bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Study of Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumors and Tumefactive IgG4-related Inflammatory Lesions: the Relevance of IgG4 Plasma Cells
Authors: Chougule Abhijit , Bal Amanjit , Das Ashim , Agarwal Ritesh , Singh Navneet , Rao Katragadda L.N.
Published: October 2015

IgG4-related disease is a recently recognized systemic condition characterized by tumefactive lesions at various sites. Inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT), a tumefactive mass lesion with an unknown etiology, belongs to the spectrum of IgG4-related disease. Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT), previously considered under the umbrella of IPT, is now classified as a clonal neoplasm. Previously, both the terms were used interchangeably, because of overlapping morphologic features. This study was carried out to compare the morphologic and the immunohistochemical features of these entities and to study the role of IgG4 in their pathogenesis. Thirty-nine cases comprising of IMT (n=18) and IPT (n=21) were retrieved, and their clinical, morphologic, and immunohistochemical features were studied. IMT was more common in children as compared with IPT. IMT cases showed the proliferation of myofibroblastic cells accompanied by a variable inflammatory infiltrate, whereas IPT cases showed predominantly stromal fibrosis and a lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate with a subset of cases showing a storiform fibrosis and obliterative phlebitis. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase-1 (ALK-1) was positive in 12 of the 18 (66.7%) IMT cases, whereas none of the IPT cases showed ALK-1 immunoreactivity. IPT cases showed significantly increased IgG4+ plasma cells (mean, 127.8/high-power fields vs. 17.8/high-power fields) and a higher IgG4/IgG ratio (mean, 48.2% vs. 10.7%) as compared with IMT. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis was positive for ALK rearrangement in 6 of the 9 IMT cases tested. In conclusion, most of the IPT cases can be considered as IgG4 related on the basis of their histopathologic features and immunohistochemistry criteria. However, IMT represents a myofibroblastic neoplasm with ALK-1 overexpression and is clearly not IgG4 related.
Levey-Jennings Analysis Uncovers Unsuspected Causes of Immunohistochemistry Stain Variability
Authors: Vani Kodela , Sompuram Seshi R. , Naber Stephen P. , Goldsmith Jeffrey D. , Fulton Regan , Bogen Steven A.
Published: October 2015

Almost all clinical laboratory tests use objective, quantitative measures of quality control (QC), incorporating Levey-Jennings analysis and Westgard rules. Clinical immunohistochemistry (IHC) testing, in contrast, relies on subjective, qualitative QC review. The consequences of using Levey-Jennings analysis for QC assessment in clinical IHC testing are not known. To investigate this question, we conducted a 1- to 2-month pilot test wherein the QC for either human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) or progesterone receptor (PR) in 3 clinical IHC laboratories was quantified and analyzed with Levey-Jennings graphs. Moreover, conventional tissue controls were supplemented with a new QC comprised of HER-2 or PR peptide antigens coupled onto 8 μm glass beads. At institution 1, this more stringent analysis identified a decrease in the HER-2 tissue control that had escaped notice by subjective evaluation. The decrement was due to heterogeneity in the tissue control itself. At institution 2, we identified a 1-day sudden drop in the PR tissue control, also undetected by subjective evaluation, due to counterstain variability. At institution 3, a QC shift was identified, but only with 1 of 2 controls mounted on each slide. The QC shift was due to use of the instrument’s selective reagent drop zones dispense feature. None of these events affected patient diagnoses. These case examples illustrate that subjective QC evaluation of tissue controls can detect gross assay failure but not subtle changes. The fact that QC issues arose from each site, and in only a pilot study, suggests that immunohistochemical stain variability may be an underappreciated problem.
Homogenization of composite ferromagnetic materials
Authors: Alouges François , Di Fratta Giovanni
Published: October 2015

The objective of this paper is to perform, by means ofΓ-convergenceandtwo-scale convergence, a rigorous derivation of the homogenized Gibbs–Landau free energy functional associated with a composite periodic ferromagnetic material, i.e. a ferromagnetic material in which the heterogeneities are periodically distributed inside the media. We thus describe theΓ-limit of the Gibbs–Landau free energy functional, as the period over which the heterogeneities are distributed inside the ferromagnetic body shrinks to zero.
Carry-over effects of the social environment on future divorce probability in a wild bird population
Authors: Culina Antica , Hinde Camilla A. , Sheldon Ben C.
Published: October 2015

Initial mate choice and re-mating strategies (infidelity and divorce) influence individual fitness. Both of these should be influenced by the social environment, which determines the number and availability of potential partners. While most studies looking at this relationship take a population-level approach, individual-level responses to variation in the social environment remain largely unstudied. Here, we explore carry-over effects on future mating decisions of the social environment in which the initial mating decision occurred. Using detailed data on the winter social networks of great tits, we tested whether the probability of subsequent divorce, a year later, could be predicted by measures of the social environment at the time of pairing. We found that males that had a lower proportion of female associates, and whose partner ranked lower among these, as well as inexperienced breeders, were more likely to divorce after breeding. We found no evidence that a female's social environment influenced the probability of divorce. Our findings highlight the importance of the social environment that individuals experience during initial pair formation on later pairing outcomes, and demonstrate that such effects can be delayed. Exploring these extended effects of the social environment can yield valuable insights into processes and selective pressures acting upon the mating strategies that individuals adopt.
The quest for a mechanistic understanding of biodiversity–ecosystem services relationships
Authors: Duncan Clare , Thompson Julian R. , Pettorelli Nathalie
Published: October 2015

Ecosystem services (ES) approaches to biodiversity conservation are currently high on the ecological research and policy agendas. However, despite a wealth of studies into biodiversity's role in maintaining ES (B–ES relationships) across landscapes, we still lack generalities in the nature and strengths of these linkages. Reasons for this are manifold, but can largely be attributed to (i) a lack of adherence to definitions and thus a confusion between final ES and the ecosystem functions (EFs) underpinning them, (ii) a focus on uninformative biodiversity indices and singular hypotheses and (iii) top-down analyses across large spatial scales and overlooking of context-dependency. The biodiversity–ecosystem functioning (B–EF) field provides an alternate context for examining biodiversity's mechanistic role in shaping ES, focusing on species' characteristics that may drive EFs via multiple mechanisms across contexts. Despite acknowledgements of a need for B–ES research to look towards underlying B–EF linkages, the connections between these areas of research remains weak. With this review, we pull together recent B–EF findings to identify key areas for future developments in B–ES research. We highlight a means by which B–ES research may begin to identify how and when multiple underlying B–EF relationships may scale to final ES delivery and trade-offs.
Concurrent effects of cold and hyperkalaemia cause insect chilling injury
Authors: MacMillan Heath A. , Baatrup Erik , Overgaard Johannes
Published: October 2015

Chilling injury and death are the ultimate consequence of low temperature exposure for chill susceptible insects, and low temperature tolerance is considered one of the most important factors determining insect distribution patterns. The physiological mechanisms that cause chilling injury are unknown, but chronic cold exposure that causes injury is consistently associated with elevated extracellular [K+], and cold tolerant insects possess a greater capacity to maintain ion balance at low temperatures. Here, we use the muscle tissue of the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) to examine whether chill injury occurs during cold exposure or following return to benign temperature and we specifically examine if elevated extracellular [K+], low temperature, or a combination thereof causes cell death. We find thatin vivochill injury occurs during the cold exposure (when extracellular [K+] is high) and that there is limited capacity for repair immediately following the cold stress. Further, we demonstrate that that high extracellular [K+] causes cell deathin situ, but only when experienced at low temperatures. These findings strongly suggest that that the ability to maintain ion (particularly K+) balance is critical to insect low temperature survival, and highlight novel routes of study in the mechanisms regulating cell death in insects in the cold.
Unconstrained cranial evolution in Neandertals and modern humans compared to common chimpanzees
Authors: Weaver Timothy D. , Stringer Chris B.
Published: October 2015

A variety of lines of evidence support the idea that neutral evolutionary processes (genetic drift, mutation) have been important in generating cranial differences between Neandertals and modern humans. But how do Neandertals and modern humans compare with other species? And how do these comparisons illuminate the evolutionary processes underlying cranial diversification? To address these questions, we used 27 standard cranial measurements collected on 2524 recent modern humans, 20 Neandertals and 237 common chimpanzees to estimate split times between Neandertals and modern humans, and between
Pan troglodytes verus
and two other subspecies of common chimpanzee. Consistent with a neutral divergence, the Neandertal versus modern human split-time estimates based on cranial measurements are similar to those based on DNA sequences. By contrast, the common chimpanzee cranial estimates are much lower than DNA-sequence estimates. Apparently, cranial evolution has been unconstrained in Neandertals and modern humans compared with common chimpanzees. Based on these and additional analyses, it appears that cranial differentiation in common chimpanzees has been restricted by stabilizing natural selection. Alternatively, this restriction could be due to genetic and/or developmental constraints on the amount of within-group variance (relative to effective population size) available for genetic drift to act on.
Caproiciproducens galactitolivorans gen. nov., sp. nov., a bacterium capable of producing caproic acid from galactitol, isolated from a wastewater treatment plant
Authors: Kim Byung-Chun , Seung Jeon Byoung , Kim Seil , Kim Hyunook , Um Youngsoon , Sang Byoung-In
Published: October 2015

A strictly anaerobic, Gram-stain-positive, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated BS-1T, was isolated from an anaerobic digestion reactor during a study of bacteria utilizing galactitol as the carbon source. Its cells were 0.3–0.5 μm × 2–4 μm, and they grew at 35–45 °C and at pH 6.0–8.0. Strain BS-1Tproduced H2, CO2, ethanol, acetic acid, butyric acid and caproic acid as metabolic end products of anaerobic fermentation. Phylogenetic analysis, based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, showed that strain BS-1Trepresented a novel bacterial genus within the familyRuminococcaceae,ClostridiumCluster IV. The type strains that were most closely related to strain BS-1TwereClostridium sporosphaeroidesKCTC 5598T(94.5 %),Clostridium leptumKCTC 5155T(94.3 %),Ruminococcus bromiiATCC 27255T(92.1 %) andEthanoligenens harbinenseYUAN-3T(91.9 %). Strain BS-1Thad 17.6 % and 20.9 % DNA–DNA relatedness values withC. sporosphaeroidesDSM 1294TandC. leptumDSM 753T, respectively. The major components of the cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0dimethyl aldehyde (DMA) (22.1 %), C16 : 0aldehyde (14.1 %) and summed feature 11 (iso-C17 : 03-OH and/or C18 : 2DMA; 10.0 %). The genomic DNA G+C content was 50.0 mol%. Phenotypic and phylogenetic characteristics allowed strain BS-1Tto be clearly distinguished from other taxa of the genusClostridiumCluster IV. On the basis of these data, the isolate is considered to represent a novel genus and novel species withinClostridiumCluster IV, for which the nameCaproiciproducens galactitolivoransgen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type species is BS-1T( = JCM 30532Tand KCCM 43048T).
Feedback Control in Planarian Stem Cell Systems
Authors: Mangel Marc , Bonsall Michael B , Aboobaker Aziz
Published: October 2015

In planarian flatworms, the mechanisms underlying the activity of collectively pluripotent adult stem cells (neoblasts) and their descendants can now be studied from the level of the individual gene to the entire animal. Flatworms maintain startling developmental plasticity and regenerative capacity in response to variable nutrient conditions or injury. We develop a model for cell dynamics in such animals, using methods of nonlinear dynamics, assuming that fully differentiated cells exert feedback control on neoblast activity. Our model predicts a number of whole organism level and general cell biological and behaviours, some of which have been empirically observed or inferred in planarians and others that have not. As previously observed empirically we find: 1) a curvilinear relationship between external food and planarian steady state size; 2) the fraction of neoblasts in the steady state is constant regardless of planarian size; 3) a burst of controlled apoptosis during regeneration after amputation as the number of differentiated cells are adjusted towards their correct homeostatic/steady state level. In addition our model describes the following properties that can inform and be tested by future experiments: 4) the strength of feedback control from differentiated cells to neoblasts (i.e. the activity of the signalling system) and from neoblasts on themselves in relation to absolute number depends upon the level of food in the environment; 5) planarians adjust size when food level reduces initially through increased apoptosis and then through a reduction in neoblast self-renewal activity; 6) following wounding or excision of differentiated cells, different time scales characterize both recovery of size and the two feedback functions; 7) the temporal pattern of feedback controls differs noticeably during recovery from a removal or neoblasts or a removal of differentiated cells; and 8) the signaling strength for apoptosis of differentiated cells depends upon both the absolute and relative deviations of the number of differentiated cells from their homeostatic level. We offer the first analytical framework for organizing experiments on planarian flatworm stem cell dynamics in a form that allows models to be compared with quantitative cell data based on underlying molecular mechanisms and thus facilitates the interplay between empirical studies and modeling. This framework is the foundation for studying cell migration during wound repair, the determination of homeostatic levels of differentiated cells by natural selection, and stochastic effects.
Gene Regulatory Evolution During Speciation in a Songbird
Authors: Balakrishnan Christopher N. , Davidson John H.
Published: October 2015

Over the last decade tremendous progress has been made towards a comparative understanding of gene regulatory evolution. However, we know little about how gene regulation evolves in birds, and how divergent genomes interact in their hybrids. Because of unique features of birds - female heterogamety, a highly conserved karyotype, and the slow evolution of reproductive incompatibilities - an understanding of regulatory evolution in birds is critical to a comprehensive understanding of regulatory evolution and its implications for speciation. Using a novel complement of analyses of replicated RNA-seq libraries, we demonstrate abundant divergence in gene expression between subspecies of zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata. By comparing parental populations and their F1 hybrids, we also show that gene misexpression is relatively rare, a pattern that may partially explain the slow buildup of postzygotic reproductive isolation observed in birds relative to other taxa. Although we expected that the action of genetic drift on the island-dwelling zebra finch subspecies would be manifested in a high rate of trans regulatory divergence, we found that most divergence was in cis regulation, following a pattern commonly observed in other taxa. Thus our study highlights both unique and shared features of avian regulatory evolution.
A synthetic gene circuit for measuring autoregulatory feedback control
Authors: Schikora Tamarit Miquel Àngel , Toscano-Ochoa Carlos , Domingo Espinós Júlia , Espinar Lorena , Carey Lucas B.
Published: October 2015

Auto regulatory feedback loops occur in the regulation of molecules ranging from ATP to MAP kinases to zinc. Negative feedback loops can increase a system’s robustness, while positive feedback loops can mediate transitions between cell states. Recent genome-wide experimental and computational studies predict hundreds of novel feedback loops. However, not all physical interactions are regulatory, and many experimental methods cannot detect self-interactions. Our understanding of regulatory feedback loops is therefore hampered by the lack of high-throughput methods to experimentally quantify the presence, strength, and temporal dynamics of auto regulatory feedback loops. Here we present a mathematical and experimental framework for high-throughput quantification of feedback regulation, and apply it to RNA binding proteins (RBPs) in yeast. Our method is able to determine the existence of both direct and indirect positive and negative feedback loops, and to quantify the strength of these loops. We experimentally validate our model using two RBPs which lack native feedback loops, and by the introduction of synthetic feedback loops. We find that the the RBP Puf3 does not natively participate in any direct or indirect feedback regulation, but that replacing the native 3’UTR with that of COX17 generates an auto-regulatory negative feedback loop which reduces gene expression noise. Likewise, the RBP Pub1 does not natively participate in any feedback loops, but a synthetic positive feedback loop involving Pub1 results in increased expression noise. Our results demonstrate a synthetic experimental system for quantifying the existence and strength of feedback loops using a combination of high-throughput experiments and mathematical modeling. This system will be of great use in measuring auto-regulatory feedback by RNA binding proteins, a regulatory motif that is difficult to quantify using existing high-throughput methods.
Molecular Simulation of Nonfacilitated Membrane Permeation
Authors: Awoonor-Williams Ernest , Rowley Christopher
Published: October 2015

This is a review. Non-electrolytic compounds typically cross cell membranes by passive diffusion. The rate of permeation is dependent on the chemical properties of the solute and the composition of the lipid bilayer membrane. Predicting the permeability coefficient of a solute is important in pharmaceutical chemistry and toxicology. Molecular simulation has proven to be a valuable tool for modeling permeation of solutes through a lipid bilayer. In particular, the solubility-diffusion model has allowed for the quantitative calculation of permeability coefficients. The underlying theory and computational methods used to calculate membrane permeability are reviewed. We also discuss applications of these methods to examine the permeability of solutes and the effect of membrane composition on permeability. The application of coarse grain and polarizable models is discussed.
Influence of crystal structure, ligand environment and morphology on CoL-edge XAS spectral characteristics in cobalt compounds
Authors: Bora D. K. , Cheng X. , Kapilashrami M. , Glans P. A. , Luo Y. , Guo J.-H.
Published: October 2015

The electronic structure of a material plays an important role in its functionality for different applications which can be probed using synchrotron-based spectroscopy techniques. Here, various cobalt-based compounds, differing in crystal structure, ligands surrounding the central metal ion and morphology, have been studied by soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at the CoL-edge in order to measure the effect of these parameters on the electronic structure. A careful qualitative analysis of the spectral branching ratio and relative intensities of theL3andL2peaks provide useful insight into the electronic properties of compounds such as CoO/Co(OH)2, CoCl2.6H2O/CoF2.4H2O, CoCl2/CoF2, Co3O4(bulk/nano/micro). For further detailed analysis of the XAS spectra, quantitative analysis has been performed by fitting the spectral profile with simulated spectra for a number of cobalt compounds using crystal field atomic multiplet calculations.
A feasibility study of X-ray phase-contrast mammographic tomography at the Imaging and Medical beamline of the Australian Synchrotron
Authors: Nesterets Yakov I. , Gureyev Timur E. , Mayo Sheridan C. , Stevenson Andrew W. , Thompson Darren , Brown Jeremy M. C. , Kitchen Marcus J. , Pavlov Konstantin M. , Lockie Darren , Brun Francesco , Tromba Giuliana
Published: October 2015

Results are presented of a recent experiment at the Imaging and Medical beamline of the Australian Synchrotron intended to contribute to the implementation of low-dose high-sensitivity three-dimensional mammographic phase-contrast imaging, initially at synchrotrons and subsequently in hospitals and medical imaging clinics. The effect of such imaging parameters as X-ray energy, source size, detector resolution, sample-to-detector distance, scanning and data processing strategies in the case of propagation-based phase-contrast computed tomography (CT) have been tested, quantified, evaluated and optimized using a plastic phantom simulating relevant breast-tissue characteristics. Analysis of the data collected using a Hamamatsu CMOS Flat Panel Sensor, with a pixel size of 100 µm, revealed the presence of propagation-based phase contrast and demonstrated significant improvement of the quality of phase-contrast CT imaging compared with conventional (absorption-based) CT, at medically acceptable radiation doses.
Changes in protein structure at the interface accompanying complex formation
Authors: Chakravarty Devlina , Janin Joël , Robert Charles H. , Chakrabarti Pinak
Published: October 2015

Protein interactions are essential in all biological processes. The changes brought about in the structure when a free component forms a complex with another molecule need to be characterized for a proper understanding of molecular recognition as well as for the successful implementation of docking algorithms. Here, unbound (U) and bound (B) forms of protein structures from the Protein–Protein Interaction Affinity Database are compared in order to enumerate the changes that occur at the interface atoms/residues in terms of the solvent-accessible surface area (ASA), secondary structure, temperature factors (Bfactors) and disorder-to-order transitions. It is found that the interface atoms optimize contacts with the atoms in the partner protein, which leads to an increase in their ASA in the bound interface in the majority (69%) of the proteins when compared with the unbound interface, and this is independent of the root-mean-square deviation between the U and B forms. Changes in secondary structure during the transition indicate a likely extension of helices and strands at the expense of turns and coils. A reduction in flexibility during complex formation is reflected in the decrease inBfactors of the interface residues on going from the U form to the B form. There is, however, no distinction in flexibility between the interface and the surface in the monomeric structure, thereby highlighting the potential problem of usingBfactors for the prediction of binding sites in the unbound form for docking another protein. 16% of the proteins have missing (disordered) residues in the U form which are observed (ordered) in the B form, mostly with an irregular conformation; the data set also shows differences in the composition of interface and non-interface residues in the disordered polypeptide segments as well as differences in their surface burial.
Suggested reporting guidelines for structural equation modeling in supply chain management research
Authors: Hazen Benjamin T. , Overstreet Robert E. , Boone Christopher A
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– Structural equation modeling (SEM) is a data analysis method of choice for many empirical supply chain management (SCM) researchers. As the statistical technique has evolved, so have its applications and reporting guidelines. Consequently, there has been a lack of standardized reporting across the SCM literature. The purpose of this paper is to provide a basis for standardizing reporting conventions.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper presents a review of recent SEM methods literature. In addition, the authors content analyze articles from International Journal of Logistics Management, International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Management, and Journal of Business Logistics that contained either covariance-based or partial least square structural equation models. Using the aforementioned literature review and content analysis, the authors compare and contrast what is currently reported in extant supply chain literature with suggested reporting protocols in the methods literature.

Findings

– Based on the review and analysis, the authors suggest standardized reporting conventions for the use of SEM in SCM research. In addition, the findings suggest that much more could and should be reported with respect to the decision as to which SEM technique to employ.

Originality/value

– This paper can serve as a useful checklist and set of references for scholars publishing SEM research in supply chain journals.
Social capital: does it matter in a microfinance contract?
Authors: Rathore Bhawani Singh
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the role of social capital in a microfinance contract.

Design/methodology/approach

– Systematic review of the theoretical and empirical literature on the role of social capital in microfinance.

Findings

– The theoretical literature has shown using models of peer selection, peer monitoring and peer pressure that group lending with joint liability overcomes both the informational and enforcement failures present in credit markets for poor. However findings from the empirical literature conclude that social capital should not be taken as a single concept but should be considered in light of its different aspects which may be having different effects on the performance. For example, the trust between the borrowers, cultural and social homogeneity has been found to have more significant affect on repayment performance in contrast to the incentives due to peer pressure. The groups formed by family members and relatives are consistently been reported to have weakening influence on repayment.

Practical implications

– For a same program the effect of social capital on performance can be different for different geographies and different classification of subjects and thus should be studied before initiating a microfinance program in any social setting.

Social implications

– The borrowers should be encouraged to form groups with others who are more trustworthy and not with those they are just having an acquaintance with. The borrowers should be encouraged to come to aid of those who are victims of negative externalities. The positive experiences will lead to reciprocity of actions in future. The borrowers should be discouraged to form groups with family members and relatives.

Originality/value

– It analyzes both theoretical and empirical literature by disentangling different aspects of social capital within groups and their effects on group performance.
What drives behavioral intention of mobile money adoption? The case of ancient susu saving operations in Ghana
Authors: Osei-Assibey Eric
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the ancient susu savings operation in Ghana and the behavioural intention or willingness of susu collectors and users to adopt a mobile money (MM) platform as part of their savings practices. More specifically, this study investigates factors that determine one’s intention to adopt the MM space as a savings channel, particularly in place of more traditional ways of saving among many people in West Africa.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using field survey data from market traders and susu collectors in several local markets in Ghana, and applying Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) and Technological Adoption Model (TAM) conceptual frameworks, this study has produced some interesting findings. A logistic regression model was used for the empirical analysis.

Findings

– Generally, among the susu collectors, the author found perceived risk, education level, relative advantage and the age of the collector to be statistically significant in influencing the behavioural intention of MM adoption. With respect to susu users, the author found such factors as trialability, observability or awareness, compatibility or education attainment. The study also finds the influence of the physical presence of the susu collector to be statistically significant in influencing one’s behavioural intention to accept MM. This was found to be the primary reason motivating susu users to honour their savings commitment.

Practical implications

– These findings have important implications for MM uptake and the modernization of the susu operations in Ghana. While MM uptake remains significantly low, these findings suggest that the way to increase uptake is to create more awareness, embark on financial literacy programmes, and reduce mistrust and perception of risk of the MM platform. There is also the need for a regulator as the MM operators and their activities are not regulated by rules such as the reserve requirement of banks, as in the case of commercial banks that guarantees the safety of the savings of clients.

Originality/value

– Literature on MM is growing in recent times. However, evidence on adoption as a saving channel to replace the traditional saving system is scanty, particularly within the African context.
Different patterns for different conditions
Authors: Başlevent Cem , Maran Tugba
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– Using data from the European Social Survey, the purpose of this paper is to examine the individual-level determinants of the attitudes toward the use of medicines to treat common conditions such as hair loss and weight gain.

Design/methodology/approach

– The authors estimate ordered logit models in which the five conditions inquired about in the survey are the dependent variables.

Findings

– The variation in the average approval scores for medicine use implies differing degrees of medicalization for the five conditions inquired about in the survey, and the associations observed in the multivariate analysis reveal that part of the subjectivity in attitudes can be attributed to basic personal characteristics, namely age, gender, and education. Self-evaluations of general health, happiness, religiosity, and political ideology are also found to influence people’s attitudes in predictable ways.

Research limitations/implications

– The examinations point to the shortcomings of the available data sets in sorting out the roles of different factors – such as the presence of effective treatments without side effects – in reaching the observed attitudes for medicine use.

Social implications

– The empirical findings suggest that the overuse of medicines can become a more serious problem in the near future in aging European societies.

Originality/value

– The authors demonstrate that higher approval scores among younger and more educated people on the whole and among women with respect to hair loss suggest that more medicalized attitudes are not necessarily found among groups the most likely to have the condition in question, but those who find it the most difficult to imagine themselves being in that situation.
Developing a roadmap for planning and implementation of interoperability capability in e-government
Authors: Sharma Rajesh , Panigrahi Prabin Kumar
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to propose a tool in the form of a roadmap for planning and implementation of interoperability capabilities. The issue of interoperability is gaining importance for offering services as “one-stop shop” due to rapid developments in the field of e-government in recent times. Several complexities are associated with this important dimension, and there is an urgent need for developing a tool to facilitate rollout of e-government projects with interoperability capabilities. The proposed roadmap can enable knowledge sharing among key stakeholders for building a common vision and contribute to planning and implementation of interoperability features of e-government.

Design/methodology/approach

– The paper is an exploratory study using the phenomenographic interpretive approach. The literature review identifies the facets and the issues that are crucial for facilitating interoperability. The status of interoperability in some of the developed countries is reviewed where e-government is in a relatively mature stage. Based on the review, this paper identifies an initial set of issues that can guide semi-structured interviews with policymakers, partners and the government agencies implementing e-government projects. The views of these key stakeholders are then analyzed and used for developing the roadmap for implementation of interoperability of e-government services. The findings are then mapped in India’s context for triangulation purpose.

Findings

– The paper provides insights into various planning and implementation issues that have to be addressed for building interoperability capability. A roadmap is proposed encompassing the essential legal, regulatory, organizational and technical aspects that are deemed essential for successful planning and implementation of interoperability capability.

Research limitations/implications

– The study has the limitation that the exploratory part of the study is based on inputs from key actors in the Indian context only. It needs to be validated by empirical studies in various contexts.

Practical implications

– The roadmap proposed will be useful for the policymakers, as it can guide them for planning and implementing e-government systems with interoperability capabilities. It can be used as a knowledge-sharing tool for spreading awareness of steps required for designing and implementing interoperability capabilities.

Originality/value

– The paper contributes by providing a tool in the form of a roadmap that can be used by the policymakers and implementers to take a holistic view of requirements for development of interoperability capabilities. The paper can form the basis for future research in specific issues of interoperability.
E-government: applications in the labor and social security regulatory area
Authors: Stefanou Constantinos J. , Skouras Anastasios
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to primarily address the need for expanding e-government in Greece in the labour market. The authors attempt to analyse e-government initiatives in labour and social security legislation areas and identify whether private sector companies are willing to utilize them. The re-organization of government functions and procedures is discussed as a means of achieving the desired objectives of all interested parties.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is based on a survey of companies in the area of Heraklion, Crete. A questionnaire instrument was used to collect the data. The authors attempted to identify whether companies would prefer to use either the Integrated Information System (IIS) that the Ministry of Labour has initiated or Payroll Information System (PIS) that is proposed by the authors and provided via a cloud computing platform by the public sector. In addition, the authors use the Delphi technique and a panel of experts consisting of Inspectors of the Ministry of Labour in an attempt to identify which of the aforementioned systems would help make controls more efficient and effective.

Findings

– The companies acknowledge the need for e-government and about 50 per cent of them would feel positive about using the proposed application (PIS). Small companies are more willing to accept PIS and large companies feel more positive about using the IIS. Furthermore, the panel of experts agree that the adoption of PIS would help the most in the fight against undeclared work.

Research limitations/implications

– The questionnaires were completed by 75 companies in the area of Heraklion, Crete, Greece. The sample, although representative of the structure of Greek industrial sector, is nevertheless small and expresses only the local culture. This limitation provides at the same time opportunities for further research. Although the need for e-government is recognized, there are concerns about the possible failure of new applications’ implementation.

Practical implications

– Labour and social security legislation areas are important for modern countries. The paper provides a model of e-government on these areas that if implemented could reduce administrative costs and facilitate public control.

Social implications

– The proposed model could enhance employees’ protection and effectively reduce undeclared work.

Originality/value

– This study is a first attempt to analyse e-government initiatives in labour and social security legislation areas in Greece. The main idea is not simply to make procedures electronic but to re-organize and re-define these procedures. Thus, the model that is proposed by the authors as a possible way of e-governance appears to help the most in reducing companies’ administration costs, increasing the protection received by the employees and assisting public services in conducting more effective and simpler controls.
Leaf colour polymorphisms: a balance between plant defence and photosynthesis
Authors: Menzies Ignatius J. , Youard Luke W. , Lord Janice M. , Carpenter Kaylyn L. , van Klink John W. , Perry Nigel B. , Schaefer H. Martin , Gould Kevin S.
Published: October 2015

Whether plants use leaf colour to deter herbivores remains controversial. The warning signal hypothesis predicts that red pigmentation is adaptive by reducing herbivory; plants with predominantly red foliage should have higher fitness than those with green leaves. Despite many discussions, this prediction has rarely been tested, and alternative, non‐exclusive hypotheses cannot be ruled out.

We have exploited leaf colour polymorphism in Pseudowintera colorata to test the warning signal hypothesis and to address possible alternative explanations.

Consistent with warning signals, redder foliage contained higher concentrations of polygodial, a sesquiterpene dialdehyde with strong antifeedant properties, and incurred less herbivory than green leaves. Redder plants hosted 22% fewer lepidopteran leafroller larvae than neighbouring green plants.

However, contrary to the predictions of the hypothesis, there were no differences in fitness parameters between red and green plants. Overall leaf canopy colour was not a significant predictor of the number of seeds per fruit or of mean seed weight. This may be explained by differences in photosynthesis: green P. colorata leaves had 47% higher maximum CO2 assimilation rates than matched red leaves from neighbouring plants.

These results indicate that the benefits of deterring insect herbivores by signalling may be balanced by the higher photosynthetic rate of non‐signalling plants. A balance between signalling and photosynthesis is a novel mechanism for the maintenance of leaf colour polymorphisms in nature.

Synthesis. Anthocyanin pigments may simultaneously serve multiple functions within leaves, and individuals of the same plant species may use different strategies to cope with insect herbivores. Therefore, investigations into the role of these pigments in plant–insect interactions need to consider plant physiology and the diversity of plant defence mechanisms.
Comparison of Polyphenol Profile and Inhibitory Activities Against Oxidation and α‐Glucosidase in Mulberry (Genus Morus) Cultivars from China
Authors: Jin Qing , Yang Jiufang , Ma Liyan , Cai Jieling , Li Jingming
Published: October 2015

Mulberry (genus Morus) is a significant source of polyphenols, which can promote positive effects on human health. China has various mulberry cultivars, however, many Chinese mulberry cultivars have been only minimally studied. To solve this lack of research, 8 mulberry cultivars (Da10, Tang10, Yueshen74, Yuefenshen, Longsang, Ningxia1hao, Taiwanguosang, and Baiyuwang) from 4 regions of China were assessed to determine their polyphenol profiles using HPLC‐MS/MS and then tested for their antioxidant and anti‐α‐glucosidase activities in vitro. A total of 18 nonanthocyanins and 4 anthocyanins were quantified in mulberry cultivars; among these polyphenols, chlorogenic acid, quercetin 3‐O‐rutinoside, and cyanidin 3‐O‐glucoside were confirmed as the major phenolic acid, flavonol derivative, and anthocyanin, respectively. Two types of stilbene compounds, piceid, and piceatannol, were detected for the 1st time in all mulberry cultivars. Moreover, the methanolic extracts of different mulberry cultivars showed disparate antioxidant and α‐glucosidase inhibitory activities, and this discrepancy was mainly attributed to varying the anthocyanin content. Based on our results, Taiwanguosang is proposed to be a good candidate suitable for further process due to its high level of anthocyanins.
Assessment of health‐related quality of life in Egyptian HCV‐infected recipients after living donor liver transplantation
Authors: El‐Meteini Mahmoud , Montasser Iman Fawzy , El Gendy Eman , Dabbous Hany , Hashem Reem ELS , William Peter , Bahaa Mohamed , Sakr Mohammed Amin
Published: October 2015

Objective

Understanding issues pertaining to quality of life is essential for any disease, particularly in recipients of liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of liver transplantation on Egyptian recipients' health‐related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods

A prospective study carried out at the Ain Shams Center for Organ Transplantation (Cairo, Egypt), including 35 recipients for the evaluation of HRQOL using short form 36 score (Arabic version) and Beck Depression Inventory scores pre‐transplantation and 1 and 6 months afterwards.

Results

The mean age of the recipients was 49.27 ± 8.16 years. Among them, 17 patients were highly educated. A statistically significant improvement in all dimensions of their HRQOL was observed after liver transplantation. Their physical functioning was 45.00 ± 34.34 before liver transplantation while after 1 and 6 months it was 57.50 ± 20.66 and 74.83 ± 19.27, respectively (P < 0.001).

All 17 patients completed their first year after transplantation, showing a statistically significant improvement in all dimensions of their HRQOL one year after liver transplantation except that in mental health, role limitation due to emotional health emotional and social functioning domains.

Conclusion

HRQOL is an important aspect of liver transplantation that should not be neglected.
The development of genetic and molecular markers to register and commercialize Penicillium rubens (formerly Penicillium oxalicum) strain 212 as a biocontrol agent
Authors: Villarino Maria , De Cal Antonieta , Melgarejo Paloma , Larena Inmaculada , Espeso Eduardo A.
Published: October 2015

Penicillium oxalicum strain 212 (PO212) is an effective biocontrol agent (BCA) against a large number of economically important fungal plant pathogens. For successful registration as a BCA in Europe, PO212 must be accurately identified. In this report, we describe the use of classical genetic and molecular markers to characterize and identify PO212 in order to understand its ecological role in the environment or host. We successfully generated pyrimidine (pyr‐) auxotrophic mutants. In addition we also designed specific oligonucleotides for the pyrF gene at their untranslated regions for rapid and reliable identification and classification of strains of P. oxalicum and P. rubens, formerly P. chrysogenum. Using these DNA‐based technologies, we found that PO212 is a strain of P. rubens, and is not a strain of P. oxalicum. This work presents PO212 as the unique P. rubens strain to be described as a BCA and the information contained here serves for its registration and commercialization in Europe.
Does Compulsory Voting Increase Support for Leftist Policy?
Authors: Bechtel Michael M. , Hangartner Dominik , Schmid Lukas
Published: October 2015

Citizens unequally participate in referendums, and this may systematically bias policy in favor of those who vote. Some view compulsory voting as an important tool to alleviate this problem, whereas others worry about its detrimental effects on the legitimacy and quality of democratic decision making. So far, however, we lack systematic knowledge about the causal effect of compulsory voting on public policy. We argue that sanctioned compulsory voting mobilizes citizens at the bottom of the income distribution and that this translates into an increase in support for leftist policies. We empirically explore the effects of a sanctioned compulsory voting law on direct‐democratic decision making in Switzerland. We find that compulsory voting significantly increases electoral support for leftist policy positions in referendums by up to 20 percentage points. We discuss the implications of these results for our understanding of the policy consequences of electoral institutions.
The effect of heat stress on gene expression and synthesis of heat‐shock and milk proteins in bovine mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Hu Han , Zhang Yangdong , Zheng Nan , Cheng Jianbo , Wang Jiaqi
Published: October 2015

In this study, bovine mammary epithelial cells were used to study stress responses after cells were exposed to 42°C for 0.5, 1, 3, 5, 8 or 12 h, and 38°C as control. The transcription of the genes (HSP27, HSP70 and HSP90) of heat shock protein (Hsp) was significantly enhanced under heat stress (HS). The peak transcription of HSP70 was 14 times the control at 1 h. Expression of proteins Hsp27 and Hsp70 was gradually increased under HS, with rapid deposition of Hsp70 in epithelial cells. The major milk protein genes of β‐casein (CSN2) and butyrophilin (BTN1A1) were down‐regulated and the synthesis of total caseins was decreased. After the cells were under HS (42°C) for 1 or 5 h, the cells were cultured at 38°C for 1, 6, 12 or 24 h for recovery. When the cells were cultured at 38°C for 24 h after HS for 1 h, the transcription of HSP70, HSP90, CSN2 and BTN reached normal levels. Our results suggest that HS initiated Hsp synthesis and decreased the milk protein synthesis. Hsp70 is extremely sensitive to HS and mainly responsible for mammary cell protection from HS.