bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The interactive impact of online word-of-mouth and review helpfulness on box office revenue
Authors: Lee Sangjae , Choeh Joon Yeon
Published: January 2018

Purpose

While a number of studies examined the eWOM (online word-of-mouth) factors affecting box office, the studies on the impact of review helpfulness on box office are lacking. The purpose of this paper is to fill the void in previous studies and further extend prior work regarding eWOM and box office. In order to explain the interaction effect of helpfulness with other variables on product sales, this study posits that review characteristics such as number of reviews, review rating, review length interact with review helpfulness to have an influence on box office. Further, as the studies that have examined whether eWOM factors are significant in box office performances for the international markets other than US are lacking, this study is targeting Korean markets to validate the effect of eWOM on box office.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used publicly available data from www.naver.com to build a sample of online review data concerning box office. The final sample of the study included 2090 movies.

Findings

The results indicated that in cases when the review is helpful, the number of reviews and review length are more greatly influencing box office. Review rating, review extremity, and helpfulness for reviewer are important determinants for review helpfulness.

Practical implications

Managers can concentrate on the review rating and review extremity of online customer reviews in the design of online sites for movies. The design of user review systems can follow the direction that promotes more helpfulness for online user reviews based on an enhanced understanding of what drives helpfulness voting.

Originality/value

Given that previous studies on the effect of review helpfulness on box office are lacking, it contributes to eWOM literature by investigating the impact of review helpfulness on box office revenue.
Ethical consumption and consumers’ decision making: the role of moral intuition
Authors: Zollo Lamberto , Yoon Sukki , Rialti Riccardo , Ciappei Cristiano
Published: January 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the understudied antecedents of moral reasoning and cognitive processes that ultimately shape the ethical consumption. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and the socio-intuitionist model are integrated. Holistic, inferential, and affective dimensions of intuition are identified as critical antecedents of environmental concerns that then influence the ethical consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling is used to analyze intuitive judgments and ethical concerns in 256 US undergraduates. The New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) is used to measure ethical concerns and the ecologically conscious consumer behavior (ECCB) instrument is used to measure ethical consumption.

Findings

The results indicate that inferential intuition, but not affective intuition, significantly predicts the ethical concerns (NEP), which in turn significantly influence all five dimensions of ethical consumption behavior (ECCB).

Practical implications

Managers and marketing strategists should focus on non-rational influences such as moral intuition to effectively promote ethical and responsible consumption.

Originality/value

The TPB and the intuitionist theory are integrated to reveal empirically how intuitive judgments may affect consumer attitudes and to provide new insights regarding the ethical consumption.
Internet of Things‐based wireless networking for seismic applications
Authors: Jamali‐Rad Hadi , Campman Xander
Published: January 2018

There is growing pressure from regulators on operators to adhere to increasingly stricter regulations related to the environment and safety. Hence, operators are required to predict and contain risks related to hydrocarbon production and their infrastructure in order to maintain their licence to operate. A deeper understanding of production optimisation and production‐related risk requires strengthened knowledge of reservoir behaviour and overburden dynamics. To accomplish this, sufficient temporal and spatial resolution is required as well as an integration of various sources of measurements. At the same time, tremendous developments are taking place in sensors, networks, and data analysis technologies. Sensors and accompanying channels are getting smaller and cheaper, and yet they offer high fidelity. New ecosystems of ubiquitous wireless communications including Internet of Things nowadays allow anyone to affordably connect to the Internet at any time and anywhere. Recent advances in cloud storage and computing combined with data analytics allow fast and efficient solutions to handle considerable amounts of data. This paper is an effort to pave the way for exploiting these three fundamental advances to create Internet of Things‐based wireless networks of seismic sensors.

To this aim, we propose to employ a recently developed Internet of Things‐based wireless technology, so‐called low‐power wide‐area networks, to exploit their long range, low power, and inherent compatibility to cloud storage and computing. We create a remotely operated minimum‐maintenance wireless solution for four major seismic applications of interest. By proposing appropriate network architecture and data coordination (aggregation and transmission) designs, we show that neither the low data rate nor the low duty cycle of low‐power wide‐area networks imposes fundamental issues in handling a considerable amount of data created by complex seismic scenarios as long as the application is delay tolerant. In order to confirm this claim, we cast our ideas into a practical large‐scale networking design for simultaneous seismic monitoring and interferometry and carry out an analysis on the data generation and transmission rates. Finally, we present some results from a small‐scale field test in which we have employed our Internet of Things‐based wireless nodes for real‐time seismic quality control over clouds.
Impacts of Japan’s negative interest rate policy on Asian financial markets
Authors: Fukuda Shin‐ichi
Published: January 2018

This study explores the spillover effects of Japan’s negative interest rate policy (NIRP) on Asian financial markets. Unlike quantitative and qualitative monetary easing (QQE) without a negative interest rate, the NIRP not only had limited impacts on the Japanese economy but also raised serious concern about the profitability of local financial institutions. It is, thus, likely that its spillover effects were different from those of QQE without a negative interest rate. In the analysis, we examine the spillover effects on Asian stock markets. We find that Japan’s long‐term interest rate decline had significantly positive effects on Asian stock prices in the NIRP period. The results imply that the NIRP, which lowered the long‐term rate below zero, might have benefitted Asian economies. We discuss that this might have happened because local financial institutions that lost their profit opportunities in domestic markets explored a new profit opportunity in emerging Asia after the NIRP was announced.
Long‐lasting pathological consequences of overexpression‐induced α‐synuclein spreading in the rat brain
Authors: Rusconi Raffaella , Ulusoy Ayse , Aboutalebi Helia , Di Monte Donato A.
Published: January 2018

Increased expression of α‐synuclein can initiate its long‐distance brain transfer, representing a potential mechanism for pathology spreading in age‐related synucleinopathies, such as Parkinson's disease. In this study, the effects of overexpression‐induced α‐synuclein transfer were assessed over a 1‐year period after injection of viral vectors carrying human α‐synuclein DNA into the rat vagus nerve. This treatment causes targeted overexpression within neurons in the dorsal medulla oblongata and subsequent diffusion of the exogenous protein toward more rostral brain regions. Protein advancement and accumulation in pontine, midbrain, and forebrain areas were contingent upon continuous overexpression, because death of transduced medullary neurons resulted in cessation of spreading. Lack of sustained spreading did not prevent the development of long‐lasting pathological changes. Particularly remarkable were findings in the locus coeruleus, a pontine nucleus with direct connections to the dorsal medulla oblongata and greatly affected by overexpression‐induced transfer in this model. Data revealed progressive degeneration of catecholaminergic neurons that proceeded long beyond the time of spreading cessation. Neuronal pathology in the locus coeruleus was accompanied by pronounced microglial activation and, at later times, astrocytosis. Interestingly, microglial activation was also featured in another region reached by α‐synuclein transfer, the central amygdala, even in the absence of frank neurodegeneration. Thus, overexpression‐induced spreading, even if temporary, causes long‐lasting pathological consequences in brain regions distant from the site of overexpression but anatomically connected to it. Neurodegeneration may be a consequence of severe protein burden, whereas even a milder α‐synuclein accumulation in tissues affected by protein transfer could induce sustained microglial activation.
Is TWEAK a valid screening questionnaire to identify alcohol risk drinkers among pregnant women in Denmark?
Authors: Præstegaard Camilla , Kesmodel Pia S. , Kesmodel Ulrik S.
Published: January 2018

Introduction

Identification of pregnant alcohol risk drinkers is crucial to prevent adverse birth outcomes. The TWEAK screening instrument has shown promising results for identifying risk drinkers. However, as the effectiveness of the screening questionnaire has only been investigated among American women with mainly low socioeconomic status, we aimed to investigate the ability of TWEAK to identify alcohol risk drinkers among pregnant Danish women.

Material and methods

During 2000, Danish‐speaking women referred to the Midwife Center at Aarhus University Hospital (n = 1554) and Fredericia Hospital (n = 499) for routine antenatal care were invited to participate in the study at their first visit. The women were interviewed about their periconceptional and current drinking habits including average weekly alcohol consumption and binge drinking. Additionally, the women were also asked the questions related to the TWEAK questionnaire.

Results

We found that the sensitivity of TWEAK to identify periconceptional risk drinking was quite low, but its ability to identify risk drinkers during pregnancy was marginally higher. Our results suggested that older age (odds ratio 1.46, 95% confidence interval 0.95–2.23), current smoking (odds ratio 2.33, 95% confidence interval 1.63–3.33), being single (odds ratio 2.38, 95% confidence interval 1.38–4.11) and a TWEAK score with a cut‐off score of ≥1 (odds ratio 2.75, 95% confidence interval 2.02–3.76) increased the risk of high‐risk drinking during pregnancy.

Conclusions

In a Danish setting, TWEAK does not seem as an optimal screening tool to identify periconceptional risk drinkers but it may be useful in identifying high‐risk drinking during pregnancy.
The distress thermometer provides a simple screening tool for selecting distressed childhood cancer survivors
Authors: van der Geest I.M.M. , van Dorp W. , Pluijm S.M.F. , van den Heuvel‐Eibrink M.M.
Published: January 2018

Aim

We investigated the value of the distress thermometer, a one‐item screening tool, in childhood cancer survivors.

Methods

The participants were 286 childhood cancer survivors who visited an outpatient clinic at Erasmus MC University‐Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, for the first time from 2001 to 2008 and completed the distress thermometer and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Higher scores reflected more distress. A HADS score ≥15 was used as the cut‐off point for emotional distress. We calculated the correlation between the HADS and distress thermometer, the relationship between the HADS anxiety and the HADS depression ratings, and the distress score and the sensitivity and specificity for different cut‐off scores of the distress thermometer.

Results

A moderate correlation was found between the HADS score and the distress thermometer (r: 0.56, p < 0.01, interclass correlation 0.40, p < 0.01). In total, 39% of the variability of distress, as measured by the distress thermometer, could be explained by the HADS anxiety and HADS depression ratings. A cut‐off score of at least three on the distress thermometer resulted in a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 79%.

Conclusion

The distress thermometer provided a rapid screening tool for identifying distressed childhood cancer survivors who needed further psychological support.
THE THEORY OF THE LABOR‐MANAGED FIRM: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE
Authors: DOW Gregory K.
Published: January 2018

The economic theory of the labor‐managed firm dates back 60 years. Here I review the intellectual history of this field, with critical remarks and proposals for future development. The decades of the 1960s–1980s saw a burst of theoretical speculation that generally did not hold up well under empirical scrutiny. By the 1990s, progress on the mainstream theory of the firm was overtaking some of this early research. At the same time, a growing body of econometric work on labor‐managed firms was providing new stylized facts for theorists to explain. While the earlier period was characterized by an excess supply of theories relative to facts, more recently the balance has begun to tip in the opposite direction. I close by suggesting new theoretical directions that might shed light on the empirical asymmetries between capital‐managed and labor‐managed firms.
Impact of testosterone replacement therapy on thromboembolism, heart disease and obstructive sleep apnoea in men
Authors: Cole Alexander P. , Hanske Julian , Jiang Wei , Kwon Nicollette K. , Lipsitz Stuart R. , Kathrins Martin , Learn Peter A. , Sun Maxine , Haider Adil H. , Basaria Shehzad , Trinh Quoc‐Dien
Published: January 2018

Objectives

To assess the association of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) with thromboembolism, cardiovascular disease (stroke, coronary artery disease and heart failure) and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

Methods

A cohort of 3 422 male US military service members, retirees and their dependents, aged 40–64 years, was identified, who were prescribed TRT between 2006 and 2010 for low testosterone levels. The men in this cohort were matched on a 1:1 basis for age and comorbidities to men without a prescription for TRT. Event‐free survival and rates of thromboembolism, cardiovascular events and OSA were compared between men using TRT and the control group, with a median follow‐up of 17 months.

Results

There was no difference in event‐free survival with regard to thromboembolism (P = 0.239). Relative to controls, men using TRT had improved cardiovascular event‐free survival (P = 0.004), mainly as a result of lower incidence of coronary artery disease (P = 0.008). The risk of OSA was higher in TRT users (2‐year risk 16.5% [95% confidence interval 15.1–18.1] in the TRT group vs 12.7% [11.4–14.1] in the control group.

Conclusions

This study adds to growing evidence that the cardiovascular risk associated with TRT may be lower than once feared. The elevated risk of OSA in men using TRT is noteworthy.
Preschoolers' Saving Behavior: The Role of Planning and Self‐Control
Authors: Kamawar Deepthi , Connolly Kimberly , Astle‐Rahim Andrea , Smygwaty Serena , Vendetti Corrie
Published: January 2018

Planning and self‐control were examined in relation to preschoolers' (41‐ to 74‐months) saving behavior. Employing a marble run paradigm, 54 children participated in two trials in which they could use their marbles immediately on a less desirable run, or save for a more desirable run. Twenty‐nine children received the opportunity to create a budget. On Trial 1, children in the budgeting condition saved significantly more than did children in the control condition, and their planning ability related to saving (after controlling for age and language). Those who consistently budgeted at least one marble for the more desirable run were more likely to save. Control children's performance improved across trials, with no between‐condition differences on Trial 2. Self‐control was not related to saving.
Temperature‐controlled laminar airflow (TLA) device in the treatment of children with severe atopic eczema: Open‐label, proof‐of‐concept study
Authors: Gore C. , Gore R. B. , Fontanella S. , Haider S. , Custovic A.
Published: January 2018

Background

Children with severe, persistent atopic eczema (AE) have limited treatment options, often requiring systemic immunosuppression.

Objective

To evaluate the effect of the temperature‐controlled laminar airflow (TLA) treatment in children/adolescents with severe AE.

Methods

We recruited 15 children aged 2‐16 years with long‐standing, severe AE and sensitization to ≥1 perennial inhalant allergen. Run‐in period of 6‐10 weeks (3 visits) was followed by 12‐month treatment with overnight TLA (Airsonett®, Sweden). The primary outcome was eczema severity (SCORAD‐Index and Investigator Global Assessment‐IGA). Secondary outcomes included child/family dermatology quality of life and family impact questionnaires (CDQLI, FDQLI, DFI), patient‐oriented eczema measure (POEM), medication requirements and healthcare contacts. The study is registered as ISRCTN65865773.

Results

There was a significant reduction in AE severity ascertained by SCORAD and IGA during the 12‐month intervention period (P < .001). SCORAD was reduced from a median of 34.9 [interquartile range 28.75‐45.15] at Baseline to 17.2 [12.95‐32.3] at the final visit, and IGA improved significantly from 4 [3‐4] to 2 [1‐3]. We observed a significant improvement in FDQLI (16.0 [12.25‐19.0] to 12 [8‐18], P = .023) and DFI (P = .011), but not CDQLI or POEM. Compared to 6‐month period prior to enrolment, there was a significant reduction at six months after the start of the intervention in potent topical corticosteroids (P = .033). The exploratory cluster analysis revealed two strongly divergent patterns of response, with 9 patients classified as responders, and 6 as non‐responders.

Conclusion and Clinical Relevance

Addition of TLA device to standard pharmacological treatment may be an effective add‐on to the management of difficult‐to‐control AE.
Variation in practice of pouch surgery in England – using SWORD data to cut to the chase and justify centralization
Authors: Fearnhead N. S. , Lee M. J. , Acheson A. G. , Worley G. , Faiz O. D. , Brown S. R.
Published: January 2018

Aim

Increasing scrutiny on both individual and unit outcomes after surgical procedures is now expected. In the field of inflammatory bowel disease, this is particularly pertinent for outcomes after ileoanal pouch surgery.

Method

The Surgical Workload and Outcomes Research Database (SWORD) relies on administrative data derived from Hospital Episode Statistics collected in England. The platform was interrogated for pouch procedures undertaken in England between April 2009 and December 2016 to assess national caseload and, between April 2012 and December 2016, to assess variation in caseload and outcomes after pouch surgery.

Results

In England there is a suggestion that numbers of pouch procedures may be decreasing. Over 80% of Trusts offering pouch surgery do so at very low volume with less than five procedures per year. There is also a clear phenomenon of the occasional pouch surgeon with 126 surgeons undertaking just one pouch operation during the study period of almost 5 years. Laparoscopic practice varies but 60% of pouches overall were done via an open approach. Mean length of stay was 10.1 days and average 30‐day readmission rates were 27.4%. Outside London there appears to be an increasing trend for higher volume units to do more adult pouch procedures and lower volume units to do fewer.

Conclusion

Low volume units and occasional pouch surgeons present a strong argument for centralization of pouch surgery. Data from England outside London suggest that this may already be happening.
TRAP1 regulates autophagy in lung cancer cells
Authors: Barbosa Inês A. , Vega‐Naredo Ignacio , Loureiro Rute , Branco Ana F. , Garcia Rita , Scott Patricia M. , Oliveira Paulo J.
Published: January 2018

Background

Expression of TRAP1, a member of the HSP90 chaperone family, has been implicated in tumour protective effects, based on its differential mitochondrial localization and function.

Design

This work was designed to provide new insights into the pathways involved in TRAP1‐provided cytoprotection on NSCLC. For this, TRAP1‐depleted A549 human NSCLC cells and MRC‐5 normal lung fibroblasts were produced using a siRNA approach and main cellular quality control mechanisms were investigated.

Results

TRAP1‐depleted A549 cells displayed decreased cell viability likely due to impaired mitochondrial function including decreased ATP/AMP ratio, oxygen consumption and membrane potential, as well as increased apoptotic indicators. Furthermore, the negative impact of TRAP1 depletion on mitochondrial function was not observed in normal MRC‐5 lung cells, which might be due to the differential intracellular localization of the chaperone in tumour versus normal cells. Additionally, A549 TRAP1‐depleted cells showed increased autophagic flux. Functionally, autophagy inhibition resulted in decreased cell viability in both TRAP1‐expressing and TRAP1‐depleted tumour cells with minor effects on MRC‐5 cells. Conversely, autophagy stimulation decreased cell viability of both A549 and MRC‐5 TRAP1‐expressing cells while in A549 TRAP1‐depleted cells, increased autophagy augmented viability.

Conclusions

Our results show that even though TRAP1 depletion affects both normal MRC‐5 and tumour A549 cell proliferation, inhibition of autophagy per se led to a decrease in tumour cell mass, while having a reduced effect on the normal cell line. The strategy of targeting TRAP1 in NSCLC shows future potential therapeutic applications.
Cyclic fatigue resistances of several nickel‐titanium glide path rotary and reciprocating instruments at body temperature
Authors: Yılmaz K. , Uslu G. , Gündoğar M. , Özyürek T. , Grande N. M. , Plotino G.
Published: January 2018

Aim

To compare the cyclic fatigue resistance of the One G, ProGlider, HyFlex EDM and R‐Pilot glide path NiTi files at body temperature.

Methodology

Twenty One G (size 14, .03 taper), 20 ProGlider (size 16, .02 taper), 20 HyFlex EDM (size 10, .05 taper) and 20 R‐Pilot (size 12.5, .04 taper) instruments were operated in rotation at 300 rpm (One G, ProGlider and HyFlex) or in reciprocation (R‐Pilot) at 35 °C in artificial canals that were manufactured by reproducing the size and taper of the instrument until fracture occurred. The time to fracture was recorded in seconds using a digital chronometer, and the length of the fractured fragments was registered. Mean data were analysed statistically using the Kruskal–Wallis test and post hoc Tukey tests via SPSS 21.0 software. The statistical significance level was set at 5%.

Results

The cyclic fatigue resistance of the R‐Pilot files was significantly greater than the other instruments, and the One G was significantly lower (P < 0.05). There was no difference between the HyFlex EDM and the ProGlider (P > 0.05). No significant difference (P > 0.05) was evident in the mean length of the fractured fragments of the various instruments.

Conclusions

The cyclic fatigue resistance of the R‐Pilot reciprocating glide path file was significantly greater than that of the rotary HyFlex EDM, ProGlider and One G glide path files.
Variables That Influence US Midwife and Physician Management of the Third Stage of Labor
Authors: Schorn Mavis N. , Dietrich Mary S. , Donaghey Beth , Minnick Ann F.
Published: January 2018

Introduction

Midwives and physicians incorporate their knowledge, experiences, and other variables in making clinical decisions. Variations in the management of the third stage of labor may be a result of variables that influence providers’ decision making. The purpose of this study was to describe variables that influence US midwives’ and physicians’ management of the third stage of labor.

Methods

A randomly selected national sample of certified nurse‐midwives and certified midwives, certified professional midwives, obstetricians, and family physicians was surveyed about the extent to which maternal characteristics, maternal history, and current birth characteristics influence their third‐stage management. The extent of influence was defined in terms of always to never altering management. Descriptive summaries, group comparisons, and partial correlations were used to determine differences in influences between midwives and physicians. One free‐text question was analyzed using qualitative methods.

Results

A total of 1243 clinicians responded. There was considerable variability in the response patterns in that the same variable was reported to always alter management during the third stage of labor for some participants yet did not influence the management practices of others at all. Differences between responses from midwives and physicians were explored as a possible explanation for some of the variability. In response to the free‐text inquiry about variables that most influenced changes in participants’ usual management of the third stage, the participants most often included active bleeding, current recommendations or guidelines, and maternal or family preferences.

Discussion

This study identifies variables reported as influencing clinical decision making during the third stage of labor. Therefore, these variables are important to consider when evaluating interventions and outcomes related to management of the third stage of labor and any attempts to design new interventions. The findings are descriptive of practice; they are not intended to guide changes in practice.
Detecting the Presence of Bacterial DNA and RNA by Polymerase Chain Reaction to Diagnose Suspected Periprosthetic Joint Infection after Antibiotic Therapy
Authors: Fang Xin‐yu , Li Wen‐bo , Zhang Chao‐fan , Huang Zi‐da , Zeng Hui‐yi , Dong Zheng , Zhang Wen‐ming
Published: January 2018

Objective

To explore the diagnostic efficiency of DNA‐based and RNA‐based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analyses for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI).

Methods

To determine the detection limit of DNA‐based and RNA‐based qPCR in vitro, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli strains were added to sterile synovial fluid obtained from a patient with knee osteoarthritis. Serial dilutions of samples were analyzed by DNA‐based and RNA‐based qPCR. Clinically, patients who were suspected of having PJI and eventually underwent revision arthroplasty in our hospital from July 2014 to December 2016 were screened. Preoperative puncture or intraoperative collection was performed on patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria to obtain synovial fluid. DNA‐based and RNA‐based PCR analyses and culture were performed on each synovial fluid sample. The patients’ demographic characteristics, medical history, and laboratory test results were recorded. The diagnostic efficiency of both PCR assays was compared with culture methods.

Results

The in vitro analysis demonstrated that DNA‐based qPCR assay was highly sensitive, with the detection limit being 1200 colony forming units (CFU)/mL of S. aureus and 3200 CFU/mL of E. coli. Meanwhile, The RNA‐based qPCR assay could detect 2300 CFU/mL of S. aureus and 11 000 CFU/mL of E. coli. Clinically, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 65.7%, 100%, and 81.6%, respectively, for the culture method; 81.5%, 84.8%, and 83.1%, respectively, for DNA‐based qPCR; and 73.6%, 100%, and 85.9%, respectively, for RNA‐based qPCR.

Conclusions

DNA‐based qPCR could detect suspected PJI with high sensitivity after antibiotic therapy. RNA‐based qPCR could reduce the false positive rates of DNA‐based assays. qPCR‐based methods could improve the efficiency of PJI diagnosis.
On the Relationship between Safety and Decision Significance
Authors: Borgonovo Emanuele , Cillo Alessandra , Smith Curtis L.
Published: January 2018

Risk analysts are often concerned with identifying key safety drivers, that is, the systems, structures, and components (SSCs) that matter the most to safety. SSCs importance is assessed both in the design phase (i.e., before a system is built) and in the implementation phase (i.e., when the system has been built) using the same importance measures. However, in a design phase, it would be necessary to appreciate whether the failure/success of a given SSC can cause the overall decision to change from accept to reject (decision significance). This work addresses the search for the conditions under which SSCs that are safety significant are also decision significant. To address this issue, the work proposes the notion of a θ‐importance measure. We study in detail the relationships among risk importance measures to determine which properties guarantee that the ranking of SSCs does not change before and after the decision is made. An application to a probabilistic safety assessment model developed at NASA illustrates the risk management implications of our work.
DIVARICATA AND RADIALIS INTERACTING FACTOR (DRIF) also interacts with WOX and KNOX proteins associated with wood formation in Populus trichocarpa
Authors: Petzold H. Earl , Chanda Bidisha , Zhao Chengsong , Rigoulot Stephen B. , Beers Eric P. , Brunner Amy M.
Published: January 2018

DIVARICATA AND RADIALIS INTERACTING FACTOR (DRIF) from snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus) is a MYB/SANT protein that interacts with related MYB/SANT proteins, RADIALIS and DIVARICATA, through its N‐terminal MYB/SANT domain. In addition to the MYB/SANT domain, DRIF contains a C‐terminal domain of unknown function (DUF3755). Here we describe novel protein–protein interactions involving a poplar (Populus trichocarpa) homolog of DRIF, PtrDRIF1. In addition to interacting with poplar homologs of RADIALIS (PtrRAD1) and DIVARICATA (PtrDIV4), PtrDRIF1 interacted with members of other families within the homeodomain‐like superfamily, including PtrWOX13c, a WUSCHEL‐RELATED HOMEOBOX protein, and PtrKNAT7, a KNOTTED1‐LIKE HOMEOBOX protein. PtrRAD1 and PtrDIV4 interacted with the MYB/SANT‐containing N‐terminal portion of PtrDRIF1, whereas DUF3755 was both necessary and sufficient for interactions with PtrWOX13c and PtrKNAT7. Of the two MYB/SANT domains present in PtrDIV4, only the N‐terminal MYB/SANT domain interacted with PtrDRIF1. GFP‐PtrDRIF1 expressed alone or with PtrRAD1 localized to the cytoplasm, whereas co‐expression of GFP‐PtrDRIF1 with PtrDIV4, PtrWOX13c or PtrKNAT7 resulted in nuclear localization of GFP‐PtrDRIF1. Modified yeast two‐hybrid (Y2H) and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) experiments using PtrDRIF1 as a bridge protein revealed that PtrDRIF1 simultaneously interacted with PtrRAD1 and PtrWOX13c, but could not form a heterotrimeric complex when PtrDIV4 was substituted for PtrRAD1. Moreover, a Y2H competition assay indicated that PtrKNAT7 inhibits the interaction between PtrRAD1 and PtrDRIF1. The discovery of an additional protein–protein interaction domain in DRIF proteins, DUF3755, and its ability to form heterodimers and heterotrimers involving MYB/SANT and wood‐associated homeodomain proteins, implicates DRIF proteins as mediators of a broader array of processes than previously reported.
A toolkit for studying cellular reorganization during early embryogenesis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Liao Che‐Yang , Weijers Dolf
Published: January 2018

Considerable progress has been made in understanding the influence of physical and genetic factors on the patterns of cell division in various model systems. However, how each of these factors directs changes in subcellular structures has remained unclear. Generic machineries for the execution of cell expansion and division have been characterized, but how these are influenced by genetic regulators and physical cell properties remains an open question. To a large degree, the complexity of growing post‐embryonic tissues and a lack of precise predictability have prevented the extraction of rigid correlations between subcellular structures and future orientation of cell division. The Arabidopsis embryo offers an exquisitely predictable and simple model for studying such correlations, but so far the tools and methodology for studying subcellular structures in the early embryo have been lacking. Here, we describe a set of markers to visualize a range of subcellular structures in the early Arabidopsis embryo. We have designed a series of fluorescent cellular reporters optimized for embryos, and demonstrate the effectiveness of using these ‘ACE’ reporters with simple three‐dimensional imaging procedures that preserve delicate cellular structures. We describe the ontogeny of subcellular structures in the early embryo and find that central/peripheral cell polarity is established much earlier than suspected. In addition, we show that the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton has distinct topologies in the embryo. These tools and methods will allow detailed analysis of the events of cellular reorganization that underlie morphogenesis in the Arabidopsis embryo.
Interplay between cytochrome c and gibberellins during Arabidopsis vegetative development
Authors: Racca Sofía , Welchen Elina , Gras Diana E. , Tarkowská Danuše , Turečková Veronika , Maurino Veronica G. , Gonzalez Daniel H.
Published: January 2018

We studied the effect of reducing the levels of the mitochondrial electron carrier cytochrome c (CYTc) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plants with CYTc deficiency have delayed growth and development, and reach flowering several days later than the wild‐type but with the same number of leaves. CYTc‐deficient plants accumulate starch and glucose during the day, and contain lower levels of active gibberellins (GA) and higher levels of DELLA proteins, involved in GA signaling. GA treatment abolishes the developmental delay and reduces glucose accumulation in CYTc‐deficient plants, which also show a lower raise in ATP levels in response to glucose. Treatment of wild‐type plants with inhibitors of mitochondrial energy production limits plant growth and increases the levels of DELLA proteins, thus mimicking the effects of CYTc deficiency. In addition, an increase in the amount of CYTc decreases DELLA protein levels and expedites growth, and this depends on active GA synthesis. We conclude that CYTc levels impinge on the activity of the GA pathway, most likely through changes in mitochondrial energy production. In this way, hormone‐dependent growth would be coupled to the activity of components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain.
1066 and all that: Some deep determinants of voting shares in the 2016 referendum on EU membership
Authors: Fielding David
Published: January 2018

Recent evidence from UK opinion surveys suggests that inhabitants of areas where there is a high density of universities have opinions that are significantly more liberal with regard to immigration and minority rights; this effect is robust to controlling for the individual's own age and education level, suggesting that university towns have a distinctive culture. Moreover, variation in the density of universities is explained partly by variation in the density of earlier educational institutions, and the variation in the density of these earlier institutions is associated with medieval exposure to religious and ethnic diversity. Support for EU membership is known to be correlated with liberalism, and this paper shows that patterns of voting in the 2016 referendum are also associated with the density of universities and earlier educational institutions, and with medieval exposure to religious and ethnic diversity.
Draft Genome Sequences of
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
,
A. marginale
, and
A. ovis
Isolates from Different Hosts
Authors: Diaz-Sanchez Sandra , Hernández-Jarguín Angélica , Fernández de Mera Isabel G. , Alberdi Pilar , Zweygarth Erich , Gortazar Christian , de la Fuente José
Published: January 2018

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of isolates of
Anaplasma phagocytophilum
,
Anaplasma marginale
, and
Anaplasma ovis
. The genomes of
A. phagocytophilum
(human),
A. marginale
(cattle), and
A. ovis
(goat) isolates from the United States were sequenced and characterized. This is the first report of an
A. ovis
genome sequence.
Complete Genome Sequence of a New Halophilic Archaeon,
Haloarcula taiwanensis
, Isolated from a Solar Saltern in Southern Taiwan
Authors: Chen Pei-Chun , Chen Ting-Wen , Han Yi-An , Ng Wailap Victor , Yang Chii-Shen
Published: January 2018

We report here the completion of the genome sequence of a new species of haloarchaea,
Haloarcula taiwanensis
, isolated in southern Taiwan. The 3,721,706-bp genome consisted of chromosome I (2,966,258 bp, 63.6% GC content), chromosome II (525,233 bp, 59.6% GC content), plasmid pNYT1 (129,893 bp, 55.3% GC content), and plasmid pNYT2 (100,322 bp, 55.7% GC content).
Complete Genome Sequence of a Type Strain of
Mycobacterium abscessus
subsp.
bolletii
, a Member of the
Mycobacterium abscessus
Complex
Authors: Yoshida Mitsunori , Fukano Hanako , Miyamoto Yuji , Shibayama Keigo , Suzuki Masato , Hoshino Yoshihiko
Published: January 2018

Mycobacterium abscessus
subsp.
bolletii
is a rapidly growing mycobacterial organism for which the taxonomy is unclear. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a
Mycobacterium abscessus
subsp.
bolletii
type strain. This sequence will provide essential information for future taxonomic and comparative genome studies of these mycobacteria.
Complete Nucleotide Sequence of an
Escherichia coli
Sequence Type 410 Strain Carrying
bla
NDM-5
on an IncF Multidrug Resistance Plasmid and
bla
OXA-181
on an IncX3 Plasmid
Authors: Overballe-Petersen Søren , Roer Louise , Ng Kim , Hansen Frank , Justesen Ulrik S. , Andersen Leif P. , Stegger Marc , Hammerum Anette M. , Hasman Henrik
Published: January 2018

Using Nanopore sequencing, we describe here the circular genome of an
Escherichia coli
sequence type 410 (ST410) strain with five closed plasmids. A large 111-kb incompatibility group F (IncF) plasmid harbored
bla
NDM-5
and 16 other resistance genes. A 51-kb IncX3 plasmid carried
QnrS1
and
bla
OXA-181
.
E. coli
isolates with both
bla
NDM-5
and
bla
OXA-181
carbapenemases are rare.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Legionella sainthelensi
Isolated from a Patient with Legionnaires’ Disease
Authors: Slow Sandy , Anderson Trevor , Biggs Patrick , Kennedy Martin , Murdoch David , Cree Simone
Published: January 2018

Legionella sainthelensi
is an aquatic environmental bacterium that in humans can cause Legionnaires’ disease (LD), an often severe form of pneumonia. Here, we report the first complete genome of a
L. sainthelensi
clinical isolate obtained in 2001 from a patient with LD in Canterbury, New Zealand.
Spinal artery aneurysms: clinical presentation, radiological findings and outcome
Authors: Renieri Leonardo , Raz Eytan , Lanzino Giuseppe , Krings Timo , Shapiro Maksim , Shirani Peyman , Brinjikji Waleed
Published: January 2018

Background and purpose

Spinal arterial aneurysms are a rare cause of spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). We performed a retrospective review of spinal arterial aneurysms not associated with spinal arteriovenus shunts from three institutions in order to better understand the clinical and imaging characteristics of these lesions.

Materials and methods

We performed a retrospective review of spinal arterial aneurysms managed at three North American institutions. For each patient, the following information was collected: demographic data, clinical presentation, comorbidities, imaging findings, and neurological status at the last follow-up. Treatment strategies and outcomes were reported.

Results

11 patients were included; 7 were women and median age was 60 years. The most common presentation was sudden back pain (81.8%). We found 3 aneurysms on the radiculomedullary artery and 8 along the radiculopial arteries. Of the 3 aneurysms on the radiculomedullary artery, 1 was treated conservatively, 1 was treated with coiling of the aneurysm and sacrifice of the radiculomedullary artery, and 1 was treated with surgical trapping. The 8 aneurysms on the radiculopial artery were treated endovascularly in 4 cases, surgically in 1 case, and conservatively in 3 cases. One surgically treated patient had a spinal subdural hematoma. There were no other complications. Mean clinical follow-up time was 20 months, and 87.5% of patients were functionally independent.

Conclusions

Spinal arterial aneurysms are lesions which commonly present with sudden back pain and spinal SAH. Conservative, surgical, and endovascular treatment options are safe and effective. Long term outcomes in these patients are generally good.
An unexpected Staudinger reaction at an N-heterocyclic carbene-carbon center
Authors: Roy Matthew M.D. , Miao Linkun , Ferguson Michael J. , McDonald Robert , Rivard Eric
Published: January 2018

The previously unreported carbene-phosphine adduct (IPr)PCl2N3 [IPr = (HCNDipp)2C:; Dipp = 2,6-iPr2C6H3] was synthesized and used as a synthon toward the elusive dichlorophosphazene monomer unit, [Cl2P=N]. (IPr)PCl2N3 was found to undergo halide and azide abstraction when combined with various electrophiles and its thermolysis yielded the unexpected Staudinger reaction product (IPr=N)PCl2.
Customer Need Identification Methods in New Product Development: What Works “Best”?
Authors: Geyer Felix , Lehnen Jens , Herstatt Cornelius
Published: January 2018

Although new product development is associated with high failure rates, it is still the most natural measure for firms to grow and by that expand their market position. Therefore, firms need to optimally align product functions to the needs of their target customer. By conducting an online survey with 179 participants, this paper identifies the most commonly applied need identification techniques. We can show that analyzing internal data and external reports today is the most commonly used method, at least in the German-speaking world. Still, interacting with customers via different approaches is perceived as the most beneficial approach, at the same time being very resource-demanding. In contrast to most scientific studies analyzing this topic, we furthermore identify reasons for refusing certain methods, e.g. because of lack of knowledge and resources or severe resistance within the organizations. Additionally, we derive academic and practical information from the input of the survey data for an improved application in the future.
Japan-US Economic Relations in the Post-Trans-Pacific Partnership Era
Authors: CHIANG Min-Hua
Published: January 2018

Japan and the United States have agreed to discuss a post-Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) bilateral trade framework during the Abe-Trump meeting in February 2017. The bilateral trade talks will be a significant step for Japan to remain economically connected to America. To reward Japan’s support of Trump’s economic agenda, the United States has promised to defend Japan, including the disputed Senkaku islands.
Virtual Metering
Authors: Wang Bingsheng , Chen Zhiqian , Boedihardjo Arnold P. , Lu Chang-Tien
Published: January 2018

The scarcity of potable water is a critical challenge in many regions around the world. Previous studies have shown that knowledge of device-level water usage can lead to significant conservation. Although there is considerable interest in determining discriminative features via sparse coding for water disaggregation to separate whole-house consumption into its component appliances, existing methods lack a mechanism for fitting coefficient distributions and are thus unable to accurately discriminate parallel devices’ consumption. This article proposes a Bayesian discriminative sparse coding model, referred to as Virtual Metering (VM), for this disaggregation task. Mixture-of-Gammas is employed for the prior distribution of coefficients, contributing two benefits: (i) guaranteeing the coefficients’ sparseness and non-negativity, and (ii) capturing the distribution of active coefficients. The resulting method effectively adapts the bases to aggregated consumption to facilitate discriminative learning in the proposed model, and devices’ shape features are formalized and incorporated into Bayesian sparse coding to direct the learning of basis functions. Compact Gibbs Sampling (CGS) is developed to accelerate the inference process by utilizing the sparse structure of coefficients. The empirical results obtained from applying the new model to large-scale real and synthetic datasets revealed that VM significantly outperformed the benchmark methods.
Parameter estimation of stochastic models based on limited data
Authors: Chen Minghan , Cao Yang , Watson Layne T.
Published: January 2018

Progress in experimental techniques enables a more accurate quantification of genes, mRNA, and proteins at the single cell level. Provided with limited time series data from single-cell measurements, this note proposes a new quasi-Newton optimization algorithm (QNSTOP) for parameter estimation of stochastic models. To capture the stochasticity inside models and data, the random objective function is constructed based on the maximum log-likelihood of transition probabilities rather than summary statistics, which relies heavily on stochastic simulations. Simple to use and efficient, QNSTOP can find the "best" parameter vector from far away starting points in just a few iterations. Results on a bistable model match well the bistable dynamics that can only be obtained from stochastic models.
Comparison of speed-accuracy tradeoff between linear and nonlinear filtering algorithms for myocontrol
Authors: Borish Cassie N. , Feinman Adam , Bertucco Matteo , Ramsy Natalie G. , Sanger Terence D.
Published: January 2018

Nonlinear Bayesian filtering of surface electromyography (EMG) can provide a stable output signal with little delay and the ability to change rapidly, making it a potential control input for prosthetic or communication devices. We hypothesized that myocontrol follows Fitts’ Law, and that Bayesian filtered EMG would improve movement times and success rates when compared with linearly filtered EMG. We tested the two filters using a Fitts’ Law speed-accuracy paradigm in a one-muscle myocontrol task with EMG captured from the dominant first dorsal interosseous muscle. Cursor position in one dimension was proportional to EMG. Six indices of difficulty were tested, varying the target size and distance. We examined two performance measures: movement time (MT) and success rate. The filter had a significant effect on both MT and success. MT followed Fitts’ Law and the speed-accuracy relationship exhibited a significantly higher channel capacity when using the Bayesian filter. Subjects seemed to be less cautious using the Bayesian filter due to its lower error rate and smoother control. These findings suggest that Bayesian filtering may be a useful component for myoelectrically controlled prosthetics or communication devices.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Whereas previous work has focused on assessing the Bayesian algorithm as a signal processing algorithm for EMG, this study assesses the use of the Bayesian algorithm for online EMG control. In other words, the subjects see the output of the filter and can adapt their own behavior to use the filter optimally as a tool. This study compares how subjects adapt EMG behavior using the Bayesian algorithm vs. a linear algorithm.