bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Facetten der Körperbildstörung: eine differenzielle Analyse des TEK-KJ (Test zur Erfassung der Körperbildstörung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen) zur direkten Messung haptisch-perzeptiver Anteile
Authors: Rupp Julian , Bürger Arne , Hammerle Florian
Published: August 2017

Zusammenfassung. Zur Erfassung der haptisch-perzeptiven Komponente der Körperbildstörung – einem Kernkriterium der Essstörungen Anorexia nervosa und Bulimia nervosa – stehen nur sehr wenige gut evaluierte Verfahren zur Verfügung. In der vorliegenden Arbeit werden differenzielle Analysen zum Test zur Erfassung der Körperbildstörung bei Kindern und Jugendlichen (TEK-KJ) anhand einer großen Kinder- und Jugendlichenstichprobe dargestellt und zum ersten Mal Daten für männliche Kinder und Jugendliche ausgewertet. Dies beinhaltet die Prüfung der konvergenten Validität im Vergleich zur Contour Drawing Rating Scale (CDRS) und die Analyse von Unterschieden zwischen Kindern und Jugendlichen verschiedener Schultypen und unterschiedlicher BMI-Perzentil-Klassen. Stichprobe: N = 1654, Schülerinnen (n = 873) und Schüler (n = 781), Durchschnittsalter 13.35 Jahre (SD = 0.76). Es wird eine substanzielle konvergente Validität zur CDRS ermittelt. Sowohl zwischen Kindern und Jugendlichen unterschiedlicher Schularten als auch verschiedener BMI-Perzentil-Klassen zeigen sich statistisch signifikante Unterschiede. Die Überschätzung der Körperausmaße bei Kindern und Jugendlichen an Gymnasien sowie bei Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmern, die sich in einem untergewichtigen BMI-Perzentil-Bereich befinden, ist am ausgeprägtesten. Der TEK-KJ erscheint als zusätzliches Instrument zur Prüfung der haptisch-perzeptiven Komponente der Körperbildstörung geeignet und ist mit den vorgelegten Normwerten breiter einsetzbar.
G9a regulates breast cancer growth by modulating iron homeostasis through the repression of ferroxidase hephaestin
Authors: Wang Ya-fang , Zhang Jie , Su Yi , Shen Yan-yan , Jiang Dong-xian , Hou Ying-yong , Geng Mei-yu , Ding Jian , Chen Yi
Published: August 2017

G9a, a H3K9 methyltransferase, shows elevated expression in many types of human cancers, particularly breast cancer. However, the tumorigenic mechanism of G9a is still far from clear. Here we report that G9a exerts its oncogenic function in breast cancer by repressing hephaestin and destruction cellular iron homeostasis. In the case of pharmacological inhibition or short hairpin RNA interference-mediated suppression of G9a, the expression and activity of hephaestin increases, leading to the observed decrease of intracellular labile iron content and the disturbance of breast cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. We also provide evidence that G9a interacts with HDAC1 and YY1 to form a multi-molecular complex that contributes to hephaestin silencing. Furthermore, high G9a expression and low hephaestin expression correlate with poor survival of breast cancer are investigated. All these suggest a G9a-dependent epigenetic program in the control of iron homeostasis and tumor growth in breast cancer.
High temperature stress during flowering and grain filling offsets beneficial impact of elevated CO2 on assimilate partitioning and sink-strength in rice
Authors: Chaturvedi Ashish K. , Bahuguna Rajeev N. , Shah Divya , Pal Madan , Jagadish S. V. Krishna
Published: August 2017

Elevated [CO2] (e[CO2]) environments have been predicted to improve rice yields under future climate. However, a concomitant rise in temperature could negate e[CO2] impact on plants, presenting a serious challenge for crop improvement. High temperature (HT) stress tolerant NL-44 and high yielding basmati Pusa 1121 rice cultivars, were exposed to e[CO2] (from panicle initiation to maturity) and a combination of e[CO2] + HT (from heading to maturity) using field based open top chambers. Elevated [CO2] significantly increased photosynthesis, seed-set, panicle weight and grain weight across both cultivars, more prominently with Pusa 1121. Conversely, e[CO2] + HT during flowering and early grain filling significantly reduced seed-set and 1000 grain weight, respectively. Averaged across both the cultivars, grain yield was reduced by 18 to 29%. Despite highly positive response with e[CO2], Pusa 1121 exposure to e[CO2] + HT led to significant reduction in seed-set and sink starch metabolism enzymatic activity. Interestingly, NL-44 maintained higher seed-set and resilience with starch metabolism enzymes under e[CO2] + HT exposure. Developing rice cultivars with higher [CO2] responsiveness incorporated with increased tolerance to high temperatures during flowering and grain filling using donors such as NL-44, will minimize the negative impact of heat stress and increase global food productivity, benefiting from [CO2] rich environments.
Identification of a Gene Encoding Slow Skeletal Muscle Troponin T as a Novel Marker for Immortalization of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells
Authors: Kuroda Takuya , Yasuda Satoshi , Nakashima Hiroyuki , Takada Nozomi , Matsuyama Satoko , Kusakawa Shinji , Umezawa Akihiro , Matsuyama Akifumi , Kawamata Shin , Sato Yoji
Published: August 2017

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) are leading candidate raw materials for cell-based therapeutic products (CTPs). In the development of hPSC-derived CTPs, it is imperative to ensure that they do not form tumors after transplantation for safety reasons. Because cellular immortalization is a landmark of malignant transformation and a common feature of cancer cells, we aimed to develop anin vitroassay for detecting immortalized cells in CTPs. We employed retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells as a model of hPSC-derived products and identified a gene encoding slow skeletal muscle troponin T (TNNT1) as a novel marker of immortalized RPE cells by comprehensive microarray analysis.TNNT1mRNA was commonly upregulated in immortalized RPE cells and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), which have self-renewal ability. Additionally, we demonstrated thatTNNT1mRNA expression is higher in several cancer tissues than in normal tissues. Furthermore, stable expression ofTNNT1in ARPE-19 cells affected actin filament organization and enhanced their migration ability. Finally, we established a simple and rapid qRT-PCR assay targetingTNNT1transcripts that detected as low as 3% of ARPE-19 cells contained in normal primary RPE cells. Purified hiPSC-derived RPE cells showedTNNT1expression levels below the detection limit determined with primary RPE cells. Our qRT-PCR method is expected to greatly contribute to process validation and quality control of CTPs.
Relationship between necrotic patterns in glioblastoma and patient survival: fractal dimension and lacunarity analyses using magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Liu Shuai , Wang Yinyan , Xu Kaibin , Wang Zheng , Fan Xing , Zhang Chuanbao , Li Shaowu , Qiu Xiaoguang , Jiang Tao
Published: August 2017

Necrosis is a hallmark feature of glioblastoma (GBM). This study investigated the prognostic role of necrotic patterns in GBM using fractal dimension (FD) and lacunarity analyses of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data and evaluated the role of lacunarity in the biological processes leading to necrosis. We retrospectively reviewed clinical and MRI data of 95 patients with GBM. FD and lacunarity of the necrosis on MRI were calculated by fractal analysis and subjected to survival analysis. We also performed gene ontology analysis in 32 patients with available RNA-seq data. Univariate analysis revealed that FD < 1.56 and lacunarity > 0.46 significantly correlated with poor progression-free survival (p = 0.006 and p = 0.012, respectively) and overall survival (p = 0.008 and p = 0.005, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that both parameters were independent factors for unfavorable progression-free survival (p = 0.001 and p = 0.015, respectively) and overall survival (p = 0.002 and p = 0.007, respectively). Gene ontology analysis revealed that genes positively correlated with lacunarity were involved in the suppression of apoptosis and necrosis-associated biological processes. We demonstrate that the fractal parameters of necrosis in GBM can predict patient survival and are associated with the biological processes of tumor necrosis.
Spatial and viewpoint selectivity for others’ observed actions in monkey ventral premotor mirror neurons
Authors: Maranesi Monica , Livi Alessandro , Bonini Luca
Published: August 2017

The spatial location and viewpoint of observed actions are closely linked in natural social settings. For example, actions observed from a subjective viewpoint necessarily occur within the observer’s peripersonal space. Neurophysiological studies have shown that mirror neurons (MNs) of the monkey ventral premotor area F5 can code the spatial location of live observed actions. Furthermore, F5 MN discharge can also be modulated by the viewpoint from which filmed actions are seen. Nonetheless, whether and to what extent MNs can integrate viewpoint and spatial location of live observed actions remains unknown. We addressed this issue by comparing the activity of 148 F5 MNs while macaque monkeys observed an experimenter grasping in three different combinations of viewpoint and spatial location, namely, lateral view in the (1) extrapersonal and (2) peripersonal space and (3) subjective view in the peripersonal space. We found that the majority of MNs were space-selective (60.8%): those selective for the peripersonal space exhibited a preference for the subjective viewpoint both at the single-neuron and population level, whereas space-unselective neurons were view invariant. These findings reveal the existence of a previously neglected link between spatial and viewpoint selectivity in MN activity during live-action observation.
Computational design of pH-switchable control agents for nitroxide mediated polymerization
Authors: Gryn’ova Ganna , Smith Leesa M. , Coote Michelle L.
Published: August 2017

In the present work we use accurate quantum chemistry to evaluate several known and novel nitroxides bearing acid–base groups as pH-switchable control agents for room temperature NMP.
Multiplex coaxial flow focusing for producing multicompartment Janus microcapsules with tunable material compositions and structural characteristics
Authors: Wu Qiang , Yang Chaoyu , Liu Guangli , Xu Wanghuai , Zhu Zhiqiang , Si Ting , Xu Ronald X.
Published: August 2017

We propose a simple but efficient multiplex coaxial flow focusing (MCFF) process for single-step fabrication of multicompartment Janus microcapsules (MJMs) in a wide range of operating parameters.
Thermal analyses of some fluoroquinolone pharmaceutical compounds in comparison with molecular orbital calculations
Authors: Attia Ali K. , Abdel-Moety Mona M. , Abdel-Hamid Samar G.
Published: August 2017

The thermal behavior and stability of some drugs, such as SPAR, BESI and GEM, were investigated.
A versatile platform for lanthanide(iii)-containing organogelators: fabrication of the Er(iii)-incorporated polymer nanocomposite from an organogel template
Authors: Kim Hyungwoo , Ryu Jung Ho , Kim Hwan Kyu , Chang Ji Young
Published: August 2017

An Er(iii)-containing polymer nanocomposite that showed an enhanced NIR emission was prepared from an organogel template via post-gelation polymerisation.
Label-free colorimetric detection of tetracycline using analyte-responsive inverse-opal hydrogels based on molecular imprinting technology
Authors: Yang Qian , Peng Hailong , Li Jinhua , Li Yanbin , Xiong Hua , Chen Lingxin
Published: August 2017

Analyte-responsive inverse-opal hydrogels based on molecular imprinting technology were fabricated for selective, sensitive, and label-free colorimetric detection of tetracycline.
Correction: A versatile strategy to fabricate MOFs/carbon material integrations and their derivatives for enhanced electrocatalysis
Authors: Ma Xiao , Zhao Xue , Sun Jian , Li Dehui , Yang Xiurong
Published: August 2017

Correction for ‘A versatile strategy to fabricate MOFs/carbon material integrations and their derivatives for enhanced electrocatalysis’ by Xiao Ma et al., RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 7728–7735.
Language Samples From Children Who Use Speech-Generating Devices: Making Sense of Small Samples and Utterance Length
Authors: Kovacs Thomas , Hill Katya
Published: August 2017

Purpose

Mean length of utterance in morphemes (MLUm) is underreported in people who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). MLUm is difficult to measure in people who use AAC because of 2 challenges described in literature: the challenge of small language samples (difficulty collecting representative samples) and the challenge of transcribing short utterances (difficulty transcribing 1-morpheme utterances). We tested solutions to both challenges in a corpus of language samples from children who use speech-generating devices.

Method

The first challenge was addressed by adjusting the length of the sampling window to obtain representative language samples. The second challenge was addressed by using mean syntactic length (MSL) as an alternative to MLUm.

Results

A 24-hour sample window consistently failed to yield representative samples. An extended 1-month sample window consistently yielded representative samples. A significant positive prediction of MLUm by MSL was found in a normative sample. Observed measures of MSL were used to predict MLUm in representative language samples from children who use AAC.

Conclusions

Valid measures of utterance length in people who use AAC can be obtained using extended sampling windows and MSL. Research is needed to characterize the strengths and limitations of both solutions.
Demenz und Alzheimer – ein Leben zwischen Hoffen und Vergessen
Authors: Zemke Jens
Published: August 2017

Neurodegeneration Demenzielle Erkrankungen nehmen aufgrund der demographischen Entwicklung zu. Die häufigste Form der
neurodegenerativen Erkrankungen ist die Alzheimer-Demenz und bisher nicht heilbar. Die präventive und nichtmedikamentöse Therapie ist – bis
weitere erfolgreiche Medikamente zur Behandlung entwickelt werden – ein wichtiger Punkt in der Versorgung der Menschen mit Demenz (MmD).
Potential Anti-inflammatory Sesquiterpene Lactones from Eupatorium lindleyanum
Authors: Wang Fang , Zhong Huanhuan , Fang Shiqi , Zheng Yunfeng , Li Cunyu , Peng Guoping , Shen Xinchun
Published: August 2017

Eupatorium lindleyanum has traditionally been used as folk medicine in Asian countries for its therapeutic effects on tracheitis and tonsillitis. Investigation of the anti-inflammatory active constituents from E. lindleyanum led to the isolation of two novel sesquiterpene lactones, named eupalinolide L (1) and eupalinolide M (2), and seven known sesquiterpene lactones (3–9). The structures and configurations of the new compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis, especially 2D NMR techniques. In vivo experiments showed that the sesquiterpenes fraction significantly reduced mouse ear edema induced by xylene (18.6%, p < 0.05). In in vitro assays, compounds 1–9 showed excellent anti-inflammatory activities, as they lowered TNF-α and IL-6 levels in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells (p < 0.001). The above results suggest that the sesquiterpene lactones from E. lindleyanum can be developed as novel potential natural anti-inflammatory agents.
Novel two-dimensional ferroelectric PbTe under tension: A first-principles prediction
Authors: Zhang Xilin , Yang Zongxian , Chen Yue
Published: August 2017

Enhanced ferroelectricity in two-dimensional (2D) SnTe exhibiting a higher transition temperature (Tc) than its bulk counterpart was recently discovered [Chang et al., Science 353(6296), 274–278 (2016)]. Herein, we report that nonferroelectric PbTe can be transformed into a ferroelectric phase by downsizing to two dimensions with suitable equi-biaxial tension. The crystal structure of the ferroelectric phase of 2D PbTe was determined using evolutionary algorithms and density functional theory. The dynamic stabilities of the predicted new phases were investigated using phonon calculations. To validate our results obtained using PbTe, we have also studied the ferroelectricity in GeTe and SnTe at the 2D level and compared them with the literature. The unequal lattice constants and the relative atomic displacements are found to be responsible for ferroelectricity in 2D GeTe, SnTe, and strained PbTe. This study facilitates the development of new 2D ferroelectrics via strain engineering and promotes the integration of ferroelectric devices.
High pressure studies on structural and secondary relaxation dynamics in silyl derivative of D-glucose
Authors: Minecka Aldona , Kamińska Ewa , Tarnacka Magdalena , Dzienia Andrzej , Madejczyk Olga , Waliłko Patrycja , Kasprzycka Anna , Kamiński Kamil , Paluch Marian
Published: August 2017

In this paper, broadband dielectric spectroscopy was applied to investigate molecular dynamics of 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-(trimethylsilyl)-D-glucopyranose (S-GLU) at ambient and elevated pressures. Our studies showed that apart from the structural relaxation, one well resolved asymmetric secondary process (initially labeled as β) is observed in the spectra measured at p = 0.1 MPa. Analysis with the use of the coupling model and criterion proposed by Ngai and Capaccioli indicated that the β-process in S-GLU is probably a Johari-Goldstein relaxation of intermolecular origin. Further high pressure experiments demonstrated that there are in fact two secondary processes contributing to the β-relaxation. Therefore, one can postulate that the coupling model is a necessary, but not sufficient criterion to identify the true nature of the given secondary relaxation process. The role of pressure experiments in better understanding of the molecular origin of local mobility seems to be much more important. Interestingly, our research also revealed that the structural relaxation in S-GLU is very sensitive to compression. It was reflected in an extremely high pressure coefficient of the glass transition temperature (dTg/dp = 412 K/GPa). According to the literature data, such a high value of dTg/dp has not been obtained so far for any H-bonded, van der Waals, or polymeric glass-formers.
The constructal size of a heat exchanger
Authors: Bejan A. , Lorente S. , Martins L. , Meyer J. P.
Published: August 2017

The architecture of heat exchangers is a classical subject that has been studied extensively in the past. In this paper, we address the fundamental question of what the size of the heat exchanger should be, in addition to what architectural features it should have. The answer to the size question follows from the tradeoff between (1) the useful power lost because of heat transfer and fluid flow and (2) the power destroyed during transportation, manufacturing, and maintenance. Changes in heat exchanger size induce changes in the opposite sign in the power requirements (1) and (2). This fundamental tradeoff regarding size is illustrated by considering one side of a heat exchanger (one flow passage) in laminar flow and in fully rough turbulent flow, with several duct cross sectional shapes and arrays of channels in parallel. The size tradeoff is present in heat exchanger applications across the board, from vehicles to stationary power plants.
Cycloidal meandering of a mesoscale anticyclonic eddy
Authors: Kizner Ziv , Shteinbuch-Fridman Biana , Makarov Viacheslav , Rabinovich Michael
Published: August 2017

By applying a theoretical approach, we propose a hypothetical scenario that might explain some features of the movement of a long-lived mesoscale anticyclone observed during 1990 in the Bay of Biscay [R. D. Pingree and B. Le Cann, “Three anticyclonic slope water oceanic eddies (SWODDIES) in the southern Bay of Biscay in 1990,” Deep-Sea Res., Part A 39, 1147 (1992)]. In the remote-sensing infrared images, at the initial stage of observations, the anticyclone was accompanied by two cyclonic eddies, so the entire structure appeared as a tripole. However, at later stages, only the anticyclone was seen in the images, traveling generally west. Unusual for an individual eddy were the high speed of its motion (relative to the expected planetary beta-drift) and the presence of almost cycloidal meanders in its trajectory. Although surface satellites seem to have quickly disappeared, we hypothesize that subsurface satellites continued to exist, and the coherence of the three vortices persisted for a long time. A significant perturbation of the central symmetry in the mutual arrangement of three eddies constituting a tripole can make reasonably fast cycloidal drift possible. This hypothesis is tested with two-layer contour-dynamics f-plane simulations and with finite-difference beta-plane simulations. In the latter case, the interplay of the planetary beta-effect and that due to the sloping bottom is considered.
Controllable cracking behavior in Si/Si0.70Ge0.30/Si heterostructure by tuning the H+ implantation energy
Authors: Chen Da , Zhang Nan , Wang Bei , Xu Anli , Li Ya , Yang Siwei , Wang Gang , Guo Qinglei
Published: August 2017

Controllable cracking behaviors are realized in Si with a buried B doped Si0.70Ge0.30 interlayer by tuning the H+ projected ranges using the traditional H implantation technique. When the projected range is shallower (deeper) than the depth of the buried Si0.70Ge0.30 layer, cracking occurs at the interface between the top Si layer (bottom handle Si wafer) and the Si0.70Ge0.30 interlayer, thus resulting in the formation of continuous sharp crack confined at the Si0.70Ge0.30/Si interfaces. For the case that the H-ion projected range is located at the B-doped Si0.70Ge0.30 buried interlayer, continuous cracking is observed along the interlayer, which is similar to the conventional ion-cut method. We attribute these controlled cracking behaviors to the B doped Si0.70Ge0.30 interlayer, which holds a large amount of B impurities and compressive strain, and H ions can be trapped and confined at the interfaces or within the interlayer (depended on projected ranges) to facilitate the formation of cracks.
Switching dynamics in cholesteric liquid crystal emulsions
Authors: Fadda F. , Gonnella G. , Marenduzzo D. , Orlandini E. , Tiribocchi A.
Published: August 2017

In this work we numerically study the switching dynamics of a 2D cholesteric emulsion droplet immersed in an isotropic fluid under an electric field, which is either uniform or rotating with constant speed. The overall dynamics depend strongly on the magnitude and on the direction (with respect to the cholesteric axis) of the applied field, on the anchoring of the director at the droplet surface and on the elasticity. If the surface anchoring is homeotropic and a uniform field is parallel to the cholesteric axis, the director undergoes deep elastic deformations and the droplet typically gets stuck into metastable states which are rich in topological defects. When the surface anchoring is tangential, the effects due to the electric field are overall less dramatic, as a small number of topological defects form at equilibrium. The application of the field perpendicular to the cholesteric axis usually has negligible effects on the defect dynamics. The presence of a rotating electric field of varying frequency fosters the rotation of the defects and of the droplet as well, typically at a lower speed than that of the field, due to the inertia of the liquid crystal. If the surface anchoring is homeotropic, a periodic motion is found. Our results represent a first step to understand the dynamical response of a cholesteric droplet under an electric field and its possible application in designing novel liquid crystal-based devices.
Effect of hydrogen on the device performance and stability characteristics of amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistors with a SiO2/SiNx/SiO2 buffer
Authors: Han Ki-Lim , Ok Kyung-Chul , Cho Hyeon-Su , Oh Saeroonter , Park Jin-Seong
Published: August 2017

We investigate the influence of the multi-layered buffer consisting of SiO2/SiNx/SiO2 on amorphous InGaZnO (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). The multi-layered buffer inhibits permeation of water from flexible plastic substrates and prevents degradation of overlying organic layers. The a-IGZO TFTs with a multi-layered buffer suffer less positive bias temperature stress instability compared to the device with a single SiO2 buffer layer after annealing at 250 °C. Hydrogen from the SiNx layer diffuses into the active layer and reduces electron trapping at loosely bound oxygen defects near the SiO2/a-IGZO interface. Quantitative analysis shows that a hydrogen density of 1.85 × 1021 cm−3 is beneficial to reliability. However, the multi-layered buffer device annealed at 350 °C resulted in conductive characteristics due to the excess carrier concentration from the higher hydrogen density of 2.12 × 1021 cm−3.
Development of simple high-resolution embedded printing for transparent metal grid conductors
Authors: Hokari Ryohei , Kurihara Kazuma , Takada Naoki , Hiroshima Hiroshi
Published: August 2017

We developed a simple embedded printing method that is capable of forming high-resolution patterns for transparent metal grid conductors. The simple printing method involves embedding conductive ink in a groove structure formed by nanoimprinting. Since this printing utilizes capillary force, conductive ink easily fills groove structures with small widths of several microns to the submicron scale. An embedded pattern with a line width of 300 nm was printed. In addition, a high aspect ratio of 3.1 was achieved with a 1.6 μm embedded pattern. A prototype transparent conductive film was developed with excellent optical and electrical performances: a high transmittance of 82.7% and a low sheet resistance of 5.1 Ω/sq at a grid width of 3.0 μm and a grid pitch of 150 μm. The grid parameters can easily be changed by mold design during the nanoimprint process. The transparent conductive film (TCF) showed excellent bending resistance compared with indium tin oxide.
Protein kinase C delta phosphorylates ecdysone receptor B1 to promote gene expression and apoptosis under 20-hydroxyecdysone regulation
Authors: Chen Cai-Hua , Pan Jing , Di Yu-Qin , Liu Wen , Hou Li , Wang Jin-Xing , Zhao Xiao-Fan
Published: August 2017

Significance

The steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) promotes apoptosis during larval-to-adult metamorphosis in insects. However, the mechanisms governing this process are unclear. This work reveals that 20E up-regulates the expression of the protein kinase PKCδ isoform E. Overexpression of the catalytic domain of PKCδ is sufficient to increase caspase-3 activity and apoptosis. PKCδ directly phosphorylates a threonine residue at position 468 of the amino acid sequence of nuclear receptor EcRB1. The phosphorylation of EcRB1 is essential for apoptotic gene transcription. These results demonstrate the mechanism by which the steroid hormone 20E promotes PKCδ expression to regulate apoptosis.
From adverts to letters to the editor
Authors: Chovanec Jan
Published: August 2017

This article deals with external voicing in early news discourse, focusing on how the function of announcing future events was realised in letters to the editor and classified adverts, using data from the British daily newspaper The Times in the late eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries. The external voicing of texts announcing future newsworthy events – upcoming cricket and football matches – is interpreted in terms of a participation framework in which the newspaper plays the role of the animator, mediating messages originating elsewhere. It is argued that this arrangement of the communicative situation is related to pre-modern journalistic practices that tended to rely on the aggregation of content rather than editorial processing of information.
Newspaper funnies at the dawn of modernity
Authors: Ermida Isabel
Published: August 2017

This article offers a model for the analysis of comics, focusing on a classic of American Sunday newspapers: Outcault’s The Yellow Kid. As an early form of Press humour, these strips provide lavish material for the analysis of multimodal discourse and at the same time lend themselves to a study of the sociocultural and ideological constitution of America at the emergence of modernity. The analytical model is a threefold framework covering structural elements (“modes”), sociological elements (“functions”) and semantic elements (“mechanisms”). With these interpretive tools, it is expected that the construction of humorous meaning, as well as the usage of various semiotic resources for amusement purposes, becomes clearer. Moreover, the article glimpses at the nature of late nineteenth-century American society, in its vibrant, yet challenging, evolution.
LLR: a latent low-rank approach to colocalizing genetic risk variants in multiple GWAS
Authors: Liu Jin , Wan Xiang , Wang Chaolong , Yang Chao , Zhou Xiaowei , Yang Can
Published: August 2017

Motivation

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which genotype millions of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in thousands of individuals, are widely used to identify the risk SNPs underlying complex human phenotypes (quantitative traits or diseases). Most conventional statistical methods in GWAS only investigate one phenotype at a time. However, an increasing number of reports suggest the ubiquity of pleiotropy, i.e. many complex phenotypes sharing common genetic bases. This motivated us to leverage pleiotropy to develop new statistical approaches to joint analysis of multiple GWAS.

Results

In this study, we propose a latent low-rank (LLR) approach to colocalizing genetic risk variants using summary statistics. In the presence of pleiotropy, there exist risk loci that affect multiple phenotypes. To leverage pleiotropy, we introduce a low-rank structure to modulate the probabilities of the latent association statuses between loci and phenotypes. Regarding the computational efficiency of LLR, a novel expectation-maximization-path (EM-path) algorithm has been developed to greatly reduce the computational cost and facilitate model selection and inference. We demonstrate the advantages of LLR over competing approaches through simulation studies and joint analysis of 18 GWAS datasets.

Availability and implementation

The LLR software is available on https://sites.google.com/site/liujin810822.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The immitigable nature of assembly  bias: the impact of halo definition on
assembly bias
Authors: Villarreal Antonia Sierra , Zentner Andrew R. , Mao Yao-Yuan , Purcell Chris W. , van den Bosch Frank C. , Diemer Benedikt , Lange Johannes U. , Wang Kuan , Campbell Duncan
Published: August 2017

Dark matter halo clustering depends not only on halo mass, but also on other properties such as concentration and shape. This phenomenon is known broadly as assembly bias. We explore the dependence of assembly bias on halo definition, parametrized by spherical overdensity parameter, Δ. We summarize the strength of concentration-, shape-, and spin-dependent halo clustering as a function of halo mass and halo definition. Concentration-dependent clustering depends strongly on mass at all Δ. For conventional halo definitions (Δ ∼ 200 − 600 m), concentration-dependent clustering at low mass is driven by a population of haloes that is altered through interactions with neighbouring haloes. Concentration-dependent clustering can be greatly reduced through a mass-dependent halo definition with Δ ∼ 20 − 40 m for haloes with M200 m ≲ 1012 h−1M⊙. Smaller Δ implies larger radii and mitigates assembly bias at low mass by subsuming altered, so-called backsplash haloes into now larger host haloes. At higher masses (M200 m ≳ 1013 h−1M⊙) larger overdensities, Δ ≳ 600 m, are necessary. Shape- and spin-dependent clustering are significant for all halo definitions that we explore and exhibit a relatively weaker mass dependence. Generally, both the strength and the sense of assembly bias depend on halo definition, varying significantly even among common definitions. We identify no halo definition that mitigates all manifestations of assembly bias. A halo definition that mitigates assembly bias based on one halo property (e.g. concentration) must be mass dependent. The halo definitions that best mitigate concentration-dependent halo clustering do not coincide with the expected average splashback radii at fixed halo mass.
The first fatal case of Corynebacterium ulcerans infection in Japan
Authors: Otsuji Ken , Fukuda Kazumasa , Endo Takeru , Shimizu Satoko , Harayama Nobuya , Ogawa Midori , Yamamoto Akihiko , Umeda Kaoru , Umata Toshiyuki , Seki Hiroyuki , Iwaki Masaaki , Kamochi Masayuki , Saito Mitsumasa
Published: August 2017

Introduction.
Corynebacterium ulcerans (C. ulcerans) is a zoonotic pathogen that occasionally causes diphtheria-like symptoms in humans. Cases of C. ulcerans infection have been increasing in recent years, and C. ulcerans has been recognized as an emerging pathogen.

Case presentation. Here we report a case of asphyxia death due to pseudomembrane caused by diphtheria toxin (DT)-producing C. ulcerans. This is, to our knowledge, the first fatal case of C. ulcerans infection in Japan. A strain of C. ulcerans was obtained from the patient’s pet cat and was confirmed to be identical to the patient’s isolate by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene and the DT gene, by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and by ribotyping. In the same way, it was revealed that the isolate in this case belonged to the same molecular type as the C. ulcerans 0102 isolated from the first case in Japan in a distant prefecture 15 years earlier, in 2001.

Conclusion. DT-producing C. ulcerans can be contracted from a companion animal and causes human death if the appropriate treatment is delayed. The finding indicates that this molecular type of virulent C. ulcerans is currently widespread in Japan.
Inside an African family business estate: the founder’s legacy and the successor’s dilemma
Authors: Muhumed Zubaida , Bodolica Virginia , Spraggon Martin
Published: August 2017

Subject area

Family business.

Study level/applicability

Specialized undergraduate courses, Elective MBA courses.

Case overview

This case study uncovers the remarkable story of the relentless growth and sporadic weakening of Nurul Ain (NA) Limited, a family business conglomerate with major operations in the Eastern region of Africa. The case provides an opportunity to follow the different stages of development of this family-owned organization through a sequence of strategic events and family dynamics that led to its recurrent success, decline and rejuvenation. Despite the numerous successes of NA Limited since its establishment in the early 1990s, the ambiguous relationship between family, ownership and management systems has caused a ripple effect of strategic, structural and governance challenges that threaten the sustainability of the family business. Nowadays, the founder faces the pressing challenge of ensuring his legacy remains intact and is passed over to his chosen successor, who, in turn, is confronted with the dilemma of joining the family business or pursing an independent career outside NA Limited. Shedding light on the complexity of today’s family-run organizations, the case allows examining the effectiveness of strategic decision-making in an emerging market context by applying a variety of family business principles, theories and frameworks.

Expected learning outcomes

Discuss the sources of competitive advantage and the typical challenges that family firms face in the context of emerging markets. Perform a comprehensive corporate diagnosis and examine the specificities of strategic management process in family businesses. Assess the succession management practices in family-run organizations and design a profile of successful successor. Discuss the effectiveness of various corporate governance mechanisms in the context of family-owned enterprises. Evaluate the strategic choices of the top management team and offer recommendations for securing the family business longevity.

Supplementary materials

Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy.
Multiple factors modulate tree growth complementarity in Central European mixed forests
Authors: Mina Marco , Huber Markus O. , Forrester David I. , Thürig Esther , Rohner Brigitte
Published: August 2017

Mixed species forests can often be more productive and deliver higher levels of ecosystem services and functions than monocultures. However, complementarity effects for any given tree species are difficult to generalize because they can vary greatly along gradients of climatic conditions and resource availability. Identifying the conditions where species diversity can positively influence productivity is crucial. To date, few studies have examined how growth complementarity across species and mixture types is modulated by stand and environmental factors, and fewer have considered more than one or two factors.

We investigated how complementarity effects for several major Central European tree species change with climatic and edaphic conditions, and with stand structural characteristics, including species composition. We used data from the Swiss National Forest Inventory, which is based on 3,231 plots of pure and mixed stands (19 mixture types) across a broad environmental gradient, to test (i) how mixing effects change depending on the identity of the admixed species and (ii) if complementarity consistently increases when environmental conditions become harsher.

The magnitude, whether positive or negative, of complementarity increased with increasing stand density and stand developmental stage, but no general pattern could be identified across mixture types. Complementarity for many species increased as drought intensity and temperature increased, but not for all species and mixture types. While soil conditions, nitrogen and site topography influenced complementarity for many species, there was no general pattern (increases and decreases were observed).

Synthesis. Our study indicates that complementarity varies strongly with stand density and stand development as well as with topographic, climatic and soil conditions. This emphasizes the need to account for site‐dependent conditions when exploring mixture effects in relation to forest productivity. We found that under certain conditions (i.e. increasing drought, higher temperature), mixed forests can promote individual tree growth in Central European temperate forests. However, careful assessments depending on the species composing the stands are required under changing resource availability as well as under different levels of stand density and development.
Key Educational Factors in the education of students with a medical condition
Authors: Capurso Michele , Dennis John L.
Published: August 2017

The education of children with a medical condition represents a unique educational context. The key educational factors that can help these children continue their education despite the burdens associated with their illness were discussed and analysed by a pool of experts for an EU funded project. In this context,relationships,making senseandconstructing knowledge,assuming roles in front of others,metacognition,individualities and inter‐institutional communicationemerged as the 6 Key Educational Factors (KEF) that are crucial for the education of this vulnerable population. The implications of the KEFs for home and hospital education are discussed, with a particular focus on practices that meet the relational and communicational needs of these children. Specific recommendations for the practice, policy, and research regarding these KEF within this unique educational context are presented.
One‐piece internal zirconia abutments for single‐tooth restorations on narrow and regular diameter implants: A 5‐year prospective follow‐up study
Authors: Nilsson Andrée , Johansson Lars‐Åke , Lindh Christina , Ekfeldt Anders
Published: August 2017

Background

Studies have reported an increased risk for fractures of zirconia abutments compared with titanium abutments.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate single‐tooth implant restorations with one‐piece yttria‐stabilized internal zirconia abutments on narrow and regular diameter implants up to 6 years after insertion.

Material and methods

This study comprises 52 consecutively treated patients, with a median age of 19 years. In total, 59 narrow (3.3 mm) and 10 regular (4.1 mm) diameter implants were installed. Sixty‐five all‐ceramic crowns were cemented on implant‐supported one‐piece internal zirconia abutments and 4 restorations were screw‐retained.

Results

Thirty‐five patients with 48 implant restorations participated in the final examination and another 14 patients with 16 implant restorations were possible to reach and could be interviewed. The implant survival was 100% but the survival rate for the implant‐supported ceramic restorations was lower, 87.5%. Three crowns (4.7%) were remade for different reasons. Five restorations (7.8%) were remade due to fracture of the internal one‐piece zirconia abutment. Four of these fractures occurred in 3.3 mm implant abutments.

Conclusions

Narrow diameter implants offer an opportunity to restore small single‐tooth edentulous gaps. For esthetical reasons the choice of an abutment in zirconia can be favorable, but at least with the used implant system, there seems to be an increased risk for fracture. Most patients were very satisfied with the esthetics and function of their implant restorations.
Perceptual abnormalities in an ultra‐high risk for psychosis population relationship to trauma and co‐morbid disorder
Authors: O' Connor Karen , Nelson Barnaby , Cannon Mary , Yung Alison , Thompson Andrew
Published: August 2017

Aims

The aims of this study were 3‐fold. We wished to investigate whether at baseline entry to an ultra‐high risk (UHR) clinic whether: (1) perceptual abnormalities are more prevalent in those young people with co‐morbid psychiatric diagnoses, (2) perceptual abnormalities are more prevalent in those young people with histories of childhood adversity (childhood trauma, bullying) and (3) perceptual abnormality type is associated with co‐morbid psychiatric diagnoses or histories of childhood adversity.

Methods

In a sample of 118 UHR patients we investigated the relationship between perceptual abnormalities and non‐psychotic diagnoses and adverse life events at entry to a UHR clinic.

Results

Depressive disorder at baseline was associated with increased odds of experiencing perceptual abnormalities (OR 3.59, P = .004), particularly visual perceptual abnormalities (OR 2.36, P = .02). Borderline personality disorder at baseline was associated with increased odds of any auditory perceptual abnormalities (OR 3.44, P = .04) and specifically second person perceptual abnormalities (OR 2.69, P = .04). A history of childhood trauma and childhood bullying were both associated with increased odds of experiencing perceptual abnormalities at baseline (trauma OR 6.30, P < .001; bullying OR 5.00, P = .01).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that in the UHR population, certain types of perceptual abnormalities index risk for co‐morbid non‐psychotic disorder and indicate prior experience of childhood trauma. The use of detailed phenomenology of psychotic symptoms can help to shape our understanding of risk in UHR patients.
Crystal structure of the Xpo1p nuclear export complex bound to the SxFG/PxFG repeats of the nucleoporin Nup42p
Authors: Koyama Masako , Hirano Hidemi , Shirai Natsuki , Matsuura Yoshiyuki
Published: August 2017

Xpo1p (yeast CRM1) is the major nuclear export receptor that carries a plethora of proteins and ribonucleoproteins from the nucleus to cytoplasm. The passage of the Xpo1p nuclear export complex through nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) is facilitated by interactions with nucleoporins (Nups) containing extensive repeats of phenylalanine–glycine (so‐called FG repeats), although the precise role of each Nup in the nuclear export reaction remains incompletely understood. Here we report structural and biochemical characterization of the interactions between the Xpo1p nuclear export complex and the FG repeats of Nup42p, a nucleoporin localized at the cytoplasmic face of yeast NPCs and has characteristic SxFG/PxFG sequence repeat motif. The crystal structure of Xpo1p‐PKI‐Nup42p‐Gsp1p‐GTP complex identified three binding sites for the SxFG/PxFG repeats on HEAT repeats 14–20 of Xpo1p. Mutational analyses of Nup42p showed that the conserved serines and prolines in the SxFG/PxFG repeats contribute to Xpo1p‐Nup42p binding. Our structural and biochemical data suggest that SxFG/PxFG‐Nups such as Nup42p and Nup159p at the cytoplasmic face of NPCs provide high‐affinity docking sites for the Xpo1p nuclear export complex in the terminal stage of NPC passage and that subsequent disassembly of the nuclear export complex facilitates recycling of free Xpo1p back to the nucleus.
Low validity of predictive equations for calculating resting energy expenditure in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Rodrigues A. M. dos S. , Costa A. B. P. , Campos D. L. , Silva M. P. S. , Cândido A. L. , Santos L. C. dos , Ferreira A. V. M.
Published: August 2017

Background

Predictive equations are the main clinical tools for determining resting energy expenditure (REE). However, their adequate use in overweight and obese individuals is unclear. Thus, we investigated the best predictive equations for estimating REE in overweight and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

Methods

Eleven analyses were performed with prediction equations (pREE) based on anthropometric parameters in 30 overweight or obese women with PCOS without other chronic diseases. The measured REE (mREE) was calculated by indirect calorimetry. The validity of the equations was investigated by comparison, accuracy and agreement tests between pREE and mREE at both the individual and group level.

Results

Four analyses were similar to those of mREE, and smallest mean differences were observed for the World Health Organization/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/United Nations University (WHO/FAO/UNU) considering weight (W) [0.07 (1.13) MJ (16 [270] kcal)]. Individual accuracy was greater than 50% for Harris and Benedict, Müller and Lazzer equations. The percentage of REE underestimation ranged between 16.7% and 73.3%, whereas higher rates of overestimation were observed in the De Luis (66.7%) and Ireton‐Jones (43.3%) equations. Mean bias at the group level was lowest in the WHO/FAO/UNU W and WHO/FAO/UNU considering weight and height (WH), Müller and Lazzer equations (–2.8 to 0.5). The WHO/FAO/UNU W and WHO/FAO/UNU WH formulas were optimal in individual agreement (33.3%).

Conclusions

FAO/WHO/UNU W equations may estimate the REE in overweight and obese women with PCOS. However, the low individual accuracy and agreement in relation to mREE suggest caution regarding when to use the formula to perform an individual nutritional plan.