bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computing Signal Transduction in Signaling Networks modeled as Boolean Networks, Petri Nets, and Hypergraphs
Authors: Vieira Luis Sordo , Vera-Licona Paola
Published: February 2018

Mathematical frameworks circumventing the need of mechanistic detail to build models of signal transduction networks include graphs, hypergraphs, Boolean Networks, and Petri Nets. Predicting how a signal transduces in a signaling network is essential to understand cellular functions and disease. Different formalisms exist to describe how a signal transduces in a given intracellular signaling network represented in the aforementioned modeling frameworks: elementary signaling modes, T-invariants, extreme pathway analysis, elementary flux modes, and simple paths. How do these formalisms compare?

We present an overview of how signal transduction networks have been modelled using graphs, hypergraphs, Boolean Networks, and Petri Nets in the literature. We provide a review of the different formalisms for capturing signal transduction in a given model of an intracellular signaling network. We also discuss the existing translations between the different modeling frameworks, and the relationships between their corresponding signal transduction representations that have been described in the literature. Furthermore, as a new formalism of signal transduction, we show how minimal functional routes proposed for signaling networks modeled as Boolean Networks can be captured by computing topological factories, a methodology found in the metabolic networks literature. We further show that in the case of signaling networks represented with an acyclic B-hypergraph structure, the definitions are equivalent. In signaling networks represented as directed graphs, it has been shown that computations of elementary modes via its incidence matrix correspond to computations of simple paths and feedback loops. We show that computing elementary modes based on the incidence matrix of a B-hypergraph fails to capture minimal functional routes.
Numerical simulation of transient flow field in a mixed-flow pump during starting period
Authors: Li Wei , Zhang Yang , Shi Weidong , Ji Leilei , Yang Yongfei , Ping Yuanfeng
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to study the transient flow characteristics in a mixed-flow pump during the start-up period.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, numerical calculation of the internal flow field in a mixed-flow pump using the sliding mesh method was carried out. The regulation of the pressure, streamline and the relative speed during the start-up period was analyzed.

Findings

The trend of the simulated head is consistent with the experimental results, and the calculated head is around 0.3 m higher than the experimental head when the rotation speed reached the stable stage, indicating that the numerical method for the start-up process simulation of the mixed-flow pump has a high accuracy. At the beginning, the velocity inside the impeller changes little along the radius direction and the flow rate increases slowly during the start-up process. As the rotation speed reached the stable stage, the flow inside the impeller became steady, the vortex reduced and transient effects disappeared gradually.

Originality/value

The study results have significant value for revealing the internal unsteady flow characteristics of the mixed-flow pump and providing the reference for the design optimization of the mixed-flow pump.
Researching corporate social responsibility in developing-countries context
Authors: Amos Gideon Jojo
Published: February 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present a systematic review of scholarly articles focused on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in developing countries and published during the period 2004 to 2014 in international journals.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper applied a bibliometric analysis to 101 articles on CSR research focused on developing countries.

Findings

The study confirms that the most prevalent CSR themes addressed in journals have been social issues, followed by environmental issues in a distant second, with ethics-related issues receiving the least attention. Also, as CSR research in developing countries constitutes an emerging stream of literature, an overwhelming dominance of empirical (qualitative) papers aimed at exploring and/or seeking interpretations to CSR motivations have been confirmed.

Research limitations/implications

An important limitation of this study is in relation to the methods applied. In the first place, this review is based on two electronic databases: ABI/INFORM Global (ProQuest) and Web of Science Core Collection: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED). This means that research published in international journals that are not included in either of these databases will be omitted.

Practical implications

This review provides useful guidance for future CSR research focused on developing countries thereby providing a foundation for future research in this stream of CSR research.

Social implications

The findings of this study suggest that much CSR knowledge in developing countries reflects the unique social issues that call for companies to adopt different CSR interventions when operating in developing countries.

Originality/value

Although this paper is not the first to systematically review CSR research, but it is one of the initial attempts, to the best of the knowledge, to systematically review the state of CSR knowledge in the context of developing countries.
Seeking specific relief in cases of Islamic banking in Malaysia – an analysis
Authors: Muneeza Aishath
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Often, the application of specific relief to Islamic banking is unspoken and unwritten. However, few studies suggest that legislation on specific relief needs amendment to cater for the effective application of Islamic banking and finance in the country and proposing the idea to introduce an Islamic Specific Relief Act. This paper aims to understand the application of specific relief to Islamic banking in Malaysia. This paper will look at the application of specific relief in Malaysia and discuss the extent of its application to Islamic banking cases reported in Malaysia from 1983 to 2015. The study will shed light on the general types of specific relief from Malaysian and Islamic law perspectives to conclude whether the provisions of Malaysian specific relief law invoked in courts in Islamic banking cases are in line with the general principles of Sharīcah. To further support this, evidence from various commercial civil codes of Muslim countries have been discussed to analyse these provisions from a more practical perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a legal exploratory study primarily focussed on library research.

Findings

When it comes to Islamic banking, federal legislations dealing with commercial matters are applicable. For example, in Islamic banking products, if the land is the subject matter, then National Land Code 1965 shall be applied, and when dealing with Islamic banking agreements, the provisions of Contracts Act 1950 shall be followed. This has been highlighted as a problem faced by Islamic financial services in the case of Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim v. Bank Islam Malaysia Berhad and other cases where the judge referred Engku Rabiah and quoted that in Islamic banking transactions, “the transactions entered by the parties may be Sharīcah-compliant in the first place, but upon enforcement of the contracts, the court may make orders and decisions that may side line the Islamic legal principles”. This happens when the substantive laws applicable to Islamic banking are incompatible with Islamic law. Fortunately, the analysis of the relevant sections of Specific Relief Act 1950 in this research proves that the provisions reviewed are in line with Sharīcah. However, to further enhance the operation of specific relief, the granting of specific relief could be made a general rule rather than an exceptional rule available with stringent rules. The research revealed that Specific Relief Act (1950) is expressly referred and discussed only in three cases reported from 1983 to 2015. There are only two specific sections of Specific Relief Act (1950) that have been deliberated in the reported case law on Islamic banking: provisions related to granting of a mandatory injunction and specific performance of contracts.

Originality/value

It is anticipated that this paper will assist to comprehend the importance of converging law and Sharīcah in legislations to attain Sharīcah compliance and will help to realise that not all conventional legislations are Sharīcah non-compliant.
Counterproductive hiring discrimination against women
Authors: Duguet Emmanuel , du Parquet Loïc , L’Horty Yannick , Petit Pascale
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Mentioning car and motorcycle licences on a resume sends a signal of strong mobility, which should increase the chances of getting a job in congested traffic areas. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether this is the case for both women and men.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors implement an experimental design in order to test for the existence of gender discrimination. The authors use the first-order stochastic dominance (FOSD) criterion and estimate components models.

Findings

The authors find that holding a motorcycle licence leads to a counterproductive selection of female candidates, since the highest commuting mobility meets the lowest hiring rate.

Research limitations/implications

The methodology developed in the paper can be used for all correspondence test data.

Originality/value

The authors examine effects that have not been observed thus far in the literature, namely, the effects of gender crossed with the effects of the class of driving licence that is mentioned on the resume. The authors also advocate the use of the FOSD criterion to discrimination studies.
The relationship between flexible employment arrangements and workplace performance in Great Britain
Authors: Giovanis Eleftherios
Published: February 2018

Purpose

There is an increasing concern on the quality of jobs and productivity witnessed in the flexible employment arrangements. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between various flexible employment arrangements and the workplace performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Home-based working, teleworking, flexible timing and compressed hours are the main employment types examined using the Workplace Employee Relations Survey (WERS) over the years 2004 and 2011 in Great Britain. The workplace performance is measured by two outcomes – the financial performance and labour productivity. First, the determinants of these flexible employment types are explored. Second, the ordinary least squares (OLS) method is followed. Third, an instrumental variable (IV) approach is applied to account for plausible endogeneity and to estimate the causal effects of flexible employment types on firm performance.

Findings

The findings show a significant and positive relationship between the flexible employment arrangements and the workplace performance. Education, age, wage, quality of relations between managers-employees, years of experience, the area of the market the workplace is operated and the competition are significant factors and are positively associated with the propensity of the implementation of flexible employment arrangements.

Social implications

The insights derived from the study can have various profound policy implications for employees, employers and the society overall, including family-work balance, coping with family demands, improving the firm performance, reducing traffic congestion and stress among others.

Originality/value

It is the first study that explores the relationship between flexible employment types and workplace performance using an IV approach. This allows us to estimate the causal effects of flexible employment types and the possible associated social implications.
How do national cultures impact the operations strategy process?
Authors: Lee Park Camila , Paiva Ely Laureano
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the extent to which different patterns of cross-functional integration and the operations strategy (OS) process may be explained by national cultures differences.

Design/methodology/approach

Perceptual survey data from 105 manufacturing plants in four countries were used to validate the constructs and to test the hypotheses. The plants are located in two Western and two Eastern countries with different industrialization and development backgrounds (Brazil, China, Germany and South Korea). CFA validated the constructs, and ANOVA andt-tests evaluated the differences between levels of four Hofstede’s elements (i.e. power distance, individualism vs collectivism, uncertainty avoidance and long-term vs short-term orientation) on the OS process enablers (i.e. leadership for cross-functional integration and functional integration) and elements (i.e. manufacturing strategy linkage to corporate strategy and formulation of manufacturing strategy).

Findings

Results suggest that different OS and OM processes are present in different national cultures. Leadership for cross-functional integration and manufacturing strategy linkage to corporate strategy differ between levels of power distance, individualism vs collectivism and uncertainty avoidance. Functional integration and formulation of manufacturing strategy also present differences according to the degree of individualism vs collectivism and long-term orientation.

Originality/value

Results indicate that national culture is a key aspect for the OS process. Prior studies usually do not consider cultural aspects. Therefore, the OS process varies in different countries and contexts. Managers need to adjust their OS process when they are developing a global OS.
The effects of knowledge creation process on organizational performance using the BSC approach: the mediating role of intellectual capital
Authors: Mehralian Gholamhossein , Nazari Jamal A. , Ghasemzadeh Peivand
Published: February 2018

Purpose

Knowledge is a key success factor in achieving competitive advantage in the current fast-paced and uncertain economic environment. Several studies in the literature have analyzed the relationship between knowledge creation (KC) and organizational success; however, the mechanisms by which KC leads to accumulation of intellectual capital (IC) and thereby affects various dimensions of organizational performance are understudied. The purpose of this paper is to examine how KC and IC and their relationship influence key dimensions of organizational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A research model was developed and tested based on the literature in the areas of KC, IC and organizational performance. This study uses a survey sent to companies in an intensive knowledge-based industry. The balanced scorecard (BSC) approach was used to measure the key dimensions of organizational performance.

Findings

The results from structural equation modeling (SEM) on 470 completed questionnaires received from the pharmaceutical companies in Iran reveal that KC activities lead to the accumulation of organizational IC and IC has a crucial and positive impact on the BSC. Furthermore, the results from the path analysis indicate that IC mediates the effects of KC on the BSC.

Practical implications

The findings of this study contribute to the extant literature on the relationship between knowledge and organizational performance by demonstrating that knowledge and KC lead to performance when organizations utilize KC activities and leverage them to accumulate IC. Once used effectively, IC will result in a better performance in the knowledge-intensive environments.

Originality/value

This is the first study that investigates how KC contributes to firm performance by incorporating the mediating impact of IC on the BSC. The proposed model and results will help organizations to identify the mechanisms through which KC initiatives improve organizational performance.
Learning from failure
Authors: Mendy John , Hack-Polay Dieu
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the high failure among African entrepreneurs post-2008 financial crisis. It evaluates the evidence of actual and perceived disadvantage and endogenous and exogenous factors affecting black and minority ethnic businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on an interpretivist frame which uses a dialogic methodology. It uses in-depth interviews. The researchers framed discussion questions so as to invite the participants to articulate directly their experiences for the benefit of the readership, other existing African businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs.

Findings

The findings from the interviews with 20 leaders of “dead” businesses indicate the impact that place, people and poverty have on business failure and identify reasons for African business failure rates compared to other minorities. This study reveals that culture, an often understated variable, is critical in understanding the deeper reasons for the under-performance of African small entrepreneurs and its impacts on individual and collective lives.

Practical implications

Recovery solutions ought to be formulated from participants’ call for diversification, inter-cultural learning and integration as potential remedies. The research addresses the socio-economic problems encountered by owners of “dead” businesses. Policymakers and financial organisations ought to pay heed to the skills and resources that minorities offer as part of remedies for future enterprises.

Originality/value

Studies on failed African businesses are under-represented in the literature. This study identifies the important role of culture on the failure of small businesses owned by African migrants in the UK. It highlights the significant socio-economic and situational barriers that they navigate in quest for recognition and cultural integration through business endeavours.
“Pollution prevention” is the key to drive sustainability
Authors: Kumar Gupta Sandeep , Gupta Sanjeev , Gayathiri S.
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the difference in firm performance between pollution prevention and pollution control strategies using a selected case study from the Indian leather industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This study followed a case study-based inductive research approach to validate the proposed preposition on field. The case-study analysis was based on qualitative and quantitative data. The authors developed a questionnaire and an interview protocol to capture the data about different industrial practices and motivation behind them. The study followed the concept of the triple bottom line approach for assessing the progress of the case firm on sustainability scale.

Findings

With the help of pollution preventive measures, such as replacement of salted skin with fresh skin and chromium salt with a phosphonium-based tanning agent, the case firm could overcome the biggest challenge of bringing down the level of total dissolved solid from 40,000 to 5,000 ppm in the raw effluent. Moreover, the firm has successfully recycled and converted tannery scraps and other waste into organic manure for internal use in its own plantations.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study could not be generalized as these are based on a single case study.

Originality/value

This study presents an example of sustainable practices and their benefits to the Indian leather industry to follow.
Brand equity and financial performance
Authors: Narteh Bedman
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between brand equity and financial performance and the moderation role of brand likeability retail banking sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is quantitative and employed the survey methodology to sample the views of 550 retail bank customers. Data were analyzed though the structuring equation modeling using AMOS.

Findings

The study found out that service quality, brand association, brand loyalty, and brand relevance positively and significantly predicted financial performance of the retail banks. In addition, brand likeability also moderates the relationship between brand equity and financial performance.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the ongoing research in examining the linkage between brand equity and financial performance. The study has also shown the value of brand likeability as a moderator of the brand equity-financial performance linkage. The strategic implication of the results are discussed in the paper.
Effect of nanoclay, glass fiber volume and orientation on tensile strength of epoxy-glass composite and optimization using Taguchi method
Authors: Zade Shanti Kiran , V. Suresh Babu , K.V. Sai Srinadh
Published: February 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to manufacture test boards for re-enacting plant or field situations where vacuum chamber for expelling gas bubbles and autoclave equipment would not be accessible. This research focuses on the examination and enhancement of tensile strength for the nanocomposites consisting of uniaxial glass fiber mats, nanoclay (NC) and epoxy.

Design/methodology/approach

The parameters considered are the weight content of Cloisite 15A NC, the volume of glass fiber (Vgf) and the direction of glass fibers (θ). The composites are made by hand lay-up technique and tested according to ASTM D 638 standard. Taguchi L9 orthogonal array is used to design the experiments.

Findings

The results imply that the orientation of fibers exhibited high significance with ap-value of 0.001 for the upgrade of strength. NC percentage and the volume of fiber have a low effect as thep-values obtained were 0.375 and 0.294. Confirmation tests were performed at the optimal levels of parameters and the outcomes were in the permissible range of the anticipated values of S/N ratio and mean tensile strength. The negligible effect of nanoclay is due to the lack of infusion of resin into the d-spacing of clay layers due to the low configuration settings of mixing conditions which was confirmed by XRD studies. The negligible effect of glass fiber volume is due to the void content and lack of stress transfer between fibers uniformly due to the void content and improper mixing of nanoclay.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of this study is that a low-speed mechanical stirrer was used to mix NC in the epoxy and the mixture was not subjected to vacuum and ultrasonication for degassing and deagglomeration.

Practical implications

These composites can be used as substitute materials in place of metallic parts in the aerospace and automobile sector. These composites can be used in civil structures instead of steel and concrete, which have low strength-to-weight ratio and where the requirement of strength is in the range of 60 to 390 MPa.

Social implications

The composites can be used in a variety of applications, for example, structural works, automotive panels and low-cost housing.

Originality/value

This research gives an idea about the combined contribution of NC,Vgfand “θ” to the improvement of tensile strength of the glass-epoxy composite.
Quantitative proteomics reveals decreased expression of major urinary proteins in the liver of apoE/eNOS‐DKO mice
Authors: Stachowicz Aneta , Olszanecki Rafał , Suski Maciej , Wiśniewska Anna , Kuś Katarzyna , Białas Magdalena , Jawień Jacek , Korbut Ryszard
Published: February 2018

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)‐derived nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role, not only in endothelium‐dependent vasodilation but also in lipid and glucose homeostasis in the liver and exerts beneficial effects on mitochondrial biogenesis and respiration. Thus, the aim of our study was to use iTRAQ‐based quantitative proteomics to investigate the changes in protein expression in the mitochondrial and cytosolic fractions isolated from the liver of the double (apolipoprotein E (apoE) and eNOS) knockout (apoE/eNOS‐DKO) mice as compared to apoE KO mice (apoE−/−) – an animal model of atherosclerosis and hepatic steatosis. Collectively, the deficiency of eNOS resulted in increased expression of proteins related to gluconeogenesis, fatty acids and cholesterol biosynthesis as well as the decreased expression of proteins participated in triglyceride breakdown, cholesterol transport, protein transcription & translation and processing in endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Moreover, one of the most downregulated proteins were major urinary proteins (MUPs), which are abundantly expressed in the liver and were shown to be involved in the regulation of lipid and glucose metabolism. The exact functional consequences of the revealed alterations require further investigation.
Comparative analyses of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) in 23 mosquito species genomes: Identification, characterization and distribution (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Ting , Zhang Yu‐Juan , Qiao Liang , Chen Bin
Published: February 2018

Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) exist in both eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes and are the most popular genetic markers, but the SSRs of mosquito genomes are still not well understood. In this study, we identified and analyzed the SSRs in 23 mosquito species using Drosophila melanogaster as reference at the whole‐genome level. The results show that SSR numbers (33 076–560 175/genome) and genome sizes (574.57–1342.21 Mb) are significantly positively correlated (R2 = 0.8992, P < 0.01), but the correlation in individual species varies in these mosquito species. In six types of SSR, mono‐ to trinucleotide SSRs are dominant with cumulative percentages of 95.14%–99.00% and densities of 195.65/Mb–787.51/Mb, whereas tetra‐ to hexanucleotide SSRs are rare with 1.12%–4.22% and 3.76/Mb–40.23/Mb. The (A/T)n, (AC/GT)n and (AGC/GCT)n are the most frequent motifs in mononucleotide, dinucleotide and trinucleotide SSRs, respectively, and the motif frequencies of tetra‐ to hexanucleotide SSRs appear to be species‐specific. The 10–20 bp length of SSRs are dominant with the number of 110 561 ± 93 482 and the frequency of 87.25% ± 5.73% on average, and the number and frequency decline with the increase of length. Most SSRs (83.34% ± 7.72%) are located in intergenic regions, followed by intron regions (11.59% ± 5.59%), exon regions (3.74% ± 1.95%), and untranslated regions (1.32% ± 1.39%). The mono‐, di‐ and trinucleotide SSRs are the main SSRs in both gene regions (98.55% ± 0.85%) and exon regions (99.27% ± 0.52%). An average of 42.52% of total genes contains SSRs, and the preference for SSR occurrence in different gene subcategories are species‐specific. The study provides useful insights into the SSR diversity, characteristics and distribution in 23 mosquito species of genomes.
Comparative Study of Gacun and Youre Silver–Lead–Zinc–Copper Deposits in Sichuan, SW China, and their Mineralization Significance
Authors: DANG Yuan , CHEN Maohong , FU Bin , XUE Zhiqiang
Published: February 2018

The large Gacun silver–lead–zinc–copper deposit in Sichuan Province is one of the largest volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits in China. The deposit consists of western and central ore bodies, which form a vein–stockwork mineralization system corresponding to hydrothermal channels, and eastern ore bodies, which form an exhalative chemical sedimentary system derived from a brine pool in a submarine basin. The Youre lead–zinc deposit, which is currently under exploration and lies adjacent to the southern part of the Gacun deposit, is characterized by intense silicification and vein–stockwork structures and consists of massive silicified rhyolitic volcanics, banded rhyolitic tuff, and phyllitic sericite tuff. From a comparison of their ore‐bearing horizons, the Gacun and Youre deposits have a continuous and stable hanging wall (calcareous slate and overlying andesite) and foot wall (rhyolite–dacite breccia and agglomerate), and the lithologic sequence includes lower intermediate to felsic rocks and upper felsic rocks. Thus, the Youre deposit, which comprises relatively thinly layered low–grade ore, is regarded as forming a southward extension of the Gacun deposit. A further comparison of the structures of the ore‐bearing belts between the two deposits suggests that the Youre ore bodies are similar to the western ore bodies of the Gacun deposit. Moreover, the characteristics of fluid inclusions and stable isotopes in the Youre deposit are also similar to those of the western ore bodies of the Gacun deposit. Genetic models of the deposits are proposed for the Gacun–Youre ore district, and massive concealed ore bodies may occcur in the Youre deposit at depths that are similar to those of the eastern ore bodies of the Gacun deposit.
Metallogenic Mechanism and Tectonic Setting of Tungsten Mineralization in the Yangbishan Deposit in Northeastern China
Authors: HAO Yujie , REN Yunsheng , ZHAO Hualei , LAI Ke , ZHAO Xuan , MA Yupeng
Published: February 2018

The Yangbishan iron–tungsten deposit in the Shuangyashan area of Heilongjiang Province is located in the center of the Jiamusi Massif in northeastern China. The rare earth element and trace element compositions of the scheelite show that it formed in a reducing environment and inherited the rare earth element features of the ore‐forming fluid. The geochemical characteristics of the gneissic granite associated with the tungsten mineralization show that the magma formed in this reducing environment and originated from the partial melting of metamorphosed shale that contained organic carbon and was enriched with tungsten. In addition, in situ Hf isotopic analysis of zircons from the gneissic granite indicates that they probably originated from the partial melting of a predominantly Paleo–Mesoproterozoic crustal source. According to LA‐ICP‐MS zircon dating, the Yangbishan ore‐related gneissic granite has an Early Paleozoic crystallization age of 520.6 ± 2.8 Ma. This study, together with previous data, indicates that the massifs of northeastern China, including Erguna, Xing'an, Songliao, Jiamusi, and Khanka massifs, belonged to an orogenic belt that existed along the southern margin of the Siberian Craton during the late Pan‐African period. The significant continental movements of this orogeny resulted in widespread magmatic activity in northeastern China from 530 Ma to 470 Ma under a tectonic setting that transitioned from compressional syn‐collision to extensional post‐collision.
Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction of the Early to Middle Miocene Sequence in West Central Sinai, Egypt, as Revealed from Fossil Diatoms
Authors: ZALAT Abdelfattah A.
Published: February 2018

A detailed analysis of the diatoms from the sedimentary sequence exposed in Abu Qada basin, west central Sinai, was used to determine the palaeoenvironmental changes during the Lower to Middle Miocene. A total of 85 diatom species and varieties belonging to 37 genera were identified from 154 samples collected throughout the stratigraphic succession. The lithological characters of the studied samples varied between sandstone, silty interbeds, sandy shales, shales, and terminated with anhydrite and limestones. These rock units are included in two lithostratigraphic formations (Rudies and Kareem), which are separated by a marked unconformity. The distribution and preservation of fossil diatoms in the sedimentary record are examined with the aim of outlining the temporal and spatial variation in the composition of the diatom assemblages, in order to estimate the changes in depositional environments during the Lower to Middle Miocene. The distributional pattern of the recorded diatom taxa distinguished four diatom eco‐zones. The environment of each eco‐zone is deduced and a proposed paleobathymetric change and depositional history of the Miocene sediments in the studied area are given.
Helicopter vs. ground transportation of patients bound for primary percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Funder K. S. , Rasmussen L. S. , Siersma V. , Lohse N. , Hesselfeldt R. , Pedersen F. , Hendriksen O. M. , Steinmetz J.
Published: February 2018

Background

Implementation of the first Danish helicopter emergency medical service (HEMS) was associated with reduced time from first medical contact to treatment at a specialized centre for patients with suspected ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We aimed to investigate effects of HEMS on mortality and labour market affiliation in patients admitted for primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods

In this prospective observational study, we included patients with suspected STEMI within the region covered by the HEMS from January 1, 2010, to April 30, 2013, transported by either HEMS or ground emergency medical services (GEMS) to the regional PCI centre. The primary outcome was 30‐day mortality.

Results

Among the 384 HEMS and 1220 GEMS patients, time from diagnostic ECG to PCI centre arrival was lower with HEMS (median 71 min vs. 78 min with GEMS; P = 0.004). Thirty‐day mortality was 5.0% and 6.2%, respectively (adjusted OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.44–1.51, P = 0.52. Involuntary early retirement rates were 0.62 (HEMS) and 0.94 (GEMS) per 100 PYR (adjusted IRR = 0.68, 0.15–3.23, P = 0.63). The proportion of patients on social transfer payments longer than half of the follow‐up time was 22.1% (HEMS) vs. 21.2% (adjusted OR = 1.10, 0.64–1.90, P = 0.73).

Conclusion

In an observational study of patients with suspected STEMI in eastern Denmark, no significant beneficial effect of helicopter transport could be detected on mortality, premature labour market exit or work ability. Only a study with random allocation to one system vs. another, along with a large sample size, will allow determination of superiority of helicopter transport.
‘Are The Times A‐Changin’? Trends in adolescent substance use in Europe
Authors: Kraus Ludwig , Seitz Nicki‐Nils , Piontek Daniela , Molinaro Sabrina , Siciliano Valeria , Guttormsson Ulf , Arpa Sharon , Monshouwer Karin , Leifman Håkan , Vicente Julian , Griffiths Paul , Clancy Luke , Feijão Fernanda , Florescu Silvia , Lambrecht Patrick , Nociar Alojz , Raitasalo Kirsimarja , Spilka Stanislas , Vyshinskiy Konstantin , Hibell Björn
Published: February 2018

Aims

To estimate temporal trends in adolescents’ current cigarette, alcohol and cannabis use in Europe by gender and region, test for regional differences and evaluate regional convergence.

Design and Setting

Five waves of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) from 28 countries between 1999 and 2015. Countries were grouped into five regions [northern (NE), southern (SE), western (WE), eastern Europe (EE) and the Balkans (BK)].

Participants

A total of 223 814 male and 211 712 female 15–16‐year‐old students.

Measurements

Daily cigarette use, weekly alcohol use, monthly heavy episodic drinking (HED) and monthly cannabis use. Linear and quadratic trends were tested using multi‐level mixed‐effects logistic regression; regional differences were tested using pairwise Wald tests; mean absolute differences (MD) of predicted prevalence were used for evaluating conversion.

Findings

Daily cigarette use among boys in EE showed a declining curvilinear trend, whereas in all other regions a declining linear trend was found. With the exception of BK, trends of weekly drinking decreased curvilinear in both genders in all regions. Among girls, trends in WE, EE and BK differed from trends in NE and SE. Monthly HED showed increasing curvilinear trends in all regions except in NE (both genders), WE and EE (boys each). In both genders, the trend in EE differed from the trend in SE. Trends of cannabis use increased in both genders in SE and BK; differences were found between the curvilinear trends in EE and BK. MD by substance and gender were generally somewhat stable over time.

Conclusions

Despite regional differences in prevalence of substance use among European adolescents from 1999 to 2015, trends showed remarkable similarities, with strong decreasing trends in cigarette use and moderate decreasing trends in alcohol use. Trends of cannabis use only increased in southern Europe and the Balkans. Trends across all substance use indicators suggest no regional convergence.
Gene‐based evaluation of low‐frequency variation and genetically‐predicted gene expression impacting risk of keloid formation
Authors: Hellwege Jacklyn N. , Russell Shirley B. , Williams Scott M. , Edwards Todd L. , Velez Edwards Digna R.
Published: February 2018

Keloids are benign dermal tumors occurring approximately 20 times more often in individuals of African descent as compared to individuals of European descent. While most keloids occur sporadically, a genetic predisposition is supported by both familial aggregation of some keloids and large differences in risk among populations. Despite Africans and African Americans being at increased risk over lighter‐skinned individuals, little genetic research exists into this phenotype. Using a combination of admixture mapping and exome analysis, we reported multiple common variants within chr15q21.2‐22.3 associated with risk of keloid formation in African Americans. Here we describe a gene‐based association analysis using 478 African American samples with exome genotyping data to identify genes containing low‐frequency variants associated with keloids, with evaluation of genetically‐predicted gene expression in skin tissues using association summary statistics. The strongest signal from gene‐based association was located in C15orf63 (P‐value = 6.6 × 10−6) located at 15q15.3. The top result from gene expression was increased predicted DCAF4 expression (P‐value = 5.5 × 10−4) in non–sun‐exposed skin, followed by increased predicted OR10A3 expression in sun‐exposed skin (P‐value = 6.9 × 10−4). Our findings identify variation with putative roles in keloid formation, enhanced by the use of predicted gene expression to support the biological roles of variation identified only though genetic association studies.
Development of the TeamOBS‐PPH – targeting clinical performance in postpartum hemorrhage
Authors: Brogaard Lise , Hvidman Lone , Hinshaw Kim , Kierkegaard Ole , Manser Tanja , Musaeus Peter , Arafeh Julie , Daniels Kay I. , Judy Amy E. , Uldbjerg Niels
Published: February 2018

Introduction

This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable TeamOBS‐PPH tool for assessing clinical performance in the management of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). The tool was evaluated using video‐recordings of teams managing PPH in both real‐life and simulated settings.

Material and methods

A Delphi panel consisting of 12 obstetricians from the UK, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, and Denmark achieved consensus on (i) the elements to include in the assessment tool, (ii) the weighting of each element, and (iii) the final tool. The validity and reliability were evaluated according to Cook and Beckman. (Level 1) Four raters scored four video‐recordings of in situ simulations of PPH. (Level 2) Two raters scored 85 video‐recordings of real‐life teams managing patients with PPH ≥1000 mL in two Danish hospitals. (Level 3) Two raters scored 15 video‐recordings of in situ simulations of PPH from a US hospital.

Results

The tool was designed with scores from 0 to 100. (Level 1) Teams of novices had a median score of 54 (95% CI 48–60), whereas experienced teams had a median score of 75 (95% CI 71–79; p < 0.001). (Level 2) The intra‐rater [intra‐class correlation (ICC) = 0.96] and inter‐rater (ICC = 0.83) agreements for real‐life PPH were strong. The tool was applicable in all cases: atony, retained placenta, and lacerations. (Level 3) The tool was easily adapted to in situ simulation settings in the USA (ICC = 0.86).

Conclusion

The TeamOBS‐PPH tool appears to be valid and reliable for assessing clinical performance in real‐life and simulated settings. The tool will be shared as the free TeamOBS App.
Extension of peripheral nonperfusion in eyes with retinal vein occlusion during intravitreal dexamethasone treatment
Authors: Rezar‐Dreindl Sandra , Eibenberger Katharina , Buehl Wolf , Weigert Günther , Georgopoulos Michael , Schmidt‐Erfurth Ursula , Sacu Stefan
Published: February 2018

Background

To evaluate the change in peripheral perfusion status in patients with retinal vein occlusion (RVO) during dexamethasone treatment.

Methods

Thirty‐five eyes of patients with macular oedema due to either branch or central retinal vein occlusion were included. At baseline, patients were treated with an intravitreal dexamethasone implant (Ozurdex®) and followed until month 6. Wide‐field angiographies were classified as ischaemic and nonischaemic. Peripheral nonperfusion (PNP) was determined manually by calculating the percentage of nonperfusion area in relation to the total visible retina (ischaemic index).

Results

Thirteen eyes showed evidence of >10 disc area of PNP at baseline and were graded as ischaemic RVO. In nonischaemic eyes, the mean area of PNP was 0.3% at baseline, 0.6% after 1 month, 0.6% after 3 months and 0.6% after 6 months, respectively (p > 0.05). In ischaemic RVO, the ischaemic index was calculated to be 18% at baseline. One month after treatment, mean area of PNP was 16% and after 3 months was 19% (p = 0.8; p = 0.6). After retreatment, total PNP area was 18% (month 6; p = 0.9). During treatment, best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) increased and central retinal thickness (CRT) decreased from baseline to final follow‐up with no differences between nonischaemic/ischaemic RVO. A significant negative correlation between the total area of PNP and visual acuity was identified (r = −0.6; p = 0.04).

Conclusion

Using 200° wide‐field fluorescein angiography, the ischaemic index was shown to remain stable during dexamethasone treatment. This finding was consistent in ischaemic as well as in nonischaemic conditions.
Costunolide suppresses an inflammatory angiogenic response in a subcutaneous murine sponge model
Authors: Saraswati Sarita , Alhaider Abdulqader A. , Abdelgadir Abdelgalil M.
Published: February 2018

Costunolide is known to possess anti‐inflammatory and antitumor activity, but its role in tumor angiogenesis, the key step involved in tumor growth and metastasis, and the involved molecular mechanism is still unknown. We aimed to investigate the effects of costunolide on key components of inflammatory angiogenesis in the murine cannulated sponge implant angiogenesis model. Polyester‐polyurethane sponges, used as a framework for fibrovascular tissue growth, were implanted in Swiss albino mice and costunolide (5, 10 and 20 mg/kg/day) was administered for 14 days through installed cannula. The implants collected at day 14 post‐implantation were processed for the assessment of hemoglobin (Hb), myeloperoxidase (MPO), N‐acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) and collagen, which were used as indices for angiogenesis, neutrophil and macrophage accumulation, and extracellular matrix deposition, respectively. Relevant inflammatory, angiogenic and fibrogenic cytokines were also determined. Costunolide treatment attenuated the main components of the fibrovascular tissue, wet weight, vascularization (Hb content), macrophage recruitment (NAG activity), collagen deposition, and the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐17, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and transforming growth factor (TGF‐β). Regulatory function of costunolide on multiple parameters of the main components of inflammatory angiogenesis has been revealed giving insight into the potential therapeutic benefit underlying the anti‐angiogenic actions of costunolide.
Eosinophilia is a favorable prognostic marker for oral cavity and lip squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Peurala Emma , Tuominen Mirella , Löyttyniemi Eliisa , Syrjänen Stina , Rautava Jaana
Published: February 2018

Eosinophils are frequently encountered with squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and it has been proposed that tumor‐associated tissue eosinophilia (TATE) could be of prognostic significance in oral SCC. The aim was to evaluate TATE in 83 oral cavity and 16 lip SCCs as well as the best possible use of TATE as a prognostic marker. The number of eosinophils was counted per high power fields (HPF, ×400) in three different representative areas of the tumor and its stroma. The degree of TATE was analyzed in relation to clinicopathological features of tumors and patients’ survival (follow‐up mean 40.7 months) using Fisher's exact test. TATE was detected in 58 (70%) oral and 8 (50%) lip SCC samples. The median number of eosinophils between oral and lip SCC was different (p = 0.028) but TATE was similar per HPF (p = 0.085). Totally, 6% of lip and 21% of oral SCC patients died during the follow‐up. The patients with the higher TATE had significantly better survival than the patients with the lower TATE (p = 0.0136). The best cut‐off value predicting the survival was 4 eosinophils/HPF. TATE is a prognostic marker for oral and lip SCC: more than 4 eosinophils/HPF may predict more favorable prognosis.
Brain alpha‐amylase: a novel energy regulator important in Alzheimer disease?
Authors: Byman Elin , Schultz Nina ,   Netherlands Brain Bank, Fex Malin , Wennström Malin
Published: February 2018

Reduced glucose metabolism and formation of polyglucosan bodies (PGB) are, beside amyloid beta plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, well‐known pathological findings associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since both glucose availability and PGB are regulated by enzymatic degradation of glycogen, we hypothesize that dysfunctional glycogen degradation is a critical event in AD progression. We therefore investigated whether alpha (α)‐amylase, an enzyme known to efficiently degrade polysaccharides in the gastrointestinal tract, is expressed in the hippocampal CA1/subiculum and if the expression is altered in AD patients. Using immunohistochemical staining techniques, we show the presence of the α‐amylase isotypes AMY1A and AMY2A in neuronal dendritic spines, pericytes and astrocytes. Moreover, AD patients showed reduced gene expression of α‐amylase, but conversely increased protein levels of α‐amylase as well as increased activity of the enzyme compared with non‐demented controls. Lastly, we observed increased, albeit not significant, load of periodic acid‐Schiff positive PGB in the brain of AD patients, which correlated with increased α‐amylase activity. These findings show that α‐amylase is expressed and active in the human brain, and suggest the enzyme to be affected, alternatively play a role, in the neurodegenerative Alzheimer's disease pathology.