bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling of particle-laden flow inside nanomaterials
Authors: Chan Yue , Wylie Jonathan J. , Xia Liang , Ren Yong , Chen Yung-Tsang
Published: August 2016

In this paper, we demonstrate the usage of the Nernst–Planck equation in conjunction with mean-field theory to investigate particle-laden flow inside nanomaterials. Most theoretical studies in molecular encapsulation at the nanoscale do not take into account any macroscopic flow fields that are crucial in squeezing molecules into nanostructures. Here, a multi-scale idea is used to address this issue. The macroscopic transport of gas is described by the Nernst–Planck equation, whereas molecular interactions between gases and between the gas and the host material are described using a combination of molecular dynamics simulation and mean-field theory. In particular, we investigate flow-driven hydrogen storage inside doubly layered graphene sheets and graphene-oxide frameworks (GOFs). At room temperature and with slow velocity fields, we find that a single molecular layer is formed almost instantaneously on the inner surface of the graphene sheets, while molecular ligands between GOFs induce multi-layers. For higher velocities, multi-layers are also formed between graphene. For even larger velocities, the cavity of graphene is filled entirely with hydrogen, whereas for GOFs there exist two voids inside each periodic unit. The flow-driven hydrogen storage inside GOFs with various ligand densities is also investigated.
Optimization and small-amplitude analysis of Purcell's three-link microswimmer model
Authors: Wiezel O. , Or Y.
Published: August 2016

This work studies the motion of Purcell's three-link microswimmer in viscous flow, by using perturbation expansion of its dynamics under small-amplitude strokes. Explicit leading-order expressions and next-order correction terms for the displacement of the swimmer are obtained for the cases of a square or circular gait in the plane of joint angles. The correction terms demonstrate the reversal in movement direction for large stroke amplitudes, which has previously only been shown numerically. In addition, asymptotic expressions for Lighthill's energetic efficiency are obtained for both gaits. These approximations enable calculating optimal stroke amplitudes and swimmer's geometry (i.e. ratio of links’ lengths) for maximizing either net displacement or Lighthill's efficiency.
Aquatic noise pollution: implications for individuals, populations, and ecosystems
Authors: Kunc Hansjoerg P. , McLaughlin Kirsty Elizabeth , Schmidt Rouven
Published: August 2016

Anthropogenically driven environmental changes affect our planet at an unprecedented scale and are considered to be a key threat to biodiversity. According to the World Health Organization, anthropogenic noise is one of the most hazardous forms of anthropogenically driven environmental change and is recognized as a major global pollutant. However, crucial advances in the rapidly emerging research on noise pollution focus exclusively on single aspects of noise pollution, e.g. on behaviour, physiology, terrestrial ecosystems, or on certain taxa. Given that more than two-thirds of our planet is covered with water, there is a pressing need to get a holistic understanding of the effects of anthropogenic noise in aquatic ecosystems. We found experimental evidence for negative effects of anthropogenic noise on an individual's development, physiology, and/or behaviour in both invertebrates and vertebrates. We also found that species differ in their response to noise, and highlight the potential underlying mechanisms for these differences. Finally, we point out challenges in the study of aquatic noise pollution and provide directions for future research, which will enhance our understanding of this globally present pollutant.
The Modular Adaptive Ribosome
Authors: Yadav Anupama , Radhakrishnan Aparna , Panda Anshuman , Singh Amartya , Sinha Himanshu , Bhanot Gyan
Published: August 2016

The ribosome is an ancient machine, performing the same function across organisms. Although functionally unitary, recent experiments suggest specialized roles for some ribosomal proteins. Our central thesis is that ribosomal proteins function in a modular fashion to decode genetic information in a context dependent manner. We show through large data analyses that although many ribosomal proteins are essential with consistent effect on growth in different conditions in yeast and similar expression across cell and tissue types in mice and humans, some ribosomal proteins are used in an environment specific manner. The latter set of variable ribosomal proteins further function in a coordinated manner forming modules, which are adapted to different environmental cues in different organisms. We show that these environment specific modules of ribosomal proteins in yeast have differential genetic interactions with other pathways and their 5’UTRs show differential signatures of selection in yeast strains, presumably to facilitate adaptation. Similarly, we show that in higher metazoans such as mice and humans, different modules of ribosomal proteins are expressed in different cell types and tissues. A clear example is nervous tissue that uses a ribosomal protein module distinct from the rest of the tissues in both mice and humans. Our results suggest a novel stratification of ribosomal proteins that could have played a role in adaptation, presumably to optimize translation for adaptation to diverse ecological niches and tissue microenvironments.
Systems Biomedicine of Rabies Delineates the Affected Signaling pathways
Authors: Jamalkandi Sadegh Azimzadeh , Pourbadie Hamid Gholami , Mirzaie Mehdi , Mozhgani Sayed Hamid Reza , Noorbakhsh Farsheed , Vaziri Behrouz , Gholami Alireza , Ansari-Pour Naser , Jafari Mohieddin
Published: August 2016

The prototypical neurotropic virus, rabies, is a member of the Rhabdoviridae family that causes lethal encephalomyelitis. Although there have been a plethora of studies investigating the etiological mechanism of the rabies virus and many precautionary methods have been implemented to avert the disease outbreak over the last century, the disease has surprisingly no definite remedy at its late stages. The psychological symptoms and the underlying etiology, as well as the rare survival rate from rabies encephalitis, has still remained a mystery. We, therefore, undertook a systems biomedicine approach to identify the network of gene products implicated in rabies. This was done by meta-analyzing whole-transcriptome microarray datasets of the CNS infected by strain CVS-11, and integrating them with interactome data using computational and statistical methods. We first determined the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in each study and horizontally integrated the results at the mRNA and microRNA levels separately. A total of 61 seed genes involved in signal propagation system were obtained by means of unifying mRNA and microRNA detected integrated DEGs. We then reconstructed a refined protein-protein interaction network (PPIN) of infected cells to elucidate biological signaling transduction pathways affected by rabies virus. To validate our findings, we confirmed differential expression of randomly selected genes in the network using Real-time PCR. In conclusion, the identification of seed genes and their network neighborhood within the refined PPIN can be useful for demonstrating signaling pathways including interferon circumvent, toward proliferation and survival, and neuropathological clue, explaining the intricate underlying molecular neuropathology of rabies infection and thus rendered a molecular framework for predicting potential drug targets.
FOXA1 directs H3K4 monomethylation at enhancers via recruitment of the methyltransferase MLL3
Authors: Jozwik Kamila M. , Chernukhin Igor , Serandour Aurelien A. , Nagarajan Sankari , Carroll Jason S.
Published: August 2016

FOXA1 is a pioneer factor that is important in hormone dependent cancer cells to stabilise nuclear receptors, such as estrogen receptor (ER) to chromatin. FOXA1 binds to enhancers regions that are enriched in H3K4mono- and dimethylation (H3K4me1, H3K4me2) histone marks and evidence suggests that these marks are requisite events for FOXA1 to associate with enhancers to initate subsequent gene expression events. However, exogenous expression of FOXA1 has been shown to induce H3K4me1 and H3K4me2 signal at enhancer elements and the order of events and the functional importance of these events is not clear. We performed a FOXA1 Rapid Immunoprecipitation Mass Spectrometry of Endogenous Proteins (RIME) screen in ERα-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells in order to identify FOXA1 interacting partners and we found histone-lysine N-methyltransferase (MLL3) as the top FOXA1 interacting protein. MLL3 is typically thought to induce H3K4me3 at promoter regions, but recent findings suggest it may contribute to H3K4me1 deposition, in line with our observation that MLL3 associates with an enhancer specific protein. We performed MLL3 ChIP-seq in breast cancer cells and unexpectedly found that MLL3 binds mostly at non-promoter regions enhancers, in contrast to the prevailing hypothesis. MLL3 was shown to occupy regions marked by FOXA1 occupancy and as expected, H3K4me1 and H3K4me2. MLL3 binding was dependent on FOXA1, indicating that FOXA1 recruits MLL3 to chromatin. Motif analysis and subsequent genomic mapping revealed a role for Grainy head like protein-2 (GRHL2) which was shown to co-occupy regions of the chromatin with MLL3. Regions occupied by all three factors, namely FOXA1, MLL3 and GRHL2, were most enriched in H3K4me1. MLL3 silencing decreased H3K4me1 at enhancer elements, but had no appreciable impact on H3K4me3 at enhancer elements. We identify a complex relationship between FOXA1, MLL3 and H3K4me1 at enhancers in breast cancer and propose a mechanism whereby the pioneer factor FOXA1 can interact with a chromatin modifier MLL3, recruiting it to chromatin to facilitate the deposition of H3K4me1 histone marks, subsequently demarcating active enhancer elements.
PubData: search engine for bioinformatics databases worldwide
Authors: Khomtchouk Bohdan B. , Vand Kasra A. , Wahlestedt Thor , Khomtchouk Kelly , Sayed Mohammed K. , Wahlestedt Claes
Published: August 2016

We propose a search engine and file retrieval system for all bioinformatics databases worldwide. PubData searches biomedical data in a user-friendly fashion similar to how PubMed searches biomedical literature. PubData is built on novel network programming, natural language processing, and artificial intelligence algorithms that can patch into the file transfer protocol servers of any user-specified bioinformatics database, query its contents, retrieve files for download, and adapt to the user’s search preferences.

PubData is hosted as a user-friendly, cross-platform graphical user interface program developed using PyQt:http://www.pubdata.bio. The methods are implemented in Python, and are available as part of the PubData project at:https://github.com/Bohdan-Khomtchouk/PubData.
Understanding the contributions of visual stimuli to contextual fear conditioning: a proof-of-concept study using LCD screens
Authors: Murawski Nathen J. , Asok Arun
Published: August 2016

The precise contribution of visual information to contextual fear-learning and discrimination has remained elusive. To better understand this contribution, we coupled the context pre-exposure facilitation effect (CPFE) fear conditioning paradigm with presentations of distinct visual scenes displayed on 4 LCD screens surrounding a conditioning chamber. Adult male Long-Evans rats received non-reinforced context pre-exposure on Day 1, an immediate 1.5 mA foot shock on Day 2, and a non-reinforced context test on Day 3. Rats were pre-exposed to either digital Context (dCtx) A, dCtx B, a distinct Context C, or no context on Day 1. Context A and B were identical except for the visual image displayed on the LCD monitors. Immediate shock and retention testing occurred in dCtx A. Rats pre-exposed dCtx A showed the CPFE with significantly higher levels of freezing compared to learning controls. Rats pre-exposed to Context B failed to show the CPFE, with freezing that did not differ significantly from any group. The results suggest that 1) visual information contributes to contextual fear learning in rats and that 2) visual components of the context can be parametrically controlled via LCD screens. Our approach offers a simple modification to contextual fear conditioning whereby the visual features of a context can be precisely controlled to better understand how rodents discriminate and generalize fear across environments.
What is the link between stringent response, endoribonuclease encoding Type II Toxin-Antitoxin systems and persistence?
Authors: Ramisetty Bhaskar Chandra Mohan , Ghosh Dimpy , Chowdhury Maoumita Roy , Santhosh Ramachandran Sarojini
Published: August 2016

Persistence is a transient and non-inheritable tolerance to antibiotics by a small fraction of a bacterial population. One of the proposed determinants of bacterial persistence is Toxin-Antitoxin systems (TAS) which are also implicated in a wide range of stress-related phenomena. In a report (Maisonneuve E, Castro-Camargo M, Gerdes K. 2013. Cell 154:1140-1150) an interesting link between ppGpp mediated stringent response, TAS and persistence was proposed. It is proposed that accumulation of ppGpp enhances the accumulation of inorganic polyphosphate which modulates Lon protease to degrade antitoxins. The decrease in the concentration of antitoxins supposedly activated the toxin to increase in the number of persisters during antibiotic treatment. In this study, we show that inorganic polyphosphate is not required for Lon-dependent degradation of YefM, the antitoxin of YefM/YoeB TAS. The Δ10 strain, anEscherichia coliMG1655 derivative in which the ten TAS are deleted, is more sensitive to Ciprofloxacin and Ampicillin compared to wild-type MG1655. Furthermore, we show that the Δ10 strain has relatively lower fitness compared to the wild type and hence, we argue that the implications based on this strain are void. We conclude that there is no direct and specific link between stringent response and the regulation of TAS. The link between TAS and persistence is inconclusive due to altered fitness of Δ10 strain and hence requires thorough inspection and debate.

Importance

A model connecting stringent response, endoribonuclease encoding Type II Toxin-Antitoxin systems (TAS) and persistence is widely propagated. It states that “accumulation of ppGpp results in accumulation of inorganic polyphosphate which modulates Lon protease to degrade antitoxin rendering toxins free to induce persistence”. This work presents a contradiction to and challenges the model. Experimental evidence, literature survey as well as rationale are provided to show that inorganic polyphosphate is not required for the degradation of YefM, the antitoxin in YefM/YoeB TAS. The Δ10 strain is relatively more sensitive to Ciprofloxacin and Ampicillin as well as has lowered fitness. This is likely because of the polar effects on the adjacent genes caused by the genetic manipulation of multiple TAS loci.
Non-Mendelian inheritance of SNP markers reveals extensive chromosomal translocations in dioecious hops (Humulus lupulusL.)
Authors: Zhang Dong , Pitra Nicholi J. , Coles Mark C. , Buckler Edward S. , Matthews Paul D.
Published: August 2016

Genome-wide meiotic recombination structures, sex chromosomes, and candidate genes for sex determination were discovered amongHumulusspp. by application of a novel, high-density molecular marker system: ~1.2M single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were profiled with genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) among 4512 worldwide accessions, including 4396 cultivars and landraces and 116 wild accessions of hops. Pre-qualified GBS markers were validated by inferences on families, population structures and phylogeny. Candidate genes discovered for several traits, including sex and drought stress-resistance, demonstrate the quality and utility of GBS SNPs for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and Fst analysis in hops. Most importantly, pseudo-testcross mappings in F1 families delineated non-random linkage of Mendelian and non-Mendelian markers: structures that are indicative of unusual meiotic events which may have driven the evolution and cultivation of hops.
NovelblaKPC-carrying species identified in the hospital environment
Authors: Phan Hang T.T. , Aiken Zoie , Akinremi Oluwafemi , Cawthorne Julie , Dodgson Andrew , Downes Angela , Ellington Matthew , George Ryan , Mathers Amy , Stoesser Nicole , Thomas Stephanie ,   on behalf of the TRACE Investigators’ Group
Published: August 2016

blaKPC, encoding one of five dominant global carbapenemase families, is increasingly identified in environmental species difficult to characterize using routine diagnostic methods, with epidemiological and clinical implications. During environmental hospital infection prevention and control investigations (Manchester, UK) we used whole genome sequencing to confirm species identification for isolates infrequently associated withblaKPCand/or difficult to classify by MALDI-ToF. Four previously undescribedblaKPC-carrying species were identified from the hospital environment, including a putative, novelEnterobacterspecies.
Modeling and docking antibody structures with Rosetta
Authors: Weitzner Brian D. , Jeliazkov Jeliazko R. , Lyskov Sergey , Marze Nicholas , Kuroda Daisuke , Frick Rahel , Biswas Naireeta , Gray Jeffrey J.
Published: August 2016

We describe Rosetta-based computational protocols for predicting the three-dimensional structure of an antibody from sequence and then docking the antibody–protein-antigen complexes. Antibody modeling leverages canonical loop conformations to graft large segments from experimentally-determined structures as well as (1) energetic calculations to minimize loops, (2) docking methodology to refine the VL–VHrelative orientation, and (3)de novoprediction of the elusive complementarity determining region (CDR) H3 loop. To alleviate model uncertainty, antibody–antigen docking resamples CDR loop conformations and can use multiple models to represent an ensemble of conformations for the antibody, the antigen or both. These protocols can be run fully-automated via the ROSIE web server or manually on a computer with user control of individual steps. For best results, the protocol requires roughly 2,500 CPU-hours for antibody modeling and 250 CPU-hours for antibody–antigen docking. Tasks can be completed in under a day by using public supercomputers.
Indels, structural variation, and recombination drive genomic diversity in Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Miles Alistair , Iqbal Zamin , Vauterin Paul , Pearson Richard , Campino Susana , Theron Michel , Gould Kelda , Mead Daniel , Drury Eleanor , O'Brien John , Ruano Rubio Valentin , MacInnis Bronwyn , Mwangi Jonathan , Samarakoon Upeka , Ranford-Cartwright Lisa , Ferdig Michael , Hayton Karen , Su Xin-zhuan , Wellems Thomas , Rayner Julian , McVean Gil , Kwiatkowski Dominic
Published: August 2016

The malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has a great capacity for evolutionary adaptation to evade host immunity and develop drug resistance. Current understanding of parasite evolution is impeded by the fact that a large fraction of the genome is either highly repetitive or highly variable and thus difficult to analyze using short-read sequencing technologies. Here, we describe a resource of deep sequencing data on parents and progeny from genetic crosses, which has enabled us to perform the first genome-wide, integrated analysis of SNP, indel and complex polymorphisms, using Mendelian error rates as an indicator of genotypic accuracy. These data reveal that indels are exceptionally abundant, being more common than SNPs and thus the dominant mode of polymorphism within the core genome. We use the high density of SNP and indel markers to analyze patterns of meiotic recombination, confirming a high rate of crossover events and providing the first estimates for the rate of non-crossover events and the length of conversion tracts. We observe several instances of meiotic recombination within copy number variants associated with drug resistance, demonstrating a mechanism whereby fitness costs associated with resistance mutations could be compensated and greater phenotypic plasticity could be acquired.
Involvement of protein phosphatases in the destabilization of methamphetamine-associated contextual memory
Authors: Yu Yang-Jung , Huang Chien-Hsuan , Chang Chih-Hua , Gean Po-Wu
Published: August 2016

Destabilization refers to a memory that becomes unstable when reactivated and is susceptible to disruption by amnestic agents. Here we delineated the cellular mechanism underlying the destabilization of drug memory. Mice were conditioned with methamphetamine (MeAM) for 3 d, and drug memory was assessed with a conditioned place preference (CPP) protocol. Anisomycin (ANI) was administered 60 min after the CPP retrieval to disrupt reconsolidation. We found that destabilization of MeAM CPP after the application of ANI was blocked by the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist MK-801 and the NR2B antagonist ifenprodil (IFN) but not by the NR2A antagonist NVP-AAM077 (NVP). In addition, decrease in the phosphorylation of GluR1 at Serine845 (p-GluR1-Ser845), decrease in spine density, and a reduction in the AMPAR/NMDAR ratio in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) were reversed after the MK-801 treatment. The effect of ANI on destabilization was prevented by the protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin, CaN) inhibitors cyclosporine A (CsA) and FK-506 and the protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) inhibitors calyculin A (CA) and okadaic acid (OA). These results suggest that memory destabilization involves the activation of NR2B-containing NMDARs, which in turn allows the influx of Ca2+. Increased intracellular Ca2+ stimulates CaN, leading to the dephosphorylation and inactivation of inhibitor 1 and the activation of PP1. PP1 then dephosphorylates p-GluR1-Ser845 to elicit AMPA receptor (AMPAR) endocytosis and destabilization of the drug memory.
Increased task demand during spatial memory testing recruits the anterior cingulate cortex
Authors: Carr Joshua K. , Fournier Neil M. , Lehmann Hugo
Published: August 2016

We examined whether increasing retrieval difficulty in a spatial memory task would promote the recruitment of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) similar to what is typically observed during remote memory retrieval. Rats were trained on the hidden platform version of the Morris Water Task and tested three or 30 d later. Retrieval difficulty was manipulated by removing several prominent extra-pool cues from the testing room. Immediate early gene expression (c-Fos) in the ACC was greater following the cue removal and comparable to remote memory retrieval (30-d retention interval) levels, supporting the view of increased ACC contribution during high cognitive-demand memory processes.
Insufficient chunk concatenation may underlie changes in sleep-dependent consolidation of motor sequence learning in older adults
Authors: Bottary Ryan , Sonni Akshata , Wright David , Spencer Rebecca M. C.
Published: August 2016

Sleep enhances motor sequence learning (MSL) in young adults by concatenating subsequences (“chunks”) formed during skill acquisition. To examine whether this process is reduced in aging, we assessed performance changes on the MSL task following overnight sleep or daytime wake in healthy young and older adults. Young adult performance enhancement was correlated with nREM2 sleep, and facilitated by preferential improvement of slowest within-sequence transitions. This effect was markedly reduced in older adults, and accompanied by diminished sigma power density (12–15 Hz) during nREM2 sleep, suggesting that diminished chunk concatenation following sleep may underlie reduced consolidation of MSL in older adults.
The GABAAreceptor agonist muscimol induces an age- and region-dependent form of long-term depression in the mouse striatum
Authors: Zhang Xiaoqun , Yao Ning , Chergui Karima
Published: August 2016

Several forms of long-term depression (LTD) of glutamatergic synaptic transmission have been identified in the dorsal striatum and in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Such experience-dependent synaptic plasticity might play important roles in reward-related learning. The GABAAreceptor agonist muscimol was recently found to trigger a long-lasting depression of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the NAc of adolescent mice, but the mechanisms that underlie this novel form of LTD were not studied. Here we examined the effect of muscimol applied in the perfusion solution on the amplitude of field excitatory postsynaptic potentials/population spikes (fEPSP/PSs) in mouse brain slices. We found that muscimol depressed the fEPSP/PS in the NAc of adolescent mice but not adult mice, through both postsynaptic and presynaptic mechanisms. Indeed, muscimol altered the fEPSP/PS paired-pulse ratio, depolarized the membrane of projection neurons, and decreased the frequency, but not amplitude, of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents in the NAc of adolescent mice. The LTD induced by muscimol likely involved endocannabinoids, metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), but not TRPV1 receptors. Muscimol-LTD was occluded by prior induction of LTD through low-frequency stimulation (LFS) of the slice, demonstrating a common pathway in the induction of LFS-LTD and muscimol-LTD. We also found that muscimol induced a form of LTD in the dorsolateral striatum of adult but not adolescent mice. This LTD was mediated by endocannabinoids but did not involve mGluRs or TRPV1 receptors. These results identify a novel form of synaptic plasticity, and its mechanisms of induction, which is age and region dependent. These findings may contribute to a better understanding of the increased susceptibility of the adolescent brain to long-term synaptic changes in regions associated with reward mechanisms.
A Distinct Pathway for Polar Exocytosis in Plant Cell Wall Formation
Authors: Wang Hao , Zhuang Xiaohong , Wang Xiangfeng , Law Angus Ho Yin , Zhao Teng , Du Shengwang , Loy Michael M.T. , Jiang Liwen
Published: August 2016

Post-Golgi protein sorting and trafficking to the plasma membrane (PM) is generally believed to occur via the trans-Golgi network (TGN). In this study using Nicotiana tabacum pectin methylesterase (NtPPME1) as a marker, we have identified a TGN-independent polar exocytosis pathway that mediates cell wall formation during cell expansion and cytokinesis. Confocal immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy studies demonstrated that Golgi-derived secretory vesicles (GDSVs) labeled by NtPPME1-GFP are distinct from those organelles belonging to the conventional post-Golgi exocytosis pathway. In addition, pharmaceutical treatments, superresolution imaging, and dynamic studies suggest that NtPPME1 follows a polar exocytic process from Golgi-GDSV-PM/cell plate (CP), which is distinct from the conventional Golgi-TGN-PM/CP secretion pathway. Further studies show that ROP1 regulates this specific polar exocytic pathway. Taken together, we have demonstrated an alternative TGN-independent Golgi-to-PM polar exocytic route, which mediates secretion of NtPPME1 for cell wall formation during cell expansion and cytokinesis and is ROP1-dependent.
Behavioral Activation Treatment for Smoking (BATS) in smokers with depressive symptomatology
Authors: MacPherson Laura , Collado Anahi , Lejuez Carl W. , Brown Richard A. , Tull Matthew T.
Published: August 2016

Purpose

Cigarette smoking remains the primary preventable cause of mortality and morbidity globally. The overarching goal of the paper is to disseminate the Behavioral Activation Treatment for Smoking (BATS), which integrates behavioral activation principles with standard treatment guidelines to assist individuals in achieving short- and long-term smoking cessation. Through a series of sequential steps, BATS guides individuals who wish to quit smoking to increase their engagement in healthy, pleasurable, and value-consistent activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The document provides the BATS rationale and contains an abridged manual for use by clinicians and/or researchers in the context of clinical trials. Findings: BATS is accruing empirical evidence that suggests its ability to promote successful smoking cessation outcomes while decreasing any associated depressive symptoms.

Findings

BATS is accruing empirical evidence that suggests its ability to promote successful smoking cessation outcomes while decreasing any associated depressive symptoms.

Practical implications

A description of key components, forms, and strategies to address common treatment barriers are included.

Originality/value

BATS’s strong roots in learning theories and its idiographic nature allow for the intervention to be implemented flexibly across a wide range of settings and smoking populations. The treatment may also be combined seamlessly with pharmacotherapies. BATS targets both cigarette smoking and depressive symptoms, which constitute a significant barrier to cessation, through a common pathway: increasing rewarding activities. The treatment offers a parsimonious complement to standard smoking cessation treatments.
Non-decision making in the reform of equal pay policy
Authors: Koskinen Sandberg Paula
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse an example of non-decision making in the Nordic tripartite policy process, namely, the reform of the Finnish gender equality legislation and the law for equal pay comparisons.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses non-decision making as a conceptual framework for qualitative analysis of the documentation of the working group that drafted the law for equal pay comparisons. The analysis focuses on the strategic responses used by the participants in order to defend the status quo and resist change in legislation.

Findings

The key findings are that the suggested law for conducting equal pay comparisons as part of gender equality planning in Finnish organisations changed dramatically in the tripartite policy process. Employer organisations successfully prevented the most relevant features from being implemented in the reformed law.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this research indicate that there is a need for more research on the tripartite policy process and its implication on developing policy.

Social implications

This paper shows what kind of power employer and employee organisations use in Finnish policy making. As a result, the reformed gender equality legislation is a compromise reflecting the vested interests of different stakeholders. The findings highlight the challenges of developing policy in tripartite policy process.

Originality/value

The tripartite policy process and its implications have rarely been studied. The value of this paper lies in both originality of the topic and approach, and the societal importance of the findings.
Facing the shortage in Benin: a strategy for information and documentation access at the Université d’Abomey-Calavi
Authors: Mêgnigbêto Eustache , Osseni Bachabi Khadidjath Kouboura
Published: August 2016

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the response of students to the shortage of materials at the Université d’Abomey-Calavi (Republic of Benin).

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with over 2,000 students of the Université d’Abomey-Calavi in 2014, and the data were analysed. The paper deals with two questions related to the university library services they use.

Findings

To satisfy their information and documentation needs, students visit several university library services even on different campuses.

Practical implications

The study recommends the setting up and the implementation of a long-term development plan for the University of Abomey-Calavi libraries.

Originality/value

The study describes the behaviour of students of a developing country when faced with a lack of relevant information and documentation resources.
Bank leverage and stock liquidity: evidence from BRICS countries
Authors: Umar Muhammad , Sun Gang
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between bank leverage and stock liquidity.

Design/methodology/approach

A simultaneous equations model and a two-stage least squares method were used to find the above-mentioned relationship, using data from all the listed banks of the BRICS countries, for the years 2007-2014.

Findings

A decrease in leverage results in lower stock liquidity of the banks. Bank leverage is a significant determinant of stock liquidity, but changes in stock liquidity do not explain the variation in bank leverage. However, in the case of small banks, an increase in stock liquidity results in lower leverage. In the case of large banks, bank leverage and stock liquidity are significant determinants of each other, and the relationship between them is positive.

Practical implications

An increase in high quality capital, as required by the Basel III accord, will result in lower stock liquidity of the banks in emerging markets. However, stock liquidity shocks do not affect the leverage of banks.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’knowledge, this study is the first one to explore the relationship between leverage and stock liquidity of financial firms. It contributes to the existing literature on bank liquidity and capital structure and helps managers and policy makers to formulate better policies.
Ownership, risk-taking and performance of banks in emerging economies
Authors: Haque Faizul , Shahid Rehnuma
Published: August 2016

Purpose

This paper examines the effect of ownership structure on bank risk-taking and performance in emerging economies by using India as a case study.

Design/methodology/approach

We use generalised method of moments (GMM) estimation technique to analyse an unbalanced panel data set covering 217 bank-year observations from 2008 to 2011.

Findings

Overall, our study results suggest that government ownership is positively associated with default risk and negatively related to bank profitability. Interestingly, we find foreign ownership having a positive effect on default risk and a negative effect on profitability among the listed commercial banks. The effect of ownership concentration on bank risk-taking and profitability appears to be statistically insignificant.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to consider the impact of ownership on bank risk-taking and profitability from an emerging economy perspective. It also addresses the problem of endogenous relationships among ownership, risk-taking and performance of a bank. This study is likely to have implications for policymakers in undertaking regulatory reforms relating to ownership, risk management and banking sector stability.
Exchange rate risks in a small open economy
Authors: Nakamura Chikafumi
Published: August 2016

Purpose

This study aims to analyze exchange rate risks and the choice of exchange rate policies in a small open economy indebted in foreign currency, incorporating the financial accelerator mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

To examine discussions on the fear of floating, this study develops a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model in which a small open economy model has an open economy financial accelerator mechanism as the external borrowing restriction. The author then compares and analyzes the macroeconomic dynamics in response to an exchange rate shock under different exchange rate systems.

Findings

The most interesting finding is that the currency peg for a foreign currency used in borrowing is more efficient than the trade-weighted currency basket policy, regardless of trade openness or trade share.

Practical implications

The result implies that in discussions on the fear of floating, more attention needs to be paid to exchange rate risks in finance. It also suggests that exchange rate policy used to mitigate exchange rate risks in finance stabilizes macroeconomic volatility more efficiently.

Originality/value

The paper provides an answer to the question: which is the more serious problem in the fear of floating and to what would the regime be anchored.
Individual determinants of punitive attitudes towards sexual and domestic abuse offenders
Authors: Palasinski Marek , Shortland Neil
Published: August 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address individual factors predicting punitive attitudes towards sexual and domestic offences and offenders have received little attention.

Design/methodology/approach

In Study 1,137 participants completed a 25-item online questionnaire exploring individual factors hypothesised to predict punitive attitudes towards four sexual crimes: rape, paedophilia, incest and bestiality. In Study 2,100 participants completed a similar questionnaire exploring individual factors hypothesised to predict punitive attitudes towards male and female emotional, physical and sexual abusers.

Findings

The standard multiple regression models of Study 1 found that age (i.e. being older), belief in a just world and gender (i.e. being female) were predictors of harsher punitive attitudes. The models of Study 2 found that the low score on the social dominance scale was the most common predictor.

Research limitations/implications

This survey-based project presents a nuanced picture that could be complemented by the inclusion of a wider range of more complex factors and follow-on qualitative studies.

Practical implications

The key message from this study is to inform the public on the role of personality factors in developing punitive attitudes.

Social implications

It is vital to increase the legislators’ and the people’ awareness of the factors shaping the public impressions of criminal justice processes and evidence-based treatment effectiveness.

Originality/value

This relatively modest paper offers insight of personality factors into people’s punitive attitudes shaping actual legislation.
Alien and native plant establishment in grassland communities is more strongly affected by disturbance than above‐ and below‐ground enemies
Authors: Müller Gregor , Horstmeyer Lena , Rönneburg Tilman , van Kleunen Mark , Dawson Wayne
Published: August 2016

Understanding the factors that drive commonness and rarity of plant species and whether these factors differ for alien and native species are key questions in ecology. If a species is to become common in a community, incoming propagules must first be able to establish. The latter could be determined by competition with resident plants, the impacts of herbivores and soil biota, or a combination of these factors.

We aimed to tease apart the roles that these factors play in determining establishment success in grassland communities of 10 alien and 10 native plant species that are either common or rare in Germany, and from four families. In a two‐year multisite field experiment, we assessed the establishment success of seeds and seedlings separately, under all factorial combinations of low vs. high disturbance (mowing vs mowing and tilling of the upper soil layer), suppression or not of pathogens (biocide application) and, for seedlings only, reduction or not of herbivores (net‐cages).

Native species showed greater establishment success than alien species across all treatments, regardless of their commonness. Moreover, establishment success of all species was positively affected by disturbance. Aliens showed lower establishment success in undisturbed sites with biocide application. Release of the undisturbed resident community from pathogens by biocide application might explain this lower establishment success of aliens. These findings were consistent for establishment from either seeds or seedlings, although less significantly so for seedlings, suggesting a more important role of pathogens in very early stages of establishment after germination. Herbivore exclusion did play a limited role in seedling establishment success.

Synthesis: In conclusion, we found that less disturbed grassland communities exhibited strong biotic resistance to establishment success of species, whether alien or native. However, we also found evidence that alien species may benefit weakly from soilborne enemy release, but that this advantage over native species is lost when the latter are also released by biocide application. Thus, disturbance was the major driver for plant species establishment success and effects of pathogens on alien plant establishment may only play a minor role.
Plant mutualisms with rhizosphere microbiota in introduced versus native ranges
Authors: Shelby Natasha , Duncan Richard P. , van der Putten Wim H. , McGinn Kevin J. , Weser Carolin , Hulme Philip E.
Published: August 2016

The performance of introduced plants can be limited by the availability of soil mutualists outside their native range, but how interactions with mutualists differ between ranges is largely unknown. If mutualists are absent, incompatible or parasitic, plants may compensate by investing more in root biomass, adapting to be more selective or by maximizing the benefits associated with the mutualists available.

We tested these hypotheses using seven non‐agricultural species of Trifolium naturalized in New Zealand (NZ). We grew seeds from two native (Spain, UK) and one introduced (NZ) provenance of each species in glasshouse pots inoculated with rhizosphere microbiota collected from conspecifics in each region.

We compared how plant biomass, degree of colonization by rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), and the growth benefit associated with each mutualist differed between provenances (native and introduced populations) when grown with soil microbiota from each region. We also tested whether the growth benefit of colonization by mutualists was correlated with the extent to which alien plants were distributed in the introduced range.

Rhizobia colonization was generally lower among introduced relative to native provenances. In NZ soils, 9% of all plants lacked rhizobia and 16% hosted parasitic nodules, whereas in native‐range soils, there was no evidence of parasitism and all but one plant hosted rhizobia. Growth rates as a factor of rhizobia colonization were always highest when plants were grown in soil from their home range. Colonization by AMF was similar for all provenances in all soils but for four out of seven species grown in NZ soils, the level of AMF colonization was negatively correlated with growth rate. In general, introduced provenances did not compensate for lower growth rates or lower mutualist associations by decreasing shoot–root ratios.

Synthesis. Despite differences between introduced and native provenances in their associations with soil mutualists and substantial evidence of parasitism in the introduced range, neither level of colonization by mutualists nor the growth benefit associated with colonization was correlated with the extent of species’ distributions in the introduced range, suggesting mutualist associations are not predictive of invasion success for these species.
Do fine motor skills contribute to early reading development?
Authors: Suggate Sebastian , Pufke Eva , Stoeger Heidrun
Published: August 2016

Background

Little is known about how fine motor skills (FMS) relate to early literacy skills, especially over and above cognitive variables. Moreover, a lack of distinction between FMS, grapho‐motor and writing skills may have hampered previous work.

Method

In Germany, kindergartners (n = 144, aged 6;1) were recruited before beginning formal reading instruction and were administered a host of FMS, early reading skills and cognitive measures.

Results

Analyses indicate that FMS related less strongly than grapho‐motor skills to emergent literacy skills. Controlling for grapho‐motor and cognitive skills, FMS did not generally explain unique variance in emergent literacy skills.

Conclusions

The link between reading and motor skills is highly differential. Findings did not suggest that pure FMS played a significant role in early reading development, however, its close cousin grapho‐motor skills – even when devoid of the cognitive knowledge of letters – did.

Implications for practice

What is already known about this topic

Fine motor skills (FMS) are considered an important school readiness indicator

FMS play a role in cognition and language development

Some research suggests that FMS might be important for reading

What this paper adds

First study to look differentially at FMS and emergent literacy

FMS was considered separately from grapho‐motor and handwriting skill

Links between these motor skills and a broad range of emergent literacy and cognitive skills were investigated

Implications for practice and/or policy

FMS may be important in the development of grapho‐motor skills

Grapho‐motor skills appear, in turn, linked to reading

Fostering children's grapho‐motor skills may be important in kindergarten
Malchish‐Kibalchish: cultural factors in a clinical case
Authors: Tsivinsky Vladimir
Published: August 2016

In this paper, a Jungian understanding of cultural factors influencing individual analysis is illustrated with the case of a patient suffering from panic attacks. The analysis revealed that, in addition to the patient's personal background, the collectivistic attitudes of the Soviet culture, which had a moulding effect on the patient in his childhood and obstructed his individuation, should be taken into account. The concepts of the totalitarian object and the Russian cultural complex encompassing a grandiosity pole and an inferiority pole are used to explore the patient's condition, and the crucial role of creating mutual language with the patient is outlined.
‘You were not born here, so you are classless, you are free!’ Social class and cultural complex in analysis
Authors: Kiehl Emilija
Published: August 2016

The unconscious impact of differences in culture and social class is discussed from the perspective of an analyst practising in London whose ‘foreign accent’ prevents patients from placing her within the social stratifications by which they feel confined. Because she is seen by them as an analyst from both ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ the British psycho‐social fabric and cultural complex, this opens a space in the transference that enables fuller exploration of the impact of the British social class system on patients’ experience of themselves and their world. The paper considers this impact as a trans‐generational trauma of living in a society of sharp socio‐economic divisions based on material property. This is illustrated with the example of a patient who, at the point of moving towards the career to which he aspired, was unable to separate a sense of personal identity from the social class he so desperately wanted to leave behind and walk the long avenue of individuation. The dearth of literature on the subject of class is considered, and the paper concludes that not enough attention is given to class identification in training.
A different gut microbial community between larvae and adults of a wild bumblebee nest (Bombus pascuorum)
Authors: Parmentier Anneleen , Meeus Ivan , Van Nieuwerburgh Filip , Deforce Dieter , Vandamme Peter , Smagghe Guy
Published: August 2016

Although the gut microbial communities in adult bumblebees and their associated functionalities are widely studied, descriptive data on the larval gut microbiota are still limited. The gut microbiota of a fully sampled wild Bombus pascuorum nest has been characterized, using the multiplexed Illumina MiSeq 16S ribosomal RNA amplicon sequencing technique. The nesters and foragers inhabiting the same nest showed the typical core bacterial sequences and only marginal differences in their characterized gut microbiota. The gut microbial communities within the adult and larval specimens differed strongly, as the typical core gut bacteria in the adult bumblebees are absent in the larval bumblebees. The bacterial communities within the larval gut are dominated by bacterial phylotypes of Enterobacteriaceae and Lactobacillaceae, supplemented with genera belonging to Corynebacteriales and Bacillales. The function of this larval gut microbiota, being different from the adult, remains to be determined.