bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The marketing manager as a jazz musician
Authors: Holbrook Morris
Published: September 2015

Purpose

– Recently, organizational theorists and business thinkers have discovered the jazz metaphor and have employed this trope as an analogy to infer and describe best practices in the areas of organizational innovation and business strategy. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

– The present paper extends and amplifies this insight in the area of marketing practice and compares the marketing manager to the jazz musician with special attention to the problem of introducing new offerings during the mature stage of the product life cycle – namely, the strategic issue that concerns most marketing managers most of the time.

Findings

– Ultimately, the author is struck by the rather profound ways in which – true to the jazz metaphor – the marketing manager during the mature phase of the product life cycle resembles an improvising musician.

Originality/value

– The present paper pursues this theme in connection with one particular aspect of marketing strategy – namely, the design and introduction of new offerings during the mature phase of the product life cycle.
Metabolic rate is canalized in the face of variable life history and nutritional environment
Authors: Clark Rebecca M. , Zera Anthony J. , Behmer Spencer T.
Published: September 2015

Despite its central importance in organismal physiology, we have poor understanding of how metabolic rate is influenced by two key factors – food nutritional content and an organism's physiological characteristics.

We examined how variation in nutrients and physiological aspects of life history affect standard metabolic rate in Gryllus firmus cricket morphs that differ dramatically in flight capability and early‐age fecundity.

Newly moulted female morphs were fed one of 13 diets that differed in concentrations of protein and carbohydrate. Carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratios (RERs), nutrient intake and mass and lipid levels were measured.

CO2 production and RERs increased to a similar degree in both morphs as food macronutrient content increased. In contrast, no difference in whole‐organism O2 consumption was observed across the protein–carbohydrate landscape or between morphs. Both morphs similarly increased food intake as nutrient concentration – particularly protein – decreased, but differed in mass and lipid gains, across the diets.

Modulation of the substrate used for respiration coupled with compensating aspects of morph‐specific metabolism appears to buffer the effects of variable nutrient intake and life history on standard metabolic rate. That is, respiration rate can be highly canalized in the face of dramatic variation in both the external nutritional environment and internal aspects of intermediary metabolism.
Visual ecology of true lemurs suggests a cathemeral origin for the primate cone opsin polymorphism
Authors: Valenta Kim , Edwards Melissa , Rafaliarison Radoniaina R. , Johnson Steig E. , Holmes Sheila M. , Brown Kevin A. , Dominy Nathaniel J. , Lehman Shawn M. , Parra Esteban J. , Melin Amanda D.
Published: September 2015

In contrast to the majority of primates, which exhibit dedicated diurnality or nocturnality, all species of Eulemur are cathemeral. Colour vision, in particular, is strongly affected by the spectral composition and intensity of ambient light, and the impact of activity period on the evolution of primate colour vision is actively debated.

We studied three groups of wild brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus) in Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar, over a 1‐year span. We also used non‐invasive faecal DNA collection and analysis to study the opsin genes underlying the colour vision of 24 individuals. We quantified the colour and brightness of dietary fruits and modelled the chromaticity and discriminability of food objects to different visual phenotypes under daylight, twilight and moonlight conditions.

We found that E. fulvus possesses routine dichromacy, unlike its congener E. flavifrons, for which polymorphic trichromacy has been reported. Our models suggest that dichromacy is well suited to the foraging ecology of E. fulvus. The performance of modelled dichromats and trichromats is comparable under nocturnal illuminants, and the luminance values of most diet items are detectable across light conditions. The trichromatic phenotype demonstrates a modest advantage under daylight conditions.

Our results, taken together with reports of polymorphic trichromacy in E. flavifrons, suggest functional ecological variation in the visual system of the genus Eulemur. Interspecific phenotypic variation in the colour vision of a genus is both unexpected and instructive.

Ecological differences between species of Eulemur could reveal thresholds for the origins of polymorphic trichromacy, which preceded the evolution of routine trichromatic vision in humans and other primates.
Estimating azimuthal stress‐induced P‐wave anisotropy from S‐wave anisotropy using sonic log or vertical seismic profile data
Authors: Collet Olivia , Gurevich Boris , Duncan Guy
Published: September 2015

Most sedimentary rocks are anisotropic, yet it is often difficult to accurately incorporate anisotropy into seismic workflows because analysis of anisotropy requires knowledge of a number of parameters that are difficult to estimate from standard seismic data. In this study, we provide a methodology to infer azimuthal P‐wave anisotropy from S‐wave anisotropy calculated from log or vertical seismic profile data. This methodology involves a number of steps. First, we compute the azimuthal P‐wave anisotropy in the dry medium as a function of the azimuthal S‐wave anisotropy using a rock physics model, which accounts for the stress dependency of seismic wave velocities in dry isotropic elastic media subjected to triaxial compression. Once the P‐wave anisotropy in the dry medium is known, we use the anisotropic Gassmann equations to estimate the anisotropy of the saturated medium. We test this workflow on the log data acquired in the North West Shelf of Australia, where azimuthal anisotropy is likely caused by large differences between minimum and maximum horizontal stresses. The obtained results are compared to azimuthal P‐wave anisotropy obtained via orthorhombic tomography in the same area. In the clean sandstone layers, anisotropy parameters obtained by both methods are fairly consistent. In the shale and shaly sandstone layers, however, there is a significant discrepancy between results since the stress‐induced anisotropy model we use is not applicable to rocks exhibiting intrinsic anisotropy. This methodology could be useful for building the initial anisotropic velocity model for imaging, which is to be refined through migration velocity analysis.
Seismic directional random noise suppression by radial‐trace time–frequency peak filtering using the Hurst exponent statistic
Authors: Zhang Chao , Li Yue , Lin Hongbo , Yang Baojun
Published: September 2015

Radial‐trace time–frequency peak filtering filters a seismic record along the radial‐trace direction rather than the conventional channel direction. It takes the spatial correlation of the reflected events between adjacent channels into account. Thus, radial‐trace time–frequency peak filtering performs well in denoising and enhancing the continuity of reflected events. However, in the seismic record there is often random noise whose energy is concentrated in certain directions; the noise in these directions is correlative. We refer to this kind of random noise (that is distributed randomly in time but correlative in the space) as directional random noise. Under radial‐trace time–frequency peak filtering, the directional random noise will be treated as signal and enhanced when this noise has same direction as the signal. Therefore, we need to identify the directional random noise before the filtering. In this paper, we test the linearity of signal and directional random noise in time using the Hurst exponent. The time series of signals with high linearity lead to large Hurst exponent value; however, directional random noise is a random series in time without a fixed waveform and thus its linearity is low; therefore, we can differentiate the signal and directional random noise by the Hurst exponent values. The directional random noise can then be suppressed by using a long filtering window length during the radial‐trace time–frequency peak filtering. Synthetic and real data examples show that the proposed method can remove most directional random noise and can effectively recover the reflected events.
Soil DNA pyrosequencing and fruitbody surveys reveal contrasting diversity for various fungal ecological guilds in chestnut orchards
Authors: Baptista Paula , Reis Francisca , Pereira Eric , Tavares Rui M. , Santos Pedro M. , Richard Franck , Selosse Marc‐André , Lino‐Neto Teresa
Published: September 2015

Fungal diversity in Mediterranean forest soils is poorly documented, particularly when considering saprobic and pathogenic organisms. Next‐generation sequencing (NGS) methods applied to soil fungi provide the opportunity to unveil the most inconspicuous functional guilds (e.g. saprobes) and life forms (e.g. Corticiaceae) of this tremendous diversity. We used fruitbody surveys over 2 years and soil 454 metabarcoding in Castanea sativa orchards to evaluate respectively the reproductive (fruitbodies) and vegetative (mycelia) parts of fungal communities in three 100‐year‐old stands. Analysis of 839 fruitbodies and 210 291 ITS1 reads revealed high fungal diversity, mainly shown by belowground analysis, with high (dominant) abundance of mycorrhizal fruitbodies and reads. Both methods displayed contrasted composition and structure of fungal communities, with Basidio‐ and Ascomycetes dominating above‐ and belowground, respectively. For the two dominant fungal guilds (i.e. ectomycorrhizal and saprobic), diversity above‐ and belowground overlapped weakly. This study is the first assessment of the complementarity of fruitbody surveys and NGS for analysing fungal diversity in Mediterranean ecosystems and shows that belowground methods still need to be completed by fruiting diversity to provide a comprehensive overview of the different fungal guilds. The results shed light on chestnut soil biodiversity and question the spatial distribution and synergies among fungal guilds.
The Zollverein and the Sequence of a Customs Union
Authors: Ploeckl Florian
Published: September 2015

The Zollverein was the first international customs union, essentially defining these particular trade agreements. This article utilizes the predictions of a game theoretic model to explain the observed sequence of accessions into this union. Coalition externalities, the effects the accession of one state has on states remaining on the outside, are the central mechanisms shaping the negotiations between Prussia, the agenda setter, and other German states. This is demonstrated by detailing these financial, strategic, and political externalities, and demonstrating their influence on trade policy decisions.
Community outreach midwifery‐led model improves antenatal access in a disadvantaged population
Authors: Reeve Carole , Banfield Sally , Thomas Amanda , Reeve David , Davis Stephanie
Published: September 2015

Objective

This study aimed to assess the impact of a new model of antenatal care for women living in a very remote area.

Design

This is a retrospective 2‐year evaluation of antenatal care.

Setting and participants

Two hundred thirteen pregnant women in Aboriginal communities in the Fitzroy Valley of Western Australia participated in this study.

Intervention

The implementation of a midwifery‐led interdisciplinary model of antenatal outreach care.

Main outcome measures

The indicators measured were numbers of antenatal visits, their location and quality care indicators (presentation in first trimester, alcohol and smoking, ultrasound and blood‐borne virus screening) and outcome indicators (birth weight, prematurity, in utero deaths and mode of delivery).

Results

There was an increase in access to antenatal care and improvements in quality‐of‐care indicators. The proportion of visits provided in local Aboriginal communities increased from 10% to 24%. There were statistically significant increases in women presenting in the first trimester (40–58%), screening for alcohol and smoking (48–93%) and having an ultrasound in pregnancy (59–94%). There were no significant improvements in neonatal outcome indicators.

Conclusion

There is a large disparity in maternal and child health outcomes between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) and non‐Indigenous Australians thought to be due to decreased access to antenatal care, poorer socioeconomic status and the associated risk factors. The change in model of care resulted in earlier presentation for antenatal care, increased numbers of antenatal visits and increased screening for risk factors. Regular auditing of services enables the identification of opportunity for improvement with the goal of improving health outcomes.
A novel, dual cytokine‐secretion assay for the purification of human Th22 cells that do not co‐produce IL‐17A
Authors: Wawrzyniak M. , Ochsner U. , Wirz O. , Wawrzyniak P. , van de Veen W. , Akdis C. A. , Akdis M.
Published: September 2015

Background

Interleukin‐22 is produced by certain T helper cells subsets (Th17, Th22) and at lower levels by γ‐δ T cells, NKT and innate lymphoid cells. Th22 cells are unique immune cells that regulate tissue responses by IL‐22 production. The exact discrimination between Th17 cells that co‐produce IL‐22 and single IL‐22‐producing Th22 cells has not been possible until the present study. Isolation of pure Th22 cells without co‐expression of cytokines of other T‐cell subsets is essential to better understand their function in humans. The aim of this study is the isolation and characterization of viable, human IL‐22‐producing CD4+ T cells that do not produce IL‐17A.

Methods

Isolation of viable Th22 cells was performed with the combination of two cytokine secretion assays detecting IL‐17A‐ and IL‐22‐producing cells in a single purification step.

Results

The newly developed cytokine secretion assay consists of anti‐IL‐22 and anti‐IL‐17A catch antibodies, which via biotin–streptavidin interaction are bound to the biotinylated surface of the target cell, and anti‐IL‐22 and IL‐17A detection antibody labelled with a fluorescent dye, which detects cytokines bound to these catch antibodies. A unique population of human Th22 cells, which do not produce IL‐17A, was sorted, and cytokine expression pattern was confirmed by quantitative PCR analysis and ELISA. The presented technique allows the detection and isolation of pure human Th22 cells.

Conclusions

This technique may allow the purification of any single cytokine‐producing cell subset, and the combination of several different cytokine secretion assays can be used to purify and characterize novel and unique cell subsets.
Homozygosity for a factor XII mutation in one female and one male patient with hereditary angio‐oedema
Authors: Grumach A. S. , Stieber C. , Veronez C. L. , Cagini N. , Constantino‐Silva R. N. , Cordeiro E. , Nöthen M. M. , Pesquero J. B. , Cichon S.
Published: September 2015

Hereditary angio‐oedema (HAE) with normal C1 inhibitor is associated with heterozygous mutations in the factor XII gene (FXII‐HAE). We report two Brazilian FXII‐HAE families segregating the mutation c.983 C>A (p.Thr328Lys). In each family, one patient with a homozygous mutation was found. The homozygous female patient in family 1 displayed a severe phenotype. However, this falls within the clinical phenotype spectrum reported for heterozygous female mutation carriers. The homozygous male patient in family 2 also showed a severe phenotype. This finding is intriguing, as to our knowledge, it is the first such report for a male FXII‐HAE mutation carrier. In the rare instances in which male mutation carriers are affected, a mild phenotype is typical. The present findings therefore suggest that homozygous FXII‐HAE mutation status leads to a severe phenotype in females and males, and to an increased risk of manifest symptoms in the latter.
Fragmented QRS on Admission Electrocardiography Predicts Long‐Term Mortality in Patients with Non–ST‐Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Bozbeyoğlu Emrah , Yıldırımtürk Özlem , Yazıcı Selçuk , Ceylan Ufuk Sadık , Erdem Aysun , Kaya Adnan , Dönmez Cevdet , Akyüz Şükrü , Çetin Mustafa
Published: September 2015

Background

Early diagnosis and identification of high‐risk non‐ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) is an important issue. Fragmented QRS (fQRS) complexes are defined as various RSR’ patterns on 12‐lead resting electrocardiography (ECG). Previous studies revealed that fQRS is related with increased ventricular arrhythmias and cardiovascular mortality. The relation between fQRS and mortality in acute coronary syndromes, mitral valve disease severity and structural heart disease has been shown in different studies. The aim of this study was to investigate relation between fQRS and long‐term cardiovascular mortality in NSTEMI patients.

Methods

Patients who admitted to our emergency unit and diagnosed NSTEMI between 2012 and 2013, 433 patients were included prospectively. fQRS complexes determined in 85 patients. Patients were divided into two groups according to fQRS existence. All patients evaluated for their clinical, laboratory, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic characteristics. Angiographic features of 315 patients who underwent coronary angiography was also recorded. In‐hospital, 30‐day and 12‐month mortality was compared between these groups.

Results

Demographic characteristics and cardiovascular risk factors were similar in both groups except hyperlipidemia. GRACE risk score was higher in patients with fQRS and positively correlated with existence of fQRS. In hospital and 30‐days mortality were similar but late mortality was higher in fQRS group. Predictors of late mortality were found to be age, heart rate, male sex in addition to fQRS.

CONCLUSION

We found a relation between fQRS and late mortality. Fragmented QRS may be seen as a cautionary signal for extensive myocardial damage and thereby increased long‐term mortality for patients with NSTEMI.
Planetary Rent Gaps
Authors: Slater Tom
Published: September 2015

In this paper I recapitulate the origins, structure, and purpose of Neil Smith's rent gap theory, and assess the frequently discussed but rarely dissected empirical studies of rent gaps, in order to trace the key analytical and political shifts Smith effected (from consumer preference to mortgage capital circulation, from “natural areas” to state structures, from house prices to capital depreciation, and from middle class demand to class struggle), as well as posit some possible extensions of the theory vis à vis territorial stigmatisation and displacement. This tracing and extending in place, I then consider the rent gap in the context of the emerging body of work on planetary urbanisation, and argue that the theory helps to expose and confront new geographies of structural violence—planetary rent gaps—where the constitutive power of speculative landed developer interests in processes of capitalist urbanisation can be analysed and challenged. If, as David Harvey has recently argued, rent “has to be brought forward into the forefront of analysis … [to] bring together an understanding of the ongoing production of space and geography and the circulation and accumulation of capital” (2010:183, The Enigma of Capital and the Crises of Capitalism, Profile), then it is important to consider what we can learn from the rent gap today, rather than relegate it, as so many seem to do, to something that has already been debated or exhausted in the large literature on gentrification.
The Post‐Industrial “Shop Floor”: Emerging Forms of Gentrification in San Francisco's Innovation Economy
Authors: Stehlin John
Published: September 2015

The San Francisco Bay Area in California is undergoing a technology‐driven wave of growth arguably more thoroughgoing than the first “dot‐com” bubble, fueling hypertrophic gentrification and tales of a deeply class‐divided, “Blade Runner kind of society”. While Silicon Valley is still the industry's employment center, San Francisco is seeing faster tech firm growth, and is transforming its downtown to become more “livable” and promoting public space as key to innovation. In this context, this paper offers a reading of urban public space not just as a consumption amenity but also as the “shop floor” of a labor process that goes beyond the walls of the firm to mobilize the social itself in the production of privately appropriated value. With innovation now the watchword of gentrification, the stakes of this shift oscillate between the total commodification of urban vitality and the recognition of the social process of value production itself.
Reader Reaction: A Note on the Evaluation of Group Testing Algorithms in the Presence of Misclassification
Authors: Malinovsky Yaakov , Albert Paul S. , Roy Anindya
Published: September 2015

In the context of group testing screening, McMahan, Tebbs, and Bilder (2012, Biometrics  68, 287–296) proposed a two-stage procedure in a heterogenous population in the presence of misclassification. In earlier work published in Biometrics, Kim, Hudgens, Dreyfuss, Westreich, and Pilcher (2007, Biometrics  63, 1152–1162) also proposed group testing algorithms in a homogeneous population with misclassification. In both cases, the authors evaluated performance of the algorithms based on the expected number of tests per person, with the optimal design being defined by minimizing this quantity. The purpose of this article is to show that although the expected number of tests per person is an appropriate evaluation criteria for group testing when there is no misclassification, it may be problematic when there is misclassification. Specifically, a valid criterion needs to take into account the amount of correct classification and not just the number of tests. We propose, a more suitable objective function that accounts for not only the expected number of tests, but also the expected number of correct classifications. We then show how using this objective function that accounts for correct classification is important for design when considering group testing under misclassification. We also present novel analytical results which characterize the optimal Dorfman (1943) design under the misclassification.
Practical Synthesis, Antidepressant, and Anticonvulsant Activity of 3‐Phenyliminoindolin‐2‐one Derivatives
Authors: Ma Jian‐Yin , Quan Ying‐Chun , Jin Hong‐Guo , Zhen Xing‐Hua , Zhang Xue‐Wu , Guan Li‐Ping
Published: September 2015

Herein, a series of 3‐phenyliminoindolin‐2‐one derivatives were designed, synthesized, and screened for their antidepressant and anticonvulsant activities. The IR spectra of the compounds afforded NH stretching (3340–3346 cm−1) bands and C=O stretching (1731–1746 cm−1). In the 1H‐NMR spectra of the compounds, N‐H protons of indoline ring were observed at 10.65–10.89 ppm generally as broad bands, and 13C‐NMR spectra of the compounds C=O were seen at 161.72–169.27 ppm. Interestingly, compounds 3o, 3p and 3r significantly shortened immobility time in the The forced swimming test (FST) and The tail suspension test (TST) at 50 mg/kg dose levels. In addition, compound 3r exhibited higher levels of efficacy than the reference standard fluoxetine but had no effect on locomotor activity in the open‐field test. Compound 3r significantly increased serotonin and norepinephrine and the metabolite 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid in mouse brain, suggesting that the effects of compound 3r may be mediated through these neurotransmitters. In the seizure screen, 15 compounds showed some degree against PTZ‐induced seizure at a dose of 100 mg/kg, and the tested compounds did not show any neurotoxicity at a dose of 300 mg/kg in the rotarod test.
Gender‐sensitive intervention to improve work with fathers in child welfare services
Authors: Baum Nehami
Published: September 2015

Although the importance of including fathers in child welfare services has been increasingly recognized, social workers' engagement with fathers is still limited and sometimes fraught with negative bias. This paper attempts to lay some needed foundation to meet the challenge of working with fathers. It presents in succinct form the existing knowledge on how fathers experience and manifest their distress and on how they view the social services and social workers. It discusses, in some detail, three main issues – power relations, mutual fear and communication differences – in the interactions between female social workers and the fathers in the social welfare services. And it emphasizes the need for social workers to be aware of how their experiences with their own fathers may affect their interventions with men. It ends with observations and recommendations for developing the gender awareness that is necessary for effective practice with fathers.
Novel bone substitute material in alveolar bone healing following tooth extraction: an experimental study in sheep
Authors: Liu Jinyi , Schmidlin Patrick R. , Philipp Alexander , Hild Nora , Tawse‐Smith Andrew , Duncan Warwick
Published: September 2015

Objectives

Electrospun cotton wool‐like nanocomposite (ECWN) is a novel synthetic bone substitute that incorporates amorphous calcium phosphate nanoparticles into a biodegradable synthetic copolymer poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide). The objectives of this study were to develop a tooth extraction socket model in sheep for bone graft research and to compare ECWN and bovine‐derived xenograft (BX) in this model.

Material and methods

Sixteen cross‐bred female sheep were used. Bilateral mandibular premolars were extracted atraumatically. Second and third premolar sockets were filled (Latin‐square allocation) with BX, ECWN or left unfilled. Resorbable collagen membranes were placed over BX and selected ECWN grafted sockets. Eight sheep per time period were sacrificed after 8 and 16 weeks. Resin‐embedded undemineralised sections were analysed for descriptive histology and histomorphometric analyses.

Results

At 8 weeks, there were with no distinct differences in healing among the different sites. At 16 weeks, osseous healing followed a fine trabecular pattern in ECWN sites. Non‐grafted sites showed thick trabeculae separated by large areas of fibrovascular connective tissue. In BX grafted sites, xenograft particles were surrounded by newly formed bone or fibrovascular connective tissue. There were no statistically significant differences in bone formation across the four groups. However, ECWN sites had significantly less residual graft material than BX sites at 16 weeks (P = 0.048).

Conclusions

This first description of a tooth extraction socket model in sheep supports the utility of this model for bone graft research. The results of this study suggested that the novel material ECWN did not impede bone ingrowth into sockets and showed evidence of material resorption.
The risk of definitive stoma formation at 10 years after low and ultralow anterior resection for rectal cancer
Authors: Celerier B. , Denost Q. , Van Geluwe B. , Pontallier A. , Rullier E.
Published: September 2015

Aim

The long‐term risk of definitive stoma after sphincter‐saving resection (SSR) for rectal cancer is underestimated and has never been reported for ultralow conservative surgery. We report the 10‐year risk of definitive stoma after SSR for low rectal cancer.

Method

From 1994 to 2008, patients with low rectal cancer who were suitable for SSR were analysed retrospectively. Patients were divided into the following four groups: low colorectal anastomosis (LCRA); coloanal anastomosis (CAA); partial intersphincteric resection (pISR); and total intersphincteric resection (tISR). The end‐point was the risk of a definitive stoma according to the type of anastomosis.

Results

During the study period, 297 patients had SSR for low rectal cancer. The incidence of definitive stoma increased from 11% at 1 year to 22% at 10 years. The reasons were no closure of the loop ileostomy (4.7%), anastomotic morbidity (6.5%), anal incontinence (8%) and local recurrence (5.2%). The risk of definitive stoma was not influenced by type of surgery: 26% vs 18% vs 18% vs 19% (P = 0.578) for LCRA, CAA, pISR and tISR, respectively. Independent risk factors for definitive stoma were age > 65 years and surgical morbidity.

Conclusion

The risk of a definitive stoma after SSR increased two‐fold between 1 and 10 years after surgery, from 11% to 22%. Ultralow conservative surgery (pISR and tISR) did not increase the risk of definitive stoma compared with conventional CAA or LCRA.
Association between high visceral fat area and postoperative complications in patients with Crohn's disease following primary surgery
Authors: Ding Z. , Wu X.‐R. , Remer E. M. , Lian L. , Stocchi L. , Li Y. , McCullough A. , Remzi F. H. , Shen B.
Published: September 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to determine the association between visceral fat area (VFA) on CT and postoperative complications after primary surgery in patients with Crohn's disease (CD).

Method

Inclusion criteria were patients with a confirmed diagnosis of CD who had preoperative abdominal CT scan. The areas of total fat, subcutaneous fat and visceral fat were measured using an established image‐analysis method at the lumbar 3 (L3) level on CT cross‐sectional images. Visceral obesity was defined as a visceral fat area (VFA) of ≥ 130 cm2. Clinical variables, intra‐operative outcomes and postoperative courses within 30 days were analysed.

Results

A total of 164 patients met the inclusion criteria. Sixty‐three (38.4%) patients had postoperative complications. The mean age of the patients with complications (the study group) was 40.4 ± 15.4 years and of those without complications (the control group) was 35.8 ± 12.9 years (P = 0.049). There were no differences in disease location and behaviour between patients with or without complications (P > 0.05). In multivariable analysis, VFA [odds ratio (OR) = 2.69; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09–6.62; P = 0.032] and corticosteroid use (OR = 2.86; 95% CI: 1.32–6.21; P = 0.008) were found to be associated with postoperative complications. Patients with visceral obesity had a significantly longer operative time (P = 0.012), more blood loss (P = 0.019), longer bowel resection length (P = 0.003), postoperative ileus (P = 0.039) and a greater number of complications overall (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

High VFA was found to be associated with an increased risk for 30‐day postoperative complications in patients with CD undergoing primary surgery.
Framework and guidelines for implementing the proposed IUCN Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT)
Authors: Hawkins Charlotte L. , Bacher Sven , Essl Franz , Hulme Philip E. , Jeschke Jonathan M. , Kühn Ingolf , Kumschick Sabrina , Nentwig Wolfgang , Pergl Jan , Pyšek Petr , Rabitsch Wolfgang , Richardson David M. , Vilà Montserrat , Wilson John R. U. , Genovesi Piero , Blackburn Tim M.
Published: September 2015

Recently, Blackburn et al. (2014) developed a simple, objective and transparent method for classifying alien taxa in terms of the magnitude of their detrimental environmental impacts in recipient areas. Here, we present a comprehensive framework and guidelines for implementing this method, which we term the Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa, or EICAT. We detail criteria for applying the EICAT scheme in a consistent and comparable fashion, prescribe the supporting information that should be supplied along with classifications, and describe the process for implementing the method. This comment aims to draw the attention of interested parties to the framework and guidelines, and to present them in their entirety in a location where they are freely accessible to any potential users.
Between Efficiency and Transformation: the opinion of deans on the meaning of quality in higher education
Authors: Olaskoaga‐Larrauri Jon , Barrenetxea‐Ayesta Miren , Cardona‐Rodríguez Antonio , José Mijangos‐Del Campo Juan , Barandiaran‐Galdós Marta
Published: September 2015

The literature on quality management at higher education institutions has for some time been working on the basis of two issues: a) the diversity of ideas as to what “quality” means, which makes it harder to apply the principles of quality management in this context; and b) the idea that this diversity is in some way a response to the different positions occupied by stakeholders in regard to the processes and institutions of the sector. It has been suggested that students, employers, administrations in charge of funding and academics may hold different positions concerning the purposes of universities and, therefore, concerning the criteria on which their quality should be assessed. However, those stakeholders have rarely been asked directly what concept of quality they defend. This paper presents the results of a survey of deans of Spanish university faculties and schools in which this question was put to them. Their answers contrast with some of the commonplaces of current literature.
Imperfect prey selectivity of predators promotes biodiversity and irregularity in food webs
Authors: Ryabov Alexey B. , Morozov Andrew , Blasius Bernd
Published: September 2015

Ecological communities are often characterised by many species occupying the same trophic level and competing over a small number of vital resources. The mechanisms maintaining high biodiversity in such systems are still poorly understood. Here, we revisit the role of prey selectivity by generalist predators in promoting biodiversity. We consider a generic tri‐trophic food web, consisting of a single limiting resource, a large number of primary producers and a generalist predator. We suggest a framework to describe the predator functional response, combining food selectivity for distinctly different functional prey groups with proportion‐based consumption of similar prey species. Our simulations reveal that intermediate levels of prey selectivity can explain a high species richness, functional biodiversity, and variability among prey species. In contrast, perfect food selectivity or purely proportion‐based food consumption leads to a collapse of prey functional biodiversity. Our results are in agreement with empirical phytoplankton rank‐abundance curves in lakes.
Epileptic auras and their role in driving safety in people with epilepsy
Authors: Punia Vineet , Farooque Pue , Chen William , Hirsch Lawrence J. , Berg Anne T. ,   the Multicenter Study of Epilepsy Surgery, Blumenfeld Hal
Published: September 2015

The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of auras in preventing motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) among patients with medically refractory epilepsy. The Multicenter Study of Epilepsy Surgery database was used to perform a case–control study by identifying patients who had seizures while driving that led to MVAs (cases) and those who had seizures while driving without MVAs (controls). We compared presence of reliable auras and other aura‐related features between the two groups. Two hundred fifteen of 553 patients reported having seizure(s) while driving; 74 were identified as “controls” and 141 as “cases.” The two groups had similar demographic and clinical features. The presence of reliable auras was not different between the two groups (67% in cases vs. 65% in controls; odds ratio [OR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.49–1.61, p = 0.76). In addition, the groups did not differ in the proportion of patients who reported longer (>1 min) auras (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.28–1.76, p = 0.47), or who thought that their auras were of sufficient duration to be protective (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.62–2.00, p = 0.77). Our study questions the long‐held belief of a protective role of reliable auras against MVAs in people with epilepsy.
From global campaign to global commitment: The World Health Assembly's Resolution on epilepsy
Authors: Covanis Athanasios , Guekht Alla , Li Shichuo , Secco Mary , Shakir Raad , Perucca Emilio
Published: September 2015

Tuesday May 26, 2015, will be remembered as an historic day in the fight against epilepsy. On that date, the World Health Assembly approved unanimously the Resolution on the “Global Burden of Epilepsy and the Need for Coordinated Action at the Country Level to Address its Health, Social and Public Knowledge Implications,” which urges Member States to implement a coordinated action against epilepsy and its consequences. This event, which comes almost 20 years after the establishment of the Global Campaign against Epilepsy, is another landmark in the longstanding collaboration among the World Health Organization (WHO), the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), and the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) in addressing the needs of people with epilepsy. It also acted as a catalyst for other professional societies, including the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), to join forces in promoting a common action against epilepsy. The Resolution did not happen by chance, but came at the end of a long journey that involved the hard and tireless work of many dedicated individuals around the globe.
Illness perceptions mediate the relationship between depression and quality of life in patients with epilepsy
Authors: Shallcross Amanda J. , Becker Danielle A. , Singh Anuradha , Friedman Daniel , Montesdeoca Jacqueline , French Jacqueline , Devinsky Orrin , Spruill Tanya M.
Published: September 2015

The current study examined whether negative illness perceptions help explain the link between depression and quality of life. Seventy patients with epilepsy completed standardized self‐report questionnaires measuring depression, illness perception, and quality of life (QOL). Illness perception statistically mediated the relationship between depression and QOL (Indirect effect (CI; confidence interval) = −.72, lower limit = −1.7, upper limit = −.22, p < .05). Results held with and without adjusting for potential confounding variables (age, sex, ethnicity, income, and seizure frequency) and when operationalizing depression as a continuous variable that indexed severity of symptoms or as a dichotomous variable that indexed criteria consistent with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder. This study is the first to suggest that illness perceptions may be a useful target in screening and intervention approaches in order to improve QOL among low‐income, racially/ethnically diverse patients with epilepsy.
Near‐transfer effects following working memory intervention (Cogmed) in children with symptomatic epilepsy: An open randomized clinical trial
Authors: Kerr Elizabeth N. , Blackwell Melissa C.
Published: September 2015

Objective

Limited research exists regarding the effectiveness of educational and psychological interventions for improving commonly presenting cognitive impairments experienced by children with epilepsy. We evaluated the efficacy of a commercially available, computerized, working memory (WM) program (Cogmed) using a well‐defined population of children with epilepsy.

Methods

In this controlled trial, 77 children with symptomatic epilepsy (ages 6.5–15.5 years; 100% taking medication) with estimated intellectual ability greater than the 2nd percentile were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 42) or waitlist‐control (n = 35) group. Standardized assessments of attention and WM were administered pre‐ and posttraining or waitlist interval, 7 weeks apart.

Results

Without intervention, participants displayed significant weaknesses in intelligence, attention, and WM compared to normative samples. After controlling for preintervention scores and intelligence, we found that significant treatment effects for the intervention group were evident for visual attention span, auditory WM, and visual‐verbal WM. Intention‐to‐treat analyses (all participants) and sensitivity analyses (n = 37 and n = 21 for the intervention and waitlist‐control groups, respectively) were highly similar, providing confidence to the results. Effect sizes for significant outcomes were large (greater than or equal to two thirds of the standard deviation of the normative‐data). The clinical/demographic and functional factors studied did not elucidate who most benefits from training.

Significance

This is the first study to evaluate the effectiveness of intervention to ameliorate WM deficits commonly experienced by children with symptomatic epilepsy. Results support group improvement on some untrained tasks immediately postintervention, demonstrating preliminary usefulness of Cogmed as a treatment option.
Polysialylation takes place in granulosa cells during apoptotic processes of atretic tertiary follicles
Authors: Kaese Miriam , Galuska Christina E. , Simon Peter , Braun Beate C. , Cabrera‐Fuentes Hector A. , Middendorff Ralf , Wehrend Axel , Jewgenow Katarina , Galuska Sebastian P.
Published: September 2015

In the neuronal system, polysialic acid (polySia) is known to be involved in several cellular processes such as the modulation of cell–cell interactions. This highly negatively‐charged sugar moiety is mainly present as a post‐translational modification of the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM). More than 20 years ago, differently glycosylated forms of NCAM were detected in the ovaries. However, the exact isoform of NCAM, as well as its biological function, remained unknown. Our analysis revealed that granulosa cells of feline tertiary follicles express the polysialylated form of NCAM‐140. Unexpectedly, polySia was only expressed in the granulosa layers of atretic follicles and not of healthy follicles. By contrast, only the un‐polysialylated form of NCAM was present on the membrane of granulosa cells of healthy follicles. To study a possible cellular function of polySia in feline follicles, a primary granulosa cell culture model was used. Interestingly, loss of polySia leads to a significant inhibition of apoptosis, demonstrating that polySia is involved during atretic processes in granulosa cells. Thus, polySia might not only directly influence regeneration processes as shown, for example, in the neuronal system, but also apoptosis.
Does canopy nitrogen uptake enhance carbon sequestration by trees?
Authors: Nair Richard K. F. , Perks Micheal P. , Weatherall Andrew , Baggs Elizabeth M. , Mencuccini Maurizio
Published: September 2015

Temperate forest 15N isotope trace experiments find nitrogen (N) addition‐driven carbon (C) uptake is modest as little additional N is acquired by trees; however, several correlations of ambient N deposition against forest productivity imply a greater effect of atmospheric nitrogen deposition than these studies. We asked whether N deposition experiments adequately represent all processes found in ambient conditions. In particular, experiments typically apply 15N to directly to forest floors, assuming uptake of nitrogen intercepted by canopies (CNU) is minimal. Additionally, conventional 15N additions typically trace mineral 15N additions rather than litter N recycling and may increase total N inputs above ambient levels. To test the importance of CNU and recycled N to tree nutrition, we conducted a mesocosm experiment, applying 54 g N/15N ha−1 yr−1 to Sitka spruce saplings. We compared tree and soil 15N recovery among treatments where enrichment was due to either (1) a 15N‐enriched litter layer, or mineral 15N additions to (2) the soil or (3) the canopy. We found that 60% of 15N applied to the canopy was recovered above ground (in needles, stem and branches) while only 21% of 15N applied to the soil was found in these pools. 15N recovery from litter was low and highly variable. 15N partitioning among biomass pools and age classes also differed among treatments, with twice as much 15N found in woody biomass when deposited on the canopy than soil. Stoichiometrically calculated N effect on C uptake from 15N applied to the soil, scaled to real‐world conditions, was 43 kg C kg N−1, similar to manipulation studies. The effect from the canopy treatment was 114 kg C kg N−1. Canopy treatments may be critical to accurately represent N deposition in the field and may address the discrepancy between manipulative and correlative studies.
Interaction of plant genotype and management in the persistence of a perennial grass exposed to grazing and soil fertility stresses
Authors: Culvenor R. A. , Simpson R. J.
Published: September 2015

Increased stocking rates under typical pasture improvement practices in southern Australia have often been associated with low persistence by sown perennial grasses subjected to continuous stocking. Cultivars of the perennial grass phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.), which is widely used in southern Australia, vary in their phenology and growth habit. Winter‐active cultivars have also been developed with improved stress tolerances, viz. heavy grazing pressure (Holdfast GT) and acid soils (Advanced AT). This study examined the persistence of phalaris genotypes over 4 years under five management treatments: high P‐high stocking rate (18 sheep per hectare) rotationally stocked (HPRS); high P‐high stocking rate continuously stocked (HPCS); high P‐intermediate stocking rate (13·5 sheep per hectare) continuously stocked (HPCS13.5); low P‐low stocking rate (9 sheep per hectare) rotationally stocked (LPRS); and low P‐low stocking rate continuously stocked (LPCS). Basal frequency of phalaris declined rapidly under HPCS and LPCS in the first year of treatments when periods of low herbage mass occurred under low rainfall. Basal frequency in high P treatments stabilized and partially recovered but continued to decline in low P treatments. Holdfast GT survived the early decline in the HPCS treatment better than other winter‐active cultivars and similar to a known grazing tolerant, semi‐winter‐dormant cultivar. Advanced AT and older winter‐active cultivars were sensitive to continuous stocking but persisted better under rotational stocking or under a reduced rate of continuous stocking (HPCS13.5). Rotational management clearly promoted persistence of winter‐active phalaris, but long‐term persistence will be better ensured by combining management with the use of genotypes with grazing tolerance traits.
Escherichia coli inner membrane protein YciB interacts with ZipA that is important for cell division
Authors: Badaluddin Noor Afiza , Kitakawa Madoka
Published: September 2015

Escherichia coli propagates by undergoing cycles of lateral elongation, septum formation, and cell fission at the mid‐cell. A large number of genes involved in these processes have been identified, but it is likely that others remain. A deletion mutant of yciB (ΔyciB) is shorter in the cell length compared to wild type and, in contrast, over‐expression of yciB causes elongation of the cell. Furthermore, the septum localization of ZipA, an essential protein of cell division, is disturbed in a ΔyciB mutant. Purified YciB protein directly interacted with ZipA, which might indicate that YciB is involved in the cell envelope synthesis directed by ZipA in a PBP3‐independent manner.
High Salt Intake Is Independently Associated With Hypertensive Target Organ Damage
Authors: Imaizumi Yuki , Eguchi Kazuo , Murakami Takeshi , Arakawa Kimika , Tsuchihashi Takuya , Kario Kazuomi
Published: September 2015

The authors tested the hypothesis that high salt intake is associated with hypertensive target organ damage (TOD) independent of blood pressure (BP), and oxidative stress is a modifying factor of this association. A total of 369 community‐dwelling Japanese adults (mean age, 67.5 years; 56.6% women) were examined in this observational study. At the patients' annual health check‐ups, urinary salt excretion (U‐SALT), 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG), and albumin‐creatinine ratio (UACR) were measured from first morning urine. U‐SALT (β=0.14, P=.016) and 8‐OHdG (β=0.13, P=.018) were both independently associated with logUACR. U‐SALT was associated with TOD independent of BP level, and oxidative stress may be a modifying factor in the association between high salt intake and TOD. The elevation of 8‐OHdG may be involved in the pathophysiology of TOD induced by salt intake.