bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Olfaction and Aging: A Mini-Review
Authors: Attems Johannes , Walker Lauren , Jellinger Kurt A.
Published: May 2015

Decreased olfactory function is very common in the older population, being present in >50% of individuals aged between 65 and 80 years and in 62-80% of those >80 years of age. Smell dysfunction significantly influences physical well-being, quality of life, nutritional status as well as everyday safety and is associated with increased mortality. Multiple factors contribute to age-related olfactory sensory loss, including nasal engorgement, cumulative damage of the olfactory epithelium from environmental insults, a reduction in mucosal metabolizing enzymes, sensory loss of receptor cells to odorants, and changes in neurotransmitter and neuromodulator systems. In addition, structural and functional abnormalities of the olfactory epithelium, olfactory bulb, central olfactory cortex, and basic olfactory circuitry, which are related to the neuronal expression of aberrant proteins in these areas, may result in olfactory sensory impairment in aging and neurodegenerative diseases. Impaired odour identification is associated with a decrease in cognitive abilities and memory decline. A reduction in the sense of smell is considered to potentially represent an early and important warning of neurodegenerative disorders, particularly of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, and, in mild cognitive impairment, olfactory impairment may herald progression to dementia. Further investigations of the potential role of olfactory dysfunction in the early diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases are warranted.
The Aldosterone/Renin Ratio as a Diagnostic Tool for the Diagnosis of Primary Hypoaldosteronism in Newborns and Infants
Authors: Ruecker Beate , Lang-Muritano Mariarosaria , Spanaus Katharina , Welzel Maik , l'Allemand Dagmar , Phan-Hug Franziska , Katschnig Claudia , Konrad Daniel , Holterhus Paul-Martin , Schoenle Eugen J.
Published: May 2015

Background/Aims: Primary hypoaldosteronism is a rare inborn disorder with life-threatening symptoms in newborns and infants due to an aldosterone synthase defect. Diagnosis is often difficult as the plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) can remain within the normal range and thus lead to misinterpretation and delayed initiation of life-saving therapy. We aimed to test the eligibility of the PAC/plasma renin concentration (PRC) ratio as a tool for the diagnosis of primary hypoaldosteronism in newborns and infants. Methods: Data of 9 patients aged 15 days to 12 months at the time of diagnosis were collected. The diagnosis of primary hypoaldosteronism was based on clinical and laboratory findings over a period of 12 years in 3 different centers in Switzerland. To enable a valid comparison, the values of PAC and PRC were correlated to reference methods. Results: In 6 patients, the PAC/PRC ratio could be determined and showed constantly decreased values <1 (pmol/l)/(mU/l). In 2 patients, renin was noted as plasma renin activity (PRA). PAC/PRA ratios were also clearly decreased. The diagnosis was subsequently genetically confirmed in 8 patients. Conclusion: A PAC/PRC ratio <1 pmol/mU and a PAC/PRA ratio <28 (pmol/l)/(ng/ml × h) are reliable tools to identify primary hypoaldosteronism in newborns and infants and help to diagnose this life-threatening disease faster.
What Have Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics and Metabolomics (Not) Taught Us about Psychiatric Disorders?
Authors: Turck Christoph W. , Filiou Michaela D.
Published: May 2015

Understanding the molecular causes and finding appropriate therapies for psychiatric disorders are challenging tasks for research; -omics technologies are used to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying brain dysfunction in a hypothesis-free manner. In this review, we will focus on mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics and address how these approaches have contributed to our understanding of psychiatric disorders. Specifically, we will discuss what we have learned from mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics studies in rodent models and human cohorts, outline current limitations and discuss the potential of these methods for future applications in psychiatry.
Epidemiology and Comorbidity in Children with Psoriasis and Atopic Eczema
Authors: Augustin Matthias , Radtke Marc A. , Glaeske Gerd , Reich Kristian , Christophers Enno , Schaefer Ines , Jacobi Arnd
Published: May 2015

Background: First studies have shown that juvenile psoriasis is associated with an increased prevalence of comorbidity. Objectives: We carried out a data analysis to characterise the profiles of comorbidity in children with psoriasis and atopic eczema. Methods: Prevalence data were derived from the database of a German statutory health insurance company according to ICD-10 codes L40 (psoriasis) and L20 (atopic eczema) of children up to 18 years insured in 2009. Results: Data sets included 1.64 million persons and 293,181 children. 1,313 children = 0.45% (0.42-0.47) had a diagnosis of psoriasis and 30,354 = 10.35% (10.24-10.47) had a diagnosis of atopic eczema. Obesity, hyperlipidaemia, arterial hypertension and diabetes were more often diagnosed in children with psoriasis in comparison to all children without psoriasis and to those with atopic eczema. Conclusion: Children with psoriasis and atopic eczema show different and specific patterns of comorbidity which should be detected early and treated adequately.
Pacing Postconditioning: Recent Insights of Mechanism of Action and Probable Future Clinical Application
Authors: Babiker Fawzi A.
Published: May 2015

Ischemic heart disease, also known as coronary heart disease or coronary artery disease, accounts for >50% of cardiovascular events and is a leading cause worldwide of morbidity and mortality. Hypoperfusion of the heart is the major cause of injury in ischemic heart disease, as it results in the death of cardiomyoctes due to a lack of oxygen and energy. This injury ultimately leads to a dead area in the heart called infarcted area or myocardial infarction. The formation of myocardial infarction leads to a lengthy process of remodeling which causes many changes in the architecture and the electrophysiology of the heart. These changes may eventually lead to death due to arrhythmia or heart failure. Tremendous efforts have been made over the last decades to decrease the burden of ischemic reperfusion (I/R) injury. The first salvage to the ischemic heart is reperfusion; however, this procedure is associated with a subsequent reperfusion injury. In the 1980s, a method known as preconditioning was introduced and showed great potential in combating ischemic heart disease, but this technique is limited by the difficulty of its translation to the clinic as it requires the anticipation of an occurrence of ischemic heart disease. Not long after, a new method, postconditioning, was introduced. This method showed great success, and several studies were performed to investigate its signaling cascades and the possibility of its translation to the clinic. Thereafter, several trials were made, and many methods of postconditioning were developed. One of these is intermittent dyssynchrony, pacing postconditioning (PPC), of the heart, which involves brief episodes of electrical pacing. PPC afforded a pronounced protection to the heart against I/R injury, similar to that afforded by pre- and postconditioning.
Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography for the Pleural Staging of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma: How Accurate Is It?
Authors: Pinelli Valentina , Roca Elisa , Lucchini Silvia , Laroumagne Sophie , Loundou Anderson , Dutau Hervé , Maldonado Fabien , Astoul Philippe
Published: May 2015

Background: Careful clinical staging in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is fundamental in management planning. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is increasingly recognized as an important staging modality. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess whether the metabolic activity of the pleural tumor detected with PET/CT correlates with specific endoscopic features and pleural distribution of the lesions as assessed by medical thoracoscopy. Methods: Consecutive patients with MPM and available PET/CT performed before thoracoscopy were separated into 2 groups, according to their standardized uptake value (SUV). Kaplan-Meier-analysis for survival was performed on groups with low and high SUV. Agreement between PET/CT and thoracoscopy evaluation was analyzed using Cohen's kappa coefficient. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare the median SUV, and the χ2 test was used to evaluate differences in endoscopic findings. Results: A total of 32 patients were included. The median maximum SUV (SUV max) was 6.1 and patients were separated into 2 groups based on this cutoff. Patients with SUV max <6.1 had a better survival than those with SUV max ≥6.1 (p = 0.005). The comparison between PET/CT and thoracoscopy showed a fair agreement for visceral and diaphragmatic pleural involvement and moderate agreement for the presence of nodular lesions. There was a statistically significant association between median SUV max and visceral pleural involvement; nodular lesions and visceral pleural involvement were more common in the high-SUV group than in the low-SUV group (p = 0.0012 and p = 0.03, respectively). Conclusions: PET/CT data may be predictive of thoracoscopic features of MPM associated with prognosis and staging, but the correlation is moderate at best. A degree of disagreement exists between these two modalities, which supports thoracoscopy as the gold standard for assessment of local invasion in MPM.
A Novel Guide-Wire Technique for Repositioning a Nasobiliary Catheter from Mouth to Nostril without Using a Nelaton Tube
Authors: Hamano Tetsuya , Yoshida Shuhei , Nishino Takayoshi , Akao Junichi , Shirato Izumi , Tagata Tomoko , Ikarashi Yuichi , Mitsunaga Yutaka , Shimada Masahiko , Mitsunaga Atsushi
Published: May 2015

Objective: We aimed to assess the usefulness of a novel guide-wire technique for repositioning without the use of a Nelaton tube and to compare this to the conventional technique. Subjects and Methods: A total of 50 patients who underwent endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) at the Yachiyo Medical Center, Chiba, Japan, were enrolled into the study. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups according to the use of a novel guide-wire technique (n = 28) or the conventional technique (n = 22). The ENBD catheters were repositioned from the mouth to the nose. The primary end point was the procedural time from the insertion of the Nelaton tube or guide wire into the nostril until the ENBD catheter had been repositioned in the nose. The secondary end point was the success rate of the procedure. Results: The mean procedure time of our technique (120.8 s) was shorter than the traditional technique (131.9 s), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.56). Our technique did not involve the use of the Nelaton tube, and so could save the cost of USD 1.17 per patient. The novel technique did not require the removal of the mouthpiece with a laryngoscope or the use of a Nelaton tube, and no postural change was necessary. A single operator performed the novel procedure unassisted. No adverse events were observed relating to either the novel or the traditional technique. Conclusions: The novel guide-wire technique for repositioning ENBD catheters was effective and is recommended for use.
“Blame These Days, Don’t Blame Me!”: Rewriting Medieval Arabic in Maghrebi National Literature and Drama
Authors: England Samuel
Published: May 2015

This article examines two crucial moments of literary adaptation in twentieth-century North Africa, when Classical Arabic prose takes on a central but rarely acknowledged position in emerging national arts. Maḥmūd al-Masʿadī and al-Ṭayyib al-Ṣiddīqī destabilize the accepted critical account of Arabic literature’s modernization. Whereas literary historians have argued that writers eschewed restrictive Classical forms and Arabized Western genres, al-Masʿadī and al-Ṣiddīqī directly apply Prophetic ḥadīth and humorous maqāmāt to the novel and drama. Their gesture toward medieval prose gives them an ethical master key, allowing them to engage pious Islamic discourse and shift abruptly to the disingenuous, pragmatic world of the maqāmāt. However, in the charged field of national literature, their maneuvers provide them substantially less comfort than they seek. Presenting their ambitious modern prose as Classical, they force a broad variety of genres into a single continuum of Arab-Islamic identity. Such a historiography requires that we parse the categories that al-Masʿadī and al-Ṣiddīqī conjoin, a challenge largely unmet amidst the accolades they have received over the past five decades. Al-Masʿadī and al-Ṣiddīqī deepen the anxiety of form that they assiduously attempt to relieve. The Arabic novel and drama, although portrayed in criticism as the iconoclast tools of modernity, drive these authors deep into torturous examinations of the literary past. Maghrebi literature exposes the enduring rifts between centuries-old narrative traditions and the urgent task of forming national canons during an era of political independence.
Sources for Religious Identity Development of Orthoprax Muslim Adolescents in the Netherlands
Authors: Visser-Vogel Elsbeth , de Kock Jos , Barnard Marcel , Bakker Cok
Published: May 2015

This interview study examines sources for the religious exploration of orthoprax Muslim adolescents in the Netherlands. We use the term sources to emphasize that we are also interested in sources other than parents and other persons. By using our interview guidelines, we succeeded in discovering sources other than persons: for example, specific events and opinions of others in the societal context of the Netherlands. This study also gives insight into which sources stimulate religious identity development, and how they are of importance in the process of religious identity development. Lastly, we distinguish five actions perceived as being important to success.
Colloquium 5 Commentary on Schultz
Authors: Stern-Gillet Suzanne
Published: May 2015

The paper, although polemical for the most part, also presents a substantive thesis. The polemical part is directed at the claim that the Platonic Socrates held that philosophy as a practice is to be devoted to the care of self and others, and that the expression of emotion is an important aspect of the philosophic life. To undermine that claim, counter-examples from the autobiographical narrative in the Phaedo and the speeches of Diotima and Alcibiades in the Symposium are brought in. Once analysed at the required depth, those passages show that, on the contrary, Plato’s Socrates remains consistently dispassionate both in his life, as he narrates it, and in the views he is made to express in the two dialogues. Rather than promoting self-expression, Socrates never ceased to warn us against misology.
The Unfinished
Authors: Brouwer Rein
Published: May 2015

In this article John Caputo’s hermeneutics of the event is used to understand the theological meaning of a church renewal experiment in the Netherlands. The experiment consists of sermons and services by laypeople who have hardly any or no affinity with church. The project is described, the intention behind the project explained, and the sermons analysed. The outcome of what is communicated in the sermons, and what is happening in the liturgies, are interpreted as positive contributions of cultural informed voices to the church’s continuous learning process of understanding its calling in the light of God’s promise.
Begonia pulchrifolia (sect. Platycentrum), a new species of Begoniaceae from Sichuan of China
Authors: TIAN DAI-KE , LI CHUN , LI CE-HONG , LI XIAO-JIE
Published: May 2015

Begonia pulchrifolia D.K.Tian & C.H.Li, a new species in Begonia sect. Platycentrum A.DC. (Begoniaceae) from Sichuan of China, is described and illustrated. Morphologically, it is only similar to the young or smaller individuals of B. dielsiana and B. emeiensis in plant shape and some leaf characters but differs easily by its foliage color and deeper divided leaf lobes, small-sized flowers, hairy outer petals of the male flowers, and long abaxially winged fruits. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on nrDNA also supported the distinction of B. pulchrifolia from B. dielsiana and B. emeiensis.
Helianthemum (sect. Helianthemum) raskebdanae (Cistaceae), a new species from northeastern Morocco
Authors: Alonso-Vargas Mª Angeles , Crespo Manuel B. , Juan Ana , Sáez Llorenç
Published: May 2015

A new species, Helianthemum raskebdanae (H. sect. Helianthemum), is described from the maritime cliffs of north-eastern Morocco. It is easy to identify because of its glabrous and fleshy leaves with swollen reddish pulvinules at the petiole base, glabrous sepals with only minute stellate hairs on one margin, and large pinkish to purple petals. The new species is only known from three small, isolated sites, and it is here considered as Endangered (EN). Although it superficially resembles the Algerian H. maritimum, its combination of character-states is not found in the latter nor in any other related species of the section, i.e. H. apenninum, H. dianicum, H. scopulicola and H. virgatum, which warrants its recognition at the species rank. Micromorphological data support the proposed taxonomic treatment. Furthermore, nomenclatural types are designated for H. maritimum and H. maritimum f. albiflorum, two close Algerian relatives.
Celebrating COMET’s 25 Years of Providing Innovative Education and Training
Authors: Johnson Victoria , Jeffries Richard , Byrd Greg , Schreiber-Abshire Wendy , Page Elizabeth , Muller Bruce , Alberta Tim
Published: May 2015

The Cooperative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education, and Training (COMET)’s mission when it began in 1990 was to deliver professional development opportunities to U.S. government forecasters during the National Weather Service (NWS) modernization program. Since then, COMET has emerged as a worldwide leader in geoscience education. Its original objectives were to provide forecasters with classroom and distance learning training based on state-of-the-art science; support development and testing of new forecast methods; promote collaboration between the forecasting, research, and academic communities; and to advance forecasting and nowcasting by encouraging research. Over the years, COMET’s mission has expanded to disseminating and enhancing scientific knowledge in the environmental sciences, particularly meteorology, but also including diverse areas such as oceanography, hydrology, space weather, and emergency management. This paper reviews COMET’s evolution from a primary focus on educating U.S. forecasters on the application of new technologies (such as Doppler radar) to mesoscale meteorology problems into a program with a much broader scope. Those changes include offering learning opportunities that now cover a wider variety of topics and support the educational needs of diverse audiences worldwide. The history of COMET is a story of adaptation to technological changes, funding cycles, partner requirements, and service opportunities as well as taking on a more global mission. We will look at how COMET’s activities in geoscience education have changed, how its adaptability has contributed to the longevity of the program that was only supposed to exist until the NWS modernization was complete, and expectations and plans for the future.
Orographic Precipitation Forcing along the Coast of Northern California during a Landfalling Winter Storm
Authors: Valenzuela Raul A. , Kingsmill David E.
Published: May 2015

This study documents orographic precipitation forcing along the coastal mountains of Northern California during the landfall of a significant winter storm over the period 16–18 February 2004. The primary observing asset is a scanning X-band Doppler radar deployed on the coast at Fort Ross, California, which provides low-level (e.g., below 1 km MSL) horizontal and vertical scans of radial velocity and reflectivity to characterize airflow and precipitation structures. Further context is provided by a wind-profiling radar, a radio acoustic sounding system (RASS), balloon soundings, buoys, a GPS receiver, and surface meteorological sensors. The winter storm is divided into two episodes, each having pre-cold-frontal low-level jet (LLJ) structures and atmospheric river characteristics. Episode 1 has a corridor of terrain-trapped airflow (TTA) that forms an interface with the LLJ. The interface extends ~25 km offshore in a ~0.5-km vertical layer, and the western edge of this interface near the ocean surface advances toward the coast over the course of ~5 h. The TTA acts as a dynamically driven barrier, so that the incoming LLJ slopes upward offshore below 1.5 km MSL and precipitation is enhanced over the ocean and near the coast. The absence of a TTA in episode 2 allows the cross-barrier flow to slope upward and enhance precipitation directly over the coastal mountains. A theoretical analysis favors the hypothesis that a gap flow exiting the Petaluma Gap forces the TTA.
Corpus Inscriptionum Iudaeae/Palaestinae III: A Review
Authors: Gathercole Simon
Published: May 2015

This review covers the third volume of the Corpus Inscriptionum Iudaeae/Palaestinae with special reference to its relevance to the study of the New Testament. This review follows the review published in JSNT in 2013 of the ﬁrst two volumes.
The Art of Biography in Antiquity: A Review
Authors: Burridge Richard A.
Published: May 2015

This review article discusses Tomas Hägg’s ﬁnal book, The Art of Biography in Antiquity, completed just before his death from cancer in 2011. Following on from his important The Novel in Antiquity (1983), this beautifully produced and comprehensive book seeks to introduce examples of Greek and Roman biography from 400 bc to ad 300, looking at its origins, Hellenistic examples, popular heroes, the gospels, Roman political biography, ethical biography (Plutarch) and later accounts of philosophers and holy men. While the book’s easy style is appreciated for the general reader, Hägg’s decision not to provide any theory of biography or its genre, or any overall historical thread unfortunately weakens its usefulness for more experienced readers. His decision to include the gospels makes it interesting for New Testament scholars, and this review responds to his criticisms of proponents of the biographical genre of the gospels such as Burridge and Frickenschmidt.
Health Beliefs About Tobacco With Betel Nut Use Among Adults in Yap, Micronesia
Authors: Tareg Aileen Rosogmar Castaritas , Modeste Naomi N , Lee Jerry W , Santos Hildemar Dos
Published: May 2015

Tobacco use is high among Pacific Islanders in general and little tobacco research has been done in Yap, Micronesia. This study aimed to explore perceptions of tobacco use coupled with chewing of betel (areca) nut among adults in Yap using self-administered questionnaires based on the health belief model. A Likert scale (ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree or very unlikely to very likely) was used to measure susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, cues to action, and self-efficacy among individuals aged 18 and older. Older adults felt quitting tobacco or betel nut use would be significantly more difficult because of social reasons and withdrawal problems. Most participants felt susceptible to tobacco-related diseases. These findings possibly indicate a receptive attitude toward any future tobacco use prevention and intervention program. Older Yapese population would need to be especially targeted. Health promotion programs should target smoking behaviors and risk reduction.
Development of a Faith-Based Mental Health Literacy Program to Improve Treatment Engagement Among Caribbean Latinos in the Northeastern United States of America
Authors: Caplan Susan , Cordero Carolyn
Published: May 2015

Depression is one of the leading causes of years lived with disability (YLDs) worldwide. Although depression can be successfully treated, 75% of Americans do not receive care. Treatment rates among Latinos immigrants are significantly lower than non-immigrant Latinos and non-Hispanic Whites. Known factors for mental health-care disparities such as poverty, insurance coverage, language barriers, and access to specialty mental health services in Latino neighborhoods do not fully explain the differences in treatment rates. Significant, but poorly understood factors influencing depression treatment among Latinos in the United States are lack of culturally congruent care, low mental health literacy, and stigma. Even though churches are a major source of health information, social and spiritual support for Latinos, the conceptualization of culturally congruent care rarely addresses religious beliefs. Therefore, one strategy to reduce disparities in depression treatment is to partner with churches to address faith-based stigma. Community-based participatory research is recognized as a methodology particularly well suited for creating successful culturally targeted interventions. The purpose of this article is to describe the process of creating a faith-based mental health literacy intervention in the Caribbean Latino community using the principles of community-based participatory research.
Career and Retirement Theories
Authors: Lytle Megan C. , Foley Pamela F. , Cotter Elizabeth W.
Published: May 2015

This article reviews selected career development theories and theories specifically focused on retirement, with an emphasis on their application to retirement decisions and vocational behavior in multicultural populations. Theories are evaluated based on whether (a) retirement was considered a stage of working life, (b) work satisfaction, motivation, and other work variables at retirement age were addressed, (c) work choices at retirement age were included, and (d) cultural and other minority status issues were either directly considered in the work–retirement decision or if the model could be reasonably applied to retirement across cultures. We provide specific recommendations for research and practice with the aim of helping practitioners and scholars conceptualize the current concerns older adults face in their working lives and during retirement planning.
Social Cognitive Career Theory, the Theory of Work Adjustment, and Work Satisfaction of Retirement-Age Adults
Authors: Foley Pamela F. , Lytle Megan C.
Published: May 2015

Despite an increase in the number of adults working past traditional retirement age, existing theories of vocational behavior are not yet adequately supported in this population. In a sample of 1,858 adults aged 60–87, we evaluated the relationship between theorized predictors of work satisfaction proposed by social cognitive career theory (SCCT), including life satisfaction, self-efficacy, and the personality traits of extraversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism; work satisfaction as a predictor of continued work, as proposed by the theory of work adjustment (TWA); and the influence of work discrimination, chronic discrimination, and lifetime discrimination on these relationships. While the results supported most predicted relationships, chronic work discrimination negatively affected self-efficacy and predicted both work satisfaction and intention to continue working somewhat more strongly than did the other variables proposed by either SCCT or TWA in this sample.
Feverish children
Authors: Collins Lisa , Macaulay Chloe
Published: May 2015

Fever is the most common reason that parents seek medical advice for their child. Fever is often attributed to benign self-limiting viruses; however, it can be a sign of a serious and potentially life-threatening illness. A substantial amount of uncertainty still remains in this difficult area. Management is not simply a case of following the algorithm: parental ideas, concerns and expectations need to be defined, diagnoses formulated and explanations made during the consultation. Evidence-based interventions can be contrary to lay custom and practice; hence, they can increase parental anxiety. This article aims to inform GPs about how to assess and manage a feverish child based on evidence-based guidelines and explores how to explain decisions to parents and carers.
Brain Waves Predict Success of New Fashion Products: A Practical Application for the Footwear Retailing Industry
Authors: Baldo Davide , Parikh Hirak , Piu Yvonne , Müller Kai-Markus
Published: May 2015

Every year, retailers launch a myriad of new products. The success rate of such new products directly influences a retailer's success in terms of gross profit, customer loyalty and brand image. In the past decades, many self-report and focus group based methods were implemented to gain insights in future market performance of new products. However, social psychology and market research studies have established that self-reports are unreliable to accurately predict customer preference. In this article, we propose a novel approach based on brain data to forecast product performance and discuss the importance of pre-market forecasting in the footwear retailing industry. We implemented and validated the tool in collaboration with a European shoe store chain. This case study showed that self-report based methods cannot accurately foretell success, while using brain data the prediction accuracy reached 80 per cent. We also compared how these two different methods might influence company gross profit. Simulations based on sales data showed that self-report based prediction would lead to a 12.1 per cent profit growth, while brain scan based prediction would increase profit by 36.4 per cent. Thus, this innovative neuroscientific approach greatly improves brand image and brings considerable value for organizations, shareholders as well as consumers.
Service Integrated Relationships (SIR): A Strategic Process Framework for Managing the Customer as a Resource
Authors: Hermans Olaf
Published: May 2015

During a service interaction, a customer should be viewed as having three distinct capacities: as a client, as a connection and as a resource. In each of these respective capacities, service ( S) processes, relationship ( R) processes and loyalty ( L) processes create value for both customers and organizations. Satisfactory service is the minimum requirement for relationship processes to be effective and for the connection capacity to be activated. Likewise, high relationship quality is a minimal condition for loyalty processes to be effective and for the resource capacity to be activated. After presenting the measurable and actionable dimensions of relationship quality, I explain the difference between service processes and relationship processes. According to the service integrated relationships (SIR) framework, when relationship processes are integrated with existing service processes: ( a) relationship quality improves; ( b) loyal customer behaviours are evoked; and ( c) service satisfaction improves. I conclude by discussing implications of the SIR framework for organizational systems and service employees.
Powered by Customers: Relationship Is Key to Surviving 100 Years in Business
Authors: Morse Douglas
Published: May 2015

Powered by customers is about new business models and organizations that are required in order for businesses to survive and thrive in the modern global economy by focusing on customer success and new value creation.

History has shown that service has been a key driver for financial success and longevity of businesses. Relationship with customers, that is, understanding their needs and what makes them successful, has been key for successful companies to thrive for periods in excess of 100 years. Services have shown to be a key provider of those touch points and data that foster an ongoing customer relationships for longevity and market leadership.
Strategic Customer Brand-bonding: Building Personalized Value and Loyal Behaviour through Obsessive Focus, Discipline, and Innovative and Engaging Communication
Authors: Lowenstein Michael
Published: May 2015

As organizations move from push, fairly generic and commodized marketing and general, passive customer awareness to customer-centricity and understanding/leveraging of customer needs and expectations, we have progressed from functional value delivery to emotion-based relationships and optimized, personalized experience. This has rendered the marketing 4Ps, devised by academics Neil Borden and Jerome McCarthy in the early 1960s, pretty much that, that is, academic and impractical in today's connected, mobile, content-seeking world. Organizations are branding experiences, empowering employees and building humanity and trust into the product and service value they deliver. There is a new set of 4Ps, and perhaps 5Ps, which organizations will require to become world-class, strategically differentiated enterprises.
Making Engagement Worth It: Measuring and Managing How Entrepreneurs Exchange Value with Their Community
Authors: Blomquist Laura , Imel Spencer
Published: May 2015

While business leaders use the tools of Customer Value Management to understand and improve the value they offer to customers, the potential for these tools to explain and improve decision-making expands beyond the business–customer relationship. This is because the cornerstone framework of measuring and improving a value exchange applies to all sorts of decisions. We present a case study in which Customer Value Management techniques were used to analyze the value of a particular community through the perspective of entrepreneurs themselves, allowing us to uncover how entrepreneurs decide whether it is ‘worth it’ to start a business in their community. We also demonstrate a strong link between the value perceived by entrepreneurs and their loyalty to the community, showing ‘how good is good’ when it comes to enticing entrepreneurs to engage with and promote the local startup ecosystem.

This case study offers a framework that can be used by community leaders to manage the value exchange with members and constituents in the community. Once leaders better understand the value proposition that drives decisions among community members, they are empowered to maximize that value by focusing scarce resources on the greatest opportunities for improvement. By doing this, they help foster genuine loyalty and deeper engagement among community members, which helps generate growth and development that creates even more value for the region.
What Is the Value of an Address?
Authors: Prescott Charles
Published: May 2015

The history of street addressing and several different examples of valuing address systems are explored. The valuation calculations from the US, UK, Denmark and Costa Rica each have unique aspects. The fact that ‘without an address you do not exist', and thus cannot participate fully in economic, political and civil society is noted and the consequences from several points of view explored. A recommendation to find new ways of valuing the address is put forward. Information is provided about a current Universal Postal Union competition in solving ‘addressless situations' and participation is urged.
Boundary Risk and What It Means for Value Creation
Authors: Rudin Andrew
Published: May 2015

This article focuses on strategic risks that companies absorb when they are unprepared—or unable—to develop new ways to create customer value. Using real-world examples, the article describes what happens when senior executives are lulled into complacency, causing them to turn a blind eye to emerging opportunities to drive sustainable revenue. In particular, the article profiles how other companies have successfully adapted.

What constitutes value for customers is ephemeral, adding risk to corporate strategies. Yesterday's cash cow can become today's obsolete product. Leaders must continually define what ‘prospective customer’ means in the context of their industry. They must figure out which products to develop and sell. They must learn how customers intend to buy what they and their competitors, produce. But not every executive fully understands the grave importance for solving these problems. In just five years, revenue sources for most companies will be quite different from the ones they depend on today, and some will not make the transition.

There are no ordained roadmaps for addressing boundary risk, but cited in the article are tactics common to the successful companies: acknowledging the risks, having adequate financial capacity to absorb failure and fostering a culture that accepts those outcomes, along with successes.
Thermal expansion behaviour of orthopyroxenes: the role of the Fe-Mn substitution
Authors: Scandolo L. , Mazzucchelli M. L. , Alvaro M. , Nestola F. , Pandolfo F. , Domeneghetti M. C.
Published: May 2015

Two Pbca orthopyroxene samples, donpeacorite (DP N.1) and enstatite (B22 N.60) with chemical formulae Mn0.54Ca0.03Mg1.43Si2O6(XMn= 0.27) and Fe0.54Ca0.03Mg1.43Si2O6(XFe= 0.27), respectively, were investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction at high-temperature conditions.

The nearly identical XFeand XMnmake the two samples the perfect candidates to investigate the effect of the compositional change at theM2 site (i.e. Fe-Mn substitution) on the thermal expansion behaviour of orthopyroxenes.

Therefore, the unit-cell parameter thermal expansion behaviour of both samples has been investigated in the temperature range between roomTand 1073 K. No evidence for phase transitions was found over that range. The two samples have been previously disordered with anex situannealing at ∼1273 K.

The unit-cell parameters and volume thermal expansion data, collected on the disordered samples, have been fitted to a Fei Equation of State (EoS) and the following coefficients obtained: V0= 853.35(4) Å3, αV,303K= 2.31(24) × 10–5K–1and V0= 845.40(6) Å3, αV,303K= 2.51(25) × 10–5K–1for DP N.1 and B22 N.60, respectively.

While there is no difference in the volume thermal expansion coefficient as a function of composition and the expansion along thebdirection is nearly identical for both samples, slight differences have been found alongaandclattice directions. The thermal expansion along theadirection is counterbalanced by that alongcbeing responsible for the changes in lattice expansion scheme from αb> αc> αaat room T, to αc> αb> αaat high T. Therefore, as a result of the different behaviour alongaandc, the unit-cell volume thermal expansion for both samples is identical within estimated standard deviations. The negligible effect of the Fe-Mn substitution on the bulk thermal expansion can be applied when dealing with geothermobarometry based on the elastic host-inclusion approach (e.g. Nestolaet al., 2011; Howellet al., 2010; Angelet al., 2014a, b, 2015). In fact, though the compressibility effect is still not known, the nearly identical thermal expansion coefficients will not affect the entrapment pressure (Pe).
From ancient pigments to modern optoelectronic applications of arsenic sulfides: bonazziite, the natural analogue of β-As4S4from Khaidarkan deposit, Kyrgyzstan
Authors: Bindi Luca , Pratesi Giovanni , Muniz-Miranda Maurizio , Zoppi Matteo , Chelazzi Laura , Lepore Giovanni O. , Menchetti Silvio
Published: May 2015

Bonazziite is a new mineral from Khaidarkan deposit, Kyrgyzstan and represents the natural analogue of the β-form of the well known As4S4compound. It occurs as rare crystals up to 100 μm across associated with realgar, sulfur, wakabayashilite, alacránite, non-stoichiometric As4S4+xsulfides and stibnite in a calcite matrix. In thick section, bonazziite is opaque with a resinous lustre and a dark-orange streak. It is brittle; the Vickers hardness (VHN15) is 70 kg/mm2(range: 60–76) (Mohs hardness of ∼2½). In plane-polarized incident light, bonazziite is strongly bireflectant and pleochroic from orange to light red. The mineral shows orange to red internal reflections. Between crossed polars, the mineral is strongly anisotropic with greyish to light-blue rotation tints. Reflectance percentages in air for Rminand Rmaxare 19.9, 22.2 (471.1 nm), 19.1, 21.3 (548.3 nm), 18.8, 19.7 (586.6 nm) and 17.8, 18.9 (652.3 nm), respectively. Bonazziite is monoclinic, space group C2/c, witha= 9.956(1),b= 9.308(1),c= 8.869(1) Å, β = 102.55(2)° andV= 802.3(2) Å3,Z= 4. The crystal structure [R1= 0.0263 for 735 reflections with Fo> 4σ(Fo)] is based on the As4S4cage-like molecule, in which each As atom links one As and two S atoms. The As4S4 molecule is identical to that found in the structure of realgar. The six strongest powder diffraction lines [din Å(I/I0) (hkl)] are: 5.74 (100) (1̄11); 4.10 (60) (021); 3.92 (50) (1̄12); 3.12 (60) (022, 310); 2.95 (50) (221, 202); 2.86 (80) (2̄22, 1̄31). a mean of six electron microprobe analyses gave the formula As3.95S4.05, on the basis of eight atoms. The new mineral has been approved by the International Mineralogical Association Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification (IMA No. 2013-141) and named for Paola Bonazzi, in recognition of her seminal contributions to the study of arsenic sulfides and their alteration induced by exposure to light.
New arsenate minerals from the Arsenatnaya fumarole, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. III. Popovite, Cu5O2(AsO4)2
Authors: Pekov Igor V. , Zubkova Natalia V. , Yapaskurt Vasiliy O. , Belakovskiy Dmitry I. , Vigasina Marina F. , Sidorov Evgeny G. , Pushcharovsky Dmitry Yu.
Published: May 2015

The new mineral popovite, Cu5O2(AsO4)2, was found in the sublimates of the Arsenatnaya fumarole at the Second scoria cone of the Northern Breakthrough of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. It is associated with ericlaxmanite, kozyrevskite, urusovite, lammerite, lammerite-β, johillerite, bradaczekite, tenorite, hematite, aphthitalite, anhydrite, langbeinite, calciolangbeinite, As-bearing orthoclase, etc. Popovite occurs as prismatic or tabular crystals and as grains up to 0.2 mm in size forming clusters up to 1.5 mm in size and as crusts on basalt scoria or on aphthitalite incrustations. Popovite is transparent with a vitreous to greasy lustre. Its colour is olive green to dark olive-green, but fine-grained varieties are light yellow-green. The mineral is brittle, with Mohs' hardness ∼3½. Cleavage was not observed and the fracture is uneven.Dcalcis 5.30 g cm–3. Popovite is optically biaxial (+), α = 1.84(1), β ≈ 1.86, γ = 1.96(1), 2Vmeas= 50(20)°. The Raman spectrum is given. Chemical data (wt.%, electron-microprobe) are CuO 63.28, ZnO 0.56, V2O50.12, As2O535.80, SO30.27, total 100.03. The empirical formula, based on 10 O a.p.f.u., is (Cu4.99Zn0.04)Σ5.03(As1.95S0.02V0.01)Σ1.98O10. Popovite is triclinic, P1̄,a= 5.1450(3),b= 6.2557(3),c= 6.2766(4) Å, α = 100.064(5), β = 96.351(5), γ = 95.100(5)°,V= 196.47(1) Å3andZ= 1. The strongest reflections in the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d, Å(I)(hkl)] are 3.715(36)(110, 101), 3.465(43)(11̄1), 2.968(90)(01̄2), 2.927(100)(111), 2.782(31)(1̄02), 2.768(67)(1̄20), 2.513(55)(1̄2̄1) and 2.462(67)(2̄01). Popovite has a novel structure type. Its crystal structure, solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data (R = 0.0459), is based on (010) layers forming an interrupted framework. The layer consists of Cu(1)O6octahedra with very strong Jahn-Teller distortion and Cu(2)O5and Cu(3)O5polyhedra. The linkage between the layers is reinforced by isolated AsO4tetrahedra. Popovite is named in honour of the Russian mineralogists Vladimir Anatol'evich Popov (b. 1941) and Valentina Ivanovna Popova (b. 1941), a husband and wife research team working in the Institute of Mineralogy of the Urals Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Miass, Russia.
Brain tumor is a sequence-specific RNA-binding protein that directs maternal mRNA clearance during the Drosophila maternal-to-zygotic transition
Authors: Laver John D , Li Xiao , Ray Debashish , Cook Kate B , Hahn Noah A , Nabeel-Shah Syed , Kekis Mariana , Luo Hua , Marsolais Alexander J , Fung Karen YY , Hughes Timothy R , Westwood J Timothy , Sidhu Sachdev S , Morris Quaid , Lipshitz Howard D , Smibert Craig A
Published: May 2015

Background

Brain tumor (BRAT) is a Drosophila member of the TRIM-NHL protein family. This family is conserved among metazoans and its members function as post-transcriptional regulators. BRAT was thought to be recruited to mRNAs indirectly through interaction with the RNA-binding protein Pumilio (PUM). However, it has recently been demonstrated that BRAT directly binds to RNA. The precise sequence recognized by BRAT, the extent of BRAT-mediated regulation, and the exact roles of PUM and BRAT in post-transcriptional regulation are unknown.

Results

Genome-wide identification of transcripts associated with BRAT or with PUM in Drosophila embryos shows that they bind largely non-overlapping sets of mRNAs. BRAT binds mRNAs that encode proteins associated with a variety of functions, many of which are distinct from those implemented by PUM-associated transcripts. Computational analysis of in vitro and in vivo data identified a novel RNA motif recognized by BRAT that confers BRAT-mediated regulation in tissue culture cells. The regulatory status of BRAT-associated mRNAs suggests a prominent role for BRAT in post-transcriptional regulation, including a previously unidentified role in transcript degradation. Transcriptomic analysis of embryos lacking functional BRAT reveals an important role in mediating the decay of hundreds of maternal mRNAs during the maternal-to-zygotic transition.

Conclusions

Our results represent the first genome-wide analysis of the mRNAs associated with a TRIM-NHL protein and the first identification of an RNA motif bound by this protein family. BRAT is a prominent post-transcriptional regulator in the early embryo through mechanisms that are largely independent of PUM.
Comparative effectiveness of urate lowering with febuxostat versus allopurinol in gout: analyses from large U.S. managed care cohort
Authors: Singh Jasvinder A , Akhras Kasem S , Shiozawa Aki
Published: May 2015

Introduction

To assess the comparative effectiveness of febuxostat and allopurinol in reducing serum urate (sUA) levels in a real-world U.S. managed care setting.

Methods

This retrospective study utilized 2009 to 2012 medical and pharmacy claims and laboratory data from a large U.S. commercial and Medicare Advantage health plan. Study patients had at least one medical claim with a diagnosis of gout, at least one filled prescription for febuxostat or allopurinol and at least one sUA measurement post-index prescription. Reduction in sUA was examined using propensity score-matched cohorts, matched on patient demographics (gender, age), baseline sUA, comorbidities, geographic region and insurance type.

Results

The study sample included 2,015 patients taking febuxostat and 14,025 taking allopurinol. At baseline, febuxostat users had a higher Quan-Charlson comorbidity score (0.78 vs. 0.53; P <0.001), but similar age and gender distribution. Mean (standard deviation (SD)) sUA level following propensity score matching among treatment-naïve febuxostat vs. allopurinol users (n = 873 each) were: pre-index sUA, 8.86 (SD, 1.79) vs. 8.72 (SD, 1.63; P = 0.20); and post-index sUA, 6.53 (SD, 2.01) vs. 6.71 (SD, 1.70; P = 0.04), respectively. A higher proportion of febuxostat users attained sUA goals of <6.0 mg/dl (56.9% vs. 44.8%; P <0.001) and <5.0 mg/dl (35.5% vs. 19.2%; P <0.001), respectively. Time to achieve sUA goals of <6.0 mg/dl (346 vs. 397 days; P <0.001) and <5.0 mg/dl was shorter in febuxostat vs. allopurinol users (431 vs. 478 days; P <0.001), respectively. Similar observations were made for overall propensity score-matched cohorts that included both treatment-naïve and current users (n = 1,932 each).

Conclusions

Febuxostat was more effective than allopurinol at the currently used doses (40 mg/day for febuxostat in 83% users and 300 mg/day or lower for allopurinol in 97% users) in lowering sUA in gout patients as demonstrated by post-index mean sUA level, the likelihood of and the time to achieving sUA goals.