bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determinants of SME growth
Authors: Kachlami Habib , Yazdanfar Darush
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the firm-level financial variables affecting the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

The study applies a resource-based view to analyze the firm-level as well as industry-level determinants of SME growth. Empirical evidence has also been provided from a data set of SMEs in Sweden to support the hypotheses. For a robust statistical analysis, three models – ordinary least squares (OLS) regression, random-effects regression and fixed-effects regression – are used to examine the influence of explanatory variables on growth.

Findings

The findings of this study show a positive and significant influence of profitability, short-term debt and size on a firm’s growth across all three models. Results regarding the influence of long-term debt on growth, however, are mixed. While the results of a fixed-effect model show the negative and significant influence of long-term debt on growth, the results according to OLS and random effects show long-term debt positively related to growth.

Research limitations/implications

This study has been conducted over a period of four years and in the context of Sweden which may limit the generalizability of its results for longer periods and for different contexts. Moreover, the low explanatory power of the models implies the need to also consider other types of variables, such as managerial or socio-economic variables, to better explain the determinants of SME growth.

Practical implications

Understanding the determinants of growth can be important for policy makers, SME managers and financial institutions. The findings of this study can be used for designing policies which stimulate SME growth. Realizing the financial resources that influence growth can also help SME managers and financial institutions to understand each other’s need for better cooperation.

Originality/value

This paper applies different models for analyzing large and cross-sectoral data regarding SME growth in the context of Sweden.
Searching for effective change interventions for the transformation into a high performance organization
Authors: de Waal André , Heijtel Ivo
Published: September 2016

Purpose

In recent years, the concept of the high-performance organization (HPO) has gained interest among organizations seeking to outperform their competitors and ensure business continuance. However, despite an increasing number of studies on high performance, the literature still does not present a clear organizational change approach with change interventions that effectively transform “ordinary organizations” into HPOs. This study aims to fill this gap in the literature by identifying change interventions that have proven themselves in practice, i.e. they actually increase commitment of managers and employees to the HPO transformation process.

Design/methodology/approach

This study consists of developing a theoretical HPO change approach based on the change model of Whelan-Berry and Somerville (2010), followed by testing and applying the resulting 21 change interventions at a case company going through an HPO transformation.

Findings

The research results show that 75 per cent of the applied change interventions were either effective or very effective. Also, 25 per cent of the interventions were not very effective; most of these were individual-oriented.

Research limitations/implications

The change interventions with positive outcomes in this study can be applied by organizations during the HPO transformation. Future research should be performed in multiple industries and countries to investigate whether industry and country factors affect the effectiveness of change interventions.

Originality/value

Although much has been written about approaches for organizational change interventions, no change interventions specifically for creating an HPO are mentioned in the literature. Thus, the relevance of this study is that it constitutes the first step toward filling the gap in current literature on effective change interventions. This study provides a set of effective change interventions that drive successful HPO transformations.
Strategic forecasting: the management perspective
Authors: Duus Henrik Johannsen
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to present an overview of the area of strategic forecasting and its research directions and to put forward some ideas for improving management decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is conceptual but also informed by the author’s long contact and collaboration with various business firms. It starts by presenting an overview of the area and argues that the area is as much a way of thinking as a toolbox of theories and methodologies. It then spells out a number of research directions and ideas for management.

Findings

Strategic forecasting is seen as a rebirth of long range planning, albeit with new methods and theories. Firms should make the building of strategic forecasting capability a priority.

Research limitations/implications

The article subdivides strategic forecasting into three research avenues and suggests avenues for further research efforts.

Practical implications

The article provides five examples of ideas that may enable managers to analyze and understand the future of their firm’s environment, thus improving investments in a wide variety of areas.

Originality/value

This article’s contribution is a relatively novel way of theorizing within a somewhat neglected area. It also suggests several new practical ideas that may improve management decisions.
Business strategy, enterprise risk management and organizational performance
Authors: Soltanizadeh Sara , Abdul Rasid Siti Zaleha , Mottaghi Golshan Nargess , Wan Ismail Wan Khairuzzaman
Published: September 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the influence of business strategy on enterprise risk management (ERM) adoption and organizational performance (OP). In addition, the mediation effect of ERM on the relationship between business strategy and OP is assessed.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional analysis of primary data gathered from 174 public listed companies in Malaysian Bourse through survey was conducted.

Findings

Companies with cost leadership business strategy are more eager to implement ERM compared to companies with differentiation strategy. The results also indicate that ERM implementation has a significant positive impact on OP. Though ERM is a partial mediator of the relationship between cost leadership strategy and OP, it does not mediate the relationship between differentiation strategy and OP.

Research limitations/implications

One of the limitations of this study was the small number of respondents, comprising only 174 public listed companies. In addition, the manifest variables adopted from previous studies may not be the best indicators to measure latent variables. Nonetheless, this study fills the gaps in ERM studies by determining the impact of different kinds of strategy on ERM adoption and investigating the mediating effect of ERM on the relationship between business strategy and OP.

Practical implications

Although the trend in Malaysia seems to move toward ERM adoption, evidence shows that it is not widely practiced among Malaysian firms. Directors of Malaysian companies can understand better the impact of enterprise business strategy on the adoption of risk management and how ERM influences OP. The results of this study also provide valuable insights for the corporate governance regulatory authorities.

Originality/value

This paper is among the few to assess the impact of firm’s strategy on ERM adoption and to determine the mediation effect of ERM on the relationship between business strategy and OP.
Ecological transcendence and ecological behavior: a test of the S-curve hypothesis
Authors: Zoogah David B.
Published: September 2016

Purpose

Adopting a positive organizational scholarship perspective, this paper aims to examine dynamic effects of ecological transcendence on ecological behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on 176 responses of employees from 46 organizations, the author found that both quadratic and cubic terms in the hierarchical regression equation were significant, evidence that ecological transcendence has an S-curve relationship with ecological behavior which suggests deficiency, goading and lulling effects.

Findings

The author finds a significant cubic term indicative of a signoidal relationship between ecological transcendence and ecological behavior.

Research limitations/implications

Implications for theory and practice are discussed. Given the growing interest in environmental sustainability, this study provides initial evidence of the dynamics of ecological behavior.

Practical implications

The study has implications for managing sustainability in organizations. Managers have empirical evidence of the dynamics which can serve as a basis for establishing mechanisms to goad growth and constraints to limit downturns.

Originality/value

The study is original in that it has not been published elsewhere except for presentation at a conference.
Does finance solve the supply chain financing problem?
Authors: Caniato Federico , Gelsomino Luca Mattia , Perego Alessandro , Ronchi Stefano
Published: September 2016

Purpose

Recently, in response to the credit crunch and the increased costs of financing, new solutions for supporting the financial management of supply chains, known as supply chain finance (SCF), have been developed. They exploit the strengths of supply chain links to optimise working capital. The purpose of this paper is to provide a reference framework that links together the objectives leading to the adoption of SCF solutions and several moderating variables.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a multiple case study methodology, analysing 14 cases of the application of SCF solutions among Italian companies.

Findings

The main findings are the identification of the different objectives leading to the adoption of SCF; the analysis of the impact of moderating variables (the level of inter- and intra-firm collaboration, the level of the trade process digitalisation and the bargaining power and financial strength of the leading firm) on SCF adoption; and the formulation of a reference framework supporting the effective adoption of SCF solutions.

Research limitations/implications

This contribution is exploratory in nature; theory-testing contributions should be the focus of further research. Also, the sample is limited to Italian companies. Finally, the service provider’s point of view has been marginally taken into consideration in this study.

Originality/value

The article addresses the need for more empirical research on SCF. It provides a reference framework focused on the objectives and moderating variables leading to effective SCF adoption, providing a theory-building contribution on the general topic of SCF and on the specific topic of the adoption process of different SCF solutions.
Biogeography and genetic consequences of anagenetic speciation ofRhaphithamnus venustus(Verbenaceae) in theJuanFernández archipelago,Chile: insights fromAFLPandSSRmarkers
Authors: López‐sepúlveda Patricio , Takayama Koji , Crawford Daniel J. , Greimler Josef , Peñailillo Patricio , Baeza Marcelo , Ruiz Eduardo , Kohl Gudrun , Tremetsberger Karin , Gatica Alejandro , Letelier Luis , Novoa Patricio , Novak Johannes , Stuessy Tod F.
Published: September 2016

The genusRhaphithamnus(Verbenaceae) consists of two species, one inSouthAmerica and another endemic to theJuanFernández archipelago,Chile. The genus represents an example of anagenetic speciation in which the island populations have diverged from their colonizing ancestors to the point where they are recognized as a distinct species. The island speciesRhaphithamnus venustusdiffers from the continentalR. spinosusprimarily by floral traits associated with adaptation to hummingbird pollination. Two molecular markers, amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs) and microsatellites, were used to estimate divergence between the continental and insular species, and to compare diversity in the two species. The comparable or greater diversity in the insular species observed in some diversity indices ofAFLPs would support the hypothesis that during the course of anagenetic speciation it has recovered from any reduction of genetic diversity associated with colonization of the archipelago. This pattern of comparable or higher diversity in insular species is seen with other instances of anagenetic speciation in theJuanFernández archipelago. By contrast, the lower genetic diversity in the insularR. venustusfound in microsatellites is likely to be the result of a founder effect from the original colonization of the archipelago; prior molecular studies suggest recent colonization of theJuanFernández archipelago byRhaphithamnus. The seeming non‐concordance between the present results and the widely accepted biogeography ofRhaphithamnusinferred from other data is discussed and an explanation is presented.
Specialized or opportunistic—how does the high mountain endemic butterfly Erebia nivalis survive in its extreme habitats?
Authors: Ehl Stefan , Dalstein Vivian , Tull Fabienne , Gros Patrick , Schmitt Thomas
Published: September 2016

High mountain ecosystems are a challenge for the survival of animal and plant species, which have to evolve specific adaptations to cope with the prevailing extreme conditions. The strategies to survive may reach from opportunistic to highly adapted traits. One species successfully surviving under these conditions is the here studied butterfly Erebia nivalis. In a mark‐release‐recapture study performed in the Hohe Tauern National Park (Austria) from 22 July to 26 August 2013, we marked 1386 individuals and recaptured 342 of these. For each capture event, we recorded the exact point of capture and various other traits (wing conditions, behavior, nectar sources). The population showed a partial protandrous demography with the minority of males emerging prior to the females, but the majority being synchronized with them. Males and females differed significantly in their behavior with males being more flight active and females nectaring and resting more. Both sexes showed preferences for the same plant species as nectar sources, but this specialization apparently is the result of a rapid individual adaptation to the locally available flowers. Estimates of the realized dispersal distances predicted a comparatively high amount of long‐distance flights, especially for females. Therefore, the adaptation of Erebia nivalis to the unpredictable high mountain conditions might be a mixture of opportunism and specialized traits.
Audit of the dietetic care of patients with type 1 diabetes at a large Australian paediatric tertiary hospital and comparison with the International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes nutrition guidelines
Authors: Battersby Rachel , Sweeney Annabel , Toome Sarah , Fairchild Janice , Miller Jacqueline
Published: September 2016

Aim

Optimal glycaemic control is important in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) to reduce the risk of developing microvascular complications. Modest reductions in HbA1c translate to significant risk reductions of these complications. Research indicates that targeted dietetic care using evidence‐based guidelines improves HbA1c levels. The aim of this study was to audit the dietetic care provided to patients with T1D at the Women's and Children's Hospital (WCH) and compare the service provided to the International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) nutrition guidelines.

Methods

A retrospective medical records audit of the dietetic service was conducted on 410 (99% of eligible) patients who attended the WCH Diabetes Outpatient Clinic between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2013. These data were then compared to the ISPAD nutrition guidelines, with a focus on the key service delivery targets.

Results

Of the newly diagnosed patients (n = 128), 100% received initial dietary advice by a paediatric diabetes dietitian; 61% of these patients then received a follow‐up appointment within one month of diagnosis. Of those who were >1 year post‐diagnosis (n = 389), only 6% were seen annually; 79% of patients were identified with a condition requiring more frequent review, of whom 23% were seen more frequently.

Conclusions

This large and comprehensive audit, conducted for a 3.5‐year period, has shown that the dietetic care of newly diagnosed children and adolescents is mostly in line with ISPAD guidelines, but there is suboptimal follow‐up after diagnosis.
Characterization of Chemically and Thermally Treated Oil‐in‐Water Heteroaggregates and Comparison to Conventional Emulsions
Authors: Maier Christiane , Reichert Corina L. , Weiss Jochen
Published: September 2016

Heteroaggregated oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsions formed by targeted combination of oppositely charged emulsion droplets were proposed to be used for the modulation of physical properties of food systems, ideally achieving the formation of a particulate 3‐dimensional network at comparably low‐fat content. In this study, rheological properties of Quillaja saponins (QS), sugar beet pectin (SBP), and whey protein isolate (WPI) stabilized conventional and heteroaggregated O/W emulsions at oil contents of 10% to 60% (w/w) were investigated. Selected systems having an oil content of 30% (w/w) and different particle sizes (d43 ≤ 1.1 or ≥16.7 μm) were additionally subjected to chemical (genipin or glutaraldehyde) and thermal treatments, aiming to increase network stability. Subsequently, their rheological properties and stability were assessed. Yield stresses (τ0) of both conventional and heteroaggregated O/W emulsions were found to depend on emulsifier type, oil content, and initial droplet size. For conventional emulsions, high yield stresses were only observed for SBP‐based emulsions (τ0,SBP approximately 157 Pa). Highest yield stresses of heteroaggregates were observed when using small droplets stabilized by SBP/WPI (approximately 15.4 Pa), being higher than those of QS/WPI (approximately 1.6 Pa). Subsequent treatments led to significant alterations in rheological properties for SBP/WPI systems, with yield stresses increasing 29‐fold (glutaraldehyde) and 2‐fold (thermal treatment) compared to untreated heteroaggregates, thereby surpassing yield stresses of similarly treated conventional SBP emulsions. Genipin‐driven treatments proved to be ineffective. Results should be of interest to food manufacturers wishing to design viscoelastic food emulsion based systems at lower oil droplet contents.
Effects of Accelerated Storage on the Quality of Kenaf Seed Oil in Chitosan‐Coated High Methoxyl Pectin‐Alginate Microcapsules
Authors: Leong Mei‐Huan , Tan Chin‐Ping , Nyam Kar‐Lin
Published: September 2016

The objective of this research was to study the oxidative stability and antioxidant properties of microencapsulated kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed oil (MKSO) produced by co‐extrusion technology upon accelerated storage. The combination of sodium alginate, high methoxyl pectin, and chitosan were used as shell materials. The oxidative stability of the kenaf seed oil was determined by iodine value, peroxide value, p‐Anisidine value, total oxidation (TOTOX), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay, and free fatty acid content. Total phenolic content, 2,2′‐azino‐bis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid) cation radical‐scavenging assay and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay were used to examine the antioxidant properties of oils. Oxidative stability tests showed that bulk kenaf seed oil (BKSO) was oxidized significantly higher (P < 0.05) than MKSO. The total increment of TOTOX value of BKSO was 165.93% significantly higher (P < 0.05) than MKSO. Co‐extrusion technology has shown to be able to protect kenaf seed oil against lipid oxidation and delay the degradation of natural antioxidants that present in oil during storage.
Annexin A1 restores Aβ1‐42‐induced blood–brain barrier disruption through the inhibition of RhoA‐ROCK signaling pathway
Authors: Park Jong‐Chan , Baik Sung Hoon , Han Sun‐Ho , Cho Hyun Jin , Choi Hyunjung , Kim Haeng Jun , Choi Heesun , Lee Wonik , Kim Dong Kyu , Mook‐Jung Inhee
Published: September 2016

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is composed of brain capillary endothelial cells and has an important role in maintaining homeostasis of the brain separating the blood from the parenchyma of the central nervous system (CNS). It is widely known that disruption of the BBB occurs in various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Annexin A1 (ANXA1), an anti‐inflammatory messenger, is expressed in brain endothelial cells and regulates the BBB integrity. However, its role and mechanism for protecting BBB in AD have not been identified. We found that β‐Amyloid 1‐42 (Aβ42)‐induced BBB disruption was rescued by human recombinant ANXA1 (hrANXA1) in the murine brain endothelial cell line bEnd.3. Also, ANXA1 was decreased in the bEnd.3 cells, the capillaries of 5XFAD mice, and the human serum of patients with AD. To find out the mechanism by which ANXA1 recovers the BBB integrity in AD, the RhoA‐ROCK signaling pathway was examined in both Aβ42‐treated bEnd.3 cells and the capillaries of 5XFAD mice as RhoA was activated in both cases. RhoA inhibitors alleviated Aβ42‐induced BBB disruption and constitutively overexpressed RhoA‐GTP (active form of RhoA) attenuated the protective effect of ANXA1. When pericytes were cocultured with bEnd.3 cells, Aβ42‐induced RhoA activation of bEnd.3 cells was inhibited by the secretion of ANXA1 from pericytes. Taken together, our results suggest that ANXA1 restores Aβ42‐induced BBB disruption through inhibition of RhoA‐ROCK signaling pathway and we propose ANXA1 as a therapeutic reagent, protecting against the breakdown of the BBB in AD.
Chelation of hippocampal zinc enhances long‐term potentiation and synaptic tagging/capture in CA1 pyramidal neurons of aged rats: implications to aging and memory
Authors: Shetty Mahesh Shivarama , Sharma Mahima , Sajikumar Sreedharan
Published: September 2016

Aging is associated with decline in cognitive functions, prominently in the memory consolidation and association capabilities. Hippocampus plays a crucial role in the formation and maintenance of long‐term associative memories, and a significant body of evidence shows that impairments in hippocampal function correlate with aging‐related memory loss. A number of studies have implicated alterations in hippocampal synaptic plasticity, such as long‐term potentiation (LTP), in age‐related cognitive decline although exact mechanisms underlying are not completely clear. Zinc deficiency and the resultant adverse effects on cognition have been well studied. However, the role of excess of zinc in synaptic plasticity, especially in aging, is not addressed well. Here, we have investigated the hippocampal zinc levels and the impairments in synaptic plasticity, such as LTP and synaptic tagging and capture (STC), in the CA1 region of acute hippocampal slices from 82‐ to 84‐week‐old male Wistar rats. We report increased zinc levels in the hippocampus of aged rats and also deficits in the tetani‐induced and dopaminergic agonist‐induced late‐LTP and STC. The observed deficits in synaptic plasticity were restored upon chelation of zinc using a cell‐permeable chelator. These data suggest that functional plasticity and associativity can be successfully established in aged neural networks by chelating zinc with cell‐permeable chelating agents.
First record of a possible predatory collembolan species, Dicyrtoma fusca (Collembola: Dicyrtomidae), in New Zealand
Authors: Greenslade Penelope , Boyer Stephane , Shields Morgan W , Wratten Steve D
Published: September 2016

Specimens of a previously unrecorded collembolan species were found in a field margin of a commercial dairy farm near Christchurch, New Zealand. They were consistently observed apparently feeding on egg batches of the light brown apple moth Epiphyas postvittana, which were being used as bait to assess predation rate by potential biocontrol agents. The collembolan specimens were identified as the European species Dicyrtoma fusca based on published morphological descriptions of this species. DNA sequence data of the New Zealand specimens clustered with sequence data from GenBank of this species from Norway and England, confirming that D. fusca populations in New Zealand originated from Europe. A GenBank sequence had previously identified a collembolan species from Estonia as this species, but its position in the phylogeny indicates that it is a different species. Some morphological variations observed in arrangement of macrochaetae on the head were shown by sequence data to be intraspecific differences only.
Relationship between serum testosterone and nocturia in men without benign prostate enlargement
Authors: Jeh S. U. , Yoon S. , Seo D. H. , Lee S. W. , Lee C. , Choi S. M. , Kam S. C. , Hwa J. S. , Chung K. H. , Hyun J. S.
Published: September 2016

Recent studies have focused on the relationship between nocturia and serum testosterone because testosterone is thought to be an important factor of prostate growth. However, it remains unclear whether altered serum concentrations of testosterone is associated with an increased risk of nocturia because patients who were taking diuretics or who had a large prostate, which may precipitate nocturia, were not excluded from most previous studies. We analyzed the clinical records of 596 non‐benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) male patients to explore the relationship between serum total testosterone and nocturia. All patients were evaluated using a serum prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) assay, measurement of serum total testosterone, transrectal ultrasonography, uroflowmetry, and a compilation of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaires. Nocturia was defined as ≥2 nocturnal voiding episodes. The number of nocturia episodes was assessed using IPSS question 7. To evaluate the effect of serum testosterone on nocturia, multivariate regression analysis was performed including the covariates of age, IPSS, IIEF score, body mass index, PSA, prostate volume, and maximal urine flow rate. Based on multivariate linear analysis, serum testosterone level was not significantly associated with the severity of nocturia. However, with regard to the relationship between prevalence of nocturia and serum testosterone, prevalence of nocturia was significantly positively associated with age (OR = 1.048, p = 0.005), total IPSS (OR = 1.217, p < 0.001), and testosterone level (OR = 1.150, p = 0.041). Therefore, in men without an enlarged prostate, testosterone may play an opposing role in the etiology of nocturia.
The Revitalization of Yajé Shamanism among the Siona: Strategies of Survival in Historical Context
Authors: Langdon Esther Jean
Published: September 2016

This article outlines the transformations of yajé shamanism among the Siona Indians of the Northwest Amazon Basin of Colombia. The shaman's role and the political and sacred use of yajé rituals have changed since colonial times and can be seen as a result of adaptive strategies for survival. This study examines the factors that have contributed to the current revitalization due to state and popular representations of the ecological and wise Indian. Although Gow and Taussig argue that ayahuasca shamanism in Peru and folk healing in Colombia rose out of colonial domination and proletarian concerns, Siona shamanic practices are best understood as a transfiguration and result of their particular response to outside forces. Their contemporary use of yajé reflects this past and the discourse, aesthetics, expectations, and demands of the larger society.
A review of wave mechanics in the pulmonary artery with an emphasis on wave intensity analysis
Authors: Su J. , Hilberg O. , Howard L. , Simonsen U. , Hughes A. D.
Published: September 2016

Mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) remain the most common haemodynamic measures to evaluate the severity and prognosis of pulmonary hypertension. However, PVR only captures the non‐oscillatory component of the right ventricular hydraulic load and neglects the dynamic compliance of the pulmonary arteries and the contribution of wave transmission. Wave intensity analysis offers an alternative way to assess the pulmonary vasculature in health and disease. Wave speed is a measure of arterial stiffness, and the magnitude and timing of wave reflection provide information on the degree of impedance mismatch between the proximal and distal circulation. Studies in the pulmonary artery have demonstrated distinct differences in arterial wave propagation between individuals with and without pulmonary vascular disease. Notably, greater wave speed and greater wave reflection are observed in patients with pulmonary hypertension and in animal models exposed to hypoxia. Studying wave propagation makes a valuable contribution to the assessment of the arterial system in pulmonary hypertension, and here, we briefly review the current state of knowledge of the methods used to evaluate arterial waves in the pulmonary artery.
Desoxycorticosterone pivalate‐salt treatment leads to non‐dipping hypertension in Per1 knockout mice
Authors: Solocinski K. , Holzworth M. , Wen X. , Cheng K.‐Y. , Lynch I. J. , Cain B. D. , Wingo C. S. , Gumz M. L.
Published: September 2016

Aim

Increasing evidence demonstrates that circadian clock proteins are important regulators of physiological functions including blood pressure. An established risk factor for developing cardiovascular disease is the absence of a blood pressure dip during the inactive period. The goal of the present study was to determine the effects of a high salt diet plus mineralocorticoid on PER1‐mediated blood pressure regulation in a salt‐resistant, normotensive mouse model, C57BL/6J.

Methods

Blood pressure was measured using radiotelemetry. After control diet, wild‐type (WT) and Per1 (KO) knockout mice were given a high salt diet (4% NaCl) and the long‐acting mineralocorticoid deoxycorticosterone pivalate. Blood pressure and activity rhythms were analysed to evaluate changes over time.

Results

Blood pressure in WT mice was not affected by a high salt diet plus mineralocorticoid. In contrast, Per1 KO mice exhibited significantly increased mean arterial pressure (MAP) in response to a high salt diet plus mineralocorticoid. The inactive/active phase ratio of MAP in WT mice was unchanged by high salt plus mineralocorticoid treatment. Importantly, this treatment caused Per1 KO mice to lose the expected decrease or ‘dip’ in blood pressure during the inactive compared to the active phase.

Conclusion

Loss of PER1 increased sensitivity to the high salt plus mineralocorticoid treatment. It also resulted in a non‐dipper phenotype in this model of salt‐sensitive hypertension and provides a unique model of non‐dipping. Together, these data support an important role for the circadian clock protein PER1 in the modulation of blood pressure in a high salt/mineralocorticoid model of hypertension.
Oral administration of Lactobacillus plantarum and Bacillus subtilis on rumen fermentation and the bacterial community in calves
Authors: Zhang Rong , Dong Xiaoli , Zhou Meng , Tu Yan , Zhang Naifeng , Deng Kaidong , Diao Qiyu
Published: September 2016

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of dietary probiotics on rumen fermentation and the bacterial community in dairy calves. Twelve Holstein calves were randomly allocated to three treatments: a basal diet, the basal diet supplemented with Lactobacillus plantarum GF103 (LB) or basal diet supplemented with a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum GF103 and Bacillus subtilis B27 (LBS). A milk replacer was fed to calves from 8 days of age. A starter and alfalfa hay was offered ad libitum from 21 and 28 days of age, respectively, and the orts were weighted daily. The ruminal fluid was sampled at 56 and 83 days of age to determine the rumen fermentation characteristics. The bacterial community was analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and the number of certain bacteria was quantified by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. The ratio of total dry matter intake to average body wieght was higher in the control (P < 0.05). The DGGE fingerprint of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was affected by the blended probiotics at 83 days of age. The number of Ruminococcus albus was lower in the LB and LBS treatment (P < 0.05). Oral administration of the probiotics affected the rumen bacterial community and the numbers of cellulolytic bacteria decreased.
A higher‐level classification of the Pannonian and western Pontic steppe grasslands (Central and Eastern Europe)
Authors: Willner Wolfgang , Kuzemko Anna , Dengler Jürgen , Chytrý Milan , Bauer Norbert , Becker Thomas , Biţă‐Nicolae Claudia , Botta‐Dukát Zoltán , Čarni Andraž , Csiky János , Igić Ruzica , Kącki Zygmunt , Korotchenko Iryna , Kropf Matthias , Krstivojević‐Ćuk Mirjana , Krstonošić Daniel , Rédei Tamás , Ruprecht Eszter , Schratt‐Ehrendorfer Luise , Semenishchenkov Yuri , Stančić Zvjezdana , Vashenyak Yulia , Vynokurov Denys , Janišová Monika
Published: September 2016

Questions

What are the main floristic patterns in the Pannonian and western Pontic steppe grasslands? What are the diagnostic species of the major subdivisions of the class Festuco‐Brometea (temperate Euro‐Siberian dry and semi‐dry grasslands)?

Location

Carpathian Basin (E Austria, SE Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, N Croatia and N Serbia), Ukraine, S Poland and the Bryansk region of W Russia.

Methods

We applied a geographically stratified resampling to a large set of relevés containing at least one indicator species of steppe grasslands. The resulting data set of 17 993 relevés was classified using the TWINSPAN algorithm. We identified groups of clusters that corresponded to the class Festuco‐Brometea. After excluding relevés not belonging to our target class, we applied a consensus of three fidelity measures, also taking into account external knowledge, to establish the diagnostic species of the orders of the class. The original TWINSPAN divisions were revised on the basis of these diagnostic species.

Results

The TWINSPAN classification revealed soil moisture as the most important environmental factor. Eight out of 16 TWINSPAN groups corresponded to Festuco‐Brometea. A total of 80, 32 and 58 species were accepted as diagnostic for the orders Brometalia erecti, Festucetalia valesiacae and Stipo‐Festucetalia pallentis, respectively. In the further subdivision of the orders, soil conditions, geographic distribution and altitude could be identified as factors driving the major floristic patterns.

Conclusions

We propose the following classification of the Festuco‐Brometea in our study area: (1) Brometalia erecti (semi‐dry grasslands) with Scabioso ochroleucae‐Poion angustifoliae (steppe meadows of the forest zone of E Europe) and Cirsio‐Brachypodion pinnati (meadow steppes on deep soils in the forest‐steppe zone of E Central and E Europe); (2) Festucetalia valesiacae (grass steppes) with Festucion valesiacae (grass steppes on less developed soils in the forest‐steppe zone of E Central and E Europe) and Stipion lessingianae (grass steppes in the steppe zone); (3) Stipo‐Festucetalia pallentis (rocky steppes) with Asplenio septentrionalis‐Festucion pallentis (rocky steppes on siliceous and intermediate soils), Bromo‐Festucion pallentis (thermophilous rocky steppes on calcareous soils), Diantho‐Seslerion (dealpine Sesleria caerulea grasslands of the Western Carpathians) and Seslerion rigidae (dealpine Sesleria rigida grasslands of the Romanian Carpathians).
Patterns and potentials of plant species richness in high‐ and low‐maintenance urban grasslands
Authors: Rudolph Martin , Velbert Frederike , Schwenzfeier Stefan , Kleinebecker Till , Klaus Valentin H.
Published: September 2016

Aims

We investigated urban grasslands to: (1) explore current patterns of plant species richness in high‐maintenance vs low‐maintenance grasslands, (2) investigate environmental drivers of plant species richness and composition, and (3) derive management recommendations and assess the potential for plant species introduction.

Location

Cities of Cologne (50°56′ N, 6°57′ E) and Münster (51°57′ N, 7°37′ E), North Rhine‐Westphalia, Germany.

Methods

We performed plant inventories and measured soil and above‐ground biomass characteristics in 100 urban grasslands in two cities differing in population size and environmental setting. The data set covered 35 high‐maintenance grasslands, which are cut or mulched up to 14 times a year, and 65 low‐maintenance grasslands with one to two cuts per year or sheep grazing. We used ANCOVA and DCA to assess drivers of vegetation composition and species richness. The floristic potential and options to restore biodiversity were assessed taking into account maintenance intensity and key abiotic variables of the grasslands using thresholds derived from published literature and our own data.

Results

High‐maintenance urban grasslands harboured significantly lower plant species richness compared to low‐maintenance grasslands. However, plant species richness of both grassland types turned out to be lower than that of comparable semi‐natural agricultural grasslands. Floristic composition was primarily conditioned by maintenance intensity, but for plant species richness environmental factors such as soil pH, phosphorus availability and city were additionally important. Just eight of the 100 studied urban grasslands were found to be already valuable and species‐rich, whereas the vast majority showed relatively low species richness but a high potential for species introduction.

Conclusions

Apparently, most urban grasslands exhibited quite constrained plant species richness, suffering from high‐maintenance intensity but probably also from dispersal and seed limitations. Nevertheless, as the majority of the studied grasslands showed favourable abiotic preconditions for higher plant species richness, restoration techniques using species introduction could be an easy and promising method to support grassland biodiversity in urban areas.
Chromatin decondensation is accompanied by a transient increase in transcriptional output
Authors: Vaňková Hausnerová Viola , Lanctôt Christian
Published: September 2016

Background Information

The levels of chromatin condensation usually correlate inversely with the levels of transcription. The mechanistic links between chromatin condensation and RNA polymerase II activity remain to be elucidated. In the present work, we sought to experimentally determine whether manipulation of chromatin condensation levels can have a direct effect on transcriptional activity.

Results

We generated a U‐2‐OS cell line in which the nascent transcription of a reporter gene could be imaged alongside chromatin compaction levels in living cells. The transcripts were tagged at their 5′ end with PP7 stem loops, which can be detected upon expression of a PP7 capsid protein fused to green fluorescent protein. Cycles of global chromatin hypercondensation and decondensation were performed by perfusing culture media of different osmolarities during imaging. We used the fluorescence recovery after photobleaching technique to analyse the transcriptional dynamics in both conditions. Surprisingly, we found that, despite a drop in signal intensity, nascent transcription appeared to continue at the same rate in hypercondensed chromatin. Furthermore, quantification of transcriptional profiles revealed that chromatin decondensation was accompanied by a brief and transient spike in transcriptional output.

Conclusions

We propose a model whereby the initiation of transcription is not impaired in condensed chromatin, but inefficient elongation in these conditions leads to the accumulation of RNA polymerase II at the transcription site. Upon chromatin decondensation, release of the RNA polymerase II halt triggers a wave of transcription, which we detect as a transient spike in activity.

Significance

The results presented here shed light on the activity of RNA polymerase II during chromatin condensation and decondensation. As such, they point to a new level of transcriptional regulation.
IDIOSYNCRATIC AND AGGREGATE RISKS, INEQUALITY AND GROWTH
Authors: Getachew Yoseph Yilma
Published: September 2016

The paper disaggregates productivity shocks at a firm level into idiosyncratic and aggregate risks, and studies their impacts on inequality, growth and welfare. It develops a growth model with human capital and incomplete insurance and credit markets that provides a closed‐form solution for income inequality dynamics. We find that uninsured idiosyncratic risks are the most important determinants of inequality, growth and welfare. They are the source of nondegenerate wealth distribution. A lower weight of these shocks leads to lower steady‐state inequality, higher growth and welfare. A redistribution of income that serves as social insurance against such risks increases welfare and decreases inequality. But, it also decreases growth by distorting individual consumption and saving decisions.
Chronology of Chilean Frontal Cordillera building from geochronological, stratigraphic and geomorphological data insights from Miocene intramontane‐basin deposits
Authors: Rossel Katia , Aguilar Germán , Salazar Esteban , Martinod Joseph , Carretier Sébastien , Pinto Luisa , Cabré Albert
Published: September 2016

The Chilean Frontal Cordillera, near 28°45′S, provides a remarkable example to explore the evolution of the Central Andes; this area provides conspicuous pediment surfaces and continental deposits, which allowed us to analyse the timing and propagation of deformation which controlled the Andes building during the Cenozoic using structural, geomorphological, sedimentological, stratigraphic and geochronological data. The study area is characterized by outcrops of the Cerro del Burro Gravels, a continental deposit which is surrounded by four morphostructural mountain systems. Based on a 46 Ma tuff affected by a syncline, which is sealed by a 44 Ma tuff, we recognized an Eocene fault activity that contributed to the uplift of the western and northern systems, which have remained inactive during the last 44 Ma. The deformed lithologies during the last pulse of activity of the western fault and the youngest lithology carved by pediment processes (21 Ma) indicate a pediment surface developed during the Late Eocene and Oligocene. This pediment extended below the Cerro del Burro Gravels associated to a base level which drained to the east. We also recognized Miocene fault activity that played a main role in the uplift of the eastern and southern systems. Geochronological, stratigraphic and geomorphological data suggest a first pulse of fault activity between 19 and 13 Ma, which interrupted the pedimentation processes, developed an intramontane depocenter, and forced the accumulation of the Laguna Grande Succession in an alluvial‐braided fluvial environment. After 13 Ma, an erosive event evidenced by the incision of valleys, resulted after the change in the extension and configuration of the hydric network.
Influence of Aspergillus fumigatus conidia viability on murine pulmonary microRNA and mRNA expression following subchronic inhalation exposure
Authors: Croston T. L. , Nayak A. P. , Lemons A. R. , Goldsmith W. T. , Gu J. K. , Germolec D. R. , Beezhold D. H. , Green B. J.
Published: September 2016

Background

Personal exposure to fungal bioaerosols derived from contaminated building materials or agricultural commodities may induce or exacerbate a variety of adverse health effects. The genomic mechanisms that underlie pulmonary immune responses to fungal bioaerosols have remained unclear.

Objective

The impact of fungal viability on the pulmonary microRNA and messenger RNA profiles that regulate murine immune responses was evaluated following subchronic inhalation exposure to Aspergillus fumigatus conidia.

Methods

Three groups of naïve B6C3F1/N mice were exposed via nose‐only inhalation to A. fumigatus viable conidia, heat‐inactivated conidia (HIC), or HEPA‐filtered air twice a week for 13 weeks. Total RNA was isolated from whole lung 24 and 48 h postfinal exposure and was further processed for gene expression and microRNA array analysis. The molecular network pathways between viable and HIC groups were evaluated.

Results

Comparison of data sets revealed increased Il4, Il13 and Il33 expression in mice exposed to viable vs. HIC. Of 415 microRNAs detected, approximately 50% were altered in mice exposed to viable vs. HIC 48 h postexposure. Significantly down‐regulated (P ≤ 0.05) miR‐29a‐3p was predicted to regulate TGF‐β3 and Clec7a, genes involved in innate responses to viable A. fumigatus. Also significantly down‐regulated (P ≤ 0.05), miR‐23b‐3p regulates genes involved in pulmonary IL‐13 and IL‐33 responses and SMAD2, downstream of TGF‐β signalling. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, a novel interaction was identified between viable conidia and SMAD2/3.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

Examination of the pulmonary genetic profiles revealed differentially expressed genes and microRNAs following subchronic inhalation exposure to A. fumigatus. MicroRNAs regulating genes involved in the pulmonary immune responses were those with the greatest fold change. Specifically, germinating A. fumigatus conidia were associated with Clec7a and were predicted to interact with Il13 and Il33. Furthermore, altered microRNAs may serve as potential biomarkers to evaluate fungal exposure.
Highlighting in Early Childhood: Learning Biases Through Attentional Shifting
Authors: Burling Joseph M. , Yoshida Hanako
Published: September 2016

The literature on human and animal learning suggests that individuals attend to and act on cues differently based on the order in which they were learned. Recent studies have proposed that one specific type of learning outcome, the highlighting effect, can serve as a framework for understanding a number of early cognitive milestones. However, little is known how this learning effect itself emerges among children, whose memory and attention are much more limited compared to adults. Two experiments were conducted using different versions of the general highlighting paradigm: Experiment 1 tested 3 to 6 year olds with a newly developed image‐based version of the paradigm, which was designed specifically to test young children. Experiment 2 tested the validity of an image‐based implementation of the highlighting paradigm with adult participants. The results from Experiment 1 provide evidence for the highlighting effect among children 3–6 years old, and they suggest age‐related differences in dividing attention among multiple cues during learning. Experiment 2 replicated results from previous studies by showing robust biases for both image‐based and text‐based versions of the highlighting task. This study suggests that sensitivity to learning order emerges early through the process of cued attention, and the role of the highlighting effect in early language learning is discussed.