bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clarification and confocal imaging of the non-human primate placental micro-anatomy
Authors: Sargent James A. , Roberts Victoria HJ , Gaffney Jessica , Frias Antonio E.
Published: May 2018

Placental function is essential for the development of the fetus, and is – in part – related to the 3D arrangement of the villous and vascular geometry. Recent advances in tissue clarification techniques allow for deep high-resolution imaging with confocal microscopy without altering the spatial characteristics of the tissue. These image stacks can be analyzed quantitatively to provide insights regarding the villous and vascular micro-anatomy as well as the interrelationships between the two. However, such analyses require optimization of the tissue preparation, immuno-labeling, and clarification protocol in order to provide reliable results suitable for the detection of subtle differences in pathologic pregnancies. Placental and fetal development are similar between human and non-human primate pregnancies, with the latter serving as a reliable, validated, highly-controlled, well-characterized translational model for the former.

We present a protocol for the preparation, immuno-labeling, and clarification of the non-human primate placenta optimized for confocal microscopy and subsequent quantification of the micro-anatomic structures.
Crystal structure of racemic 2-[(β-arabinopyranosyl)sulfanyl]-4,6-diphenylpyridine-3-carbonitrile
Authors: Hammad Sherif F. , Masoud Doaa M. , Elgemeie Galal H. , Jones Peter G.
Published: May 2018

In the racemic title compound, C23H20N2O4S, the sulfur atom is attached equatorially to the sugar ring with unequal S—C bonds, viz.: S—Cs = 1.808 (2) and S—Cp = 1.770 (2) Å (s = sugar, p = pyridyl). The dihedral angles between the pyridine ring and its attached phenyl groups are 42.24 (8) and 6.37 (14)°. In the crystal, a system of classical O—H...O and O—H...(O,O) hydrogen bonds links the molecules to form tube-like assemblies propagating parallel to the c-axis direction. Weak C—H...N interactions are also observed.
Bis[N
5,N
7-bis(pyridin-2-yl)-6,7-dihydro-5H-pyrrolo[3,4-b]pyrazine-5,7-diimine]cobalt(III) perchlorate acetonitrile disolvate
Authors: Posel Maciej , Stoeckli-Evans Helen
Published: May 2018

In the title complex, [Co(C16H10N7)2]ClO4·2CH3CN, the cation possesses twofold rotational symmetry. The CoIII ion is located on a twofold rotation axis and is octahedrally coordinated to two tridentate `pincer' ligands. The Cl atom of the perchlorate anion is located on a fourfold rotoinversion axis. In the crystal, the cations are linked via C—H...O and C—H...N hydrogen bonds involving the perchlorate anion and the solvate acetonitrile molecules. These interactions lead to the formation of a supramolecular three-dimensional framework.
Guiding the conversation
Authors: Walden Justin
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how public relations practitioners view their role in guiding their organizations’ frontline (nonnominated) employees’ social media use and the tensions that organizations must navigate when they interact with their employees online.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilizes in-depth interviews with 24 PR practitioners in the USA. Data were analyzed via grounded theory’s approach to open, axial, and select coding.

Findings

PR practitioners engage in three activities to guide employees’ social media use: serving as a reactive-technical resource; supporting employee communities; and responding to incidental monitoring of social media posts.

Research limitations/implications

The study extends stakeholder theory by describing the normative expectations that are placed on employees when it comes to discussing the organization online.

Practical implications

Recommendations are offered for PR practitioners regarding the boundary-respecting management of nonnominated employees’ social media use.

Social implications

Findings point to a greater understanding about frontline workers’ roles in supporting their organizations and the need for organizations to carefully explain social media policies.

Originality/value

Scholars have not fully explored the challenges that firms face when they seek to influence employees’ personal social networking activities. There is new insight about the ways in which organization can ethically engage with employees in digitally mediated spaces.
Dealing with an abusive boss in China
Authors: Zeng Wei , Zhou Ying , Shen Zhengyu
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This study aims to examine how reward expectancy mediates the effect of abusive supervision on organizational citizenship behavior. Furthermore, drawing upon regulatory focus theory, this paper proposes and tests the moderating role of promotion focus in the proposed mediating effect.

Design/methodology/approach

Both hierarchical regression and PROCESS macro are conducted to analyze longitudinal data collected from 142 MBA students in different industries in the People’s Republic of China.

Findings

Results reveal that abusive supervision was negatively related to both organization-directed citizenship behavior (OCBO) and individual-directed citizenship behavior (OCBI) through undermining individual reward expectancies. Results also show that promotion focus moderated the negative effect of abusive supervision on reward expectancy, such that the relationship was stronger when promotion focus was higher. In addition, the indirect effect of abusive supervision on OCBO and OCBI carried through reward expectancy was also stronger among individuals with higher promotion focus.

Originality/value

It contributes to the literature on abusive supervision by offering a new perspective regarding the mechanism of abusive supervision influence on organizational citizenship behavior. The findings thus shed insights into cognitions and motivations that are associated with organizational citizenship behavior. In addition, it is the first to link abusive supervision with regulatory focus theory to examine the decrease of organizational citizenship behavior.
Consumer expenditure inequality in India: a source decomposition analysis
Authors: Sen Jayanta , Das Debarati
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to deal with a closer look into the nature and extent of consumer expenditure inequality in India to identify the major contributions those are embedded, particularly after the economic reforms. Relative contributions of major consumption items/sources to the overall expenditure inequality are quantitatively examined in terms of a decomposition exercise. Eventually, the paper investigates the relative marginal effects of expenditure components/sources on overall inequality.

Design/methodology/approach

Gini index is used to measure the degree of inequality in consumer expenditure. Contribution of each expenditure sources to overall inequality is estimated by using source decomposition technique of Gini index contributed by Lerman and Yitzhaki.

Findings

The study observes that the inequality in consumer expenditure has increased in both the rural and the urban parts of India during the post-reform period. Non-food expenditure is more unevenly distributed, and it has been found to be more pro-rich in nature. Expenditure on cereals and pulses still exhibits higher inequality-reducing effect in rural and urban India. Education and health-care expenses have been inequality-increasing in the country. Contribution of expenditure on miscellaneous consumer services, durable goods, education and health care to the overall expenditure inequality is significantly higher.

Originality/value

The study identifies the capacity of different expenditure sources towards increasing or decreasing the overall inequality which is crucial for better redistributive policies to be adopted to enhance the well-being of the economy in real sense.
Designing successful participatory platforms with a public intent: Lessons learned from practitioners, scholars, and citizen participants
Authors: Treisman Chase , Kelley Tanya M. , Johnston Erik W.
Published: May 2018

Public organizations have interacted with citizens through increasingly sophisticated internet-enabled technology. Participatory platforms emerged from Web 2.0 technologies in the mid-2000s as a governance mechanism to engage citizens in the process of effecting social change. Although the potential of platforms is recognized, its successful implementation has faced challenges. To begin to get a handle on how to best design and manage participatory platforms, we conducted an exploratory participatory action research study grounded in two events – The Policy Challenge and NSF Workshop on Participatory Platforms with a Public Intent. Both events communed practitioners, scholars, and citizen participants with diverse experience and expertise conducting and researching platforms. The insights expressed through the events and follow-up interviews and online survey informed our development of a participatory platform lifecycle and design framework to assist designing successful participatory platforms.
A bibliometric analysis of venture capital research
Authors: Cancino Christian A. , Merigo Jose M. , Torres Juan P. , Diaz David
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present the evolution of academic research in venture capital (VC) research between 1990 and 2014.

Design/methodology/approach

The study analyzes the most influential journals in VC research by analyzing papers, which were published on the Web of Science database.

Findings

Results show a steady increasing rate of VC research during the past 25 years. The paper reports the 40 academic journals that permanently publish articles about VC research.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this work is to develop a general overview of the leading journals in VC research, which leads to the development of a future research agenda for bibliometric analysis, such as the review of the most productive and influential authors, universities and countries in VC research.
Social power of preadolescent children on influence in their mothers’ purchasing behavior
Authors: Carrillo Miriam , Gonzalez-Sparks Alicia , Salcedo Nestor U.
Published: May 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between legitimate and expert social power types of preadolescent children on the influence perception in their mothers’ purchasing behavior in Peruvian toy stores. The literature review takes into consideration the concepts of social power and the influence on family behavior to then focus on social power within family behavior with the purpose of mainly developing four hypotheses regarding purchasing behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology followed a non-experimental transversal correlational-causal design. A pilot sample size of 67 cases was used. The sample was based on an objective population of Peruvian mothers of families that live in northern Lima and that go to purchase toys to major shopping centers with their children aged 8-11 years.

Findings

The results show that the expert social power, as well as the legitimate social power, has a strong relationship. In addition, both social powers have an impact on the influence perception in purchasing child-mother, but not on the influence perception in purchasing mother-child. Moreover, the test of moderation of the expenditure level on toy purchases did not have an effect on the context that was studied.

Originality/value

The contribution shows that important changes are happening in the consumption behavior on the aspect of children influencing mothers, and that for Latin American contexts, the level of expenditure still does not crucially affect the causality demonstrated.
Conflicts of interest in finance
Authors: Kinander Morten
Published: May 2018

Purpose

Relying on research from social psychology and business ethics, this paper aims to argue that the current massive regulatory regime surrounding the attempts to curb what is perceived to be damaging conflicts of interests in the financial industry is based on misguided assumptions, and that the trend of increasingly detailed rule-making, supervision and sanctioning in this area might be counter-effective. This should cause financial services legislators and regulators to be cautious when proposing more detailed rules as solutions to perceived problems. The paper argues that disclosure is no remedy for a harmful conflict of interest, and that such an obligation can only be based on the client’s right to know about the conflict. This right, however, does not, in itself, justify all the extensive and detailed regulation in the area. The paper ends with a recommendation for more research into the moral reasoning ability of financial services professionals, as well as the interplay between judgment and rules in the finance industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper relies on research within behavioural moral psychology, and applies it to business ethics with the aim of discussing the impact of regulation on moral reasoning within the finance industry.

Findings

Regulation might lead to a decrease in moral reasoning, which is the premise of proper handling of conflicts of interest. Additionally, disclosure of unavoidable conflicts of interest might even strengthen the negative consequences of such conflicts.

Research limitations/implications

More research should be conducted within the financial services sector about the effect of regulation on individual judgment.

Practical implications

The paper proposes that care should be exercised when proposing increased and complex regulation to avoid unintended and adverse consequences for the financial services industry.

Originality/value

The paper synthesises existing research within different fields – such as moral psychology and analytic business ethics – and applies it to financial regulation.
Towards an early history (1955-1975) of marketing research in India
Authors: Parameswaran Ravi , Parameswaran Krishna
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to attempt to trace the origins and early history of the development of the market research practice in India. It covers the period 1955-1975.

Design/methodology/approach

A search of key terms in databases such as Google Scholar and ABI-INFORM indicated there was limited data in the public domain on the subject and that the information gleaned was not adequate to trace the birth of the market research practice in India. As there was very little recorded history, the researchers decided to initiate a recording of the history using the available literature, on the reminiscences of the authors and, to a limited extent, contemporaries of the pioneers in the field.

Findings

The origins of market research in India can be traced to its supporting role in gauging the efficacy of advertising. Examination of the history of advertising leads to the conclusion that marketing research arrived in India in the decade of the 1950s, initiated by Burmah-Shell’s needs for market research. S. H. Benson (London) Ltd was selected to undertake the pioneering market research that led to the birth of Indian Market Research Service, headed by Krishnaier Parameswaran. Marketing research in India presented numerous challenges (that were overcome) because the operating environment was very different than in advanced countries.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the paucity of information in the literature, this investigation as per the authors’ knowledge represents the first attempt to record the birth and early history of marketing research in India. The recording of history is limited by the fact that many of the early pioneers and collaborators are no longer alive and because of the difficulty in retrieving archival mostly proprietary information.

Originality/value

In determining the future of a practice, it is important to know the history of the practice. It helps determine whether history proceeds in a random manner or whether it proceeds following some discernable patterns. In an area that has been ahistorical, this research identifies the origins of the practice. It is hoped that other researchers build upon this construction of the early history of marketing research in India based on their experiences and knowledge of the pioneering companies and practitioners and using sound historiographical tenets.
Data-focused managerial challenges within the hotel sector
Authors: Lamest Markus , Brady Mairead
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the managerial decision-making challenges of the use of data from online and offline customer data flooding into firms and managed through interactive dashboards. The paper provides insights into how managers within the hotel sector both manage and use the data as a core tool in discussions with finance managers/directors during negotiation on critical marketing investments.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design followed a multiple-case study design of five market-orientated hotels, which were selected as high performing data and dashboard users. Across each case company multiple informants were interviewed and shadowed, including marketing managers, general managers and finance managers/directors. There was also an in-depth investigation of the collection, dissemination and particularly use of traditional market research data and online data from social media sites, web sites and web and mobile analytics. This was augmented by a study of the customized, off site managed interactive databases, in use in all case companies.

Findings

This paper identifies managerial challenges experienced by general managers, marketing and financial managers using digital customer data. It investigated the power of the customer voice internally and found that unstructured qualitative data had greater visibility and usage once supported by a financial imperative. It also found that the use of interactive dashboards were a powerful manifestation of data technology use and increased marketing’s visibility, power and accountability within the firm.

Research limitations/implications

The paper provided a limited hotel perspective which impacts on generalizability. The findings should be tested quantitatively to ascertain their validity across a wider sector of businesses and operations. Though multiple site and cross-functional research adds value, one site might have provided more depth.

Practical implications

This paper reveals that managers need support in terms of time, resources and personnel to manage the flood of information into their organizations. It also suggested that general and marketing managers need to develop the skills to interpret the data for decision-making, so that the financial implications are understand.

Originality/value

Most social media studies within the hotel sector focus on the impact of social media reviews on consumer purchasing processes and/or on how managers communicate online with consumers. This paper takes an internal managerial perspective on data use for decision-making. This paper expands our understanding of marketing strategic decision-making through an in-depth exploration into how cross-functional decision-making uses contemporary customer data.
‘Clean energy for all’: the implementation of Scaling Solar in Zambia
Authors: Stritzke Susann
Published: May 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review critical success factors (CSFs) for the implementation of the Scaling Solar Programme in Zambia, the first solar public-private partnership (PPP) in the country.

Design/methodology/approach

The single case study is based on stakeholder interviews and the evaluation of primary and secondary sources of data. As a first step, the study illustrates the implementation of Scaling Solar in Zambia and links it to the formal PPP framework of the country. The second step compares central CSFs for PPPs identified by previous research with the current framework of the programme. Furthermore, it analyses whether these CSFs have affected the PPP project implementation in Zambia. Based on these findings the question discussed will be which CSFs can be identified that impacted the implementation of the programme in a third step.

Findings

The case study found that the design of the Scaling Solar Programme largely mitigated the main financial and political risks identified in previous studies with regard to the uptake of energy infrastructure processes in developing countries. It reveals that government stakeholder alignment and institutional capacity are the central CSFs which impact the roll-out of the programme in Zambia.

Originality/value

The study suggests that a pre-implementation phase of a complex PPP project should comprise government stakeholder alignment which can be based on approaches to Relationship Management Theory. By suggesting a stakeholder management approach, the study indicates how a PPP framework, with a redefined role of a horizontally integrated, independent Public-Private Partnership Unit, can support this approach.
The categorisation of resistance: interpreting failure to follow a proposed line of action in the diagnosis of autism amongst young adults
Authors: Hollin Gregory , Pilnick Alison
Published: May 2018

Many characteristics typical of autism, a neurodevelopmental condition characterised by socio‐communicative impairments, are most evident during social interaction. Accordingly, procedures such as the Autism Diagnosis Observation Schedule (ADOS) are interactive and intended to elicit interactional impairments: a diagnosis of autism is given if interactional difficulties are attributed as a persistent quality of the individual undergoing diagnosis. This task is difficult, first, because behaviours can be interpreted in various ways and, second, because conversation breakdown may indicate a disengagement with, or resistance to, a line of conversation. Drawing upon conversation analysis, we examine seven ADOS diagnosis sessions and ask how diagnosticians distinguish between interactional resistance as, on the one hand, a diagnostic indicator and, on the other, as a reasonable choice from a range of possible responses. We find evidence of various forms of resistance during ADOS sessions, but it is a resistance to a line of conversational action that is often determined to be indicative of autism. However, and as we show, this attribution of resistance can be ambiguous. We conclude by arguing for reflexive practice during any diagnosis where talk is the problem, and for a commitment to acknowledge the potential impact of diagnostic procedures themselves upon results.
Enhancement of torba yoghurt with whey protein isolates
Authors: Yildiz‐Akgül Filiz
Published: May 2018

Nonfat torba (strained) yoghurt enriched with different levels (1w/w and 2w/w) of whey protein isolates (WPI) was produced, to study the effects of WPI addition levels on the physicochemical characteristics and free fatty acid levels of control (fatty) and nonfat yoghurts during 14‐day storage. Increasing the WPI decreased the syneresis level of the torba yoghurt samples (P < 0.05), but other physicochemical properties were not affected compared to the nonfat yoghurt during storage. However, WPI addition decreased the butyric acid, caproic acid and long‐chain fatty acid levels across the storage period (P < 0.05). Therefore, addition of WPI at a level of 2w/w could be considered as an acceptable option for the manufacture of nonfat torba yoghurt with improved nutritional value.
The Impact of Policy Incentives on Long‐Term Care Insurance and Medicaid Costs: Does Underwriting Matter?
Authors: Cornell Portia Y. , Grabowski David C.
Published: May 2018

Objective

To test whether underwriting modifies the effect of state‐based incentives on individuals’ purchase of long‐term care insurance.

Data Source

Health and Retirement Study (HRS), 1996–2012.

Study Design

We estimated difference‐in‐difference regression models with an interaction of state policy indicators with individuals’ probabilities of being approved for long‐term care insurance.

Data Extraction

We imputed probabilities of underwriting approval for respondents in the HRS using a model developed with underwriting decisions from two U.S. insurance firms. We measured the elasticity response to long‐term care insurance price using changes in simulated after‐tax price as an instrumental variable for premium price.

Principal Findings

Tax incentives and Partnership programs increased insurance purchase by 3.62 percentage points and 1.8 percentage points, respectively, among those with the lowest risk (highest approval probability). Neither had any statistically significant effects among the highest risk individuals.

Conclusions

We show that ignoring the effects of underwriting may lead to biased estimates of the potential state budget savings of long‐term care insurance tax incentives. If the private market is to play a role in financing long‐term care, policies need to address the underlying adverse selection problems.
Health Insurance and Poverty in Trajectories of Out‐of‐Pocket Expenditure among Low‐Income Middle‐Aged Adults
Authors: Kwon Eunsun , Park Sojung , McBride Timothy D.
Published: May 2018

Objective

To assess the effects of longitudinal patterns of health insurance and poverty on out‐of‐pocket expenditures among low‐income late middle‐aged adults.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Six waves (2002–2012) of the Health and Retirement Study, in combination withRANDCenter for the Study of Aging data, were used.

Study Design

A random coefficient regression analysis was conducted in a multilevel growth curve framework to estimate the impact of health insurance and poverty on out‐of‐pocket expenditures.

Principal Findings

At baseline, individuals with private insurance or unstable coverage were more likely to have out‐of‐pocket expenditures and financial burdens than public insurance holders. Over time, the poor who had no insurance, unstable coverage, or insurance type change had higher out‐of‐pocket expenditures; private coverage holders had higher odds of financial burden.

Conclusions

Unstable insurance coverage had a discernible effect on the long‐term, out‐of‐pocket expenditures among low‐income adults. Findings have an important policy implication to protect poor late middle‐aged population; as this population enters old age, the high financial burden it faces may exacerbate persistent socioeconomic health disparity among older people with unstable insurance coverage.
Suicide by Fatal Pentobarbital Intoxication in Ontario, Canada, from 2012 to 2015
Authors: Solbeck Patricia , Snowdon Victoria , Rajagopalan Ashwyn , Jhirad Reuven
Published: May 2018

A fatal concentration of pentobarbital found in a coroner's case where the history had not indicated use of this drug prompted a review of fatalities in Ontario from 2012 to 2015. Coroner's case files, including police and toxicology reports, were reviewed in twenty deaths, in which pentobarbital was identified as the primary cause of death. In all of the deaths (11 females, 9 males), the blood concentration of pentobarbital was greater than 10 mg/L. There were three to eight deaths per year and each was classified as suicide. In 11 cases, there was clear evidence that the drug was purchased over the internet from Mexico or China and imported into Canada. In four cases, it appears that the pentobarbital was labeled as a different, innocuous chemical to facilitate crossing the border without scrutiny. The findings underscore the value of a thorough scene investigation, including details of evidence that may be considered unrelated.
Spatial variation in cervical cancer screening participation and outcomes among Indigenous and non‐Indigenous Australians in Queensland
Authors: Dasgupta Paramita , Whop Lisa J. , Diaz Abbey , Cramb Susanna M. , Moore Suzanne P. , Brotherton Julia M.L. , Cunningham Joan , Valery Patricia C. , Gertig Dorota , Garvey Gail , Condon John R. , O'Connell Dianne L. , Canfell Karen , Baade Peter D.
Published: May 2018

Indigenous women continue to experience a disproportionately higher burden of cervical cancer than non‐Indigenous women in Australia. The National Indigenous Cervical Screening Project used probabilistic record linkage to combine population‐based administrative databases and identify Indigenous women on Pap Smear Registers. This study aimed to quantify the spatial variation by local government areas (LGAs) for Indigenous and non‐Indigenous women in Queensland in cervical screening participation rates and related outcomes. Empirical Bayes local geostatistical smoothing was performed to reduce the likelihood of spurious variation between small areas. The cohort included 1,091,260 women (2 per cent Indigenous) aged 20 to 69 with 2,393,708 Pap smears between 2006 and 2011. Indigenous women had smoothed LGA‐specific 5‐year participation rates (interquartile range (IQR) 38.9–53.3 per 100 eligible women) consistently lower than non‐Indigenous women (IQR 80.7–85.3). The non‐overlapping confidence intervals of these rates suggest that the Indigenous differential was significant. Compared with Indigenous women, non‐Indigenous women had consistently lower and more stable prevalence rates of histologically confirmed high grade abnormalities (IQR 8.0–10.1 versus 15.0–21.3 per 1,000 screened women). Although the LGA‐specific rates also suggest that a higher proportion of non‐Indigenous women were followed‐up within two months of an abnormal screening result, the wide confidence intervals for these estimates limit our ability to draw definitive conclusions about spatial patterns for this outcome. These findings highlight the importance of continued monitoring and ongoing efforts to identify drivers of these patterns and develop effective strategies to improve participation and potentially reduce the cervical cancer burden among Indigenous women.
Functionalization of Lipid‐Based Nutrient Supplement with β‐Cyclodextrin Inclusions of Oregano Essential Oil
Authors: Gaur Shashank , Lopez Emely C. , Ojha Ankur , Andrade Juan E.
Published: May 2018

Intestinal parasitic infection is one of the main causes of acute undernutrition in children. Oral consumption of oregano essential oil (OEO) can reduce intestinal parasitic infections, however, its addition to therapeutic and supplementary foods is hampered by its undesirable flavor. The objective of this study was to develop a functional lipid‐based nutrient supplement (LNS) containing OEO, which is stable, acceptable and provides targeted intestinal delivery of bioactive. β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CyD) inclusion complexes of OEO (β‐CyD‐OEO), and carvacrol (β‐CyD‐CV) (1:1 molar) were prepared using slurry complexation (‐20 °C) method and characterized based on encapsulation efficiency, moisture content, morphology, and 2‐phase in vitro digestion stability. Carvacrol (CV) content was measured using reverse phase HPLC‐UV. LNS containing β‐CyD‐OEO (27.2 mg encapsulate/20 g LNS) was formulated using Indian staples and ingredients. Discriminatory sensory tests (triangle) were performed with college students (n = 58) and low‐income women (n = 25), with young children at home (1 to 6 years), living in Mehsana, India to evaluate differences between LNS with and without bioactive ingredient (β‐CyD‐OEO only). Moisture of dried complexes ranged 9.1% to 9.7% d.b., whereas water activity 0.35 to 0.412. The complex size and encapsulation efficiency of β‐CyD‐OEO and β‐CyD‐CV were 1.5 to 7 μm and 4 to 20 μm, and 86.04 ± 4.48% and 81.39 ± 3.34%, respectively. The bioactive complexes were stable through the gastric and intestinal phases. Bioaccessibility of encapsulated CV ranged 6.0% to 7.7%. Sensory tests revealed no differences (P > 0.05) in color, aroma, and taste between LNS with and without β‐CyD‐OEO complexes. Functionalization of LNS with β‐CyD‐OEO is feasible based on in vitro stability and sensory studies.

Practical Application

Despite its antiparasitic activities, the addition of oregano essential oil into foods is limited due to its strong flavor and volatility. In this study, we evaluated the encapsulation of oregano essential oil with β‐cyclodextrin and its addition into lipid‐based nutrition supplements. The results revealed that complex encapsulation efficiency was above 80%. Also, the bioactive complexes were stable under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions. Sensory evaluation of LNS with and without encapsulated essential oil showed no difference in terms of color, aroma, and taste. The functional LNS can both address nutrient insufficiency as well as parasitic infection among malnourished populations in low‐resource settings.
Minimizing polymerase biases in metabarcoding
Authors: Nichols Ruth V. , Vollmers Christopher , Newsom Lee A. , Wang Yue , Heintzman Peter D. , Leighton McKenna , Green Richard E. , Shapiro Beth
Published: May 2018

DNA metabarcoding is an increasingly popular method to characterize and quantify biodiversity in environmental samples. Metabarcoding approaches simultaneously amplify a short, variable genomic region, or “barcode,” from a broad taxonomic group via the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using universal primers that anneal to flanking conserved regions. Results of these experiments are reported as occurrence data, which provide a list of taxa amplified from the sample, or relative abundance data, which measure the relative contribution of each taxon to the overall composition of amplified product. The accuracy of both occurrence and relative abundance estimates can be affected by a variety of biological and technical biases. For example, taxa with larger biomass may be better represented in environmental samples than those with smaller biomass. Here, we explore how polymerase choice, a potential source of technical bias, might influence results in metabarcoding experiments. We compared potential biases of six commercially available polymerases using a combination of mixtures of amplifiable synthetic sequences and real sedimentary DNA extracts. We find that polymerase choice can affect both occurrence and relative abundance estimates and that the main source of this bias appears to be polymerase preference for sequences with specific GC contents. We further recommend an experimental approach for metabarcoding based on results of our synthetic experiments.
Chronic median nerve modulation reduces ventricular arrhythmia and improves ventricular function in a postmyocardial infarction rabbit model
Authors: Zhai Zhengqin , Zhao Shuang , Tang Min , Jia Liujun , Zhang Shu
Published: May 2018

Aim

Median nerve stimulation (MNS) is a novel neuromodulation approach for treatment of ventricular arrhythmia, but little is known about its chronic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic MNS on ventricular arrhythmia and ventricular dysfunction postmyocardial infarction (MI).

Method

Two weeks after MI, 12 rabbits were randomly divided into control and MNS groups, and chronic MNS was performed in MNS group for 2 weeks. Ventricular function and arrhythmias; sympathetic innervation and activity; and interleukin‐1 β (IL‐1 β) and norepinephrine (NE) levels were analyzed.

Results

Both the total number of premature ventricular complex and episodes of ventricular tachycardia were lower in MNS group than in control group (20 560 ± 10 314 beats vs 70 079 ± 37 184 beats, P = .021, and 115 ± 63 episodes vs 307 ± 164 episodes, P = .034, respectively). Compared with control group, MNS decreased the cardiac sympathetic nerve density and level of circulating NE in MNS group (1798.42 ± 644.07 μm2/mm2 vs 1003.79 ± 453.00 μm2/mm2, P = .041, and 20.86 ± 4.54 pg/mL vs 11.07 ± 1.43 pg/mL, P = .002, respectively). MNS also improved the left ventricular ejection fraction (59.07 ± 1.91% vs 49.77 ± 3.47%, P = .003) and inhibited the level of IL‐1 β in serum (69.19 ± 4.71 pg/mL vs 85.93 ± 12.80 pg/mL, P = .013).

Conclusion

Chronic MNS appears to protect against ventricular arrhythmia and improves ventricular function post‐MI, which may be mediated by suppressing cardiac sympathetic activity and anti‐inflammatory effects.
Pain One Week After an Emergency Department Visit for Acute Low Back Pain Is Associated With Poor Three‐month Outcomes
Authors: Friedman Benjamin W. , Conway John , Campbell Caron , Bijur Polly E. , John Gallagher E.
Published: May 2018

Background

Low back pain (LBP) is responsible for more than 2.5 million visits to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) annually. Nearly 30% of patients who present to an ED with acute LBP report functional impairment or pain 3 months later. These patients are at risk of chronic LBP, a highly debilitating condition. In this study, we assessed whether three variables assessable shortly after symptom onset could independently predict poor 3‐month outcomes among LBP patients who present to an ED.

Methods

This was a planned analysis of data from two randomized comparative effectiveness studies of patients with acute, nontraumatic, nonradicular LBP. Patients were enrolled during an ED visit, contacted by telephone 1 week after the ED visit, and then followed up by telephone 3 months later. The coprimary 3‐month outcomes were LBP‐related functional impairment and persistent moderate or severe LBP. Two of the three hypothesized predictor variables were assessed during the index visit: 1) the STarT Back Screening Tool score, a nine‐item, multidimensional tool validated and widely used in the outpatient setting, and 2) the patient's own anticipated duration of LBP. The third hypothesized predictor was presence of pain assessed by phone 1 week after the ED visit. We then determined whether these three predictor variables were independently associated with poor outcomes at 3 months, after controlling for medication received, age, and sex.

Results

A total of 354 patients were enrolled. Of these, 309 (87%) provided 3‐month impairment data and 311 (88%) provided 3‐month pain data. At 3 months, 122 of 309 (39%) patients reported functional impairment and 51 of 311(16%) patients reported moderate or severe LBP. Among the three hypothesized predictor variables, 58 of 352 (16%) patients with available data reported a moderate or high STarT Back Screening Tool score, 35 of 321 (11%) patients with available data reported anticipated duration of LBP > 1 week, and 235 of 346 (68%) patients reported pain at 1‐week telephone follow‐up. After age, sex, and medication received were controlled for in a multivariable logistic regression model, only pain at 1 week was independently associated with 3‐month impairment (odds ratio [OR] = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.39–4.22) and 3‐month moderate or severe pain (OR = 3.83, 95% CI = 1.53–9.58).

Conclusions

More than one‐third of patients reported functional impairment 3 months after an ED visit for acute, nontraumatic, nonradicular LBP. Moderate or severe LBP was less common, reported in about half as many patients (16%). Of the three hypothesized predictor variables, only persistent pain at 1 week was independently associated with poor outcomes at 3 months. Despite its important role in the outpatient setting, the STarT Back Tool was not associated with poor outcomes in this ED cohort.
Amplitude by Peak Interaction but No Evidence of Auditory Mismatch Response Deficits to Frequency Change in Preschool‐Aged Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Kabella Danielle M. , Flynn Lucinda , Peters Amanda , Kodituwakku Piyadasa , Stephen Julia M.
Published: May 2018

Background

Prior studies indicate that the auditory mismatch response is sensitive to early alterations in brain development in multiple developmental disorders. Prenatal alcohol exposure is known to impact early auditory processing. The current study hypothesized alterations in the mismatch response in young children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).

Methods

Participants in this study were 9 children with a FASD and 17 control children (Control) aged 3 to 6 years. Participants underwent magnetoencephalography and structural magnetic resonance imaging scans separately. We compared groups on neurophysiological mismatch negativity (MMN) responses to auditory stimuli measured using the auditory oddball paradigm. Frequent (1,000 Hz) and rare (1,200 Hz) tones were presented at 72 dB.

Results

There was no significant group difference in MMN response latency or amplitude represented by the peak located ~200 ms after stimulus presentation in the difference time course between frequent and infrequent tones. Examining the time courses to the frequent and infrequent tones separately, repeated measures analysis of variance with condition (frequent vs. rare), peak (N100m and N200m), and hemisphere as within‐subject factors and diagnosis and sex as the between‐subject factors showed a significant interaction of peak by diagnosis (p = 0.001), with a pattern of decreased amplitude from N100m to N200m in Control children and the opposite pattern in children with FASD. However, no significant difference was found with the simple effects comparisons. No group differences were found in the response latencies of the rare auditory evoked fields.

Conclusions

The results indicate that there was no detectable effect of alcohol exposure on the amplitude or latency of the MMNm response to simple tones modulated by frequency change in preschool‐aged children with FASD. However, while discrimination abilities to simple tones may be intact, early auditory sensory processing revealed by the interaction between N100m and N200m amplitude indicates that auditory sensory processing may be altered in children with FASD.
Intracranial, extraneural ectopic lymph node in a bovine (Bos taurus)
Authors: Clancy Chad S. , Van Wettere Arnaud J. , Hullinger Gordon A.
Published: May 2018

The brain from a field necropsied 8‐month‐old feedlot heifer presenting with an acute history of depression, lethargy, dyspnoea and anorexia was evaluated grossly and by histopathology. The meninges overlying the left cerebral hemisphere contained a 12 × 26 × 32 mm, dark red, soft, ovoid mass. Histologic examination of this tissue revealed a well‐organized lymph node with normal architecture. Organization of reactive lymphoid tissue resembling normal lymph node architecture may occur under chronic stimulation. However, there are no known aggregates of lymphoid tissue present within the cranial vault in any veterinary species. This is the first reported case of an intracranial ectopic lymph node in any species.
The isothiocyanate sulforaphane modulates platelet function and protects against cerebral thrombotic dysfunction
Authors: Gillespie Scarlett , Holloway Paul M , Becker Felix , Rauzi Francesca , Vital Shantel A , Taylor Kirk A , Stokes Karen Y , Emerson Michael , Gavins Felicity N E
Published: May 2018

Background and Purpose

Platelet activation provides a critical link between inflammation and thrombosis. Sulforaphane (SFN), a naturally occurring isothiocyanate, has been shown to display both anti‐inflammatory and anti‐thrombotic actions in the systemic microvasculature. As inflammation promotes thrombosis and vice versa, in this study we investigated whether SFN is able to reduce inflammatory potentiation of thrombotic events, suppress platelet activation and thrombus formation in the cerebral microvasculature.

Experimental Approach

Thrombosis was induced in the murine brain using the light/dye‐injury model, in conjunction with LPS treatment, with and without SFN treatment. In vitro and in vivo platelet assays (aggregation, flow and other functional tests) were also employed, using both human and murine platelets.

Key Results

SFN was found to reduce LPS‐mediated enhancement of thrombus formation in the cerebral microcirculation. In tail‐bleed experiments, LPS treatment prolonged bleeding time, and SFN treatment was found to protect against this LPS‐induced derangement of platelet function. SFN inhibited collagen‐mediated platelet aggregation in vitro and in vivo and the associated adhesion and impaired calcium signalling. Furthermore, glycoprotein VI was shown to be involved in the protective effects observed with SFN treatment.

Conclusions and Implications

The data presented here provide evidence for the use of SFN in preventing stroke in selected high‐risk patient cohorts.
PRUNE1‐related disorder: Expanding the clinical spectrum
Authors: Imagawa E. , Yamamoto Y. , Mitsuhashi S. , Isidor B. , Fukuyama T. , Kato M. , Sasaki M. , Tanabe S. , Miyatake S. , Mizuguchi T. , Takata A. , Miyake N. , Matsumoto N.
Published: May 2018

Neurodevelopmental disorder with microcephaly, hypotonia, and variable brain anomalies (NMIHBA) (OMIM #617481) is an autosomal recessive disease characterized by progressive microcephaly, plagiocephaly, hypotonia, spastic quadriparesis, global developmental delay, intellectual disability, optic features and abnormal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). NMIHBA was recently reported to be caused by PRUNE1 mutations. Eight mutations have been reported in 13 unrelated families. Here, we report 3 PRUNE1 mutations in 1 Caucasian and 3 Japanese families. One recurrent missense mutation (p.Asp106Asn) was previously reported in Turkish and Italian families, while the other 2 mutations (p.Leu18Serfs*8 and p.Cys180*) are novel. We also show that mutant PRUNE1 mRNA can be subject to nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay. The patients presented in this study showed atypical NMIHBA phenotypes with no progressive microcephaly. Furthermore, one Caucasian case had significant macrocephaly; therefore, patients with PRUNE1 mutations can exhibit a broad and heterogeneous spectrum of phenotypes.
Primary versus secondary tracheoesophageal puncture for voice rehabilitation in laryngectomy patients: A systematic review
Authors: Luu K. , Chang B.A. , Valenzuela D. , Anderson D.
Published: May 2018

Background

Among voice restoration options following laryngectomy, tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) appears to be the most common. Currently, there is no consensus that exists with regard to the timing of performing TEP and the decision to perform a primary or secondary TEP has mostly been based on physician preference and expert opinion rather than data.

Objective of Review

The objective of this study was to compare primary and secondary tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) for voice rehabilitation in laryngectomy patients in terms of success and complication rates.

Type of Review

A systematic review of studies in the English literature was conducted for studies that directly compared primary and secondary TEP.

Search Strategy

A comprehensive search of MEDLINE (January 1948‐15 July 2016), EMBASE (January 1974‐15 July 2016) and Web of Science (January 1970‐15 July 2016) was performed.

Evaluation Method

Two authors (KL/BAC) independently reviewed titles and abstracts, read full‐text papers, extracted data and assessed quality. Disagreements were resolved via consensus. A third author (DV) resolved disagreements between reviewers when consensus was not possible.

Results

Eleven retrospective clinical cohort studies were included. No randomised controlled trials were identified. Newcastle‐Ottawa score for assessment of quality ranged from 5 to 7. Success rate was defined differently across most studies. Two studies found higher success with primary TEP compared to secondary TEP; nine studies found no difference. Voice outcomes were inconsistently measured; no difference between groups was found in 4 studies. Complication rates were divided into TEP site related, infectious and stenosis. No difference between primary and secondary TEP was found in all but one study which showed a higher rate of pharyngocutaneous fistula in the primary TEP group in salvage laryngectomy patients.

Conclusions

There is no robust evidence to suggest that primary TEP is associated with poorer outcomes compared to secondary TEP. A well‐designed randomised controlled trial is required to appropriately answer this question.