bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Biguanides as Anti-Diabetic Agents Part I: Synthesis and Evaluation of 1-Substituted Biguanide Derivatives as Anti-Diabetic Agents of Type II Diabetes Insulin Resistant
Authors: Abbas Samir , Basyouni Wahid , El-Bayouk Khairy , Tohamy Wael , Aly Hanan , Arafa Azza , Soliman Mahmoud
Published: June 2017

New 1-substituted-biguanide hydrochloride salts were synthesized via reacting benzo[1,3-d]dioxol-5-amine, phenylhydrazine, N,N-dimethylhydrazinecarboxamide, benzohydrazide and 2-phenyl acetohydrazide with dicyandiamide in acidic medium. Structures of the obtained biguanide salts were characterized by spectroscopic tools. The synthesized compounds were screened for their anti-diabetic activity with standard metformin drug. Oral treatment of hyperglycemic rats with the synthesized biguanide derivatives significantly decreased the elevated blood glucose level. Additionally, anti-diabetic properties towards liver function enzyme activities (AST, ALT and ALP), lipids profiles (TC, TG and TL), lipid peroxide and nitrous oxide as well as histopathological studies relative to metformin hydrochloride were investigated and discussed.
Vaskuläre Demenzen
Authors: Dichgans Martin , Böhm Michael , Diener Hans-Christoph , Hamann Gerhard , Herbst Heinz-Peter , Minnerup Jens , Parhofer Klaus , Petzold Gabor , Schmidtke Klaus , Zerr Inga
Published: June 2017

Hintergrund Vaskuläre kognitive Beeinträchtigung (engl. Vascular Cognitive Impairment, VCI) umfasst das gesamte Spektrum von einer milden vaskulär bedingten kognitiven Beeinträchtigung (Mild Cognitive Impairment, MCI) bis hin zur vaskulären Demenz und beinhaltet neben rein vaskulären Pathologien auch gemischte Fälle von vaskulärer und neurodegenerativer Pathologie. Im klinischen Alltag bestehen oft erhebliche Unsicherheiten bezüglich des optimalen diagnostischen und therapeutischen Vorgehens.

Methoden Für die aktuelle Leitlinie (S1-Niveau) wurde seitens einer Expertengruppe mit den Schwerpunkten vaskuläre Neurologie, kognitive Neurologie, Gerontologie und akuter Schlaganfall in einem strukturierten Prozess zunächst eine Literaturrecherche durchgeführt. Darauf basierend wurden Empfehlungen erarbeitet mit folgenden Themenschwerpunkten: (1) Definition und Klassifikation der VCI unter Berücksichtigung der Vielzahl an vaskulären Ursachen und zerebralen Manifestationen; (2) Pathophysiologie; (3) Diagnostisches Vorgehen unter Einbeziehung bildgebender Verfahren (MRT und CT) und von Laboruntersuchungen (Blut und Liquor); (4) Diagnostische Algorithmen; und (5) Therapie. Die Regeln der Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften e. V. (AWMF) und der DGN zum Umgang mit potenziellen Interessenkonflikten wurden berücksichtigt.

Ergebnisse Zu den wesentlichen Ergebnissen zählen: (1) Die Inzidenzrate von Demenz nach intrazerebraler Blutung bleibt auch über das 1. Jahr nach der Blutung hinaus hoch; (2) für die Diagnose einer vaskulär kognitiven Beeinträchtigung (VCI) ist es nicht erforderlich, dass Gedächtnisdefizite vorliegen, sofern Defizite in anderen kognitiven Domänen nachweisbar sind; (3) Die Behandlung umfasst etablierte Strategien zur Schlaganfallprävention, die nicht medikamentöse Behandlung sowie psychiatrische Begleittherapie, die spezifische Pharmakotherapie und neurorehabilitative Maßnahmen.

Zusammenfassung Die neue Leitlinie liefert praktische Empfehlungen zur Diagnostik und Behandlung der wachsenden Gruppe an Patienten mit vaskulär bedingter kognitiver Störung.
Notfallmedizinische Ausstattung an Bord von Flugzeugen großer europäischer Fluggesellschaften
Authors: Kalina Steffen , Hinkelbein Jochen
Published: June 2017

Ziel der vorliegenden Untersuchung war die Analyse des notfallmedizinischen Equipments von Flugzeugen großer europäischer Fluggesellschaften. Basierend auf einer vorherigen Umfrage für deutsche Fluggesellschaften wurden europäische, schweizerische und norwegische Fluggesellschaften kontaktiert. Zur Datenanalyse und -interpretation wurden deskriptive Methoden genutzt. Von insgesamt 52 angeschriebenen europäischen Fluggesellschaften antworteten 23, 22 davon nannten Details zum medizinischen Equipment. Alle gaben an, ein First-Aid-Kit mitzuführen. 82 % führten ein Emergency Medical Kit mit. Sieben Airlines führten alle, von der European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) als Minimalstandard definierten Dinge mit, wohingegen nur 2 das vollständige Material für die EMKs mitführten. Das von europäischen Fluggesellschaften mitgeführte Notfallequipment unterscheidet sich signifikant. Für eine standardisierte Versorgung ist es zukünftig unerlässlich, eine Vereinheitlichung des notfallmedizinischen Equipments an Bord europäischer Luftfahrtgesellschaften vorzuhalten.
Infrared gas phase study on plasma-polymer interactions in high-current diffuse dielectric barrier discharge
Authors: Liu Y. , Welzel S. , Starostin S. A. , van de Sanden M. C. M. , Engeln R. , de Vries H. W.
Published: June 2017

A roll-to-roll high-current diffuse dielectric barrier discharge at atmospheric pressure was operated in air and Ar/N2/O2 gas mixtures. The exhaust gas from the discharge was studied using a high-resolution Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer in the range from 3000 to 750 cm−1 to unravel the plasma-polymer interactions. The absorption features of HxNyOz, COx, and HCOOH (formic acid) were identified, and the relative densities were deduced by fitting the absorption bands of the detected molecules. Strong interactions between plasma and polymer (Polyethylene-2,6-naphthalate, or PEN) in precursor-free oxygen-containing gas mixtures were observed as evidenced by a high COx production. The presence of HCOOH in the gas effluent, formed through plasma-chemical synthesis of COx, turns out to be a sensitive indicator for etching. By adding tetraethylorthosilicate precursor in the plasma, dramatic changes in the COx production were measured, and two distinct deposition regimes were identified. At high precursor flows, a good agreement with the precursor combustion and the COx production was observed, whereas at low precursor flows an etching-deposition regime transpires, and the COx production is dominated by polymer etching.
Interpolation of intermolecular potentials using Gaussian processes
Authors: Uteva Elena , Graham Richard S. , Wilkinson Richard D. , Wheatley Richard J.
Published: June 2017

A procedure is proposed to produce intermolecular potential energy surfaces from limited data. The procedure involves generation of geometrical configurations using a Latin hypercube design, with a maximin criterion, based on inverse internuclear distances. Gaussian processes are used to interpolate the data, using over-specified inverse molecular distances as covariates, greatly improving the interpolation. Symmetric covariance functions are specified so that the interpolation surface obeys all relevant symmetries, reducing prediction errors. The interpolation scheme can be applied to many important molecular interactions with trivial modifications. Results are presented for three systems involving CO2, a system with a deep energy minimum (HF−HF), and a system with 48 symmetries (CH4−N2). In each case, the procedure accurately predicts an independent test set. Training this method with high-precision ab initio evaluations of the CO2−CO interaction enables a parameter-free, first-principles prediction of the CO2−CO cross virial coefficient that agrees very well with experiments.
First principles crystal engineering of nonlinear optical materials. I. Prototypical case of urea
Authors: Masunov Artëm E. , Tannu Arman , Dyakov Alexander A. , Matveeva Anastasia D. , Freidzon Alexandra Ya. , Odinokov Alexey V. , Bagaturyants Alexander A.
Published: June 2017

The crystalline materials with nonlinear optical (NLO) properties are critically important for several technological applications, including nanophotonic and second harmonic generation devices. Urea is often considered to be a standard NLO material, due to the combination of non-centrosymmetric crystal packing and capacity for intramolecular charge transfer. Various approaches to crystal engineering of non-centrosymmetric molecular materials were reported in the literature. Here we propose using global lattice energy minimization to predict the crystal packing from the first principles. We developed a methodology that includes the following: (1) parameter derivation for polarizable force field AMOEBA; (2) local minimizations of crystal structures with these parameters, combined with the evolutionary algorithm for a global minimum search, implemented in program USPEX; (3) filtering out duplicate polymorphs produced; (4) reoptimization and final ranking based on density functional theory (DFT) with many-body dispersion (MBD) correction; and (5) prediction of the second-order susceptibility tensor by finite field approach. This methodology was applied to predict virtual urea polymorphs. After filtering based on packing similarity, only two distinct packing modes were predicted: one experimental and one hypothetical. DFT + MBD ranking established non-centrosymmetric crystal packing as the global minimum, in agreement with the experiment. Finite field approach was used to predict nonlinear susceptibility, and H-bonding was found to account for a 2.5-fold increase in molecular hyperpolarizability to the bulk value.
Nanoscopic dynamics in hybrid hydroxyapatite-CTAB composite
Authors: Dubey P. S. , Sharma V. K. , Mitra S. , Verma G. , Hassan P. A. , Dutta B. , Johnson M. , Mukhopadhyay R.
Published: June 2017

Synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAp) is an important material in biomedical engineering due to its excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity. HAp nanoparticles were synthesized by the co-precipitation method using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles as a template and are characterized using x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and thermal gravimetric measurements. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) demonstrates the formation of rod-shaped HAp. Dynamics of CTAB in HAp-CTAB composite as studied by using quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) technique is reported here. HAp-CTAB composite provides an ideal system for studying the dynamics of CTAB micelles without any aqueous media. QENS data indicate that the observed dynamics are reminiscent of localized motions in ionic micellar systems, consisting of segmental and fast torsional motions. Segmental dynamics has been described with a model, in which hydrogen atoms in the alkyl chain undergoes localized translation diffusion and the CH3 unit associated with the head group undergo 3-fold jump rotation. Within this model, the hydrogen atoms in the alkyl chain undergo diffusion within spherical domains having different radii and diffusivities. A simple linear distribution of the radius and diffusivity has been assumed, in which the CH2 unit nearest to the head group has the least value and the ones furthest from the head group, that is, at the end of the alkyl chain has the largest value. The fast torsional motion is described by a 2-fold jump rotation model. Quantitative estimate of the different parameters characterizing various dynamical motions active within the time scale of the instrument is also presented. We have provided a detailed description of the observed dynamical features in hybrid HAp-CTAB composite, a potential candidate for biomedical applications.
Renewable photovoltaic-thermal combined heat and power allocation optimization in radial and meshed integrated heat and electricity distribution networks with storages based on newly developed hybrid shuffled frog leaping algorithm
Authors: Arandian B. , Ardehali M. M.
Published: June 2017

Benefiting from favorable operational efficiencies, photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) technology is considered as a viable alternative for combined heat and power (CHP) distributed generation; however, the realization of a full economic profit requires allocation optimization in terms of placement and size in integrated heat and electricity distribution networks. Also, the inability for dispatching renewable PVT requires considerations of heat and electricity storages. Further, the concerns with uncertainties in heat and electricity loads and uncertainties associated with solar irradiation for PVT-CHP must be addressed. The goal of this study is to develop a simulation model for allocation optimization of PVT-CHP as well as storages in radial and meshed integrated heat and electricity distribution networks considering growth in loads and prices, in addition to uncertainties, where the distribution company's (DisCo's) yearly economic profit from the employment of renewable PVT-CHP units is maximized over a long-term operation horizon. To enhance the utilization of PVT-CHP, electric heat pumps (EHPs) are used as links for the integration of heat and electricity distribution networks. For optimization, a newly developed hybrid shuffled frog leaping algorithm is proposed and validated in terms of accuracy and speed. The simulation results show that the DisCo's yearly economic profit is highly dependent on the allocation of PVT-CHP units, storages, EHPs, and the type of distribution network.
Selective Fluorescent Detection of Cysteine over Homocysteine and Glutathione by a Simple and Sensitive Probe
Authors: Kang Yan-Fei , Qiao Hai-Xia , Meng Ya-Li , Xin Zhen-Hui , Ge Li-Ping , Dai Ming-Yan , He Zhang , Zhang Cun-Hui
Published: June 2017

A simple fluorescent probe able to selectively and sensitively detect cysteine (Cys) with an excellent dose-dependent relationship between fluorescence intensity and concentration of Cys from 0 to 100 μM has been designed and synthesised.
A comparative study of translation or interpreting as a profession in Russia, China and Spain
Authors: Tyulenev Sergey , Zheng Binghan , Johnson Penelope
Published: June 2017

In this article, three different cultural and socio-political systems, those of China, Spain, and Russia, are compared in terms of how translation and interpreting are viewed. The principal aim is to propose a tentative model for conducting a synchronic comparative translation and interpreting research study across several regions. Two types of organization have been studied – embassies/consulates and translation bureaus. First, these types of organization routinely commission, use, and assess translations. Second, such organizations are likely to be found in the majority of countries in today’s world (hence, the number of countries to be compared could be increased). The first type, embassies/consulates, provides an ‘external’ view of translation, that is, the view of consumers of translation. The second type, translation agencies, on the other hand, furnishes examples of the ‘internal’ view of translation producers. First, the official requirements for the submission of documents in foreign languages as described on the sites of embassies and consulates are examined. The research questions include: What are the requirements for translating documents in foreign languages? Whose translations are recognized as legitimate? What are the quality assurance mechanisms for the translations? Then the requirements applicants for a job in a translation agency have to fulfill in the three countries are examined. The analysis focused on how translation is perceived and assessed. What is required from translators/interpreters helps us to gauge the status of translation and its level of professionalization in a particular society, while comparing three different societies allows us to compare the degree of professionalization of translation in different countries.
Ñaimlap, the Birds, and the Sea: Viewing an Ancient Peruvian Legend through the Lens of Onomastics
Authors: Urban Matthias , Eloranta Rita
Published: June 2017

Among the most intriguing oral testimonies of the late pre-Hispanic cultures of the Peruvian North Coast are the legends of origin that the Spanish were still able to record. In this article, we explore the names of the (mythological) first rulers and their associates which figure in one particularly famous North-Coast legend, that of Ñaimlap, the mythological founder of Lambayeque. We show that the name of Ñaimlap, as well as those of his courtiers and successors, can be attributed to the Mochica language. We also provide, to the extent possible, etymologies. Two names of the Ñaimlap dynasty, those of the dynastic founder Ñaimlap himself and his grandson Escuñain, reveal avian associations, while that of one of his officers, Ñina Cala, shows maritime connections. Both aspects match the structure of the Ñaimlap myth, in which the ruler arrives from a foreign land via a sea route.
Controllable fabrication of a carbide-containing FeCoCrNiMn high-entropy alloy: Microstructure and mechanical properties
Authors: Cheng H. , Wang H. Y. , Xie Y. C. , Tang Q. H. , Dai P. Q.
Published: June 2017

Previous studies have reported that high carbon contents in FeCoCrNiMn high-entropy alloys lead to carbides precipitating from the alloys. Typically, carbides are used to improve the strength of alloys but also lead to decreased ductility. However, the strength and ductility of alloys can be improved when carbides shape, size and distribution are carefully controlled. Therefore, a carbide-containing FeCoCrNiMn alloy with 2 at.-% carbon was prepared by arc melting, and its microstructure and mechanical properties were further tuned by cold rolling with subsequent annealing treatment. The yield strength and uniform elongation of the resultant alloy were excellent, reaching 581 MPa and 25%, respectively, due to the additive combination of various strengthening mechanisms, such as solid-solution hardening, grain-boundary hardening and precipitation hardening.
Partial reinforcement and conditioned taste aversion: No evidence for resistance to extinction
Authors: Dwyer Dominic M , Gasalla Patricia , López Matías
Published: June 2017

The partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) is the observation that, following training in which a response is followed by reward on only a subset of trials, the response is more resistant to extinction following the total removal of reward than it is after training in which reward is presented on all trials. The PREE is almost ubiquitous in instrumental conditioning procedures but only inconsistently observed in Pavlovian conditioning. In his classic review of animal learning, Mackintosh attributes the bulk of the PREE to generalisation decrement relating to the fact that partial reinforcement typically ensures that acquisition of responding has taken place in conditions similar to that of extinction (e.g., in the absence of the reinforcer). We report here that extinction of a conditioned taste aversion is not retarded by partial reinforcement in terms of either consumption of the taste or hedonic reactions to it (assessed through the analysis of licking microstructure). These results are consistent with Mackintosh’s analysis of the PREE and the way in which it might differ between instrumental and Pavlovian conditioning.
Characterizing fisheries connectivity in marine social–ecological systems
Authors: Fuller Emma C. , Samhouri Jameal F. , Stoll Joshua S. , Levin Simon A. , Watson James R.
Published: June 2017

Marine social–ecological systems are constantly changing, and fishers who make a living from working the seas are continually adapting in response to different sources of variability. One main way in which fishers can adapt to ecosystem change is to change the fisheries they participate in. This acts to connect fisheries, creating interlinked networks of alternative sources of income for fishers. Here, we synthesize fisheries data and construct fisheries connectivity networks for all major ports in the US California Current Large Marine Ecosystem. Fisheries connectivity networks are comprised of nodes, which are fisheries, connected by edges, whose weights are proportional to the number of participating vessels. Fisheries connectivity networks identify central fisheries in the US California Current Large Marine Ecosystem, specifically Dungeness crab and Spiny Lobster, and systematic topological differences, e.g. in network resilience and modularity. These network metrics directly relate to the social vulnerability of coastal fishing communities, especially their sensitivity and capacity to adapt to perturbation. Ultimately, improving knowledge of fisheries connectivity is vital if policy makers are to create governance institutions that allow fishermen to adapt to environmental, technological and management change while at the same time enhancing the social and economic value of fisheries. In doing so, new policies that account for fisheries connectivity, will lead to improved sustainable fisheries management, and enhanced socioeconomic resilience of coastal communities.
Oxygen Consumption Deficits in Patients With Residual Fatigue After Primary Coccidioidomycosis
Authors: Ganley Kathleen J , Bosch Pamela R , Blair Janis E , Rischard Franz , Galgiani John N
Published: June 2017

Patients with coccidioidomycosis often report prolonged and debilitating fatigue after other evidence of infection has resolved. In this study, we quantify fatigue, muscle weakness, and impaired aerobic capacity in 5 such individuals. A closer examination of the cardiorespiratory system may contribute to a better understanding of underlying mechanisms and potential interventions.
Effects of LSD on music-evoked brain activity
Authors: Kaelen Mendel , Lorenz Romy , Barrett Frederick , Roseman Leor , Orban Csaba , Santos-Ribeiro Andre , Wall Matthew B , Feilding Amanda , Nutt David , Muthukumaraswamy Suresh , Carhart-Harris Robin , Leech Robert
Published: June 2017

Music is a highly dynamic stimulus, and consists of distinct acoustic features, such as pitch, rhythm and timbre. Neuroimaging studies highlight a hierarchy of brain networks involved in music perception. Psychedelic drugs such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) temporary disintegrate the normal hierarchy of brain functioning, and produce profound subjective effects, including enhanced music-evoked emotion. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the acute effects of LSD on music-evoked brain-activity under naturalistic music listening conditions. 16 healthy participants were enrolled in magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while listening to a 7-minute music piece under eyes-closed conditions on two separate visits (LSD (75 mcg) and placebo). Dynamic time courses for acoustic features were extracted from the music excerpts, and were entered into subject-level fMRI analyses as regressors of interest. Differences between conditions were assessed at group level subsequently, and were related to changes in music-evoked emotions via correlation analyses. Psycho-physiological interactions (PPIs) were carried out to further interrogate underlying music-specific changes in functional connectivity under LSD. Results showed pronounced cortical and subcortical changes in music-evoked brain activity under LSD. Most notable changes in brain activity and connectivity were associated with the component timbral complexity, representing the complexity of the music’s spectral distribution, and these occurred in brain networks previously identified for music-perception and music-evoked emotion, and showed an association with enhanced music-evoked feelings of wonder under LSD. The findings shed light on how the brain processes music under LSD, and provide a neurobiological basis for the usefulness of music in psychedelic therapy.
Binding Thermodynamics and Kinetics Calculations Using Chemical Host and Guest: A Comprehensive Picture of Molecular Recognition
Authors: Tang Zhiye , Chang Chia-en A.
Published: June 2017

Understanding the fine balance between changes of entropy and enthalpy and the competition between a guest and water molecules in molecular binding is crucial in fundamental studies and practical applications. Experiments provide measurements. However, illustrating the binding/unbinding processes gives a complete picture of molecular recognition not directly available from experiments, and computational methods bridge the gaps. Here, we investigated guest association/dissociation with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) by using microsecond-timescale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, post-analysis and numerical calculations. We computed association and dissociation rate constants, enthalpy, and solvent and solute entropy of binding. All the computed values ofkon,koff, ΔH, ΔS, and ΔG using GAFF-CD and q4MD-CD force fields for β-CD could be compared with experimental data directly and agreed reasonably with experiment findings. Both force fields resulted in similar computed ΔG from independently computed kinetics rates, ΔG=-RTln(kon· C° / koff), and thermodynamics properties, ΔG=ΔH – TΔS. The water entropy calculations show that entropy gain of desolvating water molecules are a major driving force, and both force fields have the same strength of non-polar attractions between solutes and β-CD as well. Water molecules play a crucial role in guest binding to β-CD. However, collective water/β-CD motions could contribute to different computedkonand ΔH values by different force fields, mainly because the parameters of β-CD provide different motions of β-CD, hydrogen-bond networks of water molecules in the cavity of free β-CD and the strength of desolvation penalty. As a result, q4MD-CD suggests that guest binding is mostly driven by enthalpy, while GAFF-CD shows that gaining entropy is the major driven force of binding. The study further interprets experiments, deepens our understanding of ligand binding, and suggests strategies for force field parameterization.
In situtransmission electron microscopy study of the thermally induced formation of δ′-ZrO in pure Zr and Zr-based alloy
Authors: Yu Hongbing , Yao Zhongwen , Long Fei , Saidi Peyman , Daymond Mark R.
Published: June 2017

This study reportsin situobservations of the formation of the δ′-ZrO phase, occurring during the annealing of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) thin foils of both pure Zr and a Zr–Sn–Nb–Mo alloy at 973 K in a transmission electron microsope. The lattice parameters of δ′-ZrO were measured and determined to be similar to those of the ω-Zr phase. The orientation relationship between the δ′-ZrO and α-Zr phases has been identified as either {(11 \overline{2}0)}_{\rm ZrO}//{(0002)}_{\alpha} and {[0002]}_{\rm ZrO}//{[11 \overline{2}0]}_{\alpha} or {(\overline{1}011)}_{\rm ZrO}//{(0002)}_{\alpha} and {[01{\overline 1}1]_{{\rm{ZrO}}}}//{[11{\overline 2}0]_\alpha} depending on the orientation of the α grain relative to the TEM thin-foil normal. The nucleation and growth of δ′-ZrO were dynamically observed. This study suggests a new and convenient way to study oxidation mechanisms in Zr alloys and provides a deeper understanding of the properties of the newly reported δ′-ZrO. Since δ′-ZrO has a Zr sublattice which is identical to that of ω-Zr, the orientation relationships between the α and δ′-ZrO phases may also shed light on the orientation relations existing between α- and ω-Zr, and hence α- and ω-Ti.
A novel fast Fourier transform accelerated off-grid exhaustive search method for cryo-electron microscopy fitting
Authors: Hoffmann Alexandre , Perrier Valérie , Grudinin Sergei
Published: June 2017

This paper presents a novel fast Fourier transform (FFT)-based exhaustive search method extended to off-grid translational and rotational degrees of freedom. The method combines the advantages of the FFT-based exhaustive search, which samples all the conformations of a system under study on a grid, with a local optimization technique that guarantees to find the nearest optimal off-grid conformation. The method is demonstrated on a fitting problem and can be readily applied to a docking problem. The algorithm first samples a scoring function on a six-dimensional grid of sizeN6using the FFT. This operation has an asymptotic complexity ofO(N6logN). Then, the method performs the off-grid search using a local quadratic approximation of the cost function and the trust-region optimization algorithm. The computation of the quadratic approximation is also accelerated by FFT at the same additional asymptotic cost ofO(N6logN). The method is demonstrated by fitting atomic protein models into several simulated and experimental maps from cryo-electron microscopy. The method is available at https://team.inria.fr/nano-d/software/offgridfit.
Designers project: Afrotouch Brands
Authors: Ejiofor Kingsley E.
Published: June 2017

Subject area

Entrepreneurship, Analysis of business problems.

Study level/applicability

Masters in business administration, Entrepreneurship management.

Case overview

The CEO of Afrotouch Brands, Mr Emeka Emmanuel, must decide what level of investment his company would need to implement to increase its market share and revenue, thus ensuring adequate business competitiveness. Afrotouch Brands was among the leading names in gift items and indoor furniture in Nigeria. Despite the business main outlet in Victoria Island, the highbrow commercial centre in the city of Lagos, it has other high-profile outlets in Port-Harcourt and Abuja. From the very beginning, Afrotouch Brands attracted a lot of well discerning individuals who patronized the business based on the quality, the wide variety, the uniqueness and the lovely ambience of the showroom. The case describes the various investment alternatives needed for business expansion and discusses the probabilities of possible outcomes. Afrotouch Brands could maintain the medium scale indoor furniture they are currently doing, embark on a large aggressive investment to expand the indoor medium scale furniture to a large scale, maintain their business strategy in gift items and accessories or invest in outdoor furniture manufacturing. The challenge is to decide which of these alternative investment strategies the company should undertake in view of the associated levels of risk and uncertainty inherent in their implementation.

Expected learning outcomes

This case study teaches students the following: fundamentals of decision trees construction; calculating and understanding expected monetary values; assessing probabilities; determination of risk profiles for each decision alternative; display of risk profiles graphically; and identification of business alternatives.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Just Fresh: fresh juices from the desert!
Authors: Ahmad Syed Zamberi , Ahmad Norita Binti
Published: June 2017

Subject area

Strategic management, Strategic marketing, Entrepreneurship and Small business ventures.

Study level/applicability

This case study will be useful for undergraduate level students majoring in strategic management, entrepreneurship, small business ventures and marketing.

Case overview

Just Fresh Juice is a small entrepreneurial venture in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), specialising in preparing all-fresh juices, special mixes and fruit salads. The purpose of this paper is to analyse how Just Fresh can maintain its competitive advantage, and how it could sustain its rapid growth in the market and gain more market share in the long run. Just Fresh focuses on satisfying its customers more effectively than its competitors through a competitive strategy of cost leadership (Papulova and Papulova, 2006), direct interaction with the customers through social media (Srinivasan, 2014) and creating a customer experience (Porter, 2008), as delivering a good customer experience is often more effective in building a competitive advantage than optimising internal processes.

Expected learning outcomes

The purpose of this case is to enable management students to evaluate and analyse a small business established in the United Arab Emirates. Students will gain a comprehensive understanding of new business set-up and build proper business strategy. They will be able to perform the company’s competitive standing using Porter’s Five competitive forces and analyse its business strategies as well. They will be able to analyse the current status of the company using SWOT analysis and to design alternative strategies for the company using TOWS analysis. Furthermore, students will be able to build a cost analysis model for the company.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Victims or conspirators? Understanding a hot-issue public’s online reactions to a victim cluster crisis
Authors: Krishna Arunima , Vibber Kelly S.
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to qualitatively understand the reactions of online publics to a victim cluster crisis as the crisis unfolds and offer a new way of tracking online hot-issue publics using comments on online news articles.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a mixed-methods approach, employing both descriptive quantitative techniques and qualitative thematic analysis.

Findings

Qualitative analyses of online news comments on BuzzFeed and the Huffington Post revealed that publics’ reaction to the cyber-attack on Sony, the following threats of attack, and Sony’s response to it largely ran counter to the situational crisis communication theory’s (SCCT) assumptions about victim cluster crises. Analyses also revealed a pattern in the volume of comments on the two online news outlets, supporting the conceptualization of hot-issue publics growing and decreasing as news coverage of an issue rises and falls.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis was limited to one incident and two online media.

Practical implications

This paper provides empirical support for the use of online news comments to track hot-issue publics and what is important to them. In addition, tracking the tone and content of the comments allows for an examination of the fit of SCCT assumptions and provides a way for practitioners to understand public opinion and adapt communication plans based on insights gleaned from such data.

Originality/value

This study is one of few to provide empirical support for the conceptualization of hot-issue publics, and to do so using online news comments. In addition, it is one of very few to study the SCCT in real-world settings, examining real publics’ reactions to real issues.
Corporate rhetorical strategies in the legitimation of genetically modified foods
Authors: Gauthier Jeffrey , Kappen Jeffrey A.
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the rhetorical strategies used by organizations when the legitimacy of their products is challenged by stakeholders’ sustainability concerns.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach involves rhetorical analysis of texts addressing the implications of genetically modified foods for sustainability. The rhetorical logic (pathos, logos, or ethos) and discursive intent (promotion of validity or propriety) invoked by leading seed producers to address stakeholders’ sustainability concerns was identified.

Findings

Ethos was found to be used to address validity judgments, pathos to address propriety judgments, and logos to address both validity and propriety judgments. The mechanisms through which rhetorical logic supports discursive intent are described.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to a growing body of research at the intersection of discourse and legitimacy, and reveals the rhetorical strategies used to address stakeholders’ sustainability concerns. Future research can build on the study’s findings by examining the effectiveness of distinct rhetorical strategies in building legitimacy.

Originality/value

We lack a complete understanding of how legitimacy is discursively constructed when stakeholder concerns, such as those around sustainability, threaten an organization’s legitimacy. This paper’s examination of rhetorical logic and discursive intent advances this understanding.
Affective atmospheres of hope: management model training in public reforms
Authors: Thedvall Renita
Published: June 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to argue that we need to take seriously what affective atmosphere means in public reform. Particular emphasis is put on understanding the mechanisms of hope (Brunsson, 2006) through affective atmosphere (Anderson, 2009) in regards to a management model training course.

Design/methodology/approach

Ethnographically, the paper is placed in a Lean coach training course, led by two consultants, in the public care services in a municipality in Sweden. The participants were set to learn the language and techniques of the Lean management model during the course of three training days.

Findings

Using affective atmosphere as a theoretical window for how to understand how participants become enthusiastic about public reform, the author puts forward that the enthusiastic, affective atmosphere created in the training room demanded the ingredients of consultants and the mechanism of hope at play. The consultants’ fashioning of the course contributed to the affective atmosphere. But what also triggered the affective atmosphere in the room was the participants’ way of responding, which was much more accidental and founded in the Lean model itself, promising smooth flows and rational organization, and the participants’ ability to keep mechanisms of hope active.

Originality/value

Fotaki et al. (2017) point out that affect has only recently started to be integrated and explored in critical organization studies. Michels and Steyaert (2017) emphasise that affective atmosphere has rarely been used by organization theorists. This is an attempt to contribute to this literature by arguing for the fruitfulness of understanding the mechanisms of hope through affective atmosphere in regards to public management reform. The author also calls attention to the need for ethnographic fieldwork when examining affective atmospheres.
Ecological history of a long‐lived conifer in a disjunct population
Authors: Herring Erin M. , Gavin Daniel G. , Dobrowski Solomon Z. , Fernandez Matias , Hu Feng Sheng
Published: June 2017

In northern Idaho (USA), more than 100 vascular plant species are disjunct >160 km from their main distribution along the Pacific Northwest coast. It remains unclear whether most species within this interior forest disjunction, including Tsuga mertensiana, survived the last glacial period in a north‐Idaho refugium or whether these species colonized the region via long‐distance dispersal during the Holocene.

Sediment cores were extracted from three mid‐ to high‐elevation lakes within T. mertensiana‐dominated forests in the Northern Rocky Mountains of Idaho. Pollen and macrofossils were used to reconstruct forest composition, determine the timing of T. mertensiana establishment, examine the hypothesis that the region was a glacial refugium, and contrast how climate, competition and/or dispersal limitation have influenced its modern distribution.

The modern distribution of T. mertensiana was analysed by constructing a range map and modelling the potential species distribution. The presence of outlier populations surrounding the Idaho disjunction along with broad areas of unoccupied suitable habitat indicates that the range of T. mertensiana is currently expanding. To assess the accuracy of T. mertensiana pollen at detecting its range limit, a network of pollen surface samples was used to analyse the probability of detecting T. mertensiana pollen as a function of distance from its geographical range limit. Consistent T. mertensiana pollen occurrence at ≥1% abundance is likely only within 42 km of its range limit.

Tsuga mertensiana first appears in the pollen and macrofossil record at the highest‐elevation site at c. 4,100 cal year bp, then at the next highest‐elevation site at c. 1,600 cal year bp, and last at the mid‐elevation site at 800 cal year bp. Tsuga mertensiana pollen occurs continuously at ≥1% at all three sites by c. 300 cal year bp suggesting regional presence. The timing of arrival suggests that T. mertensiana is a recent component of the forests of Idaho, having arrived during the Holocene via long‐distance dispersal from coastal populations over 160 km away.

Synthesis. Comparison with palaeoclimate reconstructions from the broader region suggests that climate was a greater limiting factor than dispersal in the Holocene establishment in the interior, indicating little difficulty overcoming a large dispersal barrier. However, T. mertensiana remained at low abundances for millennia until Little Ice Age climates promoted its recent increase in abundance. Unoccupied areas of suitable habitat suggest that competition, rather than climate or dispersal, is a limiting range infilling in the interior mesic forests today.
Cascading effects of changes in land use on the invasion of the walnut Juglans regia in forest ecosystems
Authors: Lenda Magdalena , Knops Johannes H. , Skórka Piotr , Moroń Dawid , Woyciechowski Michał
Published: June 2017

Plant invasions are affected by many factors that must be favourable in order for invasions to occur. Factors can be grouped into three major categories: propagule pressure, biotic factors and abiotic characteristics; all may be moderated by human activity. However, studies examining all factors simultaneously are rare, and most are limited to a single factor. This hampers our understanding of the mechanisms driving invasions.

In recent decades, an alien walnut (Juglans regia) has become invasive in Central Europe due to an increase in the populations of native dispersers, rooks (Corvus frugilegus) and political changes that have resulted in the abandonment of farmland. Here, we test whether increased propagule pressure resulting from the presence of seed‐bearing walnuts in abandoned fields interacts with native forest seed‐dispersing animals (biotic factors), landscape structure and management, and passive secondary dispersal by gravity (abiotic factors) to facilitate the further invasion of walnuts into forests.

Seed‐dispersing animals were observed visiting walnuts growing in abandoned fields and in human settlements. Walnuts and seed dispersers were surveyed in 102 forest patches. Forest characteristics were examined, and field experiments examining passive dispersal were conducted.

Walnut seeds were carried into forests by native birds, jays (Garrulus glandarius). Jays harvested seeds from both wild walnuts growing in abandoned fields and walnuts planted in human settlements. The density of walnuts in forest patches was correlated with jay density. Forest occupancy by walnuts and walnut densities were correlated with the cover of abandoned fields and human settlements containing seed‐bearing walnuts. Secondary seed dispersal also affected forest colonization. Walnut seeds hidden by native rooks in sloping, arable fields may be transported passively to forest edges.

Synthesis. Our results show that this invasion is a multifaceted process in which human‐related alterations to propagule pressure and biotic and abiotic factors have led to the spread of alien walnuts from human settlements and abandoned fields into forest ecosystems. Thus, politically related land use changes can create an invasion debt that causes unexpected linkages among the invasive plant, native dispersers, land management and topography that together can cause cascading changes in ecosystems.
Improvements in Fluvial Stability Associated with Two‐Stage Ditch Construction in Mower County, Minnesota
Authors: Krider Lori , Magner Joseph , Hansen Brad , Wilson Bruce , Kramer Geoffrie , Peterson Joel , Nieber John
Published: June 2017

Water quality and stream habitat in agricultural watersheds are under greater scrutiny as hydrologic pathways are altered to increase crop production. Agricultural drainage ditches function to remove water quickly from farmed landscapes. Conventional ditch designs lack the form and function of natural stream systems and tend to be unstable and provide inadequate habitat. In October of 2009, 1.89 km of a conventional drainage ditch in Mower County, Minnesota, was converted to an alternative system with a two‐stage channel to investigate the improvements in water quality, stability, and habitat. Longitudinal surveys show a 12‐fold increase in the pool‐riffle formation. Cross‐sectional surveys show an average increase in bankfull width of approximately 10% and may be associated to an increased frequency in large storm events. The average increase in bankfull depth was estimated as 18% but is largely influenced by pool formation. Rosgen Stability Analyses show the channel to be highly stable and the banks at a low risk of erosion. The average bankfull recurrence interval was estimated to be approximately 0.30 years. Overall, the two‐stage ditch design demonstrates an increase in fluvial stability, creating a more consistent sediment budget, and increasing the frequency of important instream habitat features, making this best management practice a viable option for addressing issues of erosion, sediment imbalance, and poor habitat in agricultural drainage systems.
An integrated framework to identify wildlife populations under threat from climate change
Authors: Razgour Orly , Taggart John B. , Manel Stephanie , Juste Javier , Ibáñez Carlos , Rebelo Hugo , Alberdi Antton , Jones Gareth , Park Kirsty
Published: June 2017

Climate change is a major threat to global biodiversity that will produce a range of new selection pressures. Understanding species responses to climate change requires an interdisciplinary perspective, combining ecological, molecular and environmental approaches. We propose an applied integrated framework to identify populations under threat from climate change based on their extent of exposure, inherent sensitivity due to adaptive and neutral genetic variation and range shift potential. We consider intraspecific vulnerability and population‐level responses, an important but often neglected conservation research priority. We demonstrate how this framework can be applied to vertebrates with limited dispersal abilities using empirical data for the bat Plecotus austriacus. We use ecological niche modelling and environmental dissimilarity analysis to locate areas at high risk of exposure to future changes. Combining outlier tests with genotype–environment association analysis, we identify potential climate‐adaptive SNPs in our genomic data set and differences in the frequency of adaptive and neutral variation between populations. We assess landscape connectivity and show that changing environmental suitability may limit the future movement of individuals, thus affecting both the ability of populations to shift their distribution to climatically suitable areas and the probability of evolutionary rescue through the spread of adaptive genetic variation among populations. Therefore, a better understanding of movement ecology and landscape connectivity is needed for predicting population persistence under climate change. Our study highlights the importance of incorporating genomic data to determine sensitivity, adaptive potential and range shift potential, instead of relying solely on exposure to guide species vulnerability assessments and conservation planning.