bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Congress, Defense, and Foreign Policy
Authors: Fowler Linda L.
Published: September 2015

Congressional scholars, like members of the House and Senate, have paid far more attention to domestic affairs than to foreign and defense policy. For much of the era after the Second World War, the president dominated the international arena buoyed by the vast national security bureaucracy and the deference of lawmakers fearful of nuclear war. Scholars saw little knowledge to be gained, apparently, in examining legislative activity during the Cold War consensus that stretched from 1947 to 1968. In hindsight, less consensus and less deference prevailed during that period than many observers assumed. With the legitimacy of the presidency in tatters after Vietnam and Watergate, however, Congress entered a period of resurgence. Lawmakers attempted greater control over military action through the War Powers Resolution and the creation of new committees to monitor the intelligence community, and they dramatically increased the frequency of oversight hearings. The activism lasted into the 1990s and continued until members of Congress lapsed into quiescence after 9/11. The renewed activity on the Hill following Watergate stimulated scholarly interest in the activities of lawmakers with respect to foreign affairs. The questions were similar to those of previous decades, despite variation in congressional influence and scholarly efforts to explain it. The debate about the constitutional prerogatives of the executive and legislative branches, for example, remained a lively one, with the preponderance of scholarly opinion assigning greater weight to Congress than presidents have been willing to concede. In addition, evidence regarding the extent of legislative influence over foreign policy decisions remained contestable, as scholars grappled with inadequate data, “hidden hand” maneuvers of actors in both branches, and tendencies among lawmakers to assess defense programs with an eye to local economic benefits. Despite the numerous analyses of events in which Congress engaged the president, the triggers for legislative interventions and their impact on policy decisions have remained unclear. Increasingly, researchers have identified lawmakers’ primary power as the ability to organize public discourse about foreign affairs and cue citizens to potential problems with the president’s actions. This is a formidable weapon if members choose to use it—or if presidents fear they might. Nevertheless, the president retained a decided advantage in the “struggle” with Congress, even to the extent of gaining additional leverage in domestic matters. Whatever the level of legislative activity and influence, members of Congress appear to pay for presidents’ unpopular wars at election time. Unable to escape the consequences of executive discretion, lawmakers may yet revive their capacity for participation in the realm of foreign affairs and stimulate a new round of research. Several more recent essays, however, suggest that lawmakers have proved unable or unwilling to challenge President Obama effectively or assert themselves in dealing with President Trump.
Narrative in the Talmud
Authors: Wasserman Mira
Published: September 2015

Narrative in the Talmud is a relatively new subject for scholarly attention. Neither the Talmud itself nor its traditional commentaries have a concept of narrative as a distinct form or genre. Instead, traditional rabbinic writings distinguish between Halakhah, or Jewish law, and Aggadah, any material within classic rabbinic literature that is not directly relevant to the determination of law. In this traditional scheme, Aggadah is a broad and loosely defined category that includes diverse forms of narrative, as well as homilies, aphorisms, recipes, spells, exegesis, and more. For much of the history of the Talmud’s reception, higher learning in rabbinical academies was focused almost exclusively on legal discussion, and all forms of Aggadah, including narrative, were either dismissed as nonessential fancy, or excerpted and repackaged for the edification of popular audiences. During the 19th century, with the rise of the Wissenschaft des Judentums movement for the scientific study of Judaism, university-trained scholars began to probe rabbinic literature for evidence of Jewish life in antiquity, and read the Talmud’s narratives about the lives of the ancient rabbis as historical testimony. It was only during the latter half of the 20th century that scholars of rabbinic literature began to treat narrative within the Talmud as a subject for study in its own right. Within the last generation, critical scholarship on narrative in the Talmud has flourished. Some leading scholars have fruitfully applied the methodologies of literary criticism to the Talmud’s narrative traditions. Others have developed and refined methodologies for contextualizing talmudic stories within the diverse religious and sociopolitical cultures of late antiquity. While the particular focus of this article is on narrative within the Babylonian Talmud, conventionally designated as “The Talmud,” some of the most important studies of rabbinic narrative engage stories that appear in other works of rabbinic literature including the Mishna, the Tosefta, the Palestinian Talmud, and the classic works of midrash.
Process Parameters and Technological Quality of French Rolls Produced with Dry Sourdough to Reduce Sodium
Authors: Nogueira Amanda de Cássia , Steel Caroline Joy
Published: September 2015

The search for alternatives for salt reduction in bread is a challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the use of dry sourdough (DS) for the reduction of sodium in French rolls, using a 22 central composite rotatable design. Sodium chloride (NaCl) (0–2.5%) and DS (0–10%, flour basis) were added to the formulations. The reduction of NaCl decreased high‐speed mixing time, proofing time, oven spring, cut opening, and cut height. The addition of DS increased high‐speed mixing time and proofing time and, at higher concentrations, decreased oven spring, cut opening, and cut height. Color parameters also showed effect of DS. Specific volume, shape, and texture of the rolls were not affected by the variables. Thus, the use of DS was shown to be viable for the reduction of sodium in French rolls, because we reached up to 45% salt reduction at concentrations below 5% DS, with desirable technological characteristics.
Narrative Exposure Therapy
Authors: Volpe Ellen M. , Quinn Camille R. , Resch Kathryn , Sommers Marilyn S. , Wieling Elizabeth , Cerulli Catherine
Published: September 2015

Pregnant and parenting adolescents experience high rates of intimate partner violence (IPV) and its sequelae posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Narrative exposure therapy (NET) is an innovative intervention that has demonstrated strong preliminary evidence in improving mental health. The specific aims of this article are 3-fold: (1) provide a brief background about IPV-related PTSD and depression among pregnant and parenting adolescents; (2) describe NET's theoretical principles, its therapeutic process, and provide a review of existing evidence; and (3) discuss NET as a potential treatment to address the mental health burden among adolescents experiencing IPV-related PTSD and depression.
Characteristics of Consecutive Esophageal Motility Diagnoses After a Decade of Change
Authors: Boland Katherine , Abdul-Hussein Mustafa , Tutuian Radu , Castell Donald O.
Published: September 2015

Background and Aims:

Combined multichannel intraluminal impedance and esophageal manometry (MII-EM) measures concomitantly bolus transit and pressure changes allowing determination of the functional impact of esophageal motility abnormalities. Ten years ago our laboratory reported MII-EM results in 350 consecutive patients. Since then high-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) became available and the definitions of ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) and nutcracker esophagus were revised. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of these developments on esophageal function testing.

Methods:

From August 2012 through May 2013, HRIM was performed in 350 patients referred for esophageal function testing. Each patient received 10 liquid and 10 viscous swallows. While taking advantage of the new technology and revised criteria, HRIM findings were classified according to the conventional criteria to allow more appropriate comparison with our earlier analysis.

Results:

Compared with the study performed 10 years ago, the prevalence of normal manometry (36% vs. 35%), achalasia (7% vs. 8%), scleroderma (1% vs. 1%), hypertensive lower esophageal sphincter (LES) (7% vs. 7%), and hypotensive LES (1% vs. 2%) remained the same, whereas the prevalence of distal esophageal spasm (9% vs. 3%), nutcracker esophagus (9% vs. 3%), and poorly relaxing LES (10% vs. 3%) decreased and the prevalence of IEM increased (20% vs. 31%) significantly. Compared with the early study, normal liquid bolus transit was significantly different in patients with hypertensive LES (96% vs. 57%) and poorly relaxing LES (55% vs. 100%).

Conclusions:

This study brings to light the increase in prevalence of IEM. In addition, it suggests that the hypertensive LES and poorly relaxing LES may each affect bolus transit in about half of these patients.
Seroprevalence and Serointensity of Latent Toxoplasma gondii in a Sample of Elderly Adults With and Without Alzheimer Disease
Authors: Perry Cynthia E. , Gale Shawn D. , Erickson Lance , Wilson Eric , Nielsen Brent , Kauwe John , Hedges Dawson W.
Published: September 2015

Introduction:

Latent infection with Toxoplasma gondii has been associated with behavioral and cognitive changes in animal models and in humans. Early findings have suggested an association between latent toxoplasmosis and Alzheimer disease (AD). On the basis of these factors, we sought to determine whether there is an association between latent toxoplasmosis and AD using a large, well-characterized sample of subjects with AD and age-matched and sex-matched controls without dementia.

Methods:

Using ELISA, we determined anti-T. gondii IgG antibody titers in 114 control subjects and in 105 subjects diagnosed with AD through an Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center.

Results:

There were no group differences between groups in age, ethnicity, or sex. Education and socioeconomic status was slightly higher in the control group. Neither the prevalence of anti-T. gondii IgG antibodies (33% in the nondemented control group compared with 41% in the AD group, P=0.25) nor log-transformed antibody concentration (106.6 IU/mL in the control group compared with 140.9 IU/mL in the AD group, P=0.85) differed between the control and AD groups.

Discussion:

In this sample, we found neither a higher prevalence of latent toxoplasmosis in the AD group compared with the control group nor differences in serum anti-T. gondii IgG titers between groups.
Colour learning when foraging for nectar and pollen: bees learn two colours at once
Authors: Muth Felicity , Papaj Daniel R. , Leonard Anne S.
Published: September 2015

Bees are model organisms for the study of learning and memory, yet nearly all such research to date has used a single reward, nectar. Many bees collect both nectar (carbohydrates) and pollen (protein) on a single foraging bout, sometimes from different plant species. We tested whether individual bumblebees could learn colour associations with nectar and pollen rewards simultaneously in a foraging scenario where one floral type offered only nectar and the other only pollen. We found that bees readily learned multiple reward–colour associations, and when presented with novel floral targets generalized to colours similar to those trained for each reward type. These results expand the ecological significance of work on bee learning and raise new questions regarding the cognitive ecology of pollination.
Patterns of recruitment and injury in a heterogeneous airway network model
Authors: Stewart Peter S. , Jensen Oliver E.
Published: September 2015

In respiratory distress, lung airways become flooded with liquid and may collapse due to surface-tension forces acting on air–liquid interfaces, inhibiting gas exchange. This paper proposes a mathematical multiscale model for the mechanical ventilation of a network of occluded airways, where air is forced into the network at a fixed tidal volume, allowing investigation of optimal recruitment strategies. The temporal response is derived from mechanistic models of individual airway reopening, incorporating feedback on the airway pressure due to recruitment. The model accounts for stochastic variability in airway diameter and stiffness across and between generations. For weak heterogeneity, the network is completely ventilated via one or more avalanches of recruitment (with airways recruited in quick succession), each characterized by a transient decrease in the airway pressure; avalanches become more erratic for airways that are initially more flooded. However, the time taken for complete ventilation of the network increases significantly as the network becomes more heterogeneous, leading to increased stresses on airway walls. The model predicts that the most peripheral airways are most at risk of ventilation-induced damage. A positive-end-expiratory pressure reduces the total recruitment time but at the cost of larger stresses exerted on airway walls.
Optimal allocation of the limited oral cholera vaccine supply between endemic and epidemic settings
Authors: Moore Sean M. , Lessler Justin
Published: September 2015

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently established a global stockpile of oral cholera vaccine (OCV) to be preferentially used in epidemic response (reactive campaigns) with any vaccine remaining after 1 year allocated to endemic settings. Hence, the number of cholera cases or deaths prevented in an endemic setting represents the minimum utility of these doses, and the optimal risk-averse response to any reactive vaccination request (i.e. the minimax strategy) is one that allocates the remaining doses between the requested epidemic response and endemic use in order to ensure that at least this minimum utility is achieved. Using mathematical models, we find that the best minimax strategy is to allocate the majority of doses to reactive campaigns, unless the request came late in the targeted epidemic. As vaccine supplies dwindle, the case for reactive use of the remaining doses grows stronger. Our analysis provides a lower bound for the amount of OCV to keep in reserve when responding to any request. These results provide a strategic context for the fulfilment of requests to the stockpile, and define allocation strategies that minimize the number of OCV doses that are allocated to suboptimal situations.
Frog tongue acts as muscle-powered adhesive tape
Authors: Kleinteich Thomas , Gorb Stanislav N.
Published: September 2015

Frogs are well known to capture fast-moving prey by flicking their sticky tongues out of the mouth. This tongue projection behaviour happens extremely fast which makes frog tongues a biological high-speed adhesive system. The processes at the interface between tongue and prey, and thus the mechanism of adhesion, however, are completely unknown. Here, we captured the contact mechanics of frog tongues by filming tongue adhesion at 2000 frames per second through an illuminated glass. We found that the tongue rolls over the target during attachment. However, during the pulling phase, the tongue retractor muscle acts perpendicular to the target surface and thus prevents peeling during tongue retraction. When the tongue detaches, mucus fibrils form between the tongue and the target. Fibrils commonly occur in pressure-sensitive adhesives, and thus frog tongues might be a biological analogue to these engineered materials. The fibrils in frog tongues are related to the presence of microscopic papillae on the surface. Together with a layer of nanoscale fibres underneath the tongue epithelium, these surface papillae will make the tongue adaptable to asperities. For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we are able to integrate anatomy and function to explain the processes during adhesion in frog tongues.
Integrating molecular, phenotypic and environmental data to elucidate patterns of crocodile hybridization in Belize
Authors: Hekkala Evon R. , Platt Steven G. , Thorbjarnarson John B. , Rainwater Thomas R. , Tessler Michael , Cunningham Seth W. , Twomey Christopher , Amato George
Published: September 2015

The genusCrocodyluscomprises 12 currently recognized species, many of which can be difficult to differentiate phenotypically. Interspecific hybridization among crocodiles is known to occur in captivity and has been documented between some species in the wild. The identification of hybrid individuals is of importance for management and monitoring of crocodilians, many of which are Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) listed. In this study, both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers were evaluated for their use in confirming a suspected hybrid zone between American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) and Morelet’s crocodile (Crocodylus moreletii) populations in southern Belize where individuals and nests exhibiting atypical phenotypic features had previously been observed. Patterns observed in both phenotypic and molecular data indicate possible behavioural and ecological characteristics associated with hybridization events. The results of the combined analyses found that the majority of suspected hybrid samples represent crosses between femaleC. acutusand maleC. moreletii. Phenotypic data could statistically identify hybrids, although morphological overlap between hybrids andC. moreletiireduced reliability of identification based solely on field characters. Ecologically,C. acutuswas exclusively found in saline waters, whereas hybrids andC. moreletiiwere largely absent in these conditions. A hypothesized correlation between unidirectional hybridization and destruction ofC. acutusbreeding habitats warrants additional research.
Opinion dynamics: inhomogeneous Boltzmann-type equations modelling opinion leadership and political segregation
Authors: Düring Bertram , Wolfram Marie-Therese
Published: September 2015

We propose and investigate different kinetic models for opinion formation, when the opinion formation process depends on an additional independent variable, e.g. a leadership or a spatial variable. More specifically, we consider (i) opinion dynamics under the effect of opinion leadership, where each individual is characterized not only by its opinion but also by another independent variable which quantifies leadership qualities; (ii) opinion dynamics modelling political segregation in ‘The Big Sort’, a phenomenon that US citizens increasingly prefer to live in neighbourhoods with politically like-minded individuals. Based on microscopic opinion consensus dynamics such models lead to inhomogeneous Boltzmann-type equations for the opinion distribution. We derive macroscopic Fokker–Planck-type equations in a quasi-invariant opinion limit and present results of numerical experiments.
Antiplane wave scattering from a cylindrical cavity in pre-stressed nonlinear elastic media
Authors: Shearer Tom , Parnell William J. , Abrahams I. David
Published: September 2015

The effect of a longitudinal stretch and a pressure-induced inhomogeneous radial deformation on the scattering of antiplane elastic waves from a cylindrical cavity is determined. Three popular nonlinear strain energy functions are considered: the neo-Hookean, the Mooney–Rivlin and a two-term Arruda–Boyce model. A new method is developed to analyse and solve the governing wave equations. It exploits their properties to determine an asymptotic solution in the far-field, which is then used to derive a boundary condition to numerically evaluate the equations local to the cavity. This method could be applied to any linear ordinary differential equation whose inhomogeneous coefficients tend to a constant as its independent variable tends to infinity. The effect of the pre-stress is evaluated by considering the scattering cross section. A longitudinal stretch is found to decrease the scattered power emanating from the cavity, whereas a compression increases it. The effect of the pressure difference depends on the strain energy function employed. For a Mooney–Rivlin material, a cavity inflation increases the scattered power and a deflation decreases it; for a neo-Hookean material, the scattering cross section is unaffected by the radial deformation; and for a two-term Arruda–Boyce material, both inflation and deflation are found to decrease the scattered power.
Asymptotic phenomena in pressurized thin films
Authors: Coman Ciprian D. , Matthews Miccal T. , Bassom Andrew P.
Published: September 2015

An asymptotic study of the wrinkling of a pressurized circular thin film is performed. The corresponding boundary-value problem is described by two non-dimensional parameters; a background tension
μ
and the applied loading
P
. Previous numerical studies of the same configuration have shown that
P
tends to be large, and this fact is exploited here in the derivation of asymptotic descriptions of the elastic bifurcation phenomena. Two limiting cases are considered; in the first, the background tension is modest, while the second deals with the situation when it is large. In both instances, it is shown how the wrinkling is confined to a relatively narrow zone near the rim of the thin film, but the mechanisms driving the bifurcation are different. In the first scenario, the wrinkles are confined to a region which, though close to the rim, is asymptotically separate from it. By contrast, when
μ
is larger, the wrinkling is within a zone that is attached to the rim. Predictions are made for the value of the applied loading
P
necessary to generate wrinkling, as well as details of the corresponding wrinkling pattern, and these asymptotic results are compared to some direct numerical simulations of the original boundary-value problem.
Direct somatic lineage conversion
Authors: Tanabe Koji , Haag Daniel , Wernig Marius
Published: September 2015

The predominant view of embryonic development and cell differentiation has been that rigid and even irreversible epigenetic marks are laid down along the path of cell specialization ensuring the proper silencing of unrelated lineage programmes. This model made the prediction that specialized cell types are stable and cannot be redirected into other lineages. Accordingly, early attempts to change the identity of somatic cells had little success and was limited to conversions between closely related cell types. Nuclear transplantation experiments demonstrated, however, that specialized cells even from adult mammals can be reprogrammed into a totipotent state. The discovery that a small combination of transcription factors can reprogramme cells to pluripotency without the need of oocytes further supported the view that these epigenetic barriers can be overcome much easier than assumed, but the extent of this flexibility was still unclear. When we showed that a differentiated mesodermal cell can be directly converted to a differentiated ectodermal cell without a pluripotent intermediate, it was suggested that in principle any cell type could be converted into any other cell type. Indeed, the work of several groups in recent years has provided many more examples of direct somatic lineage conversions. Today, the question is not anymore whether a specific cell type can be generated by direct reprogramming but how it can be induced.
Stem cells for the treatment of heart failure
Authors: Menasché Philippe
Published: September 2015

Stem cell-based therapy is currently tested in several trials of chronic heart failure. The main question is to determine how its implementation could be extended to common clinical practice. To fill this gap, it is critical to first validate the hypothesis that the grafted stem cells primarily act by harnessing endogenous repair pathways. The confirmation of this mechanism would have three major clinically relevant consequences: (i) the use of cardiac-committed cells, since even though cells primarily act in a paracrine manner, such a phenotype seems the most functionally effective; (ii) the optimization of early cell retention, rather than of sustained cell survival, so that the cells reside in the target tissue long enough to deliver the factors underpinning their action; and (iii) the reliance on allogeneic cells, the expected rejection of which should only have to be delayed since a permanent engraftment would no longer be the objective. One step further, the long-term objective of cell therapy could be to use the cells exclusively for producing factors and then to only administer them to the patient. The production process would then be closer to that of a biological pharmaceutic, thereby facilitating an extended clinical use.
T cell engineering as therapy for cancer and HIV: our synthetic future
Authors: June Carl H. , Levine Bruce L.
Published: September 2015

It is now well established that the immune system can control and eliminate cancer cells. Adoptive T cell transfer has the potential to overcome the significant limitations associated with vaccine-based strategies in patients who are often immune compromised. Application of the emerging discipline of synthetic biology to cancer, which combines elements of genetic engineering and molecular biology to create new biological structures with enhanced functionalities, is the subject of this overview. Various chimeric antigen receptor designs, manufacturing processes and study populations, among other variables, have been tested and reported in recent clinical trials. Many questions remain in the field of engineered T cells, but the encouraging response rates pave a wide road for future investigation into fields as diverse as cancer and chronic infections.
Stem cells and the evolving notion of cellular identity
Authors: Daley George Q.
Published: September 2015

Stem cells are but one class of the myriad types of cells within an organism. With potential to self-renew and capacity to differentiate, stem cells play essential roles at multiple stages of development. In the early embryo, pluripotent stem cells represent progenitors for all tissues while later in development, tissue-restricted stem cells give rise to cells with highly specialized functions. As best understood in the blood, skin and gut, stem cells are the seeds that sustain tissue homeostasis and regeneration, while in other tissues like the muscle, liver, kidney and lung, various stem or progenitor cells play facultative roles in tissue repair and response to injury. Here, I will provide a brief perspective on the evolving notion of cellular identity and how reprogramming and transcription factor-mediated conversions of one cell type into another have fundamentally altered our assumptions about the stability of cell identity, with profound long-term implications for biomedical research and regenerative medicine.
Targeted reduction of highly abundant transcripts withpseudo-randomprimers
Authors: Arnaud Ophélie , Kato Sachi , Poulain Stéphane , Plessy Charles
Published: September 2015

Transcriptome studies based on quantitative sequencing estimate gene expression levels by measuring the abundance of target RNAs in libraries of sequence reads. The sequencing cost is proportional to the total number of sequenced reads. Therefore, in order to cover rare RNAs, considerable quantities of abundant and identical reads have to be sequenced. This major limitation can be lifted by strategies used to deplete the library from some of the most abundant sequences. However, these strategies involve either an extra handling of the input RNA sample, or the use of a large number of reverse-transcription primers (termed “not-so-random primers”), which are costly to synthetize and customize. Here, we demonstrate that with a precise selection of only 40 “pseudo-random” reverse-transcription primers, it is possible to decrease the rate of undesirable abundant sequences within a library without affecting the transcriptome diversity. “Pseudo-random” primers are simple to design, and therefore are a flexible tool for enriching transcriptome libraries in rare transcripts sequences.
COMADRE: a global database of animal demography
Authors: Salguero Gomez Roberto , Jones Owen , Archer Ruth , Bein Christoph , de Burh Hendrink , Farack Claudia , Gottschalk Fraence , Hartmann Alexander , Henning Anne , Hoppe Gabriel , Roemer Gesa , Ruoff Tara , Sommer Veronika , Wille Julia , Voigt Jakob , Zeh Stefan , Vieregg Dirk , Buckley Yvonne , Che-Castaldo Judy , Hodgson David , Scheuerlein Alexander , Caswell Hal , Vaupel James
Published: September 2015

1. The open-access scientific philosophy has been widely adopted and proven to promote considerable progress in the fields of ecology and evolution. Open-access global databases now exist on animal migration, the distribution of species, and conservation status, to mention a few. However, a gap exists for databases on population dynamics spanning the rich diversity of the animal kingdom. This information is fundamental to our understanding of the conditions that have shaped variation in animal life histories and their relationships with the environment. Furthermore, an animal population schedules of reproduction and mortality determine its invasive potential, and its risk of local extinction, which are at the core of conservation biology. 2. Matrix population models (MPMs) are among the most widely used demographic tools by animal ecologists. MPMs project population dynamics in terms of reproduction, mortality, and development over the entire life cycle. The results of MPMs have direct biological interpretations, facilitating comparisons among animal species as different as Caenorhabditis elegans, Loxodonta africana and Homo sapiens. 3. Thousand of animal demographic records exist in the form of MPMs, but they are dispersed throughout the literature, rendering comparative analyses difficult. Here, we introduce the COMADRE Animal Matrix Database version 1.0.0, an open-source online repository containing data on 402 species worldwide, from 272 studies, with a total of 1,575 population projection matrices. COMADRE also contains ancillary information (e.g. ecoregion, taxonomy, biogeography, etc.) that facilitates interpretation of the numerous demographic metrics that can be derived from its MPMs. 4. Synthesis: We introduce the COMADRE Animal Matrix Database, a resource for animal demography. The open access nature of this database, together with its ancillary information will facilitate comparative analysis, as will the growing availability of databases focusing on other traits, and tools to query and combine them. Through future frequent updates of COMADRE, and its integration with other online resources, we encourage animal ecologists to tackle global ecological and evolutionary questions with unprecedented statistical power.
Neural and non-neural contributions to sexual dimorphism of mid-day sleep in Drosophila: A pilot study
Authors: Khericha M. , Kolenchery J.B. , Tauber E.
Published: September 2015

Many of the characteristics associated with mammalian sleep are also observed inDrosophila, making the fruit-fly a powerful model organism for studying the genetics of this important process. Among these similarities is the presence of sexual dimorphic sleep patterns, which in flies, is manifested as increased mid-day sleep (‘siesta’) in males, compared to females. Here, we have used targeted miss-expression of the genetransformer(tra) andtra2to either feminise or masculinise specific neural and non-neural tissues in the fly. Feminization of males using three different GAL4 drivers which are expressed in the mushroom bodies induced a female-like reduced siesta, while the masculinisation of females using these drivers triggered the male-like increased siesta. We also observed a similar reversal of sex-specific sleep by miss-expressingtrain the fat body, a key tissue in energy metabolism and hormone secretion. In addition, the daily expression levels oftakeout, an important circadian clock output gene, were sexually dimorphic. Taken together, our experiments suggest that sleep-sexual dimorphism inDrosophilais driven by multiple neural and non-neural circuits, within and outside the brain.
Lean higher education: successes, challenges, and realizing potential
Authors: Balzer William K , Brodke Michelle H , Thomas Kizhakethalackal Elsy
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence from the experiences and the literature on organizational change and transformation to implement and sustain Lean higher education (LHE) initiatives designed to benefit the university, its employees, and the individuals it serves.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors present organizational development literature and examples of success and challenges to better support the effective application of LHE.

Findings

– The authors address the importance of and techniques for first, assessing and improving institutional readiness; second, enhancing leadership awareness, understanding, and support for LHE; third, strategic planning, Lean leadership, and getting help for LHE; and fourth, facilitating an institution-wide transition to LHE.

Originality/value

– A structured, step-by-step approach offers practical guidance for implementing institution-wide Lean initiatives in HE.
Waste identification and elimination in HEIs: the role of Lean thinking
Authors: Douglas Jacqueline , Antony Jiju , Douglas Alexander
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to translate the eight wastes of Lean for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), identify some examples of each waste and to propose appropriate Lean solutions to those wastes.

Design/methodology/approach

– To identify wastes within HEIs a combination of observation and cause-and-effect analysis utilising brainstorming were employed using a convenience sample of HE academic staff.

Findings

– Once all eight wastes were successfully translated for HEIs a range of examples were identified in both academic and support services, including excessive movement of people, over production of materials, excessive inventory and waste of human resources. Appropriate Lean solutions to the identified wastes include the use of 5S, point-of-use-storage, process mapping/value stream mapping and level scheduling.

Research limitations/implications

– The cited examples come from a limited number of observations in only a few HEIs. More valid and reliable data would come from a more extensive sample of HEIs.

Practical implications

– In order to improve bottom-line performance in times of constrained resources HEIs can reduce waste and hence costs of poor quality by using Lean thinking and accessing, what Joseph Juran (1962) called, “The gold in the mine”. This can be done without reducing the level of services.

Social implications

– Particularly in a recession, HEIs need to show that they are using government funding (public money) in the most efficient and effective way possible. Lean thinking can help achieve both these objectives.

Originality/value

– Previous papers on Lean thinking applied to HEIs have concentrated on individual processes such as curriculum design or student assessment. This paper takes a holistic view demonstrating how Lean thinking theories can be practically applied across both academic and administrative areas of HEI operations.
The laffer curve and the debt-growth link in low-income Sub-Saharan African economies
Authors: Megersa Kelbesa Abdisa
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The study of the link between debt and growth has been full of debates, both in theory and empirics. However, there is a growing consensus that the relationship is sensitive to the level of debt. The purpose of this paper is to address the question of non-linearity in the long-term relationship between public debt and economic growth. Specifically, the author set out to test if there exists an established “laffer curve” type relationship, where debt contributes to economic growth up to a certain point (maximal threshold) and then starts to have a negative effect on growth afterwards.

Design/methodology/approach

– To carry out the tests, the author has used a methodology that delivers a superior test of inverse U-shapes (Lind and Mehlum, 2010), in addition to the traditional test based on a regression with a quadratic specification.

Findings

– The results in the paper present evidence of a bell-shaped relationship between economic growth and total public debt in a panel of low-income Sub-Saharan African economies. This supports the hypothesis that debt has some positive contribution to economic growth in low-income countries, albeit up to a point.

Practical implications

– The overall result supports the claim that public debt may start to be a drag on economic growth if it goes on increasing beyond the level where it would be sustainable.

Originality/value

– This paper leads the way by implementing a robust test of non-linearity (“inverse-U” test) to the analyses the debt-growth nexus and the laffer curve in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The determinants of Vietnamese banks’ lending behavior
Authors: Sarath Delpachitra , Pham Dai Van
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to theoretically and empirically examine the lending behavior of Vietnamese banks.

Design/methodology/approach

– A firm-banking model was established, considering risk-taking behavior and the regulatory environment. Based on the theoretical model, a simultaneous equation system was specified that considered loan growth and deposit growth as endogenous variables to empirically investigate lending behavior in Vietnam’s banking sector. Two-stage least square estimators were employed using a micro-level panel data set comprising 39 Vietnamese commercial banks.

Findings

– The empirical results demonstrate the divergence in the lending behavior of private and state-owned banks. The regressions results support the predictions of the theoretical model on the positive effect of economic growth and the negative effect of the government bond rate on bank lending. The results also suggest that deposit growth and liquidity constraint significantly influence loan supply in private banks, while equity growth is the determinant of lending behavior in state-owned banks. Nevertheless, the banks’ non-performing loan rate, which proxies for the expected default probability of loans, is found to not significantly affect loan supply.

Research limitations/implications

– Despite the efforts to capture the idiosyncratic characteristics of the Vietnamese banking system, this study does not fully take into account distinctive nature of the Vietnamese banking system.

Practical implications

– The paper suggests implications for the government monetary policy.

Originality/value

– The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, it introduces a firm-banking theoretical model that allows banks offering different lending rates and modeled under different aspects of modern banking such as risk-taking behavior and regulatory environment. Second, it is a very first study empirically investigating the lending behavior of Vietnamese banks.
Home storage significantly impairs Bifidobacteria survival in powered formula for infants and young children in the Chinese market
Authors: Liu Yang , Yu Yi , Duan Wenfeng , Qu Qinfeng , Zhang Qingping , Zhao Min , Zhu Qiyun
Published: September 2015

The active numbers of probiotics in 20 powdered formula products for infants and young children in China were assessed, 18 of which met the international and national standards. The survival rate of Bifidobacteria under various storage conditions after the product is opened was measured. Storage at 37 °C resulted in a significantly higher decay rate than at 4 °C and 25 °C for 14 and 28 days. Results suggest that the probiotic survival rate in powdered formula is negatively correlated with temperature and storage time, whereas the brand and model of the formula have little impact.
Demineralisation of whey by a combination of nanofiltration and anion‐exchange treatment: a preliminary study
Authors: Okawa Teiichiro , Shimada Masayuki , Ushida Yoshihiko , Seki Nobuo , Watai Naoki , Ohnishi Masatoshi , Tamura Yoshitaka , Ito Akira
Published: September 2015

Demineralisation is an important process for the utilisation of whey in the food industry. Sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) ions pass through nanofiltration (NF) membranes in ion pairs with chloride (Cl−) to maintain electroneutrality, but NF processing can only partially remove these ions from whey, because the total Na and K content of whey generally exceeds the Cl content. In this work, a preliminary study of a new demineralisation method was made. A reconstituted sweet whey powder solution was first treated by Cl‐form anion‐exchange resin to increase the molar ratio of Cl to Na and K from ~0.5 to ~1.0. Subsequently, NF removed >90% of Na and K from the anion‐exchange treated whey compared with <60% from the control whey. This new process could be useful for producing 70% demineralised whey with very low levels of the monovalent ions Na+, K+ and Cl−.
Randomised control trial of humidified high flow nasal cannulae versus standard oxygen in the emergency department
Authors: Bell Nerida , Hutchinson Claire L , Green Timothy C , Rogan Eileen , Bein Kendall J , Dinh Michael M
Published: September 2015

Objectives

The aim of the study was to determine if oxygen delivered through humidified high flow nasal cannulae (HHFNC) reduced the need for escalation in ventilation management and work of breathing in the ED patients presenting with acute undifferentiated shortness of breath compared with standard oxygen therapy.

Methods

This was an unblinded randomised control trial conducted at two hospital EDs in Sydney, Australia. Eligible patients presenting with shortness of breath were randomised to HHFNC or standard oxygen therapy. Primary outcomes were the need to escalate ventilation therapy or a reduction in respiratory rate of 20% or more within 2 h of commencement.

Results

One hundred patients were enrolled in the trial. The intervention group receiving HHFNC was associated with a higher proportion of patients with a reduced respiratory rate at 2 h (66.7% vs 38.5%, P = 0.005) and a lower proportion of patients requiring escalation in ventilation therapy (4.2% vs 19%, P = 0.02) compared with standard oxygen therapy.

Conclusions

The use of high flow nasal cannula oxygenation was associated with improved respiratory state in selected patients presenting to the ED with acute undifferentiated shortness of breath.
Effect of nickel titanium file design on the root surface strain and apical microcracks
Authors: Jamleh Ahmed , Adorno Carlos G. , Ebihara Arata , Suda Hideaki
Published: September 2015

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of nickel titanium file design on the root surface strain generated and apical microcracks caused during canal shaping. Thirty‐three mandibular incisors were distributed into LightSpeed X, FlexMaster and a control group. A strain gauge was fixed apically on the proximal root surface to determine the maximum strain during canal shaping. Except for the control group, all root canals were enlarged to size 50. Images were taken after removing the apical 1 and 2 mm of the root end. Mean maximum strain values and presence of microcracks were statistically compared using the t‐test and chi‐square test, respectively. During canal shaping, the strain increased cumulatively with mean maximum strains of 808.2 ± 228.8 and 525.1 ± 168.9 microstrain in LightSpeed X and FlexMaster, respectively (P = 0.004). Both systems caused comparable microcracks. Although LightSpeed X produced higher maximum strain, no difference in microcrack development was found between both systems.
Shaping ability of ProTaper NEXT, ProTaper Universal and iRace files in simulated S‐shaped canals
Authors: Hiran‐us Sirawut , Pimkhaokham Somsinee , Sawasdichai Jirapat , Ebihara Arata , Suda Hideaki
Published: September 2015

The aim of this study was to determine the shaping ability of three nickel‐titanium endodontic file systems by comparing three parameters: canal deviation, apical foramen position and instrumentation time. A glide path was established in 30 simulated S‐shaped canal blocks that were randomly assigned into three groups (n = 10): ProTaper Universal, ProTaper NEXT and iRace. Each group was instrumented per its manufacturer's directions. Pre‐ and postoperative images were superimposed to determine any canal deviation or change in apical foramen position. The instrumentation times were recorded. The iRace system resulted in the least mean canal deviation. The apical foramen position was least shifted by the iRace system. The iRace system also required the least instrumentation time. The iRace system demonstrated the most favourable shaping ability in all three parameters.
The effect of chloroform, orange oil and eucalyptol on root canal transportation in endodontic retreatment
Authors: Karataş Ertuğrul , Kol Elif , Bayrakdar İbrahim Şevki , Arslan Hakan
Published: September 2015

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of solvents on root canal transportation in endodontic retreatment. Sixty extracted human permanent mandibular first molars with curved root canals were selected. All of the root canals were prepared using Twisted File Adaptive instruments (SybronEndo, Orange, CA, USA) and filled with gutta‐percha and AH Plus sealer (Dentsply DeTrey, Konstanz, Germany) using the cold lateral compaction technique. The teeth were assigned to four retreatment groups as follows (n = 15): eucalyptol, chloroform, orange oil and control. The canals were scanned using cone‐beam computed tomography scanning before and after instrumentation. The chloroform group showed a significantly higher mean transportation value than the orange oil and control groups at the 3 and 5 mm levels (P = 0.011 and P = 0.003, respectively). There was no significant difference among the orange oil, eucalyptol and control groups in terms of canal transportation (P > 0.61). The chloroform led to more canal transportation than the eucalyptol and orange oil during endodontic retreatment.
Evaluation of fracture resistance of endodontically treated teeth restored with composite resin along with fibre insertion in different positions in vitro
Authors: Rahman Hena , Singh Shailja , Chandra Anil , Chandra Ramesh , Tripathi Supratim
Published: September 2015

This study was carried out to compare the different techniques of placement of polyethylene fibre (Ribbond) on reinforcement of endodontically treated teeth with MOD cavities in vitro. Forty extracted human premolars were randomly assigned to four groups (n = 10). Teeth in Groups I–IV received root canal treatment and a MOD cavity preparation, with gingival cavosurface margin 1.5 mm in coronal to cementoenamel junction. Group I served as no fibre group, Group II as occlusal fibre group, Group III as base fibre group and Group IV as dual‐fibre group (occlusal and base both). Subsequent to restoring with composite resin and thermocycling, a vertical compressive force was applied at a cross‐head speed of 0.5 mm min−1 using universal testing machine until fracture. Data were analysed using one‐way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc tests. Fracture resistance was significantly highest in dual‐fibre group (P < 0.001) as compared with other groups. The highest favourable fracture rate was observed in the base fibre group (70%). This study concluded that the use of polyethylene fibre inserted over or under the restoration significantly increased the fracture strength of the root canal‐treated teeth and maximum fracture resistance was observed when cavity was restored using dual‐fibre technique.