bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mary Wollstonecraft and Freedom as Independence
Authors: Halldenius Lena
Published: December 2017

This chapter demonstrates how Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–97) uses feminist principles to modify and adapt the republican ideal of freedom as the absence of domination or dependence. It shows that, according to Wollstonecraft, freedom consists in the secure entitlement to act in accordance with the dictates of reason—a freedom that depends upon the possession of a certain social standing and the absence of a dominating master. Crucially, according to this chapter, freedom from domination is relational: it bestows a special status on the moral subject in relation to others. Freedom from subjugation thus gives the individual a certain empowerment, or certain entitlement, with respect to other members of society. The chapter ends by showing how Wollstonecraft takes this idea to its logical feminist conclusion: a call for the equal rights of men and women in civil society.
Anne Conway on Liberty
Authors: Lascano Marcy P.
Published: December 2017

This chapter makes sense of Anne Conway’s account of humans’ free will and capacity to choose to sin given her commitment to the belief that creatures are naturally inclined towards the good. It does so by: first, laying out the foundations of Conway’s metaphysics, including the difference between God’s and humans’ free will; second, explaining the human’s love for that which is similar to her, even when the object loved is of a lesser degree of perfection; and third, showing how moral choices can have implications for the metaphysical natures of creatures. This chapter concludes with Conway’s theodicy, which is grounded in her belief that, despite creatures’ abilities to sin and, thus, to degenerate, God’s goodness nonetheless ensures universal salvation for all his creatures.
Creation, Divine Freedom, and Catharine Cockburn
Authors: Thomas Emily
Published: December 2017

This chapter argues that Catharine Cockburn occupies an original and unique position in the debate surrounding God’s freedom and the intellectualist/voluntarist dispute. While she advances an intellectualist position—according to which God knows what is morally right, and his will is constrained to create within the confines of his knowledge—for Cockburn, God nonetheless enjoys a broad range of options. This position is defended by looking at Cockburn’s reaction to arguments made by Edmund Law and her relation to positions advocated in the Leibniz–Clarke correspondence. Special attention is paid to the role that possible worlds play in Cockburn’s arguments, as well as to the conception of the contingency of laws (both moral and natural), which is at play in Cockburn’s work.
Cross-modal correspondences and affect in a Schubert song
Authors: Eitan Zohar , Timmers Renee , Adler Mordechai
Published: December 2017

Light, distance and motion are prominent features in Heine’s ‘Am fernen Horizonten’. A city is veiled in dusk, the sun rises from the earth and the boatman rows with sad strokes. Using empirical findings on cross-modal and affective associations with sounds, we examine Schubert’s interpretation and illustration of these metaphorical dimensions in ‘Die Stadt’. Focusing on local variations in tempo and dynamics, we analyse how the emotional and cross-modal connotations of the song are modified in three performances, provindinginsight into the interrelationship between cross-modal and affective connotations of musical sound. Such interrelationships may suggest complex and often equivocal musical meanings. For example, emotional ‘distance’ is associated with physical distance, as modulated by loudness; visual brightness, as modulated by pitch and timbre, can be painful when unveiling a ‘dark’ memory. Thus, our analysis indicates how musical structures and contours may suggest and interact with perceptual and metaphorical shape in multiple dimensions.
Negotiations
Authors: Gratier Maya , Evans Rebecca , Stevanovic Ksenija
Published: December 2017

This chapter looks at real-life embodied social dynamics between the members of a jazz quartet as they work to record an album in a professional studio. The study is based on audio and video recordings of one of the songs on the album, using data both from the recording booths and from the control room during listening and feedback sessions. In addition, the bass and drum tracks for four takes of the song are analyzed to explore the timing of the rhythmic interactions between drummer and bass player. The first part of the chapter focuses on the verbal negotiations between the bass player and the drummer, highlighting a fundamental disagreement about the value of different takes of the same piece. The second part seeks to disentangle the disagreement on the basis of a more objective analysis of the sound traces left by the musicians.
The Agrobacterium F-Box Protein Effector VirF Destabilizes the Arabidopsis GLABROUS1 Enhancer/Binding Protein-Like Transcription Factor VFP4, a Transcriptional Activator of Defense Response Genes
Authors: García-Cano Elena , Hak Hagit , Magori Shimpei , Lazarowitz Sondra G. , Citovsky Vitaly
Published: December 2017

Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation not only represents a technology of choice to genetically manipulate plants, but it also serves as a model system to study mechanisms employed by invading pathogens to counter the myriad defenses mounted against them by the host cell. Here, we uncover a new layer of plant defenses that is targeted by A. tumefaciens to facilitate infection. We show that the Agrobacterium F-box effector VirF, which is exported into the host cell, recognizes an Arabidopsis transcription factor VFP4 and targets it for proteasomal degradation. We hypothesize that VFP4 resists Agrobacterium infection and that the bacterium utilizes its VirF effector to degrade VFP4 and thereby mitigate the VFP4-based defense. Indeed, loss-of-function mutations in VFP4 resulted in differential expression of numerous biotic stress–response genes, suggesting that one of the functions of VFP4 is to control a spectrum of plant defenses, including those against Agrobacterium tumefaciens. We identified one such gene, ATL31, known to mediate resistance to bacterial pathogens. ATL31 was transcriptionally repressed in VFP4 loss-of-function plants and activated in VFP4 gain-of-function plants. Gain-of-function lines of VFP4 and ATL31 exhibited recalcitrance to Agrobacterium tumorigenicity, suggesting that A. tumefaciens may utilize the host ubiquitin/proteasome system to destabilize transcriptional regulators of the host disease response machinery.
Root-Associated Bacterial and Fungal Community Profiles ofArabidopsis thalianaAre Robust Across Contrasting Soil P Levels
Authors: Robbins Chanz , Thiergart Thorsten , Hacquard Stéphane , Garrido-Oter Ruben , Gans Wolfgang , Peiter Edgar , Schulze-Lefert Paul , Spaepen Stijn
Published: December 2017

Plant survival depends on the ability of roots to sense and acquire nutrients in soils, which harbor a rich diversity of microbes. A subset of this microcosm interacts with plant roots and collectively forms root-associated microbial communities, termed the root microbiota. Under phosphorus-limiting conditions, some plants can engage in mutualistic interactions, for example with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Here, we describe how Arabidopsis thaliana, which lacks the genetic capacity for establishing the aforementioned symbiosis, interacts with soil-resident bacteria and fungi in soil from a long-term phosphorus fertilization trial. Long-term, contrasting fertilization regimes resulted in an ∼6-fold and ∼2.4-fold disparity in bioavailable and total phosphorous, respectively, which may explain differences in biomass of A. thaliana plants. Sequencing of marker genes enabled us to characterize bacterial and fungal communities present in the bulk soil, rhizosphere, and root compartments. Phosphorus had little effect on alpha- or beta-diversity indices, but more strongly influences bacterial and fungal community shifts in plant-associated compartments compared with bulk soil. The significant impact of soil P abundance could only be resolved at operational taxonomic unit level, and these subtle differences are more pronounced in the root compartment. We conclude that despite decades of different fertilization, both bacterial and fungal soil communities remained unexpectedly stable in soils tested, suggesting that the soil biota is resilient over time to nutrient supplementation. Conversely, low-abundance, root-associated microbes, which collectively represent 2 to 3% of the relative abundance of bacteria and fungi in the roots, exhibited a subtle, yet significant shift between the two soils.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Sleeping, TV, Cognitively Stimulating Activities, Physical Activity, and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Symptom Incidence in Children: A Prospective Study
Authors: Peralta Gabriela P. , Forns Joan , García de la Hera Manuela , González Llúcia , Guxens Mònica , López-Vicente Mónica , Sunyer Jordi , Garcia-Aymerich Judith
Published: December 2017

Objective:

To analyze associations between time spent sleeping, watching TV, engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, and engaging in physical activity, all at 4 years, and (1) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and (2) behavior problems, both assessed at 7 years, in ADHD-free children at baseline.

Method:

In total, 817 participants of the Infancia y Medio Ambiente birth cohort, without ADHD at baseline, were included. At the 4-year follow-up, parents reported the time that their children spent sleeping, watching TV, engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, and engaging in physical activity. At the 7-year follow-up, parents completed the Conners' Parent Rating Scales and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, which measure ADHD symptoms and behavior problems, respectively. Negative binomial regression models were used to assess associations between the activities at 4 years and ADHD symptoms and behavior problems at 7 years.

Results:

Children (48% girls) spent a median (p25–p75) of 10 (10–11) hours per day sleeping, 1.5 (0.9–2) hours per day watching TV, 1.4 (0.9–1.9) hours per day engaging in cognitively stimulating activities, and 1.5 (0.4–2.3) hours per day engaging in physical activity. Longer sleep duration (>10 hours per day) was associated with a lower ADHD symptom score (adjusted incidence rate ratio = 0.97, 95% confidence interval, 0.95–1.00). Longer time spent in cognitively stimulating activities (>1 hours per day) was associated with lower scores of both ADHD symptoms (0.96, 0.94–0.98) and behavior problems (0.89, 0.83–0.97). Time spent watching TV and engaging in physical activity were not associated with either outcomes.

Conclusion:

A shorter sleep duration and less time spent in cognitively stimulating activities were associated with an increased risk of developing ADHD symptoms and behavior problems.
Is There Any Association Between Foot Posture and Lower Limb–Related Injuries in Professional Male Basketball Players? A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Lopezosa-Reca Eva , Gijon-Nogueron Gabriel , Morales-Asencio Jose Miguel , Cervera-Marin Jose Antonio , Luque-Suarez Alejandro
Published: December 2017

Background:

Several studies have shown that foot posture is related to the incidence of ankle sprains in athletes and in nonathletic populations, but this association has not previously been considered in basketball players. This study investigates the relationship between foot posture and lower limb injuries in elite basketball players.

Design and Method:

Two hundred twenty participants were recruited as a convenience sample. The players had a mean age of 22.51 ± 3.88 years and a body mass index of 23.98 ± 1.80. The players' medical records were accessed from the preceding 10 years, and injuries were recorded according to their location (knee, foot, and/or ankle). In addition, the Foot Posture Index (FPI) was scored for each player, and their playing positions were noted.

Results:

An average FPI score of 2.66 was obtained across all players, with guards presenting a significantly lower average FPI of −0.48 (P < 0.001) compared with the rest of playing positions, indicating a more supinated foot. However, center players presented an average FPI of 5.15 (P < 0.001), indicating a more pronated foot. The most common injuries observed were lateral ankle sprain (n = 214) and patellar tendinopathy (n = 126). Patellar tendinopathy was more common in supinated feet (30.08%) compared with 20.7% and 19.8% in pronated and neutral feet, respectively.

Conclusions:

The most common lower limb injuries observed in basketball players were lateral ankle sprain and patellar tendinopathy. Patellar tendinopathy was more commonly associated with the supinated feet. Guard players tended to have a more supinated foot, whereas centers presented a more pronated foot.
Factors Predictive of Severe Multiple Sclerosis Disease Reactivation After Fingolimod Cessation
Authors: Uygunoglu Ugur , Tutuncu Melih , Altintas Ayse , Saip Sabahattin , Siva Aksel
Published: December 2017

Background:

Fingolimod withdrawal may trigger the return of pretreatment disease activity. It is difficult to identify patients at risk of disease reactivation. We compared the demographic and clinical features of patients experiencing severe disease reactivation (SDR) after fingolimod cessation with those of patients who did not.

Methods:

All patients who commenced fingolimod and who continued therapy for at least 6 months were included. The demographic and clinical features of the 2 groups (SDR vs. no SDR) were assessed.

Results:

Forty-four of 303 patients discontinued fingolimod for various reasons. Among these, 31 fulfilled our inclusion criteria and 8 (25.8%) exhibited SDR after drug cessation. The mean time for SDR was 2.6 months (range, 2 to 3 mo). The annualized relapse rate before fingolimod therapy was higher in the SDR than in the non-SDR group (1.59 vs. 0.81) (P=0.018). Although statistical significance was not attained, the mean Expanded Disability Status Scale score at the time of fingolimod cessation was higher in the non-SDR than in the SDR group (2.5 vs. 1.12) (P=0.074).

Conclusions:

SDR may develop within the first 3 months after cessation of fingolimod. Patients with higher annualized relapse rates and lower Expanded Disability Status Scale scores before commencing fingolimod treatment were more likely to exhibit SDR.
Acetazolamide-responsive Episodic Ataxia Without Baseline Deficits or Seizures Secondary to GLUT1 Deficiency
Authors: Tchapyjnikov Dmitry , Mikati Mohamad A.
Published: December 2017

Introduction:

Glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT1 DS) is caused by impaired glucose transport across the blood-brain barrier and commonly presents as severe early onset epilepsy, developmental delay, and movement abnormalities. In rare instances, GLUT1 DS can present as a paroxysmal movement disorder without the other classic symptoms. Episodic ataxia (EA) secondary to GLUT1 DS has been previously reported, but all previous patients had seizures and/or baseline abnormalities on neurological examination. Isolated acetazolamide-responsive EA secondary to GLUT1 DS without deficits on neurological examination and without seizures has not been described.

Case Report:

A 4-year-old boy presented with EA, no baseline neurological abnormalities, and no history of seizures. He was initiated on acetazolamide with a ≥75% improvement in frequency and severity of episodes. A genetic testing panel for EAs subsequently returned positive for a mutation in the SLC2A1 gene and cerebrospinal fluid analysis showed hypoglycorrhachia in the setting of normal blood glucose, which confirmed the diagnosis of GLUT1 DS. His symptoms resolved completely with ketogenic diet initiation even with discontinuation of acetazolamide.

Conclusions:

To our knowledge, this represents one of the mildest described presentations of nonepileptic GLUT1 DS consisting of acetazolamide-responsive EA without seizures or baseline neurological examination abnormalities. Our experience supports increased vigilance for this treatable cause of EA.
Multiple Eruptive Epithelioid Hemangiomas
Authors: Llamas-Velasco Mar , Kempf Werner , Cota Carlo , Fernández-Figueras Maria Teresa , Lee Joyce , Ferrara Gerardo , Sander Christian , Shapiro Philip E. , Requena Luis , Kutzner Heinz
Published: December 2017

There is a wide clinicopathologic spectrum of vascular proliferations characterized by the presence of epithelioid endothelial cells, comprising epithelioid hemangioma (EH)—pseudomyogenic (epithelioid sarcoma-like) hemangioendothelioma (PM-HAE), epithelioid hemangioendothelioma, and epithelioid angiosarcoma. Immunohistochemical FOS-B expression as well as FOS-B rearrangement (fluorescent in situ hybridization [FISH]) have recently been described as diagnostically relevant underpinnings of EH (restricted to osseous lesions) and PM-HAE. The aim of this study was to clinicopathologically characterize and to elucidate FOS-B expression in patients with eruptive lesions of the cellular variant of cutaneous EH. All cases of cutaneous cellular EH (n=16) showed strong diffuse immunohistochemical expression of FOS-B, in conjunction with positivity for ERG and nestin. Expression of MYC, CAMTA-1, AE1/3, and MNF116 was negative in all cases. FISH investigations did not show any sign of rearrangements for CAMTA-1 or MYC amplification. Negative-control cases included 15 lobular hemangiomas, 5 epithelioid angiosarcomas, and 5 nodular Kaposi sarcomas, all of which were negative for FOS-B. Positive-control cases included 15 angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia cases, all of them being positive. In contrast with what has been published so far, cutaneous variants of cellular EH exhibit positive immunostaining for FOS-B. Remarkably, FOS-B expression is not restricted to the intraosseous subset of EH. For differential diagnosis of epithelioid vascular tumors, we therefore suggest a helpful panel of antibodies including CAMTA-1, TFE-3, FOS-B, and AE1/AE3. We point out the telltale immunophenotypes: angiolymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia and EH (FOS-B+/others negative), PM-HAE (FOS-B+/AE1/AE3+/others negative), epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (CAMTA-1+ or TFE-3+/others negative). Remarkably, MYC is not expressed in these tumors, neither is there an MYC amplification by FISH. We suggest the term multiple eruptive EHs for this subset of cutaneous vascular tumors.
Increased Methylene Diphosphonate Uptake in the Rectus Abdominis After Strenuous Exercise
Authors: Zhou Dan , Yuan Feng , Peng Xianfeng , Lan Haomiao , Shao Fuqiang
Published: December 2017

A 28-year-old man with papillary thyroid cancer underwent bone scintigraphy to assess possible osseous metastasis. He had vigorous workouts 5 days prior, which involved pectorals, rectus abdominis, quadriceps, and glutei. However, the images only showed increased activity in the rectus abdominis, whereas other involved muscles had no obvious uptake. No lesion in the bone was identified.
Hyperparathyroidism Caused by Coexisting Parathyroid Hyperplasia and Ectopic Parathyroid Adenomas
Authors: Xie Peng , Huang Jianmin
Published: December 2017

99mTc sestamibi parathyroid scan was performed in a 35-year-old man with chronic renal failure to evaluate the cause of increased serum parathyroid hormone. Both early and delayed images showed intense activity overlapping the left upper pole of the thyroid, which was proven to be nodular parathyroid hyperplasia after parathyroidectomy. However, the levels of serum parathyroid hormone remained elevated postsurgically. A repeat sestamibi study revealed abnormal activity in the left upper mediastinum, which could also be subtly seen on initial sestamibi study. A retrosternal lesion was resected, which was confirmed as an ectopic parathyroid adenoma by pathological examination.
Whole blood and Hextend: Bookends of modern tactical combat casualty care field resuscitation and starting point for multifunctional resuscitation fluid development
Authors: Sheppard Forest R. , Mitchell Thomas A. , Macko Antoni R. , Fryer Darren M. , Schaub Leasha J. , Ozuna Kassandra M. , Glaser Jacob J.
Published: December 2017

BACKGROUND

Hemorrhage is the leading cause of preventable death in traumatically injured civilian and military populations. Prehospital resuscitation largely relies on crystalloid and colloid intravascular expansion, as whole blood and component blood therapy are logistically arduous. In this experiment, we evaluated the bookends of Tactical Combat Casualty Care Guidelines recommendations of prehospital resuscitation with Hextend and whole blood in a controlled hemorrhagic shock model within non-human primates, as means of a multifunctional resuscitative fluid development.

METHODS

In the nonhuman primate, a multiple injuries model was used, consisting of a musculoskeletal injury (femur fracture), soft tissue injury (15-cm laparotomy), and controlled hemorrhage to a mean arterial pressure of 20 mm Hg, demarcating the beginning of the shock period. Animals were randomized to prehospital interventions of whole blood or Hextend at T = 0 minutes, and at T = 90 minutes definitive surgical interventions and balanced sanguineous damage control resuscitation could be implemented. All animals were euthanized at T = 480 minutes. Data are expressed as mean ± SEM; significance, p < 0.05.

RESULTS

No significant differences in survival (83% vs. 100%; p = 0.3), tissue perfusion (Etco
2 and Sto
2) or endpoints of resuscitation (base deficit, lactate, pH) between Hextend and whole blood were identified. Second, whole blood compared with Hextend demonstrated significantly earlier normalization of clot formation time, maximal clot firmness, and α angle.

CONCLUSION

A future multifunctional resuscitative fluid including an asanguineous, oncotic, non–oxygen-carrying component to facilitate intravascular volume expansion, and a component with synthetic coagulation factors and fibrinogen to deter coagulopathy may show equivalence to whole blood.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A

Study type: translational animal model.
EGL-19 and EXP-2 Ion Channels Modelling within C. Elegans Pharyngeal Muscle Cell Allows Reproduction of CA2+ Driven Action Potentials, Both Single Events and Trains
Authors: Palyanov Andrey Yu. , Samoilova Khristina V. , Palyanova Natalia V.
Published: December 2017

One of the current problems at the interface between neuroscience, biophysics, and computational modeling is the reverse-engineering and reproduction ofCaenorhabditis elegansusing computer simulation. The aim of our research was to develop the computational models and techniques for solving this problem while participating in the international open science OpenWorm Project. We have suggested models of a typicalC. elegansneuron and a pharyngeal muscle cell, which were constructed and optimized using the NEURON simulation environment. The available experimental data about EGL-19 and EXP-2 ion channels allowed the model of a muscle to reproduce the action potential time profile correctly. Also, the model of a neuron reproduces quite accurately the mechanism of neural signal transmission based on passive propagation. We believe our models to be promising for better representing the specifics of various nervous and muscular cell classes when adding the corresponding ion channel models. Moreover, they can be used to construct the networks of such elements.
Process proteomics of beer reveals a dynamic proteome with extensive modifications
Authors: Schulz Benjamin L. , Phung Toan K. , Bruschi Michele , Janusz Agnieszka , Stewart Jeff , Mehan John , Healy Peter , Nouwens Amanda S. , Fox Glen P. , Vickers Claudia E.
Published: December 2017

Modern beer production is a complex industrial process. However, some of its biochemical details remain unclear. Using mass spectrometry proteomics, we have performed a global untargeted analysis of the proteins present across time during nano-scale beer production. Samples included sweet wort produced by a high temperature infusion mash, hopped wort, and bright beer. This analysis identified over 200 unique proteins from barley and yeast, emphasizing the complexity of the process and product. We then used data independent SWATH-MS to quantitatively compare the relative abundance of these proteins throughout the process. This identified large and significant changes in the proteome at each process step. These changes described enrichment of proteins by their biophysical properties, and identified the appearance of dominant yeast proteins during fermentation. Altered levels of malt modification also quantitatively changed the proteomes throughout the process. Detailed inspection of the proteomic data revealed that many proteins were modified by protease digestion, glycation, or oxidation during the processing steps. This work demonstrates the opportunities offered by modern mass spectrometry proteomics in understanding the ancient process of beer production.
Ancient tropical extinctions contributed to the latitudinal diversity gradient
Authors: Meseguer Andrea S. , Condamine Fabien L.
Published: December 2017

Biodiversity currently peaks at the equator, decreasing toward the poles. Growing fossil evidence suggest that this hump-shaped latitudinal diversity gradient (LDG) has not been persistent through time, with similar species diversity across latitudes flattening out the LDG during past greenhouse periods. This provides a new starting point for LDG research. Most studies assume the processes shaping the LDG have acted constantly through time and seek to understand why diversity accumulated in the Holarctic at lower levels than at the equator, e.g. as the result of limited dispersal, or higher turnover in Holarctic regions. However, fossil investigations suggest that we need to explain when and why diversity was lost at high latitudes to generate the LDG. Unfortunately, diversity lost scenarios in the Holarctic have been repeatedly proposed but not yet clearly demonstrated. Here, we use diversification approaches for both phylogenies and fossils to study the LDG of Testudines, Crocodilia and Lepidosauria. We show the LDG of these groups has varied over time, with high latitudes serving as a source of tropical diversity but suffering disproportionate extinction during transitional periods to cold climate. We outline the ‘asymmetric gradient of extinction and dispersal’ (AGED) framework, which contextualizes previous ideas behind the LDG under a time-variable scenario. We suggest the current steep LDG may be explained by the extinction of clades adapted to warmer conditions from the new temperate regions formed in the Neogene, together with the equator-ward dispersal of organisms tracking their own climatic preferences, when tropical biomes became restricted to the equator. Conversely, high rates of speciation and pole-ward dispersals can account for the formation of an ancient flat LDG during the Cretaceous–Paleogene greenhouse period. Our results demonstrate that the inclusion of fossils in macroevolutionary studies allows detecting extinction events less detectable in analyses restricted to present-day data only.
Quantification of very low-abundant proteins in bacteria using the HaloTag and epi-fluorescence microscopy
Authors: Lepore Alessia , Taylor Hannah , Landgraf Dirk , Okumus Burak , Jaramillo-Riveri Sebastián , McLaren Lorna , Bakshi Somenath , Paulsson Johan , El Karoui M.
Published: December 2017

Cell biology is increasingly dependent on quantitative methods resulting in the need for microscopic labelling technologies that are highly sensitive and specific. Whilst the use of fluorescent proteins has led to major advances, they also suffer from their relatively low brightness and photo-stability, making the detection of very low abundance proteins using fluorescent protein-based methods challenging. Here, we characterize the use of the self-labelling protein tag called HaloTag, in conjunction with an organic fluorescent dye, to label and accurately count endogenous proteins present in very low numbers (<7) in individualEscherichia colicells. This procedure can be used to detect single molecules in fixed cells with conventional epifluorescence illumination and a standard microscope. We show that the detection efficiency of proteins labelled with the HaloTag is ≥80%, which is on par or better than previous techniques. Therefore, this method offers a simple and attractive alternative to current procedures to detect low abundance molecules.
Structural organization and energy storage in crosslinked actin-assemblies
Authors: Ma Rui , Berro Julien
Published: December 2017

During clathrin-mediated endocytosis in yeast cells, short actin filaments (< 200nm) and crosslinking protein fimbrin assemble to drive the internalization of the plasma membrane. However, the organization of the actin meshwork during endocytosis remains largely unknown. In addition, only a small fraction of the force necessary to elongate and pinch off vesicles can be accounted for by actin polymerization alone. In this paper, we used mathematical modeling to study the self-organization of rigid actin filaments in the presence of elastic crosslinkers in conditions relevant to endocytosis. We found that actin filaments condense into either a disordered meshwork or an ordered bundle depending on filament length and the mechanical and kinetical properties of the crosslinkers. Our simulations also demonstrated that these nanometer-scale actin structures can store a large amount of elastic energy within the crosslinkers (up to 10kBT per crosslinker). This conversion of binding energy into elastic energy is the consequence of geometric constraints created by the helical pitch of the actin filaments, which results in frustrated configurations of crosslinkers attached to filaments. We propose that this stored elastic energy can be used at a later time in the endocytic process. As a proof of principle, we presented a simple mechanism for sustained torque production by ordered detachment of crosslinkers from a pair of parallel filaments.
Confidence assessment and interval prediction for multi-input model via grey system theory
Authors: Wang Haoliang , Dong Xiwang , Li Qingdong , Ren Zhang
Published: December 2017

Purpose

By using small reference samples, the calculation method of confidence value and prediction method of confidence interval for multi-input system are investigated. The purpose of this paper is to offer effective assessing methods of confidence value and confidence interval for the simulation models used in establishing guidance and control systems.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, first, an improved cluster estimation method is proposed to guide the selection of the small reference samples. Then, based on analytic hierarchy process method, the new calculation method of the weight of each reference sample is derived. By using the grey relation analysis method, new calculation methods of the correlation coefficient and confidence value are presented. Moreover, the confidence interval of the sample awaiting assessment is defined. A new prediction method is derived to obtain the confidence interval of the sample awaiting assessment which has no reference sample. Subsequently, by using the prediction method and original small reference samples, Bootstrap resampling method is used to obtain more correlation coefficients for the sample to reduce the probability of abandoning the true.

Findings

The grey relational analysis is used in assessing the confidence value and interval prediction. The numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results.

Originality/value

Based on the selected small reference samples, new calculation methods of the correlation coefficient and confidence value are presented to assess the confidence value of model awaiting assessment. The calculation methods of maximum confidence interval, expected confidence interval and other required confidence intervals are presented, which can be used in assessing the validities of controller and guidance system obtained from the model awaiting assessment.
Studies on the properties of buffer operators
Authors: Yao Tianxiang , Gao Hong
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Buffer operators can be utilized to improve the smooth degree of the raw data sequence, and to increase the simulation accuracy of the model. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the cause of increase in the simulation accuracy of the buffer operator.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper probed into the modeling mechanism of several typical buffer operators such as the arithmetic buffer operators, the buffer operators with monotonic function and weighted buffer operators. The paper also gives an example of the buffer operator sequence.

Findings

The results indicate that after applying an infinite buffer operator, whether the authors adopt a weakening buffer operator or a strengthen buffer operator, the raw sequence can be changed into a constant sequence. Because the discrete GM(1,1) model can completely simulate constant sequence, the simulation accuracy is 100 percent. Because the discrete GM(1,1) model is the accurate form of the GM(1,1) model, after applying an infinite buffer operator, the GM(1,1) model can have a very high simulation accuracy. The buffer operator model can increase the simulation accuracy of both the GM(1,1) model and the discrete GM(1,1) model.

Originality/value

The paper analyses the cause of increasing simulation accuracy of the buffer operator model. The paper may indicate that possible results can be studied in the future. All the buffer operator models have similar properties. After applying an infinite buffer operator, the raw sequence can be changed into a constant sequence. A fixed-point axiom may be the basic cause.
Interval grey number based project scheduling model and algorithm
Authors: Xie Naiming
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to combine the interval grey number algorithm with a project scheduling model, so as to solve the interval grey number based project scheduling problem.

Design/methodology/approach

According to the grey system theory, if we could not clearly collect the right value of an activity while obtaining the upper and lower boundaries of the activity duration time, we can find activity duration time as interval grey number. This paper tries to combine interval grey number with project scheduling problem. The general definition of interval grey number was given. And then the linear operations of independent interval grey number and non-independent interval grey number were further defined. Interval grey number based project scheduling model and its algorithm were further proposed. Finally, a numerical case was adopted to test the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Findings

The results show that grey project scheduling and grey critical path method could be established under interval grey number measured activities.

Practical implications

Scheduling problem was widely used in project planning and control. This manuscript attempted to combine interval grey number with project scheduling so as to explain the flexible deadline in a special project. It is truly in accordance with the requirements for real applications.

Originality/value

This paper proposed linear operations of independent and non-independent interval grey numbers, and proposed a interval grey number based project scheduling model. Valuable contribution is to combine interval grey numbers with project scheduling and it is meaningful to make a useful strategy in a flexible condition of project scheduling.
Resource configurations for new family venture growth
Authors: Mallon Mark R. , Lanivich Stephen E. , Klinger Ryan L.
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Sustainable Family Business Theory states that human, social, and financial capital are important for new family venture growth, yet there may be multiple combinations that could be beneficial. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether all three types of resources are always needed for growth.

Design/methodology/approach

Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis, a configurational method, is used to investigate which combinations of human, social, and financial capital consistently lead to new family venture growth.

Findings

Multiple distinct combinations of resources – usually containing some form of human capital along with either social or financial capital – were sufficient for new family ventures to grow.

Research limitations/implications

The findings contribute to a more accurate Sustainable Family Business Theory in terms of the resource bundles needed to achieve growth. Not all three primary resources are needed at founding for the venture to grow. Results suggest a need for renewed focus on human capital in family venture research, as well as further investigations of the resource configurations uncovered here and their effects on family firm outcomes.

Practical implications

Given the costs associated with acquiring resources, the findings can inform family entrepreneurs and other stakeholders purposed with assisting new family ventures regarding optimal avenues of achieving growth.

Originality/value

This study advances theory by demonstrating which combinations of primary resources lead to new family venture growth. The findings shed light on how human, social, and financial capital may substitute for each other, as well as how the value of each depends on the presence or absence of the others.
Self-employment: the significance of ability, desire and opportunity
Authors: Broomé Per , Ohlsson Henrik
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of ability, desire and opportunity on the individual’s intention to be self-employed.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors created a database from Swedish national registers consisting of all individuals residing in Sweden sometime during the period 1997-2010 and selected all 333,001 full sibling pairs, 12,810 maternal half sibling pairs and 15,944 paternal half sibling pairs. Three types of entrepreneurs were defined based on information from the Swedish Tax Register. The authors divided the intention to be self-employed into ability and desire and defined ability as a genetic factor and desire as a common family factor. A classical twin model was used to separate the variance of the outcome variables into genetic, common and unshared environmental factors.

Findings

The study demonstrates that the influence from opportunity on the intention to be self-employed is generally strong and that all factors, ability, desire and opportunity, differ, both in size and content, for the three outcomes of entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

The authors divide self-employment into three distinct company types, which enables a sophisticated additive genetic analysis of the ability, desire and opportunity to be self-employed. The authors contribute to the understanding of why individuals become self-employed by examining the influences from internal and external factors of family on the intentions of self-employment.
Forecasting performance of time series models on electricity spot markets: a quasi-meta-analysis
Authors: Gürtler Marc , Paulsen Thomas
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Empirical publications on the time series modeling and forecasting of electricity prices vary widely regarding the conditions, and the findings make it difficult to generalize results. Against this background, it is surprising that there is a lack of statistics-based literature reviews on the forecasting performance when comparing different models. The purpose of the present study is to fill this gap.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a comprehensive literature analysis from 2000 to 2015, covering 86 empirical studies on the time series modeling and forecasting of electricity spot prices. Various statistics are presented to characterize the empirical literature on electricity spot price modeling, and the forecasting performance of several model types and modifications is analyzed. The key issue of this study is to offer a comparison between different model types and modeling conditions regarding their forecasting performance, which is referred to as a quasi-meta-analysis, i.e. the analysis of analyses to achieve more general findings independent of the circumstances of single studies.

Findings

The authors find evidence that generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity models outperform their autoregressive–moving-average counterparts and that the consideration of explanatory variables improves forecasts.

Originality/value

To the best knowledge of the authors, this paper is the first to apply the methodology of meta-analyses in a literature review of the empirical forecasting literature on electricity spot markets.
Teachers’ pedagogical reasoning and reframing of practice in digital contexts
Authors: Holmberg Jörgen , Fransson Göran , Fors Uno
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to advance the understanding of teachers’ reframing of practice in digital contexts by analysing teachers’ pedagogical reasoning processes as they explore ways of using information and communication technologies (ICT) to create added pedagogical value.

Design/methodology/approach

A design-based research (DBR) approach is employed, in which the on-site researcher collaborates with eight teachers of English as a foreign language in four Swedish schools over a period of two years. Multiple data sources are included for thematic coding and analysis. The technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) framework is used as a conceptual construct in the analysis.

Findings

The findings show that teachers’ pedagogical reasoning is a complex and multidimensional process and is closely integrated with teachers’ reframing of practice. Common characteristics in the teachers’ reframing of practice are identified. The results highlight the reciprocal relationship between developments in teachers’ pedagogical reasoning and TPACK development and the need for a distinction between general and specific, theoretical and practical TPACK.

Research limitations/implications

An increased focus on TPACK research on teachers’ pedagogical reasoning is required. DBR is a relevant approach for this.

Practical implications

The pedagogical uses of ICT identified as adding value could benefit teachers in other contexts.

Originality/value

Rich data from multiple design contexts are collected and analysed over time through DBR. The paper contributes new knowledge about the process of pedagogical reasoning and its relation to teachers’ reframing of practice. The paper also contributes to TPACK theory development.
Supporting asylum seekers and refugees who suffer chronic pain: an experience
Authors: Negron Andreia
Published: December 2017

Purpose

Refugees and asylum seekers often present complex health needs, including chronic pain, related to traumatic experiences. To help them manage their pain, the Wellbeing and Self-Care Service provides health advice, pain education, soft tissue manual therapies and training in self-help techniques. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

A 0-10 pain scale (0= no pain, 10= very severe pain) is used to record reported intensity of pain before and after treatment. Change is analysed by comparing the position of a tick on the scale before and after therapy. In follow-up appointments, attendees were asked whether they were practicing self-help techniques; if they experienced improvement, and if so, how long it lasted; and whether they had reduced the use of painkillers.

Findings

From April 2014 to March 2015, 192 people were seen in 524 therapeutic encounters (63 per cent females, 37 per cent males). In total, 173 (90 per cent) were asylum seekers and refugees. Of the refugees and asylum seekers, 40 per cent were torture survivors. After treatment, 53 per cent of the 192 people treated showed a major reduction of pain, and 39 per cent a moderate reduction. In follow-up encounters, 87 per cent reported improvement (⩾2 weeks, 46 per cent), 70 per cent reported a reduction in the use of painkillers and 83 per cent reported that they practiced self-help techniques to different degrees.

Originality/value

Soft tissue manual therapies combined with education and training that emphasise communication and active patient participation in the healing process are non-invasive therapeutic approaches that can confer temporary relief to refugees and asylum seekers suffering chronic pain.
Monitoring process control chart with finite mixture probability distribution
Authors: Vicentin Damaris Serigatto , Silva Brena Bezerra , Piccirillo Isabela , Bueno Fernanda Campos , Oprime Pedro Carlos
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a monitoring multiple-stream processes control chart with a finite mixture of probability distributions in the manufacture industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected during production of a wheat-based dough in a food industry and the control charts were developed with these steps: to collect the master sample from different production batches; to verify, by graphical methods, the quantity and the characterization of the number of mixing probability distributions in the production batch; to adjust the theoretical model of probability distribution of each subpopulation in the production batch; to make a statistical model considering the mixture distribution of probability and assuming that the statistical parameters are unknown; to determine control limits; and to compare the mixture chart with traditional control chart.

Findings

A graph was developed for monitoring a multi-stream process composed by some parameters considered in its calculation with similar efficiency to the traditional control chart.

Originality/value

The control chart can be an efficient tool for customers that receive product batches continuously from a supplier and need to monitor statistically the critical quality parameters.
A new double exponentially weighted moving average control chart using repetitive sampling
Authors: Adeoti Olatunde Adebayo
Published: December 2017

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a double exponentially weighted moving average control chart using repetitive sampling (RS-DEWMA) for a normally distributed process variable to improve the efficiency of detecting small process mean shift.

Design/methodology/approach

The algorithm for the implementation of the proposed chart is developed and the formulae for the in-control and out-of-control average run lengths (ARLs) are derived. Tables of ARLs are presented for various process mean shift. The performance of the proposed chart is investigated in terms of the average run-length for small process mean shift and compared with the existing DEWMA control chart. Numerical examples are given as illustration of the design and implementation of the proposed chart.

Findings

The proposed control chart is more efficient than the existing DEWMA control chart in the detection of small process mean shifts as it consistently gives smaller ARL values and quickly detects the process shift. However, the performance of the proposed chart relatively deteriorates for large smoothing constants.

Practical implications

The application of repetitive sampling in the control chart literature is gaining wide acceptability. The design and implementation of the RS-DEWMA control chart offers a new approach in the detection of small process mean shift by process control personnel.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the literature by examining the performance of the repetitive sampling DEWMA control chart. The use of repetitive sampling technique in the control chart is discussed in the literature, however, its use based on the DEWMA statistic has not been considered in this context.