddine , Saadi Mohamed , El Ammari Lahcen
Published: August 2015

The reaction of 5-methyl-7-nitro-1H-indole-2-carbohydrazide with ethyl acetoacetate yielded the title molecule, C16H18N4O5, in which the indole ring is almost planar, with the greatest deviation from the mean plane being 0.006 (2) Å. The nine atoms of the indole ring are almost perpendicular to the mean plane through the ethyl acetate group, as indicated by the dihedral angle of 87.02 (4)° between them. In the crystal, centrosymmetric supramolecular dimers are formedviaN—H...O hydrogen bonds and eight-membered amide {...HNCO}2synthons. These are consolidated into a three-dimensional architecture by C—H...O contacts, and by π–π interactions between six-membered rings [inter-centroid distance = 3.499 (2) Å].
Crystal structure ofcis-aquachlorido(rac-5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane-κ4N)chromium(III) tetrachloridozincate trihydrate from synchrotron data
Authors: Moon Dohyun , Choi Jong-Ha
Published: August 2015

The structure of the title compound,cis-[CrCl(cycb)(H2O)][ZnCl4]·3H2O (cycbisrac-5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane; C16H36N4), has been determined from synchrotron data. In the complex cation, the CrIIIion is bound by four N atoms from the tetradentate cycbligand, a chloride ion and one water molecule in acisarrangement, displaying a distorted octahedral coordination geometry. The distorted tetrahedral [ZnCl4]2−anion and three additional water molecules remain outside the coordination sphere. The Cr—N(cycb) bond lengths are in the range of 2.0837 (14) to 2.1399 (12) Å while the Cr—Cl and Cr—(OH2) bond lengths are 2.2940 (8) and 2.0082 (13) Å, respectively. The crystal packing is stabilized by hydrogen-bonding interactions between the N—H groups of the macrocyclic ligand, the O—H groups of the water molecules and the Cl atoms of the tetrachloridozincate anion, leading to the formation of a three-dimensional network.
Crystal structure of ethyl 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-cyclopentyl-4-oxo-1-propylimidazolidine-5-carboxylate
Authors: Tabarki Mohamed Ali , Ben Smida Youssef , Guesmi Abderrahmen , Besbes Rafâa
Published: August 2015

The title compound, C20H27ClN2O3, was obtainedviaan original synthesis method. The central heterocyclic ring adopts a shallow envelope conformation, with the N atom bearing the cyclopentane ring as the flap [deviation from the other atoms = 0.442 (2) Å]. The cyclopentane ring adopts a twisted conformation about one of the CN—C bonds: the exocyclic C—N bond adopts an equatorial orientation. The dihedral angles between the central ring (all atoms) and the pendant five- and six-membered rings are 10.3 (2) and 87.76 (14)°, respectively. In the crystal, C—H...O interactions link the molecules into [011] chains. A weak C—H...Cl interaction links the chains into (100) sheets. A mechanism for the cyclization reaction is proposed.
Canadian chefs’ workplace learning
Authors: Cormier-MacBurnie Paulette , Doyle Wendy , Mombourquette Peter , Young Jeffrey D.
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to examine the formal and informal workplace learning of professional chefs. In particular, it considers chefs’ learning strategies and outcomes as well as the barriers to and facilitators of their workplace learning.

Design/methodology/approach

– The methodology is based on in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 12 executive chefs from a variety of restaurant types. Chefs were asked questions that focused on how they learned, the learning outcomes that they experienced and factors that inhibited or facilitated their learning.

Findings

– Findings suggest that the strategies, outcomes, barriers and facilitators experienced by professional chefs are similar in many respects to those of other occupational/professional groups. However, there were some important differences that highlight the context of chefs’ workplace learning.

Research limitations/implications

– The sample, which is relatively small and local, focuses on one city in Canada, and it is limited in its generalizability. Future research should include a national survey of professional chefs.

Originality/value

– Using a qualitative approach, this in-depth study adds to the literature on workplace learning, strategies, outcomes, barriers, facilitators and context factors by addressing a relatively understudied profession.
The mediating role of social support in the evaluation of training effectiveness
Authors: Alvelos Rita , Ferreira Aristides I , Bates Reid
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of factors that affect training effectiveness. According to the literature, social support, perceived content validity, transfer design, the motivation to improve work through learning and positive transfer, contribute to the effectiveness of training.

Design/methodology/approach

– The sample used consisted of 202 employees with ages between 18 and 60 years, working for an insurance company where they had training for a period of three months.

Findings

– The results show a relationship between perceived content validity and transfer design, as well as with the motivation to improve work through learning. A mediating role of social support was also evident in this relationship. Finally, the authors highlight the findings of the relationship between motivation to improve work through learning and positive transfer.

Originality/value

– These findings contribute to the literature by demonstrating how the role of social support can increase training effectiveness in organizations.
Social capital in entrepreneurial family businesses: the role of trust
Authors: Shi Henry X. , Shepherd Deborah M. , Schmidts Torsten
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical insights to understanding trust as a relational form of social capital, and its effects on entrepreneurial processes, in small- and medium-sized family businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper adopts a qualitative case-study approach, with data from fieldwork interviews, observations, and secondary sources analysed by using interpretative methods.

Findings

– Although multiple types of trust exist concurrently in small- and medium-sized Chinese family businesses, it is interpersonal trust on the basis of goodwill and competence that prevails, while contractual trust is weak and marginal. Three patterns of trusting relationships are identified, each of which has both positive and negative effects on entrepreneurship and innovation in family businesses. There is a potential “dark side” of trust, which incurs extra cost and commitment to small- and medium-sized family businesses in their entrepreneurial processes.

Research limitations/implications

– Future research with larger sample sizes is suggested to generalise the insights, by using both qualitative and quantitative methods. More empirical work is needed to further clarify the antecedents of trust as a social capital and the potential “dark side” of trust in small- and medium-sized family businesses, particularly across generations.

Practical implications

– Family business owner-managers should try to avoid relying on a single type of trust, which may incur extra costs to the entrepreneurial processes. They need to better understand why they trust certain actors in their business and social networks before assigning resources to specific business activities. Policy makers are suggested to recognise the “benefits” of the traditionally family-oriented values and that kinship-based trust is also a relational form of social capital and can produce entrepreneurial outcomes.

Originality/value

– The paper critically reviews existing literature on social capital, trust, entrepreneurship, and family business at their point of intersection and identifies gaps and oversights. Drawing on case studies from China, the paper explores different patterns in which trust develops in second-generation small- and medium-sized Chinese family businesses and their varying effects on entrepreneurship.
Towards a more integrated view of entrepreneurial careers
Authors: Zikic Jelena , Ezzedeen Souha
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to employ intelligent career theory to simultaneously explore the relationships between three types of entrepreneurial career capital (i.e. motivations, human, and social capital). It illustrates the interconnectedness of these three forms of capital as an important way to study entrepreneurial careers and provide a new lens for understanding both personal and venture success.

Design/methodology/approach

– This qualitative study of 22 in depth semi-structured interviews explores career stories of entrepreneurs in the high tech industry. The interviews focus on examining three aspects of their career, motivations to become an entrepreneur, ways of learning and developing their human and social capital. Interviews were transcribed and coded using grounded theory approach.

Findings

– The findings describe how entrepreneurial careers as simultaneously shaped by three types of career capital: motivations (knowing-why), knowledge (knowing-how), and relationships (knowing-whom). It also illustrates the accumulation of career capital as a continuous cycle of interrelationships between these three types of capital.

Research limitations/implications

– In sum, the findings add to the knowledge on entrepreneurial careers and the role that the three types of capital play in venture formation and success. It also points to the importance of a more integrated view of these careers, embedded in a web of motivational, social, and human capital.

Practical implications

– The study’s findings suggest that entrepreneurs should paid equal attention and nurture each form of career capital throughout their careers. It also has implications for entrepreneurship programs as well career advisers to.

Originality/value

– Prior entrepreneurship research has examined aspects of entrepreneur’s career capital (e.g. intentions, social, and human capital) typically in isolation from one another and little is known about their reinforcing relationships in entrepreneurial careers. This study provides novel insights for understanding the three types of career capital and the importance of this more integrated view in entrepreneurship education and career counseling.
Government and SMEs in the Maldives and Mauritius
Authors: Sambajee Pratima , Dhomun Mehdi Zulficar Azad
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the role of government in the development of SMEs in the Maldives and Mauritius. Using tourism SMEs, it seeks to identify, analyse and compare strategies deployed by SMEs operating in an “enabling” and a “constrained” business environment.

Design/methodology/approach

– An inductive approach to qualitative research is undertaken using seventeen semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders identified though a stakeholder analysis. Using multiple sources (six government officials, eight SME owner/managers, one private bank owner, one academic and one resort owner), variations and consensus in the data were identified through thematic analysis.

Findings

– The Maldivian Government is less proactive in supporting its SMEs compared to the Mauritian Government. Its failure to facilitate access to finance and provide business support services has led the Maldivian SMEs to use multiple methods of bootstrapping to sustain existing businesses and/or start new ones. In contrast, despite operating in a more enabling business environment, Mauritian SMEs were found to engage in similar strategies due to lack of trust in government-led initiatives.

Practical implications

– Policy-makers in island economies can use the findings to inform decision making in SME development planning.

Originality/value

– While this research adds to the sparse literature on government and SME development in island economies, it also highlights the relevance of bootstrapping for SMEs operating in economically constrained environments.