bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Noncatalytic PTEN missense mutation predisposes to organ-selective cancer development in vivo
Authors: Caserta Enrico , Egriboz Onur , Wang Hui , Martin Chelsea , Koivisto Christopher , Pecót Thierry , Kladney Raleigh D. , Shen Changxian , Shim Kang-Sup , Pham Thac , Karikomi Matthew K. , Mauntel Melissa J. , Majumder Sarmila , Cuitino Maria C. , Tang Xing , Srivastava Arunima , Yu Lianbo , Wallace Julie , Mo Xiaokui , Park Morag , Fernandez Soledad A. , Pilarski Robert , La Perle Krista M.D. , Rosol Thomas J. , Coppola Vincenzo , Castrillon Diego H. , Timmers Cynthia , Cohn David E. , O'Malley David M. , Backes Floor , Suarez Adrian A. , Goodfellow Paul , Chamberlin Helen M. , Macrae Erin R. , Shapiro Charles L. , Ostrowski Michael C. , Leone Gustavo
Published: August 2015

Inactivation of phosphatase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) is linked to increased PI3K–AKT signaling, enhanced organismal growth, and cancer development. Here we generated and analyzed Pten knock-in mice harboring a C2 domain missense mutation at phenylalanine 341 (PtenFV), found in human cancer. Despite having reduced levels of PTEN protein, homozygous PtenFV/FV embryos have intact AKT signaling, develop normally, and are carried to term. Heterozygous PtenFV/+ mice develop carcinoma in the thymus, stomach, adrenal medulla, and mammary gland but not in other organs typically sensitive to Pten deficiency, including the thyroid, prostate, and uterus. Progression to carcinoma in sensitive organs ensues in the absence of overt AKT activation. Carcinoma in the uterus, a cancer-resistant organ, requires a second clonal event associated with the spontaneous activation of AKT and downstream signaling. In summary, this PTEN noncatalytic missense mutation exposes a core tumor suppressor function distinct from inhibition of canonical AKT signaling that predisposes to organ-selective cancer development in vivo.
Redetermined crystal structure ofN-(β-carboxyethyl)-α-isoleucine
Authors: Chandrarekha M. , Srinivasan N. , Krishnakumar R. V.
Published: August 2015

Redetermination of the crystal structure ofN-(β-carboxyethyl)-α-isoleucine, C9H18N2O3, reported earlier by Nehlset al.[Acta Cryst.(2013), E69, o172–o173], was undertaken in which the ionization state assigned to the molecule as unionized has been modified as zwitterionic in the present work. Single-crystal X-ray intensity data obtained from freshly grown crystals and freely refining the amino H atoms provide enhanced refinement and structural parameters, particularly the hydrogen-bonding scheme. N—H...O hydrogen bonds dominate the intermolecular interactions along with a C—H...O hydrogen bond. The intermolecular interaction pattern is a three-dimensional network. The structure was refined as a two-component perfect inversion twin.
Crystal structure of 12-benzylsulfanyl-2,9-dibromo-6H-dibenzo[b,g][1,8]naphthyridin-11-one
Authors: Resch Sebastian , Quell Thomas , Schollmeyer Dieter , Waldvogel Siegfried R.
Published: August 2015

The heterotetracene skeleton of the title molecule, C23H14Br2N2OS, is defined by linear annulation of four six-membered rings, including two N heteroatoms. This moiety is nearly planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.055 Å), with a slight twist of 4.1 (2)° between the two halves of the aromatic system. The dihedral angle between the least-squares plane of the skeleton and the benzyl group is 24.5 (3)°; the C—S—C angle involving the benzylsulfanyl group is 99.2 (4)°. In the crystal, molecules are π-stacked in an antiparallel fashion along [110], with a distance between the aromatic planes of 3.47 (2) Å. Intermolecular N—H...O hydrogen bonds form chains extending parallel to [001] and bridge the antiparallel interdigitated stacks of molecules.
Crystal structure ofcis,fac-{N,N-bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methyl]methylamine-κ3N,N′,N′′}dichlorido(dimethyl sulfoxide-κS)ruthenium(II)
Authors: Trotter Kasey , Arulsamy Navamoney , Hulley Elliott
Published: August 2015

The reaction of dichloridotetrakis(dimethyl sulfoxide)ruthenium(II) withN,N-bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methyl]methylamine affords the title complex, [RuCl2(C13H15N3)(C2H6OS)]. The asymmetric unit contains a well-ordered complex molecule. TheN,N-bis[(pyridin-2-yl)methyl]methylamine (bpma) ligand binds the cation through its two pyridyl N atoms and one aliphatic N atom in a facial manner. The coordination sphere of the low-spind6RuIIis distorted octahedral. The dimethyl sulfoxide (dmso) ligand coordinates to the cation through its S atom and iscisto the aliphatic N atom. The two chloride ligands occupy the remaining sites. The bpma ligand is folded with the dihedral angle between the mean planes passing through its two pyridine rings being 64.55 (8)°. The two N—Ru—N bite angles of the ligand at 81.70 (7) and 82.34 (8)° illustrate the distorted octahedral coordination geometry of the RuIIcation. Two neighboring molecules are weakly associated through mutual intermolecular hydrogen bonding involving the O atom and one of the methyl groups of the dmso ligand. One of the chloride ligands is also weakly hydrogen bonded to a pyridyl H atom of another molecule.
Crystal structure of 3,5-dimethylphenyl 2-nitrobenzenesulfonate
Authors: Atanasova Tsvetelina P. , Riley Sean , Biros Shannon M. , Staples Richard J. , Ngassa Felix N.
Published: August 2015

The title compound, C14H13NO5S, was synthesizedviaa nucleophilic substitution reaction between 3,5-dimethylphenol and 2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride. The aromatic rings attached to the SO3group are oriented in agauchefashion around the ester S—O bond, with a C—S—O—C torsion angle of 84.68 (11)°. The molecules form centrosymmetric dimersviaπ–π stacking interactions between 3,5-dimethylphenyl groups (centroid–centroid distance = 3.709 Å). An intermolecular S=O...N interaction between the sulfonyl and nitro groups, with an O...N distance of 2.9840 (18) Å, organizes the dimers into columns extending along [011]. These columns are further assembled into (111) layers through C—H...O interactions.
Crystal structures of threeN-aryl-2,2,2-tribromoacetamides
Authors: Sreenivasa S. , Naveen S. , Lokanath N. K. , Supriya G. M. , Lakshmikantha H. N. , Suchetan P. A.
Published: August 2015

ThreeN-aryl-2,2,2-tribromoacetamides, namely, 2,2,2-tribromo-N-(2-fluorophenyl)acetamide, C8H5Br3FNO, (I), 2,2,2-tribromo-N-[3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]acetamide, C9H5Br3F3NO, (II) and 2,2,2-tribromo-N-(4-fluorophenyl)acetamide, C8H5Br3FNO, (III) were synthesized and their crystal structures were analysed. In the crystal structure of (I), C—Br...πarylinteractions connect the molecules into dimers, which in turn are connectedviaBr...Br contacts [3.6519 (12) Å], leading to the formation of a one-dimensional ladder-type architecture. The crystal structure of (II) features chains linked by N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds. Two such chains are interlinked to form ribbons through Br...Br [3.6589 (1) Å] and Br...F [3.0290 (1) Å] interactions. C—Br...πaryland C—F...πarylinteractions between the ribbons extend the supramolecular architecture of (II) from one dimension to two. In (III), the molecules are connected intoR22(8) dimersviapairs of C—H...F interactions and these dimers form ribbons through Br...Br [3.5253 (1) Å] contacts. The ribbons are further interlinked into columnsviaC—Br...O=C contacts, forming a two-dimensional architecture.
Crystal structure of bis[2-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)aniline]silver(I) nitrate
Authors: Kim Yongtae , Kang Sung Kwon
Published: August 2015

In the cation of the title salt, [Ag(C13H11N3)2]NO3, the AgIatom lies on a crystallographic inversion center and is coordinated by four N atoms from two bidentate 2-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)aniline ligands in a distorted square-planar geometry. The Ag—N(aniline) bond [2.729 (2) Å] is significantly longer than the Ag—N(imidazole) bond [2.165 (1) Å]. In the ligand, the aniline ring is twisted by 37.87 (6)° from the mean plane of the benzimidazole ring system. The nitrate anion lies on a crystallographic twofold rotation axis which passes through the N atom and one of the O atoms. In the crystal, N—H...O hydrogen bonds link the components, forming a layer parallel to thebcplane.
Mapping lean experiences and emerging connections with clinical risk management in Italian context
Authors: Crema Maria , Verbano Chiara
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe the Italian state of art of Health Lean Management (HLM) and to analyze the Italian projects that connect this approach with clinical risk management (CRM).

Design/methodology/approach

– After introducing Italian healthcare system and its main challenges, relevant Italian experiences have been searched investigating regional health plans (RHPs), managerial reports, books, workshops, conference proceedings and hospital web sites. The degree of experience of each Italian region has been first studied. Further, field of applicability, objectives, tools, practices and results of the projects with first signs of HLM and CRM integration have been analyzed.

Findings

– Although interest in new managerial approaches is spreading in almost all the territory and new managerial solutions are fostered in many RHPs, HLM projects are implemented patchy in Italy. For what regards HLM projects with CRM connections, the Italian context seems aligned with the international one, apart from few features. First indications for the implementation of HLM projects with CRM connections emerged.

Originality/value

– Healthcare systems are facing multiple challenges in a context where public funds decrease but quality of care must be guaranteed. Combining different managerial approaches could solve these issues. In this research, for the first time, a map about Italian HLM adoption has been drawn, and Italian HLM projects with CRM connections have been analyzed. The results constitute one of the first contributions useful to develop guidelines for the implementation of projects pursuing efficiency, quality and safety objectives.
The job of a performance consultant: a qualitative content analysis of job descriptions
Authors: Carliner Saul , Castonguay Chantal , Sheepy Emily , Ribeiro Ofelia , Sabri Hiba , Saylor Chantal , Valle Andre
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– This study aims to explore the competencies needed by performance consultants, a particular role identified for training and development professionals. The role was formally named and promoted nearly two decades ago. Two ongoing discussions in the field are the competencies needed by training and development professionals and the role of consulting within the field.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study identifies the general competencies needed by a performance consultant as reflected in job descriptions for the position. It accomplished this goal by collecting job descriptions for the position from organizations in Canada (the result of a practical arrangement with an organization that would collect the descriptions and remove identifying information before the research team analyzed them), systematically analyzing them using qualitative content analysis techniques and generating a profile of the position, which can be used as a basis for further analysis of the position.

Findings

– The job title and competencies sought in the job descriptions differ from those proposed in the literature. Specific areas of difference include the title (none of the job descriptions analyzed explicitly used the title performance consultant), role in needs analysis and client relationships, technology competence (the job descriptions sought little, if any, while the literature suggests broad conceptual knowledge) and qualifications (most job descriptions only require a bachelor’s degree; many training and development professionals have more education).

Research limitations/implications

– The profile presented in this paper only represents that used in job descriptions (typically an idealized version) and in a particular national context. But if the results are validated with other methodologies and in other contexts, they suggest that the actual consulting role significantly differs from the one conceptualized in the literature.

Practical implications

– The findings suggest that the consultant role conceived in the literature differs from the actual job expected by employers, at least as reflected in job descriptions. Research with incumbents in the job is needed to assess whether the inconsistencies are also reflected in the day-to-day work.

Social implications

– Social implications validate the broad concern that trainers have skills and talents to offer organizations that those organizations do not fully utilize.

Originality/value

– The paper provides one of the few empirical studies of the job responsibilities of a performance consultant.
Immigrant family businesses: social capital, network benefits and business performance
Authors: Tata Jasmine , Prasad Sameer
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to look at immigrant family business through the framework of social capital by investigating how the social capital of immigrant family business owners helps them obtain network benefits and improve business performance.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents an empirical investigation of 170 immigrant family business owners. The authors examine social capital as a multidimensional construct and focus on two attributes of social capital: structural embeddedness and relational embeddedness. In addition, this study examines how social capital influences business performance through the mediating effect of network benefits. Finally, the constructs of family capital and immigrant community capacity are also investigated.

Findings

– The results suggest that the two attributes of social capital differed in their effects on network benefits, and that network benefits mediated the influence of social capital attributes on family business performance. Specifically, relational social capital influenced access to resources and information, and structural social capital influenced access to resources. Family ties affected network benefits and business performance, and immigrant community capacity had the predicted moderating effect on the relationship between immigrant community ties and network benefits.

Originality/value

– This investigation has the potential to advance understanding of immigrant family businesses by assessing how the overall social capital of the family business owner influences business performance. The study also furthers the understanding of family capital and immigrant community capacity. In addition, these results serve practitioners by helping identify avenues to increase immigrant family business performance, an issue that is increasingly important today given the contribution of such businesses to the economic vitality of societies.
Entrepreneurial aspirations and start-up motives of women chemists in Germany
Authors: Pascher Ute , Roski Melanie , Halbfas Brigitte
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to promote better understanding of different women entrepreneurs and self-employed women with regard to their educational level and field of study. Foremost, the aim is providing detailed knowledge about the phenomenon of women self-employed chemists in R & D sectors and throwing light not only on the single women but also on the general conditions they are working in and their opportunities to get ahead.

Design/methodology/approach

– The interdisciplinary research team followed an integrated research approach and combined qualitative with quantitative methods. By focussing on motives and causes of women self-employed chemists, this paper refers to the findings of two sub-studies, an online survey on self-employed (female and male) chemists in Germany and a qualitative study on the basis of biographical interviews tracing the professional biographies of women self-employed chemists. Moreover, the findings are analysed based on other sub-studies, like the analysis of the (start-up) conditions within the chemical industry and a discourse analysis of a well-known chemical periodical.

Findings

– It was found that the differences between female and male chemists turning self-employed or starting a business are less pronounced than the differences between male and female founders, in general. Research demonstrates that women chemists do have high qualifications and if they become entrepreneurs, the main cause for that is escaping their organisational employment. Being entrepreneurially active, women chemists might work more satisfactorily, at least they are able to surround the glass ceiling.

Originality/value

– This paper seeks to fill the gap of limited in-depth information on knowledge about female entrepreneurs and self-employed women with an academic background in chemistry. Focussing on one single field of study and profession of female entrepreneurs is, in that way, unique, as the research has looked on professionals who are not predestined for entry in entrepreneurship.
Islamic finance, contagion effects, spillovers and monetary policy
Authors: Grais Wafik , Rajhi Wassim
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The aim of this paper is to review monetary and systemic liquidity management policies that essentially aim at containing crisis and limiting their spread. A corollary is whether relevant public authorities and market participants have tools at their disposal to deal with a systemic crisis affecting Institution Offering Islamic Financial Services (IIFS).

Design/methodology/approach

– The method used in this study is an examination of existing literature. This paper considers mechanisms that may help contain a crisis and those that may foster post crisis recovery in the case of conventional and Islamic finance.

Findings

– The progress made to date to develop money markets accessible to IIFS is commendable; however, it is not sufficient. Licensing IIFS in dual financial systems entails a public authority responsibility linked to the authorities’ accountability for the conduct of monetary policy and systemic liquidity management. Licensing an IIFS entails acknowledging the responsibility of being able to manage a system that includes IIFS. This is feasible and possible, but the issue needs to be addressed directly. In a crisis monetary policy and systemic liquidity management will be at the forefront of the stabilization efforts.

Originality/value

– The experiences of Bahrain and Malaysia in developing a monetary policy and systemic liquidity management framework for their jurisdiction are assessed. The paper identifies also channels of potential spillover effects from conventional to Islamic finance.
Bonding of zero-shrink LTCC with alumina ceramics
Authors: Somer Jakub , Štekovič Michal , Urban František , Šandera Josef , Szendiuch Ivan
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to focus on a description of reliable bonding technique of zero-shrink low-temperature co-fired ceramic (LTCC) and alumina ceramics. LTCC is widely used for manufacturing electrical systems in 3D configuration. LTCC substrates were so far bonded with alumina ceramics using additional adhesive layers with subsequent firing or curing cycle. With the advent of the zero-shrink LTCC substrates, it is now possible to bond unfired substrates with other fired substrates, for example fired LTCC or alumina substrates. Alumina substrate in combination with LTCC brings advantages of good thermal conductivity for usage in heating elements or packaging.

Design/methodology/approach

– The test structure contains a thick-film pattern for verification of the compatibility of the bonding process. We have used two methods for bonding the substrates: cold chemical lamination (CCL) and thermo compression method, using a dielectric thick-film paste as the adhesive. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and electric testing of the screen-printed patterns were used for verification of the bonding quality.

Findings

– The thermo-compression method gave poor results in comparison with the CCL method. The best quality of lamination was achieved at room temperature combined with low pressure for both types of bonding materials. In addition, a possibility of using this bonding method for sensor fabrication was investigated. The ceramic pressure sensor samples with a cavity were created.

Originality/value

– The possibility of bonding two different ceramic materials was investigated. A new approach to ceramic bonding showed promising results with possible use in sensors.
Asymptotic allometry and transition to the canopy in Abies balsamea
Authors: Wood Zachary T. , Peart David R. , Palmiotto Peter A. , Kong Lixi , Peart Noah V.
Published: August 2015

There is a lack of consensus in theoretical and empirical literature on whether height–diameter (H:D) relationships of canopy trees are asymptotic.

To investigate H:D allometry, particularly in the transition to the canopy, we focused on shade‐tolerant Abies balsamea, across steep physical gradients associated with elevation, and correlated biotically generated gradients of stem density, canopy height and canopy species composition.

We addressed these questions: A. What is the relation between H:D allometric form and emergence into the canopy? B. Is H:D allometry asymptotic? C. What aspects of the H:D relationship are most sensitive to environmental conditions? Using maximum likelihood, we compared the performance of alternative H:D forms (linear, power function, non‐sigmoid asymptotic and sigmoid asymptotic), incorporating elevation and local canopy height as covariates.

Abies balsamea H:D allometric form was clearly sigmoid asymptotic, by a wide AIC margin, across all gradients, to an asymptote slightly above canopy height. The commonly used power function had essentially no empirical support (ΔAIC >> 10).

Canopy height decreased with elevation, but with much variation, so elevation was a poor predictor of the asymptote. Across environmental gradients, H:D allometries overlapped for trees far below the canopy, but diverged strongly for trees approaching different canopy heights.

Changes in resource allocation and modification of growth form that could generate asymptotic H:D allometries are consistent with known physical forces and diverse research findings in tree developmental biology and physiology.

Synthesis. The H:D asymptote and its tight relation to canopy height, unapparent in aggregated H:D data, became clear only when canopy height and elevation were included explicitly in allometric models. Asymptotic H:D allometries may be the norm, though often undetected, in unmanaged forests without recent catastrophic disturbance. Appropriate asymptotic H:D models may reduce error in forest carbon and biomass estimation and promote theoretical and empirical integration in the ecology and evolution of tree allometry.
The Effects of Dextromethorphan on Driving Performance and the Standardized Field Sobriety Test
Authors: Perry Paul J. , Fredriksen Kristian , Chew Stephanie , Ip Eric J. , Lopes Ingrid , Doroudgar Shadi , Thomas Kelan
Published: August 2015

Dextromethorphan (DXM) is abused most commonly among adolescents as a recreational drug to generate a dissociative experience. The objective of the study was to assess driving with and without DXM ingestion. The effects of one‐time maximum daily doses of DXM 120 mg versus a guaifenesin 400 mg dose were compared among 40 healthy subjects using a crossover design. Subjects’ ability to drive was assessed by their performance in a driving simulator (STISIM® Drive driving simulator software) and by conducting a standardized field sobriety test (SFST) administered 1‐h postdrug administration. The one‐time dose of DXM 120 mg did not demonstrate driving impairment on the STISIM® Drive driving simulator or increase SFST failures compared to guaifenesin 400 mg. Doses greater than the currently recommended maximum daily dose of 120 mg are necessary to perturb driving behavior.
Lack of support for Rensch's rule in an intraspecific test using red flour beetle (Tribolium castaneum) populations
Authors: Martin Oliver Y. , Michalczyk Łukasz , Millard Anna L. , Emerson Brent C. , Gage Matthew J. G.
Published: August 2015

Rensch's rule proposes a universal allometric scaling phenomenon across species where sexual size dimorphism (SSD) has evolved: in taxa with male‐biased dimorphism, degree of SSD should increase with overall body size, and in taxa with female‐biased dimorphism, degree of SSD should decrease with increasing average body size. Rensch's rule appears to hold widely across taxa where SSD is male‐biased, but not consistently when SSD is female‐biased. Furthermore, studies addressing this question within species are rare, so it remains unclear whether this rule applies at the intraspecific level. We assess body size and SSD within Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), a species where females are larger than males, using 21 populations derived from separate locations across the world, and maintained in isolated laboratory culture for at least 20 years. Body size, and hence SSD patterns, are highly susceptible to variations in temperature, diet quality and other environmental factors. Crucially, here we nullify interference of such confounds as all populations were maintained under identical conditions (similar densities, standard diet and exposed to identical temperature, relative humidity and photoperiod). We measured thirty beetles of each sex for all populations, and found body size variation across populations, and (as expected) female‐biased SSD in all populations. We test whether Rensch's rule holds for our populations, but find isometry, i.e. no allometry for SSD. Our results thus show that Rensch's rule does not hold across populations within this species. Our intraspecific test matches previous interspecific studies showing that Rensch's rule fails in species with female‐biased SSD.
Frequency, severity, and risk factors related to sexual dysfunction in Chinese women with T2D
Authors: Li Fan , Wang Yaqun , Xiao Lingfeng , Lou Qingqing , Fish Anne Folta
Published: August 2015

Background

The aim of the present study was to assess the frequency and severity of female sexual dysfunction (FSD) in those with T2D (T2D) compared with non‐diabetic controls. In addition, risk factors for FSD were analyzed.

Methods

Sexual dysfunction, measured using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), was evaluated using a questionnaire in 184 women with T2D and 146 non‐diabetic controls at three study sites in China. In the T2D group, FSD was examined by education level, correlations between FSD and other variables were analyzed, and risk factors were studied.

Results

The frequency of FSD in the T2D group was 75.0%, much higher than in the control group (56.2%; P = 0.001). The severity of FSD in the T2D group was 17.84 ± 8.47 (mean ± SD), significantly lower than in the control group (21.14 ± 8.08; P = 0.001). In patients with T2D, being older (P = 0.001), taking oral antidiabetic medications (P = 0.013), and having diabetic neuropathy (P = 0.036) were risk factors for FSD.

Conclusions

The rate of FSD is high in China and, as seen in the literature, more severe in diabetics than non‐diabetics. Being older, taking oral antidiabetic medications, and diabetic neuropathy are risk factors for FSD.
Country Focus: Egypt
Authors: Rabou Ahmed Abd
Published: August 2015

In 2011, Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak's regime fell amid the region-wide Arab Spring. More than four years later, Egyptian hopes of democracy and prosperity have yet to be realised. Ahmed Abd Rabou reports.
Azathioprine‐induced Sweet's syndrome: A case series and review of the literature
Authors: McNally Ashling , Ibbetson Jan , Sidhu Shireen
Published: August 2015

We present three patients with azathioprine‐induced Sweet's syndrome (AISS) who attended our tertiary institution within a 12‐month period. Established associations exist between Sweet's syndrome and some medications; however, to date links to azathioprine are tentative. While there are case reports of AISS, most have occurred in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), an underlying predisposition for Sweet's syndrome. Our case series adds to the evidence that the entity of AISS truly exists independent of confounding factors such as concurrent IBD.
Ultrasonography of the optic nerve sheath to assess intracranial pressure changes after ventriculo‐peritoneal shunt surgery in children with hydrocephalus: a prospective observational study
Authors: Choi S.‐H. , Min K.‐T. , Park E.‐K. , Kim M.‐S. , Jung J.‐H. , Kim H.
Published: August 2015

The optic nerve sheath diameter has been verified by various clinical studies as a non‐invasive indicator of intracranial hypertension. The aim of this study was to compare the optic nerve sheath diameter before and immediately after ventriculo‐peritoneal shunt surgery in children with hydrocephalus. We analysed transorbital ultrasonographic images recorded after induction of anaesthesia and 30 min after shunt insertion in 34 children, measuring the optic nerve sheath diameters using a linear ultrasound probe. The mean (SD) optic nerve sheath diameters were 5.4 (0.6) mm (right) and 5.3 (0.7) mm (left) before surgery and 4.4 (0.5) mm (right) and 4.5 (0.7) mm (left) after surgery (p < 0.0001 for before and after comparisons for both eyes). The technique allows rapid and non‐invasive assessment of intracranial pressure to guide appropriate postoperative management.
Plantiness, mindfulness, mobility and Mabey
Authors: Houghton Frank
Published: August 2015

Read the Article: On showing and being shown plants ‐ a guide to methods for more‐than‐human geography
Reaching revelatory places: the role of solicited diaries in extending research on emotional geographies into the unfamiliar
Authors: Filep Crystal V , Thompson‐Fawcett Michelle , Fitzsimons Sean , Turner Sarah
Published: August 2015

Solicited diaries can be used to delve into otherwise unreachable interpretations of social and physical experiences. Diaries help researchers to understand the embodied and the emotional in human geography. In this paper we develop on the work of multiple disciplines, enhancing the rationale as to why and how to employ diaries, and highlighting the benefits and drawbacks associated with this methodological tool. Notably, we extend the literature related to solicited diaries into the unfamiliar through examples from our research with scientists working in Antarctica who maintained diaries for us. We illustrate the potential for such diaries to elicit meaningful narratives that complement and extend data collected through interviews. Diaries provide timely, in situ space for emotional reactions to and contemplations of the immediate environment, as well as on every day and out of the ordinary events, while interviews provide interviewees with time and distance from the field to offer reflections based on lasting impressions. In particular, when combined, solicited diaries and interviews can substantially enrich investigations of those innately human, yet often elusive, places of the mind – revelatory places – in‐between people and the environments that move them.
Salsalate attenuates diet induced non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis in mice by decreasing lipogenic and inflammatory processes
Authors: Liang Wen , Verschuren Lars , Mulder Petra , van der Hoorn José W.A. , Verheij Joanne , van Dam Andrea D. , Boon Mariette R. , Princen Hans M.G. , Havekes Louis M. , Kleemann Robert , van den Hoek Anita M.
Published: August 2015

Background and Purpose

Salsalate (salicylsalicylic acid) is an anti‐inflammatory drug that was recently found to exert beneficial metabolic effects on glucose and lipid metabolism. Although its utility in the prevention and management of a wide range of vascular disorders, including type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome has been suggested before, the potential of salsalate to protect against non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) remains unclear. The aim of the present study was therefore to ascertain the effects of salsalate on the development of NASH.

Experimental Approach

Transgenic APOE*3Leiden.CETP mice were fed a high‐fat and high‐cholesterol diet with or without salsalate for 12 and 20 weeks. The effects on body weight, plasma biochemical variables, liver histology and hepatic gene expression were assessed.

Key Results

Salsalate prevented weight gain, improved dyslipidemia and insulin resistance and ameliorated diet‐induced NASH, as shown by decreased hepatic microvesicular and macrovesicular steatosis, reduced hepatic inflammation and reduced development of fibrosis. Salsalate affected lipid metabolism by increasing β‐oxidation and decreasing lipogenesis, as shown by the activation of PPAR‐α, PPAR‐γ co‐activator 1β, RXR‐α and inhibition of genes controlled by the transcription factor MLXIPL/ChREBP. Inflammation was reduced by down‐regulation of the NF‐κB pathway, and fibrosis development was prevented by down‐regulation of TGF‐β signalling.

Conclusions and Implications

Salsalate exerted a preventive effect on the development of NASH and progression to fibrosis. These data suggest a clinical application of salsalate in preventing NASH.
The interplay between deformation, erosion and sedimentation in the deep‐water Mexican Ridges foldbelt, western Gulf of Mexico basin
Authors: Yarbuh Ismael , Contreras Juan
Published: August 2015

We analyse a regional 2D seismic section of the Mexican Ridges foldbelt (MRFB), western Gulf of Mexico, and construct excess‐area diagrams for each of the structures comprising the foldbelt to estimate shortening, the onset of folding and the degradation of the folded seafloor. From the chronostratigraphy, we derive rates of tectonic and superficial mass transport and illustrate how they change across the MRFB. The resulting tectonic transport in the MRFB is 11.8 km forming a train of twelve buckle folds above a detachment at a depth of ca. 6 s of two‐way travel time, with an average strain of ca. 10%. The fold train grew at a mean uplift rate of ca. 0.21 mm year−1. Cross‐sectional balancing demonstrates that shortening balances the down‐slip motion of the Quetzalcoatl extensional system (QES), suggesting that horizontal compaction, volume loss and other penetrative deformation mechanisms are negligible. By assuming steady‐state denudation, we are able to distinguish sediments derived locally from sediments transported from distant sources. The constant of mass diffusivity, a parameter controlling the degradation rate, is ca. 0.42 m2 year −1, which is characteristic of rapid, episodic, superficial mass movements. The combined sedimentation rate from both, local and distal sources is ca. 0.23 mm year −1. Those values are not constant; structures proximal to the continental shelf are rising rapidly and are being degraded more intensely than those in the distal part of the MRFB, where sedimentation outweighs tectonic uplift. Our results indicate deformation initiated up to 3 Myr earlier than estimated from stacking patterns. Moreover, we find deformation started synchronously during the Late Miocene throughout the MRFB and not in two episodes as the stacking relations suggest. The discrepancy can be explained by a delay in the sedimentary response to folding. During early fold growth, nearly constant thickness strata are deposited before a progressive unconformity and other converging geometries develop. The development of growth strata is fast in the folds near the QES, which are being uplifted rapidly and degraded vigorously. Under these conditions, the stratigraphic relations give only a broad estimate of the pretectonic/syntectonic limit when compared to the excess‐area method. On the other hand, the development of growth strata took twice as much time for folds near the abyssal plain, which are being uplifted at a slower rate and where degradation is less intense. Consequently, the delay takes more time, and the use of stratigraphic relations introduces an even more pronounced bias towards younger ages in the identification of the onset of folding.
Nickel and cobalt release from metal alloys of tools – a current analysis in Germany
Authors: Kickinger‐Lörsch Anja , Bruckner Thomas , Mahler Vera
Published: August 2015

Background

The former ‘EU Nickel Directive’ and, since 2009, the REACH Regulation (item 27 of Annex XVII) do not include all metallic objects. The nickel content of tools is not regulated by the REACH Regulation, even if they may come into in prolonged contact with the skin. Tools might be possible sources of nickel and cobalt sensitization, and may contribute to elicitation and maintenance of hand eczema.

Objectives

To perform a current analysis of the frequency of nickel or cobalt release from new handheld tools purchased in Germany.

Methods

Six hundred unused handheld tools from the German market were investigated with the dimethylglyoxime test for nickel release and with disodium‐1‐nitroso‐2‐naphthol‐3,6‐disulfonate solution for cobalt release.

Results

Nickel release was detected in 195 of 600 (32.5%) items, and cobalt in only six (1%) of them. Positive nickel results were nearly twice as frequent in tools ‘made in Germany’ than in tools without a mark of origin. Tools made in other European countries did not release nickel. Cobalt release was only found in pliers and a saw. A correlation was found between price level and nickel release. Among toolkits, 34.2% were inhomogeneous concerning nickel release.

Conclusion

The German market currently provides a large number of handheld tools that release nickel, especially tools ‘made in Germany’. For consumer protection, it seems appropriate to include handheld tools in the REACH Regulation on nickel.
The role of lymph node revealing solution on the improvement of lymph node harvest in colorectal cancer specimens
Authors: Profeta da Luz M. M. , Lacerda‐Filho A. , Demas Alvares Cabral M. M. , Maciel da Fonseca L. , de Almeida Araújo S. , de Almeida Sanches S. R. , Gomes da Silva R.
Published: August 2015

Aim

The correct analysis of lymph node status is one of the most important parameters for the accurate pathological diagnosis of colorectal cancer. Our aim was to evaluate the number of lymph nodes among the specimens obtained from colorectal resections due to colorectal cancer, before and after the routine use of a lymph node revealing solution (LNRS).

Method

Data from 780 surgical specimens from patients of both genders with colorectal cancer were studied. The cases were divided chronologically into two groups: the conventional group included 497 specimens treated with conventional methods, i.e. without the use of the LNRS (January 2000 to July 2007), and the LNRS group included 283 specimens examined through the routine use of this solution (August 2007 to July 2012).

Results

Most patients were female (57.4%) with a median age of 62 years. The median lymph node number was 18, and 75.9% of the cases (592) had 12 or more nodes dissected. Lymph node metastases were noted in 334 cases (42.8%). A median of 24 lymph nodes was dissected in the LNRS group compared to 15 in the conventional group (P < 0.001). The LNRS group had 9.2% of cases with fewer than 12 lymph nodes dissected compared with 32.6% in the conventional group (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

The use of the LNRS increases the number of lymph nodes obtained from colorectal cancer surgical specimens and can help to reduce the number of cases with < 12 lymph nodes.
Entry Points for Considering Ecosystem Services within Infrastructure Planning: How to Integrate Conservation with Development in Order to Aid Them Both
Authors: Mandle Lisa , Bryant Benjamin P. , Ruckelshaus Mary , Geneletti Davide , Kiesecker Joseph M. , Pfaff Alexander
Published: August 2015

New infrastructure is needed globally to support economic development and improve human well‐being. Investments that do not consider ecosystem services (ES) can eliminate these important societal benefits from nature, undermining the development benefits infrastructure is intended to provide. Such tradeoffs are acknowledged conceptually but in practice have rarely been considered in infrastructure planning. Taking road investments as one important case, here we examine where and what forms of ES information have the potential to meaningfully influence decisions by multilateral development banks (MDBs). Across the stages of a typical road development process, we identify where and how ES information could be integrated, likely barriers to the use of available ES information, and key opportunities to shift incentives and thereby practice. We believe inclusion of ES information is likely to provide the greatest development benefit in early stages of infrastructure decisions. Those strategic planning stages are typically guided by in‐country processes, with MDBs playing a supporting role, making it critical to express the ES consequences of infrastructure development using metrics relevant to government decision makers. This approach requires additional evidence of the in‐country benefits of cross‐sector strategic planning and more tools to lower barriers to quantifying these benefits and facilitating ES inclusion.
Network analysis of host–virus communities in bats and rodents reveals determinants of cross‐species transmission
Authors: Luis Angela D. , O'Shea Thomas J. , Hayman David T. S. , Wood James L. N. , Cunningham Andrew A. , Gilbert Amy T. , Mills James N. , Webb Colleen T.
Published: August 2015

Bats are natural reservoirs of several important emerging viruses. Cross‐species transmission appears to be quite common among bats, which may contribute to their unique reservoir potential. Therefore, understanding the importance of bats as reservoirs requires examining them in a community context rather than concentrating on individual species. Here, we use a network approach to identify ecological and biological correlates of cross‐species virus transmission in bats and rodents, another important host group. We show that given our current knowledge the bat viral sharing network is more connected than the rodent network, suggesting viruses may pass more easily between bat species. We identify host traits associated with important reservoir species: gregarious bats are more likely to share more viruses and bats which migrate regionally are important for spreading viruses through the network. We identify multiple communities of viral sharing within bats and rodents and highlight potential species traits that can help guide studies of novel pathogen emergence.
The role of life history traits in mammalian invasion success
Authors: Capellini Isabella , Baker Joanna , Allen William L. , Street Sally E. , Venditti Chris
Published: August 2015

Why some organisms become invasive when introduced into novel regions while others fail to even establish is a fundamental question in ecology. Barriers to success are expected to filter species at each stage along the invasion pathway. No study to date, however, has investigated how species traits associate with success from introduction to spread at a large spatial scale in any group. Using the largest data set of mammalian introductions at the global scale and recently developed phylogenetic comparative methods, we show that human‐mediated introductions considerably bias which species have the opportunity to become invasive, as highly productive mammals with longer reproductive lifespans are far more likely to be introduced. Subsequently, greater reproductive output and higher introduction effort are associated with success at both the establishment and spread stages. High productivity thus supports population growth and invasion success, with barriers at each invasion stage filtering species with progressively greater fecundity.
Permafrost collapse alters soil carbon stocks, respiration,CH4, and N2O in upland tundra
Authors: Abbott Benjamin W. , Jones Jeremy B.
Published: August 2015

Release of greenhouse gases from thawing permafrost is potentially the largest terrestrial feedback to climate change and one of the most likely to occur; however, estimates of its strength vary by a factor of thirty. Some of this uncertainty stems from abrupt thaw processes known as thermokarst (permafrost collapse due to ground ice melt), which alter controls on carbon and nitrogen cycling and expose organic matter from meters below the surface. Thermokarst may affect 20–50% of tundra uplands by the end of the century; however, little is known about the effect of different thermokarst morphologies on carbon and nitrogen release. We measured soil organic matter displacement, ecosystem respiration, and soil gas concentrations at 26 upland thermokarst features on the North Slope of Alaska. Features included the three most common upland thermokarst morphologies: active‐layer detachment slides, thermo‐erosion gullies, and retrogressive thaw slumps. We found that thermokarst morphology interacted with landscape parameters to determine both the initial displacement of organic matter and subsequent carbon and nitrogen cycling. The large proportion of ecosystem carbon exported off‐site by slumps and slides resulted in decreased ecosystem respiration postfailure, while gullies removed a smaller portion of ecosystem carbon but strongly increased respiration and N2O concentration. Elevated N2O in gully soils persisted through most of the growing season, indicating sustained nitrification and denitrification in disturbed soils, representing a potential noncarbon permafrost climate feedback. While upland thermokarst formation did not substantially alter redox conditions within features, it redistributed organic matter into both oxic and anoxic environments. Across morphologies, residual organic matter cover, and predisturbance respiration explained 83% of the variation in respiration response. Consistent differences between upland thermokarst types may contribute to the incorporation of this nonlinear process into projections of carbon and nitrogen release from degrading permafrost.
Searching PubMed for a broad subject area: how effective are palliative care clinicians in finding the evidence in their field?
Authors: Damarell Raechel A. , Tieman Jennifer J.
Published: August 2015

Objectives

Health professionals must be able to search competently for evidence to support practice. We sought to understand how palliative care clinicians construct searches for palliative care literature in PubMed, to quantify search efficacy in retrieving a set of relevant articles and to compare performance against a Palliative CareSearch Filter (PCSF).

Methods

Included studies from palliative care systematic reviews formed a test set. Palliative care clinicians (n = 37) completed a search task using PubMed. Individual clinician searches were reconstructed in PubMed and combined with the test set to calculate retrieval sensitivity. PCSF performance in the test set was also determined.

Results

Many clinicians struggled to create useful searches. Twelve used a single search term, 17 narrowed the search inappropriately and 8 confused Boolean operators. The mean number of test set citations (n = 663) retrieved was 166 (SD = 188), or 25% although 76% of clinicians believed they would find more than 50% of the articles. Only 8 participants (22%) achieved this. Correlations between retrieval and PubMed confidence (r = 0.13) or frequency of use (r = −0.18) were weak.

Conclusions

Many palliative care clinicians search PubMed ineffectively. Targeted skills training and PCSF promotion may improve evidence retrieval.