bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulating Pedigrees Ascertained for Multiple Disease-Affected Relatives
Authors: Nieuwoudt Christina , Jones Samantha J. , Brooks-Wilson Angela , Graham Jinko
Published: December 2017

Background:Studies that ascertain families containing multiple relatives affected by disease can be useful for identification of causal, rare variants from next-generation sequencing data.

Results:We present the R packageSimRVPedigree, which allows researchers to simulate pedigrees ascertained on the basis of multiple, affected relatives. By incorporating the ascertainment process in the simulation,SimRVPedigreeallows researchers to better understand the within-family patterns of relationship amongst affected individuals and ages of disease onset.

Conclusions:Through simulation, we show that affected members of a family segregating a rare disease variant tend to be more numerous and cluster in relationships more closely than those for sporadic disease. We also show that the family ascertainment process can lead to apparent anticipation in the age of onset. Finally, we use simulation to gain insight into the limit on the proportion of ascertained families segregating a causal variant.SimRVPedigreeshould be useful to investigators seeking insight into the family-based study design through simulation.
Sex differences in fear discrimination do not manifest as differences in conditioned inhibition
Authors: Foilb Allison R. , Bals Julia , Sarlitto Mary C. , Christianson John P.
Published: December 2017

Distinguishing safety from danger is necessary for survival, but is aberrant in individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While PTSD is more prevalent in women than men, research on sex differences in safety learning is limited. Here, female rats demonstrated greater fear discrimination than males in a CS+/CS− paradigm. To determine if this sex difference transferred to fear inhibition, rats were tested for conditioned inhibition in a summation test with the CS+ and CS− presented in compound; no sex difference emerged. The results suggest sex differences in the neural mechanisms of discrimination learning but not recall of a fear inhibitor.
Crystal structure of (S)-5-chloro-N-({2-oxo-3-[4-(3-oxomorpholin-4-yl)phenyl]oxazolidin-5-yl}methyl)thiophene-2-carboxamide
Authors: Shen Jie , Tang Gu-Ping , Hu Xiu-Rong
Published: December 2017

The asymmetric unit of the crystal of the title compound (common name rivaroxaban), C19H18ClN3O5, contains two rivaroxaban molecules with different conformations; the C—C—N—C torsion angles between the oxazolidine and thiophene rings are −171.1 (7) and −106.8 (9)° in the two independent molecules. In the crystal, classical N—H...O hydrogen bonds and weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture.
The Great Exodus
Authors: Cai Fang
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the process of rural labor reallocation and unfolds its growth effect through sufficiently supplying human resources, preventing diminishing return to capital, and increasing labor productivity.

Design/methodology/approach

The author surveys literature and statistics related to the subject to comprehensively picture the 40-year course of the shift and reallocation of agricultural surplus labor.

Findings

In the past 40 years, reforms in relevant areas have eliminated institutional barriers deterring labor mobility and allowed agricultural laborers to exit from low-productivity farming employment, migrate beyond rural-urban boundary and across regions, sectors, and ownerships, and enter higher productivity employment in non-agricultural sectors. As a result, resources allocative efficiency has been substantially improved, contributing a significant part to labor productivity growth and thus economic growth of the Chinese economy as a whole.

Social implications

To sustain this source of economic growth as far as China completes its transition from upper-middle income status to high-income status, deepening reforms is urgently needed. The author provides policy suggestions for further reform.

Originality/value

This paper enhances people’s understanding of the Chinese economic reform and its nature of efficiency and inclusion.
A sustainable quality assessment model for the information delivery in E-learning systems
Authors: Farid Shahid , Ahmad Rodina , Alam Mujahid , Akbar Atif , Chang Victor
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to propose a sustainable quality assessment approach (model) for the e-learning systems keeping software perspective under consideration. E-learning is becoming mainstream due to its accessibility, state-of-the-art learning, training ease and cost effectiveness. However, the poor quality of e-learning systems is one of the major causes of several failures reported. Moreover, this arena lacks well-defined quality assessment measures. Hence, it is quite difficult to measure the overall quality of an e-learning system effectively.

Design/methodology/approach

A pragmatic mixed-model philosophy was adopted for this study. A systematic literature review was performed to identify existing e-learning quality models and frameworks. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with e-learning experts following empirical investigations to identify the crucial quality characteristics of e-learning systems. Various statistical tests like principal component analysis, logistic regression, chi-square and analysis of means were applied to analyze the empirical data. These led to an adequate set of quality indicators that can be used by higher education institutions to assure the quality of e-learning systems.

Findings

A sustainable quality assessment model for the information delivery in e-learning systems in software perspective has been proposed by exploring the state-of-the-art quality assessment/evaluation models and frameworks proposed for the e-learning systems. The proposed model can be used to assess and improve the process of information discovery and delivery of e-learning.

Originality/value

The results obtained led to conclude that very limited attention is given to the quality of e-learning tools despite the importance of quality and its effect on e-learning system adoption and promotion. Moreover, the identified models and frameworks do not adequately address quality of e-learning systems from a software perspective.
Encouraging shoplifting prevention with quality relationships
Authors: Potdar Balkrushna , Guthrie John , Gnoth Juergen
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The cost to supermarkets from shoplifting is a growing problem. Despite huge investments in formal security measures, supermarkets experience shrinkage and face heavy financial losses. Hence, this paper explores an alternative approach to shoplifting prevention. The purpose of this paper is to propose that quality relationships between a supermarket and its customers could be a viable strategy for shoplifting prevention. A conceptual model is presented at the end of this paper for encouraging shoplifting prevention using a theory of planned behaviour perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic search of literature on relationship quality was conducted. Research papers were shortlisted from peer-reviewed journals published between 2007 and 2016. For the convenience of readers, studies on relationship quality are presented in six cross-checked information categories in a table.

Findings

This study produced two results. First, it finds three antecedents of supermarket-customer relationship quality. These are as follows: a supermarket’s participation in corporate social responsibility and cause-related marketing initiatives, a supermarket’s service quality, and a customer’s attachment to a supermarket’s place/location. Second, there are three major effective dimensions of relationship quality. These are as follows: satisfaction, trust, and commitment. The proposed model incorporates factors from both findings, to measure a supermarket-customer relationship quality that may influence intention of customers to engage in shoplifting preventive behaviour.

Originality/value

This research paper has reviewed the existing literature to utilise it in the context of shoplifting prevention, and developed a novel model/framework for effective shoplifting prevention with a theory of planned behaviour perspective.
Real-time velocity scaling and obstacle avoidance for industrial robots using fuzzy dynamic movement primitives and virtual impedances
Authors: Kardan Iman , Akbarzadeh Alireza , Mousavi Mohammadi Ali
Published: December 2017

Purpose

This paper aims to increase the safety of the robots’ operation by developing a novel method for real-time implementation of velocity scaling and obstacle avoidance as the two widely accepted safety increasing concepts.

Design/methodology/approach

A fuzzy version of dynamic movement primitive (DMP) framework is proposed as a real-time trajectory generator with imbedded velocity scaling capability. Time constant of the DMP system is determined by a fuzzy system which makes decisions based on the distance from obstacle to the robot’s workspace and its velocity projection toward the workspace. Moreover, a combination of the DMP framework with a human-like steering mechanism and a novel configuration of virtual impedances is proposed for real-time obstacle avoidance.

Findings

The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method in real-time implementation of the velocity scaling and obstacle avoidance concepts in different cases of single and multiple stationary obstacles as well as moving obstacles.

Practical implications

As the provided experiments indicate, the proposed method can effectively increase the real-time safety of the robots’ operations. This is achieved by developing a simple method with low computational loads.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a novel method for real-time implementation of velocity scaling and obstacle avoidance concepts. This method eliminates the need for modification of original DMP formulation. The velocity scaling concept is implemented by using a fuzzy system to adjust the DMP’s time constant. Furthermore, the novel impedance configuration makes it possible to obtain a non-oscillatory convergence to the desired path, in all degrees of freedom.
Sustainable regeneration project delivery in UK
Authors: Akotia Julius , Opoku Alex
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the key practitioners’ level of involvement in the delivery of sustainable regeneration projects in the UK. Practitioners’ level of involvement is a major factor that has and continues to determine the delivery of sustainability outcomes of regeneration projects.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopted a qualitative study that obtained data from 21 key practitioners through semi-structured interviews in exploring practitioners’ level of involvement in the delivery of sustainable regeneration projects in the UK. The semi-structured interviews are conducted with seven practitioners, each from the three construction organisations selected through a purposive sampling approach for the study.

Findings

The findings identify varied levels of involvement of the key practitioners at the three delivery stages – early, construction and post-construction of the projects. The findings further reveal that clients’ representatives, commercial managers and architects are the most frequently involved practitioners during the early stages of the projects. The findings also indicate that practitioners who have sustainability assigned to their roles and their responsibilities, such as sustainability managers, are the least involved in all the three delivery stages of the projects.

Research limitations/implications

The study involves interview with 21 practitioners from three organisations delivering sustainable regeneration projects; hence, this could limit the generalisation of the research findings. However, the findings of this study could serve as a useful source of information for the further study in this area.

Practical implications

The paper is of the view that the level of key practitioners’ involvement in the delivery of the projects will have an impact on their knowledge and will determine how sustainability benefits are promoted and delivered from the projects.

Originality/value

Although some studies have been carried out on practitioners’ engagement in the delivery of “normal” construction projects, none has focussed on practitioners’ levels of involvement in sustainable regeneration projects. Hence, this study has brought to the fore how the key practitioners tasked with the responsibilities of delivering sustainability benefits of regeneration projects have been involved (at various levels of the project life cycle) in the delivery of these projects.
Disentangling resilience, agility and leanness
Authors: Lotfi Maryam , Saghiri Soroosh
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Regarding today’s volatile and turbulent markets accompanied by natural disasters and political upheavals, being resilient has become crucially important for many firms. It is widely accepted that the firm’s operations need to be cost efficient as well as customer responsive. Lean and agile have been proven to be pertinent strategies toward efficiency and responsiveness. But the operations also need to be resilient against disruptions to quickly return to their original state or even a better one. While the question of how leanness and agility impact operational performance outcomes has been researched, the question of how resilience can boost operational performance outcomes is yet to be investigated. The purpose of this paper is to show how resilience is distinguished from leanness and agility. It then examines the impact of resilience, along with leanness and agility, on operational performance outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

A structural model is drawn up based on the literature to relate lean, agile and resilient practices to performance outcomes. Leanness, agility and resilience are measured through bundles of practices and operational performance outcomes are measured in terms of cost, quality, delivery, flexibility and time to recovery. The model is tested using SPSS 19 and AMOS 19 based on the data collected via survey from a sample of 151 automotive parts suppliers.

Findings

The results show that a higher level of resilience will lead to a better performance in terms of delivery, cost and time to recovery, while it does not have a significant impact on flexibility performance. Regarding leanness, the results confirm that lean operations positively affect cost, delivery and flexibility performances. The results also reject the hypothesis stating that higher level of leanness will lead to worse recovery performance, inferring that higher level of leanness leads to better time to recovery performance (i.e. helps time to recovery reduction).

Originality/value

The present research emphasizes the importance of operations resilience and demonstrates its contribution, alongside leanness and agility, to operational performance. The developed structural model contributes to the nascent theories around resilience, and the use of empirical data makes the results valuable practically. This may inform operations strategy decisions in terms of the results expected from resilience, leanness and agility.
Seeing like a tourist city: how administrative constructions of conflictive urban tourism shape its future
Authors: Sommer Christoph , Helbrecht Ilse
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the administrative problematisations of conflict-prone urban tourism (e.g. noise) as political processes predetermining the future of city tourism. It is shaped by today’s administrative ways of knowing increasing visitor pressure as an issue for urban (tourism) development.

Design/methodology/approach

The problematisation of conflictive urban tourism in Berlin is used as case study and lens to analyse how administrative bodies see conflictive tourism like a tourist city. Drawing on Mariana Valverde’s idea of Seeing Like a City (2011), the paper demonstrates how disparate governmental bodies see and reduce the complexity of conflicts resulting from tourism in order to handle it. The authors use policy documents as the basis for the analysis.

Findings

The paper provides empirical insights about how political knowledge on urban tourism conflicts is produced in Berlin. The marginalisation of these conflicts on the federal state level seemingly aces out the calls for action on the borough level (Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg). According to these disparate modes of problematisation, older and younger governmental gazes on conflictive tourism and its future relevance interrelate in contingent combination.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the existing urban tourism literature, by focussing on the definition of policy problems by governmental bodies as powerfully linked to the availability of solutions.
Affect and cognition, part 1: “cross-fire” interaction model
Authors: Fink Gerhard , Yolles Maurice
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop a generic cultural socio-cognitive trait theory of a “plural affect agency” (the emotional organisation). Interaction between the cognitive and the affective personality is modelled.

Design/methodology/approach

James Gross’ (1988) model of Emotion Regulation is integrated with Normative Personality Theory in the context of Mindset Agency Theory: The agency has a “cognitive system” and an emotion regulating “affective system” which interact (Fink and Yolles, 2015).

Findings

Processes of emotion regulation pass through three stages: “Identification”, “Elaboration” and “Execution”. In a social environment, emotions are expressed through actions. The results of actions (feedback, goal achievement) are assessed through affective operative intelligence in the light of pursued goals.

Research limitations/implications

The theory will provide guidance for analysis of cultural differentiation within social systems (e.g. societies or organisations), with reference to identification, elaboration and execution of “emotion knowledge”.

Practical implications

Understanding interdependencies between cognition and emotion regulation is a prerequisite of managerial intelligence and strategic cultural intelligence, in demand for interaction and integration processes across social systems.

Originality/Value

The model provides a framework which links emotion expression and emotion regulation with cognition analysis. In part 2 of this paper, based on this theory a typology can be developed which for given contexts allowsex anteexpectations of typical patterns of behaviour to be identified.
Planning to fail? Leveraging the Olympic bid
Authors: Bason Tom , Grix Jonathan
Published: December 2017

Purpose

In recent years, there has been a decline in the number of cities seeking to host the Olympic Games, with several cities withdrawing from the bid process following referenda. The debate around bidding have hinged on the costs and benefits of hosting events, with little consideration as to the benefits of a bid itself. The purpose of this paper is to identify the ways in which Olympic bids be leveraged for positive outcomes, regardless of the outcomes of the bid.

Design/methodology/approach

This research employs a content analysis, examining the 16 bid responses to the question in the International Olympic Committee Candidate questionnaire: “What will be the benefits of bidding for the Olympic Games for your city/region, irrespective of the outcome of the bid?”.

Findings

This research found that bid cities do attempt to use the Olympic bid process as a leveraging resource, with four unique opportunities arising from this; national and city pride, Olympism, the formation of networks, and global focus. These provide the opportunities for Olympic bid cities to achieve the following strategic objectives: nation and community building, sport participation, business opportunities, enhancing image and profile, and to push through infrastructural projects.

Originality/value

There has been little consideration as to the ways an Olympic bid can be used to leverage positive outcomes for a city or a nation, and therefore this research contributes to the literature on leveraging mega-events. The research also has practical value, in providing potential bidders with information regarding positive outcomes whether the bid is successful or not.
Public acceptance of residential solar photovoltaic technology in Malaysia
Authors: Ahmad Salman , Mat Tahar Razman bin , Cheng Jack Kie , Yao Liu
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Gaining independence from fossil fuels and combating climate change are the main factors to increase the generation of electricity from renewable fuels. Amongst the renewable technologies, solar photovoltaic (PV) is believed to have the largest potential. However, the number of people adopting solar PV technologies is still relatively low. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine the household consumers’ acceptance of solar PV technology being installed on their premises.

Design/methodology/approach

To examine the solar PV technology acceptance, this study uses technology acceptance model (TAM) as a reference framework. A survey was conducted to gather data and to validate the research model. Out of 780 questionnaires distributed across Malaysia, 663 were returned and validated.

Findings

The analysis revealed that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and attitude to use significantly influenced behavioural intention to use solar PV technology.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes by extending the understanding of public inclination towards the adoption of solar PV technology. Also, this study contributes in identifying the areas which need to be examined further. However, collecting data from urban peninsular Malaysian respondents only limits the generalization of the results.

Practical implications

On the policy front, this study reveals that governmental support is needed to trigger PV acceptance.

Originality/value

This paper uses TAM to analyse the uptake of solar PV technology in Malaysian context.
Effects of endovascular cooling on infarct size in ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction: A patient‐level pooled analysis from randomized trials
Authors: Dae Michael , O'Neill William , Grines Cindy , Dixon Simon , Erlinge David , Noc Marko , Holzer Michael , Dee Anne
Published: December 2017

Objectives

This study sought to examine the relationship between temperature at reperfusion and infarct size.

Background

Hypothermia consistently reduces infarct size when administered prior to reperfusion in animal studies, however, clinical results have been inconsistent.

Methods

We performed a patient‐level pooled analysis from six randomized control trials of endovascular cooling during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in 629 patients in which infarct size was assessed within 1 month after randomization by either single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) or cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMR).

Results

In anterior infarct patients, after controlling for variability between studies, mean infarct size in controls was 21.3 (95%CI 17.4‐25.3) and in patients with hypothermia <35°C it was 14.8 (95%CI 10.1‐19.6), which was a statistically significant absolute reduction of 6.5%, or a 30% relative reduction in infarct size (P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in infarct size in anterior ≥35°C, or inferior infarct patients. There was no difference in the incidence of death, ventricular arrhythmias, or re‐infarction due to stent thrombosis between hypothermia and control patients.

Conclusions

The present study, drawn from a patient‐level pooled analysis of six randomized trials of endovascular cooling during primary PCI in STEMI, showed a significant reduction in infarct size in patients with anterior STEMI who were cooled to <35°C at the time of reperfusion. The results support the need for trials in patients with anterior STEMI using more powerful cooling devices to optimize the delivery of hypothermia prior to reperfusion.
DDES Analysis of the Wake Vortex Related Unsteadiness and Losses in the Environment of a High-Pressure Turbine Stage
Authors: Lin Dun , Su Xinrong , Yuan Xin
Published: December 2017

In this work, the flows inside a high-pressure turbine (HPT) vane and stage are studied with a delayed detached eddy simulation (DDES) code. The fundamental nozzle/blade interaction is investigated with special attention paid to the development and transportation of the vane wake vortices. There are two motivations for this work. First, the extreme HPT operation conditions, including both transonic Mach numbers and high Reynolds numbers, impose a great challenge to modern computational fluid dynamics (CFD), especially for scale-resolved simulation methods. An accurate and efficient high-fidelity CFD solver is very important for a thorough understanding of the flow physics and the design of more efficient HPT. Second, the periodic wake vortex shedding is an important origin of turbine losses and unsteadiness. The wake and vortices not only cause losses themselves, but also interact with the shock wave (under transonic working condition), pressure waves, and have a strong impact on the downstream blade surface (affecting boundary layer transition and heat transfer). Based on one of our previous DDES simulations of a HPT vane, this work further investigates the development and length characteristics of the wake vortices, provides explanations for the length characteristics, and reveals the transportation of the wake vortices in the downstream rotor passages along with its impact on the downstream aero-thermal performance.
Working-Fluid Replacement in Supersonic Organic Rankine Cycle Turbines
Authors: White Martin T. , Markides Christos N. , Sayma Abdulnaser I.
Published: December 2017

In this paper, the effect of working-fluid replacement within an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) turbine is investigated by evaluating the performance of two supersonic stators operating with different working fluids. After designing the two stators, intended for operation with R245fa and Toluene with stator exit absolute Mach numbers of 1.4 and 1.7, respectively, the performance of each stator is evaluated using ANSYS cfx. Based on the principle that the design of a given stator is dependent on the amount of flow turning, it is hypothesized that a stator's design point can be scaled to alternative working fluids by conserving the Prandtl–Meyer function and the polytropic index within the nozzle. A scaling method is developed and further computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations for the scaled operating points verify that the Mach number distributions within the stator, and the nondimensional velocity triangles at the stator exit, remain unchanged. This confirms that the method developed can predict stator performance following a change in the working fluid. Finally, a study investigating the effect of working-fluid replacement on the thermodynamic cycle is completed. The results show that the same turbine could be used in different systems with power outputs varying between 17 and 112 kW, suggesting the potential of matching the same turbine to multiple heat sources by tailoring the working fluid selected. This further implies that the same turbine design could be deployed in different applications, thus leading to economy-of-scale improvements.
Analytical Upper Limit of Drag Reduction With Polymer Additives in Turbulent Pipe Flow
Authors: Zhang Xin , Duan Xili , Muzychka Yuri
Published: December 2017

Flow drag reduction induced by chemical additives, more commonly called drag-reducing agents (DRAs), has been studied for many years, but few studies can manifest the mechanism of this phenomenon. In this paper, a new mathematical model is proposed to predict the upper limit of drag reduction with polymer DRAs in a turbulent pipe flow. The model is based on the classic finitely extensible nonlinear elastic-Peterlin (FENE-P) theory, with the assumption that all vortex structures disappear in the turbulent flow, i.e., complete laminarization is achieved. With this model, the maximum drag reduction by a DRA at a given concentration can be predicted directly with several parameters, i.e., bulk velocity of the fluid, pipe size, and relaxation time of the DRA. Besides, this model indicates that both viscosity and elasticity contribute to the drag reduction: before a critical concentration, both viscosity and elasticity affect the drag reduction positively; after this critical concentration, elasticity still works as before but viscosity affects drag reduction negatively. This study also proposes a correlation format between drag reduction measured in a rheometer and that estimated in a pipeline. This provides a convenient way of pipeline drag reduction estimation with viscosity and modulus of the fluids that can be easily measured in a rheometer.
Dynamic Hydrostatic Pressure Regulates Nucleus Pulposus Phenotypic Expression and Metabolism in a Cell Density-Dependent Manner
Authors: Shah Bhranti S. , Chahine Nadeen O.
Published: December 2017

Dynamic hydrostatic pressure (HP) loading can modulate nucleus pulposus (NP) cell metabolism, extracellular matrix (ECM) composition, and induce transformation of notochordal NP cells into mature phenotype. However, the effects of varying cell density and dynamic HP magnitude on NP phenotype and metabolism are unknown. This study examined the effects of physiological magnitudes of HP loading applied to bovine NP cells encapsulated within three-dimensional (3D) alginate beads. Study 1: seeding density (1 M/mL versus 4 M/mL) was evaluated in unloaded and loaded (0.1 MPa, 0.1 Hz) conditions. Study 2: loading magnitude (0, 0.1, and 0.6 MPa) applied at 0.1 Hz to 1 M/mL for 7 days was evaluated. Study 1: 4 M/mL cell density had significantly lower adenosine triphosphate (ATP), glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and collagen content, and increased lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). HP loading significantly increased ATP levels, and expression of aggrecan, collagen I, keratin-19, and N-cadherin in HP loaded versus unloaded groups. Study 2: aggrecan expression increased in a dose dependent manner with HP magnitude, whereas N-cadherin and keratin-19 expression were greatest in low HP loading compared to unloaded. Overall, the findings of the current study indicate that cell seeding density within a 3D construct is a critical variable influencing the mechanobiological response of NP cells to HP loading. NP mechanobiology and phenotypic expression was also found to be dependent on the magnitude of HP loading. These findings suggest that HP loading and culture conditions of NP cells may require complex optimization for engineering an NP replacement tissue.
The 14-3-3 Protein Homolog ArtA Regulates Development and Secondary Metabolism in the Opportunistic Plant Pathogen Aspergillus flavus
Authors: Ibarra Beatriz A. , Lohmar Jessica M. , Satterlee Timothy , McDonald Taylor , Cary Jeffrey W. , Calvo Ana M.
Published: December 2017

The opportunistic plant-pathogenic fungus
Aspergillus flavus
produces carcinogenic mycotoxins termed aflatoxins (AF). Aflatoxin contamination of agriculturally important crops, such as maize, peanut, sorghum, and tree nuts, is responsible for serious adverse health and economic impacts worldwide. In order to identify possible genetic targets to reduce AF contamination, we have characterized the
artA
gene, encoding a putative 14-3-3 homolog in
A. flavus
. The
artA
deletion mutant presents a slight decrease in vegetative growth and alterations in morphological development and secondary metabolism. Specifically,
artA
affects conidiation, and this effect is influenced by the type of substrate and culture condition. In addition, normal levels of
artA
are required for sclerotial development. Importantly,
artA
negatively regulates AF production as well as the concomitant expression of genes in the AF gene cluster. An increase in AF is also observed in seeds infected with the
A. flavus
strain lacking
artA
. Furthermore, the expression of other secondary metabolite genes is also
artA
dependent, including genes in the cyclopiazonic acid (CPA) and ustiloxin gene clusters, in this agriculturally important fungus.

IMPORTANCE
In the current study,
artA
, which encodes a 14-3-3 homolog, was characterized in the agriculturally and medically important fungus
Aspergillus flavus
, specifically, its possible role governing sporulation, formation of resistant structures, and secondary metabolism. The highly conserved
artA
is necessary for normal fungal morphogenesis in an environment-dependent manner, affecting the balance between production of conidiophores and the formation of resistant structures that are necessary for the dissemination and survival of this opportunistic pathogen. This study reports a 14-3-3 protein affecting secondary metabolism in filamentous fungi. Importantly,
artA
regulates the biosynthesis of the potent carcinogenic compound aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) as well as the production of other secondary metabolites.
Immunoproteasome Subunits Are Required for CD8
+
T Cell Function and Host Resistance to Brucella abortus Infection in Mice
Authors: Guimarães Gabriela , Gomes Marco Túlio R. , Campos Priscila C. , Marinho Fabio V. , de Assis Natan R. G. , Silveira Tatiana N. , Oliveira Sergio C.
Published: December 2017

The immunoproteasome is a specific proteasome isoform composed of three subunits, termed β1i, β2i, and β5i. Its proteolytic activity enhances the quantity and quality of peptides to be presented by major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules to CD8
+
T cells. However, the role of the combined deficiency of the three immunoproteasome subunits in protective immunity against bacterial pathogens has not been investigated. In this study, we addressed the role of the immunoproteasome during infection by
Brucella abortus
, an intracellular bacterium that requires CD8
+
T cell responses for the control of infection. Here, we demonstrate that immunoproteasome triple-knockout (TKO) mice were more susceptible to
Brucella
infection. This observed susceptibility was accompanied by reduced interferon gamma (IFN-γ) production by mouse CD4
+
and CD8
+
T lymphocytes. Moreover, the absence of the immunoproteasome had an impact on MHC-I surface expression and antigen presentation by dendritic cells. CD8
+
T cell function, which plays a pivotal role in
B. abortus
immunity, also presented a partial impairment of granzyme B expression and, consequently, reduced cytotoxic activity. In conclusion, these results strongly suggest that immunoproteasome subunits are important components in host resistance to
B. abortus
infection by impacting both the magnitude and quality of CD8
+
T cell responses.
Baerveldt shunt surgery versus combined Baerveldt shunt and phacoemulsification: a prospective comparative study
Authors: El Wardani Mohamad , Bergin Ciara , Bradly Kenza , Sharkawi Eamon
Published: December 2017

Aim

To examine the efficacy and safety of Baerveldt tube (BT) implantation compared with combined phacoemulsification and Baerveldt tube (PBT) implantation in patients with refractory glaucoma.

Methods

Seventy-six eyes of 76 patients were enrolled, 38 pseudophakic eyes underwent BT implantation alone and 38 phakic eyes underwent the BT implantation combined with phacoemulsification. Groups were matched for preoperative intraocular pressure (IOP) and number of glaucoma medications. Preoperative and postoperative measures recorded included patient demographics, visual acuity (VA), IOP, number of antiglaucoma medications and all complications. Patients were followed up for a minimum of 36 months. Failure was defined as: inadequate IOP control (IOP≤5 mm Hg/>21 mm Hg/<20% reduction from baseline, reoperation for glaucoma, loss of light perception vision, or removal of the implant).

Results

There was a significant difference in failure rates between groups at 36 months (PBT 37% vs BT 15%, P=0.02). There was no significant difference for PBT versus BT in preoperative baseline ocular characteristics. At 36 months: median IOP=14 mm Hg vs 12 mm Hg, P=0.04; mean number of antiglaucomatous medications=1.7 vs 1.3, P=0.61; median VA=0.8 vs 0.7, P=0.44. Postoperative complication rates were similar in both groups (n=5 vs 5; 13% vs 13%).

Conclusions

Failure rates were significantly greater in the PBT group at 3 years. Median IOP was also significantly higher in the PBT group. These results suggest that combining phacoemulsification with aqueous shunt surgery may have a negative effect on long-term shunt bleb survival.
Evidence assessing the diagnostic performance of medical smartphone apps: a systematic review and exploratory meta-analysis
Authors: Buechi Rahel , Faes Livia , Bachmann Lucas M , Thiel Michael A , Bodmer Nicolas S , Schmid Martin K , Job Oliver , Lienhard Kenny R
Published: December 2017

Objective

The number of mobile applications addressing health topics is increasing. Whether these apps underwent scientific evaluation is unclear. We comprehensively assessed papers investigating the diagnostic value of available diagnostic health applications using inbuilt smartphone sensors.

Methods

Systematic Review—MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science inclusive Medical Informatics and Business Source Premier (by citation of reference) were searched from inception until 15 December 2016. Checking of reference lists of review articles and of included articles complemented electronic searches. We included all studies investigating a health application that used inbuilt sensors of a smartphone for diagnosis of disease. The methodological quality of 11 studies used in an exploratory meta-analysis was assessed with the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 tool and the reporting quality with the ’STAndards for the Reporting of Diagnostic accuracy studies' (STARD) statement. Sensitivity and specificity of studies reporting two-by-two tables were calculated and summarised.

Results

We screened 3296 references for eligibility. Eleven studies, most of them assessing melanoma screening apps, reported 17 two-by-two tables. Quality assessment revealed high risk of bias in all studies. Included papers studied 1048 subjects (758 with the target conditions and 290 healthy volunteers). Overall, the summary estimate for sensitivity was 0.82 (95 % CI 0.56 to 0.94) and 0.89 (95 %CI 0.70 to 0.97) for specificity.

Conclusions

The diagnostic evidence of available health apps on Apple’s and Google’s app stores is scarce. Consumers and healthcare professionals should be aware of this when using or recommending them.

PROSPERO registration number

42016033049.
Effects of perioperative briefing and debriefing on patient safety: a prospective intervention study
Authors: Leong Katharina Brigitte Margarethe Siew , Hanskamp-Sebregts Mirelle , van der Wal Raymond A , Wolff Andre P
Published: December 2017

Objectives

This study was carried out to improve patient safety in the operating theatre by the introduction of perioperative briefing and debriefing, which focused on an optimal collaboration between surgical team members.

Design

A prospective intervention study with one pretest and two post-test measurements: 1 month before and 4 months and 2.5 years after the implementation of perioperative briefing and debriefing, respectively.

Setting

Operating theatres of a tertiary care hospital with 875 beds in the Netherlands.

Participants

All members of five surgical teams participated in the perioperative briefing and debriefing.

Intervention

The implementation of perioperative briefing and debriefing from July 2012 to January 2014.

Primary and secondary outcomes

The primary outcome was changes in the team climate, measured by the Team Climate Inventory. Secondary outcomes were the experiences of surgical teams with perioperative briefing and debriefing, measured with a structured questionnaire, and the duration of the briefings, measured by an independent observer.

Results

Two and a half years after the introduction of perioperative briefing and debriefing, the team climate increased statistically significant (p≤0.05). Members of the five surgical teams strongly agreed with the positive influence of perioperative briefing and debriefing on clear agreements and reminding one another of the agreements of the day. They perceived a higher efficiency of the surgical programme with more operations starting on time and less unexpectedly long operation time. The perioperative briefing took less than 4 min to conduct.

Conclusions

Perioperative briefing and debriefing improved the team climate of surgical teams and the efficiency of their work within the operating theatre with acceptable duration per briefing. Surgical teams with alternating team compositions have the most benefit of briefing and debriefing.
Informatics competencies for nurse leaders: protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Kassam Iman , Nagle Lynn , Strudwick Gillian
Published: December 2017

Introduction

Globally, health information technologies are now being used by nurses in a variety of settings. However, nurse leaders often do not have the necessary strategic and tactical informatics competencies to adequately ensure their effective adoption and use. Although informatics competencies and competency frameworks have been identified and developed, to date there has not been review or consolidation of the work completed in this area. In order to address this gap, a scoping review is being conducted. The objectives of this scoping review are to: (1) identify informatics competencies of relevance to nurse leaders, (2) identify frameworks or theories that have been used to develop informatics competencies for nurse leaders, (3) identify instruments used to assess the informatics competencies of nurse leaders and (4) examine the psychometric properties of identified instruments.

Methods

Using the Arksey and O’Malley five-step framework, a literature review will be conducted using a scoping review methodology. The search will encompass academic and grey literature and include two primary databases and five secondary databases. Identified studies and documents will be independently screened for eligibility by two reviewers. Data from the studies and documents will be extracted and compiled into a chart. Qualitative data will be subject to a thematic analysis and descriptive statistics applied to the quantitative data.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval was not required for this study. Results will be used to inform a future study designed to validate an instrument used to evaluate informatics competencies for nurse leaders within a Canadian context.
Whole-genome sequencing reveals transmission of gonococcal antibiotic resistance among men who have sex with men: an observational study
Authors: Kwong Jason C , Chow Eric P F , Stevens Kerrie , Stinear Timothy P , Seemann Torsten , Fairley Christopher K , Chen Marcus Y , Howden Benjamin P
Published: December 2017

Objectives

Drug-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae are now a global public health threat. Direct transmission of antibiotic-resistant gonococci between individuals has been proposed as a driver for the increased transmission of resistance, but direct evidence of such transmission is limited. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) has superior resolution to investigate outbreaks and disease transmission compared with traditional molecular typing methods such as multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and N. gonorrhoeae multiantigen sequence (NG-MAST). We therefore aimed to systematically investigate the transmission of N. gonorrhoeae between men in sexual partnerships using WGS to compare isolates and their resistance to antibiotics at a genome level.

Methods

458 couples from a large prospective cohort of men who have sex with men (MSM) tested for gonorrhoea together between 2005 and 2014 were included, and WGS was conducted on all isolates from couples where both men were culture-positive for N. gonorrhoeae. Resistance-determining sequences were identified from genome assemblies, and comparison of isolates between and within individuals was performed by pairwise single nucleotide polymorphism and pangenome comparisons, and in silico predictions of NG-MAST and MLST.

Results

For 33 of 34 (97%; 95% CI 85% to 100%) couples where both partners were positive for gonorrhoea, the resistance-determining genes and mutations were identical in isolates from each partner (94 isolates in total). Resistance determinants in isolates from 23 of 23 (100%; 95% CI 86% to 100%) men with multisite infections were also identical within an individual. These partner and within-host isolates were indistinguishable by NG-MAST, MLST and whole genomic comparisons.

Conclusions

These data support the transmission of antibiotic-resistant strains between sexual partners as a key driver of resistance rates in gonorrhoea among MSM. This improved understanding of the transmission dynamics of N. gonorrhoeae between sexual partners will inform treatment and prevention guidelines.
U–Pb geochronology and trace element composition of zircon from the Horseshoe Lake greenstone belt, Superior Province, Canada: implications for the tectonic and metamorphic history
Authors: Kelly C.J. , Schneider D.A. , Lajoie M.-È. , Jackson S.E. , McFarlane C.R.
Published: December 2017

Depth profile techniques for U–Pb geochronology and rare earth element (REE) geochemistry were conducted on unpolished, Archean zircon with metasomatic rims from metasedimentary rocks within the Horseshoe Lake greenstone belt, western Superior Province, Canada. These zircon crystals are shown to have isotopically distinct rims (typically <5 μm thick) compared with the interiors of the crystal. Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) U–Pb depth profile analyses of the rims define two different 207Pb/206Pb age populations at ca. 2920 and 2869 Ma, which are >100 million years younger than the cores. The 207Pb/206Pb rim ages can be temporally correlated with regional magmatism and with a later, potentially Au-bearing, hydrothermal event synchronous with greenschist-facies metamorphism and regional deformation. Notably, the zircons do not record evidence of local ca. 2741–2715 Ma magmatism manifested by the emplacement of a quartz–feldspar porphyry dike swarm. Laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (LA–ICP–MS) REE depth profile analyses on the same unpolished zircon show that the rims are commonly characterized by low Th/U ratios, elevated Hf, and variable REE concentrations in comparison with the interior of the grains. The variations in rim and core chemistry suggest that these elements, along with common Pb, were mobilized by fluids and interacted with zircon in the metasediments, resulting in the production of the metasomatic rims. In summary, this paper shows that depth profiling techniques applied to unpolished zircon can be useful to elucidate the tectonic, and potentially metallogenic, history of a complex Archean terrane.
On a Conjecture by Christian Choffrut
Authors: Belovs Aleksandrs , Montoya J. Andres , Yakaryılmaz Abuzer
Published: December 2017

It is one of the most famous open problems to determine the minimum amount of states required by a deterministic finite automaton to distinguish a pair of strings, which was stated by Christian Choffrut more than thirty years ago.

We investigate the same question for different automata models and we obtain new upper and lower bounds for some of them including alternating, ultrametric, quantum, and affine finite automata.