bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large remanent polarization and enhanced magnetic properties in non-quenched Bi(Fe,Ga)O3-(Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3 multiferroic ceramics
Authors: Liu Ningtao , Liang Ruihong , Liu Zhen , Zhou Zhiyong , Xu Chenhong , Wang Genshui , Dong Xianlin
Published: March 2017

It is a tough issue to release the underlying polarization and magnetization simultaneously in non-quenched polycrystalline BiFeO3 ceramics due to their high conductivity, intensive domain-wall clamping, and long range spiral spin arrangement. Here, 0.75BiFe0.98Ga0.02O3-0.25(Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.10Ti0.90)O3 multiferroic ceramics were fabricated by a conventional solid-state reaction with a non-quenched method. The crystalline structure analysis revealed that the ceramics showed a rhombohedral (R3c) perovskite structure. Superior ferroelectricity was observed in the ceramics with high remanent polarization (44 μC/cm2), which has been re-verified by PUND measurement to exclude the contribution of leakage current. Moreover, enhanced ferromagnetism with remanent magnetization (0.20 emu/g) was also obtained at 300 K. We have demonstrated that the observed macroscopic magnetization was attributed to the canting of the spins due to melting away of the spiral structure rather than other Fe-containing impurity phases. The excellent ferroelectric and ferromagnetic performance suggests that this non-quenched lead-free BiFeO3-based ceramics are quite promising multiferroic materials.
Bifunctional acoustic metamaterial lens designed with coordinate transformation
Authors: Zhu Rongrong , Ma Chu , Zheng Bin , Musa Muhyiddeen Yahya , Jing Liqiao , Yang Yihao , Wang Huaping , Dehdashti Shahram , Fang Nicholas X. , Chen Hongsheng
Published: March 2017

We propose a method to design bifunctional acoustic lens using acoustic metamaterials that possess separate functions at different directions. The proposed bifunctional acoustic lens can be implemented in practice with subwavelength unit cells exhibiting effective anisotropic parameters. With this methodology, we experimentally demonstrate an acoustic Luneburg-fisheye lens at operational frequencies from 6300 Hz to 7300 Hz. Additionally, a bifunctional acoustic square lens is proposed with different focal lengths for multi directions. This method paves the way to manipulating acoustic energy flows with functional lenses.
Preparation of Li4Ti5O12 Microspheres with a Pure Cr2O3 Coating Layer and its Effect for Lithium Storage
Authors: Zou Hai-lin , Liang Xin , Wang Zhong-hui , Cheng Sheng , Xiang Hong-fa
Published: March 2017

The pure Cr2O3 coated Li4Ti5O12 microspheres were prepared by a facile and cheap solution-based method with basic chromium(III) nitrate solution (pH=11.9). And their Li-storage properties were investigated as anode materials for lithium rechargeable batteries. The pure Cr2O3 works as an adhesive interface to strengthen the connections between Li4Ti5O12 particles, providing more electric conduction channels, and reduce the inter-particle resistance. Moreover, LixCr2O3, formed by the lithiation of Cr2O3, can further stabilize Li7Ti5O12 with high electric conductivity on the surface of particles. While in the acid chromium solution (pH=3.2) modification, besides Cr2O3, Li2CrO4 and TiO2 phases were also found in the final product. Li2CrO4 is toxic and the presence of TiO2 is not welcome to improve the electrochemical performance of Li4Ti5O12 microspheres. The reversible capacity of 1% Cr2O3-coated sample with the basic chromium solution modification was 180 mAh/g at 0.1 C, and 134 mAh/g at 10 C. Moreover, it was even as high as 127 mAh/g at 5 C after 600 cycles. At −20 °C, its reversible specific capacity was still as high as 118 mAh/g.
Strategy use in English-to-Chinese simultaneous interpreting
Authors: Han Chao , Chen Sijia
Published: March 2017

The study reported here attempts to describe and explore possible patterns of strategy use in English-to-Chinese simultaneous interpreting (SI) of fast-delivery and accented speeches, drawing upon a subset of empirical data generated from a larger experimental study (see Han & Riazi 2016). A paralleled text analysis of source speeches and transcripts of interpretations indicates that the interpreters developed a deep repertoire of interpreting strategies, but utilized strategies of syntactic transformation and of substitution most frequently across different speeches. They also employed strategy clusters, a sequential combination of strategies, to cope with complex source-text segments. In addition, the speech rate affected the use of the two prominent strategies (i.e., syntactic transformation and substitution) considerably, whereas the accent did not. These results are explained and their implications for interpreter training are also discussed.
The Effects of Exposure to Different Social Robots on Attitudes toward Preferences
Authors: Vlachos Evgenios , Jochum Elizabeth , Demers Louis-Philippe
Published: March 2017

We present results of a quasi-experimental study investigating how user preference might change after direct interaction with two different types of robot regarding morphology and affordances: a machine-like that interacts through touch, and a human-like that interacts verbally. The study was performed in an art exhibition setting, where visitors had the opportunity to interact with the robots voluntarily, and were asked to fill out questionnaires before and after the experience. Post interactions, visitors preferred to touch the machine-like “hard” robot despite initial stated preference for soft materials, preferred mutual contact despite initial preference of subject to initiate touch, and preferred communication with a robot that could touch rather than initial preference for a robot that could “see”. Overall, users showed a significant constant preference for the machine-like robot, reportedly feeling a stronger connection with it than with the human-like one as it met their expectations, and they found its movements more appealing. Social conditioning can render people reluctant to touch a robot with very human-like appearance, and set the expectations for interaction too high to meet. Our results, lastly, indicate that interaction with more than one type of social robot can affect the interaction experience for each of the robots.
Multimodal complexity in sand story narratives
Authors: Green Jennifer
Published: March 2017

In sand stories, an Indigenous narrative practice from Central Australia, semi-conventionalized graphic symbols drawn on the ground are interwoven with speech, sign and gesture. This article examines some aspects of the complexity seen in this dynamic graphic tradition, illustrating the ways that these different semiotic resources work together to create complex multimodal utterances. The complexity of sand stories provides an almost unique platform from which to investigate the rich diversity of the expressive dimensions of narrative and demonstrates what needs to be taken into account if we are to make meaningful comparisons of storytelling practices in a range of cultures and contexts.
Reiterative construction of narrative
Authors: Ewing Michael C.
Published: March 2017

Using Ochs & Capp’s (2001) five dimensions of narrative, I analyse small stories that emerge during informal conversation among Javanese speakers. Of particular interest are the dimensions of Linearity, Tellership and Moral Stance. While many of these narratives are organised in chronological order, nearly half emerge from their conversational context non-chronologically. The primary organising strategy found among the non-chronological narratives is repetition combined with elaboration. I call this pattern of narrative organisation reiterative storytelling. While reiterative storytelling may not be unique to Javanese, it is pervasive and particularly characteristic of Javanese interactional style. Reiterative storytelling is shown to support the co-constructed development of both narrative and evaluative detail and thus to provide a way for interlocutors to forefront the social motivations behind particular storytelling events.
“What the hell was in that wine?”
Authors: Strahan Tania , Stirling Lesley
Published: March 2017

We consider a corpus of conversational narratives which arise in the complex, multiparty setting of pre- and post-game stretching sessions of a women’s elite basketball team. Our focus is on the characteristics of story openings within this corpus, and we consider how stories are launched; how roles of story opener and teller are distributed within the group, reflecting both entitlement to tell stories and social relationships between the participants; and what strategies are used to introduce different kinds of stories into the interaction. We suggest that the team from which the stories derive represents a modern-day ‘society of intimates’, and show that patterns of story opening and telling reflect this — and correlate with institutional and social roles and relationships.
Comprehension demands modulate re-reading, but not first-pass reading behavior
Authors: Weiss Anna Fiona , Kretzschmar Franziska , Schlesewsky Matthias , Bornkessel-Schlesewsky Ina , Staub Adrian
Published: March 2017

Several studies have examined effects of explicit task demands on eye movements in reading. However, there is relatively little prior research investigating the influence of implicit processing demands. In this study, processing demands were manipulated by means of a between-subject manipulation of comprehension question difficulty. Consistent with previous results from Wotschack and Kliegl, the question difficulty manipulation influenced the probability of regressing from late in sentences and re-reading earlier regions; readers who expected difficult comprehension questions were more likely to re-read. However, this manipulation had no reliable influence on eye movements during first-pass reading of earlier sentence regions. Moreover, for the subset of sentences that contained a plausibility manipulation, the disruption induced by implausibility was not modulated by the question manipulation. We interpret these results as suggesting that comprehension demands influence reading behavior primarily by modulating a criterion for comprehension that readers apply after completing first-pass processing.
FUS inclusions disrupt RNA localization by sequestering kinesin-1 and inhibiting microtubule detyrosination
Authors: Yasuda Kyota , Clatterbuck-Soper Sarah F. , Jackrel Meredith E. , Shorter James , Mili Stavroula
Published: March 2017

Cytoplasmic inclusions of the RNA-binding protein fused in sarcoma (FUS) represent one type of membraneless ribonucleoprotein compartment. Formation of FUS inclusions is promoted by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)–linked mutations, but the cellular functions affected upon inclusion formation are poorly defined. In this study, we find that FUS inclusions lead to the mislocalization of specific RNAs from fibroblast cell protrusions and neuronal axons. This is mediated by recruitment of kinesin-1 mRNA and protein within FUS inclusions, leading to a loss of detyrosinated glutamate (Glu)–microtubules (MTs; Glu-MTs) and an inability to support the localization of RNAs at protrusions. Importantly, dissolution of FUS inclusions using engineered Hsp104 disaggregases, or overexpression of kinesin-1, reverses these effects. We further provide evidence that kinesin-1 affects MT detyrosination not through changes in MT stability, but rather through targeting the tubulin carboxypeptidase enzyme onto specific MTs. Interestingly, other pathological inclusions lead to similar outcomes, but through apparently distinct mechanisms. These results reveal a novel kinesin-dependent mechanism controlling the MT cytoskeleton and identify loss of Glu-MTs and RNA mislocalization as common outcomes of ALS pathogenic mutations.
Eosinophil-derived IL-4 drives progression of myocarditis to inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy
Authors: Diny Nicola L. , Baldeviano G. Christian , Talor Monica V. , Barin Jobert G. , Ong SuFey , Bedja Djahida , Hays Allison G. , Gilotra Nisha A. , Coppens Isabelle , Rose Noel R. , Čiháková Daniela
Published: March 2017

Inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMi) is a major cause of heart failure in children and young adults. DCMi develops in up to 30% of myocarditis patients, but the mechanisms involved in disease progression are poorly understood. Patients with eosinophilia frequently develop cardiomyopathies. In this study, we used the experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) model to determine the role of eosinophils in myocarditis and DCMi. Eosinophils were dispensable for myocarditis induction but were required for progression to DCMi. Eosinophil-deficient ΔdblGATA1 mice, in contrast to WT mice, showed no signs of heart failure by echocardiography. Induction of EAM in hypereosinophilic IL-5Tg mice resulted in eosinophilic myocarditis with severe ventricular and atrial inflammation, which progressed to severe DCMi. This was not a direct effect of IL-5, as IL-5TgΔdblGATA1 mice were protected from DCMi, whereas IL-5−/− mice exhibited DCMi comparable with WT mice. Eosinophils drove progression to DCMi through their production of IL-4. Our experiments showed eosinophils were the major IL-4–expressing cell type in the heart during EAM, IL-4−/− mice were protected from DCMi like ΔdblGATA1 mice, and eosinophil-specific IL-4 deletion resulted in improved heart function. In conclusion, eosinophils drive progression of myocarditis to DCMi, cause severe DCMi when present in large numbers, and mediate this process through IL-4.
Exact Soliton Solutions for the (2+1)-Dimensional Coupled Higher-Order Nonlinear Schrödinger Equations in Birefringent Optical-Fiber Communication*
Authors: Cai Yue-Jin , Bai Cheng-Lin , Luo Qing-Long
Published: March 2017

In birefringent optical fibers, the propagation of femtosecond soliton pulses is described by coupled higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equations. In this paper, we will investigate the bright and dark soliton solutions of (2+1)-dimensional coupled higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equations, with the aid of symbolic computation and the Hirota method. On the basis of soliton solutions, we test and discuss the interactions graphically between the solitons in the x-z, x-t, and z-t planes.
Which causal structures might support a quantum–classical gap?
Authors: Pienaar Jacques
Published: March 2017

A causal scenario is a graph that describes the cause and effect relationships between all relevant variables in an experiment. A scenario is deemed ‘not interesting’ if there is no device-independent way to distinguish the predictions of classical physics from any generalised probabilistic theory (including quantum mechanics). Conversely, an interesting scenario is one in which there exists a gap between the predictions of different operational probabilistic theories, as occurs for example in Bell-type experiments. Henson, Lal and Pusey (HLP) recently proposed a sufficient condition for a causal scenario to not be interesting. In this paper we supplement their analysis with some new techniques and results. We first show that existing graphical techniques due to Evans can be used to confirm by inspection that many graphs are interesting without having to explicitly search for inequality violations. For three exceptional cases—the graphs numbered

#
15
,
16
,
20

in HLP—we show that there exist non-Shannon type entropic inequalities that imply these graphs are interesting. In doing so, we find that existing methods of entropic inequalities can be greatly enhanced by conditioning on the specific values of certain variables.
TGF-β triggers rapid fibrillogenesis via a novel TβRII-dependent fibronectin-trafficking mechanism
Authors: Varadaraj Archana , Jenkins Laura M. , Singh Priyanka , Chanda Anindya , Snider John , Lee N. Y. , Amsalem-Zafran Ayelet R. , Ehrlich Marcelo , Henis Yoav I. , Mythreye Karthikeyan
Published: March 2017

Fibronectin (FN) is a critical regulator of extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling through its availability and stepwise polymerization for fibrillogenesis. Availability of FN is regulated by its synthesis and turnover, and fibrillogenesis is a multistep, integrin-dependent process essential for cell migration, proliferation, and tissue function. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is an established regulator of ECM remodeling via transcriptional control of ECM proteins. Here we show that TGF-β, through increased FN trafficking in a transcription- and SMAD-independent manner, is a direct and rapid inducer of the fibrillogenesis required for TGF-β–induced cell migration. Whereas TGF-β signaling is dispensable for rapid fibrillogenesis, stable interactions between the cytoplasmic domain of the type II TGF-β receptor (TβRII) and the FN receptor (α5β1 integrin) are required. We find that, in response to TGF-β, cell surface–internalized FN is not degraded by the lysosome but instead undergoes recycling and incorporation into fibrils, a process dependent on TβRII. These findings are the first to show direct use of trafficked and recycled FN for fibrillogenesis, with a striking role for TGF-β in this process. Given the significant physiological consequences associated with FN availability and polymerization, our findings provide new insights into the regulation of fibrillogenesis for cellular homeostasis.
Does electronic stewardship work?
Authors: Lambl Barbara B , Kaufman Nathan , Kurowski Janice , O’Neill W , Buckley Jr Frederick , Duram Maureen , Swartz Barbara , Phillips Duncan , Rein Mitchell , Rubin Marc
Published: March 2017

Faced with national requirements to promote antimicrobial stewardship and reduce drug-resistant infections, community hospitals are challenged to make the best use of existing resources. Eighteen months after building antibiotic decision support into our electronic order platform, high-risk antibiotic use decreased by 83% (P < .001) at our community hospital. Hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile infections declined 24% (P = .07).
Representation of occupational information across resources and validation of the occupational data for health model
Authors: Rajamani Sripriya , Chen Elizabeth S , Lindemann Elizabeth , Aldekhyyel Ranyah , Wang Yan , Melton Genevieve B
Published: March 2017

Reports by the National Academy of Medicine and leading public health organizations advocate including occupational information as part of an individual’s social context. Given recent National Academy of Medicine recommendations on occupation-related data in the electronic health record, there is a critical need for improved representation. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has developed an Occupational Data for Health (ODH) model, currently in draft format. This study aimed to validate the ODH model by mapping occupation-related elements from resources representing recommendations, standards, public health reports and surveys, and research measures, along with preliminary evaluation of associated value sets. All 247 occupation-related items across 20 resources mapped to the ODH model. Recommended value sets had high variability across the evaluated resources. This study demonstrates the ODH model’s value, the multifaceted nature of occupation information, and the critical need for occupation value sets to support clinical care, population health, and research.
Evaluating Boxwood Susceptibility to Calonectria pseudonaviculata Using Cuttings from the National Boxwood Collection
Authors: Shishkoff Nina , Daughtrey Margery , Aker Scott , Olsen Richard T.
Published: March 2017

Accessions in the National Boxwood Collection of the U.S. National Arboretum were inoculated with Calonectria pseudonaviculata in order to determine susceptibility to boxwood blight as part of longer-term evaluations of whole plants. Terminal unrooted cuttings were inoculated with C. pseudonaviculata and symptoms rated. Cuttings showed a wide range in susceptibility. There were significant differences in percent diseased leaves and percent defoliation among the 42 species and cultivars. Cuttings of some Buxus sempervirens cultivars were among those with the highest percent diseased leaves, with eight cultivars showing as much disease as B. sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’: ‘Scupi’, ‘Pendula’, ‘Rotundifolia’, ‘Denmark’, ‘Handsworthiensis’, ‘Northland’, ‘Arborescens’, and ‘Northern New York’. All others showed significantly less disease, as measured by percent diseased leaves. A number of accessions were contrasted to the less susceptible B. sinica var. insularis ‘Pincushion’ and showed a similarly low level of disease: Buxus ‘Green Ice’, B. sempervirens ‘Decussata’, B. sinica var. insularis ‘Wintergreen’, Buxus, sp. (57950*H), Buxus ‘Green Mound’, B. sinica var. insularis ‘Winter Beauty’, and B. microphylla var. japonica ‘Winter Gem’. A diverse array of germplasm is available in the genus Buxus, and identifying acceptable levels of disease tolerance in cultivars that represent this diversity will contribute to its continued use in ornamental landscapes.

Accepted 25 December 2014. Published 26 January 2015.
Western Flower Thrips Can Transmit Tomato spotted wilt virus From Virus-infected Tomato Fruits
Authors: Szostek Stephanie A. , Rodriguez Priscila , Sanchez Jasmin , Adkins Scott , Naidu Rayapati A.
Published: March 2017

In this study, we demonstrate that western flower thrips (WFT, Frankliniella occidentalis) can acquire and transmit Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) from symptomatic tomato fruits. TSWV and other thrips-transmitted tospoviruses have long been known to spread via plant propagation material such as transplants. Global dissemination of tospoviruses has also been linked, in part, to transport and trade of thrips-infested and virus-infected horticultural products. However, the role of tomato fruits transported across state and national borders has not previously been examined as a means of virus spread or as a source for thrips acquisition of virus. Tomato fruits displaying typical tospovirus symptoms were purchased from several Washington State grocery stores. Many of these symptomatic fruits tested positive for TSWV and some for Pepino mosaic virus (PepMV). First instar larvae of WFT successfully acquired TSWV from these infected tomato fruits and transmitted the virus as adults to Emilia sonchifolia plants. Symptomatic E. sonchifolia plants were confirmed positive for TSWV by lateral flow immunoassays and sequence analysis of a portion of the nucleocapsid gene. These results suggest the dissemination of TSWV (and likely other tospoviruses) and PepMV to new geographic areas by human-assisted transport of infected tomato fruits.
Referring patients to hospice or palliative care
Authors: Broglio Kathleen , Walsh Anne
Published: March 2017

NPs care for patients with chronic diseases such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, and dementia. As the disease progresses or patients age, disease-related symptoms may become increasingly burdensome, and these patients may benefit from hospice or palliative care. NPs can guide individuals in this process to optimize care and support at the end of life.
“Should Patients With Substance Use Disorders Be Prescribed Benzodiazepines?” No
Authors: DuPont Robert L.
Published: March 2017

Patients with substance use disorders (SUDs) should not use benzodiazepines to treat anxiety, insomnia, or anything else, for the same reasons that they should not drink any alcohol or use other drugs, regardless of their primary drug used. Once the addiction “switch” is thrown on, it never again goes off. This question has additional relevance today because in 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration put black box warnings on all benzodiazepines and opioid analgesics about the serious risks associated with their concomitant use. Anxiety is not a benzodiazepine-deficiency disease. It is possible to treat anxiety and insomnia without medicines of any kind, and it is possible to use medicines other than benzodiazepines for these common and serious mental disorders. Although many patients with SUDs are eager to use benzodiazepines, using alternatives is often effective and it does not put the patient's recovery in jeopardy. The standard I propose here is based on the experience of many people with SUDs who have tried and failed to use benzodiazepines for anxiety.
RETINAL PHENOTYPE IN A CASE OF LCHAD/TFP DEFICIENCY WITH LATE-STAGE DIAGNOSIS
Authors: Knowles Jacob A. , Dimopoulos Ioannis S. , MacDonald Ian M.
Published: March 2017

Purpose:

To report the retinal phenotype of a rare case of long-chain 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCHAD)/trifunctional protein (TFP) deficiency diagnosed in his late 40s with ocular findings of diffuse chorioretinal atrophy and bilateral retinoschisis.

Methods:

An acylcarnitine profile assay revealed LCHAD/TFP deficiency in a 45-year-old man with a history of high myopia, bilateral decreased vision, episodic rhabdomyolysis, and peripheral neuropathy. Ocular findings were evaluated with spectral domain optical coherence tomography (Spectralis OCT; Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) and color fundus photography.

Results:

Spectral domain optical coherence tomography revealed severe bilateral macular retinoschisis. Subretinal fibrosis was noted in the left temporal macula with an associated lamellar macular hole. Fundus photographs demonstrated diffuse, symmetric chorioretinal atrophy characteristic of end-stage retinopathy, as previously reported in younger patients. Myopic staphylomas were evident in the posterior pole of both eyes. A trial of topical dorzolamide for 3 months resulted in no change in the retinal profile.

Conclusion:

We report the retinal phenotype of a patient with LCHAD/TFP deficiency diagnosed later in life. To date, this is the oldest patient reported with LCHAD/TFP–associated retinopathy. Macular retinoschisis may represent a feature of the end-stage retinopathy due to the progressive myopia. The diagnosis of LCHAD/TFP deficiency should be considered in adult patients with a history rhabdomyolysis, neuropathy, and retinopathy, as they would not have undergone routine newborn screening before the late 90s.
Home-Based Psychoeducational Intervention for Breast Cancer Survivors
Authors: Şengün İnan Figen , Üstün Besti
Published: March 2017

Background:

It is important to manage psychological distress and improve the quality of life (QOL) in patients after breast cancer treatment.

Objective:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a home-based, psychoeducational program on distress, anxiety, depression, and QOL in breast cancer survivors.

Methods:

The study was a single-group pretest and posttest quasi-experimental design. The data were collected using the Distress Thermometer, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and the Turkish version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Instrument, short form. The home-based, individual, face-to-face psychoeducational program was structured according to breast cancer survivors’ needs and the Neuman Systems Model.

Results:

A total of 32 Turkish breast cancer survivors participated in this study. There were statistically significant differences in the mean scores for distress, anxiety, and depression in the breast cancer survivors over 4 measurements. The mean scores for all subscales of the QOL at 6 months postintervention were significantly higher than the mean scores at baseline.

Conclusions:

The results indicated that the psychoeducational program may be effective in reducing distress, anxiety, and depression and in improving the QOL in breast cancer survivors.

Implications for Practice:

Psychoeducational programs may be effective and should be considered as part of the survivorship care for breast cancer survivors.
Multivariate Genome-wide and integrated transcriptome and epigenome-wide analyses of the Well-being spectrum
Authors: Baselmans B.M.L. , Jansen R. , Ip H.F. , van Dongen J. , Abdellaoui A. , van de Weijer M. P. , Bao Y. , Smart M. , Kumari M. , Willemsen G. , Hottenga J.J. ,   BIOS consortium,   Social Science Genetic Association Consortium, de Geus E.J.C. , Boomsma D.I. , Nivard M.G. , Bartels M.
Published: March 2017

Phenotypes related to well-being (life satisfaction, positive affect, neuroticism, and depressive symptoms), are genetically highly correlated (|rg| > .75). Multivariate genome-wide analyses (Nobs= 958,149) of these traits, collectively referred to as the well-being spectrum, reveals 63 significant independent signals, of which 29 were not previously identified. Transcriptome and epigenome analyses implicate variation in gene expression at 8 additional loci and CpG methylation at 6 additional loci in the etiology of well-being. We leverage an anatomically comprehensive survey of gene expression in the brain to annotate our findings, showing that SNPs within genes excessively expressed in the cortex and part of the hippocampal formation are enriched in their effect on well-being.
Pathway-Level Information ExtractoR (PLIER) for gene expression data
Authors: Mao Weiguang , Zaslavsky Elena , Hartmann Boris M. , Sealfon Stuart C. , Chikina Maria
Published: March 2017

A major challenge in gene expression analysis is to accurately infer relevant biological insight, such as regulation of cell type proportion or pathways, from global gene expression studies. We present a general solution for this problem that outperforms available cell proportion inference algorithms, and is more widely useful to automatically identify specific pathways that regulate gene expression. Our method improves replicability and biological insight when applied to trans-eQTL identification.
Optimizing Pedigrees: Using a Biasing System to Determine Likely Inheritance Systems
Authors: Ang Justin
Published: March 2017

Pedigrees, though straightforward and versatile, lack the ability to tell us information about many individuals. Though numerical systems have been developed, there is currently no system to quantify the probability of a pedigree following certain inheritance systems. My system intends to fulfill that chasm by creating a flexible numerical system and testing it for variance. First, my system attempts to adapt inheritance system to known pedigree data. Then, it calculates the difference between the calculated values and the known pedigree data. It aggregates these values, then it uses a chi-squared analysis in order to determine the likelihood of said inheritance system. This is done for many different systems, until we have a general idea of which systems are probable and which are not.
Accuracies of univariate and multivariate genomic prediction models in African Cassava
Authors: Okeke Uche Godfrey , Akdemir Deniz , Rabbi Ismail , Kulakow Peter , Jannink Jean-Luc
Published: March 2017

List of abbreviations

GS

Genomic Selection

BLUP

Best Linear Unbiased Prediction

EBVs

Estimated Breeding Values

EGVs

Estimated genetic Values

GEBVs

Genomic Estimated Breeding Values

SNPs

Single Nucleotide polymorphisms

GxE

Genotype-by-environment interactions

GxE

Genotype-by-environment interactions

GxG

Gene-by-gene interactions

GxGxE

Gene-by-gene-by-environment interactions

uT

Univariate single environment one-step model

uE

Univariate multi environment one-step model

MT

Multi-trait single environment one-step model

ME

Multivariate single trait multi environment model

Background

Genomic selection (GS) promises to accelerate genetic gain in plant breeding programs especially for long cycle crops like cassava. To practically implement GS in cassava breeding, it is useful to evaluate different GS models and to develop suitable models for an optimized breeding pipeline.

Methods

We compared prediction accuracies from a single-trait (uT) and a multi-trait (MT) mixed model for single environment genetic evaluation (Scenario 1) while for multi-environment evaluation accounting for genotype-by-environment interaction (Scenario 2) we compared accuracies from a univariate (uE) and a multivariate (ME) multi-environment mixed model. We used sixteen years of data for six target cassava traits for these analyses. All models for Scenario 1 and Scenario 2 were based on the one-step approach. A 5-fold cross validation scheme with 10-repeat cycles were used to assess model prediction accuracies.

Results

In Scenario 1, the MT models had higher prediction accuracies than the uT models for most traits and locations analyzed amounting to 32 percent better prediction accuracy on average. However for Scenario 2, we observed that the ME model had on average (across all locations and traits) 12 percent better predictive power than the uE model.

Conclusion

We recommend the use of multivariate mixed models (MT and ME) for cassava genetic evaluation. These models may be useful for other plant species.
Multi-locus and long amplicon sequencing approach to study microbial diversity at species level using the MinION™ portable nanopore sequencer
Authors: Benítez-Páez Alfonso , Sanz Yolanda
Published: March 2017

Background

The miniaturised and portable DNA sequencer MinION™ has demonstrated great potential in different analyses such as genome-wide sequencing, pathogen outbreak detection and surveillance, human genome variability, and microbial diversity. In this study, we tested the ability of the MinION™ platform to perform long amplicon sequencing in order to design new approaches to study microbial diversity using a multi-locus approach.

Results

After compiling a robust database by parsing and extracting therrnbacterial region from more than 67,000 complete or draft bacterial genomes, we demonstrated that the data obtained during sequencing of the long amplicon in the MinION™ device using R9 and R9.4 chemistries was sufficient to study two mock microbial communities in a multiplex manner and to almost completely reconstruct the microbial diversity contained in the HM782D and D6305 mock communities.

Conclusions

Although nanopore-based sequencing produces reads with lower per-base accuracy compared with other platforms, we presented a novel approach consisting of multi-locus and long amplicon sequencing using the MinION™ MkIb DNA sequencer and R9 and R9.4 chemistries that help to overcome the main disadvantage of this portable sequencing platform. Furthermore, the nanopore sequencing library constructed with the last releases of pore chemistry (R9.4) and sequencing kit (SQK-LSK108) permitted to retrieve the higher level of 1D read accuracy sufficient to characterize the microbial species present in each mock community analysed. Improvements in nanopore chemistry, such as minimising base-calling errors and new library protocols able to produce rapid 1D libraries, will provide more reliable information in near future. Such data will be useful for more comprehensive and faster specific detection of microbial species and strains in complex ecosystems.
powsimR: Power analysis for bulk and single cell RNA-seq experiments
Authors: Vieth Beate , Ziegenhain Christoph , Parekh Swati , Enard Wolfgang , Hellmann Ines
Published: March 2017

Power analysis is essential to optimize the design of RNA-seq experiments and to assess and compare the power to detect differentially expressed genes in RNA-seq data. PowsimR is a flexible tool to simulate and evaluate differential expression from bulk and especially single-cell RNA-seq data making it suitable for a priori and posterior power analyses.
Genome-wide sexually antagonistic variants reveal longstanding constraints on sexual dimorphism in the fruitfly
Authors: Ruzicka Filip , Hill Mark S. , Pennell Tanya M. , Flis Ilona , Ingleby Fiona C. , Fowler Kevin , Morrow Edward H. , Reuter Max
Published: March 2017

The evolution of sexual dimorphism is constrained by a shared genome, leading to ‘sexual antagonism’ where different alleles at given loci are favoured by selection in males and females. Despite its wide taxonomic incidence, we know little about the identity, genomic location and evolutionary dynamics of antagonistic genetic variants. To address these deficits, we use sex-specific fitness data from 202 fully sequenced hemiclonalD. melanogasterfly lines to perform a genome-wide association study of sexual antagonism. We identify ~230 chromosomal clusters of candidate antagonistic SNPs. In contradiction to classic theory, we find no clear evidence that the X chromosome is a hotspot for sexually antagonistic variation. Characterising antagonistic SNPs functionally, we find a large excess of missense variants but little enrichment in terms of gene function. We also assess the evolutionary persistence of antagonistic variants by examining extant polymorphism in wildD. melanogasterpopulations. Remarkably, antagonistic variants are associated with multiple signatures of balancing selection across theD. melanogasterdistribution range, indicating widespread and evolutionarily persistent (>10,000 years) genomic constraints. Based on our results, we propose that antagonistic variation accumulates due to constraints on the resolution of sexual conflict over protein coding sequences, thus contributing to the long-term maintenance of heritable fitness variation.
GenomicDataCommons:a Bioconductor Interface to the NCI Genomic Data Commons
Authors: Morgan Martin T. , Davis Sean R.
Published: March 2017

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) Genomic Data Commons (Grossman et al. 2016,https://gdc.cancer.gov/) provides the cancer research community with an open and unified repository for sharing and accessing data across numerous cancer studies and projects via a high-performance data transfer and query infrastructure. TheBioconductorproject (Huber et al. 2015) is an open source and open development software project built on theRstatistical programming environment (R Core Team 2016). A major goal of theBioconductorproject is to facilitate the use, analysis, and comprehension of genomic data. TheGenomicDataCommons Bioconductorpackage provides basic infrastructure for querying, accessing, and mining genomic datasets available from the GDC. We expect thatBioconductordeveloper and bioinformatics community will build on theGenomicDataCommonspackage to add higher-level functionality and expose cancer genomics data to many state-of-the-art bioinformatics methods available inBioconductor.

Availability

https://bioconductor.org/packages/GenomicDataCommons&https://github.com/seandavi/GenomicDataCommons.
Crystal structure oftrans-dichloridobis[N-(5,5-dimethyl-4,5-dihydro-3H-pyrrol-2-yl-κN)acetamide]palladium(II) dihydrate
Authors: Lasri Jamal , Eltayeb Naser Eltaher , Haukka Matti , Babgi Bandar A.
Published: March 2017

The title complex, [PdCl2(C8H14N2O)2]·2H2O, was obtained by N–O bond cleavage of the oxadiazoline rings of thetrans-[dichlorido-bis(2,5,5-trimethyl-5,6,7,7a-tetrahydropyrrolo[1,2-b][1,2,4]oxadiazole-N1)]palladium(II) complex. The palladium(II) atom exhibits an almost square-planar coordination provided by twotrans-arranged chloride anions and a nitrogen atom from each of the two neutral organic ligands. In the crystal, N—H...O, O—H...O and O—H...Cl hydrogen bonds link complex molecules into double layers parallel to thebcplane.
Effects of business maturity, experience, and size on farms economic vitality
Authors: Rusiana Hofner , Brewer Brady , Escalante Cesar
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relative financial strength and endurance of several paired classes of farmers according to business maturity (beginning versus mature farm businesses), farm operators’ age/experience (young versus older, more experienced farm operators), and farm size (small vs large farm businesses) by utilizing random-effects ordered logistic techniques.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a credit migration approach to analyze the factors that impact the probability of farm credit migration rates. An ordered logit model is used to assess the influence that factors have on a farm upgrading, staying same, or downgrading in credit rating.

Findings

Results show that increasing farm size will lead to a higher probability of class upgrades. Being a young farm operator, meanwhile, decreases this probability. Positive changes in money supply and farm real estate values were found to increase the likelihood of credit upgrades. Results also show trend reversal of credit risk movement, where upgrades (downgrades) are more likely to be followed by downgrades (upgrades).

Originality/value

With farms being dependent on capital for growth, knowing what factors affect the ability of a farm to obtain credit lends insight in the agricultural credit markets. This paper is also the first to assess the impacts of these factors on small farms which constitute 92 percent of farms in the USA per the US Department of Agriculture.
A bootstrap approach for pricing crop yield insurance
Authors: Xiao Yugu , Wang Ke , Porth Lysa
Published: March 2017

Purpose

While crop insurance ratemaking has been studied for many decades, it is still faced with many challenges. Crop insurance premium rates (PRs) are traditionally determined only by point estimation, and this approach may lead to uncertainty because it is sensitive to the underwriter’s assumptions regarding the trend, yield distribution, and other issues such as data scarcity and credibility. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to obtain the interval estimate for the PR, which can provide additional information about the accuracy of the point estimate.

Design/methodology/approach

A bootstrap method based on the loss cost ratio ratemaking approach is proposed. Using Monte Carlo experiments, the performance of this method is tested against several popular methods. To measure the efficiency of the confidence interval (CI) estimators, the actual coverage probabilities and the average widths of these intervals are calculated.

Findings

The proposed method is shown to be as efficient as the non-parametric kernel method, and has the features of flexibility and robustness, and can provide insight for underwriters regarding uncertainty based on the width of the CI.

Originality/value

Comprehensive comparisons are conducted to show the advantage and the efficiency of the proposed method. In addition, a significant empirical example is given to show how to use the CIs to support ratemaking.
The impact of gender and culture on networking and venture creation
Authors: Kalafatoglu Tugba , Mendoza Xavier
Published: March 2017

Purpose

To date, little research has been focused on the nature and dynamics of female entrepreneurial networking activity. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine how gender and culture affect business creation, how women perceive social capital, and how important their personal networks are for their businesses, especially in the context of patriarchal societies.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with women entrepreneurs living and operating businesses in Turkey and in four countries of the Middle East and North African region, namely, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, and Egypt.

Findings

The results indicate that being a woman entrepreneur in a highly patriarchal society limits entrepreneurial activities due to culture and social norms. However, networking appears as the key factor for these women entrepreneurs to overcome the barriers that they face, such as access to capital, financial information, resources, and new business opportunities.

Research limitations/implications

This study has limitations that tend to be commonly found in exploratory studies, so you cannot make generalizations. However, the findings lay the groundwork for future studies to examine the role of networking activity in female entrepreneurship in the context of patriarchal societies.

Practical implications

The findings are helpful for policymakers and other social groups interested in improving the conditions for female entrepreneurship. Governments and other economic actors need to provide training in both management and networking skills, encourage local businesses and associations to provide their venues for networking opportunities, and also provide support to women business organizations.

Social implications

Women’s entrepreneurship is growing, but still there is a scarcity of scholarly literature on the women entrepreneurs and their entrepreneurial activity.

Originality/value

This research provides empirical evidence of the nature and dynamics of female entrepreneurial networking activity in the context of patriarchal societies.
Applying cultural intelligence to religious symbols in multinationals
Authors: O’Sullivan Sharon L.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe how religious symbols might impede employees’ motivational cultural intelligence (CQ) in some international contexts, and how multinational managers might employ this knowledge to respond in a manner that mitigates risks to knowledge sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses several theories (e.g. CQ, social categorization, expectancy, and contact theories) to develop a conceptual model about the nature of the risk to employees’ motivational CQ. It then draws on models of acculturation to explore how multinational corporation managers might respond.

Findings

It is conjectured that the salience of religious-based value conflict, learned both vicariously and through direct experiences, will adversely impact motivational CQ, and that the introduction of religious symbols may exacerbate this relationship. A framework of possible interventions is offered, and each intervention approach is evaluated in terms of how it may mitigate or exacerbate the risks raised by the model.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed model requires empirical validation.

Practical implications

Multinationals are advised how (and why) to treat the preservation of motivational CQ as central to any intervention in the conflict over religious symbols.

Social implications

An uninformed response to controversy over religious symbols could impede knowledge sharing and potentially exacerbate broader societal tensions (UN Global Compact, 2013). Therefore, this paper addresses a clear socio-economic need.

Originality/value

Controversy over the use of religious symbols in the workplace has generated considerable international media attention, but has been neglected by cross-cultural management research.
The opportunity model of organizational commitment
Authors: Cicekli Elif , Kabasakal Hayat
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the relationships between promotion, development, and recognition opportunities at work and organizational commitment, and whether these relationships are moderated by the job opportunities employees have in other organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

An opportunity model of organizational commitment is developed based on social exchange theory and several streams of opportunity research. Factor analyses and hierarchical multiple regression analyses are carried out to test the hypotheses using data from 550 white-collar employees.

Findings

The results of the analyses show that opportunities for development and recognition are predictors of organizational commitment, that job opportunities employees have in other organizations negatively moderate the relationship between recognition opportunity at work and organizational commitment, and that promotion opportunity does not predict organizational commitment.

Research limitations/implications

Future researchers could study the issue in the context of other cultures using data from multiple sources.

Practical implications

Employers who seek to increase their employees’ organizational commitment are advised to divert their energies from struggling to create promotion opportunities for their employees to creating opportunities for development and recognition.

Originality/value

The study explores the under-researched concept of opportunity at work and connects several streams of opportunity research by drawing on social exchange theory as a theoretical framework. The model is the first to address the effects of opportunity and alternative opportunities on organizational commitment.