bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge assimilation by employees in learning organizations
Authors: Marcus Tali , Shoham Snunith
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to examine the factors related to the employee as an individual, that affect the quality and level of the individual’s assimilation of knowledge (AOK) which is transmitted by way of organizational learning.

Design/methodology/approach

– All subjects (317) of this research were employed at different positions in day camps of a social organization. The study examined the subjects’ AOK relating to the organization’s security and safety procedures. The variables examined in this study include: the employee’s organizational commitment; the employee’s perception of the organization’s culture; the employee’s perception of the advantage inherent in the security and safety information; the employee’s self-efficacy; and the employee’s motivation to assimilate the new knowledge.

Findings

– The research variables explained a significant part (37 per cent) of the variance obtained with respect to assimilation and learning in the organization. The most powerful explanation for the variance in degree of implementation was the perception of the organization’s security and safety culture and the subject’s self-efficacy. Subjects’ perceived advantage from the knowledge did not make a significant contribution and motivation serves as a mediator but it does not mediate directly between the variables and AOK.

Research limitations/implications

– The research was conducted in a single organization. We recommend conducting similar studies in other organizations, including other types of organizations, to strengthen the conclusions which derive from our research. We also recommend that future research should use alternative methodologies (e.g. qualitative research and review of the results by experts) since other methodologies might reveal new facts that may have been uncovered in the use of the quantitative method applied in our research.

Practical implications

– We recommend that an organization which strives to be a learning organization, should pay attention, inter alia, to factors relating to the employees themselves, and in particular: increasing the employees’ self-efficacy, clarifying the benefits to the employee of the transmitted knowledge; and bringing the organization’s values and culture into clearer focus for the employees.

Originality/value

– The unique nature of our research model is twofold: first, the variables on which we have chosen to focus are different from other studies, and to our knowledge, the combination of these variables and the examination of these variables in relation to learning in the context of organizations have not been examined in other studies. Second, our model gauges the effects of an employee’s subjective perception with relation to his organization’s culture, his perceived advantage with regard to the subject-matter which he is learning and his self-assessed existing knowledge.
Stakeholder power and engagement in an English seaside context: implications for destination leadership
Authors: Kennedy Victoria , Augustyn Marcjanna M.
Published: November 2014

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine stakeholder power and engagement within an increasingly competitive English seaside resort setting. It aims to adopt a structuralist and functionalist perspective and develop an enabling conceptualisation of power that incorporates structural and agency components in stakeholders’ reasons for engaging. Based on the conceptual interdependencies between stakeholder power and engagement, this study aims to present the limitations of previous studies on destination leadership in this area, and this paper also seeks to discuss implications for destination leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

As a qualitative and exploratory study, mixed-method research was adopted using questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with destination stakeholders from a prominent tourism action group. The primary research was carried out in an English seaside resort between 2010 and 2011. Data are used to draw a stakeholder map as a visual tool.

Findings

Eight elements of enabling power are confirmed to be of importance in identifying stakeholder power and engagement. The level of power varies depending on stakeholders’ position within a network. These findings direct attention towards adopting a complexity leadership approach in an increasingly competitive destination environment.

Research limitations/implications

The paper focuses on an English seaside resort, although results can be transferred to other similar-sized destinations where the focus is on local tourism policy development.

Originality/value

The paper provides an innovative conceptualisation of power in stakeholder theory by drawing primarily on a sociological understanding of power as an enabler and not as an inhibitor for development, leadership and change in seaside resorts. This paper uses leadership theories to interpret data and infer implications for destination leadership.
Did the context of economic crisis affect the image of Portugal as a tourist destination?
Authors: de Serpa Soares André
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this article is to offer a response to the general proposed questions “Did the context of economic crisis affect the image of Portugal as a tourist destination? What were the answers and lessons learned?” from TAP Portugal perspective and what were, for the airline, the answers and lessons learned for the future.

Design/methodology/approach

– Major economic indicators in Portugal and Europe were compared with TAP numbers and Portuguese Travel and Tourism balance of payments.

Findings

– The image of Portugal as a tourist destination was not affected. Portugal managed to use the increase in international exposure to publicise itself for the right reasons. The key to future success lies on markets intelligence.

Originality/value

– This article constitutes an original viewpoint based on TAP market experience and may be useful for tourism and travel industry professionals, students and research community.
Did the context of economic crisis affect the image of Portugal as a tourist destination?
Authors: Nunes Adolfo Mesquita
Published: November 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to present the governmental perspective on the effects of the economic crisis on Portugal as a touristic destination.

Design/methodology/approach

– The main political decisions related to tourism were analysed and related to the sector’s present performance.

Findings

– Portugal’s public and private entities were able to use the crisis as an opportunity to increase the quality and competitiveness of the tourism sector and, as result, grow more than its main competitors.

Originality/value

– This paper concludes that there are still some challenges that the tourism sector faces, like the decline of the internal market and the level of prices, but overall, the sector has been showing signs of resilience that shall allow it to overcome its main issues.
Hot spots of mutualistic networks
Authors: Gilarranz Luis J. , Sabatino Malena , Aizen Marcelo A. , Bascompte Jordi
Published: November 2014

Incorporating interactions into a biogeographical framework may serve to understand how interactions and the services they provide are distributed in space.

We begin by simulating the spatiotemporal dynamics of realistic mutualistic networks inhabiting spatial networks of habitat patches. We proceed by comparing the predicted patterns with the empirical results of a set of pollination networks in isolated hills of the Argentinian Pampas.

We first find that one needs to sample up to five times as much area to record interactions as would be needed to sample the same proportion of species.

Secondly, we find that peripheral patches have fewer interactions and harbour less nested networks – therefore potentially less resilient communities – compared to central patches.

Our results highlight the important role played by the structure of dispersal routes on the spatial distribution of community patterns. This may help to understand the formation of biodiversity hot spots.
A feminist visualisation of the intimate spaces of security
Authors: Dowler Lorraine , Christian Jenna , Ranjbar Azita
Published: November 2014

Geographers have demonstrated how discourses and practices of security are unevenly experienced and mapped onto space, often paradoxically creating insecurities in people's lives. Yet, all too often, the fluid nature of power is difficult to articulate; the intimate is either eclipsed or treated as a passive victim of national and global processes. To draw attention to these erasures, feminist geographers have adopted geometric visualisations that prompt new questions about the importance of intimate spaces for understanding security. This paper highlights three visual motifs, by Katz, Pain and Smith, and Shalhoub‐Kevorkian, which we apply in our different fields of intimacy‐geopolitics.
Targeted microbubbles: a novel application for the treatment of kidney stones
Authors: Ramaswamy Krishna , Marx Vanessa , Laser Daniel , Kenny Thomas , Chi Thomas , Bailey Michael , Sorensen Mathew D. , Grubbs Robert H. , Stoller Marshall L.
Published: November 2014

Kidney stone disease is endemic. Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy was the first major technological breakthrough where focused shockwaves were used to fragment stones in the kidney or ureter. The shockwaves induced the formation of cavitation bubbles, whose collapse released energy at the stone, and the energy fragmented the kidney stones into pieces small enough to be passed spontaneously. Can the concept of microbubbles be used without the bulky machine? The logical progression was to manufacture these powerful microbubbles ex vivo and inject these bubbles directly into the collecting system. An external source can be used to induce cavitation once the microbubbles are at their target; the key is targeting these microbubbles to specifically bind to kidney stones. Two important observations have been established: (i) bisphosphonates attach to hydroxyapatite crystals with high affinity; and (ii) there is substantial hydroxyapatite in most kidney stones. The microbubbles can be equipped with bisphosphonate tags to specifically target kidney stones. These bubbles will preferentially bind to the stone and not surrounding tissue, reducing collateral damage. Ultrasound or another suitable form of energy is then applied causing the microbubbles to induce cavitation and fragment the stones. This can be used as an adjunct to ureteroscopy or percutaneous lithotripsy to aid in fragmentation. Randall's plaques, which also contain hydroxyapatite crystals, can also be targeted to pre‐emptively destroy these stone precursors. Additionally, targeted microbubbles can aid in kidney stone diagnostics by virtue of being used as an adjunct to traditional imaging methods, especially useful in high‐risk patient populations. This novel application of targeted microbubble technology not only represents the next frontier in minimally invasive stone surgery, but a platform technology for other areas of medicine.
Risk factors for dental caries in childhood: a five‐year survival analysis
Authors: Lee Hyo‐Jin , Kim Jin‐Bom , Jin Bo‐Hyoung , Paik Dai‐Il , Bae Kwang‐Hak
Published: November 2014

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to examine the risk factors of dental caries at the level of an individual person with survival analysis of the prospective data for 5 years.

Methods

A total of 249 first‐grade students participated in a follow‐up study for 5 years. All participants responded to a questionnaire inquiring about socio‐demographic variables and oral health behaviors. They also received an oral examination and were tested for Dentocult SM and LB. Over 5 years, the participants received yearly oral follow‐up examinations to determine the incidence of dental caries. The incidence of one or more dental caries (DC1) and four or more dental caries (DC4) were defined as one or more and four or more decayed, missing, and filled permanent teeth increments, respectively. Socio‐demographic variables, oral health behaviors, and status and caries activity tests were assessed as risk factors for DC1 and DC4. The adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) of risk factors for DC1 and DC4 were calculated using Cox proportional hazard regression models.

Results

During the 5‐year follow‐up period, DC1 and DC4 occurred in 87 and 25 participants, respectively. In multivariate hazard models, five or more decayed, missing, and filled primary molar teeth [HR 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19–3.13], and Dentocult LB of two or three (HR 2.21, 95% CI 1.37–3.56) were independent risk factors of DC1. For DC4, only Dentocult LB of two or three was an independent risk factor (HR 2.95, 95% CI 1.11–7.79).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that dental caries incidence at an individual level can be associated with the experience of dental caries in primary teeth and Dentocult LB based on the survival models for the 5‐year prospective data.
Association between neck ultrasonographic findings and clinico‐pathological features in the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Jang Eun Kyung , Kim Won Gu , Choi Yun Mi , Jeon Min Ji , Kwon Hyemi , Baek Jung Hwan , Lee Jeong Hyun , Kim Tae Yong , Shong Young Kee , Song Dong Eun , Kim Won Bae
Published: November 2014

Objective

The follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) has multiple histological subtypes. Clinical outcomes of FVPTC are variable depending on the subtypes. This study evaluated the association of pre‐operative ultrasonographic (US) findings and clinico‐pathological features of FVPTC.

Patients

This retrospective study enrolled patients with FVPTC (n = 70), size‐matched classical variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (CPTC, n = 328), follicular carcinoma (n = 85) and follicular adenoma (FA, n = 120). We defined the histological subtypes of FVPTC as infiltrative (I‐FVPTC; n = 19) or encapsulated (E‐FVPTC; n = 51) according to the presence of a fibrous capsule. Pre‐operative US was reviewed using a US scoring system and classified into low US score (n = 42) and high US score (n = 28).

Results

The median US score for FVPTC was lower than CPTC (2 vs 7, P < 0·001), but higher than FA (2 vs 0, P < 0·001). The median US score for I‐FVPTC was significantly higher than E‐FVPTC (4 vs 2, P = 0·009). I‐FVPTC was more likely to be diagnosed as a malignancy or suspicious for malignancy on cytology than E‐FVPTC (P = 0·002). The cumulative risks of cervical lymph node (LN) or distant metastasis according to tumour size were significantly higher in I‐FVPTC than E‐FVPTC (all P < 0·001). The cumulative risks for cervical LN metastasis or capsular invasion according to tumour size were significantly higher in FVPTC with high US score than FVPTC with low US score (P = 0·005, P < 0·001, respectively).

Conclusions

Pre‐operative US findings of thyroid nodules were associated with not only histological subtypes, but also the clinical behaviour in FVPTC.
Atypical retinopathy in patients with nephronophthisis type 1: an uncommon ophthalmological finding
Authors: Kang Hee Gyung , Ahn Yo Han , Kim Jeong Hun , Ha Il‐Soo , Yu Young Suk , Park Yong‐Hoon , Cheong Hae Il
Published: November 2014

Background

Progressive retinal degeneration without retinal pigmentation has been repeatedly observed in Korean nephronophthisis (NPHP) type 1 patients with a total homozygous deletion of NPHP1.

Design

Retrospective case series.

Participants

Patients with clinical diagnosis of NPHP and genetic diagnosis of total deletion of NPHP1 (n = 5) were included in this study.

Methods

Patients with clinical diagnosis of NPHP (n = 57) were screened for total deletion of NPHP1 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the 20 exons of NPHP1. The clinical and ophthalmological findings of NPHP type 1 patients were reviewed. Additionally, four exons of MALL, a gene adjacent to NPHP1, were amplified using PCR, and amplification failure was considered a homozygous deletion encompassing the corresponding exons.

Main Outcome Measure

Ophthalmological findings in NPHP type 1 patients.

Results

Five of 57 patients with clinical diagnosis of NPHP were diagnosed as having NPHP type 1 by genetic analysis. Chronic renal failure was diagnosed in these five patients at 7.9–15.4 years of age. All the patients with NPHP type 1 had progressive decline in visual acuity with various ages of onset (2–17 years). Ophthalmological examinations revealed unexpected findings of retinopathy with large or small flecks, which was compatible with Stargardt‐like retinopathy or albipunctatus retinopathy in majority of them (four of five). The genetic study revealed an additional deletion of exon 1 of the adjacent gene MALL.

Conclusions

We report the unexpectedly common retinal involvement of NPHP type 1 with an additional MALL deletion in a Korean cohort.
Evaluation of prognostic differences in elderly patients with pneumonia treated by between pulmonologists and non‐pulmonologists: a propensity score analysis
Authors: Komiya Kosaku , Oka Hiroaki , Ohama Minoru , Uchida Masahiro , Miyajima Hajime , Iwashita Tomohiko , Okabe Eiji , Shuto Osamu , Matsumoto Taisuke , Ishii Hiroshi , Kadota Jun‐ichi
Published: November 2014

Introduction

The incidence of pneumonia among elderly people is increasing in aged countries, and both pulmonologists and non‐pulmonologists treat such patients.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to assess prognostic differences between elderly patients treated by pulmonologists and those treated by non‐pulmonologists.

Methods

This study was a retrospective cohort using a propensity score analysis. Patients 65 years of age or over with pneumonia were consecutively included. The propensity score was estimated based on the patient's background and severity of pneumonia. The difference in 30‐day and 90‐day mortality depending on the attending physician's specialty was analyzed after adjusting for other variables, including the propensity score.

Results

We assessed 68 and 182 patients treated by pulmonologists and non‐pulmonologists, respectively. The pulmonologists tended to be in charge of patients with hypoxemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or dementia without aspiration pneumonia or renal dysfunction (area under receiver operating characteristic curve to predict treatment by a pulmonologist according to the propensity score = 0.737, P < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, white blood count cell (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.000, P = 0.030) and the serum albumin level (0.382, P = 0.001) were associated with 30‐day mortality, and a bedridden status (3.000, P = 0.013) and the serum albumin level (0.382, P < 0.001) were associated with 90‐day mortality; however, the attending physician's specialty was not associated with these prognoses.

Conclusions

The overall prognosis of pneumonia in elderly patients may not necessarily improve, irrespective of treatment by pulmonologists, and host factors seemed to be associated with mortality.
Synthesis of a molecularly imprinted polymer to isolate glucosamine from plant extracts by an ionic–non‐covalent dual approach
Authors: Henry N. , Favetta P. , Delépée R. , Seigneuret J.‐M. , Agrofoglio L. A.
Published: November 2014

Synopsis

Objective

The objective of this study was to synthesize a novel glucosamine‐imprinted sorbent based on ionic and non‐covalent dual approach to purify glucosamine from chicory root extracts.

Methods

The synthesis of the molecularly imprinted polymer was optimized in terms of choice of monomers, porogen, cross‐linker and initiator to have the best recognition as possible for targeted molecule. The sorbent obtained was characterized by nitrogen sorption (BET), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and solid‐phase extraction (SPE) to plot adsorption isotherms. The selectivity of polymer between glucosamine and interfering salt as ammonium sulphate was calculated. Extraction procedure was optimized in terms of loading, washing and elution solvents, to have the best recovery of glucosamine. Compounds were analysed by HPLC‐UV after chemical derivatization.

Results

The results showed that the optimal conditions of extracting glucosamine on this new type of sorbent were as follows: percolation of plant extract in EtOH/aqueous HCl pH 3, washing of cartridge with water and elution of compound of interest with aqueous acetic acid solution at 5%. The recoveries of glucosamine were around 53% and 70%, from aqueous standard solution and aqueous chicory roots extracts, respectively, on the molecularly imprinted polymer. And, only 11% and 7% of the ammonium sulphate were recovered from standard solution and chicory roots extract, respectively.

Conclusion

The use of the MIP as solid‐phase extraction sorbent was able to extract preferentially glucosamine from structural analogues and ammonium salt. Assays on chicory roots extracts were carried out, and the MIP showed good results allowing the transfer methodology at semi‐industrial scale for cosmetic companies. The optimized protocol of extraction of glucosamine allowed using only eco‐friendly solvents, as ethanol, water and acetic acid.
Running suture versus interrupted suture for vesicourethral anastomosis in retropubic radical prostatectomy: A randomized study
Authors: Matsuyama Hideyasu , Matsumoto Hiroaki , Nagao Kazuhiro , Harada Noriaki , Hara Takahiko , Sakano Shigeru
Published: November 2014

Objectives

To determine the feasibility of vesicourethral anastomosis using running suture during retropubic radical prostatectomy and to compare the surgical outcomes of vesicourethral anastomosis using running suture with those of the standard interrupted suture technique.

Methods

A total of 60 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy from 2010 to 2012 at the Yamaguchi University Hospital, Japan were included in the present study, and were randomly assigned to vesicourethral anastomosis using running suture (n = 30 patients) or a standard interrupted suture technique group (n = 30 patients). Vesicourethral anastomosis using running suture was carried out with 12‐bite sutures using 3‐0 poliglecaprone. The primary end‐point was the time to catheter removal. Patients' health‐related quality of life was assessed using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite in 56 patients (28 patients in each group).

Results

No significant difference was found in the median suturing time between the two study groups (both 19 min, P = 0.449). The time to catheter removal was significantly better in the vesicourethral anastomosis using running suture group (hazard ratio 5.23, 95% confidence interval 1.73–17.65, P = 0.003). The pad‐free rate was significantly higher in the vesicourethral anastomosis using running suture group at 1 month after surgery (20.7% vs 3.3%, P = 0.0463); however, there was no significant difference at 3 months and beyond. The Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite urinary and bowel summary scores at 1 month were significantly better in the vesicourethral anastomosis using running suture patients (both P < 0.01), though no significant difference was observed thereafter. A vesicourethral anastomosis stricture was noted in three patients (10%) in the standard interrupted suture technique group, and none in the vesicourethral anastomosis using running suture group.

Conclusion

Running suture for vesicourethral anastomosis is feasible during retropubic radical prostatectomy. Furthermore, it offers better outcomes than the conventional standard interrupted suture technique, with a higher likelihood of improvement in patients' health‐related quality of life.
The impact of dialogic book‐sharing training on infant language and attention: a randomized controlled trial in a deprived South African community
Authors: Vally Zahir , Murray Lynne , Tomlinson Mark , Cooper Peter J.
Published: November 2014

Background

Dialogic book‐sharing is an interactive form of shared reading. It has been shown in high income countries (HICs) to be of significant benefit to child cognitive development. Evidence for such benefit in low and middle income countries (LMICs) is scarce, although a feasibility study of our own produced encouraging findings. Accordingly, we aimed to establish the impact on child language and attention of providing training in dialogic booksharing to carers of infants in an impoverished South African community.

Methods

We conducted a randomized controlled trial in Khayelitsha, an informal settlement in South Africa. Mothers of infants aged between 14 and 16 months were recruited and randomized to either 8 weeks of manualized training in dialogic book‐sharing or a no‐intervention control group. Independent assessments were made of infant language and attention at baseline and following training. The trial was registered (ISRCTN39953901).

Results

Ninety one carer‐infant dyads were recruited and randomized to the intervention group (n = 49) or the control group (n = 42), 82 (90%) of whom were available for follow‐up assessments. On a standardized carer report of infant vocabulary, compared to those in the control group, carers who received the intervention reported a significantly greater increase in the number of words understood by their infants as well as a larger increase in the number of words that their infant understood and could vocalize. Intervention group children also showed substantially greater gains on a measure of sustained attention.

Conclusions

In line with evidence from HICs, a dialogic book‐sharing programme delivered to an impoverished South African sample was shown to be of considerable benefit to the development of child language and focussed attention. The training programme, which is simple and inexpensive to deliver, has the potential to benefit child cognitive development in LMIC contexts where such development is commonly compromised.
DEVELOPMENT AND PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING OF THE SELF‐CARE AGENCY SCALE FOR PATIENTS UNDERGOING LONG‐TERM DIALYSIS IN TURKEY
Authors: Ören Besey , Enç Nuray
Published: November 2014

Background

No instruments specifically evaluating the self‐care agency of patients on dialysis have been developed before. This methodological study aimed to develop a Self‐Care Agency Scale for patients on long‐term dialysis and to test the scale's psychometric properties.

Design and Measurement

This cross‐sectional methodological design study comprised 175 haemodialysis and 125 peritoneal dialysis patients receiving treatment at five different medical centres in Istanbul. The Self‐Care Agency Scale items were generated after reviewing the literature and considering Orem's self‐care model. Content validity was tested on the basis of the views of experts, and a pilot study was conducted. The construct validity and reliability of the Self‐Care Agency Scale were tested.

Results

The final version of the scale was administered to 300 patients. Intraclass correlation coefficients showed stability of subscales. An exploratory factor analysis was performed. Cronbach's alpha coefficients were acceptable across all groups, as were item‐total correlations.

Conclusion

The Self‐Care Agency Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for patients on long‐term dialysis.
The Test–Retest Reliability of the Peyronie's Disease Questionnaire
Authors: Coyne Karin S. , Currie Brooke M. , Thompson Christine L. , Smith Ted M.
Published: November 2014

Introduction

The Peyronie's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ) is a disease-specific, patient-reported outcome instrument designed to measure the psychosexual consequences and treatment outcomes of Peyronie's disease (PD).

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the test–retest reliability of the PDQ.

Methods

Adult men with PD were recruited through eight clinical sites across the United States. Participants completed the PDQ during two study visits scheduled 7 (±3) days apart. At Visit 1, participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the PDQ, and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF). At Visit 2, participants repeated the PDQ and completed an Overall Treatment Effect (OTE) scale. Test–retest reliability of the PDQ was assessed in a stable subsample (as determined by responses to the OTE). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to evaluate the degree of association between the three PDQ subscale scores at Visits 1 and 2. Internal consistency of the subscales was also evaluated using Cronbach's alpha.

Main Outcome Measure

The main outcome measure was the PDQ.

Results

Of the 61 PD patients (mean age 59.3) who took part in the study, the majority were not receiving treatment for their PD (n = 35, 57.4%). The sample's mean score on the erectile function domain of IIEF was 19.7 (±8.2), indicating mild–moderate dysfunction. Nearly two-thirds reported penile pain at baseline (n = 37, 63.8%). Of the participants with baseline PDQ data and who had engaged in vaginal intercourse in the past 3 months, 57 completed both study visits. The PDQ demonstrated excellent test–retest reliability in 53 stable patients. The ICC was 0.85 for the Psychological and Physical Symptom subscale, 0.89 for the Peyronie's Symptom Bother subscale, and 0.88 for the Penile Pain subscale. The Cronbach's alpha estimates for all three subscales were acceptable at the >0.70 level.

Conclusions

The PDQ is a highly reproducible measure of PD and can be an effective end point in clinical trials evaluating treatments for PD.
Small stable RNA maturation and turnover in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Gilet Laetitia , DiChiara Jeanne M. , Figaro Sabine , Bechhofer David H. , Condon Ciarán
Published: November 2014

Stable RNA maturation is a key process in the generation of functional RNAs, and failure to correctly process these RNAs can lead to their elimination through quality control mechanisms. Studies of the maturation pathways of ribosomal RNA and transfer RNA in Bacillus subtilis showed they were radically different from Escherichia coli and led to the identification of new B. subtilis‐specific enzymes. We noticed that, despite their important roles in translation, a number of B. subtilis small stable RNAs still did not have characterised maturation pathways, notably the tmRNA, involved in ribosome rescue, and the RNase P RNA, involved in tRNA maturation. Here, we show that tmRNA is matured by RNase P and RNase Z at its 5′ and 3′ extremities, respectively, whereas the RNase P RNA is matured on its 3′ side by RNase Y. Recent evidence that several RNases are not essential in B. subtilis prompted us to revisit maturation of the scRNA, a component of the signal recognition particle involved in co‐translational insertion of specific proteins into the membrane. We show that RNase Y is also involved in 3′ processing of scRNA. Lastly, we identified some of the enzymes involved in the turnover of these three stable RNAs.
Heritability and molecular genetic basis of electrodermal activity: A genome‐wide association study
Authors: Vaidyanathan Uma , Isen Joshua D. , Malone Stephen M. , Miller Michael B. , McGue Matt , Iacono William G.
Published: November 2014

The molecular genetic basis of electrodermal activity (EDA) was analyzed using 527,829 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a large population‐representative sample of twins and parents (N = 4,424) in relation to various EDA indices. Biometric analyses suggested that approximately 50% or more of variance in all EDA indices was heritable. The combined effect of all SNPs together accounted for a significant amount of variance in each index, affirming their polygenic basis and heritability. However, none of the SNPs were genome‐wide significant for any EDA index. Previously reported SNP associations with disorders such as substance dependence or schizophrenia, which have been linked to EDA abnormalities, were not significant; nor were associations between EDA and genes in specific neurotransmitter systems. These results suggest that EDA is influenced by multiple genes rather than by polymorphisms with large effects.
Genetic associations of nonsynonymous exonic variants with psychophysiological endophenotypes
Authors: Vrieze Scott I. , Malone Stephen M. , Pankratz Nathan , Vaidyanathan Uma , Miller Michael B. , Kang Hyun Min , McGue Matt , Abecasis Gonçalo , Iacono William G.
Published: November 2014

We mapped ∼85,000 rare nonsynonymous exonic single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to 17 psychophysiological endophenotypes in 4,905 individuals, including antisaccade eye movements, resting EEG, P300 amplitude, electrodermal activity, affect‐modulated startle eye blink. Nonsynonymous SNPs are predicted to directly change or disrupt proteins encoded by genes and are expected to have significant biological consequences. Most such variants are rare, and new technologies can efficiently assay them on a large scale. We assayed 247,870 mostly rare SNPs on an Illumina exome array. Approximately 85,000 of the SNPs were polymorphic, rare (MAF < .05), and nonsynonymous. Single variant association tests identified a SNP in the PARD3 gene associated with theta resting EEG power. The sequence kernel association test, a gene‐based test, identified a gene PNPLA7 associated with pleasant difference startle, the difference in startle magnitude between pleasant and neutral images. No other single nonsynonymous variant, or gene‐based group of variants, was strongly associated with any endophenotype.
In search of rare variants: Preliminary results from whole genome sequencing of 1,325 individuals with psychophysiological endophenotypes
Authors: Vrieze Scott I. , Malone Stephen M. , Vaidyanathan Uma , Kwong Alan , Kang Hyun Min , Zhan Xiaowei , Flickinger Matthew , Irons Daniel , Jun Goo , Locke Adam E. , Pistis Giorgio , Porcu Eleonora , Levy Shawn , Myers Richard M. , Oetting William , McGue Matt , Abecasis Goncalo , Iacono William G.
Published: November 2014

Whole genome sequencing was completed on 1,325 individuals from 602 families, identifying 27 million autosomal variants. Genetic association tests were conducted for those individuals who had been assessed for one or more of 17 endophenotypes (N range = 802–1,185). No significant associations were found. These 27 million variants were then imputed into the full sample of individuals with psychophysiological data (N range = 3,088–4,469) and again tested for associations with the 17 endophenotypes. No association was significant. Using a gene‐based variable threshold burden test of nonsynonymous variants, we obtained five significant associations. These findings are preliminary and call for additional analysis of this rich sample. We argue that larger samples, alternative study designs, and additional bioinformatics approaches will be necessary to discover associations between these endophenotypes and genomic variation.
Are we doing enough to extract genomic information from our data?
Authors: Schumann Gunter
Published: November 2014

Genome‐wide studies have been successful in identifying stable associations of single genes, albeit at the price of a high false negative rate. The promise of endophenotypes to increase power of genome‐wide association studies has only been partially fulfilled. To optimize the investigation of genetic influences on behavioral (endo‐)phenotypes, the development of novel phenotypical characterizations and methods to describe the relation between genotype and phenotype are needed. This will require the development of innovative analytical strategies, as well as corroborative approaches linking association studies with functional characterizations. The sole reliance on canonical genome‐wide significance thresholds is not sufficient to describe the complex relation of genotype and phenotype.
Knowns and unknowns for psychophysiological endophenotypes: Integration and response to commentaries
Authors: Iacono William G. , Vaidyanathan Uma , Vrieze Scott I. , Malone Stephen M.
Published: November 2014

We review and summarize seven molecular genetic studies of 17 psychophysiological endophenotypes that comprise this special issue of Psychophysiology, address criticisms raised in accompanying Perspective and Commentary pieces, and offer suggestions for future research. Endophenotypes are polygenic, and possibly influenced by rare genetic variants. Because they are not simpler genetically than clinical phenotypes, they are unlikely to assist gene discovery for psychiatric disorder. Once genetic variants for clinical phenotypes are identified, associated endophenotypes are likely to provide valuable insights into the psychological and neural mechanisms important to disorder pathology. This special issue provides a foundation for informed future steps in endophenotype genetics, including the formation of large sample consortia capable of fleshing out the many genetic variants contributing to individual differences in psychophysiological measures.
In the grip of fear: Dissociations in attentional processing of animal fearful individuals
Authors: Soares Sandra C. , Esteves Francisco , Lundqvist Daniel
Published: November 2014

Using a modified attention paradigm we investigated specific attentional mechanisms in processing animal feared stimuli. In this paradigm arrays of four pictures were displayed and after its disappearance from view a probe (a letter, X or P) then followed unpredictably in the location of one of the four pictures. The results showed that discriminations of probes tended to be impeded by spider stimuli, compared to snake stimuli. This effect was potentiated by high anxiety but only for those individuals fearful of spiders, since no such effect was observed for snake fearful individuals. Moreover, the discrimination of the probes was not facilitated when presented after the feared stimuli. The implications of these findings are discussed as a function of the cognitive bias involved in specific fear.
Influence of the Thermoplastic Type on the Thermal Evolution of a Piezoceramic Patch During the Manufacture of a Smart Thermoplastic Part by Injection Molding Process
Authors: Elsoufi Louay , Khalil Khaled , Charon Willy , Lachat Remy
Published: November 2014

The frame of the paper is the integration of PZT actuators and sensors within thermoplastic mechanical structures. The objective of the work reported here was to select the appropriate thermoplastic materials for the smart thermoplastic manufacturing. In order to reach this objective, a comparative study was realized between different thermoplastic materials taking into consideration the PZT patch maximum temperature, the overheat time of the PZT patch during injection process, and the PZT loss in piezoelectric properties due to its thermal fragility.
Development of Wobble-Plate-Type Fuel Pump in Compression Ignition Engine Fueled With Dimethyl Ether
Authors: Kyu Suh Hyun
Published: November 2014

This experimental work describes the operation of a wobble-plate-type fuel pump for the stable supply of dimethyl ether (DME) fuel and evaluates its application possibility in a compression ignition engine. To achieve this, different types of flow control valves (normally open and normally closed types) were installed on the wobble-plate-type fuel pump. At the same time, the variations in fuel flow rate, torque, and temperature variation in the main parts of the pump were investigated under various operating conditions using a pump performance test system. In addition, a dummy-rail, which has half the volume of a common-rail, was installed to analyze pump stability under high flow rate/high load conditions. The wobble-plate-type fuel pump has showed satisfactory performance for DME fuel supply. The maximum flow rate (∼60 kg/h) is two times higher and the maximum torque value (∼32 N m) is three times higher than the required fuel flow and torque for stable driving of the DME engine (∼30 kg/h and ∼10 N m), respectively. Application of dummy-rail in wobble-plate-type fuel pump system would be a good solution to control the instability of pump operation in high flow rate/high load conditions.
A Deflated Assembly Free Approach to Large-Scale Implicit Structural Dynamics
Authors: Mirzendehdel Amir M. , Suresh Krishnan
Published: November 2014

The primary computational bottle-neck in implicit structural dynamics is the repeated inversion of the underlying stiffness matrix. In this paper, a fast inversion technique is proposed by merging four distinct but complementary concepts: (1) voxelization with adaptive local refinement, (2) assembly-free (a.k.a. matrix-free or element-by-element) finite element analysis (FEA), (3) assembly-free deflated conjugate gradient (AF-DCG), and (4) multicore parallelization. In particular, we apply these concepts to the well-known Newmark-beta method, and the resulting AF-DCG is well-suited for large-scale problems. It can be easily ported to many-core central processing unit (CPU) and multicore graphics-programmable unit (GPU) architectures, as demonstrated through numerical experiments.
Analysis of Dispersion Characteristics of an Infinite Cylindrical Shell Submerged in Viscous Fluids Considering Hydrostatic Pressure
Authors: Chen H. S. , Li T. Y. , Zhu X. , Yang J. , Zhang J. J.
Published: November 2014

In previous investigations of the vibro-acoustic characteristics of a submerged cylindrical shell in a flow field, the fluid viscosity was usually ignored. In this paper, the effect of fluid viscosity on the vibrational dispersion characteristics of an infinite circular cylindrical shell immersed in a viscous acoustic medium and subject to hydrostatic pressure is studied. The Flügge's thin shell theory for an isotropic, elastic, and thin cylindrical shell is employed to obtain the equations of motion of the structure. Together with the wave equations for the viscous flow field as well as continuity conditions at the interface, the dispersion equation of the coupled system is derived. Numerical analysis based on a winding-number integral method is conducted to solve the dispersion equation for the shell loaded with viscous fluids with varying levels of viscosity. Then the variations of the dispersion characteristic, the amplitude ratio of complex waves and the relative difference parameter against the nondimensional axial wave number in the coupled system with different circumferential mode numbers are discussed in detail. It is found that the influence of fluid viscosity on dispersion characteristics of the propagating waves is more significant in the low-frequency range than at high frequencies. As for the complex waves, the amount of the waves in the coupled system and the cut-off frequency is dependant on the fluid viscosity coefficients.
Ethynilestradiol 20 mcg plus Levonorgestrel 100 mcg: Clinical Pharmacology
Authors: Lello Stefano , Cavani Andrea
Published: November 2014

Estroprogestins (EPs) are combinations of estrogen and progestin with several actions on women’s health. The different pharmacological composition of EPs is responsible for different clinical effects. One of the most used low-dose EP associations is ethinylestradiol 20 mcg plus levonorgestrel 100 mcg in monophasic regimen (EE20/LNG100). This review summarizes clinical pharmacology, cycle control, and effects on lipid and glucose metabolism, coagulation, body weight/body composition, acne, and sexuality of EE20/LNG100. Overall, EE20/LNG100 combination is safe and well tolerated, and in several studies the incidence of adverse events in the treated group was comparable to that of the placebo group. Cycle control was effective and body weight/body composition did not vary among treated and untreated groups in most studies. The EE20/LNG100 combination shows mild or no effect on lipid and glucose metabolism. Lastly, EE20/LNG100 is associated with a low risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). In conclusion, in the process of decision making for the individualization of EPs choice, EE20/LNG100 should be considered for its favorable clinical profile.
Analysis and Modeling of Driver's Gaze Trajectories in Curves Driving
Authors: Ren Yuan-Yuan , Li Xian-Sheng , Zheng Xue-Lian , Li Zhe , Zhao Qi-Chao , Chen Xiao-Xia
Published: November 2014

To explore the relation between drivers' eye movements and vehicle steering performance, 25 participants were employed to drive a test vehicle on appointed tortuous routes. The drivers' visual behavior was measured while they were driving, and experiment data collected on motorway on-ramps and interchanges were used to analyze the drivers' visual characteristics. The distribution density of the fixation points showed that the drivers paid attention to the inner road edge when turning left and the outer road edge when turning right. Meanwhile, the heights of the gaze targets hardly changed. Therefore, a further investigation discovered that the gaze trajectory was parallel to the vehicle's driving trajectory on one-way curves. Then, six types of gaze trajectories were derived, and models for each type were established. Combining these models with the fact that gaze points are always distributed along the nearby road edge, it was deduced that the starting point of the gaze trajectory when driving on curves has a salient influence on the driver's gaze trajectory.
Screening Donated Blood for Transfusion Transmitted Infections by Serology along with NAT and Response Rate to Notification of Reactive Results: An Indian Experience
Authors: Chaurasia Rahul , Zaman Shamsuz , Das Bankim , Chatterjee Kabita
Published: November 2014

Background. Transfusion safety begins with healthy donors. A fundamental part of preventing transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs) is to notify and counsel reactive donors. Donor notification and counselling protect the health of the donor and prevent secondary transmission of infectious diseases. Methods. 113,014 donations were screened for TTIs, namely, HIV, HBV, HCV, and syphilis, by serology and nucleic acid testing. All reactive donors were retested (wherever possible) and notified of their status by telephone or letter. All initial reactive screens were followed over six months. Results. We evaluated 2,838 (2.51%) cases with reactive screening test results (1.38% HBV, 0.54% HCV, 0.27% HIV, and 0.32% syphilis). Only 23.3% of donors (662) responded to notification. The response among voluntary donors was better as compared to the replacement donors (43.6% versus 21.2%). Only 373 (56.3%) responsive donors followed their first attendance at referral specialties. Over six months, only 176 of 662 (26.6%) reactive donors received treatment. Conclusion. Our study shed light on the importance of proper donor counselling and notification of TTI status to all reactive donors who opt to receive this information. There is also an urgent need to formulate the nationally acceptable guidelines for notification and follow-up of reactive donors.
Comparative Genomics of Ten Solanaceous Plastomes
Authors: Kaur Harpreet , Singh Bhupinder Pal , Singh Harpreet , Nagpal Avinash Kaur
Published: November 2014

Availability of complete plastid genomes of ten solanaceous species, Atropa belladonna, Capsicum annuum, Datura stramonium, Nicotiana sylvestris, Nicotiana tabacum, Nicotiana tomentosiformis, Nicotiana undulata, Solanum bulbocastanum, Solanum lycopersicum, and Solanum tuberosum provided us with an opportunity to conduct their in silico comparative analysis in depth. The size of complete chloroplast genomes and LSC and SSC regions of three species of Solanum is comparatively smaller than that of any other species studied till date (exception: SSC region of A. belladonna). AT content of coding regions was found to be less than noncoding regions. A duplicate copy of trnH gene in C. annuum and two alternative tRNA genes for proline in D. stramonium were observed for the first time in this analysis. Further, homology search revealed the presence of rps19 pseudogene and infA genes in A. belladonna and D. stramonium, a region identical to rps19 pseudogene in C. annum and orthologues of sprA gene in another six species. Among the eighteen intron-containing genes, 3 genes have two introns and 15 genes have one intron. The longest insertion was found in accD gene in C. annuum. Phylogenetic analysis using concatenated protein coding sequences gave two clades, one for Nicotiana species and another for Solanum, Capsicum, Atropa, and Datura.